Primavera Sound 2018: now this is a lineup
Björk, The National, Arctic Monkeys, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Lorde,
The War On Drugs, Ty Segall and John Maus head the spectacular lineup of the eighteenth edition of the Barcelona festival
God bless musicians, because without them none of this would be possible. A vibrant western filmed in Almeria with an unexpected ending draws back the dusters and reveals the lineup of Primavera Sound 2018 today, one of the most eagerly awaited in recent years.
The world now knows the names of the 200-odd artists who make up the list of the eighteenth edition of the festival that will take place from 28th May to 3nd June in Barcelona.
A festival is not only its lineup, but a lineup says a lot about a festival.
And Primavera Sound’s 2018 lineup is stellar, comprehensive, contemporary, with girl power,
and conceived for its fans. There is no small print in this signature, eminently danceable,
lineup. A lineup that is lots of lineups in one. A lineup that is yours now.
A STELLAR LINEUP
The trail of big names of Primavera Sound 2018 is overwhelming: Arctic Monkeys’ comeback
tour, after four years without performing live, leads the delegation, Björk will perform her resplendent Utopia in her first visit to the festival and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds will
finally bring the cathartic Skeleton Tree to the stage in what promises to be a historic
concert.
These are only the highlights of a stellar list which consecrates The National and
The War On Drugs as two of the most crucial rock bands of this generation, and Lorde as
the new 21st century pop star. As a culmination, this edition also provides the opportunity to
see a legendary artist such as Jane Birkin singing songs from her homage record to
Serge Gainsbourg accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra. And that is only the beginning.
Björk - arisen my senses
The National - 'Walk It Back'
A LINEUP WITH GRRRL POWER
Year after year, the booking team takes into careful consideration the representation of very diverse origins, sensitivities and backgrounds. In 2018, Primavera Sound yet again backs girl power. Stars such as Björk and Jane Birkin head up an array of talent which includes impressive figures: starting with Jane and Serge’s own daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg, continuing with Beach House, Haim, Fever Ray, CHVRCHES or Warpaint and ending with the return of
Lykke Li. There will also be emerging artists such as Lorde, Ibeyi, Maria Arnal, Hinds, Waxahatchee, Yonaka, Vagabon, Jorja Smith, Javiera Mena, Jlin, or
Bad Gyal and Sevdaliza who are the future of music. At all hours, in all styles,
on all the stages: women are the driving force.
Fever Ray - To The Moon And Back
A LINEUP FOR DEVOTEES
Consolidated as a reference event internationally, Primavera Sound never forgets its origins. Shellac will once again give vent to their animal rock at the festival as they have at
every previous edition, just like Dj Coco will wrap it all up with his festive communion-like
session. Also, for the fifth year running, the Barcelona DJ and producer John Talabot will
bring his now famous Disco Set to the electronic area of the festival.
In this regard, the Parc del Fòrum will once again be visited by artists who are now part of
the family and that embody the Primavera Sound DNA: from Beach House with the only
European festival concert they will give in 2018 to Mogwai after their unexpected appearance
last year, as well as Slowdive in an absolute state of grace, Father John Misty,
Belle and Sebastian (who will play for free on Wednesday as part of the inaugural day),
Ariel Pink, The Breeders, Spiritualized, Ty Segall & The Freedom Band,
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Panda Bear and, from the local scene, Delorean,
La Bien Querida, Za! & Christina Rosenvinge.
Slowdive - Don't Know Why
Ty Segall - "Break A Guitar"
A SIGNATURE LINEUP
In these times of fragmentation and impatience, Primavera Sound remains committed to storytelling. The festival lineup cannot be understood only via its individual parts as each
artist has been meticulously chosen and plays their integral part: each name has its raison d’être.
That is why the free jazz legends Art Ensemble of Chicago can coexist alongside the all
stars of hardcore Dead Cross (with Mike Patton from Faith No More and Dave Lombardo from Slayer), a master of soundtracks Jóhann Jóhannsson alongside the unclassifiable
Sparks, the return of Mike D (revisiting the classics by the much-missed Beastie Boys),
John Maus and of Peter Perrett of The Only Ones, the new radical project by Fermín Muguruza with The Suicide of Western Culture alongside the celestial post-rock by
Lift to Experience, or Watain’s black metal alongside the electronic experimentation
of Nils Frahm. Altogether they make up the character of Primavera Sound.
John Maus - Teenage Witch
FERMIN MUGURUZA eta THE SUICIDE OF WESTERN CULTURE - Berlin / Ulrike Meinhof
A CONTEMPORARY LINEUP
As well as looking back for generational references and towards other latitudes to search for new voices, the Primavera Sound lineup always takes the pulse of contemporary music.
This year it will welcome the Venezuelan Arca, one of the most extraordinary characters to
emerge over the last few years, who will present his acclaimed eponymous album, one of the
hits of 2017. And also Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés, who have triumphed on the Spanish
scene thanks to their avant garde folk song debut 45 cerebros y un corazón.
The very young and already international Bad Gyal, without forgetting the recent phenomena Cigarettes After Sex and Rhye or the new dimensions of indie rock
represented by Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and the Mallorca band Oso Leone,
who will at last reveal the tracks from their third album. Constant renovation.
Rhye - Taste
A LINEUP FOR THE DANCE FLOOR
At Primavera Sound 2018 there will also be space for dancing. More space than ever, because the electronic music stages of the Primavera Bits will increase to host even more sessions by
DJ and producers by the sea. The beats lineup will cater for all tastes: from the presentation of new albums by reference artists Jon Hopkins, James Holden & The Animal Spirits and
Four Tet to the incredible audiovisual show by the French duo The Blaze, from the dance funk of Chromeo to the alien footwork of Jlin, from Mount Kimbie’s analogical experiment to the techno beats by the South Korean artist Peggy Gou. From the celebration of dance without frontiers by Hunee b2b Antal, Floating Points (both live and with a 6 hours DJ set),
Dj Koze, Lindström and Dekmantel Soundsystem to the consolidated club proposals from
The Black Madonna and Daphni, without overlooking the new sensitivities such as Dj Seinfeld’s lo-fi, two of the incarnations of the elusive Brian Piñeyro. Euphoria and sweat on the dance floor.
Mount Kimbie - Delta
Peggy Gou - 'It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)'
Ariel Pink - Time To Live (Ариэль Пинк)
A LINEUP FOR ALL THE CITY
In this regard, and as usual, Primavera Sound will open up to the whole city with its complementary programme in which Sunday 3rd June at CCCB stands out with such significant artists as Rhye, Waxahatchee, Fermín Muguruza eta The Suicide of Western Culture and the Oblivians, who will be performing for free. During the weeks leading up to the festival Primavera als Bars and Primavera als Barris will take place (also free of charge), and in the week of the festival itself Primavera als Clubs will kick off, in the two rooms of the Apolo, with artists of the caliber of Ariel Pink, The Sea and Cake,
Joe Goddard, Mount Kimbie Djs,
The Men and Kero Kero Bonito, performing exclusively for holders of the full festival ticket.
This year for the first time, the Auditori del Fòrum will open its doors on the Wednesday to host the concerts by Spiritualized and by Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés. A full festival ticket will be needed to gain access to these two concerts, however all the outdoor concerts on the Wednesday in the Parc del Fòrum will be free. The Auditori del Fòrum will function as every year on the Thursday, but on the Friday and Saturday the concerts will move to the Auditori de Barcelona. This venue, only a few minutes away from the Parc del Fòrum by public transport, will host two identical concerts consecutively by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein from S U R V I V E performing the sus soundtrack from the series Stranger Things. These concerts will held be before the festival doors open in the Parc del Fòrum, and access will be through the usual channels.
Joe Goddard - Music Is The Answer
Spiritualized - Hey Jane
NOW THIS IS A LINEUP…
With the lineup announcement a long month of expectation and uncertainty ends, a period
which started mid-December with the hanging of a giant billboard near the Apolo of Barcelona with the sentence “Això no és un cartell” (“This is not a lineup”), a homage to the famous
piece The Treachery Of Images by René Magritte. Hours later came the viral video showing
the reactions of 10 fans from different parts of the world on being the first to discover the
lineup.
And now, after a long journey in the desert in western format that has taken a whole night,
this is, at last, the Primavera Sound 2018 lineup.
