Primavera Sound

Primavera Sound is an annual music festival held in late May and early June in Barcelona, Spain (Primavera Sound Barcelona) and Porto, Portugal (NOS Primavera Sound). It is known for its exciting line-up which combines all styles and genres of music and brings together both relatively unknown indie musicians and established artists known all over the world.

The inaugural Primavera Sound Festival took place in 2001 in the Poble Espanyol, an architectural museum in Barcelona which hosts many concerts and festivals. It had five stages offering an impressive selection of dance and pop music. The line-up included Armand Van Helden, DJ Godfather, Carl Craig, Unkle, and other artists.

Over the years, Primavera Sound has become one of the largest festivals of its kind in Europe and a role model for other urban music festivals. It is an integrated part of the urban culture and an exciting meeting point for artists and music lovers from all countries, backgrounds and generations. Primavera Sound has been growing consistently both in terms of attendance and in terms of media exposure. The inaugural festival drew 8,000 attendees, while the latest editions attracted over 190,000 people.

Primavera Sound prides itself on encompassing numerous genres and styles of music including quality pop, rock and EDM. Its line-up always features exciting artists from all over the world. Past participants include Nine Inch Nails, Patti Smith, Franz Ferdinand, Neil Young, Kendrick Lamar, Pet Shop Boys, Lou Reed, The White Stripes, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Iggy & The Stooges, and other famous musicians and bands.

The Portuguese spin-off of the Primavera Sound Festival, NOS Primavera Sound, was launched in 2012. It is held in the city of Porto, also known as Oporto. It takes place a week after the main edition in Barcelona and has a similar, although not identical, line-up. NOS Primavera Sound is held at Parque da Cidade, the largest urban park in Portugal. Located by the sea and easily accessible by public transport, it is an ideal venue for an open-air music festival focusing on urban culture.

Alongside the two festivals, the team of Primavera Sound organizes other events during the year. PrimaveraPro is an international conference for music industry professionals which runs concurrently with the main Barcelona event. Primavera Club is an indoor music festival held every autumn in different venues throughout the city of Barcelona.