Primavera Sets Early Benchmark

In 2014 the Barcelona festival staged on the city’s Parc del Fòrum came out top in what’s always a close fight with Sonar and BBK Live, although Irish promoter Denis Desmond is confident that FIB Benicassim – which he owns and runs with UK promoter Simon Moran – is will reestablish itself at the top of the pile. This year Primavera’s daily average crowd was nearly 10 percent down from 2014, falling from 47,500 to 43,750, but its main rivals would still need to improve their attendances by 10 percent to shift it from pole position.

Another challenge could come from Hard Rock Rising, which the themed-restaurant chain and Live Nation Spain are producing on the same site July 24-25. The headline slots at Hard Rock Barcelona will come from Kings of Leon and Avicii.

The festival is something of a return to the market for the café chain, which spent eight years doing London’s Hard Rock Calling with Live Nation’s UK office.

The acts keeping Primavera among Spain’s prime festivals included The Black Keys, Einstürzende Neubauten, Alt-J, and Run The Jewels,