Festival Review: Primavera Sound 2025
Primavera Sound returned to Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum from June 5th to 7th. If you haven’t seen any videos of it on social media, then you probably haven’t been on the internet this past week. This year’s edition broke all kinds of attendance records, with almost 300,000 attendees across the three main days and the Primavera a la Ciutat concerts.
The festival in Barcelona was a dream week for music lovers, with more than 300 concerts all over the city and in Parc del Fòrum. In less than 72 hours, it hosted sets from Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, Sabrina Carpenter, Haim, Denzel Curry, Fcukers, LCD Soundsystem, and Chappell Roan, just to name a few.
The first day was hectic. On the way there, you could already tell the scale of the crowd heading to the festival. It was sunny and warm, and the moment you arrived at the venue, you were greeted by a huge statue of the Powerpuff Girls, representing the festival’s three main headliners: Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan.
Thursday started with a captivating set from AMORE that immediately drew the attention of everyone at the main stages. She performed songs from her new album Top, Hits, Ballads, etc. as well as fan favourites like “Feria Lo Pagán” and “Disneyland Paris.”
She was followed by Kate Bollinger with a somewhat low-energy set that seemed to bring the audience down a bit. While it was a decent performance, it didn’t feel right for the main stage, making you question the set times, stage selection, and lineup planning.
Nevertheless, the afternoon was saved by Beabadoobee with a more upbeat set full of her indie rock bangers such as “She Plays Bass” and “I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus.”
At almost the same time, Nourished By Time played on the Trainline Stage, debuting songs from his upcoming album along with fan favourites like “Hell of a Ride.”
Back on the main stages, IDLES were finishing a set that had the crowd going wild, full of mosh pits and chants. You could feel the excitement building as the festival geared up for the run of sets everyone had been waiting for.
Photo Credit: Clara Orozco
FKA twigs performed her ambitious Eusexua set on the Estrella Damm Stage after two years of cancelled appearances at the festival. The wait was worth it. Her performance left everyone in awe and was crowned by many as the best set of the festival. It was emotionally charged, featuring songs like “Cellophane” and “Home With You”, and included stunning choreography and set design. It felt like a standalone concert.
After twigs, Jamie xx played a DJ set that got the crowd ready for the exclusive European Sweat Tour date with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan.
The Sweat Tour was meant to be a celebration, not only because it was Troye’s birthday, but also due to the growing success of both artists since their sets at last year’s Primavera. Still, it was a bit underwhelming, especially after such a breathtaking set from twigs, no “party 4 u,” no major changes to their sets, and an uneven crowd full of Charli fans but not many Troye enthusiasts. Nevertheless, it was still a solid performance by two of the biggest pop stars of our generation.
Photo Credit: Henry Redcliffe
Interestingly enough, the most surprising part of the set was Chappell Roan’s appearance as the Apple Girl on the screens, a moment that made everyone lose their minds, teasing what was coming Saturday night.
The first night continued with sets from Brutalismus 3000 on the Amazon Music Stage and The Dare on the Schwarzkopf Stage, who closed the night at 5 a.m. with a fun, energetic set that included his hit “Girls” and other songs from his latest album.
Day 2 was filled with incredible moments, including a last-minute, stellar set from Wolf Alice, the best possible replacement for Clairo, who had cancelled two weeks before the festival. The crowd was amazing, singing along to classics like “Don’t Delete the Kisses” and “Bros,” as well as their brand-new single, “Bloom Baby Bloom.” I loved every part of their set, the song selection, energy, and vocals were all impressive.
The afternoon continued with a both gorgeous and hilarious set from the Haim sisters at sunset. They performed songs from their previous albums such as “The Wire,” “Now I'm In It,” and “Want You Back,” as well as singles from their upcoming album I Quit, while displaying failed relationship stories on a screen, tying into the record’s concept.
Photo Credit: Gisela Jané
Elsewhere in the festival, Fcukers hosted a rave, getting everyone dancing, jumping, and hyped with songs like “Bon Bon,” “Homie Don’t Shake,” and more from their discography.
Around midnight, everyone gathered at the main stages for Sabrina Carpenter’s first headlining slot at the festival. She delivered a set full of personality, her famous crowd interactions and the live debut of her new single “Manchild”. However, due to a somewhat uninterested crowd and sound issues, it felt a bit flat, especially if you were not that close to the stage. Still, people seemed to enjoy themselves with her hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” though it raised questions about whether she needed a few more years (and songs) to truly headline a festival like Primavera, known for its demanding crowd.
Day 3 brought a diverse roster of performances, starting with the incredible Judeline on one of the main stages, a Spanish-Venezuelan artist who gained a global following after releasing her debut album Bodhiria last October.
Then, Black Country, New Road performed a beautiful set from their new album on the Amazon Music Stage, followed by Amaia, who captured everyone’s attention at sunset on the famous Cupra Stage.
Before the headliners, Fontaines D.C. took to one of the main stages to perform fan favourites and tracks from Romance. They also delivered a powerful message in support of Palestinian freedom and condemned the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It was an important and moving set, though sadly, many people around seemed to just be waiting for Roan.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for, Chappell Roan. Her headliner set was arguably the best way to close out the weekend. Every song, from the hits “Red Wine Supernova” and “Good Luck Babe” to deeper cuts like “Kaleidoscope” and the unreleased “The Subway”, landed. The audience was incredible, turning the show into a collaborative and emotional experience. There’s no way you couldn’t tear up hearing nearly 100,000 people sing “Pink Pony Club” in unison around you.
Photo Credit: Clara Orozco
After that life changing performance, the night continued with Aminé on the Cupra Stage. His set began with a DJ mix featuring songs from Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Kendrick Lamar, getting the crowd ready for one of the most engaging and fun performances of the weekend. The crowd loved every second of it, dancing and singing along to his songs including “Caroline”, “Spice Girl” and few from his collaborative album with Kaytranada like “4EVA” and “Sossaup”
After Aminé, attendees had to choose between Confidence Man on the Amazon Music Stage or LCD Soundsystem on the main stage. While many loved Confidence Man’s set, I couldn’t miss the near-religious experience that LCD Soundsystem delivered. The crowd was there to party, and the band delivered, playing for almost two hours with hits like “New York I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down”, “I Can Change”, and an unforgettable ending with “Dance Yrself Clean” and “All My Friends”.
Primavera Sound never disappoints, but this year felt special. The lineup was risky for an alternative rock festival, but it paid off. It felt both refreshing and progressive, satisfying both its longtime fans and newcomers.
Though there were ups and downs, especially odd scheduling choices and logistical issues like water shortages and endless bathroom lines, where else can you go from rapping to Aminé’s summer anthems, to raving in a warehouse, to singing with your friends to LCD Soundsystem, to finally moshing to Turnstile all within minutes?
This is the festival to be at, not only for its incredible lineup and venue, but also for its passion for music, commitment to equality and diversity, and its important use of its platform to speak out about the injustices happening in the world.
Words by Marcos Sanoja
