Primavera Sound 2015 in brief, day 2

Quickly following the previous post with the opening day, here's the quick review of our first "big day", Thursday 28th, at the Primavera Sound Festival 2015. Quite a bit to highlight!

The Good

The Replacements: Never been a huge fan, but seeing a band so damn solid at Primavera stage, with Paul Westenberg attacking relentlessly the tunes, having fun with the snippets, including Joy Division and the Jackson 5. And to hear 'Color Me Impressed', 'Left of the Dial', and the immense 'Alex Chilton' (goosebumps, goosebumps all over, is there a more flammable chorus?) was just memorable. Eternal songs, eternal band.

 The Replacements, rock left of the dial. Photo: Bloodbuzzed 

Viet Cong: With a couple of tunes extended to, imo, an unnecessary and pointless length, their show was flawless, fierce, tense, menacing. Here an explosive band with an incredible potential.

Viet Cong, march of post-punk-rock. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Bad

Black Keys: Awful, extremely flat sound at the Heineken stage for what it (on paper) was one of the biggest headliners of the Festival. I'm not a fan of their music, but I was hoping for a fun, playful gig. Regrettably, it wouldn't be the last time the sound issues at that stage appeared.

The Queen

Twerps: Have you ever had the feeling that, despite you are going to see a band for the first time, you already know it will be a great show? When there's no doubt you're are about to enjoy one of "these moments" only music can offer you? That's what happened with Twerps at Pitchfork. 'Range Anxiety' is one of the records of the year (won't waste any single second on this, IT IS, period), and indiepop gems like 'I Don't Mind', 'Back to You' or 'Shoulders', to name just three, proved. 45 minutes of pure magic, a perennial smile on the face of this humble blogger from start to finish. Once again, what would we do without Antipodean pop?

Twerps, the worst band name for such a wonderful band. Photo: Bloodbuzzed 

Brief of the second "big day" of the PS15, Friday 30th arriving as quickly as we can!

Primavera Sound 2015: first impressions

Primavera Sound Festival 2015's line-up unveiled! The show was quick and the videogame used to reveal the band names was a funny idea, (although a bit too easy?).Hipsters/posers were quite ok compared with previous years (except when the food arrived, the animal instincts appeared no matter how cool you dress) and the overall feeling was a pleasant one. Thanks to the organisers. 

But let’s go to key question. What an impressive line-up they have gathered! We are extremely happy they have followed our advice (kidding of course) and prepared an almost riot grrrl stage (by the sea perhaps?) on Friday with The Julie Ruin, Ex Hex and Sleater-Kinney. Amazing. Now please no overlaps, at least on Friday.

As happened last year, we’ll focus on the “middle class”, although my better half will strongly push for seeing The Black Keys and The Strokes (huge question marks on the latest one), which looks, as always, interesting, diverse, and with a lot of potential. DIIV, Eels (finally!), Spiritualized, Patti Smith, Torres (YEEES!) and a huge list of well-known (like Belle and Sebastian) and recently discovered names (Twerps to name one)… If we are lucky with the overlaps, this edition could be simply spectacular.

So, honouring the Blog’s tradition, here’s our traditional rough (we don't have the timetables yet) “paint & colour” version of the line-up with our first impressions on the bands we are willing to see. Promising, right?

CONFIRMED ARTISTS FOR PRIMAVERA SOUND 2015

27th-31st May

ALBERT HAMMOND JR. • ALT-J • AMERICAN FOOTBALL • ANDREW WEATHERALL ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS • ARIEL PINK • ARTHUR RUSSELL INSTRUMENTALS BABES IN TOYLAND • BAXTER DURY • BELLE & SEBASTIAN • BEN WATT • BENJAMIN BOOKER • THE BLACK KEYS • THE BOHICAS • BOREALS • BRAND NEW • CARIBOU • CHEATAHS • CHET FAKER • CHILDHOOD • CHRISTINA ROSENVINGE • THE CHURCH • CINERAMA • DJ COCO • D.D DUMBO • DAMIEN RICE • DAN DEACON • DAVE P. • DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 • DER PANTHER • DIIV • DISAPPEARS • DIXON • DULCE PAJARA DE JUVENTUD • EARTH • EARTHLESS • EELS • EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN • ELECTRIC WIZARD • EX HEX • EXXASENS • FERRAN PALAU • FOXYGEN • FUCKED UP • FUMACA PRETA • GERMA AIRE • THE GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER • GIANT SAND • GREYLAG • GÚDAR • GUI BORATTO • HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS • HAR MAR SUPERSTAR (dj set) • HEALTH • HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER • HOOKWORMS • THE HOTELIER • IBEYI • ICEAGE • INTERPOL • JAMBINAI • JAMES BLAKE • JESSICA & THE FLETCHERS • JOAN MIQUEL OLIVER • JON HOPKINS • JOSE GONZALEZ • THE JUAN MACLEAN • JULIAN CASABLANCAS+THE VOIDZ • THE JULIE RUIN • JUNGLE • KELELA KEVIN MORBY • THE KVB • LAS RUINAS • LES AMBASSADEURS • LES SUEQUES • LOS PUNSETES • LOST TAPES • MAC DEMARCO • MARC PIÑOL • MARC RIBOT'S CERAMIC DOG • MDOU MOCTAR • MIKAL CRONIN • MIKE SIMONETTI • MINERAL • MIQUEL SERRA • MOURN • MOVEMENT • MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND • NANCY WHANG (dj set) NELEONARD • THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS • NUEVA VOLCANO • NÚRIA GRAHAM • OCELLOT • OMD • OUGHT • PALLBEARER • PANAMA • PANDA BEAR • PATTI SMITH & BAND perform HORSES • PERFUME GENIUS • PERRO • PHARMAKON • RATKING • THE REPLACEMENTS • RICHIE HAWTIN • RIDE • ROCIO MARQUEZ • ROMAN FLOGEL • RUN THE JEWELS • SALVAJE MONTOYA • THE SAURS • SHABAZZ PALACES • SHELLAC SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO • SINGLE MOTHERS • SLEAFORD MODS • SLEATER-KINNEY • SOAK • THE SOFT MOON • SPIRITUALIZED • SR. CHINARRO • STRAND OF OAKS • THE STROKES • THE SUICIDE OF WESTERN CULTURE • SUN KIL MOON • SUNN 0))) • SWANS • THEE OH SEES • THE THURSTON MOORE BAND • TOBIAS JESSO JR.• TONY ALLEN • TORRES • TUNE-YARDS • TWERPS • TWIN SHADOW • TYLER THE CREATOR • UMBERTO & ANTONI MAIOVVI • UNDERWORLD dubnobasswithmyheadman live • UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA • VIET CONG • VOIVOD • WHITE HILLS • YASMINE HAMDAN • YOUNGHUSBAND • THE ZEPHYR BONES

Green- Definetely seeing them. Absolute must
Orange- If there are no overlaps (in particular with the green ones), I'll be there for sure
Yellow- Curious about it/"on research mode"

New songs from Motorama, Tennis and R.E.M.

I bring you some wonderful music today. To start with, great news from faraway Russia. Our beloved Motorama have a new EP! The follow-up of the great single "One Moment", is called "Empty Bed". A two-songs release (don't miss "Far Away From the City") it's, again, fantastic. The mystery and magic touch of the band remains intact. Check the video and download, as its the usual policy of the group, their new work for free here, on their website. Dying to watch them live!


Tennis is another highly anticipated comeback. Their sophomore album, entitled "Young and Old", will be out on February 14th (yes, Valentine's Day). The first taste of the record is "Origins", single to be released on December 6th. Produced by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, the tune is as promising and charming as we expected from the lovely couple, Alaina and Patrick. Hear the song below.

Kirsten Dunst + R.E.M. is an already very promising mix. But if that's the video of the band's final single, it all acquires a different dimension. "We All Go Back to Where We Belong", is a superb (but not enough, there couldn't be any song good enough to close such an amazing career) farewell song, included, with two other unreleased tracks on the questionable (because it arrives too soon after the split announcement, and of course for the tracklist itself) retrospective compilation "Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011", out next week.

The sweetness of the tune, with its Burt Bacharach-esque arrangements, the placid mood, Michael's passionate voice as the ends approaches, the meaningful lyrics now the band has called it a day, all fits surprisingly well with Kirsten's beautiful face and sincere expressions. Without drama, even with a smile. Compelling and overwhelming. A song (and video) that heals.