Welcome to our new weekly series where we spotlight the best music festivals of the summer while profiling select bands to watch for during each event. This week is somewhat of an easy one because Coachella is in town, but don’t worry, if you couldn’t get tickets, that’s not the only show to look forward to. Check it out below…
Rock n’ roll, sex and drugs have all rolled into one when it comes to being a musician. Boozing it up is the activity that probably comes in second after making their music. However, there ARE musicians out there doing their thing without having obliteration in their daily itinerary.
This weekend, one of 2009′s biggest blog sensations, Wavves had a meltdown at the Primavera Sound Festival. He blamed it on his mental health (from a grueling tour schedule), ecstacy, valium, xanax, and his current drinking problem. His apology was posted on his site but has now been taken down. You can read the entry we found from a cached version after the jump.
Mixing different types of alcohol is already dangerous enough. So mixing those types of drugs? Not a smart move and definitely not professional. How long will we able to accept musicians’ excuses for their lack of professionalism? Can we always accept their blame on drugs and booze when it is their decision to start with? Vote below and let us know!
Loading ...Here’s BeatCrave’s video coverage of the last day at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, May 30. Make sure you also watch the video coverage for day one, and day two.
The video features performances of Neil Young, Oneida, Deerhunter, Sonic Youth, Gang Gang Dance, DJ /rupture, Simian Mobile Disco, A-Trak, Zombie Zombie and DJ Mehdi. Enjoy!
Camerawork and video editing by Tiago Morelli
The ninth edition of the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona closes its doors today with a record of assistance of over 80,000 spectators, and a total of 171 performances. Check out our video coverage of day three.
Although I didn’t get to see everything, great things were said of emerging artists like Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, The Lions Constellation and Rosvita. However, I was able to watch the performances of The Bad Plus, Neil Young, Oneida, Deerhunter, Sonic Youth, Gang Gang Dance, DJ /rupture, Simian Mobile Disco, A-Trak, Zombie Zombie and DJ Mehdi.
Watch BeatCrave’s video coverage of the second day at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, May 29. You can also watch the video coverage for day one and day three. I got to speak with Alex Thomas, the drummer who is touring with Squarepusher, about his opinion on music file sharing, and polled festival attendees about their downloading habits.
The last day of the festival will feature the rock icon Neil Young, and I’m also looking forward to Oneida, The Bad Plus, A-Trak, Gang Gang Dance, Lemonade, Sonic Youth and DJ Mehdi. Be alert for more video coverage of my final day in Barcelona.
Camerawork and video editing by Tiago Morelli
The end of day two of the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona comes to me almost as a surprise – somewhat like being awakened from a hypnotic trance. You can watch our video summary of day two. Here’s my written reconstruction of what happened:
First was Art Brut, an English and German indie punk rock group named after French painter Jean Dubuffet’s definition of outsider art. Lead vocalist Eddie Argos was keen to add more information to the stories told through his lyrics, such as past adventures in the Van Gogh Art Museum, and how he is no longer afraid of sex. In fact, he joked that most of the lyrics were about taking his clothes off. Drummer Mikey Breyer plays standing up, which might seem unconventional, but at least he’s not hidden behind any cymbals. He uses two high-hats, one open the other closed, to make up for his one-footed drumming style.
Hey BeatCravers! Above is a quick summary of the coverage of my first day at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona. Stay tuned for more awesome videos (day two and day three) during the festival, and afterwards for less abridged footage of the bands and interviews.
For the second day I’m hoping to catch Crystal Antlers, Shellac, A Certain Ratio and Bloc Party, among the many other bands that are performing, and also hope to publish a few more videos. Thanks for watching!
Camerawork and video editing by Tiago Morelli
Day one of the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona came to a close, and though the crowd shuffled away worn out and bleary-eyed, there was still the excited hubbub of fans satisfied with the day’s shows. If the performances had continued, then people would still be there dancing holes into the ground. Watch the video of day one.
After checking out Marnie Stern, Lightning Bolt and Yo La Tengo, I hurried to see Andrew Bird, The Bug, and Jay Reatard. To finish the first day of the festival, two stunning acts from Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, complete with visuals and electronic wizardry, led the entertainment into the wee morning hours.
The Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, Spain is off to a great start, with multiple bands performing simultaneously on six different stages. The turnout exceeds all expectations, and each act has been heavily populated. I imagined that the festival would be spread out, but the stages are very close to each other, and it’s been possible to jump from show to show quickly.
So far, I’ve seen Marnie Stern at the Ray-Ban Vice stage, Lightning Bolt at the ATP arena and Yo La Tengo at the Estrella Damm stage. At the same time, La Bien Querida, Magik Markers, The Vaselines and The Bats have made their appearances on other stages. If you’re looking to rock out while also fitting in a good dose of dancing to electronica, then Primavera Sound has you covered. Check out the video coverage for day one, day two and day three.
