The Exclusive Tour Diary 2025
Festival Season
Pride mosh pits formed from crowds that could only watch on giant screens, toddler boys sat atop shoulders at their first show.
By TravelledMusic
June is shaping up to be a wild ride- a blur of cities, stages, and sound checks. With multiple acts on the move, we’re packing our bags, prepping the gear, and getting ready to hit some of the most exciting festivals across Europe and the U.S. In order to remember what the hell just happened I’ll be updating a tour diary every week. Check in below to find out what really happens on the road. Maybe.
Here’s what’s up:
June 4 – Caribou @ Primavera Sound, Barcelona
It’s 3:58 and the green traffic light is blinding bright. Susumu Yokota is playing as the Mercedes V class minivan cradles me to the airport. I don’t know how many people were there last night, more than I could see. Pride mosh pits formed from crowds that could only watch on giant screens, toddler boys sat atop shoulders at their first show. I walked through the centre of the crowd between FOH and stage: privileged.
The concert was free, a gift to the people of Barcelona from Primavera Festival, possibly the best promoters on the planet. They’ve hosted Caribou at least seven times, on different stages around the ever evolving site and presented a medallion laminate pass backstage before the show in appreciation. Not many promoters would be able to support and develop a band and audience so well.
The production ran like clockwork, Spain’s finest on the cogs.
Streamed live on Amazon and internationally renowned Primavera is (as we agreed behind the scenes) the finest festival out there. It’s not a fan of sleep though, so while I would usually be going to bed at this point, instead after an early show for Spain, I had to wake up at 3:30am and scald myself in the shower for the next flight. I removed the light blue shirt I’d hung up to straighten out from the hotel cupboard peg and stuffed it into my now swelling suitcase. What was a nearly packed bag and quite trim is now fat and bloated after one days travel and my backpack matches the shame. I don’t think that shirt will ever lose those creases. I don’t mind though so long as it gets to hang on Primavera’s hook once again.
June 5 – Barry Can’t Swim @ NorthSide Festival, Denmark
Aarhus
Everything reminds me of the kids. Toys on sale. Families passing by. Hot chocolate instead of coffee. The Airport lounge in Copenhagen has a coffee machine, the long haired man aside me chooses Espresso. Espresso Macchiato and reads it out loud as he presses the button. One of our favourite entries from the recent Eurovision contest, the dance was crazy.
20 minutes in the sky and we’re in Aarhus, home of the Madness singalong jokes and Northside Festival. 20,000 tickets sold and possibly Denmarks biggest festival. It’s plant based. Everyone is on mushrooms and not the good kind.
I set up a little festival WhatsApp group for easy communication during our time here. Master Tour is so busy nowadays with crew movements and individual travel plans that sometimes short, sharp factual messages on WhatsApp clear the mind.
“Make time for catering”
“It is unreal”
Denmark doesn’t fuck around with mass army style catering. Here we are treated. We need to reserve a table and after enjoying watching friends play in other performing bands we have time for a 5 course sharing meal, all plant based of course. Lots of cheese with the option of 12 more Danish cheeses to finish. Don’t panic, it’s organic.
Rain has gathered into a huge prank ready pool lying heavy about the backstage tent where Cam is skipping. Darkness has fallen. Fresh fruit in snack size bowls is scattered around the dressing room area.
“Is this your last year then?”
“If I can find some other way of making money it might well be, not easy making money is it?”
The truth is I’ve been talking about retiring from the road for over 10 years now. After the boy was born I remember a friend offering me a job in IT after I’d told him of my plans to quit the biz. Trouble is, I’m addicted. A tour addict. This hedonistic lifestyle where fine dining is offered for free in foreign lands. Where everyone is happy and pleased to see you and willing to help. The airports, the buses, the vans; I bloody love them. The spotless hotel rooms, its institutionalised some people though. I’ve heard of roadies returning home and buying all white linens. Fixing their bedrooms like hotel rooms. Circling in madness while no one reminds them what time lobby call is. Lost in the haze of household bills they hit the road again as soon as they can, preferring PDs to postboxes. No wonder with the comradely you can find out here, no wonder when the local supermarket hides old school bully’s where the artist village reveals common goals and shared victories.
We all worry though. Where the next job is coming from. It’s like walking in the fog sometimes being self employed but these are the sacrifices we make, security vs success.
The show was absolutely fine. We’ve become accustomed to huge crowds, joyous beer swilling lads and beautiful doe eyed front row gals. We brush it off as though it’s normal but it’s not. It’s mad and crazy and wonderful and an incredible buzz for all of us but for the performers onstage the highs and lows must be mind blowing. One moment above the clouds, the next under the rain. What a way to make a living.
9 of us cram into the van. We’ve picked up 2 promoters and a booking agent and persuaded the driver to drive thru. A bottle of whisky is passed around. Rider plunder. Chicken nuggets, quarter ponders. The craving for meat. The thirst for filth.
“Make time for McDonalds”
“It is unreal”
June 7 – Caribou @ Plisskën Festival, Athens
June 12 – Caribou @ Primavera Sound, Porto
June 13 – Barry Can’t Swim @ Best Kept Secret + Sónar Festival
June 14 – Caribou @ Best Kept Secret
June 20 – Barry Can’t Swim @ Electric Forest, USA
June 21 – Caribou @ Electric Forest, USA
June 28 – Caribou & Barry Can’t Swim @ Glastonbury
See you out there. 🌐🎶