The public's appetite for music festivals is the biggest it's ever been, but in such an oversaturated market space, is the lineup more important than ever?

Not all events have Glastonbury's advantage of selling out within minutes before dropping a Metallica headline bomb, while others have looked towards comedy bookings, art experiences and alternative festival sites to clinch a unique selling point.


Ultimately it's the headliners and a mix of established and rising acts that sell tickets. However, when all major festivals across Europe are trying to book the biggest names - not to mention a severe lack of new headline-worthy bands coming through - just how hard is it curating a festival?

"It's no effort because that's exactly what we like to do," Primavera organiser DJ Fra told Digital Spy. "It's what we do in our spare time. It's good and bad when your passion and your work comes together.

"If something goes wrong in the process, you might end up hating a band you originally liked! All because a guy from the band had some stupid demands. At the end of the day it's music, and you learn to enjoy it and put it on a different page when booking the act."


Since its launch in 2001, Primavera has developed a reputation as one of Europe's leading music festivals. Based on Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum, 2014's instalment has lured thousands of Brits overseas with Arcade Fire, Disclosure, Chvrches, Jamie xx, Pixies and Metronomy on its lineup.

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It's a growing trend in the UK to venture to the continent for a music festival. Glastonbury and V Festival sell out within minutes leaving many with a festival-shaped hole in their summer calendar.

With cheaper ticket prices, strong lineups and the opportunity to double it as a holiday, European festivals present themselves as the more adventurous and economically-sound option for music lovers - but are they better than UK festivals?


"The first festival I attended as part of the public was in the UK," notes DJ Fra. "In the early '90s I went to Reading and the now-defunct Phoenix festival, and that's how I learned to enjoy a lot of music in a very short period of time.

"Everything has already been invented. You try to do the best you can with all the little things at the festival and come up with something nice.

"Primavera, over the last few years, has gotten a very good name and people really want to come. We want to keep it that way and stay as we are."

He added: "We try to put together a nice lineup and set up the festival in a way that it's comfortable for people to enjoy music. It's not that complicated."