Primavera Sound 2024

But the festival gave us much more. Troye Sivan blew our minds. Justice turned the venue into a massive dance floor. And not even the rain could stop Polly Jean. This Primavera Sound left us with unforgettable moments—here are the ones we’ll carry with us forever.

The starting gun was fired by Los Javis as they introduced the performative act of Stella Maris, bringing their La Mesías era—arguably their biggest success—to a close. Javier Calvo wondered aloud what Phoenix fans might think of Stella Maris. And we couldn’t help but wonder the same, surrounded by foreigners—mostly French—staking out spots for Thomas Mars and his band. Just one look at their faces, caught somewhere between awe, delight, and disbelief, said it all.

It’s impossible to judge this act as a typical concert—it wasn’t, and it didn’t pretend to be. But there were songs, dancing, projections, and knowing smiles exchanged throughout the crowd. Even castellers (human towers) made an appearance. Hidrogenesse popped up on stage, and the party escalated when Albert Pla sang Las flores de mi jardín. But the moment—THE moment—was when we witnessed the resurrection of Montserrat Baró, as the lifeless body of Carmen Machi was carried onto the stage in a chaotic, triumphant finale. The festival couldn’t have started off any better. After something like that, how do you even prepare to watch Phoenix?

Naturally, we stayed. And as expected, Phoenix never disappoints. If ever there was a band made for festivals, this is it. They kicked things off with Lisztomania, and followed with bangers like 1901, Entertainment, and Trying to Be Cool. A confident, energetic show that satisfied both die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike.

Troye Sivan was without question this year’s breakout star. The Australian brought his full charm to the stage and gave us some of the steamiest moments of the edition. Tracks like What’s the Time Where You Are?, My My My!, Bloom, and Dance to This had the crowd in rapture. He rocked a killer black corset for One of Your Girls—my f***ing god—and was joined by Guitarritadelafuente to perform In My Room, in what was possibly the most magical moment of his set. That alone could’ve been worth the entire festival. But of course, there was more.

Then Pulp. When the show ended, we were all smiling, sweaty, and hoarse from singing. We slowly drifted toward the next stage, fully aware we had just seen something special. But before all that, Jarvis had already driven the crowd into a frenzy by the second song. The opening chords of Disco 2000 rang out and the crowd erupted—it doesn’t get better than that to kick off a show. In five minutes flat, we were all sky high, and we never came down.

Jarvis flaunted his style, his poses, and his voice like time had simply skipped over him. And those iconic songs—Do You Remember the First Time?, Mis-Shapes, Babies—felt as fresh and exhilarating as ever. For a moment, it felt like we were dancing in Nitsa or at Cibeles. But there’s no room for nostalgia here—this is Primavera Sound, this is 2024, and we’re witnessing one of the greatest bands of all time.

They gave us more: This is Hardcore, Something Changed—dedicated to late bassist Steve Mackey and producer Steve Albini—and Sunrise. And when the encores began, we were all holding our breath for Common People. When it finally came, it felt like the earth itself trembled beneath our feet. May it not take another decade to see them again. Their last visit here? Primavera 2011. Though truthfully, it feels like they’ve never left. Just then, Razzmatazz blared from the speakers. Thank you.

No matter where you’re standing, La Gioconda always meets your gaze—and that’s the feeling Lana Del Rey evokes. You’re surrounded by thousands, barely any room to breathe, yet you see her on the big screen singing Video Games, “It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you / Everything I do”, and you’re sure she’s singing just to you—not the sea of people around you. Until you turn and see you’re not the only one with tears in your eyes.

Moments like Summertime Sadness, Pretty When You Cry, and Ride felt absolutely transcendent. What this woman creates is sheer magic, backed by flawless staging that makes you feel like you’re floating. She draws us into a universe that is dreamy and surreal, yet somehow completely real. Sometimes, you have to wonder—is Lana even real? If you reached out to her on stage, would she vanish? It doesn’t matter. We have her music. Hers was the most anticipated performance of the festival—and she more than delivered.

Not even the rain could dampen the power of Polly Jean Harvey. She, too, is part of this festival’s history. You can’t understand Primavera Sound without PJ Harvey. She opened with songs from her latest album I Inside the Old Year Dying, but it wasn’t long before we heard classics like Down by the Water and The Words That Maketh Murder. The conditions weren’t ideal, but her loyal fans stayed, and she delivered exactly the performance they deserved.

And speaking of loyalty—enter 070 Shake, our cover star, who performed twice: first on the main stage, fierce and confrontational, and then in Etnia Barcelona’s Red Sound Studio, a brilliant initiative offering intimate shows where the artists were just inches away. There, Danielle showed a softer, more playful side and even debuted Into Your Garden, a taste of her next album.

Saturday also belonged to Charli XCX, who’s about to drop brat. She previewed tracks like Everything is Romantic and 365, giving us an hour of unbridled energy with hits like Speed Drive, Vroom Vroom, I Love It, and even a cover of Caroline Polachek’s Welcome to My Island.

Disclosure, one of the festival’s heavy hitters, played their first live set in eight years—and it was everything we hoped for: electric, powerful, and relentless.

And then came Justice—oh, Justice. If there’s one live act that can flip the entire festival upside down, it’s Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. They came to present Hyperdrama, and kicked things off with Neverender, their spectacular collab with Tame Impala. The crowd exploded. From there, it only escalated—D.A.N.C.E., Genesis, We Are Your Friends. A blistering, cathartic set that gave us no time to recover.

We close this chronicle with our greatest discovery: Atarashii Gakko! These Japanese school-uniform-clad dynamos delivered one of the wildest, most entertaining performances the festival has ever seen. J-pop with a punk soul and mad choreography executed with laser precision. They had just as much fun on stage as we did in the crowd—and their set is already begging for a return to Barcelona. The sooner, the better.