Primavera Sound was first held in late April in 2001. Over a decade later, it has become not only one of Spain’s largest festivals but one of Europe’s most celebrated multi-day music events.
The festival has come a long way since Armand Van Helden and Los Planetas headlined the initial event. It not only moved to the incredible Forum site in 2005, but its 2010 event saw approximately 100,000 punters bask in the festivals glory.
Unlike most other festival sites, Primavera is held in the Forum Building and outdoor conference space, rather than a park or a paddock. The Forum building is architecturally brilliant and its concrete outdoor area ensures that no messy mud inspired treachery occurs. However what this does mean is that there is no onsite camping with ticket holders having to forgo that experience for a hostel or hotel in Barcelona.
Primavera has seven to eight stages throughout the festival site and with the exception of the Auditori all stages are outdoors.
The Barcelona event has become known for its huge lineups that boast the best of independent music. Past headliners have included names such as Portishead, Sonic Youth, The White Stripes, Neil Young, Pet Shop Boys, The Cure, and The Smashing Pumpkins amongst others.
The success of the event was encapsulated by Primavera’s decision to expand by holding a sister event in neighboring country Portugal. Optimus Primavera Sound is held in Porto over three days with only some of the acts from the Barcelona event playing both festivals.
Lineup
Primavera 2014 is bolsted by acts who released big albums in 2013. The likes of Arcade Fire, The National, Queens Of The Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Volcano Choir, Disclosure and Chvrches feature throughout the three days of the festival.
Other acts with forthcoming 2014 releases to watch out for include St.Vincent, Metronomy, Real Estate, Spoon and Sharon Van Etten to name but a few.
The bill is features a potent Aussie presence with the likes of Jagwar Ma, Courtney Barnett, Pond and Mick Harvey, Cut Copy.
For the full lineup click here.
Where And When
Primavera Sound will be held from the 29th to the 31st of May, while Optimus Primavera Sound will be held from the 5th to the 7th of June in Portugal city of Porto.
Primavera is held in the Spanish city of Barcelona at the Forum building, which is located approximately 6km north east from the city centre.
How To Get There
Australians travelling to Primavera must first book flights to Barcelona where the festival is obviously held. Return flights from all major Australian cities to Barcelona are in excess of $2100.
Once in Barcelona, ticket holders must make their way to the Forum Building where the festival is held. There are several ways of getting there.
Bus
On Thursday and Friday of the four-day event there are shuttle services available from the city centre (Plaza Catalunya) that take you to the festival site and back again. The bus service runs every 10-15 minutes with tickets costing $2.50(Aud). The service will begin running at 11:00 and will end at 06:00.
Another bus service is also available that runs from the city centre. This service is best for those looking to check out bands during the day, with buses running every 6-12 minutes from around 06:30 to 23:15. The bus travels from Zona Universitaria through town. For full bus details head to the official Barcelona transport website.
Train
There is a metro station close to the festival site, so once arriving all that punters have to do is follow the crowds towards the big blue Forum building. However it’s important to note that trains stop running at midnight on Thursdays and start again at 05:00. On Friday night the trains stop running at 02:00, while on Saturday there is a continuous service. When the train has stopped ticket holders will have to catch bus from outside the festival site.
Check out the Barcelona Metro website for more details.
Tram
Attendees will have to catch a tram from T4 of the line. There is a tram stop right outside the Forum building for those who are staying close to a tram stop. Trams stop running at around midnight on Thursday and 02:00 on Friday and Saturday. Check out this guide for more details on trams around the city including information on where to buy tickets.
Taxi
This option will be easy to use getting to the festival, however catching a cab on your way back might require more patience than you have. A taxi ride from the city centre to the festival site is likely to take around 20 minutes and set you back around $25.
Where To Stay
There are hotels situated close to the festival site, but they’re a little on the pricey side. Check out Hotel Barcelona Princess or Hotel AC Barcelona Forum if you’re looking for a hotel option.
There are numerous hostels around the city with various different prices. But some of the best hostels in Barcelona are Kabul, Garden House Hostel, Barcelona Urbany and Gothic Point.
How To Get Tickets
Head to the website to purchase tickets to Primavera. There are mulitiple ticketing options available for those interested in heading to the festival.
The Weekend Pass – The full ticket not only gets you into everyday of the festival but also to any events taking place in clubs in Barcelona that Primavera has organized. This pass will set you back €175 for regular or €250 for VIP.
Day Pass – For punters looking for only one day of festival goodness a day pass is valued at $100 with the price increasing another $10 a month out from the event.
Insider Tips/ Things You Shouldn’t Miss
If you plan on using public transport to get to Primavera make sure you purchase the T10 ticket. It allows you ten journeys at a cheaper rate than if you buy tickets individually. These tickets can be shared amongst friends, so everyone in your group may not need to purchase one each.
There are also numerous events on around the city, from small gigs to club nights. More details of official events will be up on Primavera’s officla website closer to festival date. A full weekend pass will get you free entry into such events.
Keep your eye out for unofficial events as well. There will be posters around the city advertising gigs that held in celebration of Primavera, but that aren’t directly related to it.
For more details head to Primavera’s official website
2013 Lineup
Click image to enlarge
This year’s major headliners include Blur, Phoenix, The Postal Service, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus And Mary Chain and Grizzly Bear with Aussies on the bill including Tame Impala, The Drones and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
Check out the teaser video below or head to the website for the full list of acts play Primavera.
