Primavera als Bars 2013: Big Summer + Les Sueques

As it happened last year, the Primavera Sound Festival warms-up the city with a series of local concerts in pubs and unusual places before the big event takes place. Here's a very quick chronicle of yesterday's double gig, courtesy of our beloved friends from El Genio Equivocado, with two exciting bands from their roster!

Big Summer. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Big Summer. C3Bar, Barcelona, May 3rd
El Genio Equivocado latest signing is by far their most international combo, sounding intensely contemporary and full of promise. With their debut EP "Bone and Arrow" just out now, the young trio (a quartet on stage) presented live a noteworthy set of songs that, unfortunately, muted into something much more rockier and noisier than what they have recorded on CD. It's understandable they wanted to sound heavier on a venue that was quickly packed and chatting was constant (for once, I can understand). But their indie-rock charms, at least to me, are in the great melody lines that tunes like "Real Thing" or the mind-blowing "Morning Sun" have, a sun-soaked affair that immediately recalls to the great Real Estate. In that sense, an excess of volume like what they choose Friday reduces the impact of their music, kills a bit the magic of their graceful tunes. Nevertheless, Big Summer is a band to follow closely.

Les Sueques. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Les Sueques. C3Bar, Barcelona, May 3rd 
And the second gig was also my second time watching Les Sueques in two weeks, when they were the support band for Allo Darlin' at the 24th Barcelona Guitar Festival. With the venue completely full, at least at the front rows, the quartet quite an exciting show. Without the sound issues they had at the BARTS Espai Club their pop-punk sounded filthier, messy, carefree and playful. Guitars, screams, occasional and intriguing odd sounds coming from theremins and other toys, and the magnetic stage presence of lead singer and bassist's Blanca, the band had fun, and so did the public. Riot girls with a bunch of addictive tunes -"Ningú" sticks in your head like a hammer, "Beix" makes you shake you head mercilessly, "S.F." knocks you out-, and a healthy dose of humour.