Primavera Sound 2013 in brief, day 3

Third briefing with a quick update of our music adventures on Friday at Primavera Sound Festival 2013!

Peace. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Good

Eight more bands: As I wrote regarding Thursday, the Primavera Sound's offer is just impressive. On Friday we even managed to see one more band than the previous day: Moonflower- Kurt Vile & The Violators- Peace- Paus- The Breeders- Local Natives- Daughter- Blur. As I said, impressive.
A lesser "Mordor": Distances aside, I have to admit that the Heineken stage is much more comfortable than on previous editions. If you want to avoid the masses, you still have plenty of space to enjoy gigs without the "drunk mobs". Another remarkable improvement.
Sound quality: Definitively confirmed, vast improvement in this area.

Mr. Damon Albarn, Blur at PS13
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Bad

Blur: The gig of the festival... that finally wasn't. Blur gave a very flat, unremarkable concert. With a dubious setlist that became sort of a downer -too many slow tunes in its middle section- and the feeling Albarn wasn't really trying to connect with people - "Tender" would be the exception. Even my personal favourite "The Universal" sounded a bit shallow. Disappointment.
Gig timetables: Who decides the timetables of the concerts and to which stage are the bands assigned? How someone can put at Pitchfork stage Doldrums and Daughter at Vice virtually at the same? The delicate and intense music of Daughter was ruined by the persistent beats of Doldrums, at least for the ones who weren't able to be at the front rows. Because that's the second mistake, Daughter at Vice? It was obvious the place was too small for her. The same can be said about ATP/Heineken and the clashes of sounds. It could had been programmed better.

Kurt Vile. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Very cold & full of "posers": The first is not the fault of the organisation, of course. But what a hell of a freezing day to enjoy live music! But the second.... well, I do think security could do a much better job and don't allow people to play with a Frisbee at Ray-Ban's stage, having some consideration and not use minis or bikes when a huge amount of people is moving from Pitchfork to Heineken's stage to see Blur...  And sorry to write that, but "guiris" could behave much better. I don't believe they'll act like that back home, so why do we have to let them do what they want?


The Queen

Local Natives. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Local Natives: Discovered the band this year and "Hummingbird" is easily one of the best records of 2013 for me. So I was really eager to see them live and confirm my high expectations. But they do much more than that. They were terrific. Excellent performance, passionate and subtle at the same time, showing a surprising amount of stunning songs which just two albums to date -I have to check "Gorilla Manor" immediately-. Converted from now on.

Last "big day" starts in few hours, so its briefing will be available very soon here!

Links to previous briefings on the Primavera Sound 2013:
Day 1
Day 2

Discoverer 62: new indie findings

More new band proposals for you, with a rockier vibe and an eye (or two) at Primavera Sound Festival!

Beaches. First stop in Melbourne, Australia, to meet this female quintet formed in 2007. Their debut album, "Beaches", came a year later, obtaining critical acclaim and allowing them to tour Australia, the States and had slots in Festivals like All Tomorrow's Parties or SXSW. An Ep, "Eternal Sphere", appeared on Mexican Summer label on late 2010, with extensive touring afterwards. Finally the time arrived for a second album, "She Beats" out since May 3 on Chapter Music. A blend of psych-rock, shoegaze and krautrock with a stunning knack for pop melodies. Think on my beloved Electrelane with a retro, sixties vibe. Rich, kaleidoscopic and utterly absorbing music.

Cheatahs. One of today's proposals playing at Primavera Sound comes from London, in the form of a quartet leaded & founded in 2009 by frontman Nathan Hewitt. After a few tapes and 7" on various labels, in June 2012 they released their first EP, "Coared", on Marshall Teller Records. After a gig supporting Milk Music, Wichita Recordings signed them, putting out a second EP "Sans", in October, and combining both references on "Extended Plays", out since February. Shoegaze meeting raw 90's indie-rock without missing melodies, there's something genuine, powerfully vital in Cheatahs that put them ahead most upcoming bands.

Peace. Not a hypes' follower, even less when its NME who creates it, but after checking them as part of the Primavera Sound line-up's I admit it; here's a hype with a reason. Coming from Worcester, UK, the quartet formed in 2009 and were originally named November And The Criminal. After releasing a self-titled debut EP in March 2010 they changed it to Peace that October. The buzz began thanks to their shows, heavily amplified after signing to Columbia Records and releasing their debut EP "Delicious", on September 2012, with first album, "In Love", out past March. Playful, fun indie-rock that doesn't reinvent the wheel, but is catchy as hell.