Optimistic About Primavera

The organisers of Spain’s Primavera Festival appear to have every right to be bullish about their new Portuguese venture, after the second staging of the event saw crowds up by 25 percent compared with last year’s debut.

A May 30 to June 1 bill that included Blur, The Breeders, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, My Bloody Valentine, and James Blake pulled an average 25,000 per day to Porto’s Parque da Cidade.

“This is proof that the festival has cemented its reputation on its second year. The organization is celebrating this outcome and is relishing the festival’s continuity in 2014,” organizers said.

Optimus Primavera Sound is produced in partnership with Lisbon-based promoter Ritmos & Blues and sponsorship from Portuguese mobile operator Optimus Telecomunicações.

A week earlier, Spain’s Primavera Festival at Barcelona’s Parc Del Forum smashed its attendance record for the third time in four years, attracting a four-day crowd of 170,000 May 22-25 for a bill that also had Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, along with The Jesus and Mary Chain, James Blake, Animal Collective, Tame Impala, and Hot Chip.

Apart from Nick Cave and James Blake, Dinosaur Jr. and Grizzly Bear were among the acts with slots at both Iberian events.