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Primavera Sound 2022


daveje

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4 hours ago, Chilly Toad said:

For the second part: I saw what I wanted to see from where I wanted to see (as in the past) so I am not complaining about the big crowds. However, I found the lack of security, wavebreakers and crowd control in general dangerous and not up to the standards a festival of the size and reputation of PS should set. Of course, all went well until now. But that´s not the way an organisation should think.

My thoughts exactly. The level of "couldn't care less" on part of security at times was also truly shocking. Shortly before King Gizz played Bianance, a woman behind me asked security for water & they pointed her to the bar. As if getting through that crowd at that moment to the bar was going to be at all easy, let alone for someone on the brink of fainting. Security's attempt at trying to get the crowd to calm down in the middle of the set instead of aiding the crowd by collecting crowdsurfers & passing out water was also absurd.

I still love Primavera. Only slightly less than before though. It was my 7th time attending (my first since 2016) & I'd still like to attend future editions. But there are lots of safety conditions that need to be addressed if they plan to keep it at its current scale. I hope they get addressed.

Currently split 50/50 on buying early bird tickets.

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I went only to W2 so can't speak for W1 (W2 had more people anyway). But we were FAR away from overcrowding or any dangerous situation. When a stage is overcrowded it gets to a point where you no longer have any space around you. You can't even get your phone out of your pocket. You can't control your movements and it is the actual crowd that decides where you are going. I have experienced this at few festivals before, such as Oxegen, Glasto or even smaller festivals like Citadel. 

W2 was nothing like that, pretty much the opposite. During the busiest times (Dua Lipa, Strokes or Tame Impala) I was perfectly capable of getting to the front rows 10min after the concert had begun and there was plenty of space. Sometimes you could even see people sitting down. 

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For those that did enjoy Primavera (music-wise at least), I have a favour to ask of you...

I host a radio show called Deep Cuts on Sheffield Live radio, and I'm doing a Primavera special on Saturday (pre-recorded so I'm finishing it off tomorrow night).  I'm after a few fake 'voicemails' (voice notes) from people as if they're leaving a message for Deep cuts... just a few words on Primavera, and a set you watched, ending with you requesting a song. BUT, the song has to be a 'deep cut' - so no Feel Good Inc from Gorillaz, or Earfquake from Tyler.. it has to be a 'album cut', i.e. something that wasn't a single.  This rule can be broken if it's a smaller act who doesn't chart/get radio play.  So i'd accept a Shellac single, just, for example.

If you're willing, please send over a 30-60 second or so clip to deepcutsradio at gmail dot com by 8pm tomorrow and I'll include it in the show 🙂  Just talk about the show you watched and why you loved it, and why that particular song.  

 

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Regarding crowd sizes... As a comparison, for Arctic Monkeys a few years back, you could comfortably get to the halfway mark between the two main stages and chill out on the floor with no one behind you (except those waiting at the front of the other main stage for the following act). This year, partway through Lorde for example, we could only sit down comfortably at the very back towards the entrance of the main stages. We then got up and left with the amount of people heading in for the Strokes (who we wanted to see). I hear that people gave up on the The Strokes due to the amount of people descending on the main stages.

Would prefer them to return to the previous layout as it was chaos watching a band then being overwhelmed by people coming in for the next act and just chatting.  Also reducing capacity would help massively, but no way that will happen.

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4 hours ago, Ildavo said:

Regarding crowd sizes... As a comparison, for Arctic Monkeys a few years back, you could comfortably get to the halfway mark between the two main stages and chill out on the floor with no one behind you (except those waiting at the front of the other main stage for the following act). This year, partway through Lorde for example, we could only sit down comfortably at the very back towards the entrance of the main stages. We then got up and left with the amount of people heading in for the Strokes (who we wanted to see). I hear that people gave up on the The Strokes due to the amount of people descending on the main stages.

Would prefer them to return to the previous layout as it was chaos watching a band then being overwhelmed by people coming in for the next act and just chatting.  Also reducing capacity would help massively, but no way that will happen.

Exactly this - I also recall seeing Arctic Monkeys (2018) and Tame Impala (2019) from the middle of Mordor, half-sitting, half-standing and dancing (depending on the song) and not having to worry about other people at all. The same spot this year for Dua Lipa felt like front rows.

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If I’m honest, the only way to go back to the old feel would be less people or an extra big stage that’s not an unsafe and long BITS detour away. Afraid that neither is going to happen. And honestly if they’d move, thereby losing auditori and cupra/rayban + seaside view, they’d take away even more charm. 

 

Talked to a colleague who went to BKS. Even camping was a breeze and they even upped their game on dressing up the grounds (something primavera seems to have missed the buss on which is going to cost them eventually, esp with the heavy sponsoring going on there as a contrast). 
It’s only a 1,5 hour drive for me and my wife would join so really considering going back there. Just hoping half of the uk/Ireland crowd now doesn’t get the same idea after this years primavera debacle 

Edited by Rhak
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49 minutes ago, Rhak said:

Another thing that actually amazes me is how most festivals seem to be struggling to sell as many tickets as pre covid but primavera was the other way around (I guess Glastonbury is also in that boat but that was always the case)

Im based between Ireland, UK and Netherlands most of the time and almost every gig I've seen go on sale is selling out very quickly. All the big festivals too. The appetite for live events is absolutely huge.

I reckon the only thing that sends us back to a quieter crowd, lower capacity event (at primavera and elsewhere) is an economic downturn tbh. Of course that's something nobody wants to see - I remember being at packed festivals in 2008-2010 and then seeing those events dwindle to a fraction of their previous size by 2012.

I don't see what else turns the trend around - everyone is on board the Insta-worthy, big events, whether those are concerts, festivals, matches or something similar. 

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2 hours ago, Rhak said:

Another thing that actually amazes me is how most festivals seem to be struggling to sell as many tickets as pre covid but primavera was the other way around (I guess Glastonbury is also in that boat but that was always the case)

Keep in mind most of the tickets to this year's edition were sold ages ago, much different to a lot of festivals happening this summer that only announced recently. The festival that happened before this one (pre-pandemic) was barely sold out, and this 2022 edition also included tens of thousands of rolled-over tickets from the two postponed years as well.

They were smart at dropping the entire lineup a year in advance at a time when everyone had huge 'vaccine positivity' and it was a perfect storm of people wanting to buy stuff to look forward to – it was a very good business move – but it's still TBC if that can be replicated year on year given the past couple of years were unique circumstances. I don't think it's a done deal at all that this is now a Glastonbury-esque instant sellout every year.

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2 hours ago, ConfidenceMan said:

Im based between Ireland, UK and Netherlands most of the time and almost every gig I've seen go on sale is selling out very quickly. All the big festivals too. The appetite for live events is absolutely huge.

I reckon the only thing that sends us back to a quieter crowd, lower capacity event (at primavera and elsewhere) is an economic downturn tbh. Of course that's something nobody wants to see - I remember being at packed festivals in 2008-2010 and then seeing those events dwindle to a fraction of their previous size by 2012.

I don't see what else turns the trend around - everyone is on board the Insta-worthy, big events, whether those are concerts, festivals, matches or something similar. 

BKS, Down The Rabbit Hole, Rock Werchter, Werchter Classic (they even merged this one with the Florence & the Machine), Werchter Boutique, Pukkelpop, Live is Live (new fest with The National, Wilco,...), Dour, : none of them sold out. The only one I know of is Lowlands & Tomorrowland (which have a tradition of selling out).
Lots of clubs saying that concerts rolled-over tickets are all sold out but usually only 70% of the people show up. Far less of the new shows are selling out presale but however, more people showing up to buy a ticket at the venue on the night of the show. I think habits have changed & people are feeling an economic downturn (gas & electricity prices are crazy)

Edited by Rhak
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If next year those greedy good for nothing folk at PS don't limit the crowd at Mordor such that i will have enough room to dance but crowded enough so that it feels like a real rock concert and it's gotta be strictly fans only (and ideally they should all hate Jamie XX) but they must all jump up and down and sing all the lyrics to the non singles and stop chatting (and don't buy VIP tickets God forbid!), but that they are the type that won't get too thirsty so that i can get my beers from the bar without a queue, and while we're at it, ensure the bar staff all have PHDs in hospitality management and speak 6 languages, I'm filing a class action! ... but I'll be back next year coz what can you do, Gabi know's his music!

(sorry, had to get that out. no disrespect to anyone 😅

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...and while we're at it, stop bringing so many bloody bands and adding so many stages, those damn clashes stretched my limits and I'll sue you for that too! One last thing and I'll stop, promise, where did you come up with the idea of getting sponsorships - are you trying to make a profit here too FFS??

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9 minutes ago, Etaish said:

...and while we're at it, stop bringing so many bloody bands and adding so many stages, those damn clashes stretched my limits and I'll sue you for that too! 

Simultaneously not enough bands after cancellations yet far too many clashes.

Schrodinger's Primavera Sound.

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Yep, PS made some poor decisions this year regarding the water on the first day, Brunch on the Beach & general crowd control on Thursday WK1, and a lot of the complaints are legit & need to be heard (obviously) - but some of the entitled garbage I've seen on Facebook, Twitter etc is beyond belief

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I did the Porto edition instead in 2014 and 2015.  May do that instead next year to get that more chilled vibe back...or have they oversold for that too this year? Their alternate stages worked as they were far enough away from eachother to not have crowds coming in for the following band disrupting what you were watching.

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29 minutes ago, Ildavo said:

I did the Porto edition instead in 2014 and 2015.  May do that instead next year to get that more chilled vibe back...or have they oversold for that too this year? Their alternate stages worked as they were far enough away from eachother to not have crowds coming in for the following band disrupting what you were watching.

It was also oversold this year by all accounts.

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Late to the party for the weekend one thing but for me my highlights were:

1. Tyler the Creator - I was excited anyway but I got everything I wanted, loved the staging and energy, people around me were super into it... was great.
2. The 4ad gig at La Nau (I love Dry Cleaning and Erika de Casier, and I actually got into an indoor gig after everyone I was with gave up! I also loved that venue a lot and they did a better job there than other places I tried).
3. Pavement (might have been higher if they had played 'here' as per the setlist! Welcome antidote to a day I was struggling with though and packed with hits.)
4. Gorillaz (I am not a big fan, but went down to get a good spot for Tyler and I really enjoyed it. All the guest appearances, sounded great, good show etc... understand why they get all the headline slots now!)
5. Porridge Radio (looking forward to seeing these at EOTR or in their own shows - Dana nailed it on her own though).

Honourable mentions: Caroline Polachek, Beck which was a million times better than I expected and really enjoyed, Earl Sweatshirt and Fontaines DC (who were great but I've seen them 4/5 times)! I know it's blasphemy but I lost a bit of energy with Nick Cave, and as much as I like some of his stuff there's just so many songs and I found myself finding it a bit samey for the ones I didn't know. Would have been amazing at the front I am sure but being stood further back too, he was just off the stage for the bit I watched, interacting with the fans at the front off the stage, so was like watching on telly. Sure for those who were at the front and into it that was incredible. I would try again but I thought he'd be a highlight for me - maybe I should have swatted up more! I enjoyed the end of Caroline P when I went to it instead.

I'd echo a lot of the comments above and on this thread. Had a great time, probably won't go again. Really looking forward to the End of the Road vibe later this year, and I'd like to do a European one in between. 

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13 minutes ago, ConfidenceMan said:

Does she do much Alabama Shakes stuff? Loved their albums but never saw them live before the split. 

None at all sadly! But a bunch of covers- Nina Simone, Jackie Wilson etc. As good as she was I would love an Alabama Shakes reunion though, without the dodgy one. 

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1 hour ago, DarthSaul said:

Did anyone catch Brittany Howard w2? She was phenomenal, joyous! 

Was gutted PinkPantheress had cancelled but it meant we all went & watched the great Brittany Howard - anyone who opens with a Funkadelic cover & pulls it off is pretty bold, thought it was a fantastic set!

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