Text by Joana Söt
Primavera Sound, known for its musical diversity and eclectic lineups, brought the European festival experience to Brazil for the second time in 2023, promising an electrifying weekend full of rock in all its forms and nuances. The festival, which has already won fans around the world, maintained its reputation for showcasing emerging talents and established legends of the music scene.
The Corona Stage in Barcelona was the epicenter of rock power, with breathtaking performances ranging from classic to experimental. Bands like Just Mustard and Black Midi presented new conceptions of contemporary rock, making the audience headbang but also admire the technique. The visceral energy still present in Bad Religion reverberated through the audience, creating an electrically charged atmosphere that resulted in a good crowd of people crowd surfing and mosh pits in front of the stage.
The band The Hives also performed on Saturday with a varied setlist spanning the band's history, including all their hits. The stage presence of vocalist Pelle Almqvist (already familiar to fans who attended the band's first show in 2015) captivated the audience in grand style, with stage dives and impressive attempts to speak Portuguese with the crowd.
This year's highlights, however, were indeed the headliners: The Killers , Bad Religion, and The Cure packed the Corona Stage and the Barcelona Stage on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with sets that were quite long for the festival. A divine blessing, after all, who wouldn't want to see a nearly two-and-a-half-hour show from one of the most important bands in music history? (And yes, I'm referring to The Cure).
The impeccable organization of the event and the vibrant atmosphere of the host city complemented the Primavera Sound São Paulo 2023 experience. With a blend of nostalgia and innovation, the festival established itself as a high point on the Brazilian music calendar, celebrating not only rock, but music in all its forms. Check out the weekend's photos by our photographer Marcela Lorenzetti:
Day 1
Day 2
