The past decade of radio work has seen me take a rather busman's holiday approach to festival going. After exhausting trudges in the mud, I heard about the great atmosphere, locations, and sunshine at Spanish festivals.
Cheap flights to Barcelona seemed too good to be true from various airlines, and Sonar and Primavera line-ups have allowed me to get to know the city pretty well after returning for over five years now. What keeps me going back?
Primavera Sound in the sun
I've witnessed many musical heroes such as Neil Young, Sonic Youth, Pulp and Roxy Music grace the large angular stages. More importantly, bands who are definitely not household names in the UK, but have more of a cult following seem to be elevated at these events on huge stages – I can't believe sometimes the size of the crowds for acts like Coco Rosie, Camera Obscura, Girls, Japandroids, Mathew E White and so on.
Primavera was pretty essential booking again this year with a nostalgic line-up of all my early musical discoveries. Yes, the current vogue for '90s bands was the sound of my school days, and my first musical purchases – you know how much that means!
From Blur to My Bloody Valentine, The Breeders to The Jesus and Mary Chain, I wasn't just stepping into the Spanish sun to enjoy the music; I was also taking a trip down memory lane. I didn't really own these memories fully the first time, as I never saw any of them live (apart from Blur), I just knew their records inside out. This was going to be quite a personal festival for me.
As well as these bands, Primavera is a festival that feels like it melts around the Barcelona streets. Each time I've been, art house, minimalist hotels, and pool gardens charm me at unofficial opening parties. The cities parks thrive with leftover sounds on the last day, wiping away post-festival blues in an instant.
The city's skycrapers, sculptures, beaches, and metros are my day and night; the music just a wonderful soundtrack. It struck me this year that, like eating al fresco, hearing music out loud, in the sun, in a large community makes the music taste brighter and fresher.
Over the years, I've got to know a little secret about Primavera too, the early evening shows at a mammoth theatre, called the Auditori, are not to be missed. The dark chasm, and reverential hush that greet the artists doing special sets create quite an atmosphere.
Ethan Johns
It was here that I saw Dexys this year and caught up with Ethan Johns for a chat after his show. You can hear that interview on the Radio Wales show website from last Saturday, where he discusses the new Tom Jones & Laura Marling records, as well as his Welsh roots.
Other interviews on the show include Savages, Mathew E White, Evans the Death, and a few tipsters from UK and Spain: Shell Zenner, Santi Garci and Craig Sgraggerton. Listen again all this week.
Beth with Shell Zenner
Other highlights from the festival include the distinct voice of Sean Nicholas Savage, the renewed vigour of The Jesus and Mary Chain, the fire and brimstone of Nick Cave, and the ridiculous heaving crowd for Daughter.
I boogied to Jackmaster, sang my heart out to The Breeders doing Last Splash anniversary tour, and even threw a few hip hop moves to the Wu Tang Clan - although I think half the Clan forgot to turn up!
Its also good to try and catch some international bands while at the festival, and Lisbon band Paus were a mind bending experience, and one of the best sets of the weekend. If you like some prog have a little listen. Their live set was something to behold. Captivating!
I've more European jaunts lined up for the summer, and plenty of Welsh festivals to shout about too – let me know if you'd like me to talk up any in particular on the BBC Radio Wales show in our new feature Festival Watch. Till then, let's hope the sun keeps shinning and the music keeps inspiring.
