Live music preview: Primavera Sound L.A. finally gets a day in the sun
One of Europe’s most loved music festivals, Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona has expanded to America. In fact, they did so back in 2019, announcing an expansion into the U.S. music festival market. The debut Los Angeles event featuring headliners Lorde, Nine Inch Nails and Arctic Monkeys finally takes place this September due to delays brought about by the worldwide COVID pandemic. Primavera eventually announced the 2022 artist roster earlier this year. Primavera Sound L.A. takes place September 16-18 at L.A. Historic State Park.
The three-day affair features some heavy hitting headliners and not necessarily the usual suspects. Like their 20 year-old OG fest, Primavera L.A. has clearly sought to land acts on their bill that fans may not find else where on the festival circuit. Sure Lorde and Stereolab have toured extensively but not so much in the last few years. Both acts perform on opening day along with less well-known but equally talented artists that don’t appear on endless festival bills this year: Mitski, Giveon, Darkside and Shellac. And that’s only the first day of the festival.
There were 59 artists announced for the LA version of Primavera Sound in December. Now that number swells to 65 with the addition of six new names to the final lineup. Attendees of the festival can now look forward to performances by Los Angeles crooner Giveon, Norwegian star-in-the-making girl in red, and the gritty yet dance-worthy sounds of Reno rockers Surf Curse. Also appearing at Primavera L.A. are Australian upstarts, Amyl and the Sniffers who a few months back, played back-to-back sold-out shows at Austin’s Hotel Vegas.
We can attest to the popularity of girl in red who got raves following her debut ACL Festival appearance last year in Austin. The remaining lineup additions are also welcome. Australia’s Amyl and Sniffers recently performed back to back sold out shows at Hotel Vegas in April. We also looking forward to checking out Surf Curse. Keep in mind, we’ve only discussed day one of Primavera L.A. thus far.
The lineup roster continues with 50 more artists. From the labyrinths of Stereolab to the miniature hits by PinkPantheress, from the eternal icon Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) to the sharp guitars of Fontaines D.C., from the roar of Special Interest to the whisper of Cigarettes After Sex, from Tierra Whack’s signature rap to the UK’s Dry Cleaning’s new post-punk, from the icey riffs of Mayhem to the pop with Latin roots by Paloma Mami, from the Mexicans Little Jesus and the Puerto Ricans Buscabulla to the opportunity to discover the ambassadors of the Spanish scene Bad Gyal, Derby Motoreta’s Burrito Kachimba, María José Llergo, Marina Herlop and John Talabot: Just like it’s parent festival, Primavera L.A. aims to serve true music fans versus folks just looking for a party. Primavera Sound L.A. is filling the gap left in the calendar when FYF Festival imploded, drawing music fans with sophisticated musical tastes from around the globe.
That’s not even mentioning music industry juggernauts, Nine Inch Nails or Arctic Monkeys, the two remaining headliners on Primavera L.A.’s impressive bill. Both promise to deliver scintillating performances but it’s the potential for real, authentic new music discovery that separates this festival from the more vanilla large-format festivals produced by AEG and C3 Presents.
Primavera fans attending the event will have the opportunity to see some performers at venues around L.A. via Primavera in the City shows at a variety of well-known venues to Angelenos. From the iconic Hollywood Palladium to the storied cutting-edge Echo to the uniquely L.A., Hollywood Forever Cemetery and the landmark Wiltern Theatre, Primavera is plugging itself into the venues and spaces that have sound tracked and shaped the sonic landscape of the city.
Tickets are currently on sale for Primavera Sound Los Angeles, with both single day, 3-day, and VIP options still available. Visit www.primaverasound.la for tickets and more information.
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