5 Bands Not To Miss At Primavera Sound LA

The celebrated Barcelona music festival makes its grand expansion into North America.

by Sarah Morrison

Published on September 7, 2022

In 2019 Primavera Sound music festival announced it would be expanding into the United States with their first ever edition of Primavera Los Angeles. Two years later, after several pauses and pushbacks, the festival was finally able to reveal and announce its debut powerhouse line-up. Expanding from a two-day to three-day festival, Primavera Sound LA will take place from September 16 to 18 in the Los Angeles State Historic Park and is sure to bring the Barcelona fire.

One of the key ingredients that makes Primavera LA a must-see on your fall festival list is its commitment to sustainability, gender equality, social commitment and urban integration. The 2022 edition features headlining performances from Lorde, Nine Inch Nails, and the Arctic Monkeys. Festivalgoers will also be treated to sets from Clario, Mitski, Current Joys, Mustafa, Shygirl, Stereolab, Divino Niño, Khruangbin, Fontaines D.C., Surf Curse, Kim Gordon, Low, Beak>, Special Interest, Cigarettes After Sex, King Krule, Amyl and the Sniffers, Boy Harsher, Faye Webster, CHAI, Dry Cleaning, Gustaf, Squid and many more.

To help you digest and breakdown Primavera LA’s first ever line-up, here is our list of festival favourites to check out!

Boy Harsher

Darkwave duo Boy Harsher’s new album explodes with cathartic and grotesque horror-synth stylings. The pair communicate through the dark emotions with an almost possessing purpose and their freeing expression creates an escapist realm. Accompanied with the new release comes ‘Runner,’ a short film that nods to pulp noir and late 80s/90s body horror. This combination release was exuberant, pushing the limits on orthodox ideals of a concept album.

Divino Niño

Divino Niño’s squiggly, lush, retro-futurist pop has only gotten bolder on their new album “Last Spa on Earth”. The new record will see the band explore reggaeton as a prime influence, as well as using both English and Spanish to communicate their storytelling. “Last Spa on Earth” can be marked as an evolution arch for Divino Niño, showcasing a sharper style and pushing their production skills. The quintet’s new single “XO” is sure to be the cherry on top of a wild live set.

Gustaf

Gustaf was the surprise of the year for many post punk fans with their a vibrant and danceable approach to the genre. Their recipe for creating feels timeless while also throwing you a surprise at every turn. Something unique about Gustaf is their quirky backing vocals, going back and forth between a voice dub and regular band chants. The band’s live presence is something that cannot be mimicked. Each member has their own unique personality while collectively beating as one on stage. Seeing Gustaf twice this year by accident was a treat and I can’t bloody wait to see how they adapt on the big stage.

Special Interest

Special Interest is a name that’s passed through email threads, word of mouth industry chats, and even in unexpected Spotify playlists. They can easily be marked as one of the most hyped up bands of 2022, and for good reason! While the band’s first handful of album releases can be dubbed as tough, anthemic, guttural, and glammy, their new handful of singles demonstrate a more warm and joyous portal to their dance-rock. Special Interest are said to be ecstatic live and should be at the top of all our Primavera must-see lists!

Squid

Squid have come a long way from playing basement shows in dingy UK bars back when they were just starting out in 2018. The band’s sound and live sets have changed and taken shape in multiple forms, never losing their unique touch. The emotional depth of the music has deepened and become a concrete wall of sound, something very notable on their debut album, Bright Green Field. If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing a live Squid set, now’s your chance!