Homage to Catalonia

I'm not alone in eagerly awaiting the line-up for this year's Green Man - it's always reliably good - but, let's face it, it won't compare to the multitude of riches that Primavera has on offer.

Last year I was a bit of a curmudgeonly indie-rock gammon about the Barcelona bash's bill (especially as I wasn't even going), but subsequently came to my senses. This time around, there's probably less emphasis on pure pop and R&B and more on the kind of stuff that gets the likes of me instantly salivating, but, as the Guardian's Laura Snapes has pointed out, the organisers haven't compromised on their principles, ensuring the sort of gender balance to which most other festivals can only (and certainly should) aspire.

Take a handful of typical Primavera stalwarts (Dinosaur Jr, Yo La Tengo and of course Shellac), some big-name reformed bands (Pavement, Bauhaus, Bikini Kill, The Strokes, Jawbox), a smattering of legendary extremists (Einsturzende Neubauten, Napalm Death, Lightning Bolt) and plenty other of tasty acts (Black Country New Road, DIIV, black midi, Beck, Tropical Fuck Storm, Kim Gordon, The National, Les Savy Fav, Shame, Iggy Pop and Fontaines DC to name but a few) and you've got the perfect recipe for a festival that will have even those lucky enough to be there suffering from the fear of missing out.