The musical spring falls in São Paulo

The landing on Latin American stages of the Primavera Sound festival has resulted in an indisputable artistic success, both by the musical officiants and by the response of the massive audience.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
07 November 2022 Monday 23:47
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The musical spring falls in São Paulo

The landing on Latin American stages of the Primavera Sound festival has resulted in an indisputable artistic success, both by the musical officiants and by the response of the massive audience. A hobby that during this weekend has given its own relevant entity to the first edition of the Barcelona-based festival in the Brazilian city of São Paulo, beginning by covering the cap of 55,000 attendees that had been marked for each of the two days.

In the assessment made yesterday by the organization, it was specified that apart from the 110,000 people who attended the stages of the area known as the Anhembi District, we must add another 10,000 who attended the Primavera Na Cidade concerts in different locations in the days before São Paulo. And the offer that they were able to savor consisted of a hundred concerts, 64 of them in the Primavera proper of the weekend.

What could already be verified on Saturday, the very, very notable presence of a public that can be encompassed in the lgtbi collective, was a trend throughout Sunday and, therefore, one of the potential hallmarks of the newborn festival. Either because this is an appropriate opportunity and space for a phenomenon that socially in the country and on the street may not be so, or because of that identification, especially with a series of musicians and artists who have become icons and references of that broad and varied collective.

And there must be included the three first-rate vocalists in their respective stylistic fields such as Lorde, Phoebe Bridgers and Jessie Ware, as well as Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek, Arca, Liniker or Sevdaliza, or closer Bad Gyal.

Undoubtedly and in any case, the feature that has distinguished this premiere of the Brazilian city in the spring circuit is having an audience identified with music in its broadest sense. Especially, and comparing it with that of transoceanic latitudes, due to its identification and knowledge of melodies and lyrics, a transversal characteristic in all senses.

For the director of the festival, Alfonso Lanza, this is the main asset when it comes to having São Paulo as a new member of the Primavera Sound family. Something that he hopes will extend to the immediate appointments next week in Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile.

It was significant in this context of projection that the large poster with moving letters that was in one of the avenues of the immense space of the festival and where you could read "Created in Barcelona" was the backdrop for countless selfies of happy attendees .

Artistically speaking, if the musical start of the event was marked by names like Björk or the American group Arctic Monkeys, the intense Sunday day had a clear female role offered by the voices and presences of Lorde, Phoebe Bridgers and Jessie Ware, to whom we must add that of today's insurmountable rapper Travis Scott.

Musically, the range of proposals where to dip was perhaps more attractive because it was more clearly varied than the day before. As has been said before, the presence of the controversial and often provocative rapper Travis Scott was one of the highlights of the festival, surely one of the most overwhelming intensity. With a disturbing scenery of rocks, an obelisk coming out and a circular platform turning and going up and down in the middle of an ad hoc lighting, Scott offered a part of his repertoire, very fragmented but tremendous, ending the session with a front-row enthusiast rapping the infallible Goosebumps.

On the same stage he had been preceded by the British star Jessie Ware, who fans will remember for her time at Primavera Sound in Barcelona this year, and who, according to the organization, was one of the most praised by the public. Romantic, rhythmic, empowering songs, backed by two black chorus girls and a very effective band. At another extreme were the proposals of Phoebe Bridgers and Lorde.

The first took up an apparently country aesthetic with her black dress and white collar and was apparently as sweet as she was warrior in message and sound vehicle (although she was also prone to creating enveloping sound textures). Armed with a striking string of guitars and with a simple and beautiful set design, lyrics and introductory comments, she did not beat around the bush like when, while interpreting Chinese satellite, she claimed the right of women to have an abortion. Complete interpreter that reaches heart, soul and brain.

And the second, Lorde, had that leading role on stage that makes her unique, and that explains her infinity of devoted followers. Dressed in a red jersey and with the same scenery and motionless musicians as her in her Barcelona performance a few months ago, the charismatic singer offered possibly the liveliest show of the day. She showed her satisfaction for Lula's victory and filled everyone with happiness when she sang Stoned at the nail salon with ... Phoebe Bridgers.

And two proposals of a different stylistic caliber that attracted a much smaller public but were quite juicy, such as the session by the trio led by pianist Amaro Freitas, with his free jazz, often cinematic, but just as virtuoso (impressive drums).

And of course, the singer and guitarist Father John Misty (actually, Joshua Tillman, ex-Fleet Foxes drummer), who provided a bloody vocal performance session, with his acoustics and the backing of a large and fantastic group, with a pair of winds and keyboards included. Unforgettable session of conviction and music, well beyond the new folk-rock where it is located.