Barcelona's Primavera Sound festival is known for bagsying some of the best names in music and nabbing newer acts that are just hot of the Wordpress. 2013 is the year of the comeback with Blur, My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and the Mary Chain mixing it up with acts that are still trailblazing with their debut albums.
The activities kick off on May 20, with a smattering of DJs playing. As the days wear on, more acts are added to the bill when, finally, on May 22 the festival officially kicks off with performances from The Vaccines, Veronica Falls, John Talabot and Delorean. The line up expands hugely by the 23 when gig-goers will be spoiled for choice with performers heralding every genre under the Spanish sun.
It's impossible to ingest this line-up without salivating. It's a given that Blur, The Breeders, My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and the Mary Chain are the top of everyone's list but below we have 10 other acts you have to check out at Primavera.
Primavera Sound takes place at the Parc del Forum leisure site in Barcelona
10 Acts To See
The Knife
When tickets for The Knife's European tour went on sale, they literally broke the internet. You can see them here in the flesh, or as much as they will reveal, with very little stress.
Phoenix
It's been four years since Phoenix's last album, Wolfgang Amadeus, and their latest album, Bankrupt!, will hopefully have the same joyous effect when it's performed live.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The man. The legend. He exudes cool without even trying and if we get close enough, we might inhale some of that.
Solange
It speaks volumes when you only need your first name to make it in this biz. Since the release of her 2012 EP True, she has warmed the hearts of music lovers in a far subtler way than her sister, Beyoncé.
Disclosure
‘White Noise', Disclosure's collaboration with AlunaGeorge has propelled this electro duo to greater heights but it's not their peak. In a live setting, they elevate the party and they need to be experienced.
The Postal Service
With only one album to their name, 2003's Give Up, The Postal Service made quite the impact and will stir nostalgic memories for those who embraced ‘Such Great Heights' 10 years ago.
Death Grips
Whether you ‘get' Death Grips' music or not, on stage, they are a force to be reckoned with. The mostly shirtless group have chewed up and spit out hip hop and turned it into something that is exclusively theirs.
Rodriguez
2012's Searching For Sugar Man highlighted the mystery of Rodriguez's success in South Africa and his subsequent ‘disappearance'. Back on the live circuit, he's proving why South Africa got it right.
Jessie Ware
Pop's most recent soulful teammate is London's Jessie Ware. Her album Devotion has secured her as a critic's favourite but this year is when she shall live up to the hype.
Grizzly Bear
The indie darlings are veterans at the festival circuit at this stage and they remain a permanent fixture in ‘must see' lists. Don't have any regrets this year and see these lads perform the latest from their album brilliant Shields.
How To Get There
Aer Lingus
Dublin - Barcelona Airport
Return flights approximately €300
Ryanair
Dublin - Barcelona El Prat
Return flights approximately €230
Dublin - Reus (Barcelona)
Return flights approximately €160
Weekend tickets are now sold out but day tickets are still available from primaverasound.es for €80.
Words by Louise Bruton
