Big festivals like Primavera Sound should be like going to the opera: We could wear elbow-length gloves like Amaarae, who did it with a striped jersey as she did a Spanish guitar on “Reckless & Sweet.” Or we could carry binoculars, like fan Troye Sivan with the neon green hair and personal microphone. Embrace the greatness!
Quick, back to Sivan, who is a bona fide pop star now, cone bra and no-ass tufts included. At one point, he knelt down to sing into a microphone mounted on the crotch of one of his incredible dance crews – my second biggest gasp at this year's festival, after the moment during Beth Gibbons' set (lit in deep blue, with seven-piece band and it sounds amazing) hit by Trump's felony conviction notice. Lol, lmao, 2024!
BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 31: Troye Sivan performs in concert during Primavera Sound Festival on May 31, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.Photo by Xavi Torrent/Redferns
Arca was also in diva mode, singing throughout her set and blasting out a smoke cannon she held close enough to the mic that the whistling air joined the choppy synth waves that washed over the concrete. Another favorite dance move: Jarvis Cocker blasting through the “Common People” outro without a guitar in sight. Justice drew the biggest crowd on Thursday night, but the French duo's light show may have done most of the work – possibly because they can't take off their sunglasses.
However, the real diva award has to go to Lana Del Rey, who started Friday night's set almost 25 minutes late (good for her standards!), played all timers “Video Games” and “Ride” and finished abbreviated versions of “Jimmy” (aka “Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop” – referenced in the second half of “A&W”) and “Young and Beautiful”. It's funny to think how much more cultural appeal “Young and Beautiful” has compared to the Baz Luhrmann film it was made for The Great Gatsby. And, speaking of East Coast upper crust, how does Ezra Koenig seem to have aged about two weeks since Vampire Weekend played Pitchfork Music Festival in 2012? And, you know what else hasn't changed in a decade? The ultimate fervor for 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'.
