Primavera Sound Festival 2010
Day 1 The Wave Pictures What a lovely start to the weekend, with some fey and witty English pop on the Ray Ban stage. There's a great reception from the Spanish crowd, which surprises me until I remember Jonathan Richman being greeted like a god in the auditorium here a few years ago. A certain strain of wry pop music is very popular around these parts. Surfer Blood I move on to meet friends at the Pitchfork stage to see a band I know nothing about. What I learn is they play a pleasing brand of balls-out indie guitar rock and boast a great singer, who can scream in tune as well as croon. And their guitarist looks about 12 years old - he looks delighted to be here really, just to be asked. The Fall No surprises here on the main stage (San Miguel) but as enjoyable as ever, in a seething, surly kind of way. In an unexpected gesture (of hospitality?) Mark E Smith has dispensed with the leather glove. Is this a sign of middle-age mellowing, I wonder? For the sake of the music, I...