The first thing LXN had to get to grips with when heading to Barcelona’s Primavera was the rather un-British concept of time. When a Brit fest is clearing the main stage, Parc Del Forum is merely getting going and if you aren’t heading back to your digs in the morning light, then you aren’t doing something right.

It is a little crazy how a concrete car park, gravelly seafront and giant solar panels manage to create such an enigmatic and exciting setting, but it does. Underneath those said solar panels and in the midst of Odd Future-no-more rumours, Tyler, The Creator took over the Pitchfork stage and set the bar on Thursday for the official opening night. The Black Keys smashed the Primavera Stage and Jungle ensured our love of the impressive amphitheatre-esque Ray-Ban stage, powering through their first album under an impressive light show.

One of our biggest highlights was watching two of our favourite acts on the Friday. It seemed a little early for Sylvan Esso to be taking on the Heineken stage at 6pm (Primavera does have a little uniqueness for timings), but Amelia Meath didn’t let it phase her playing with her charming characteristic allure. Alt-J followed later in the early hours of the morning drawing a huge crowd that calmly, swayed and sang together with singer Joe Newman’s soothing tones.

No doubt, Saturday night’s headline act, The Strokes were one of the main reasons a lot of festival-goers where actually basking in the Spanish heat. It was their first European date since Reading/Leeds festival 2011 and Julian Casablancas (albeit with a yellow and pink streaked mullet and fluorescent Barcelona football shirt) and team made sure to pull out a setlist of classics. Even if it was a relatively short set of just an hour and fifteen minutes, it included all the hits and more with a particularly sharp Juicebox, the immortal Last Nite and closing with fan-favourite New York City Cops.

It wasn’t LXN’s first time at Primavera Sound, and it definitely won’t be our last either.

Words/Photography: LXN