Primavera Sound

Franz Ferdinand, The XX, Wilco, The Afghan Whigs, Erol Alkan (Thur); The Cure, Rufus Wainwright, M83, The Rapture, Sleigh Bells, The Drums (Fri); Björk, Justice, Kings of Convenience, The Weeknd, Yo La Tengo, Beach House (Sat) . As foreign city festivals go this one is pretty much unbeatable. Not only is it bang on the coast in Barcelona so the view is superb and the weather flawless, this well-run event sports a brilliant line-up including Robert Smith's anthemic The Cure, the lovably bonkers Bjork, young and ghostly Londoners The XX (hopefully boasting new material) and a rare show from breakout Canadian hip hop star with an emotional twist, The Weeknd. The huge haul of underground acts from Europe and America that make up the rest of the huge bill combine to make this an exceptional festival. Also look out for free Primavera performances at Barcelona's Arc De Triomf esplanade on Thursday from St. Etienne and The Black Lips and Sunday from Yann Tierson and Sheffield steeler Richard Hawley.