SPAIN has been winning the summer festival war for decades.
But this year the biggest battle will be fought between which city takes the Limp Bizkit.
The two heavyweights of summer music fests are predictably Madrid and Barcelona, with two giant crowd-pullers.
Barcelona fires first with Primavera Sound (June 1 – 7), a global tastemaker with beachside swagger.
The best of British music, including the Cure, Gorillaz and Massive Attack are headlining, while The xx, Bad Gyal and Wet Leg also make the cut.
The week-long bash takes place at iconic venues like Razzmatazz, Parc del Forum and the Sala Apolo, while free daytime shows held at the CCCB.
Tickets weigh in at €350 for the full week or €125 per day, but Primavera’s genre-bending cool, international pull and city-wide footprint remain unmatched.
Next up, Madrid counters with the Mad Cool Festival (July 8 – 11), celebrating its tenth anniversary in serious style.
Stadium-level legends such as the Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon are rubbing shoulders with indie royalty including Nick Cave, Florence + The Machine, Lorde, Pixies, Pulp, Moby and David Byrne.
With over 70 artists spread across four carefully curated days, Mad Cool has the scale and substance.
Tickets start at €95 for a day or €240 for the full four-days, making it one of Europe’s best-value major festivals.
Beyond the stages, Mad Cool Talent champions emerging Spanish acts like Malaga’s Break the Senses, while Villaverde Reloaded turns the surrounding neighbourhood into a living art project.
So, Barcelona or Madrid? Either way you choose, Spain is where the music world shows up this summer.
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