Festivals

Looking for the latest lineup, date, ticket information or latest news about your favourite festivals, look no further.  Summer Festival Guide’s Festival News section covers all your needs!

Sunscape Festival announces Cocoon & Watergate Showcases

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Set in amongst the beautiful surroundings of the isle of Gozo-Malta, Sunscape today unveil over 20 new acts who represent some of the most infamous names in electronic music. As one of the most revered and iconic clubs of all time, Watergate will make its way to the shores of Gozo for a rare opportunity to see the likes of Marco Resmann, La Fleur and Lee Jones outside of their Berlin home. Having recently been inaugurated into the illustrious Resident Advisor podcast series, Dana Ruh plays alongside Ilario Alicante and already announced Pig & Dan under the Cocoon Records banner. While Mobilee Showcase includes Lee Van Dowksi and Dean Demanuele, and Valentino Kanzyani of Cadenza will perform at the week-long celebrations. The festival opens its doors to an intimate crowd of 3000 like-minded revellers from 3-10 September and have announced yet more exciting adventures taking including Why Not? Dome's eclectic and empowering workshop programme featuring drum lessons, fire dancing, astrology, permaculture and conscious living, whilst also playing host to an Electroswing Day Festival, Full Moon Party and fire dancing tournament making it an incredible finale to the summer.

As one of Europe's most famous clubs, Berlin's Watergate has welcomed through it's doors some of the biggest names in house and techno and is appropriately recognised as the home of modern house music with an unchallengeable reputation. Featuring a mix of residents past and present, the showcase will firstly welcome Berlin native Marco Resmann, a regular fixture of the city's club scene for over 20 years. As head honcho of Power Plant Records, La Fleur blurs the line between soulful house, techno and electronica, and will take to the decks under the Watergate banner alongside Aus Music's Lee Jones. 

When it comes to electronic music there are few names bigger than Cocoon. Since it's creation by the legendary Sven Vath at the turn of the millennium, Cocoon has grown to become a haven for electronic music the world over. Taking their residency on the Mediterranean isle, Sunscape welcome three of the biggest acts ever to adopt the Cocoon name. Joining the previously announced electro-duo Pig & Dan, Ilario Alicante will perform having achieved great success with his first track 'Vacaciones En Chile' and gaining the attentions of Richie Hawtin and Ricardo Villalobos, he has grown to become one of the most in-demand producers and label figureheads in electronic music. Dana Ruh, who has seen releases on Ostgut Ton as well as her own Brouqade imprint, will also take to the stage for what will be one of the most memorable events of the summer. 

While Sunscape delivers one of the most exciting line-ups of the summer, the festival will also host yet more activities taking place over the week-long celebration. Catering for every kind of adventurer the Why Not? Dome programme presents a number of eclectic and empowering workshops, talks and meditations throughout the festival. Fresh, invigorating and transformative, the programme is designed to inform and host a wealth of ideas that aims to change the way people think. Topics include astrology, sound & energy healing, conscious living, working with energy, permaculture, scuba Diving in the Med and much more.

In addition Sunscape unveils an Electroswing Day Festival, a dedicated Fire dancing tournament, Fire jamming and an infamous Full Moon Party celebration for revellers to enjoy. More than just a music festival, the programme ambitions are to provide a truly one-off and unique experience that captures the mystical island of Gozo in all its glory.

Adding to line-up will be Defected Records regular Noir, who will be performing alongside Sankeys resident The Element, Loco Dice heralded Camiel Daamen and Mobilee Music's Dean Demanuele. As founder of Zombie Soundsystem, Shane Watcha brings his unique style to the Mediterranean while Cesare vs Disorder showcases his new side-project 'Azimute' at the festival, which is becoming a hot ticket  for music fans across the globe. 

Pet Shop Boys to open up Exit Festival 2014

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The opening ceremony of the 15th edition of the best European festival, will be held by the Pet Shop Boys who are coming to EXIT’s Main Stage with an exquisite blend of unique stage set, lasers, extraordinary costume changes, original dance choreography and a plethora of hits.

The prodigious pop duo Pet Shop Boys, with over 50 million records sold, are entrenched in the Guinness book of records as the most successful duo in the history of British music. Their colossal career entails 12 studio albums, six Grammy nominations, over 20 music awards three of which are sacred Brit awards. Their stunning hits “It's a Sin", “West End Girls”, “Heart”, "Paninaro", "Domino Dancing" and "Se A Vida E" influenced a host of generations of music fans and gave pop music a distinct shade it exhibits today.

Reputable British Newspapers, The Telegraph and The Guardian wrote smashing five-star reviews of the duo’s show and album Electric, citing their “theatrical pop” performance. Neil McCormick even wrote for The Telegraph “Pet Shop Boys are moving forwards, taking their retro synths into a brave new digital age.”

The critically acclaimed “Electric” album is graced by almost unanimously favourable reviews worldwide and represents PSB’s return to dance music, as well as the best possible message to young bands playing electric music today – it’s not just about beats! Their melodies carry an almost haunting beauty, their lyrics are bustling with humour and subtle notes of nobility, and their entire show is set as an impeccable celebration of the ceremonious victory of spirit and mind over life’s not-so-pretty moments. These are the same values that EXIT has, and continues to, uphold and promote all these years.

Pet Shop Boys' show is designed by Es Devlin, a multi-award-winning artist, with extensive experience and projects under her belt in theatre, dance, film, opera, television, and concert. She has also worked with pop, rock, and rap artists – her lengthy list of performing artists includes, apart from Pet Shop Boys, stars such as Kanye West, Muse, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Miley Cyrus, Lenny Kravitz, Goldfrapp, Take That…The collaboration between Pet Shop Boys and Devlin will provide EXIT this year with an incredulously one-of-a-kind, novel and epoch-making opening performance! 

Mos Def added to Flow Festival lineup

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The Brooklyn hip-hop artist will perform on Friday 8th August on the atmospheric Balloon 360° Stage, which will also host jazz artists such as the U.S-based Roy Hargrove Quintet, along with Finnish groups Mopo and Antti Lötjönen Quartet East. 
Mos Def, born Dante Terrell Smith, appeared in his early career on De La Soul's ‘Stakes Is High’, before cementing his name in the mainstream with hip-hop giants Black Star. Since then, he has forged a successful solo career and sold millions of albums, with his record ‘Black on Both Sides’ certified Gold in U.S. sales and latest album, 2009’s ‘The Ecstatic’, earning a Grammy Award nomination. Mos Def has also enjoyed Emmy and Golden Globe nominations from his successful acting career.
Jazz is well-represented in the Balloon 360° line-up, whose audiences can enjoy gigs in an intimate setting around the full 360 degrees of the platform. On Friday, the stage will be set for Roy Hargrove Quintet, led by Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Having started his career in the 90s, where he played a major role in crafting the sounds of the likes of D’Angelo and Erykah Badu, Hargrove’s time has been recently devoted to developing his own jazz style, which combines Afro-Cuban rhythms and hard bop.
On Saturday the stage will be graced by Mopo, the hottest trio on the Finnish jazz scene, who take their inspiration from jazz, 70s punk and the Finnish nature. Sunday’s stage will then present Antti Lötjönen Quartet East, led by double bass player Antti Lötjönen: the only person to have played every single Flow Festival from 2004 until 2014. This summer he will bring his fresh new jazz quartet to the festival to perform his own compositions along with carefully selected covers and some solo bass improvisation.

V Festival add Hoodie Allan, Neon Jungle and many more!

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We are excited to reveal that Hoodie Allan, James Arthur, Neon Trees, Kiesza, Fuse ODG, Neon Jungle, Sheppard and James Bay are confirmed to perform at this year’s festival, which takes place 16-17 August in Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire.

With over 30 Number One selling artists on the bill, these exciting acts join headliners Justin Timberlake and The Killers, plus Paolo Nutini, Ed Sheeran, Bastille, Foxes, Sam Smith, Tinie Tempah, Blondie, Lily Allen and more for one incredible weekend of live music. 

Joining Alan Carr and Adam Hills in the Glee Club comedy bill, Boothby Graffoe, Dana Alexander, Mark Oliver and Allyson Smith are all announced for one of the most acclaimed comedy line ups to date.

 

Lego’s Imagination Factory and more set to entertain the kids at Camp Bestival

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No circus is truly complete without a touch of magical miscellany, curious attractions and inexplicable distractions. And so, Camp Bestival’s most aberrant roustabouts have not only created an inspiring world of discovery with Oberon’s Observatory, the LEGO Imagination Factory and the Science Tent, but they’ve also brought together a breathtaking collection of oddities like Caravan of Lost Souls and Britain’s Not Got Talent that will enthral the whole family at Lulworth Castle this July 31-August 3.

Rob da Bank says: “We’ve got all sorts of incredible curiosities coming to Camp Bestival this year. From off the wall circus treats in the Caravan of Lost Souls, LEGO and their brilliant Imagination Factory, and surveying the site with a camp-bestiscope in Oberon’s Observatory to the mayhem of Britain’s Not Got Talent and amazing experiments in the Science Tent, there’s loads of ace stuff for all the family to discover. See you at Lulworth Castle!”

 

Starting with some curious circus fun, we have a true delight for the ears and eyes. Igor Rasputin’s Caravan of Lost Souls is an incredible ape-powered pop-up circus providing wondrous entertainment for your delectation and appreciation. Witness magic, contortion, hula hoop, mime, an amazing array of circus skills and more from this cabaret of curiosity, popping up in all four corners of Camp Bestival!

Entering a world of discovery, we are extremely excited to announce that LEGO will be joining us to kick off the summer holidays in style, with the Imagination Factory. A celebration of ‘free build’, this magical environment will immerse you in the LEGO belief in the power of each individual’s imagination. Doubters might see a pile of bricks and accessories but ‘we’ see a jet fighter, a beautiful flower, an alien monster, our dog called Spike or the skyline of New York. The golden rule of The Imagination Factory is that there are no rules – no rights or wrongs – just inspiration to let LEGO enable you to build anything that your imagination can conjure up.

In 2014, the year that modern man will try and harpoon a comet, Camp Bestival is proud to present Oberon's Observatory. A ramshackle but beautiful edifice with a stargazer's viewing platform, there will be camp-bestiscopes for studying the curiosities happening across the festival and searching for the stars. Hidden in the heart of Oberon's Observatory is an old projection room where Camp Bestival will screen 21st century windows into other worlds, space and art. For the period of one lunation only, Camp Bestival invites you to come and explore this extraordinary building.

Leaping headlong into the truly odd, the Showmany Calliope is mixture of traditional fairground showman heritage, pyrotechnics, a full independently powered 4K sound system and a bowtop caravan themed stage, that will play host to the devilish Mosschops and Sidewicket’s Britain’s Not Got Talent. So, do you want to perform on the craziest stage of all time? Have you got a talent? Have you not got talent? We don't care, because we haven't; so anything goes! From Dutch didgeridoo dancing to skateboarding budgerigars; panpipe duets to five-year-old Frank Carson impersonators (keep it clean please), we need you! Terms and Conditions do not apply.

And combining amazing discovery with the downright bizarre, the Science Tent is certainly not for boffins only and is definitely not to be missed! It’s a glorious mix of science-based performances like now>press>play and Rock Guitar in 11 Dimensions, timetabled science including programming robots, 3D printing your favourite Minecraft designs, being amazed by a Rapsberry Pi and lots, lots more and drop in sessions where you can make video games with Play-doh, power an alarm clock with fruit, pre-programme a robot arm and so much more. There’s tons to stimulate and fascinate every age group! And that includes you mums and dads!