Festival Guides

Top 5 Acts to See at Dockyard Festival

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Dockyard is one of the key events during ADE each year. 
In 2019 it happens on October 19th at Havenpark and promises 12 hours of non stop high class action. 
The production is next level and since 2014 it has built a fine rep. 
Here we look at 5 of the best acts you need to see at this year’s event, and you can find out further information on the Dockyard Festival Facebook. 
Dax J
This guy has really made a huge mark in the last year or so. He plays big, brash, textured techno that is designed for huge spaces. He can either punish you or hypnotise you and is a perfect person to catch in a super electrifying main stage with all the lights and production to really make a vast impact. 
Eats Everything
The big, happy Bristolian always comes correct. He mixes up big bass, heavy techno and plenty in between with the skill of a real pro. He is an expert at working big crowds but still injecting some fun  and humour so is always worth seeing. 
Ben Sims
Another UK star is set to play Docklands and bring with him a whole lifetime of experience. He has a loopy sound that joins the dots between the old and the new in seamless ways. His own Machine party and label is sure to have an impact on what he plays so expect to be blow away. 
DJ Bone
The Detroit star plays hard and fast. His mixing is as tight as anyones, flashing through tunes at an alarming rate. Pulling no punches, he commands the audience with forceful sounds that are timeless, absorbing and always infused with that Motor City magic. 
Surgeon
This UK veteran plays with all the precision of someone you would expect with a name like Surgeon. He has a precise sound that is infused with futurism as well as industrialism so expect him to be in his element here. 

5 Bucket-List Festivals to do Before You Die

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The festival market has exploded in recent times.

You can now party anywhere in the world, in any temperatures, any setting, at any altitude. Which is great, because there is so much competition that festivals are falling over themselves to get your attention and wow you.

Many idyllic escapes now exists so here are our five favourites.

Epizode, Vietnam

epizode.com

After three much-talked about editions, there a special and unique atmosphere has now been created at Epizode that has quickly made it one of the most respected and essential experiences in the year. The carefully curated week-long showcase is a cultural spectacular that runs around the clock and makes you the lead role in a one-of-a-kind film, and it all unfolds on the blissful beaches of Phu Quoc, an island paradise hideaway off Vietnam’s West coast with a soundtrack from returning favourites and exciting new names such as Ricardo Villalobos, Apollonia, Loco Dice, Lehar, Lilly Palmer, wAFF, Guti, Nicolas Lutz and Craig Richards as well as plenty of Russian and Asian artists.

SXM Festival, St Martin

sxmfestival.com

This festival took a year off in 2018 because of the devastating hurricane that wrecked the Caribbean island. Now it is back, bigger than ever, with the whole island’s infrastructure having been rebuilt. Stages are on beaches and jungle clearings and are truly beautiful. This year Zip, Axel Boman, Apollonia, Fumiya Tanaka, Traumer, Francesca Lombardo, DeWalta, Enzo Siragusa, Archie Hamilton, Guy Gerber, Marco Carola and more all played so expect more of the same in 2020.

Envision Festival, Costa Rica

envisionfestival.com

Envision is a four-day wellbeing and music festival held on a beach on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast with the rainforest as a dramatic backdrop. Lee Burridge, Bedouin, John Acquaviva, GRIZ, Sabo, Tycho, Nicola Cruz, Trevor Hall and many more will all play, and there is plenty of yoga, natural remedy workshops and astrology to enjoy next to the music.

Groove Island, Island of Catalina

grooveisland.com

Groove Island is a game changing, truly one of a kind new event in the paradise of Catalina Island. It takes place on September 27th – 30th and offers a wealth of music, activities, great accommodation and plenty more, zip wires, a gold tournament, the worlds largest ballroom dancing hall, a wine mixer, hiking, natural beauty on the mountains bays, beaches and sea. and DJs include Andrew Rayal, Mark Knight, Shiba San, Chus & Ceballos and many more.

Burning Man, Las Vegas

burningman.org

There is no line up for Burning Man but anyone who is anyone from the worlds of house and techno play. It goes down in a sandy Nevada desert which becomes huge pop up city where money is replaced with bartering and art installations litter the site, which also features giant stage structures such as the iconic Robot Heart. This is one culture gathering that genuinely changes peoples lives.

Download Festival: last minute larry guide!

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DOWNLOAD 2019! Are you a last minute larry? Have you just drunkenly spent your wages on a weekend ticket because your mates are going, but have no idea what you need? Ok, so – you’re probably screwed in all honesty. The weather is tracking to be vile (cue Drownload jokes) and if you haven’t sorted out a tent and sleeping bag you need to leg it to a camping shop immediately. For everyone else, here’s your last minute mini checklist for the DL2019 weekend!

  1. Rain poncho – yeah these come in clear, or funky colours… but everyone wants to swish about like a Dementor in the rain right?
  2. Absurd leggings – Sure, you’ll never have occasion to wear these ever again but they’re comfy, and they afford you ample lunge-ability for appropriate headbanging stance. Oh and Whitesnake are playing so you’ll be paying tribute to a better time, when hair and dreams were bigger.
  3. Wellies – Don’t pretend you’re too cool for wellies if it’s raining. Your mates aren’t going to be sympathetic to your self-induced trench foot.
  4. Inflatable guitar – hear me out. It’s a multi-use item in my opinion. Obviously you’ll look rad/tragic rocking out with it, but it can double as a waterproof/comfortable arena seat that folds back up to pocket size. Can also be used to smash the bonce of any friends who dare to snooze.
  5. Battle jacket – Ok, not essential buuuut… how else are you meant to proclaim your love for Nickelback? Extra points for covering it past festival wristbands, instead of keeping them on your wrist, you filthy bastard.
  6. Beanie hat – Categorically the best way to retain heat at night. Cover in studs if you’re precious.
  7. Bandana – Stylish, tames greasy day three hair, can be used over the face when entering offensive portaloos.
  8. Tissue packs – Small enough for the pocket and in a handy water resistant pouch for when you spill your beer all over yourself trying to throw horns at Slayer.
  9. Power bank – We all used to make it work without mobile phones back in the day, just meet back at the Dog right? But you’ll probably want to use your phone camera to capture some memories of your pal Dave mud surfing naked soooo, keep that battery charged for those magical moments.
  10. Sun cream – Yep. The forecast sucks. It doesn’t matter. For some inexplicable reason, Download is THE festival where you can get simultaneously burnt and soaked. I don’t know how or why. It’s just how it is.
  11. Foldable drinks sac – Download is going green, which means a ban on water bottles/single use plastics. These lil babies are about a quid from Sports Direct and will roll up in your pocket while you’re not using it. Also good for your ‘walking whisky’ between the campsite and the arena.

So, grab your stash, prepare yourself for mud and madness… see you at Donington!

 

The Isle Of Wight Festival Preview, June 8-11 2017

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Festival season is nearly here 2017 is starting off with a bang and the Isle of Wight Festival will be taking place on the weekend of the 8th – 11th June, this year will be celebrating 'The Best of the British'. 

This year's headliners are some of the most creative, outstanding and some of the most influential performers to date. Rod Stewart and Arcade Fire will be joined by RUN DMC and David Guetta who will be performing some of the most outstanding anthems that they have created over the past few decades.

The Isle of Wight will be opening their gates for festival goers on Thursday 8th June, with the one and only Razorlight, They will be sharing the stage with artists such as Starsailor, The Alarm and The Sex Pissed Dolls. They will be creating the atmosphere for a weekend of antics and live music, for people from all around visiting one of the biggest festivals in the UK. 

Joining the isle of wight headliners, artists such as: The Kaiser Chiefs who will be bringing there energetic and powerful performance to the stage with fellow artists, Example + DJ Wire, The second sons, The amazons, The Novatones, Judas, The Vamps, The Strypes, Clean bandit and Zara Larson who will be followed by the band Texas who is performing for the first time in over a year after celebrating 25 years in the industry, they will be sharing the stage with artists such as Alison Moyet,  Rag 'n' bones Man, George Erza, The shires and Jack Savoretti. With the Pretenders providing us with a classic such as 'I will walk 500 miles and i will walk 500 more"  getting the crowd to there feet to party the night away. 

2017 will be the 16th Isle of Wight Festival since it was successfully relaunched in 2002 to become one of the most popular weekends of the summer, with a proud heritage of show-stopping headliners such as Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones, The Killers, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Blur and Fleetwood Mac and the legendary Queen starring Adam Lambert.

There will be crowds of people celebrating the best within the industry, that have created so many lasting memories within British History, they have performed to thousands upon thousands of fans within their careers and they will be playing to one of the largest audience within the UK.  Celebrating the Isle of Wight festival, whilst creating the atmosphere,  bringing the crowds of people together to sing along, dance and to create new and long lasting memories.

So Bring your sleeping bags, your tents and lets celebrate 2017 as it is meant to be celebrated, with good people, laughter and outstanding music, Here's to 2017 The Best and most influential Artists In the music industry.

See you there guys,

Isle of Wight Festival Information:

Basic information:

Weekend with / without Camping – £195
Day Ticket: Friday – £60 / Saturday and Sunday – £80
Student – £175
Teen – £145
Children Under 12: Free
*Prices subject to a booking fee

Camping options:

Camp Kerala Mademoiselle provide Luxury Glamping backstage with room service and VIP transport.
Eve's Tipis – Try something different and stay in a tipi! Enjoy cocktails or champagne from the bar, or some hot breakfast options to start your day right.
Podpads – Bunk down in the colourful Podpads with solid wood or canvas options.
Love Your Tent – Enjoy an ethical camping experience plus hot showers and a Poodle Parlour!
Pink Moon Camping – Choose from a colourful collection of accommodation and enjoy your weekend with a unique camping experience
Tangerine Fields – This is ever festival-goers dream for a hassle free camping experience. Just book your pitch and the rest is done for you!

To find out more information on Weekend Tickets, Day Tickets and camping check out
www.isleofwightfestival.com

 

Your Festival Camping Checklist!

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With more and more festivals now releasing their event line ups and tickets for this summer, it's officially time to start getting excited about the festival season ahead.

To make sure you’re fully prepared for camping this year, we spoke with specialist camping suppliers “Outdoor World” to find out the essential kit you’ll need to survive festival camping this summer!

Tent

When it comes to picking the perfect festival tent, bigger is certainly better. Your tent is a lot more than just a place to sleep, you also need room to store clothing, food and drink, and with the British weather, it may also end up being an shelter from the rain. Be sure to pick a high quality tent that ticks all of the above boxes and is most importantly, is quick and easy to set up and take down.

Sleeping Bag
Even if you’re attending a festival at the height of British summer, temperatures are sure to still drop of an evening and a sleeping bag is essential for getting a good, comfortable and warm night’s sleep. Take a look at sleeping bags that include secure pockets to store your valuables eg. Your money and mobile phone, and we also suggest purchasing a sleeping mat to improve your comfort throughout the festival.

Camping Mallet
Essential for ensuring your tent stays put throughout the festival, we suggest purchasing a plastic camping mallet, perfect for securing your tent but also keeping your supplies lights and easy to carry. Plastic Camping Mallets are available from only 50p online at Outdoor World.

Camp chairs

This may not seem like an essential, but after a couple of days sleeping and sitting on the hard ground, your camp chairs will feel like the height of luxury. Be sure to purchase camp chairs that are easy to carry and pack away at the end of the festival, and enough to chairs for everyone to sit comfortable at the event.

Night-time light source

Have you ever tried to set up a tent at night without any light at all?  If so, you will know how important it is to be prepared and take a good light source with you. We suggest purchasing a lantern over a torch, as this will sit upright on the floor or base of your tent, or hang from the ceiling thanks to the extremely handy hook, and will light the area in an ambient fashion as opposed to the directional beam lighting of a torch. Lanterns start from only £9.99 online at www.outdoorworld.co.uk  

Cooler Box
Don’t leave home without this item! Keeping your food and drink fresh and cold for the duration of the festival will ensure you’re fed, watered and ready to have fun. Cooler boxes can be pretty heavy to carry, especially when filled with all your essentials for the festival, therefore we suggest purchasing either a wheeled cooler box which you can pull along, or a cooler bag which lightweight and easy to carry.

Toilet Roll

We know it seems obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people turn up at festivals without this essential. Festival toilet roll may seem in high supply on the first day, but by day two it will be long gone, and you will be thankful for the spare toilet rolls you brought along in your trusty backpack.

For more camping essentials, visit www.outdoorworld.co.uk and remember, the most important tip is to have fun, stay safe and enjoy yourself this summer!

 

The Beginners Guide to Glastonbury

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The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is one of the worlds most recognised festivals, it was started in the early 1970’s by Michael Eavis and has grown into one of the largest green fields festivals in the world.

This year as first time Glasto goers, the Summer Festival Guide will give you a beginners guide on how to get yourself to and around the madness of a festival spectacular that is Glastonbury.

  1. Register for tickets – register early before the tickets go on sale, you will need to upload a photo as these are printed on your tickets!
    You can register here
  2. Buying tickets – this is the hardest part of getting to Glasto, actually buying tickets.  With hundred’s of thousand’s of people trying to buy tickets from the ticketing website, its best you get onto the website before the sale begins and once it starts follow the on-screen instructions until you finally make it to the ordering and payment pages.
  3. Sort Accomodation – Once you have got your tickets organised, the next step would be deciding if you are going to camp in the standard fields, maybe upgrade to luxury camping, or even hire a motorhome!  Make this decision early and if you need to book luxury camping or a motorhome, do not hesitate as these will book out very fast!
  4. What to take – Do not trust the weather man! Prepare for all types of weather as you may either be knee deep in mud or basking in the sun!  Essential items are comfortable wellies and wet weather gear to help combat the rain, t-shirts, hats and sunglasses to protect you from the sun when it does shine.  Clothes aside, take plenty of food, water and other drinks, a torch, day pack, portable chairs (to sit on), wet wipes (for those times you cannot get to a shower), and a cheap camera.  Do not take anything valuable as thiefs operate in the area.
  5. How to get there – We would recommend you take full advantage of the bus and train services that go to Glastonbury, this will help keep your carbon footprint down.  If your driving, ensure that your car is not empty and if it is, then try advertising as a car-share to ensure we reduce the number of cars travelling.
  6. When your there – Try and get to Glastonbury either on Wednesday or Thursday before it starts, this will give you the chance to walk around and get your bearings right.  Unless you have been there before you cannot imagine the size of the site, it will take upto and sometimes over an hour to walk from one end of the site to another.  The stages are spread over site and in peak times and muddy grounds it can take much longer to get around.
  7. Set a schedule – With hundreds of acts playing daily, its best to decide beforehand who you really want to see, ensure that you have enough time to walk from the stages to catch the next act.  Its impossible to see everything so be sensible and check the map to see how far apart all the area’s are.
  8. Getting around the site – Each area of the grounds has its own allocated pedestrian entrance.  Remember the entrance name as that is what you will be using throughout your time at Glasto.  Take care when the ground is wet or muddy as you can easily slip or get stuck in the mud (as we witnessed this year!).  There is good mobile reception at Glastonbury as they have some dedicated cell sites, you should always be able to make a call when you need to, and they have mobile phone charging stations around the site, however, they can get very busy sometimes.
  9. Leaving the site – With the last acts playing Sunday night, you will find that leaving the site by car can either be fast and easy, or slow and tiring.  We found that a few people started to leave immediately after the last act on the main stage, we left at around 1am (Monday morning) and it took around 20 mins to leave the site before we were on the road.  Come Monday morning, you will be looking at long queues ahead.  If you have a bus or train booked, ensure you know where the pickup point is and what time you need to be there.
That is just a quick guide to plan for future Glastonbury trips, we had an excellent time and I would recommend it to everyone that has yet to experience the amazing wonderland of Glastonbury.
There is more than enough music and things to do over the 5 days that you will find yourself unable to see everything, the crowd is always pleasant, and ranges from the very young to the older generation.
To check out the full lineup and stage times for Glasto, click here
Click here for the latest Glastonbury news!