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!
Sonar São Paulo incorporates into its music program the Canadian DJ and producer duo Chromeo, well known for leading the renovation of disco; Cee Lo Green, star of new black music and who no other meets his match on stage; Skream, pioneer of the dub step sound and responsible for taking it to the charts, who will be accompanied by Mc Sgt. Pokes; the Project KTL, formed by Stephen O’Malley of Sunn O)))- & Peter Rehberg (Pita), two of the most important sound experimenters of today; the Dutch DJ and moombathon king Munchi; the Argentine digital cumbia duo Super Guachin; and the Brazilian Nedu Lopes –renowned DJ on the country’s electronic circuit– and Criolo –influent beat maker and hip hop renovator– and the partnership of Muti Randolph & Clara Sverner, with a classical piano show with interactive visuals.
Red Bull Music Academy –one of the main musical talent searchers on the planet– presents on the SonarVillage stage artists of the caliber of Flying Lotus, Rustie, James Holden, James Pants and Tiger & Woods, all of whom are internationally recognized, as are three young and vibrant local producers who are Pazes, Mauricio Fleury and Zegon. All of which are added to the shows already confirmed; Björk, Justice, Modeselektor, Little Dragon, Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto, James Blake, Four Tet, Mogwai, Seth Troxler, Austra, Za!, Squarepusher, Hudson Mohawke, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Jeff Mills, John Talabot, Emicida, The Twelves, BrunoBelluomini, Psilosamples, Dago, Gui Boratto, Dj Marky Vs Patife, M Takara x Akin, Gang Do Eletro, Silva and Ricardo Donoso, making up a first-class line-up.
Check the full program here.
SonarPro
During both days of the festival, SonarPro will present new projects associated to art and technology, providing live demonstrations of the latest generation of products and organizing workshops with major figures and artists who work in the new media field. SonarPro enables attendees to share ideas, make contacts, and facilitate networking between creative industry working professionals.
Within the program, SonarPro highlights the presence of American artist Scott Snibbe (creator of iPhone and iPad apps for Björk’s latest album, “Biophilia”), the Canadian studio Eski (specialists in the latest generation applications for live shows) the Brazilian Muti Randolph (operating between technological design and architectural spaces) and the Catalan Conductr (creators of surprising audio applications for iPhone) Jocabola (generative systems and data visualizing) and the Music Technology Group team from ‘Universitat Pompeu Fabra’, inventors of the popular interactive musical instrument Reactable.
Check the full program here.
SonarCinema
SonarCinema is the area within the festival dedicated to the screening of films, documentaries and audiovisual pieces, which stand out for their quality, originality and artistic values. Amongst the screenings to be enjoyed are Finisterrae (the peculiar story of two ghosts on their journey to the end of the world), Dragonslayer (the day to day of a Californian skater) or High On Hope (the chronicle of the British rave scene during the depression of the late 80’s, early 90’s).
Sonarcinema will also include two themed menus of works selected by the Catalan festivals In-Edit (dedicated to musical documentary) and Screen From Barcelona (specializing in video-art).
Already confirmed for the main stage are Dizzee Rascal, Razorlight, Katy B,Hard-Fi and Bjorn Again with alternative favourites Levellers and recently announced The Lightning Seeds confirmed for the Jagermeister stage.
Three live music stages, a comedy stage, kids’ zone, fairground, bars, stalls, food and a fabulous setting, makes Splendour one of the regions biggest and best live music festival.
We can now confirm the full Splendour 2012 line up as:
Main Stage:
Dizzee Rascal Razorlight Katy B Hard-Fi Bjorn Again Jake Bugg
Future Sound of Nottingham competition winner (the chance for a local band to take the opening slot on the main stage – visit www.nusic.org.uk for entry details)
Jagermeister stage:
Levellers The Lightning Seeds Ronika To Kill A King Vadoinmessico Kappa Gamma The Barnum Meserve Childhood
Leftlion Courtyard Stage
Natalie Duncan Miss 600 Nina Smith Rob Green Saint Raymond Opie Dieno Josh Keogh
Comedy stage
Compere: Dave Twentyman Vince Atta The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue Anil Desai Dave Eastgate Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
Nottingham singer song-writer, Jake Bugg, is the latest act confirmed to play the main stage with alternative rock band, The Lightning Seeds, confirmed to play the Jagermesiter stage, alongside folk rock band To Kill A King and psychedelic folk-pop band Vadoinmessico.
Splendour has a particularly strong local line up this year with Kappa Gamma, The Barnum Meserve, Opie Deino, Rob Green, Josh Keogh, Childhood, Saint Raymond, the yet to be announced NUSICFuture Sound of Nottingham competition winner who are all Nottingham based plus local acts returning to the Splendour stage include Jake Bugg, RonikaNatalie Duncan and Nina Smith.
Tickets are on sale at www.splendourfestival.com or at the Rock City box office on Talbot Street or the Royal Centre. You can also buy tickets at any of the Nottingham City Council’s leisure centres.
Discount tickets are available for City of Nottingham residents with a valid Citycard.
Prices are:
£27.50 adult Citycard holders (City resident)
£15 11-17 year old Citycard 360 holders (City residents)
£27.50 11-17 year old non city resident (with an NG postcode)
Following Friday’s line up announcement for Creamfields 2012 the UK’s No.1 dance festival have announced more acts to the bill. Dancefloor hit machine Afrojack joins the bill performing on Saturday 25th August – the Grammy award winner’s peerless reputation as a producer has seen him work with the likes of Madonna and collaborate with some of the worlds most respected artists including Black Eyed Peas, Steve Aoki and David Guetta.
In addition Goodgreef Xtra Hard make a welcome return offering a new twist for 2012, this year as an outdoor stage delivered by the ‘Best in British’ talent from all the key brands and labels in UK hard dance. BBC Radio 1’s award winning Kutski headlines the stage alongside Kiddfectious legend Alex Kidd with support from the Awsum superstar Andy Whitby and king of the underground Mark EG plus the pioneers of the harder edged sound The Organ Donors and hardstyle’s finest duo Cally & Juice. Goodgreef Xtra Hard also introduces you for the first time a selection of the hottest, new and rising names in the British hard dance scene.
This year Creamfields has delivered one of the biggest electronic festival line up’s of the summer, which includes performances from deadmau5 (dance festival exclusive), Tiësto (exclusive), David Guetta (dance festival exclusive), Avicii (dance festival exclusive), Skrillex, Calvin Harris (dance festival exclusive), Example (dance festival exclusive), Axwell, Steve Angello (exclusive), Sebastian Ingrosso (Exclusive), Paul van Dyk, Above & Beyond, Eric Prydz, Groove Armada (DJ Set), Richie Hawtin, Sub Focus (Live), Knife Party, Laidback Luke (exclusive), Steve Aoki, Eddie Halliwell, Ferry Corsten, Loco Dice (exclusive), Seth Troxler, Major Lazer, A-Trak, Sander van Doorn, John Digweed and Joris Voorn.
Lil' Louis / Ron Trent & Chez Damier / Benji B & MC Judah / Adrian Sherwood
A.Skillz / Move D / Steffi / Deetron / Tortured Soul (live) / Jimmy Edgar (live)
The Correspondents (live) and many more…
Going bold with a lineup that reads like a who’s who of UK and European electronic music, Stop Making Sense 2012 looks stronger than ever – where London, Berlin and Paris collide.
The Stop Making Sense 2012 lineup brings together the cream of dance music talent for five days and nights of partying by the sea – with Lil’ Louis, Benji B & MC Judah, Ron Trent & Chez Damier, Move D, A Skillz, Adrian Sherwood, Steffi and Deetron, plus Tortured Soul, Jimmy Edgar and The Correspondents live – and that’s only some of what you can expect!
One of the founding fathers of house music, Lil’ Louis is an internationally renowned artist, producer, DJ, songwriter and author. Epitomising the sound of Chicago house, Lil’ Louis is a true legend. Also repping Chicago house are Ron Trent & Chez Damier. The pair, who founded Prescription Records – widely considered one of the most forward-thinking electronic music labels of all time – in the early ‘90s, are reunited for the first time in 15 years!
Deviation head and Radio 1 DJ, Benji B is renowned for his eclectic and diverse collection and his broad DJ style, where genres are mixed and matched seamlessly. Pioneer dub producer, experimentalist and reggae champion, Adrian Sherwood promises a set that celebrates his three decades in the business. Remix mastermind, A.Skillz ups the ante, with his mashup party style.
German house and techno producer Move D pushes boundaries and opens new doors with his music. Experimental and exciting, his will be a set to remember. Dutch DJ, producer, label boss and OstGut Ton favourite, Steffi is one of electronic music’s most skillful DJs. She’ll mix up an eclectic set that will delve into deep, analogue and disco house. And, with sets that last the dancefloor distance, Swiss techno DJ and producer Deetron brings his bouncy, melodic Detroit-loving sound, promising to be a highlight.
Brooklyn’s Tortured Soul bring their live house music show – renowned as they are for their soulful sound and intriguing performances. An exponent of electronic eclecticism, Jimmy Edgar funks it up, and with a new album coming in June his set is sure to offer plenty of surprises. And, rounding up the live headliners, The Correspondents return to Stop Making Sense, exploring their own twisted history of music, taking in jazz, electro, jungle, dubstep and drum’n’bass – with bounding MC Mr Bruce over the top.
As well as a bundle of headliners who could hold this five-day party on their own, Stop Making Sense 2012 is serving up a stunning list of DJs and acts, including Dark Sky, Daniel Avery (Stopmakingme), Nick Höppner, Sketchy, Moxie, George Fitzgerald, Etienne Tron, Hannah Holland, Another Amit and Sven Weisemann, and a whole list of others…
Stop Making Sense 2012 presents a stellar lineup of acts from across the dance music spectrum – from jazz, Latin and Afro house, to Chicago via Detroit and techno, through reggae, dubstep and electro – a kaleidoscope of sun, sea and electronic entertainment.
The music programme runs 12pm until 1am in Tisno, with two stages, boat parties, a private beach, tiki bars, and much more… From 11pm to 7am, the late-night action continues at the local Barbarella’s open-air club. There’s nothing better than partying under Croatian stars until a steady sunrise takes revellers into a new day of the nonsensical and sublime.
Stop Making Sense is a music and dance festival, a summer haven and a sunshine getaway all rolled into one. But it’s really mostly about a true love of music. Get involved!
TICKETS: Early bird tickets have now sold out. But tickets are still only £100. http://stopmakingsense.eu/?p=628
TRAVEL/ACCOMMODATION: The closest airports to Tisno are Zadar and Split, both serviced by Ryanair and Easyjet, and approximately a 60-minute drive away. Stop Making Sense works with a local transfer company to make the trip to and from the airport a breeze. Stop Making Sense 2012 also has on-site accommodation. Not too close to the stages, yet within crawling distance to all the action. For more information and bookings check out www.stopmakingsense.eu.
Mumford & Sons, The Maccabees, Garbage, Block Party, Enter Shikari, Four Tet, Young Guns, Pure Love, Ben Howard, The Jon Spencer Blues Band Explosion, Here We Go Magic and local talent Zea Mays have all been added to the line-up of the event, due to take place from the 12th to 14th July in the northern Spanish city of Bilbao.
Having already confirmed headliners The Cure and Radiohead plus performances from the likes of The Kooks, Glasvegas, Noah and the Whale and Warpaint amongst others, Bilbao BBK Live festival once again attracts the biggest names in music. Previous editions of the event have included headliners such as Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Depeche Mode, Jane’s Addiction, RHCP and Suede.
Three Day tickets to the festival, including camping, are available for just £88+ booking fee. One Day Tickets are available for £46+ booking fee; all on See Tickets, Ticketweb and Lastminute.com.
Exactly ten years to the date after its original release, Long Island hardcore innovators glassjaw will perform their landmark “Worship & Tribute” album in its entirety exclusively at SONISPHERE. Formed in 1993, glassjaw took their hardcore and punk influences and DIY attitude to create a genre defying sound entirely their own.
Over the years the band has brought their art to the public through undisclosed elaborate algorithms and sequential coding which up to now has baffled modern day mathematicians, scientists and fans alike. So, with releases such as 8/8, 9/9, 10/10, 11/11, 12/12, 01/01/11 and 07,07,07, one questions how, 10 years later, another significant sequential date of 8/7 could have been planned out with such accuracy. The Mayan calendar doesn’t have shit on these guys.
Now, glassjaw play the historic KNEBWORTH, a fitting site for this pioneering collective from Long Island, NY with a punk rock ethos and a desire to challenge the boundaries of guitar music.
Another ten year anniversary comes in the form of HUNDRED REASONS’ “Ideas Above Our Station”, which the Aldershot quintet will perform in full in BOHEMIA on the Friday. From the moment the band played their first show at London’s Kingston Peel, it was obvious HUNDRED REASONS were gong to make a name for themselves. Within months they were being offered high-profile support slots, plastered all over Kerrang! Magazine and generally creating a buzz wherever they went.
Earning a Top 10 (#6) chart position on its release in May 2002, “Ideas Above Our Station” is HUNDRED REASONS’ biggest selling album to date. Featuring chart topping singles including “If I Could”, Silver” and “Falter”, HUNDRED REASONS will see a packed out BOHEMIA relive a magical moment in music’s history.
Says guitarist Larry Hibbitt:
“We are galactically excited to be playing Sonisphere Festival 2012. It's been way too long and we can't wait to get back to doing exactly what we do best. See you at the front."
BLACK STONE CHERRY makes their SONISPHERE debut on the APOLLO stage on the Friday. With last year’s “Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” rapturously received by a rock loving public, crashing into number 1 in the UK Rock Charts, the rapidly rising Kentucky quartet shows no sign of slowing down as they kick off a SOLD OUT UK TOUR later this week.
“Now we can check off another goal on the ole BSC "wanna do it" list!” says guitarist Ben Wells. “We can't wait to make our debut at Sonisphere 2012!!”
With gargantuan riffs and even bigger hooks, songs like “Rain Wizard” and “Blind Man” to dish out, SONISPHERE is serving the hottest piece of the BLACK STONE CHERRY pie so far.
If there’s one man capable of getting 60,000 music fans to go loco it’s SKINDRED’s Benji Webbe. The charismatic frontman has led his raga-punk troupe since 1998, earning a reputation as one of the best live acts around today. With an instantly recognisable sound totally their own, their musical mix of metal, reggae, dance and punk is at it’s height, as they headline the sold-out JAGERMEISTER MUSIC tour next month. Says Benji:
“We've built this band on being a solid, tight live act, and what more of a perfect platform can one ask for other than Sonisphere Festival Knebworth 2012. We are so thankful and honoured to be invited back once again! We are gunna get this place rocking. We are gunna get this place bouncing. WE ARE GUNNA GET YOU Bitches! SD crew step up!”
Whether it’s a packed out club or a huge festival field the size of KNEBWORTH, one can be certain that everybody in sight will have no option but to let the music take over, and their set on SONISPHERE’sSATURN stage will be one of Saturday’s highlights.
Legendary post-punk heroes NEW MODEL ARMY join the SONISPHERE cast for a very special late night set on Friday night in BOHEMIA after headliners KISS wrap up the APOLLO stage. Forming in Bradford in 1980, NMA earned a highly dedicated and impassioned fanbase through their combination of angry punk, modern-day protest folk and anthemic political chanting, which included the likes of Brazilian metallers SEPULTURA who covered “The Hunt”. Their set in BOHEMIA will be highly anticipated, and serve to showcase the diversity and wide range of music on offer at SONISPHERE this summer.
Since their formation in 1993, ELECTRIC WIZARD’s name was a familiar one amongst metal underground, but in 2007 – perhaps after a pact with the devil himself – the Dorset four-piece have been riding a black wave of success off the back of their “Witchcult Today” album. 2010’s “Black Masses” has only seen that success continue, with the band poised to play their biggest headline show to date later this month at London’s Forum. Sludgey, heavy, the epitome of doom, let us pray that BOHEMIA’s structure can withstand the WIZARD’s down-tuned onslaught.
A bunch of men travelling around the world selling their wares, plundering booty and devouring rum – the natural merger of touring band and buccaneering pirates has long been inevitable, and leading that charge are Scotsmen ALESTORM. Having just completed a sell out tour of the UK, Describing themselves as “True Scottish Pirate Metal”, these swashbuckling scallywags combine elements of folk and power metal with nautical nastiness and are announced hot off the back of a sold out UK tour. Ideal festival fun, ALESTORM will shiver your timbers and blow you down when they open the SATURN stage on Saturday.
If one day dictionaries have audio examples of definitions replacing the current standard text format, one wouldn’t be surprised to hear CROWBAR’s “Broken Glass” under the “Heavy” entry. Led by Kirk Windstein – now also one of the leading forces in DOWN – these sludge metal pioneers were one of the first bands to show the world that being heavy is not just about playing fast, and in fact that the opposite is true. With heavy hitters like “”All I Had (I Gave)”, “Nothing” and “Planets Collide”, their exclusive festival appearance will test BOHEMIA’s structural integrity to its limits.
Norwegian black’n’rollers KVELERTAK return to SONISPHERE for a second time after their 2010 appearance in the wake of a massive buzz. That a six piece from Stavanger, Norway who sing about Norse mythology and Viking folklore solely in their native tongue, could become one of the hottest and most talked about acts of late is testament to just how awesome their music is, and their only UK show of 2012 on Sunday in BOHEMIA will be a triumphant return.
Alternative rock heroes SEETHER play their only UK festival on SONISPHERE’sSATURN stage on the Sunday. The South African post-grunge trio have enjoyed massive success in the States, making them one of SA’s biggest musical exports, with four out of six records earning gold status. Currently touring with multi-platinum rockers 3 DOORS DOWN, SEETHER are slowly but surely winning over fans on this side of the pond, and their exclusive festival appearance at SONISPHERE will show us why.
The first band to be announced for the RED BULL BEDROOM JAM stage is Kerrang! Introducing stars THE GETAWAY PLAN. "To be able to say that we are a part of the Sonisphere festival this year is an absolute honour.” Says frontman Matthew Wright. “This is going to be our first time to the UK and our first ever show outside of Australia. We're over the fucking moon!" The Aussie rockers make their UK debut at SONISPHERE on the Saturday, giving UK fans the first chance to see why Australian rock fans have ensured chart topping success for the alt-rock four piece.
Mad Dog Mcrea are one of the Westcountry’s hottest bands, having recently won Best Album at the South West Music Awards. The Wurzels return to their favourite festival, for what is, due to popular demand, now a regular booking.
Watchet LIVE 2012 is set to build on the success of the 2012 event which saw nearly 5,000 people from Somerset and beyond attend the festival. Efestivals.co.uk declared that, “Watchet is a lovely little festival” and neonfiller.com described it as, “One of the UK's most eclectic boutique festivals”
With a host of internationally renowned artists performing, a friendly 'small festival' vibe, stunning views across the West Somerset coastline, and a full range of tickets and camping options, WATCHET LIVE is a fantastic festival and a perfect place to spend August Bank Holiday weekend.
Highlights of WATCHET LIVE FESTIVAL 2012 include:
• 3 live music stages featuring over 40 live music acts
• 3 distinct days: Tribute Night (Friday), Original Music (Saturday), Fancy Dress (Sunday)
• Glastonbury Festival’s very own Croissant Neuf Tent featuring live acts all weekend.
• Festival-owned ale bar selling a wide range of drinks at "cheaper than pub prices"
• Cider Island and Food Court
• The legendary Something Else Tea Tent
• Kids Corner
• Festival Market
• Showers in the campsite and flushing toilets in the newly expanded camping area!
This year’s festival charity is The Children’s Hospice South West
Weekend Tickets with camping are £50 (Adults), £30 (Youths 13-17), Under 12’s are free. A Family Weekend Ticket for 2 Adults & 2 Youths is just £110.
Weekend Tickets without camping are priced at just £40 (Adults), £20 (Youths 13-17), Under 12’s are free. A Family Ticket for 2 Adults & 2 Youths is £ 90. Day Tickets also available (£15/10)
Van Morrison will make a welcome return to the Festival with classics such as Have I Told You Lately That I Love You and Brown Eyed Girl.Squeeze will also perform and delight fans with old favourites including Cool for Cats and Up the Junction as well as new material. In addition, the incredible Marc Almond will join Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra as a special guest, alongside Gilson Lavis and guest vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall.
They join Liza Minnelli, the legendary worldwide universally loved superstar who will provide the opening for the Festival’s 20th Anniversary on Thursday 14th June. The concert will include many of Liza’s showstoppers such as Cabaret, Maybe This Time, New York New York – arguably her very own signature tune – all written especially for her by the legendary song writing partnership of John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) – and a selection of her best loved songs.
The Festival will also host play host to Katie Melua, one of Britain’s most successful artists of the last decade who’s sold more than 11 million albums, who will delight festival-goers with familiar favourites such as Closest Thing To Crazy and Nine Million Bicycles, as well as performing songs from her new album Secret Symphony, out on 5th March. Legendary Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons will perform their first concert in the UK for 18 years at the Festival. This eagerly awaited concert will give fans the chance to hear many of the classic hit songs played live, such as: Big Girls Don’t Cry,Walk Like A Man,Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You,Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye), December 1963 (Oh What A Night) and Grease.
Brit Award Winner James Morrison is also confirmed to perform in the stunning open-air courtyard of King Henry VIII’s Palace and will treat fans to his hit songs You Give Me Something, Wonderful World and I Won’t Let You Go as well as new tracks from his current album The Awakening. Caro Emerald, who recently appeared on Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny, will make her Festival debut this year with her eclectic style of ballroom jazz, cinematic tangos, groovin' jazz and infectious mambos with songs from her platinum-selling album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor.
To mark the Festival’s milestone, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a special 20th Anniversary Gala, which will be followed by spectacular fireworks over the Palace. Conducted by Gavin Sutherland, he will be joined by tenor James Edwards, soprano Laura Wright and violinist Clio Gould. The evening will have a long interval so that Festival-goers can enjoy their picnics and Champagne in the Palace Gardens as the sun sets on the summer’s evening.
In addition to the music, Hampton Court Palace Festival is renowned for creating a truly unforgettable experience. Artists perform in the historic main courtyard of the magnificent Tudor Palace providing an intimate atmosphere for an audience of 3,000. Corporate hospitality is available in the State Apartments and Festival-goers can also arrive early (Palace Gardens open at 1730) and enjoy a delicious picnic courtesy of Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts, in the stunning Palace gardens.
Held over the May Bank Holiday, the Festival will welcome musical stars including Jamie Cullum, Paloma Faith, Imelda May, The Puppini Sisters, Marcus Miller, Candi Staton and Gregory Porter.
Plus, with a brand new Big Top venue, free outdoor stage, boutique cinema, interactive Music Lab – full of the latest musical gadgetry – and a host of bars and cafes, the gardens will offer the perfect backdrop to the world’s greatest jazz performers.
Tickets are on-sale now. Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz to sign up for alerts and to buy tickets.
The Deer Shed Festival music line-up has expanded from the format of the first two years – year three will see the Main Stage now in action each day instead of just Saturday and there is the new Lake Stage. The festival team are very excited about the whole thing which is quite understandable.
The first ever Friday night Main Stage headliner to be announced for Deer Shed Festival is, drum roll please, Saint Etienne. These titans of pristine pop moments release their first album for seven years in May, ‘Words and Music By Saint Etienne’, restoring everyone’s faith in a genre that Saturday night telly has done its best to ruin over the last decade. The Main Stage bill on Friday is completed by the dreamy, US west coast via Belfast, shimmers of Cashier No 9 and Club Smith who have just finished touring with Kaiser Chiefs.
Janice Graham Band are reclaiming ska for a new generation. Sharp lyrics about love, life and murder, this unpredictable band of four lads from Manchester are on the cusp of greatness and play the In The Dock Stage on Friday. Opening the stage ahead of them are Moody Gowns, a quintessentially British band in the vein of Ian Dury and The Blockheads. Previously announced Dutch Uncles complete the In The Dock Stage line-up for Friday – clearly the place to be for lovers of unconventional Brit-indie greatness at Deer Shed Festival 3.
The final band to be announced today for Friday’s bill is The Glendale Family. Returning to Baldersby Park for the third year, it’s fair to say they are the Deer Shed Festival house band. Playing the new Lake Stage on the first day of the festival, they’ll also be found in charge of the late night good times, curating and playing in the After Hours Lounge Bar.
Saturday’s Main Stage line up is completed by a trio of distinctive bands. Los Campesinos! bring their glockenspiels, big beats and boundless energy to North Yorkshire for the first time, playing before headliners Villagers. The Staves will serenade the Main Stage crowd mid-afternoon with their sibling harmonic perfection and Washington Irving open up with beautiful Scottish indie-folk-pop.
Further acts for Saturday include the ethereal singer-songwriter Paul Thomas Saunders who will play his sublimely haunting and reverb sodden songs on the In The Dock Stage. The Lake Stage line-up will be headlined on Saturday by Leeds folk quintet Ellen and the Escapades. Joining them will be the Buddy Holly-esque The Lost Brothers, the beautiful and soothing Pale Seas and North Yorkshire lass and BBC Introducing darling Pip Mountjoy.
There was a lot of whooping in the Deer Shed Festival office when the next act was confirmed. Human Don’t Be Angry is the newest project from the obscenely talented Malcolm Middleton and this noodling guitar, looped lyric offering continues the high level of brilliance we’ve come to expect. Middleton plays before Main Stage headliner Cherry Ghost on Sunday. Also taking to this stage will be singer-songwriter Rae Morris with her distinctive voice and piano talent.
That’s it for now. The final third of the music bill will be announced soon plus details of cabaret, comedy, cinema, theatre, workshops and the all-important theme for Deer Shed Festival 3. It’s going to be a BIG (clue alert!) one this year.
