La Prima Estate surprises with music but fails to satisfy with experience - review

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A festival on the Tuscan coast sounds like a dream. The idyllic town of Camaiore, just 30 minutes from Pisa, offers a magical backdrop for the La Prima Estate Festival, which is still in its infancy (the first edition took place last year). The sandy coast of Versilia stretches for miles west of Camaiore, while the Apuan Alps hug the town from the east. The air here is hot, dry and salty, and the sparkling sea beckons.

It's the perfect setting for a festival that describes itself as "more than just a music festival .... it's a vacation." Last year La Prima Estate ran for six consecutive days and attracted major acts such as The National, Bonobo, Duran Duran, Anderson Paak and Jamie xx. This year, organizers split the festival into two weekends to attract more campers for the long weekend. Nas and Bon Iver will perform on the first weekend, while Alt-J, Jamiroquai and Metro Boomin will headline the second. The lineup also features Japanese Breakfast, Kings of Convenience, Chet Faker, Bicep, and several Italian bands and DJs.

The stage is located in Bussola Domani Park, a spacious green space that was one of the main venues for live music in the 70s and 80s. Given the organizers' experience with the month-long Lucca Summer Festival, one of the most anticipated events in Italy, the excellent quality of sound and organization is unquestionable. The music presented at the festival is impeccable, from a sultry 90-minute performance by Nas to a touching rendition of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love" that brought tears to some of the audience. Norwegian indie darlings Kings of Convenience gave an outstanding performance, taking the crowd from cute acoustic songs to a massive dance party with their favorite song "I'd Rather Dance With You."

But something is missing here.

Where are the cooking classes? Where are the wine and craft beer tastings? Even an excursion to the mountains would have come in handy, or simply hosting a tour of Camaiore's historic sites. These are the kind of activities that would help La Prima Estate fulfill the promise of a "holiday" in its "festival and vacation hybrid." There are some special moments - the opportunity to book a special lunch at a partner restaurant or mingle with leading figures in the music industry are nice touches. But most of the incredible experiences and activities claimed by the festival turn out to be non-existent. The festival relies heavily on its musical achievements - which makes sense, given that the event experience needs some fine-tuning. La Prima Estate 2023 demonstrates the festival's ability to attract great performers and put on amazing shows, but if organizers want to be on par with, say, the UK's Wilderness Festival, they still have a lot of work to do. The setting in Camaiore is perfect, and La Prima Estate must take full advantage of its incredible location to show the world that it is "one of the big players" on the festival scene.