Primavera Sound 2016 in brief, day 3

Here comes the second of our quick chronicles of how is Primavera Sound 2016 developing for us. After the first post devoted to Wednesday and Thursday, it's time for what many stated as the main on this edition, Friday 3rd (also known, not our case though, as the 'Radiohead day'). Keep the music coming!

The Good

A ton of good music: That's why Primavera Sound can't be beat. Yesterday in a journey that could have lasted longer (options were everywhere) I manage to see 11 gigs (9 in full).
Primavera a la Ciutat/Day Pro (part II): Like on the previous briefing, I began the day at midday at CCCB, having the chance of seeing live 3 acts and attending a conference. And what a trio of great live shows they were! Big Summer put a flawless, rock-solid show as expected (check their latest album 'Trigger', you won't regret it). Julien Baker was terrific in her disarming, affecting solo offer (can't believe her age). And Cass McCombs showed his range as musician on a gig that deserved much more time. Fabulous way to head into the Fòrum.

Julien Baker, blossoming folk. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Glimpses of brilliance: On a day so stocked with music it's hard to choose particular acts, and several concerts had memorable moments. The crazy fun that is watching Titus Andronicus (The Pogues meeting The Clash) and Royal Headache (what a collection of effervescent, immediate tunes Shogun and Co. have already) live. Beirut's 'Postcards from Italy' and 'The Riptide'. The glorious interpretation of 'The Age of the Understatement' from the Puppets. Savages' Jehnny Beth giving all that she has inside, once and again, to reach the audience...

Jehnny Beth honouring the local "castellers" tradition. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

High and higher with Royal Headache. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Dinosaur Jr.: Yep, we missed Radiohead. But we don't regret it one bit, thanks to Mascis, Barlow and Murph. It was a stormy set. Fierce, epic, straight to the jugular. An hour of guitars, distortion, feedback and throwaway classics. A blast.

The Bad

Massification (part II): "Mordor" (H&M and Heineken stages) was already appalling on previous editions, but this year is simply excruciating. Armies of people just wandering around, transformed into a cast of zombies (alcohol without measure has never been a good idea), and getting anxious when the "big name" approaches. Avoiding both stages much as possible has become a pretty clear strategy, which is quite sad...

The Queen
Ben Watt Band: Didn't know what to expect really... a gig too quiet for Ray-Ban stage and a Festival audience probably? Luckily, how damn wrong I was. Gentle and moody yet on full electric mode, on a combination that, at her rockier moments, didn't sound very far from The War On Drugs or Kurt Vile. Of course, Ben was in such good company it's easy to understand how impeccable was the sound of the gig. Kudos in particular to Bernard Butler, terrific in his guitar playing without going flashy or bombastic, just adding what the tunes needed. 45 minutes of wonderful musics played by truly talented musicians.

Butler & Watt, guitar-driven to wonder. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Brief of the third and last "big day" of the PS16, Saturday 4th, arriving tomorrow!

Our Primavera Sound 2016 Playlist

We are about to start another edition of Primavera Sound Festival, so we have prepared a stunning playlist with all bands we are aiming to see in the forthcoming days. We'll keep you posted, see you at the Fòrum!

Discoverer 128: new indie findings

We go into darker and rawer sounds our discoverer series this weekend. Enjoy the three blasts you are about to hear!

Protomartyr. Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, this quartet formed in 2008 from the ashes of band Butt Babies, were three of its members performed for a while until they expanded into their current line-up and transformed into Protomartyr.  The group released debut album 'No Passion All Technique' in 2012 via Urinal Cake Records, which was followed by EP 'Colpi Proibiti' (also known as the 'Baseball Bat Ep' in the same year by X! Records. Tours and Festivals begun and they quickly put out sophomore record 'Under Color of Official Right'  released in 2014 via Hardly Art. The buzz was definetely on, something that 'The Agent Intellect', out since this October is propelling to such great heights. With a reason. Bleak  and tense post-punk with hints of punk, recalling heavyweights as Pere Ubu, Wire, The Fall or The Walkmen's roughest moments, with Joe Casey's laconic and straightforward vocals delivering bitter and emotionally draining lyrics, the menacing guitar lines of Greg Ahee, the pushing beat of Scott Davidson bass and the propulsive drums of Alex Leonard. Join the martyrdom...

Royal Headache. Cross the Ocean to land in Sydney to meet this punk rock & garage outfit and garage formed in 2008. With cassettes surfacing during their first three years of activity we can say their first offical release arrived in 2010 with self-titled 7"via R.I.P Society, that preceded eponymous album a year later. Another 7", 'Stand and Stare' released by Matador in 2013  anticipated what was about to come, a brilliant force of nature in the form of sophomore album 'High', out on What's Your Rupture? since this August. It's a very unusual, refreshing blend: the primeval nature and adrenalinitic urgency of punk packed with the emotional arrest, dare I say soul? intensity of Shogun's vocals, and the inmense hooks provided by a frenzied guitar line, an acoustic rendition or the surprisingly delicate couple of notes of a sparse organ. It's a moving record, one that gets you high and gets you places... Do not miss it.
Maff.  And we end our trip in Santiago de Chile (first band from Chile featured on the Blog, so happy!) to meet this promising quartet. Formed originally in 2012 by childhood friends and punk-rockers Ricardo (Richi) Gómez and Nicolás (Nek) Colombres they became a full combo with the addition of Martín Columbres and Gonzalo (Talo) Correa. Their only release to date is their self-titled, self-recorded and self-published mini-album, out since March 2015. Eight powerful and experimental tunes, connecting the haze and open spaces of shoegaze myths like Ride or Slowdive with a heavier, rockier side, one where Pixies or Sonic Youth easily come to mind. I know, big names... for a big debut. Keep an eye on them!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 67

Despite today is a really important day on a personal level we didn't want to miss the chance to propose you a new TOP TEN playlist. Mixing the rage and ferocity of Titus Andronicus or Cruising with the introspective music of Gliss or the superb new single, perfect R.E.M. style's , of Line & Circle . We invite you to ride the emotional rollercoaster of this new playlist. And remember, it's also available at our Soundcloud, so please join us! 

Direct links to 2015 Jukebox playlists
Week 36  Week 37  Week 38   Week 39  Week 40 
Week 41  Week 42 Week 43  Week 44   Week 45
Week 46  Week 47   Week 48  Week 49   Week 50  
Week 51   Week 52  Week 53  Week 54    Week 55  
Week 56   Week 57   Week 58  Week 59   Week 60 
Week 61   Week 62   Week 63  Week 64  Week 65
Week 66