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Primavera Sound 2023

Coordinates: 41°24′40.75″N 2°13′28.57″E / 41.4113194°N 2.2246028°E / 41.4113194; 2.2246028
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primavera Sound 2023
Genre
Dates1 June 2023 – 3 June 2023
Location(s)Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain)
Coordinates41°24′40.75″N 2°13′28.57″E / 41.4113194°N 2.2246028°E / 41.4113194; 2.2246028
FoundersPablo Soler
Attendance253,000
Websiteprimaverasound.com

The Primavera Sound 2023 music festival was held between 1 and 3 June at the Parc del Fòrum, in Barcelona, Spain. The festival's line-up was headlined by Blur, Calvin Harris, Depeche Mode, Halsey, Kendrick Lamar, New Order and Rosalía.[1]

After the two-weekend format introduced the previous year, the festival went back to the usual three-day format in the city, but held a parallel festival in Madrid with a nearly identical lineup a week later under the tagline "I'll Be Your Mirror".

The 21st edition of the festival, performances were also live-streamed on Amazon Music's Twitch channel, which was available to watch through Amazon Prime Video as well.[2] In addition to the main festival, there was also a free "welcome day" concert at the Parc del Fòrum headlined by Pet Shop Boys, with RSVP tickets offered to both festivalgoers and Barcelona city residents.[3] There was also a closing "Brunch on the Beach" party held at the Parc del Fòrum on 4 June, featuring electronic music performances from DJs including Diplo and Purple Disco Machine.[4] Under Primavera a la Ciutat (English: "Primavera in the City"), the festival held shows throughout various different concert venues and clubs in downtown Barcelona in the days surrounding the main festival, featuring exclusive appearances from the likes of Black Midi, Molchat Doma, Cloud Nothings and The Chills.[5]

Background

[edit]

The 2023 festival date was announced on 29 November 2022, alongside its lineup announcement. Billed as "I'll Be Your Mirror", the festival was set to be held in two cities, Barcelona and Madrid during the two weekends.[6] On 7 March, New Order was announced as the final festival headliner.[7]

On 26 April, it was announced that the festival was livestreamed on Twitch via Amazon Music's channel and Amazon Prime Video.[2]

During the festival's free opening night on 31 May, a 57-year old Scottish man was killed by a tram outside Parc del Fòrum after the Pet Shop Boys' performance.[8]

Blur performed their UK number-one single "Country House" for the first time since 2015 and the B-side "Luminous" for the first time since 1999.[9]

On Friday 2 June, headliner Kendrick Lamar performed his verses from Pusha T's "Nosetalgia" and The Weeknd's "Sidewalks" live for the first time.[10] Later, Skrillex's set was disrupted because the stage caught fire as he performed.[10]

Rosalía, a Barcelona native, reportedly drew the largest crowd gathering of the festival when she headlined on Saturday.[11]

On Saturday 3 June, the Ron Brugal stage suffered from sound problems. Kelela's set was halted for 10 minutes and ultimately cut short as her microphone suddenly cut out. The delay resulted in Måneskin's set on the neighboring Amazon Music stage also running past its scheduled end time. As a result, Death Grips could not take the Ron Brugal stage on time, and Death Grips fans began to boo Måneskin for continuing to perform overtime and delaying the Death Grips set.[12]

Prior to performing their final song "Bull Believer" on Saturday, Wednesday lead singer Karly Hartzman criticised Jeff Bezos and Amazon while performing on the Amazon Music stage, dedicating the song to "any warehouse workers who have ever been mistreated."[13]

Ticket preferences shifted with the previous ratio of 90% full festival tickets to 10% day tickets reversing in both editions. This change in trend was linked to the rising prices of tickets, flights, and accommodation.[14] Barcelona experienced a decrease in foreign attendees from 70% to 52%, mainly among British visitors, which was attributed to the impact of Brexit and increased costs.[15][16]

Madrid

[edit]

This year was the inaugural edition held in Madrid exactly a week after Barcelona with nearly identical lineups. The grounds were held at the Ciudad del Rock, outside Madrid's Arganda del Rey municipality. However, the festival was cancelled entirely on Thursday as a result of weather concerns, which was announced a day prior. Blur performed a makeup show at the La Riviera club (capacity: 2,000), while Yard Act and Off! organized a show at the Wurlitzer Ballroom.[17][18][19]

The festival faced a mobility challenge, especially on June 9, when traffic jams at the entrances led to a 45-minute delay in Depeche Mode's concert. Limited parking, half of which was unusable due to prior rains, contributed to these issues. There were rumors of widespread distribution of gifted tickets to meet the target of 50,000 daily attendees, though organizers denied any unusual practices without disclosing exact numbers.[20]

Death Grips pulled out of their Saturday set at the last minute, citing an illness.[21]

The organizers noted that 38% of the attendees came from foreign countries, and in Madrid, there was a higher representation of Latin American attendees compared to Barcelona, which they attributed to Madrid being a more accessible and direct destination.[16]

On 22 July 2023, Primavera Sound announced that it would not be returning to Madrid in 2024, stating: "the expectations we had were not fulfilled and the experience of the festivalgoers due to several logistical aspects was not the desired one. Inside the Ciudad del Rock, we experienced a festival full of great musical moments, but we are not oblivious to the annoyances. And that leads us to understand that, now, the conditions are not right for Madrid to have a Primavera Sound as it deserves in 2024."[22]

Headline set lists

[edit]

Thursday, 1 June

Blur[23]
  1. "St Charles Square"
  2. "There's No Other Way"
  3. "Popscene"
  4. "Tracy Jacks"
  5. "Beetlebum"
  6. "Trimm Trabb"
  7. "Villa Rosie"
  8. "Coffee & TV"
  9. "Luminous"
  10. "End of a Century"
  11. "Country House"
  12. "Parklife"
  13. "To the End"
  14. "Girls & Boys"
  15. "Song 2"
  16. "Intermission"
  17. "This Is a Low"
  18. "Tender"
  19. "The Narcissist"
  20. "The Universal"
Halsey[24]
  1. "Nightmare"
  2. "Castle"
  3. "Easier than Lying"
  4. "You Should Be Sad"
  5. "Graveyard"
  6. "Colors"
  7. "Eastside"
  8. "The Lighthouse"
  9. "Honey"
  10. "Bad at Love"
  11. "3AM"
  12. "Closer"
  13. "Gasoline"
  14. "Experiment on Me"
  15. "Without Me"
  16. "I Am Not a Woman, I'm a God"
New Order[25]

Friday, 2 June

Kendrick Lamar[27]
  1. "N95"
  2. "Element"
  3. "A.D.H.D"
  4. "King Kunta"
  5. "Worldwide Steppers"
  6. "Nosetalgia"
  7. "Backseat Freestyle"
  8. "M.A.A.D City"
  9. "Swimming Pools (Drank)"
  10. "Loyalty"
  11. "Purple Hearts"
  12. "DNA"
  13. "Rich Spirit"
  14. "Humble"
  15. "Sidewalks"
  16. "Count Me Out"
  17. "Money Trees"
  18. "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe"
  19. "Die Hard"
  20. "Love"
  21. "Alright"
  22. "Vent" (with Baby Keem)
  23. "Family Ties" (with Baby Keem)
  24. "Savior"

Saturday, 3 June

Rosalía[28]
  1. "Saoko"
  2. "Bizcochito"
  3. "La Fama"
  4. "De aquí no sales"/"Bulerías"
  5. "La Noche de Anoche"
  6. "Linda"
  7. "Diablo"
  8. "Despechá"
  9. "Hentai"
  10. "Candy"
  11. "Motomami"
  12. "La Combi Versace"
  13. "Con altura"
  14. "Beso"
  15. "Vampiros"
  16. "Héroe"
  17. "Malamente"
  18. "Chicken Teriyaki"
  19. "CUUUUuuuuuute"

Line-up

[edit]

Headline performers are listed in boldface. Artists listed from latest to earliest set times.[29]

Estrella Damm

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Santander

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Amazon Music

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Cupra

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Plenitude

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Ron Brugal

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Auditori Santander

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Dice

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Pull&Bear

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023

Stone Island Sound at the Warehouse

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023
  • Bill Kouligas
  • Upsammy
  • Tzusing
  • Low Jack x Lala &Ce (Live)
  • Honour
  • Tongue in the Mind
  • CCL
  • Mala
  • Om Unit (Live)
  • The Drift Institute
  • Oriana B2B Melina Serser
  • Ubaldo

Night Pro

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023
  • RIP
  • Elmalamía
  • European Vampire
  • Vale Castillo
  • Guatemala
  • Dagger Moth
  • Chunyan
  • Farze
  • Atzur
  • Lilium
  • Rubber Band
  • Ibiza Pareo
  • Dirtytwo
  • Monikaze
  • Prins
  • Proteins of Magic
  • Dem Mob
  • Cruz Caiman

Boiler Room × Cupra

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023
  • Tra Tra Trax Sound Sistema
  • Avalon Emerson
  • S-Candalo
  • OK Williams
  • Kikelomo
  • Mellow & Sleazy
  • European305
  • Irration Steppas
  • Nplgnn (Live)
  • Musa XXL x Toro
  • Mura Masa (DJ set)
  • CCL
  • Crystallmess
  • DJ Babatr
  • Vhoor
  • Jon K
  • Yves Tumor (DJ set)
  • Ikram Bouloum
  • La Creole
  • Drazzit
  • LustSickPuppy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Akanbi
  • DJSport
  • Jehia

Aperol Island of Joy

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023
  • Ganges
  • Magia Bruta
  • Mira Paula
  • MARIALLUÏSA
  • Julia Amor
  • TMATNB
  • Ciutat
  • Selva Nua
  • Comic Sans
  • Amore
  • Enry-K (DJ set)
  • Antònim
  • Morreo
  • Yudi Saint X
  • Galgo Lento

The Vision by Pull&Bear

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023
  • Unai Muguruza
  • L'Hereu Escampa
  • Del Water Gap
  • Soyuz
  • Molly Payton
  • Heal

Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm

[edit]
Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023 Saturday, 3 June 2023
  • Miqui Puig (DJ set)
  • Nahoomie
  • Santa Eulàlia
  • Stein B2B Formica
  • Tamarindo
  • Vonvon
  • Rob Maart
  • Tropikal Rockers
  • Iets Anders
  • Santoral Disco

Primavera a la Ciutat line-up

[edit]

La [2] Apolo

[edit]
Monday, 29 May 2023 Tuesday, 30 May 2023 Wednesday, 31 May 2023 Sunday, 4 June 2023

Razzmatazz

[edit]
Monday, 29 May 2023 Tuesday, 30 May 2023 Sunday, 4 June 2023

Razzmatazz 2

[edit]
Monday, 29 May 2023 Tuesday, 30 May 2023 Sunday, 4 June 2023

Razzmatazz 3

[edit]
Tuesday, 30 May 2023
  • Elmalamía
  • Vale Castillo

Sala Apolo

[edit]
Monday, 29 May 2023 Tuesday, 30 May 2023 Sunday, 4 June 2023

Paral.lel 62

[edit]
Sunday, 4 June 2023
electroniCON party

Welcome Day and Closing Party line-up

[edit]
Amazon Music
Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Night Pro
Wednesday, 31 May 2023
  • Dagger Moth
  • Guatemala
  • Dagger Moth
Cupra
Sunday, 4 June 2023

Reception

[edit]

Rolling Stone praised this edition of the festival for improving logistics from the year prior, such as boosting the number of on-site essentials while reducing the overall capacity, though lamenting the loss of the electronic music-centered Bits area at Sant Adrià de Besòs. It commented on the musical diversity on the lineup, which had multiple East Asian pop acts including Red Velvet, Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and the Nigerian singer Rema.[30] Pitchfork said that the festival held appeal from "casual festival-goers and full-on obsessives to outright skeptics... you could lose it on the dancefloor to pop phenomena like Rosalía, mosh by the sea to the epiphanic black metal of Liturgy, or hear a Numero Group DJ set featuring the rarest-of-rare Italo disco 7''s, and still feel like you’ve only scratched the surface."[12] Variety said "the female performers – like St. Vincent, PinkPantheress, Caroline Polachek, Arlo Parks, Maggie Rogers, Holly Humberstone and the girl-fronted Alvvays and Wednesday – really dominated the festival’s lineup and provided some of the most spectacular, standout sets."[11]

NME gave the festival a four-star review, stating that "a festival that entreats its punters to care about the future looks to be gradually entering a new, bright and reinvigorated era of its own."[13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Young, Alex (29 November 2022). "Primavera Sound Reveals 2023 Lineup Led by Kendrick, Blur, Depeche Mode, and Rosalía". Consequence. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b Fu, Eddie (26 April 2023). "Primavera Sound to Livestream Both Weekends on Amazon Music". Consequence. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  3. ^ Moayeri, Lily (2023-05-19). "Spain's Primavera Sound Kicks Off Europe's Music Festival Season With Mirrored Lineups in Barcelona and Madrid". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  4. ^ "Guía básica del Primavera Sound 2023 | Onda Cero Radio". www.ondacero.es (in Spanish). 2023-04-09. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  5. ^ O'Brien, Andrew (2022-11-29). "Primavera Sound Details 2023 Madrid & Barcelona Lineups: Blur, Kendrick Lamar, MMJ, More [Video]". L4LM. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  6. ^ Monroe, Jazz (29 November 2022). "Primavera 2023 Lineup: Blur, Kendrick Lamar, Depeche Mode, and More". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  7. ^ Jones, Damian (7 March 2023). "Primavera Sound Festival 2023: New Order announced as final headliner". NME. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Scot dies in fatal collision with tram after first night of Primavera Sound". www.catalannews.com. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  9. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (2023-06-02). "Watch Blur bring 'Country House' back to setlist and play 'Luminous' for first time in 24 years at Primavera Sound". NME. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  10. ^ a b "The Best of Primavera Sound 2023: Blur, Kendrick, Rosalía, and More". Pitchfork. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  11. ^ a b Halperin, Shirley (2023-06-05). "Rosalia Thrills Hometown Crowd, Halsey Brings the Hits at Primavera Sound Barcelona". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  12. ^ a b Torres, Eric; Sodomsky, Sam (2023-06-05). "The Best of Primavera Sound 2023: Blur, Kendrick, Rosalía, and More". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  13. ^ a b Williams, Sophie (2023-06-06). "Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 review: a comeback worth shouting about". NME. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  14. ^ Arce, Jacobo de (2023-06-10). "Primavera Sound Madrid reúne a 90.000 espectadores en sus jornadas de viernes y sábado en la Ciudad del Rock de Arganda". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  15. ^ Arce, Jacobo de (2023-06-10). "Primavera Sound Madrid reúne a 90.000 espectadores en sus jornadas de viernes y sábado en la Ciudad del Rock de Arganda". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  16. ^ a b Fortuny, Ignasi (2023-06-03). "El Primavera Sound cierra su edición de Barcelona con 253.000 asistentes antes del "reto de Madrid"". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  17. ^ Goggins, Joe (2023-06-08). "Blur to play Madrid after opening night of Primavera cancelled". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  18. ^ Gallop, Joe (2023-06-08). "Blur to play 2,500-cap Madrid concert after Primavera Sound cancellation". Access All Areas. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  19. ^ Espejo-Saavedra, Iñaki (2023-06-13). "OFF! + Yard Act (Wurlitzer Ballroom, Madrid) 08/06/23". Muzikalia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  20. ^ Arce, Jacobo de (2023-06-10). "Primavera Sound Madrid reúne a 90.000 espectadores en sus jornadas de viernes y sábado en la Ciudad del Rock de Arganda". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  21. ^ Krueger, Jonah (2023-06-12). "Despite Turbulence, the Inaugural Primavera Sound Madrid Soared: Review". Consequence. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  22. ^ Wilkes, Emma (2023-07-22). "Primavera Sound will not return to Madrid in 2024". NME. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  23. ^ "Blur Concert Setlist at Primavera Sound 2023 Barcelona on June 1, 2023". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Halsey Concert Setlist at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 1, 2023". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  25. ^ "New Order Concert Setlist at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 1, 2023". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Depeche Mode Concert Setlist at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 2, 2023". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  27. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Concert Setlist at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 2, 2023". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  28. ^ "ROSALÍA Concert Setlist at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 3, 2023". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  29. ^ Line-up citations:
  30. ^ Bulut, Selim (2023-06-12). "Primavera Sound 2023 review: Blur, Kendrick Lamar, and Rosalía shine at Barcelona festival". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 2024-01-28.