Yesterday kicked off the 2014 Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, Spain at the Parc del Fórum. Among the acts that performed were Real Estate, Warpaint, Majical Clouds, St. Vincent, Neutral Milk Hotel, Future Islands, Chvrches, Queens of The Stone Age, Arcade Fire, and Disclosure.
Take a look back at our favorite moments from yesterday and check in again tomorrow to see the highlights from Day 2. You can also stream the sets live. Check here for the schedule!
Hardest Rocking Band: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
A swarm of moshers rushed the center of the Heineken stage at the enormous Parc del Fórum while Queens of the Stone Age tore through a grueling set.
After finishing "Sick, Sick, Sick" off Era Vulgaris, frontman Josh Homme taunted the screaming crowd, "Hey, Barcelona, you havin' a good time?"
Unhappy with the results of the response, he asked again, "F**k that sh*t! Are you havin' a good time?" before breaking into another hit "Go with the Flow" off Songs for the Deaf.
They closed out with the vigorous and relentless "A Song for the Dead" and exclaimed, "This is our chance to cut loose. Let's see what the f**k you got!"
Toward the end of the song, drummer Jon Theodore ripped through a drum solo. The song progressed with sudden pauses, leaving the audience to believe the song was over, then immediately it would resume with force.
The band left the stage with guitars and ears ringing. On the way out, one Spaniard exclaimed, "Joder! Que bueno tío!" (roughly translated: "F**k, how great man!?"). Couldn't have said it better myself.
Best Overall Performance/Best Sing-A-Long: ARCADE FIRE
Shifting directly from the Heineken stage to the Sony stage, the crowd moved in anticipation for what is regarded as one of the music's best live acts, Arcade Fire.
The stage was black, and a man emerged from the crowd, wearing an all silver reflective suit, to introduce the band. Colored squares lit the screen in the background as the band opened with "Reflektor."
After the song finished, a giant hypnotic spinning wheel took over the back screen to further demonstrate the band's ability to paralyze crowds in a live setting.
The set had an overwhelming psychedelic feel. Technicolor was everywhere. There was a Technicolor waterfall, a screen of tie-dye and colorful blast of confetti.
Staying true to their signature style, Arcade Fire was accompanied by a plethora of instruments, including a megaphone, and musicians all over the stage. The band progressed through songs such as "Flashbulb Eyes," "Neighborhood 3" and "Power Out."
The crowd began to clap to the rhythm as the band took off playing "Rebellion (Lies)" then "Joan of Arc" and "Rococo." A few times during the set, a black light would rain light on the stage, revealing Win Butler's intricate clothing.
Toward the end of the set, they brought their signature bobble heads on stage. A man wearing a bobble head of the Pope fell to the ground, and Butler proclaimed it was because he "drank too much holy water."
During "Sprawl II," Butler forgot the lyrics and blamed it on said bobblehead Pope. Régine Chassagne belted the song while waving ribbons laced with electronic light in the shape of a heart to signify the band's love for their audience.
They continued the set with "Neighborhood 2," "No Cars Go," "Keep the Car Running" and "We Exist," then closed out the show with "Wake Up." The crowd came together to sing the chorus a capella. It was a nice communal moment to finish off a great set.
Best Set for Dancing: DISCLOSURE
The last headliner of the night, Disclosure opened with "F for You" and featured an outlined version of Mary J Blige dancing and singing on the screen in the background. It was a huge change of pace from the Arcade fire set, with more house music than anything.
They went right into "When A Fire Starts To Burn" with flames burning on the screen behind them then moved into "You & Me" and "Help Me Lose My Mind," which were real crowd pleasers.
This is Disclosure's second year in a row at Primavera Sound, and they said they were grateful to be back — this time on a main stage.
They projected their signature big white face to sing the parts of the artists featured on their songs. They are known for their collaborations, but obviously couldn't have the real artists there to sing, so this was a cool concept that got the crowd excited.
They "ended" their set, and began to walk off stage, but then teased the audience, asking if they wanted one more. "I can't hear you! Do you want one more?" they probed, teasing the first seconds of "Latch" twice until the crowd started losing their sh*t. Never a bad idea to end the set on your most popular song.
Best Place to Get A Drink: MOBILE BEER KEGS
These venders roamed around with portable beer kegs. However, it seemed like the only type of beer being sold anywhere was Heineken, which makes sense because they are sponsoring a stage. However, it's bad news for people who aren't fans of the beer.
Best Part of the Festival: THE INTERNATIONAL FACTOR
The people here are pretty much a mixed bag from all over the world. Everywhere you walk, you can hear people speaking different languages. I was able to pick out some English, Spanish, French, and German.
They also sold a bunch of international foods, which was awesome. They have everything: Thai food, Japanese food, Portuguese food, hot dogs and hamburgers, BBQ, Kebobs, Spanish tapas, and more. A foodie's heaven.
[Photos Courtesy of Primavera Sound Festival/Dani Canto]
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