The 17 best bands we saw at Primavera Sound 2014

Photo: Primavera Sound/Dani Canto/Eric Pamies

When it comes to festivals, there are few finer locations than the coast of Barcelona at the magnificent Parc Del Forum. Overlooking the sea with a mixture of minimalist, brutalist and classic architecture, it's worth a visit alone - but the good people at Primavera went and filled it with one of the best line-ups of any European festival this year.

The ease, scale, access and atmosphere of the site is incredible - and the charm of all of Europe and beyond coming together to celebrate the most acclaimed and credible alternative music around fills the air with an electric anticipation and sense of community. Waking up at in the friendly, buzzing and chic vibrancy of Generator Hostel's hotel in the centre of Barcelona, the rest of the city follows in that same spirit - with class and quality found in every single corner of Primavera.

But out of it all, here are the 17 best bands and artists we saw at Primavera Sound 2014.

St Vincent
Arguably the stand-out performance of the week, all present were left utterly transfixed by St Vincent's incredible Sony Stage performance. Taking to the stage just after nightfall, Annie Clark filled the huge arena with her arresting persona with a truly stunning show that would set the benchmark for the rest of the weekend.

With a fully-choreographed performance, she drew from across her impressive catalogue to mix wild firecracker guitar skills, haunting romantic vocals and mechanical dance moves to deliver a set worthy of a headliner. From the jerking art-rock of 'Rattlesnake' and 'Birth In Reverse' to the bubbling electro insania of 'Give Me Your Loves', as she dominates the stage like an android and rolls down her stage prop pyramid, she looks every bit the icon, and a true original.

Kendrick Lamar
There are few words to describe how awesome Kendrick Lamar was on the Heineken Stage, but we'll try anyway. Backed by a brilliant band, Kendrick proved himself to be one hell of a showman. Working as his own hype man, he effortlessly whips the crowd into one bouncing mass of dancing and fists - firing out blast after blast of soon to be classic hip-hop. He's truly on top of his game, and if there's any justice in the world he'll steal the rap throne any day now. You're looking at a legend in the making.

The National
The National showed Barcelona what it is that makes them the best American band of their generation: a thick web of sound, a seminal and consistent back catalogue, amazing musicianship and one of the most arresting and unhinged frontmen on the planet.

Frequently eyeing up the front rows of their hardcore fanbase before diving in to join them, Matt Berninger showcased his glorious range as he slipped from a heartbreaking croon to a terrifying squawk. From the romantic yearning of 'I Should Live In Salt' and 'This Is The Last Time' to the explosive alt-rock celebration of 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' and 'Abel', The National pulled off a flawless set, one that begs for them to headline far more festivals, everywhere, all the time.

As if that wasn't enough, they invited Bon Iver's Justin Vernon on stage for a chillingly romantic rendition of 'Slow Show'. It was a true goosebumps moment. Then paying tribute to The Walkmen who Berninger said the band 'learned a lot from' by touring with them in their early days, they welcomed Hamilton Leithauser and Paul Maroon from the band on stage for a volatile and show-stopping performance of 'Mr November' and 'Terrible Love'. There are few words for what a monumental show it was.

Courtney Barnett
Despite fears of rain, the weather relented for a fittingly scorching and sunny end to the Barcelona festival, with many flocking to the coastal Parc Del Forum to catch a glimpse of an early performance from rising singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. With a magnetic charisma and natural charm, Barnett and her band wooed to audience with a strong set of wistful and whimsical grunge-fuelled alt-folk, given a much harder and heavier edge live than on record. The highlight of her performance was naturally 'Avant Gardener', but if the rest of her material showcased tonight was anything to judge by, then she's going to be absolutely massive - and we can't wait.

Girl Band
An early highlight came from Girl Band, whose blend of QOTSA-esque rhythms, post-punk riffs and the maniacal screeching of The Fall mixed to present them as one of the UK's most promising new bands as they stormed two sets on the Heineken Hidden Stage and Vice Stage. They're going to be very big indeed - catch their terrifying live menace as soon as you can.

FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs was absolutely mesmerising. Cutting a sharp silhouette, her elastic dance moves jerked across the stage as her dark trip-ho infused R & B left all present dazed and amazed. If she stays on the form she's in now, we could well be looking at the next Bjork - but such a comparison would be a disservice to a truly unique artist.

Sharon Van Etten
Equally as beguiling was Sharon Van Etten on the ATP Stage, who off-set her flawless set of raw and melancholy soulful indie with a wicked charm, exquisite banter and magnificent presence. If you haven't heard her insanely good new album, Are We There, then go out and buy it at once.

Jagwar Ma
If there's a better way to end a day at a festival than by losing your mind to Jagwar Ma until 5am, then we haven't heard it. In the darkness of the Ray Ban ampitheatre, the electro elements of their dance rock sound travel like never before, turning the Parc Del Forum into an all-out blissed out rave. We also danced our faces off next to Foals who were going a little nuts - which is also a great sign of quality.

Disclosure
Just, wow. With an incredible stage show and flawless flow, these guys play with the conviction of a band who have been around for decades - they are destined to headline festivals.

Queens Of The Stone Age
Queens Of The Stone Age wasted no time in proving why they're more than worthy of headlining Reading & Leeds Festival this summer. Opening with 'You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire', before bursting straight into 'No One Knows', their set was a consistently classic-packed explosion of hard rock and bravado that kept Barcelona dancing well into the night. With an electric persona and dry, wicked banter, Josh Homme shone as the ultimate frontman. If they play anything like that this August, then QOTSA will go down in Reading & Leeds history as one for all time.

Metronomy
Why aren't these guys much, much bigger? They should be an arena band - plus bassist Gbenga Adelekan is one of the coolest people on the planet

Sky Ferreira
The heavens opened, but a sizeable crowd remained for Sky Ferreira, who struggled with sound problems throughout her short but remarkable twilight set.

"I'm nervous, which is why I'm wearing sunglasses," Ferreira anxiously told the crowd as her ear-piece kept failing and the bass overwhelmed her sound. In spite of this, she was still in full voice and gave an incredible performance of tracks from her debut album Night Time, My Time, with fan favourite 'Everything Is Embarrassing' thrown in for good measure. Her stage persona and charisma was utterly magnetic, and she certainly has the presence and talent of an icon in the making - and the crowd could tell. People could be heard howling closer 'You're Not The One' into the wet night sky for hours afterwards.

The Twilight Sad
Clearly moved by the strength and passion of their European following, the Scottish noise pioneers receive the heroes' welcome they deserve - while making a new audience of alt-rock fans fall in love with their sozzled sonic misery for the first time.

Arcade Fire
As queues trailed down the block, it seemed as if all of the continent had flocked to Barcelona's Parc Del Forum for Arcade Fire, as the space outside the Sony Stage was quickly transformed into an unmoveable mass of screaming faces and flailing limbs. Opening with the title track from 2013's Reflektor, Win Butler and co charged through a true carnival of colour and sound, in a career-spanning and epic 21-song set that marked them as true Glastonbury-headliner material. The whole show was a confetti-laden sing-along, and true celebration of a band in their prime and reaching true greatness.

Nine Inch Nails
Despite a heartbreaking schedule clash with Mogwai, Nine Inch Nails then took to the opposite Sony Stage for a mindblowing masterclass in industrial hard rock.Clearly in high spirits and backed by an epic stage and light show, Trent Reznor and co tore through what started as a fairly esoteric set, before soon blooming into a beast of fan favourites and career highlights. There are few finer or more inventive live bands on the planet.

Loop
You really are spoiled for choice when it comes to legends at Primavera - and they don't come much more revered than Loop - bow down to the kings of shoegaze

Foals
Rocking the Barcelona masses into the early hours of the morning came Foals - who despite the sound quality not quite travelling as it should, still delivered a succinct but powerful performance of choice cuts from across their three albums, with frontman Yannis Philappakis taking his usual crowd-surfing route into the centre of the crowd. After headlining Latitude last year, they're tipped for even bigger things still. If the response reserved tonight for 'Inhaler' and 'Two Steps Twice' is anything to judge by, then their next record will see them leap into the major leagues - and totally own it.