Primavera Sound 2022 mystery revealed: Mallorcan band Antònia Font are back

The Mallorcan band Antònia Font are back, eight years after retiring.

The Catalan language pop group perhaps best known for their hit 'Alegria' will play at Primavera Sound 2022 next year.

The announcement was surrounded by some mystery in the past few days when a huge banner in central Barcelona appeared with the word 'Alegria' on it, as well as Primavera Sound festival branding. In a subtle nod to the mystery that would soon be revealed, the banner was placed on Mallorca Street.  

The pop-rock outfit released nine albums in their 16-year career. For the moment, the reunion is only confirmed for the Primavera Sound performance, but everything points to it being "the beginning of a return, a starting point," according to sources close to the group.

The full line-up for the return edition of Barcelona's biggest music festival will be announced on May 25. 

Reports suggest that the festival could be celebrated over two weekends rather than the usual one, between June from 2-5 and 9-12. 

Over 400 artists are said to be taking to the stages at Parc del Fòrum next year.

It’s expected that both weekends of the festival will see major headliners perform.

Primavera Sound had planned on celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020 but those plans were scuppered by the pandemic, while the 2021 edition was also called off largely due to the uncertainties surrounding the evolution of the health crisis and international mobility. 

This year’s festival was due to take place from June 2-6 with headline acts announced such as Tame Impala, The Strokes, Tyler, The Creator, FKA twigs, and Bikini Kill. 

Concert experiments 

Catalonia has seen various concerts over the past few months experimenting with mechanisms of allowing attendees at shows. 

Last October, Primavera Sound, among others, organized a gig with 1,000 people in attendance in Sala Apolo, a venue that also usually hosts many side events in parallel with the normal festival.

The aim was to investigate how to guarantee a safe environment for indoor events during the pandemic, as well as the effectiveness of rapid Covid-19 tests as a screening strategy.

One of project leaders, Boris Revollo, an infectious disease specialist at the Can Ruti hospital, outlined the conditions for entry to the venue.

"People will have to respect the current measures such as wearing face masks and washing their hands, but they will be able to order a drink. We will have to exclude anyone showing coronavirus symptoms and all gig-goers will have to test negative for Covid-19," Revollo said.

More recently, 5,000 joyous fans enjoyed a Love of Lesbian concert with no social distancing in Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi. Organizers recently announced that there was no evidence of transmission found at the event.

An oddity in times of Covid, those present were not required to sit down or to remain socially distanced within their designated section, but needed a negative antigen test carried out on the day of the concert as well as to wear FFP2 masks provided by the organizers, Festivals per la Cultura Segura and Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol. 

The animated gig-goers were asked to keep their masks on for the duration of the concert except for when drinking. 

"This is one of the most exciting nights of my life," lead singer Santi Balmes told a roaring crowd after they finished playing the first song. "The culture world is watching us and sending us messages of encouragement."