July 2015 - Page 4 of 6 - Summer Festival Guide

Cocoon in the Park 2015 Review

November 8, 2018July 13, 2015 by Nicole Douglas

Hidden in the depths of a 500 year old mansion, Cocoon in the Park is a complete techno playground which draws in thousands of house-hungry revellers year after year. With an intense lineup dripping with talent, the festival is a small yet uniquely incredible, never failing to entice a crowd. 6 DJs, one stage, and a whole lot of music fans – this is the beauty of Cocoon in the Park. And we could barely wait for it to begin.

The faint sound of heavy house beats could be heard from miles away as we walked with a parade of techno-ready souls in procession to the event. Upon arrival, Enzo Siragusa and Seb Zito were nicely warming up the crowd, with powerhouse Dixon following shortly after. All three were lively, exciting and intense, and the atmosphere of the crowd was well and truly ready for the day ahead.

‘Carl Cox’, a name recognised by music fanatics, and simply any DJ with high aspirations. Cox’s hardcore and rave roots provided the basis for his own musical evolution, never losing his unique style and etiquette that has made him a living legend today, and why so many still swarm to see him at every possibility. He has undoubtedly honed his natural talent over his years in the industry – and that is building pure, dance-inducing parties. The drizzling rain began to fall on King Cox’s set; but that didn’t stop anyone. Rain macs at the ready, we partied on, following his every move, every beat, with every reveller so lost in the music that the consideration of a bit of rain was almost refreshing. Cox is renowned for filling the place up with his residency at Space in Ibiza, so to see him in full-force in an outdoor venue such as this is something I’d never witnessed before, and something that made a superb change. With an array of scantily clad women holding up the letters to spell out ‘Cocoon’, we were well and truly in the full swing of the festival.

It’s always been known that Ricardo Villalobos is somewhat of an acquired taste, but his time at Cocoon has seen what can only be described as a mass backlash from fans claiming it was a ‘car crash’ of a set. The comparison between the lively, fun and exhilarating set just witnessed by King Cox is definitely almost the polar opposite of what we saw with Villalobos – it was dark, minimalist, at times quite weird, and seem to feel quite slow. It would almost definitely been better had he been scheduled earlier in the day, but the vibe from major highs to deep, dark lows just didn’t connect with the crowd, and we welcomed the entrance of Sven Väth with open arms.

Until Cocoon, I’d never had the opportunity to experience a Sven Väth set live; I’d heard nothing but good things about the German legend from friends who’ve seen him previously, but this was truly something else. Many refer to him as ‘Papa Sven’, a man who guides his children into a euphoric trance with just two decks and a mixer at his forefront. The crowd were literally pulsating as soon as he entered the stage, a man in front of me fist-pumping his beer in the air with an almighty roar of excitement; Papa Sven had certainly arrived, and his children were ready for a night of blazing techno to begin.

The almighty Sven layed down nothing but pure, solid techno beats to a perfectly filled field, with revellers making the most of having so much space to fist pump, twirl and do whatever the hell you like at such an event. The expert veteran continued to blend between intense melodies to the clearly impressed crowd, with confetti guns and a Sven impersonator blasting us with a smoke gun on stage only adding to the euphoria. This guy is literally an enigma, knowing precisely what to play at every turn, much to the ostensible ecstasy of the crowd. Villalobos’ minimalism long forgotten, we see what we came to see; a world class DJ play a world class set. Unforgettable.

As the night drew to an end, many chose to go on and see the likes of Richie Hawtin play at the afterparty nearby – with a line-up just as fantastic as the main event, Cocoon in the Park never fails for those who never want the euphoria to end. But for us, for once, we found we’d been defeated – but with a festival as phenomenal as this, we know it won’t be the last time we grace the land of Temple Newsam. Bravo, Cocoon.

2000Trees 2015 – Full Review

April 17, 2019July 12, 2015 by Alex Mackworth-Praed

If I was going to tell you that I knew anything about the 2000Trees festival as I was stuck on a hellish drive down from London on Thursday, it would be an outright lie- the small festival on the outskirts of Chelt enham has managed to evade my personal radar for 8 years since it’s inception and having learnt about it last year, I can count myself lucky enough to have attended this year. Still, besides all of the hype from previous years’ attendants, I had not entirely decided on what I should expect.

The modest capacity festival is hidden deep in the Gloucestershire countryside, complete with rolling hills, bleating flocks of sheep, and and an idyllic river running around the edge of the site, and even though we were lucky with the weather (A welcome change from the usual rain of the UK festival scene) the scenery would have stood up and still looked beautiful regardless.

Unfortunately arriving later than anticipated, and due to the lack of advertising for Thursday’s acts, we missed some of the earlier performances. However, Thursday night saw the Indie rock and rollers, THE SUBWAYS draw close to the day’s music with their explosively energetic performance at ‘The Cave’ while ANDREW O’NEIL headed up ‘The Croft’ with his Schadenfreude style of comedy, somewhat appropriately referencing to the late Bill Hicks in his set, to warm reception.

FRIDAY

I kicked off Friday’s music with a punt on a completely new band to me – BITE THE BUFFALO, and how glad I was that I did. Comparing the 2 piece from Bath, England; to Royal Blood would be short sighted, as the Blues outfit brought filthy riffs, bluesy overdrive, and confident ballsy attitude and stagemanship, yet an honest humility that cemented them as my favourite act of the weekend. ALLUSONDRUGS treated a modest crowd to their blend of Indie rock and acid infused prog, switching seamlessly from one to the other. Heading up to ‘The Croft’ I had planned to catch some of SAM RUSSO’s set whilst escaping the peaking sun- the Singer-songwriter providing a nice contrast from Allusondrugs, allowing those who chose to get respite from the sweltering sun with a calm background of songs about love, friendship and moving on. Having only intended to catch a bit of his set, I ended up staying for the whole thing. Back on the main stage, TAX ON HEAT continued the stage’s bluesfest with sweaty and groovy 70’s era licks, with a stage presence that wouldn’t be out of place on a bigger stage, with a bigger crowd. Catching a bit of DEAD HARTS set over lunch at the Cave Stage, a welcomed heavy and tight performance was only dampened by the Sheffield rockers insistence on perpetually insulting the crowd, and trying to goad them into movement. NOTHING BUT THIEVES brought a massive crowd to ‘The Axiom’, the first act of the day to pack out the tent, fans sprawling around outside singing along to their set.

The main convenience of 2000trees scheduling is that most of the line up is staggered over the stages, meaning you only ever have to choose between 2 acts to see or easily catch half of both sets enabling whole days of tent hopping and the potential to (talking in extremes here) see every act (or if you realise that you are in the wrong place entirely, to avoid every act.) I spent a bit of time in the hidden ‘Room No.7’ to sit down and chill out on a sofa, with the sounds of ACOLLECTIVE bouncing across the site.

Back to the Main Stage, and YOUNG GUNS had already seized control of their crowd, with frontman Gustav Wood commanding their crowd with professional bravado that one would expect of a band of this caliber, while the band behind ran a tight ship, as the stadium filling hits kept coming. Headliners DEAF HAVANA, making a welcome return after a self realised absence kicked off their set with ‘The Past 6 Years’, before packing out their set with most of their more recent hits, with the whole crowd throwing back the lyrics right back at them. Humbled by the crowd’s staggering response, an emotional James Veck-Gilodi apologised for their recent absence and with the promise of a new album, a headline tour and new drive and enthusiasm for Deaf Havana, before closing off their night with nostalgic anthem, Hunstanton Pier.

The night didn’t end there for the people of 2000Trees, however. Silent discos then kicked off across the site at the Main Stage and The Cave, whilst The Axiom provided silent cinema until 3am, and acoustic sets around the site on the various busk stops and down at The Forest kept those who missed out on headphones for the silent activities entertained until around 1am, or until they staggered off into the night.

SATURDAY

Saturday’s music kicked off with an unusual act on the Main Stage, HUMAN PYRAMIDS. Described as Neo-Classical meets Post-Punk, Axe’s Paul Russell’s brainchild soothingly eased everyone into the day’s music, starting with a melodic introduction from their String quartet and horns section, before gradually coming to a crescendo with roaring guitars and heavy bass. Opening up ‘The Cave’ at 12:25 were Blackpool’s BOSTON MANOR (check out the interview HERE), who didn’t see fit to spare audiences hangovers, and bust straight into a flurry of fast paced punk hits from the go, not relenting until their time was up, having been a fan of BOSTON MANOR for a while, I am glad to have caught their set, before interviewing them later in the day.

Through other people’s suggestion, I headed over to check out MILK TEETH (on ‘The Axiom’), but was unable to get closer than the side of the tent, due to their massive pull for their time slot. The Stroud based group cranked out grungy punk, often showing their very heavy Nirvana influence, but unfortunately failed to capture my attention for all that long, as their (maybe purposefully, and fitting with the grunge genre) set sounded unpolished and loose. I caught a bit of BOY JUMPS SHIP’s set back on ‘The Axiom’, which keeping in the ‘Pop-Punk’ theme of the stage going, managed to play their faster, more intricate set than the preceding band with a lot more technical proficiency and enthusiasm, creating a more enjoyable experience for the casual music fans loitered in between stages for their lunch.

On the subject of lunch, 2000trees has a modest selection of food vendors dotted around the site, by each of the 3 main stages. Festival food for me seems like it has a bad rep, but the team at 2000trees only seem to have booked vendors who would offer a fair service for non-extortionate prices. Grilled Halloumi burgers and sweet potato fries kept me sustained throughout Friday, while a chunky bacon butty and fresh scotch eggs kept me alive Saturday. Monmouth Coffee being served as well was a really big surprise, and you’d get change from a tenner for a meal, which when coming from London is a rarity.

After lunch, songstress ALICE PHEOBE LOU dazzled the crowd with her beautiful voice, serenading the crowd with angelic highs with a bit of Sia-esque grit hidden behind. Forgetting lyrics aside, as she bonded with the crowd over the weather, and treated us all to a chilled, eerie set. As the day edged to an end, and after an outstanding genre spanning set from THE SKINTS, I found myself back up at ‘The Croft’ for THE BIG SIXES, only due to the fact they had spent the day attaching terrible posters to everything across the site advertising their set, and not knowing what to expect initially, my doubts were swept away by a tide of harmonies, expertly crafted songwriting, and top notch inter-song conversation, before their encore consisting of a couple of songs in the crowd, surrounded by a mass of singing fans. THE BIG SIXES managed to work up a predominantly neutral audience into a hyped crowd, a feat that would be natural for an established fast paced Pop-Punk band, but not for a slow and groovy act such as The Big Sixes.

Saturday’s headliners ALKALINE TRIO took to the stage at 21:45 just as the clouds began to burst, having held out -threatening rain- for the latter half of the day. The initial swell of excitement quickly died out, as those who were not diehard fans were let down by what was a lethargic performance, frontman Matt Skiba giving an uncomfortable appearance, whilst he murmured out lyrics to songs with little emotion. Bassist Dan Andriano however was giving a lot more to the crowd, interacting well with drummer Derek Grant and moving around the stage between swapping vocal priorities with Matt. Unfortunately for ALKALINE TRIO, and what may have be exacerbated by a disappointing lack of crowd compared to their stateside presence, or what Matt Skiba may now be used to playing for Blink 182, a more instant degree of stagemanship is necessary to win over a crowd that may not only be there to see you, as not to fade into the background.

So what would I say about my first experience at 2000Trees?

I’m going to be bold with this statement, the attitude at 2000Trees reminds me of that at Glastonbury, albeit on a tiny scale. You get the real feeling that the people around you haven’t just come to see their favourite band, and will spend the rest of their time getting into as much trouble as possible, but more that it’s an annual tradition for them. The nine year old festival caters for everyone, and whilst running about the site this weekend, the amount of friendly faces I would bump into at each act astounded me, only to bump into them 20 minutes later at a different tent.

The site itself is relatively tiny, but not cramped. Even those arriving half way through Friday were finding spots to camp up with ease, with enough room for stoves, barbecues or extra gazebos to sleep under when their tents got too hot.

I’m not sure what my favourite part of this weekend has been- whether it’s the terrific atmosphere from the punters in the know and relish the intimacy of this little festival, the picturesque surroundings that the festival is lucky enough to have, the fantastically located Forest stage or what has been a fantastic line up, bringing some names such as Deaf Havana, We Are The Ocean, MClusky* and Alkaline Trio, and providing emerging and underground UK music a proving ground on the UK festival scene. This weekend at 2000Trees has been one that shall be remembered, relished, and hopefully repeated in the coming years.

Tickets for 2000Trees 10th year are now on Sale, and can be picked up on their site.

Boston Manor Interview at 2000Trees

January 19, 2019July 12, 2015 by Alex Mackworth-Praed

Having caught Boston Manor at 2000Trees opening 'The Cave' on Saturday, I caught up with Henry and Jordan for a chat about their plans, past 10 months, and what is upcoming for one of 2015's rising 'Pop-Punk' stars.

Hi guys. First of all, how has your 2000Trees experience been?

Henry: Yeah, really good- we've never been to this festival before and we're really enjoying it.

Jordan: As we're up in Blackpool, we've never come down here, we usually go to places like Leeds, Kendal Calling, but I was expecting it to be a lot smal ler than it is- I was really surprised at the size of the arena, and we've been having a great time.

Have you had enough time to see anyone?

Henry: Here and there, I didn't get here until yesterday.

Jordan: The rest of us have been here since Thursday, we watched CREEPER, on The Cave- where we played, and saw DEAF HAVANA last night and THRILL COLLINS- they were great, they're a cover band, and everyone was loving it.

Since your Driftwood E.P came out, (Available on Failure By Design Records) you've had a pretty non-stop schedule- What have the highlights of the last 10 months been?

Henry: The last two tours we've been on (with Moose Blood and As It Is/This Wildlife Co-headline) that was awesome, they're both really great bands and they were fantastic tours to be on, a lot of people were checking us out for the first time but it was just a really great opportunity for us.

Jordan: It was a massive step up for us as we were playing larger rooms that were selling out- that's new for us, it's such a difference compared to last year, where we would be playing to 3 guys in a pub basement.

Henry: It's been quite a quick transition, really. Today is our first outdoor festival, so that in itself has been a new experience for us- it's definitely different, it's a whole different animal.

What has been your main influences in your songwriting process and have they changed while being on the road?

Jordan: I think when we're on tour we mainly focus on that, as when you're on the road you want to be concentrating on playing well and what you are doing each night. A bit of writing may happen on tour, and we know band who do that a lot; but when we come home, that's when we focus on writing.

Henry: Everyone thinks that touring is just having a laugh with your mates, it's great, but it is hard work- so you're busy with that. We're writing at the moment, but we haven't had to write on tour yet. In terms of inspiration, and not to sound generic, but it is just lots of stuff- it's constantly changing, When we write, we never set on exacting a sound, we just write what we want to hear, play how we want to play and let it evolve from there.

In a genre that can be so vicariously therapeutic for your audience and fans, and for fan loyalty and inclusion, what is your opinion on paying for meet and greet with bands?

Henry: It's fucking bullshit, anyone who does that is a dickhead- you're only able to be doing what you're doing because of the people who want to meet you, and you don't deserve to get paid just to grace someone with your presence, It's arrogant and I don't agree with it at all.

Jordan: Yeah, we're all human beings at the end of the day, and should be equal.

Henry: I know Avril Lavigne does it, and you have to stand two feet away from her, it's ridiculous.

The UK is having a bit of a moment for 'Pop-Punk' currently, and giving that you have had such a great year, what advice would you give younger musicians who are starting on their own musical journey?

Henry: Never aim to emulate another band, listen to as much as you can, and play how you want to. I see so many bands just trying to mimic other bands, from everything- their music, their aesthetic and their branding. You have as a person so many facets to your own creativity and your life, channel that into what your band is, instead of echoing it into what other bands have done. You'll feel more creatively fulfilled, and it'll stand you in better stead.

Saying that, what would you go back in time and avoid?

Henry: Get breakdown cover when you go to Europe. We were there for a long time.

Jordan: Stuck in a tent, on concrete.

Henry: For three days, the fourth in a hotel, but we were there for a while. It was stupid. Apart from that, nothing. It sounds cliched but I think of the mistakes we've made, we've learnt so much from them that it was worth making them in the first place.

Jordan: I kind of do believe that everything happens for a reason, and if it's got us to where we are now, then fair enough.

Henry: If you're going to start a band, you're going to make a billion mistakes -and that's important- learn from them, we're still making mistakes every day.

How do you spend your days off on tour?

Henry: They are a rarity, you have to make the most of them. On the last tour, we had two days off- The first we spent swimming, playing 3 on 3 American Football, watched American History X, and then went to bed. The next one was in Manchester, and we went to a trampoline park.

Jordan: It was a massive warehouse full of trampolines, you just jump around- it sounds a lot more fun than it is.

Henry: Your reckon? I loved it!

Jordan: After 5 minutes, you're absolutely knackered, and you just want to sit down, but you cant, because there's trampolines everywhere!

Henry: Yeah, we did that then had a Wagamamas, we try not to just sit around, but sometimes you're just knackered and want to play xBox all day.

What are we looking forward to for the rest of the year- can fans expect new music soon?

Jordan: There is a new E.P recorded that we want to get out.

Henry: Im going to say Autumn, that it will hopefully come out- that's what we're aiming for. We're really excited about it, and we're actually writing an album which we're taking a lot of time to do that. We have some show throughout the summer, and some other festivals. Hopefully there will be a tour in the late Autumn/early Winter time.

Jordan: That could be in line with the E.P release

Henry: Yeah, there will be some shows for that, and then hopefully another tour- but that's all up in the air at the moment.

You can check out Boston Manor Here

Boomtown Fair Tickets almost sold out

June 24, 2020July 12, 2015 by Summer Festival Guide

From August 13-16th 2015, Matterley Bowl in Winchester will play host to BoomTown Fair – a fictional pop-up city where post-apocalyptic Mad-Max meets Burning Man in an immersive playground of creativity, life imitating art, interactive sideshows and live theatre.

Since its inception in 2009, BoomTown Fair has become one of the top 10 largest festivals in the UK and is the only one with an ingeniously manufactured storyline containing it’s own mayoral elections, citizen passports and convoluted political history. It is this, the underpinning storyline that gives the UKs most immersive independent festival the scope to mix cowboys with pirates and aliens with Aztec temples, across their 22 themed main stages and the countless smaller shop fronts, hidden beaches and forest parties…

BoomTown’s sprawling metropolis provides a temporary haven of hidden surprises, pulsating music and immersive audio-visuals to allow each of its thousands of citizens to go on an ultimate voyage of discovery within the labyrinth-esque streets. With a soundtrack of ska, folk, gypsy, reggae, world, punk, pirate, disco, electro-swing, jazz, blue-grass, breaks, bass, jungle, techno and a whole lot more. Even if visitors to the Fair only came for the music, as is the calling card for most traditional music festivals, the sheer array of musical masters to uncover is huge!!

Chapter 7 will see BoomTown unveil their brand new visually spectacular new colossus of a centre-stage for DownTown; The Palace, which is set to be the UK’s largest immersive festival dance arena, bringing with it a powerhouse of a bass line up and some of the worlds biggest names in drum ‘n’ bass, jungle and garage

Henley Festival Review 2015

June 10, 2020July 10, 2015 by Thomas Reed

Taking place over five days in the quintessential Oxfordshire town of Henley On Thames, Henley Festival is an event like no other. With a focus on fine dining, high end art and a carefully selected line-up of musical acts it offers a very unique experience to a certain audience who otherwise might not attend your typical ‘music festival’. With a strictly black tie dress code the event oozed sophistication with absolutely no wellies in sight- in fact, people may complain about rain at glasto but if it rained here it wouldn’t just be spirits that are dampened but some serious designer clobber.

With the sophistication of the BBC Proms and the boozy clientele of any festival there was a real party atmosphere from the off set, the only difference being, instead of swigging from cans of warm strongbow, attendees quaff from champagne flutes and pints of Pimms. The sophisticated nature of the festival was probably best represented in its art agenda. Although nearly all UK festivals promote themselves as offering a certain degree of ‘art’ at their events, the Henley Festival really steps this up a gear. There are numerous temporary art galleries set up throughout the site all offering pieces for sale with a pretty hefty price tag.

Although there was other musical performances put on during the night, the main focus was quite clearly Jessie J’s headline set on the iconic floating stage- literally a stage that sits floating on the water of the Thames. From the offset Jessie faced a challenge playing to a completely seated crowd- that was of course until she bounded on stage and threw herself straight into an explosive set that gradually had everyone up on their feet dancing by winning over the crowd with her cockney charm and relentless enthusiasm.

Photo courtesy of Henley Festival

Throughout her set she played all her biggest hits, with short interludes where she would engage with the crowd, at some points even offering motivational tips on how best to pursue their life. Although this might have been partially lost on some of the older members of the crowd, as she pointed out even if she positively affects one person with her set she would be happy. This was a fun addition to this headline set instead of simply walking on stage, belting out the hits and scurrying off.

An obvious highlight for the crowd and also for Jessie was her first ever hit Do It Like a Dude, which pleased and confused the masses in equal measures at its time of release. No matter how people felt about the song in the past however, it went down a storm with the Henley crowd who embraced the dancing encouraged by Jessie and got even the most stand offish audience member swinging their hips from side to side.

Jessie J is clearly a well practiced performer who knew exactly how to win the crowd over to her way of thinking, including adapting the lyrics of her hit song Bang Bang (which she ended on) to “You need a girl from Henley to blow you mind”. Jessie was certainly a great choice to kick off this years festival.

BBC Introduction Acts announced for Standon Calling

November 18, 2018July 10, 2015 by Summer Festival Guide

New additions to Standon's Sunday night revelry is a Club de Fromage vs. Coffin Dodgers Disco set on the clock tower stage at the centre of the festival. Standon goers take a step back as two of London’s mightiest club nights are going to slug it out for your love! Kings of pop Club de Fromage are taking on the golden oldies of Coffin Dodgers Disco in a battle of the titans! Expect general silliness, top tunes, giant balloons, free merchandise, the infamous limbo and lots more. Bring those dancing shoes and a comfy cardigan!

Standon Calling's founder, Alex Trenchard comments. "We're so pleased to have the BBC Introducing team curate one of our favourite stages at Standon and incredibly excited about the talent that is emerging from the surrounding areas. We're firm believers in supporting new and emerging talent and with a history of booking acts that go on to great things whether Florence & The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Clean Bandit, London Grammar, and we hope the eight selected artists will enjoy their time at Standon as much as we will undoubtedly enjoy their fantastic live performances."

BBC Introducing Three Counties comments, "Standon Calling has always been a great supporter of new music, showcasing acts like Mumford and Sons & Florence & The Machine early on their career. With that in mind in makes perfect sense for BBC Introducing to have our own stage there. We're very excited to show the festival the acts we have to offer. One day you'll tell your grandchild about the time you saw (insert name of the biggest band in the world) on the Introducing stage at Standon Calling."

Standon Calling will celebrate its 10th birthday in 2015. What started as a birthday BBQ and DJs with a handful of friends has become the perfect summer escape for festival-goers, offering renowned and upcoming acts, immersive theatre, a host of weird and wonderful workshops and talks, the annual dog show, a fancy dress parade and of course its own heated outdoor swimming pool. This year's music offering is a stand-out on the festival calendar with headliners Little Dragon, The Dandy Warhols and Basement Jaxx alongside Roots Manuva, Hercules & Love Affair, Saint Raymond, Ella Eyre, Slaves, Real Lies, Ezra Furman, Kwabs, All We Are and much much more.

LINE-UP
Little Dragon / The Dandy Warhols (UK Exclusive) / Basement Jaxx

The Horrors / Roots Manuva / Hercules & Love Affair / Ella Eyre / Kwabs

The Antlers / Saint Raymond / Lucy Spraggan / DJ Yoda / The Cuban Brothers / Hypnotic Brass Ensemble / Prides / Slaves / Charlotte OC / Will & The People / Seinabo Sey / All We Are / Jamie Lawson

Revere / We Have Band / Rag‘n’Bone Man / Real Lies

Gabby Young & Other Animals / Jagaara / Remi Miles / Black Honey / Crows /
Syd Kemp / Black Delta Movement / Kiko Bun / The Thirst / Maddox / Waste / Patawawa

The Cowshed
Sink The Pink presents Savage: The 2 Bears / Severino / Gaff-E / Jonjo Jury
Bondax & Friends: Maribou State [DJ] / Kidnap Kid, Jax Jones / Grades
Gilles Peterson & Patrick Forge: present the Sunday Dingwalls Sessions

The Last Dance Saloon
BBC Introducing: Amber Run, Nova Twins, Attaque, Longy, Alice Walker, Youth Club, Natasha North, Kimberley Newell
Loose Music: The Magic Numbers / Danny & The Champions Of The World / Treetop Flyers / Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards / The Goat Roper Rodeo Band / Jo Rose / Canyon Ride
Bella Union: Ezra Furman / PINS / Zun Zun Egui / Clarence Clarity / Peter Broderick / exmagician / Bernard & Edith

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT
The Mayor's Homecoming Jamboree Featuring: The Grand Old Ukes Of Yorkshire / The Ol' Brass Band / Rockaoke / Line Dancin' Classes / The Town Soapbox / Bluegrass & Rockabilly Bands Aplenty

Dr Leech's Wellness Center & Funeral Services: The Treatment Rooms Present: Tombstone Transformations, The Ride of Your Life in the Voodoo Taxi Wagon & Vanishing Graffiti Workshops / Art Macabre Death Drawing / A Beginners Guide to Taxidermy / Wild Wyatt’s Survival Camps: How Not To Die In The West / Potions & Poisons Masterclass

The Church Fate: Legs Akimbo Presents The Church / Gospel Choir / Aunt Annie's Bone Orchard Bake Sale & Bingo / A Conversation with Ghosts / Baptisms of Fire / Shotgun Weddings

The Last Dance Saloon: Salon London Presents: Dark Matters and Bright Ideas / The Telegraph Office: Wild Words of The West, The Radio Shack & The Newspaper Printing Press / The Cut-Throat Barbers: Talk-of-the-Town Hairstyling, Marvellous Makeovers & The Cut-Throat Cabaret Show / Wild Wyatt's Travelling Menagerie: Wildlife from the Wild West

Standon Favourites:Trapeze Lessons / Swimming Pool / The Annual Dog Show / A Parade of Dark & Light / Immersive Theatre / Happy Hoppers Games Arena

Alesha Dixson, Conrad Sewell and more join Liverpool International Music Festival

November 18, 2018July 9, 2015 by Summer Festival Guide

Liverpool International Music Festival continues to bring superstars and local talent together and today announces that Alesha Dixon and Conrad Sewell will join local legends MiC Lowry on the Central Stage in association with Juice Liverpool. Juice Liverpool's resident DJ's Anton Powers, Ian Longo and Liam Hincks will join the likes of Echo And The Bunnymen, Basement Jaxx, Labrinth, Laura Mvula, Katy B, Naughty Boy, The Real Thing and over 100 more artists for Europe's largest free music event, LIMF Summer Jam. Taking place at Liverpool's iconic Sefton Park from 27th – 31st August, more information can be found at the LIMF website.

Having made her name in the chart topping girl group Mis-Teeq, Alesha Dixon continues to make a name for herself as both past winner and judge of Strictly Come Dancing and Britain's Got Talent and incredible music talent and soon to be released fourth studio album. Performing on the Central Stage in association with Juice Liverpool, Alesha comments on her excitement to perform at LIMF:

"I can’t wait [to play LIMF]. I’m so excited that we’re already planning what we’re going to do and I know it’s going to be an amazing event which I’m really happy to be doing. Liverpool’s such a buzzing city, the people are always so receptive and welcoming, it’s always a good vibe and you always know you’re guaranteed to get a great energy from the crowd. When people say Liverpool you know you’re in for a good one.”

Liverpool's award winning five-piece MiC Lowry have been building a formidable reputation as a live band having first got together at school. Their spellbinding vocal won them a MOBO Unsung award last year and ensured instant approval from BBC Introducing in Liverpool and the legendary Boyz II Men who they toured with last December. Fresh from collaborating on Kygo's huge summer smash 'Firestone' Brisbane born Conrad Sewell will play his solo hits for the Liverpool crowds. Both Conrad Sewell and MiC Lowry will also be performing a one-of-a-kind cover of one of 2015's biggest hits, something not to miss on the day.

Juice Liverpool's favourite DJs Anton Powers, Ian Longo and Liam Hincks will be warming up the LIMF revellers, as well as the Grammy nominated British multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter, Jax Jones who comments,

“I’m massively excited, I’ve just been looking at the line up now and I’m honoured to be on the same stage as some of the names on there. I’ll be raving and misbehaving as soon as my set’s done. I’ve always had a great reception from Liverpool many times. I was there recently and it was a sick night, an amazing reception and it’s always a great night there.”

The Juice Liverpool artists join the LIMF Summer Jam line up that boasts previously announced Basement Jaxx, Naughty Boy, Laura Mvula, Katy B, The Real Thing, Echo & the Bunnymen with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Bipolar Sunshine and many more for what is set to be the perfect end to the summer.

The Good Life Experience announces 2015 lineup

November 18, 2018July 9, 2015 by Summer Festival Guide

With great memories of last year’s inaugural festival, The Good Life Experience Festival is thrilled to announce Wilko Johnson as the Friday night headliner to get the party started for the last festival of the summer. Joining him will be Tom Brosseau, Smokey Angle Shades, Wiz Jones, Catrin Finch and Honeyfeet as Cerys Matthews curates a fantastic line-up of world-beating musicians for an unforgettable weekend on the Hawarden Estate, North Wales on 18-19-20 September 2015.

The Good Life Experience is a chance to escape the humdrum; it’s a festival to feed the soul. Co-Founder Cerys Matthews commented: “The Good Life festival is not your average festival. It was designed to offer people the chance to learn and experience new things they’d never tried before, from throwing axes to learning how to dance, do yoga, abseil and cook on a campfire, all on the same day. The festival will offer the best of the great outdoors, music, culture and food in a magical setting surrounded by woodland against the backdrop of a stunning historic castle.”

Wilko Johnson is a singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor, who played with the rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 70s, later joined Ian Dury's band, The Blockheads, and most recently starred in cult TV series Game of Thrones. Johnson and Dr Feelgood have been credited as one of the founding influences of the English punk movement, and Paul Weller has said of Johnson: "Wilko may not be as famous as some other guitarists, but he's right up there. And there are a lot of people who'll say the same. I can hear Wilko in lots of places. It's some legacy." Johnson recently played to a sold out Royal Albert Hall with Roger Daltry of The Who, and The Good Life Experience is extremely excited that he will be playing at this year's Good Life Experience on the Friday night.

One of the core values of the festival is an appreciation of The Great Outdoors, and leading this is broadcaster and adventurer Ben Fogle, who will share the knowledge and skills he has gained from over 15 years of adventure. Poler Outdoor Stuff is also joining the outdoor offering at the festival. Based in Portland, USA, and recently opened in the UK, Poler makes fantastic gear for anyone who loves the outdoors and is looking for kit that looks great, is good value and does the job. Poler will bring their famous ‘Le Tente’ rooftop tent on top of their Land Rover, along with their range of camping goods. After their massive success at last year’s festival, Best Made Co are returning to The Good Life Experience, all the way from New York City. Central to Best Made Co are their beautiful axes, which they create from the ground up by hand in the USA. They will be hosting their own tent, complete with a shop, exhibition and master-classes. Also joining the action-packed festival are some of the team from the sold-out Eroica Britannia cycling festival. The team will host workshops, have their merchandise on offer, and co-founder Gian Bohan will give a talk on the ethos of the Eroica cycling experience. The passionate Eroica team will also lead an adventurous 20-30 mile ride from the festival, where vintage cycling attire will be encouraged.

The Good Life Experience will host campfire-cooking demonstrations from a host of great chefs, including Fabulous Baker Brother Tom Herbert, who was a festival favourite last year. The food demonstrations do not stop there, with Deliciously Ella, Thomasina Miers and Valentine Warner, and many more, joining the line-up.

The Good Life Experience is embracing all things Cuban in its second year. Los Revolucionarios is a sensational all-Cuban band, who have been given the simple brief from festival co-founder Cerys Matthews to 'get the festival dancing'. And returning to The Good Life Experience for the second time, Luis Fernando brings a taste of Cuba to North Wales with the opportunity to sample his amazing hand rolled cigars. All this along with delicious Cuban cocktails means there really will be a taste of Cuba at The Good Life Experience.

On the books and talks side of things, along with Caught by the River and the Dylans Mobile Bookshop, The Idler will bring their Academy of Philosophy, Husbandry and Merriment, a school, coffee house and bookshop to the festival. The Idler offers courses in liberal arts and practical skills, and they will be running drop in classes throughout the weekend. Co-founder of the Idler, Tom, says that 'characteristic of The Idler's work is that it looks suspiciously like play'. Learn something new and have fun doing it – this is all part of the ethos of The Good Life Experience.

On Maker’s Row festival goers will be able to take part in workshops with the help and guidance of skilled craftsmen and craftswomen. There will be leather working with the amazing Lloyd Newman of Enstone Leather, furniture maestro Hugh Miller will teach the basics of making a small box using dovetailing and enamel artist Kate Samuels will give fantastic workshops on making enamel badges. Festival favourites from last year Hatchet + Bear, will return this year to give their amazing spoon carving workshops, and professional illustrator and compulsive scribbler David Setter is bringing his hand cut vinyl art workshop for all ages.

This and much more is The Good Life Experience. Tom Herbert of The Fabulous Baker Brothers described it best when he said of The Good Life Experience 2014: “If Willy Wonka had married Liv Tyler and they had run away with the Circus, then after a life time of beauty, craziness and brilliance they had gathered all their loved ones and dogs and children for a celebration of life with luscious food, the smell of cigars, perfume and wood smoke, and linked arms for and almighty hoedown, then it’d pale in comparison to The Good Life Experience.”

Brand new festival Together The People comes to Brighton

November 18, 2018July 9, 2015 by Summer Festival Guide

Together The People (TTP), a brand new addition to the UK festival scene, reveals its debut line-up today. Taking place in Preston Park in Brighton on Saturday 5^th and Sunday 6^th September 2015, TTP is a 5,000 capacity, non-camping music and arts festival founded by local music promotions company One Inch Badge. Together ThePeople’s primary focus is to celebrate Music, Food, Community, Film and Arts within the city of Brighton by delivering a high quality, creative, family friendly and socially aware flagship event accessible to all.

With great music very much at the heart of the festival, TTP’s debut line-up reflects an eclectic mix of new talent, beloved legends and contemporary stars. Headlining the main stage on Saturday are irreverent Welsh pop collective Super Furry Animals. Fronted by Gruff Rhys, the SFA’s are celebrated not only for their exceptional song-writing and spectacular live shows, but also for their sheer creativity and imagination. With a back catalogue of countless classics from throughout their over-20-year career, this headline slot looks set to be a highlight of the festival season.

Joining the Super Furry Animals on the main stage on Saturday are Brighton folk-rock stalwarts The Levellers, political poet and master singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, Mercury-nominated producer/MC Ghostpoet, talented local rising star Chris Simmons and emotive and spirted pop from popular X-Factor finalist Lucy Spraggen.

Sunday will see 1960s Motown legends Martha Reeves & The Vandellas take to the main stage, along with instrumental duo Public Service Broadcasting, folk songstress Lucy Rose and Roots Manuva who was recently dubbed “England’s greatest rapper” by The Independent. More Brighton talent will be represented with psychedelic hip-hop outfit Dizrali & The Small Gods and local party providersCarnival Collective opening the stage. The very special guest headliner for Sunday at Together The People will be revealed soon!

The second stage will also host several exciting musical acts over the weekend with headline sets provided by Brakes and Scott Matthews. Other slots over the weekend will come courtesy of Brakes, The Xcerts, Horrible Histories, Half Crown, Mok, Carnival Collective, on the Saturday. Followed by Scott Matthews, Jako Hooper, Yonaka, Kudu Blue, Cat in the Hat, Normanton Street, Neon Saints Brass Band.

The Soapbox Stage will offer a platform for other creative arts such as literature, spoken-word, poetry and dance. Also welcoming local focus groups and charities to talk about their work, this stage is the place to see cutting edge arts performances and engaging with lively discussions and Q&A sessions. The line-up so far includes:Hammer & Tongue, Beach Hut Writers, Sea Shepherd UK, Brighton Housing Trust, Future Brighton Debate (featuring local focus groups & MP’s), Revolution #10 by Joseph Young. Plus comedy, kids programming and much more to be added.

The Folkore Stage will showcase Brighton's excellent array of acoustic talents, as well as artists from all over the country. Programmed by local musician Jacko Hooper who hosts a monthly night of the same name and has recently toured with the likes of James Bay and James Blunt, acts playing across the weekend include:Mike Dignam, Jack Watts, Deidre Faegre, George O’Gilvie, Daisy Jean Russell,Bella Spinks, Aniseed Treats, Oxtoba, Sam Jordan, Bess Atwell, Christopher Matthewson, Josh Mac, Paper Hawk and Matthew the Oxx.

There will also be plenty of family fun on offer! On the main stage on Saturday afternoon audiences will be treated to one of the wildest family theatre shows round:The Cat In The Hat, based on the much loved book by Dr Seuss. Expect towering hats, mischief and an imagination recharge! Ever popular book and TV series Horrible Histories will also be taking to the stage with their brilliantly funny educational theatre show ‘Barmy Britain’; a breakneck rollick through 1,000 years of our great land that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages!

With a wealth of exciting producers on their doorstep, Together The People will offer festival-goers the very best in local independent food and drink. Street Diner will present ‘Street Food Revolution’ including Dead Good Burrito, Ahimsa, Fries Guys, Guerrilla Grill and Sultans Delight. There will also be several bars serving beverages from local breweries. More information on the food and drinks TBA!

There will be plenty of other areas to explore and exciting experiences to be had atTogether The People’s debut outing. Art Installations and exhibition spaces curated by Studio 45 and Cassette Lord, with a number of workshops including spray painting and street art, screen printing, pottery, lino-cut, woodblock printing and circus skills plus, interactive fun for kids.

With so many brilliant local business based on their home turf, TTP have partnered with several of their friends to provide festival-goers with a taster of Brighton’s best-loved cultural institutions. The UK’s leading independent record store Resident will present a Music Pop Up Shop selling some of the worlds best records and hosting meet & greets and signing’s from artists performing at the festival. The oldest cinema in continuous use in Britain, Duke of Yorks Picture house will also be programming an eclectic and entertaining choice of moving pictures in an environment we can guarantee you have experienced before! Plus lots more interesting local retails TBA!

New musical talent will also be strongly represented over on the BIMM Stage (British and Irish Modern Music Institute). Full line-up to be revealed soon but expect a stage packed with performances from the most talented musicians in the city of Brighton right now including folk, rock, electronica, reggae, punk, dance and everything in-between!

TICKET INFORMATION

Weekend Tickets
£70 + booking fee – Adult Weekend (16+)
£37.50 + booking fee – Child Weekend (11-15 yrs. Must be accompanied by adult 18+)
£0 – Infant Weekend (under 11yrs. Must be accompanied by adult 18+)

Day Tickets
£39.50 + booking fee – Adult Day (16+)
£20 + booking fee – Child Day (11-15 yrs. Must be accompanied by adult 18+)
£0 – Infant Day (under 11yrs. Must be accompanied by adult 18+)

Disabled customers are asked to purchase their tickets via Ticketmaster & call the dedicate line (0800 988 4440) to arrange a carer ticket and obtain further information.

Blissfields 2015 Review

November 8, 2018July 8, 2015 by Mickey Cole

Rural Hampshire is an unlikely location for a lively, music filled party, yet Blissfields Festival proved once again that it’s the perfect setting for this festival for all ages. With over 4000 attendees, Blissfields manages to retain the charm of a small festival, yet provides musical acts that rival much larger and longer running events. Friday 3rd was packed full of musical highlights, including Dub Pistols who have become a resident act since playing in 2013. Drawing in a huge crowd, their upbeat fusion of sounds was a perfect accompaniment to the summer sun. Other stand out acts included Ghostpoet who’s spoken word-esque tracks provided something extremely unique. Rhodes, due to release his highly anticipated album in September, also received a great reception, with powerful tracks such as ‘Breathe’ providing the crowd with an excuse to sing along. The main stage closed with The Horrors, which was a thoroughly enjoyable way to end the night. The Den, a smaller stage, hosted an array of emerging artists, with my firm favourite being Leader whose charisma and catchy songs were contagious.

Saturday was equally as fun filled, with Karen Harding lighting up the stage with her chart topper ‘Say Something’. Grandmaster Flash was as amazing as expected, being a strong contender for the biggest crowd. Simian Mobile Disco closed the final day on a high, with their electronic beats gathering the crowds for one last time.

Blissfields is the epitome of a broad appeal festival. For the young ones, a hungry hippo popping out tennis balls kept many entertained for hours! When the sun became too much, many resided to the indoor cinema, showing classics such as Wall-E. There is also areas to try out hula hoops, bubbles and diablos. Teens are also well catered for as it’s the perfect first festival, with plenty going on late in to the night yet. Adults of all ages were well catered for, with a stag and hen party being put to the test in the main arena in a battle involving lots of water and flour! The Blisscotheque proved popular with all, providing a non stop torrent of DJ’s blasting out hits, supplying the revellers with plenty of dancing material. The Hidden Hedge was also popular with those staying out after dark, featuring obscure art installations, light shows and dj’s – what more could you want! Families were made welcome with separate camping areas away from the noise which proved very popular. Blissfields offers much more than just music, with stalls such as Far Out Studios selling beautifully hand screen printed posters created commissioned by a selection of musicians. A ‘give it a go’ tent allowed you to try out circus acts too. When the sun became too much, lounging in the hammocks was an extremely popular choice. Plenty of trees also provided some much needed shade whilst still being in earshot of the main stage.

Food stalls were not in short supply, with delicious dishes on offer ranging from packed chicken burritos, to vegetarian sushi rolls. Dessert came in all shapes and sizes, with my favourite being the a huge nutella pancake, a steal at £4. No summer day is complete without a glass of Pimms which was readily available from the main bar.

Overall, this really was a great weekend for numerous reasons. It's rare to find a festival this small that still packs a punch. I will definitely be returning next year, and as early bird tickets are currently on sale, so can you!