The Greatest Hidden Treasures On The Incredible Primavera 2017 Line-Up

Guys, have you seen the Primavera 2017 line-up? For it is truly a thing of beauty, a shimmering, diverse diamond popped right at the end of May and the start of June next year (May 31 – June 4, to be exact). Four days of genre-hopping paradise on the outskirts of Barcelona.

• Check out the full Primavera Sound 2017 line-up here

The headliners are obviously brilliant: Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, Aphex Twin, The xx, Grace Jones, Solange and Slayer, oh, and Van Morrison, in case your nan fancies coming this year. But the bill also boasts a number of beautiful hidden secrets, for those willing to cast their eyes beyond the big names. Such as…

Royal Trux

The grubby garage duo of Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema have only played a handful of shows this century, after fizzling out in 2001. Their first European show in yonks will take place at Primavera. Expect intense noise rock coming from the coolest two people on the entire festival site, if not the world.

Converge

Andy Ford/NME

Like it loud? Like it emotional? Then you’ve probably already planned to be in the middle of the mosh for iconic metalcore band Converge. Possibly the heaviest thing you’ll see all weekend.

The Damned

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They’ve just celebrated 40 years as a band, so come and give the gothic-punk masters a pat on the back as they race through their killer material.

Pond

Press

Tame Impala side project Pond are a live treat, mixing classic rock with some serious psychedelics.

Seu Jorge

Remember the dude from Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic who sang all the lovely David Bowie covers in Portuguese? Well that was Seu, who’ll be performing a tribute to Bowie. Probably not one for a hangover, lest you get too sad.

Alexandra Savior

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Alex Turner’s new favourite singer-songwriter will be propping up the Primavera stage. Take a stunning torch song and give it a heavy night in a sleazy Parisian jazz bar, and you’ve got Ms Savior’s style right there.

Cigarettes After Sex

The saucy, hypnotic Brooklyn based Cigarettes After Sex are moody as anything. Attend this show with your festival crush and the smooches will happen almost instantly.

Sleep

Counteract the softness of Seu, Savior and Cigarettes After Sex with the brutal beauty of Sleep, the 1990s stoner and doom metal titans, who reformed in 2009 and have been being bloody loud ever since.

Nikki Lane

Nikki Lane mixes classic country music with a decent dose of modern moodiness. Think Loretta Lynn by way of Lana Del Rey. Don’t forget your cowboy boots.

S U R V I V E

Alex Kacha

It’s the Stranger Things soundtrack guys! Shave your head and turn up in the front row dressed as Eleven. They’ll love it, we’re sure.

The Zombies

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Primavera doesn’t shy away from booking golden oldies, especially when they’re as highly decent as The Zombies. They’ll be performing the influential ‘Odessey And Oracle’, in celebration of its 50^th (50^th!) anniversary.

Skepta

Jordan Hughes / NME

YES SKEPTA.

Death Grips

Jo Mccaughey/NME

Death Grips seems to have gotten over their annoying habit of not turning up for gigs anymore. Expect fast, furious and downright frustrating grindcore-rooted rap and mayhem. Wonderful.

Magnetic Fields

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The lovely, lovely Magnetic Fields have been making beautiful, sardonic chamber pop for the past quarter of a century. If you want your heart to ache a bit next festival season, then go directly to this show.

The Make Up

Another iconic band who’ve got it together to play Primavera, these post-punk heroes are the finest Marxist gospel garage gang around.