Primavera Sound flourishes in LA’s golden light

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Photo credit: Ismael Quintanilla III / Nicolita Bradley / Miranda McDonald / Quinn Tucker / Lindsey Byrnes / Pooneh Ghana

We attended the first edition of Primavera Sound in the United States last weekend, held at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. To say it was a great experience in every way is an understatement.

The Primavera Sound LA the experience has provided a really well-balanced curated selection of big names with unique and underground acts, and even new discoveries for us. It was definitely a mixed and musically plural event, also with a varied representation of Latin and Spanish artists gracing the cultural scene of the City of Angels.

Festival-goers had so many options at their disposal, like Arctic Monkeys, Lorde, James Blake, Mitsky, Cigarettes after sex, Biceps, Stereolab, Buscabulle, Clairo, girl in red, Overlook, King Krule, baby jesus, Arca, Buscabulle, Divino Nino, Paloma Granny, El Mató has a Policía Motorizado, octo-octa back to back Eris DrewWhere Dark side (the project that Nicolas Jar and Dave Harington revive from time to time), among many others.

As one of the headliners, Nine inch nails once again proven that they never disappoint as an eminence at an event of this caliber. Trent Reznor is always in full control leading TIN endless endurance. Many said the sound was incredibly loud during their presentation, but how come it couldn’t be that way?! It was our highlight of the festival.

by Khruangbin 90s hip hop medley paying homage mostly to the west coast followed by some 80s ballads was just amazing… The band’s guitarist and musical genius, Mr. Speerseemed to be experiencing some technical issues which may have been the cause of his five-minute number being cut short… For a second we thought his Strat, the only guitar he uses without a backup, had finally ceded. We knew it couldn’t. Either way, absolutely nothing could top the excellent show that this brilliant musical trio put on for all to see. Primavera Sound LA spectators.

Hip hopefuls Terra Kick blew us away how fun and engaging their show was, even though it wasn’t to our favorite musical tastes. We found ourselves laughing as we made friends through his music.

It was really interesting to watch Mayhem, the institution of Norwegian black metal, just when the Downtown LA sun was on their stage. In this light, we could only admire their passion, their endurance; everything they’ve gone through to stay authentic as a band, and see the humility and maturity that, perhaps, the passage of years of genre-true success has given them. Speaking of fidelity to one’s own style, it is recognized as a pleasure to listen to by John Talabot closing set on the Smirnoff stage on Saturday.

All the DJs from the Smirnoff Stage were always present, like the Puerto Rican reggaeton pioneer DJ Playero which had everyone dancing and behaving like it was the loudest of the night around 3 p.m. on Saturday… Yes, a pioneer like before 1990, reggaeton wasn’t even a known musical genre, and when its mixtapes spread by record – on cassette tapes among groups of friends on the island of Puerto Rico, then New York and then the rest of the world within a decade. Sangre Nueva (the union of DJ Phyton, Florentine DJand Kelman Duran), was a new discovery that blew our minds. They demonstrated such power on the most delicate technical multi-genre mix, at its best. DC fountains was just punk magic, and Surfing lessons was the sharpest energizer of the moment.

Logistically, the Primavera Sound LA the experience was delightful. Despite rumors of long Will Call lines on Friday, it seems the issue was imperceptibly resolved quickly and efficiently. We never went through a single hassle…only the convenience. It was easy in and out, great use of available space; the grounds were clean throughout the day. Zero lines for anything, plenty of restrooms, food options and bars, and great customer service overall. The good times were certainly not compromised by such an appreciable level of safety, inclusivity and general sense of community for its participants. Without a doubt, the His Primavera the crew attracted a great mix of partiers and music lovers from all walks of life, and all with great vibes. We really hope this was the first of a long series His Primavera annual editions in the beautiful city of Los Angeles.

Discover the best shots of Primavera Sound LA below.

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