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Since 2011 the backstage acoustic sets have been an exciting added bonus to the already popular Festival. This year Butserfest are giving you and a friend the chance to win a special wristband that’ll gain you access into our Acoustic Shack.
Simply visit their Facebook page to enter for a chance to win! (Please note that access to acoustic sets does not include event tickets)
https://www.facebook.com/Butserfest
The first backstage acoustic act announced was Brighton pop punkers, Boston Manor who will be performing a 3 song acoustic set for a small group of lucky competition winners.
Photo by Leigh-Ann Kilner
Other acts which have also been announced are Dirt, Create to Inspire and Our Hollow Our Home! With six acts in total confirmed to play the Acoustic Shack, the last two are being kept a secret. With a little inside knowledge, we can guarantee that you will not be disappointed!
If you would like to know a little bit more about the acoustic sets, check out last years video of Joe from EMPIRE doing a cover of Prince’s ‘Kiss’
To check out more of the latest news from Butserfest check out their website:
With Bloodstock 2015 gone by this weekend, we already have some major announcements for 2016!
In a UK festival exclusive, BEHEMOTH are set to play their critically lauded current album, 'The Satanist' in full, as Friday's special guests. Check out the announcement clip here: http://youtu.be/8NJlsz-wTWE
Frontman and band visionary, Nergal proclaims, "Our Bloodstock performance from 2013 was one of the highlights of our long career! Just thinking about that night gives me shivers and makes me hungry for more. It is with utmost PLEASURE and HONOUR that we announce our show in 2016! We'll be performing THE SATANIST in full…! We literally cannot wait to come back to UK shores!"
Also appearing on Friday's bill are seminal black metal icons, VENOM.
Early bird tickets are on sale now from www.bloodstock.uk.com, priced £120 (plus booking fee).
Forever championing up and coming talent, the BBC Introducing Stage is back once again this year offering one of the biggest launch platforms for new music from the UK, having last year offered up sets from the likes of Jack Garratt, Rae Morris, and Prides. Over the years BBC Introducing stage has also hosted R&L debut slots from Jake Bugg, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Spector, the stage is a must visit for anyone wishing to catch future stars’ formative moments.
Headlining the Friday at Reading and the Saturday at Leeds will be hotly tipped genre-masher Georgia whose debut, self-titled album is sure to be one of the alternative hits of the summer. She’ll be joined by Warrington based indie poppers Viola Beach, Bristol grunge-rock quartet The Jacques, Reading locals The Amazons, singer-songwriter Martin Luke Brown, electronic trio Moon Tourists, Hull alternative four piece LIFE and metalcore heavyweights Return To Rome.
Saturday at Reading and Sunday at Leeds will see the stage headlined by hotly-tipped, freshly signed Liverpool band Clean Cut Kid whose whip-smart pop is surely destined for the festival’s bigger stages! Also appearing on the stage that day are Leeds genre-spanners Clay, NME-tipped rock ’n’ rollers Demob Happy, Glasgow art-pop quintet White, indie-rock songwriter John Joseph Brill, folk punk band Ducking Punches, the psychedelic garage of Crosa Rosa as well as Reading rockers Area 52.
Closing the weekend at Reading on the Sunday and headlining the first night on Friday at Leeds will be the massively up and coming, high energy band Childcare. Their playful debut EP Flush has garnered a huge amount of attention and with good reason; they are not to be missed. Joining them are moody London alt-rockersThe Big Moon, Telford newcomers Hyena, 60s beat influenced group Hidden Charms, DIY surf-rock songwriterWillie J Healey, blues-rock duo Kit Trigg, Leeds electronic pop artist Skinner and brooding dream-pop bandR51.
The stage also plays host to Irish grunge-pop band Otherkin, the infectious pop of Vitamin, experimental duoMalpas and Paul Weller championed Brighton five piece White Room alongside Centre Stage Competition winners The Mallrats as well as Futuresound Competition runners up Treason Kings, Samuel S. Parkes, Happy Daggers, Where Fires Are and NARCS.
With something for everyone and the cream of the UK’s upcoming talent on display, the BBC Introducing Stage is the place to be for any discerning new music fan.
Victorious Festival is a name I keep hearing around the south coast. It’s only in its 4th year but the line up sees headliners including; Ray Davies, The Flaming Lips, Tinie Tempah and Basement Jaxx. With 5 stages of music to enjoy from the biggest names in music to local bands from Portsmouth, it’s really a weekend not to miss.
Victorious Festival have kept ticket prices extremely low being just £30 a day so why not come and see over 150 acts play. As well as music, at Victorious families can enjoy entertainment from The Blue Reef Aquarium, Southsea Castle, The D-Day Museum, Peppa Pig, the circus, fairground rides, climbing walls and archery, all free of charge to ticket holders.
The festival has even been shortlisted for ‘Best Independent Festival’ at this year’s AIM Awards, I’m definitely going to check it out this year, I’ll see you there!
For more information, full line-up details and to buy tickets go to
Festival No.6 announces Long Table Banquets with award-winning chefs Aiden Byrne, James Lowe and Mary-Ellen McTague
Multi award-winning Festival No.6 has announced that festival goers will have the chance to join its famous long table banquets along the beautiful White Horses promenade on the banks of the River Dwyryd estuary at this year’s festival.An intimate, bespoke banquet of music, arts and culture, Festival No.6 takes place over the weekend of the 4-6 September in the magical Italianate village of Portmeirion, Wales, home of the cult TV series The Prisoner.
Billed as ‘Dinner at Clough’s’, a tribute to Clough Williams-Ellis, the inspirational architect who created Portmeirion, the banquets will cost £65 per head (plus booking fee) and will include a sumptuous three-course meal cooked by one of the festival’s internationally renowned chefs. The banquets take place every lunch (1.30pm) and dinner (7.30pm) and will seat up to 200 guests who will experience an elegant water-side feast, sharing a mixture of communal dishes and individually plated delights in truly stunning surroundings.
Mary-Ellen McTague opens with Friday’s banquet and following rave reviews from her High Tea in Wonderland at the Manchester International Festival diners are definitely in for a treat. Mary-Ellen worked for four years at The Fat Duck before heading north as a pastry chef at Ramsons in Ramsbottom. She then opened her own restaurant, Aumbry. Drawing on a love of traditional and historical British Food, it was named 8th Best Restaurant in the UK by voters on Toptable. Mary Ellen also won Chef of the Year award at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2013 and is currently readying herself for the re-launch of legendary Manchester venue, Roadhouse, after the closure of Aumbry last year.
The creative force behind Lyle’s – James Lowe – takes over on Saturday with what is sure to be a masterclass in British food.James opened his first restaurant Lyle’s in Shoreditch, east London, in April 2014, and it was recently voted the 6th best restaurant in the UK. The food is modern-British, produce-led and driven by a common sense philosophy. He was previously head chef at St John Bread & Wine for 4 years and started the London based chef collective the Young Turks in 2011, which saw him start on his journey to redefine what British food is. He draws inspiration from a network of farmers and fishermen that he has been working with over the last seven years. His desire is to show people, both at home and abroad, what's possible with British ingredients through his fresh approach.
Sunday’s finale is created by a man who needs no introduction, the industry legend that is Aiden Byrne. Former head chef at The Grill, London Dorchester, at the age of 22 Aiden became the youngest chef ever to win a Michelin star. Previously mentored by Tom Aitkens at Pied à Terre and developing his style at Michelin-starred establishments such as The Oak Room and Orangery and The Commons Restaurant he now holds the helm at the iconic Manchester House as well as at his British grill pub, The Church Green in Lymm. Guests lucky enough to get tickets for Aiden’s banquet will secure bragging-rights for years to come having dined with the maestro.
As well as the banquets, Festival No.6 has brought together a selection of the UK’s finest food and drink pop-ups, serving food in the Street Food village located in the Castell Park. Guests can sample food from around the globe with stalls including Bel Air serving up Californian-style feel good fast food, Patty & Bun’s incredible burgers, Anna Mae’s bringing the finest mac & cheese available to mankind, a delicious taste of the Orient in the form of Dorshi’s Japanese dumplings, pizza to die for from Voodoo Rays or mouth-watering steak sandwiches and homemade relishes from Stakehaus. Festival No.6 has also created an independent food market on site – the beating heart of the festival. Guests will find locally sourced, fresh produce at the Welsh Producers Market from renowned traders Little Jack Horner, Village Deli, Nurse’s Cottage and The Whole Cheese.
Drinks pop-ups include the ever-popular Real Ale Bar, the Pop-Up Bubbles Bar and Bloody Meirion serving fabulous Bloody Mary’s with a twist. Champagne will flow from the Laurent Perrier pop-up in the Castell Gardens and Barcelona returns to Portmeirion as Estrella Damn will again be the official beer of Festival No.6
JUST SO FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES INTRIGUING ADVENTURES FOR ITS 2015 EXPEDITION – THREE WEEKS TO GO
The award-winning Just So Festival (21 – 23 August), produced by Wild Rumpus announces its brilliantly bonkers programme based on the golden age of travel for 2015, the largest programme in its six year history.
An annual, intimate, weekend-long camping festival for children and their families the Just So Festival provides an imaginative outdoor adventure like no other, showcasing the best art, music, literature, comedy and theatre for families all embedded and entwined in a wondrous landscape of woodland clearings, rolling parkland, arboreal amphitheatres and lakeside spots in the Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire.
With an incredible mix of regional, national and international artists and performers, it promises to take you on an expedition of mischief and mayhem, to lands full of magical midnight feasts, raucous pillow fights, tribal tournaments, curious creatures and breathtaking beauty.
The eagerly anticipated Tribal Tournament will once more be headed up by that motley crew from immersive theatre specialists LAS Theatre. The Fox, Frog, Owl, Fish, Stag and Lion tribes will compete in ridiculous games and all manner of unexpected shenanigans. Find your tribe on festival Sunday and round off the festival in style with the Tribal Parade. Inquisitive and adventure driven family explorers can expect to tour the most curious of lands and encounter creatures and characters beyond your wildest dreams.
A visit to Grand Central complete with Passport Office, Bureau de Change and mischievous luggage porters is advice worth heeding, before venturing into the uncharted territory that is Just So Festival 2015. Head to our new eccentric Village Green to encounter ridiculous knitting, toddler jousting, pillow fighting and a nonsensical, outrageous game of Consequences.
Roll up, roll up at Head over Heels for the most spectacular and flamboyant area of Just So yet. Expect tumblers and somersaults, aerial mastery and juggling galore. Gasp and faint at amazing shows, and try your hand yourself at all manner of circus amazement.
Step into the Spellbound Forest to a place quite extraordinary. Woodland theatre, dancing and exploring by day, bonfire bands, stories and songs as dusk falls and the woodland magic really begins
Whispers have reached our ears of a Fairy City and Fairy Ball found within Away With The Fairies, an enchanting woodland, home of the Fairy Queen.
Make your way into the perilous High Seas supported by SunSense. Maps will be needed, encounter massive battleships, pirate training camp and watch out for the kraken.
At Footlights and Jitterbug we will see foot stomping, wild whirling and swirling, and unmissable family music and theatre performances including poet John Hegley, comedian James Campbell and authors Emma Carroll and Paul Stickland. When evening comes, dance the night away here.
At Silver Screen take part in BFI slapstick workshops, delve into the Picture Palace, encounter eccentric producers from the turn of the century, or bring a blanket while night falls and snuggle up to watch family classics.
Peekaboo, supported by Weleda, is where to find the best arts (and right royal facilities) for the tiniest visitors. Music, paint, clay, dens and bubbles, listening to stories and songs and baby bath time will ensure the littlies doze off to the sound of our choral lullabies as dusk falls.
Don’t miss The Marie Celestial. A co-commission between the Northern Festivals Network, headed up by Just So, and Glastonbury Festival, this melancholy, mechanical beast will form the incredible beating heart of Just So Festival and other Northern festivals in 2015.
Winners of Festival Kidz Gold Award for three years running Just So Festival aims to create memories treasured by families year-round. Rowan Hoban and Sarah Bird, Directors of Wild Rumpus who produce large scale family arts events in wild natural landscapes set up Just So Festival in 2009 to create a spellbinding weekend where families could play, dance and create together and see the world class breathtaking outdoor arts.
Rowan says “At Just So 2015, audience members will be journeying through the most magical, awe-inspiring landscape for three nights. They must watch carefully the whole journey…as Roald Dahl once said, the best adventures and greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places”.
Sarah says “we immerse families into a world of imagination, letting their creativity run wild. We believe in the power of a wonderful moment to change the way that a family engages in the arts together. If we don’t give you goosebumps we are not doing it right.”
That’s right folks, all tickets to this year’s festival have been snapped up – a full 12 weeks in advance… A gigantic Green Man Diolch to everyone who grabbed them!
First up, we are thrilled to announce ‘Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabor’ will be bringing the party to the Mountain Stage on the Friday night. Atomic Bomb! celebrates the music of enigmatic Nigerian synth-funk pioneer William Onyeabor and is performed by the Atomic Bomb! band featuring a constantly revolving collective of internationally acclaimed musicians.
Making a welcome return to Green Man this August are Villagers – with the Black Mountains as your backdrop, where better to take in Conor’s poetic and wistful alternative folk?
Plus… Patrick Watson brings his energetic pop, rich orchestration, and spine-tingling lyrical musings to Green Man. Joining him are staggering, multi-layered Brooklyn three-piece The Antlers; the legendary Tom Robinson Band; festival favourites Teleman; trippy danceable falsetto melody makers All We Are and a massive bunch more.
We are also delighted to welcome Meic Stevens, the Welsh singer-songwriter often fondly referred to as the ‘Welsh Dylan’!
Our inimitable festival atmosphere has always left Green Man guests with hazy, happy memories, and this year will be no exception. Experienced vibe-setters Chai Wallahs are delivering the goods with a heady mix of live acts and DJs from around the globe – including afrofunk nine-piece Jungle By Night, Dizraeli & The Small Gods, Birth of Joy and psychedelic jazz quartet Syd Arthur.
Stay tuned for more acts coming very soon (including our yet to be revealed Thursday night headliner) and don’t forget to buy tickets to join us for what’s shaping up to be the party of the summer.
New additions in full: Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeobor, Villagers, Patrick Watson, The Antlers, Teleman, All We Are, Meic Stevens, Black Yaya, Tom Robinson Band, Midland, Colorama, C Duncan, Landshapes, Hannah Lou Clark, Rozi Plain, Vok, Aurora, Anna B Savage, Deep Throat Choir, Chelou, Benedict Benjamin, Declan McKenna, Toby Hay, Emily Davies, Palenco, Jungle By Night, Dizraeli & The Small Gods, Syd Arthur, Birth of Joy, Stuff, Fingathing, Low Leaf, Cocos Lovers, Loyle Carner, The Moulettes, Will Varley, Moneyshot & Cheeba, Sam Brookes, Sola Rosa, Bombs, Gringo Ska, Gypsies of Bohemia
We're sure you agree Green Man just doesn't feel the same without SFA who join us as our Saturday night Mountain Stage headliners. We’ve been waiting for the Furries to reform for years and we can’t wait to welcome them to Wales’ own Green Man in what promises to be a truly amazing homecoming show.
Also joining us in the Black Mountains, are Shoegaze pioneers Slowdive – as well as the mighty Television, who play their seminal 1977 album ‘Marquee Moon’ in full.
We’re super excited to announce London-duo Public Service Broadcasting with their unique blend of electronica influenced music. Jamie XX brings the party to the Beacons, playing out tracks from what we hope might become his first solo record. And we welcome back Temples to Green Man where they made their first ever-festival appearance in 2012.