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Benicassim 2013 lineup

The Benicassim 2013 lineup delivered one of the most guitar-focused editions of FIB in the 2010s, mixing iconic headline acts with a strong undercard of indie, alternative, electronic and emerging artists. With Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Queens of the Stone Age and Beady Eye leading the bill, the weekend created a distinctly British-meets-American feel with heavy riffs, huge sing-alongs and late-night electronic sessions that ran into the early hours.

Crowds entering the festival for the Benicassim 2013 lineup

FIB 2013 at a glance

  • Dates: Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 July 2013
  • Location: Benicàssim, Costa del Azahar, Spain
  • Main headliners: Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, Beady Eye
  • Genres: Indie, rock, electronic, dance, alternative
  • Atmosphere: Hot Mediterranean days, late-night arena sessions, thousands of UK fans attending

Headline moments

Thursday opened with Queens of the Stone Age, who kicked off the festival with a heavy, high-energy set built on thick riffs and late-night desert rock. Friday produced the most traditionally “FIB-style” evening: Beady Eye gave a tight performance, Primal Scream turned the main stage into a rave-rock carnival, and Dizzee Rascal delivered a chaotic crowd-pleasing set that kept the energy high.

Saturday belonged to Arctic Monkeys, whose set previewed the darker, more stylish sound that would define their AM era. Their performance mixed early indie hits with new material that would later become global festival staples. On Sunday, The Killers closed out the weekend with pure euphoria — fireworks, confetti and a packed arena singing along to every chorus.

Across the site, fans enjoyed strong performances from rising acts like Chvrches, AlunaGeorge, Bastille and Jake Bugg, all of whom were rapidly climbing the UK charts at the time. Electronic names such as Benny Benassi, Toddla T Sound and Knife Party kept the late-night slots busy, with the clashfinder showing many sets running well past 4am.

Benicassim 2013 lineup by day

Thursday 18 July

  • Queens of the Stone Age
  • Beach House
  • La Roux
  • Hurts
  • Toundra
  • Rudimental
  • John Talabot
  • Everything Everything
  • Temples
  • And So I Watch You From Afar
  • Little Green Cars

Friday 19 July

  • Beady Eye
  • Primal Scream
  • Dizzee Rascal
  • Johnny Marr
  • Echo Lake
  • Guadalupe Plata
  • Hanni El Khatib
  • Swim Deep
  • Zane Lowe
  • Attic Lights
  • Moomba & Cherry

Saturday 20 July

  • Arctic Monkeys
  • Bastille
  • Benny Benassi
  • Miles Kane
  • Everything Everything
  • Bigott
  • The Courteeners
  • The Coronas
  • Le Carousel
  • Childhood
  • Spacin’
  • Soledad Vélez

Sunday 21 July

  • The Killers
  • Chvrches
  • Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
  • Deap Vally
  • AlunaGeorge
  • Azealia Banks
  • Jake Bugg
  • Palma Violets
  • Woodkid
  • Madeon
  • Dorian
  • Splashh
  • Terrence Dixon
  • The Child of Lov
  • Grupo Salvaje

What FIB 2013 was like for fans

Reviews from the time describe FIB 2013 as one of the hottest editions in years, with many people escaping to the beach during the day before returning to the arena as the sun dropped. The atmosphere was described as friendly, chaotic in parts and full of energy — particularly during Dizzee Rascal’s set and during The Killers’ explosive finale.

Fans often mention how the schedule created a seamless flow from rock into electronic music: it wasn’t unusual to go from Arctic Monkeys straight into a DJ set finishing after dawn. Several blogs from the time highlight the size of the British crowd that year, giving Benicassim 2013 a feel somewhere between a Spanish holiday and a UK festival.

Further resources

If looking back at the Benicassim 2013 lineup has you thinking about returning, start here: