Benicassim 2011 lineup
Benicassim 2011 lineup highlights included some of the biggest alternative and indie names of the time, with headliners such as Arcade Fire, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and Portishead, supported by Beirut, Elbow, Friendly Fires, Tinie Tempah and Primal Scream.
Across four days on the Spanish coast, Benicàssim 2011 mixed big international guitar bands, cool indie outfits, top DJs and local Spanish talent under consistently hot skies. Reviews from the time talk about long, sunny beach days, then late-night headline sets and packed tents that ran on until the early hours, with camping and a nearby water park adding to the “holiday plus festival” feel for a big British crowd.
Benicassim 2011 lineup at a glance
- Festival: Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (FIB)
- Year: 2011
- Dates: 14–17 July 2011
- Headliners & key acts: Arcade Fire, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Portishead, Beirut, Elbow, Friendly Fires, Tinie Tempah, Primal Scream
- Vibe: Four nights of late-running headliners, a mixed bill of indie, alt-rock and electronic, plus a big contingent of UK fans chasing guaranteed sun.
FIB 2011 lineup headliners & main stage moments
Line-up announcements billed 2011 as another landmark year for FIB, and the main stage delivered. Arcade Fire closed the festival with a cinematic, hit-packed set that many reviews singled out as a perfect finale. The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys brought sharp, festival-ready indie rock, while Portishead turned their slot into a darker, more atmospheric experience that still felt huge in front of a late-night crowd.
Elsewhere on the bill, UK favourites Elbow, Friendly Fires and Primal Scream added sing-along moments and dance-friendly sets, with Tinie Tempah bringing crossover chart energy. For many fans it felt like a sweet spot between the mid-2000s indie boom and the more electronic-leaning line-ups that followed in later years.
Key acts on the bill
- Arcade Fire
- The Strokes
- Arctic Monkeys
- Portishead
- Beirut
- Elbow
- Friendly Fires
- Tinie Tempah
- Primal Scream
Beyond the headliners there were deep undercard options across indie, alternative and electronic acts, with multiple stages running into the early morning and plenty of chances to discover smaller Spanish and European bands between the big UK and North American names.
What the 2011 weekend felt like
People who travelled out still talk about how balanced the weekend felt. Days were spent on the beach or in town hiding from the afternoon heat, then crowds drifted up to the site as the sun went down and the main stages lit up. With several headline sets starting around midnight and DJs continuing until dawn, it was very much a “sleep late, party late” schedule in classic Benicàssim style.
Photo galleries and fan reviews from the time show thousands of festival-goers scorched in the Valencia sun, bouncing between huge main stage moments from The Streets, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and Arcade Fire. Many still describe 2011 as one of the last truly “indie-heavy” FIB years before later editions leaned further into pop and EDM.
Further reading & archives
- Official Benicàssim site
- eFestivals FIB 2011 archive
- NME Benicàssim 2011 photos
- Festival Internacional de Benicàssim on Wikipedia
Inspired by this classic year and thinking about going back? Start with the current guides:
