Month: May 2013

Deer Shed Festival: New acts announced

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Having announced the bulk of the music, comedy and arts programmes for Deer Shed Festival 4, now’s the time to focus on the other activities and adventures taking place, along with a few additional acts including CBBC’s Big Howard Little Howard, the return of the Beer Festival and exciting new partnerships with Sunderland City Council and legendary toy company, Meccano. With the music headliners consisting of Edwyn Collins, House of Love, Darwin Deez and Gaz Coombs, a whopping PG rated comedy line-up, cinema showcases and an extensive arts programme; Deer Shed Festival provides a fully immersive and interactive holiday for the whole family to enjoy together in a beautiful site, set to the soundtrack of top quality music.

 

New for the Big Top Comedy tent are the award winning Big Howard Little Howard, stars of CBBC's Little Howard’s Big Question, The Royal Variety Performance and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, will be hosting and evening of variety and stand up in The Deer Shed Big Top. Expect a joyful mix of wonderful stand up and variety as Big Howard and his animated partner in mirth Little Howard introduce the uber daft Duncan Oakley (world travelled comedian, musician, actor and one man band from Radio 4's 'Shappi Talk'), Steve Best (brilliant visual comedian from BBC1's 'The Stand Up Show' and Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned' ITV1) and Justin Moorhouse (from the seminal Phoenix Nights C4, 8 out of 10 Cats C4 and his own stand up special on Dave). Music, variety, stand up and live animation to truly tickle the funny bone and ease away a hard day of festival going, and all PG rated! For more info on Big Howard Little Howard have a look at their Royal Variety performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bngu7p0_gks

 

Late comers on music line up are Velcro Hooks, a raw four piece, garage rock band from Bristol that will be bringing their now notorious full on, in your face explosion of pure rock in their live show.

 

Tickets for Deer Shed Festival are available from just £89 (plus BF), with the child (6-15) tickets coming in at a supremely reasonable £25. http://www.deershedfestival.com/tickets/

Line-up 2013:

Darwin Deez / Edwyn Collins / House of Love / Gaz Coombes / King Creosote / The Unthanks / Tubular Bells for Two / Eugene McGuinness / Willy Mason / The Milk / The Phantom Band / Public Service Broadcasting / Stealing Sheep / To Kill a King / Zervas and Pepper / Smoove and Turrell / Velcro Hooks / Deaf Club / Novella / Moulettes / Blood Relatives / Blue Rose Code / Sweet Baboo / Luke Sital-Singh / Death at Sea /  Deep Sea Arcade / Dancing Years / Marconi Union / AlascA / David McCaffrey

 

 

OsFest 2013 Shropshire’s biggest Music Festival

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OsFest is now in its 3rd year, with previous acts like Goldie Looking Chain, Tinnie Tempah, Razorlight and many more this up and coming festival always delivers. This year for May bank holiday we had another great line up. JLS were to headline along with James Arthur, The Enemy, Lawson, The Pigeon Detectives, Lucy Spraggan and many more to come. 

*With short notice James Arthur had to drop out with commitments made in the US which regrettably meant he couldn’t be at Osfest this year. To fill the main stage spotlights  Britain’s got talent finalists  – The Lovable Rogues took up the arena. Fridays DJ set from Monki Radio 1’s 1XTRA DJ set the crowd right from the start. The crowd at this point was only small due to most people arriving Saturday, as with the crowds the weather was the same. When waking up Saturday I was amazed to see perfect blue sky and sunshine! unlike previous years where the weather had dominated this set up the weekend perfectly and added so much atmosphere to the main arena. 

Leading to Saturdays main acts I was delighted to see TICH and A*M*E perform who gave a great performance and with the amazing lighting setup on the main stage. This gave me the opportunity to snap away and get some really amazing images. With the crowd starting to really build heading into the afternoon, along with the drinks flowing and the sounds of the Mega Spin and bumper cars in the background Wiley took the stage. With Wiley’s great line up of songs such as ‘Rolex‘ and ‘Can You Hear Me?‘ the crowd were so reactive to his words, jumping down from the stage at one point to meet his fans security had to pull him back from being eaten by the front rows of the crowd. The side of the area had a cut-out section for people to walk in and out, near the side of the main stage and the with the sun starting to set projected beams of orange and amber light hit the crowds hands as they sang along to Wiley’s chants; This really highlighted the incredible success of this festival and was a very euphoric experience!

As the sun was about to set, the next performance was from Lawson, a true success in the music industry over the past few years their fan and crowd numbers have shot up with their success and great vocals performed by Andy Brown. Singing songs from their very popular  2012 album Chapman Square, the crowds were at their peak! My favorite song performed by them I think had to be their Swedish House Mafia cover of ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ the crowds reacting singing along with them Andy really pushed the crowd to sing their hearts out. 

OsFest

With a short break it was time for the undoubtably the crowds number one act at this point, JLS had arrived and were backstage waiting to come on. Peoples camera phones were out and the crowd from the back of the arena was a sea of mobile LCD screens. I think I even saw an iPad involved! Starting their performance with ‘Beat Again’ you could hear the younger girls screaming! I thought that Wiley’s performance would be hard to beat due to his off stage performance and energy with the crowds, I think by the end of JLS performance it was a level pegging. The lights from the main stage were being hammered and the strobes and house lights were being switched around to illuminate the crowds. I know many of the younger crowds had gone to sleep easy that night after having such an exciting hot day in Oswestry. 

Sunday

Another sunny day to come at OsFest 2013 acts the Enemy, Pigeon Detectives, The Lovable Rogues and Lucy Spraggan to play main stage along with many more, with the sun shining the main arena area was the only shade the amusements surrounding the main tent became busy once again. Lucy Spraggan was a great favorite of mine from the  Sunday at OsFest, she had risen from the Live and unsigned category at the age of 20 to being a very good competitor in X-Factor and due to illness she didn’t get chance to perform all the way through the show as she was forced to quit the X-Factor due to illness. 

She references all of her songs from real world experiences and it was like listening to her telling multiple stories as she sang, her song about Jeremy Kyle as she wakes up was a great one for me, the crowds again loving her great on stage performance of singing and story telling. 

With the Lovable Rogues performance, the crowd really started to get involved and more and more people from the surrounding amusements started to make their way into the tent area. Performing their great new single ‘What a Night’ the main arena was pounding! The speakers and acoustics from the main tent were really impressive! wherever you were inside the tent you got a great sound and even form the back of the crowd you could still enjoy the performance of any of the acts due to the high stage and great lighting setup, perfect for the little ones who found them selves being hoisted onto their parents shoulders to get the perfect view. I saw a grown women on someones shoulders who wanted an even better view from the back of the arena area. 

Though the day different acts performing at OsFest had been interviewing in the Specialized Media Tent and were scattered around the VIP area for those with the right wrist bands was a perfect way to see some of the acts up close. I saw The Pigeon Detectives interviewing along with The Enemy and Lewis Watson who performed in between Lucy Spraggan and The Lovable Rogues. 

Heading towards the close of the festival this year, we were just waiting on The Pigeon Detectives and The Enemy I have to say OsFest ended on such a high after watching The Pigeon Detectives perform. The lead singer for The Detectives Matt Bowman had more energy and control of the crowd than I had ever seen from an artist on stage before! His command of the crowd due to his energy was presented as pure respect from the crowds in the main arena. He was poring water of his head while performing ‘Im Not Sorry’ from their 2007 album ‘Wait For Me’ I think they set the mark for the entire festival at that point. Matt was squirting water all over the front of the crowd, jumping from the drum kits and bouncing around in the press pit! I think these guys should have been last on at OsFest as it was very difficult for The Enemy to top such an energetic performance. They did very well and I really enjoyed their performance! I got some great shots and while watching them interview they really seemed to be a really down to earth group of guys. While performing they played my all time favorite cover ‘sit down’ and ‘Away From Here’ They were great to see live and some of their guitar work was awesome! I remember being below Tom Clark (Lead Singer) as he thrust his guitar up with one hand and slammed down a chord on a few areas of the stage. 

OsFest

Overall I had a great great time this year and will be heading back up next year with no  doubt in my mind. With the great reception from all staff, security and for the line up this year. Im hoping with the continued publicity of this little (Big) festival they will grow and grow on the map. 

SATURDAY PHOTOS

SUNDAY PHOTOS

SKEPTA, KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES, IDIOM AND MIC RIGHTEOUS ADDED TO NASS 2013

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Four new additions to the billing at the NASS Festival 2013 have today been announced. Skepta, Kids In Glass Houses, IDIOM and Mic Righteous are all joining an already star studded line up that is promising to surpass all expectations.

The Main Stage already boasts a lineup chock full of serious musical heavyweights including the incredible Nas making an all too rare UK appearance as well Hadouken! Katie B, Zane Lowe and We Are The Ocean.

Skepta’s popularity as an MC and producer has generated a fan base of loyal followers that have witnessed his career take him from pirate radio stations in North London to one of the first names in any informed shortlist of grime artists. Skepta’s formidable reputation in the grime circuit was affirmed when he became a founding member of Boy Better Know, a collective that is commonly referred to as the grime super group. His roots are underground, anti mainstream, but his fluid delivery and irrepressible presence on stage meant he was always destined for the big stage.

 

Kids In Glass Houses know exactly what it takes to ignite any crowd. Their hotly anticipated UK headline tour could well be seen as a warm up for the NASS Festival that awaits them at the end. Having toured alongside the likes of Paramore and Fall Out Boy, their appetite for raucous live has seen them move out of the shadows and into the limelight. Their latest single, ‘Drive’ will no doubt raise the roof though ardent fans will be also hoping for a sneak preview of their next album, ‘Peace’.

IDIOM, a DIY quartet of veracious males from the South West of England who began life as a band with a simple mission statement: “Whether they find themselves playing to Ten or Ten Thousand people, the aim is to bring the house down every time”. Based in Exeter, the four-piece were at the forefront of the welcomed rock-rap revival at the end of the noughties. Formed in 2005, the hard-working collective take influence from bands as diverse and eclectic as Incubus, Rage Against The Machine, SiKth, System Of A Down and Deftones. They’ve spent the last 3 years finding their way on to the cover mounted album of Metal Hammer, performing a live session on XFM and staking their claim at the forefront of the British live music scene.

The mainstream came calling for Mic Righteous in 2012 as his reputation as one of the hottest young stars in UK rap saw him open for the likes of Wretch 32, Wiley, K Koke and Lethal Bizzle. With over 10 million Youtube hits to his name, Mic Righteous now enjoys favourable airtime on BBC 1XTRA, SBTV and Grime Daily. Featuring on Ed Sheeran’s ‘Give Me Love’ go some way to show just how far he has come in such a short time.

The buzzing atmosphere, 5 stages of world class dubstep, drum & bass, punk and rock, exceptional action sports and art installations showing street culture at its best, guarantee that NASS will be a festival experience like no other.

New for 2013 is the opportunity for Thursday entry, offering the chance to beat the crowds, pick the best camping spot and enjoy an extra night of this mind-blowing festival. Thursday night tickets are limited so make sure you book now to avoid disappointment.

Book your ticket and check out the incredible full line up at www.nassfestival.com

Bestival adds more new music

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With the recent news that Bestival's Friday headliner will be party starter extraordinaire Fatboy Slim playing a very special Bestival Birthday Bash set, the triumvirate of amazing must-see headliners is complete as he joins the previously announced Elton John and Snoop Dogg. And now, Bestival HQ’s attention turn to adding yet more incredible new live music and DJs to the mammoth line-up. Scooping the Best Major Festival award last year yet retaining our boutique sensibilities, Bestival’s spectacular 10th birthday this September 5th-8th is going to be the greatest show on earth with more fun per square metre than you’ll find anywhere else; it’s absolutely unmissable!

Rob da Bank says: “HMS Bestival is well and truly under way, steaming across the high seas picking up even more musical passengers. Crystal fighters are Bestival stalwarts and about to go stratospheric, Jon Hopkins has made one of the electronic albums of the year and no party is a Bestival party without Hudson Mohawke and The Correspondents…all aboard you crazy landlubbers!

Crystal Fighters are among the latest litany of vital new acts that are getting us all hot under the collar. With one of the most incredible and visceral live shows around they’re a truly mind-blowing experience that you'd be mad to miss. With their second album Cave Rave out this week, the band are fully charged and ready to rain down their unique brand of mayhem on the Bestival crowd, making our 10th birthday bash that bit more special.

But that’s not all as we’ll also have live sets from sometime King Creosote cohort and purveyor of epic, widescreen bliss Jon Hopkins, everybody’s favourite raconteur, Howard Marks, bass driven swingers The Correspondents, Memphis soulstress Valerie June (whose debut album, ‘Pushin’ Against a Stone’ is out now on our sister label Sunday Best), much fancied aural architect East India Youth, Sunday Best’s secret weapon Tythe, Phil Kieran showcasing his psychedelic song-craft with new project Le Carousel, new voice of the people Sean McGowan, driving post-harcore force Signals, spectral acoustic electronic types Golden Fable, the Isle of Wight's own Cherishport, acoustic soloist Sarah Close, Essex songsmiths New City Kings, alt-folk Mancunians The Slow Show, hotly tipped B-Towners Troumaca, alt-pop rockers Velvet Stream, Bestival’s Island choral competition winners Wight Harmony and indie-banger-pop from Mr Tom.

Keeping your feet moving long into the night will be an array of on-point selectors including Hudson Mohawke whose production prowess is so in demand he’s currently rubbing shoulders with the likes of Kayne West. An undoubted wonky genius who channels a seemingly endless array of goodtime grooves from hip-hop, dub, future RnB, downright dirty funk and beyond into a seamless dancefloor decimating spectacle, Hudson is working on the follow up to his acclaimed Butter long-player and we can't wait to see what wild new alloy of sounds he has in store for us.

We’ll also have sets from Hacienda legend Greg Wilson, Jungle don Micky Finn, glitchy eletrofunk wunderkind Bobby Tank and the incredible JFB Scratch who recently mixed up a decade of Bestival goodness for us which you can watch here. Plus we’ll have Continental Drifts’ Chris Tofu, party destroyer Handsome Dave Rocker, beatbox champion Reeps One, Heavenly records' sublime Heavenly Jukebox, the previously mentioned Tythe rocking his Intros/Outros look, rave historian Jerome Hill, deep and warm techno fiend Ben Hoo, Bestival Island DJ competition winner Long Jack, old skool electro disco chameleon Mojo Filter, Portsmouth’s Pete Callard, the genre-defying Rev Milo Speedwagon, house maestro Tom Williams, London DJ collective Warm, radio supremo Olli Dutton and eclectic mix warriors The Dudes.

Finally, we’re very sorry to say that The Child Of Lov has cancelled all of his summer dates, so he won’t be joining us at Bestival as previously announced. Never fear, however, there’s still a truckload of ace stuff happening across the weekend, so hopefully no one will be too put out!

 

BESTIVAL TICKET LINKS & INFORMATION:

www.ticketline.co.uk/bestival-tickets / 0844 888 4410

Ticketmaster / 0844 844 0444

See Tickets / 0871 220 0260

Skiddle

Adult Ticket with entry from Thursday 5th September – £190

Adult Ticket with entry from Friday 6th September – £180

Adult Premium ‘Wild Copse’ Camping Ticket – £316 (more info)

Student Ticket with entry from Thursday 5th September – £180

(For full-time students only. Valid NUS or ISIC ID required at the box office. No other student ID accepted)

31 acts added to Yahoo! Wireless

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Live Nation today announced that a huge 31 new acts have been added across the Yahoo! Wireless line up. They join headliners Justin Timberlake, JAY Z, and Legends of The Summer featuring both JAY Z and Justin Timberlake. Yahoo! Wireless Festival takes place across Friday 12 July, Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July.  Additions across the weekend include Earth, Wind & Fire, Little Mix, Wiz Kid, B Smyth, Dream Mclean, Joey Bada$$ and Sinead Harnett.

Tickets for Sunday 14 July headlined by Legends of The Summer featuring Justin Timberlake and JAY Z – a special preview of their North American Stadium Tour – are available but selling fast, www.wirelessfestival.com Tickets for Friday 12 July (headlined by Justin Timberlake) and Saturday 13 July (Headlined by JAY Z) are now sold out.

FRIDAY 12 JULY

Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg, Trey Songz, John Legend, Miguel, Ke$ha, Wretch 32, Conor Maynard, special guest Frank Ocean, Bingo Players, Sub focus, Zane Lowe (DJ set), Bluey Robinson, Drop City, Yacht Club, Fazer, Mikky Ekko, A*M*E, Mat Zo, Waka Flocka Flame, Phlo Finister, Wiz Kid, Little Mix, B Smyth Flume, Chloe Howl, Jacob Banks, Joel Compass, Kat Dahlia, Ed Drewett, Raleigh Ritchie, Tom Prior

 

SATURDAY 13 JULY

JAY Z, Emeli Sande, Rita Ora, Kendrick Lamar, Miguel, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, DJ Fresh/Live, Special guest Calvin Harris, Flux Pavilion, Zedd, Iggy Azalea, Devlin, Taboo, Watsky, Mikill Pane, Clean Bandit, JAKWOB, Logic, Drop City Yacht Club, Joel Compass, Earth WInd & Fire, Dream Mclean, Cherub, Monsta, Rascals, Phlo Finister, Roses Gabor, Knytronium, Etta Bond x Raf Riley

 

SUNDAY 14 JULY

Justin Timberlake and JAY Z LEGENDS OF THE SUMMER STADIUM TOUR, A Tribe Called Quest, NAS, A$AP Rocky, Jessie Ware, Rizzle Kicks, Drop City Yacht Club, Special guest will.i.am, Katy B, Magnetic Man, 2 Chainz, Porter Robinson, Daley, Misha B, Angel, Giggs, Koan Sound, Jacob Plant, P Money, Charlie Brown, Joey Bada$$, Sinead Harnett, Stylo G, Fuse ODG, B Smyth, Context, MAUSI, Jetta, Joel Compass, Purple Ferdinand, Sasha Keable

 

Ticketing Information:

Tickets for Sunday 14 July – are on sale now and are priced at £75 plus booking fee.

 

Tickets available at www.wirelessfestival.co.uk

 

VIP packages still available across all three days from:

www.wirelessfestival.co.uk

Bingley Music Live Gets Loaded

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This year’s Bingley Music Live is quickly gathering pace with Theme Park, The Dunwells, The Dirty Rivers, Kat Men, China Rats, and Dave McPherson set to play. The announcement follows hot on the heels of last week’s confirmation of CHIC featuring Nile Rodgers.

They will appear at Myrtle Park between August 30th-September 1st alongside Primal Scream, The Cribs, The Human League, The Wonder Stuff, The Fratellis, Lucy Spraggan, Charlie Brown, The Lake Poets, The Temperance Movement, Loveable Rogues, Summer Camp, The Struts, The Electric Swing Circus, Natasha Haws, Rose and the Howling North, and Holy Moly and the Crackers. With an ever-expanding line up of quality acts, this year’s festival once again offers a truly eclectic mix of music; all at the purse-pleasing price of £45 (+ booking fee) for a three day ticket.

Tickets are available online at www.bingleymusiclive.com/tickets or call the ticket hotline

0871 220 0260. For regular updates and band announcements please visit www.bingleymusiclive.com or follow all the latest developments on Twitter @BingleyFestival. Celebrate the end of summer in style!               

Summer Love Festival 2013

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BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Cameo presents Summer Love Festival 2013.

The annual music event is fast becoming one of the biggest Summer festivals in Europe and this year DJ Cameo brings the most exciting line-up EVER to be seen in Ayia Napa, making the Summer Love Festival top of the party calendar for music lovers around the world.

The event which is held on Makronissos Beach sees over 4,000 people attend each year to enjoy music and world-class entertainment in the sun. As demand and excitement for the event has grown, DJ Cameo has responded by confirming some of the biggest names in music for the 2013 line-up including superstars; Tinie Tempah and Labrinth for your partying pleasure.

 

You can book your ticket here: Summer Love Tickets

 

Stay up to date with Summer Love Festival by following on Twitter and Facebook:

|| @SLBFest || https://www.facebook.com/events/589433597747356/

DREADZONE to headline Undercover Festival

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Festival organisers looking forward to welcoming DREADZONE to headline the Festival on the 20th Sept 2013.

In 2013 Dreadzone celebrate 20 years in the game with the release of their 7th studio album 'Escapades'.

Electro-dub pioneers Dreadzone formed in 1993 when ex-Big Audio Dynamite drummer Greg Roberts teamed up with Tim Bran, with the duo soon joined by bassist Leo Williams and keyboardist Dan Donovan, also formerly of Big Audio Dynamite, completing the group’s first line-up. A festival favourite, Dreadzone opened the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 1994 and began to bring their unique blend of electro, dub and reggae to a wider audience, going on to chart seven Top 60 singles (including their Top 20 hit ‘Little Britain’) and are still going strong.

 

Dreadzone will headline the main stage on the Friday of this jam packed new and exciting independent festival for Surrey

 

The Undercover Festival 40 plus bands and “Vive Le Classique Dance Hall”

 

Dreadzone, The Cockney Rejects, The Skints, The Glitter Band, 999, Stone Foundation, Chelsea, TV Smith, + many many more

 

Punk, Ska, Northern, Indie, Alternative, Retro &  Acoustic

+ all at a bargain price; what more can you ask for?

 

£45 for Both days: www.undercoverfest.com/tickets

Arenal Sound 2013 – The Kooks, Editors, The Drums and The Fratellis to headline

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In its 4th edition, Arenal Sound has grown to currently become one of the most important Spanish Festival. Last year, Arenal Sound was the festival with more attendees in Spain and now it has the line up closed and almost all the tickets sold out.

Renowned national and international artists are going to fill up the four stages of the festival from the 1st of August to the 4th of August.

Bands as Editors, The Kooks, Klaxons, The Drums, Steve Aoki, The Fratellis, White Lies, The Bloody Beetroots, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs or Is Tropical will be some of the headliners of the festival.

International groups that are making their way on stages worldwide won’t miss the appointment, as Kakkmaddafakka, Ra Ra Riot, Satellite Stories, Reptile Youth or Alphabeat, among others. And we will count on the presence of national bands as Lori Meyers, La Habitación Roja, Iván Ferreiro, Manel or Dorian, among others.

More than 100 artists and six days of camping, where thousands of youth around the world will live days of sun, beach, swimming pool, boat parties, sports activities and great music in El Arenal beach at Burriana in Castellón (Spain).

Arenal Sound will begin with the Welcome Party at the Beach Club on the 30th of July and the 31st of July with the concerts of Second, Skip&Die or Xoel López, among many others groups.

Afrojack replaces CeeLo Green on MasterCard Balaton Sound

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CeeLo Green cancelled all his shows in July due to professional reasons, but the organizers of MasterCard Balaton Sound quickly filled the gap in the line-up with one of the most popular Dutch DJs, Afrojack.

Now it’s official that the Gnarls Barkley duo member, CeeLo Green will be one of the judges of the American Voice talent show, for which reason he cancelled his shows in July and will fly back to the US. Therefore, he will not perform on 12 July in Zamárdi; instead, the organizers of MasterCard Balaton Sound will bring one of the most popular Dutch DJs, Nick van de Well aka Afrojack to further strengthen the line-up. Afrojack’s gig was a great success last year on Day 0 of the lakeside event, which made sure he appeared on many fans’ wishlist for this year’s festival.

May 28th, 2013 Further information on MasterCard Balaton Sound: www.balatonsound.com