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Take that fans who missed out during the recent stampede for ticket sales to the 2011 tour still have the opportunity to hear their songs in 2011. This opportunity also comes to a field near Beverley in East Yorkshire.
‘Back for Good’, the countries leading Take That Tribute act will be headlining the Saturday evening slot of the 2011 Tribfest festival and performing a range of classics to thousands of local festival goers at the Beverley Polo Club in Tickton.
This years festival is held between August 19th – 21st and festival will be launched with a performance by 15 year old Liam Mcnally, a “Britain’s got Talent” finalist 2010
Already more tickets have been sold for this year’s event than at the same time last year for the ever improving and ever growing event. The first event attracted 700 people to Driffield in 2007 and next years festival should reach 5000 music fans for a three day event of top quality tribute artists, comedy and dance events.
Ed Faulkner (Festival Director) said “each year more festival goers are attending which allows us to make Tribfest bigger and better each year with lots more to do within the main arena. The main stage although a key element of the event is not the only attraction with folk marquee, unsigned marquee, Interactive Kidszone, VIP marquee, Dance tent, Silent Disco, Karaoke marquee, comedy stage food and retail stands with over 80 bands performing this year and lots of added attractions for the Kids it promises to be the best yet.”
The event has attracted increasing audiences and many plaudits over the past four years and the Take That Tribute act is just one of the many quality acts who should make Tribfest 2011 the best one yet. There will be over forty tribute acts performing over the weekend across the main stage and VIP marquee including a range of new performers and festival favourites such as Kazabian and Badness.
Over the weekend there will be tribute performers to a wide range of stars such as Elton John, The Prodigy, Kings of Leon, Madness, Black Eyed Peas, Guns N Roses, Green Day, and U2. Arctic Monkeys, ABBA and the Clash.
Tribfest tickets can be downloaded from www.tribfest.co.uk Festival tickets can be purchased online via Iris Ticketing Solutions a new agency for 2011 and prices range from £80 – £120 for Adult Weekend passes and £40 – £45 for Child passes.. Fans are able to bring either tents or caravans to the weekend and the festival facilities have earned Tribfest nominations for ’Best small music festival’ over the past three years.
More information on tickets, confirmed acts, festival arrangements and videos from 2010 can be accessed from www.tribfest.co.uk
Waveform 2011 is in a new location, just off M42, the nearest city is Birmingham.
We have found a site farmed by an environmentally conscious natural farmer, it’s a beautiful site with a lovely wood adjacent to the camping area and it is still about 100 miles from Bristol and London!
Waveform is back for its 5th birthday at a brand new location. With all the usual suspects & a whole new crowd to tantalise your music tastes. Waveform has a policy of picking a new area of the country every year & inviting local collectives to join in the fun. This way local promoters can experience the outdoors way & give their supporters an experience they’ll never forget.
Waveform is known & respected not only for its cutting edge dance but also being the only sustainable dance event in the UK. “We’re proud of our green credentials” says Bruce Elliott-Smith (director of Waveform). “Every year we try & bring just a little more to the event. We aim to educate by example. Show people it’s not hard to have a good time & become a little bit greener”.
This year’s Green Village is being hosted by the renowned group, Worldshift Media. There will also be a full programme of talks, workshops, saunas, showers, healing, therapies and organic food to feed the mind, body and soul in the Green Village. Inside the Green arena for 2011 we will have lots of exciting, new and innovative entertainment for you. During the day the Village really comes alive. “People are always keen to try out something new at a Festival, be it a massage, yoga or just sitting, listening to one of our workshops.” A yoga teacher explains with a smile on her face.
But dance it what Waveform is really all about & over the years they have grown into a respected, award winning event. Three names synonymous to the event are Tribe of Frog with their Psycadelic decor, uv & fluro backdrops & lighting, setting the scene for ground breaking Psy-trance. Archangel with its clean cut decor, top line DJ’s & a quality of sound unheard of at outdoors events. Bringing up the rear but by no means in last place is Alpha Omega, probably London’s premiere dance event. Nothing more needs to be said about these guys apart from WOW!
With many more stages, collectives & activities still to be announced, Waveform is promising to be one of this year’s ‘Can’t miss’ events.
Luxury Teepee camping available, Solar showers, organic food & drink.
Tickets available direct from www.waveformfestival.com with no booking fee.
Experimental disco outfit, Hercules and Love Affair, are set to top the bill on the Twisted Licks Stage on Saturday night, joining Main Stage headliners Spiritualized and Battles in complementing this years Gods & Monsters theme. Elsewhere, Howard Marks is headlining the Under Covers Literary Loungewhich includes, along with readings and comedy, a Literary Death Match contest and the inauguralStandon Callings Bad Sex Awards.
Joining the musical mix are John Grant and his musical tales of redemption; Chicagos nine-pieceHypnotic Brass Ensemble showcasing their high-energy, brass-fuelled, hip-hop funk fusion; Dan Le Sacon DJ duties and Scottish six-piece indie-folksters Broken Records. The likes of Cut A Shine, The Travelling Band and The Moulettes, meanwhile, will provide the Magpies Nest Stage with a decidedly up-tempo folky flavour.
Standon Calling festival is known for much more than its inspiring musical line-up and promises more themed entertainment than ever before. Heavenly (or heathenly) offerings include a Garden of Healingchill-out area with massages and more; a Monster Safari where the cabin crew will serve up improvised comedy and free shots of tequila; and a Hellhound Show (think dog show, but hosted by Lucifer).
Theres a Where the Wild Things Are play area for kids and a Zombie Marketplace full of shops and stalls. Pagan Pilates is on offer to stretch out over-danced limbs, while the Goddess Grooming Parlourcan restore festival-frazzled guests to their full glory. Finally, alongside an excellent range of eateries, East Londons Rebel Dining Society is offering festival-goers the chance to dine like deities with a Feast of the Gods where people can enjoy a gourmet banquet of biblical proportions!
Im really excited about all the new entertainment we have lined up this year, says Festival Director Graham MacVoy. Weve never had so many new areas before and moving around the site is going to be a real adventure. One moment you can enter a space hopper race, the next you can have a massage. Besides the three main stages and on-site nightclub weve also got a rolling stage travelling around the site offering interactive entertainment.
LINE UP SO FAR:
SPIRITUALIZED / BATTLES/ HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR / HOWARD MARKS / PENGUIN CAFE / JOHN GRANT / JOHN COOPER CLARKE / HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE / SAUL WILLIAMS / ERRORS / THE CORRESPONDENTS / DAN LE SAC / BORN RUFFIANS / BROKEN RECORDS / EGYPTIAN HIP HOP / THE MUMMERS / TROPHY WIFE / SOUND OF RUM / GALLOPS / MALACHAI / BRASSROOTS / RAGHU DIXIT PROJECT / REVERE / VARIOUS CRUELTIES / FUNERAL SUITS / WORSHIP / TRIPWIRES / CUT A SHINE / THE TRAVELLING BAND / THE MOULETTES / TROUBADOUR ROSE / KIDNAP ALICE / SAM LEWIS / SERIOUS SAM BARRETT / BEANS ON TOAST / CHICKEN SHED ZEPPELIN / COSMICORUS / HOLLOWAY JUG BAND / THE WAGON TALES / COCOS LOVERS / THE CEDARS / AHAB / PETE LAWRIE / SILVER MOTHS / YELLOWBELLYS / LITTLE ROBOTS / LOOSE MOOSE / TRINGBAND / MARTHA & THE ARTHURS / PLASTER OF PARIS / TRENTON & FREE RADICAL / JESSIE LEE BURN / ALAN THE BEARD WRIGHT & FRIENDS / MADDOX / DOWNTOWN WOLVES
Pioneers of new music, Kendal Calling support rising stars alongside the worlds biggest bands and the Calling Out Stage is bursting with some of the most hotly tipped acts of the year with more still to be announced.
Joining headliners Blondie, The Cribs and Chase & Status; the most recent additions have added to a killer line up and now is the time to bag the last few remaining tickets for this years show and experience the hottest group of acts to land in the stunning lake district in 2011.
Celebrating their 20th anniversary, House of Pain play Kendal Calling as part of their reunion tour. The act behind one of the most memorable tracks in hip hop history “Jump Around”; multi platinum selling duo House of Pain are in town with a raucous rap show and our Kendal crowd are raring bounce!
Frank Turner will take to the main stage with his gorgeous and unique folk sound alongside one of the most inventive collectives of recent times, New York’s Easy Star All Stars; acclaimed for their incredible re-works of classic albums including their release Dub Side of the Moon.
With the Glow Dance Stage bursting with world-class beats, Derrick Carter leads the charge. One of the pinnacles of Chicago house music’s 90’s wave, DJ and producer Derrick Carter has a career spanning two decades and will keep the tent pumping with his legendary sound late into the night.
Also on mixing duties is techno protagonist Adam Freeland, purveyor of chart topping club classics Herve, North West hero Yousef and the stunningly raucous The Japanese Popstars.
New for this year will be Sunday afternoon in the Glow tent filled with live dance acts featuring hip hop, trip hop, ska, grime and everything in between to bring everyone round for a thumping evening of huge tunes.
Carlisle based promoters and DJ collective UBER are hosting the Sunday night with an evening of house and techno to bring a euphoric close to the weekend including the legendary Derrick Carter, Yousef, Jesse Rose plus much more.
Manchester promoters Ape kick things off in the dance tent, curating an extra special one-night-only of drum n bass, dubstep and other bass driven genres. Watch this space for their yet to be announced line-up…
Funk DJ Craig Charles has delivered stomping sets at Kendal year upon year and this year he steps it up a notch and is back to programme his very own tent on Sunday!The Craig Charles Funk & Kendal Calling Soul Club showcases a handpicked line up of some of the best funk & soul artists in the UK right now including The Leonard Jones Potential, The Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra & Smoove and Turrell.
Craig Charles says: “Kendal Calling is my home festival, it’s an honour to be invited back. I hope you can afford the repair bill when we tear the roof off the Lake District and smash it into a million funky little pieces!”
Ben Robinson, director of Kendal Calling says: ““It’s a pleasure to be able to bring such a diverse and energetic set of musicians into the Cumbrian fields. The combination of how much they love to play and how well received they are by the Kendal Calling crowd really does make for a special weekend. This year we have acts from as far away as Argentina, New York, Chicago, Sierra Leone and Berlin. It’s certainly going to be a unique mix of cultures and festival celebration, bring on July!”
The acts on the Kaylied stage are also presented by Global Local, an Art’s Council England funded project showcasing the hottest emerging talent at Festivals across the country. www.globallocal.co.uk“
There are still acts to be announced across the stages including Sunday headliner for Calling Out, GLOW Dance acts – Friday and Saturday headliners TBA, plus much more.
LINE UP SO FAR:
Chase & Status (LIVE) / The Cribs / Blondie / House of Pain / Echo & The Bunnymen / The Levellers / Frank Turner (with full live band) / Beardyman / Young Knives / The Whip / Tim Burgess & Mark Collins from The Charlatans acoustic set / Easy Star All Stars / Frankie & The Heartstrings / Sonic Boom Six / Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club / The Lancashire Hotpots / Bajah & the Dry Eye Crew / Alice Gold / The Chapman Family / Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee & The Clinic / Dinosaur Pile Up / Molotov Jukebox / Lets Buy Happiness / The Milk / Little Barrie / Brett Domino Trio / Kill It Kid / Failsafe / Trevor Moss / Emily Portman / Joana and the Wolf / Hannah Trigwell / Skinny Lister / The Leonard Jones Potential / Airship / The Minx / Seven Seals / The Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra / Red Suns / Smoove & Turrell / The Sand Band / Riot Jazz / The Virgin Marys / Bear Driver / Proud Mary / Club Smith / Jaspar / Too Young To Love / The Suzukis / Lamps Expire / The Semolina Pilchards / Stagecoach / Lucid Dream / Olfa / Mount Fabric / The Wagon Tales / The Plea / Fly With Vampires / Ratz / Cut A Shine Hoedown / BARD / Lokandes / Sam Lee and Friends / Rumbaba / Cocos Lovers / Nights of Sevens / The Feud / Hourglass Sea / Goodnight Lenin / Kidnap Alice / Glover / I am Austin / The Worm / Jadares por Fuera / The Bleach / Hexed Hands / Meadow / I Am In Love / Awale / Harare / Smith Byrnes O’Sullivan
GLOW DANCE TENT: DERRICK CARTER / NERO / ADAM FREELAND / HERVE / YOUSEF / THE JAPANESE POPSTARS- LIVE / JESSE ROSE / BURNS / POLEN / MIDDLEMAN / MAVERICK SABRE / RETRO-GRADE / MARC ROBERTS / ASH HOWELL / THE RAGED / KI CREIGHTON / WE TAKE POLAROIDS / THE ENTREPRENEURS / PAPER TIGER / TYLER MAE / CHINA SHOP BULL / KARMA KANIC / LINTON BROWN
With sold-out shows every week mixing the biggest names in dance music along with some of clubbing’s biggest brands and chart stars, it’s no wonder that this year has seen it hit the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs In The World poll as the highest new entry (Number 11)!
And with Radio 1 and 1Xtra on board for a run of shows this year (including a live broadcast on July 16th) alongside the established favourites, this landmark club’s reputation is only going to get bigger still.
This season sees the likes of Tiesto, Tinie Tempah, Calvin Harris, Labrinth, Far East Movement, N-Dubz, Laidback Luke, DJ Sammy, Cascada, Eddie Halliwell, Judge Jules, Howard Donald, Krafty Kuts, Kutski, Mickey Slim, Mistajam, Tim Westwood, Trevor Nelson, DJ Semtex and Roll Deep all perform.
Throw in 35 performance dancers, breathtaking aerial artists and a stunning laser show, and it’s not hard to say why BCM leaves such a lasting impression on all who visit. As well as the huge names featuring in the main venue, Millennium underneath BCM plays host to foam, water and popcorn parties as well as the infamous Washing Machine.
Here’s the full run-down of what’s in store for BCM Mallorca’s 22nd year in action:
Mondays
Judge Jules’ long-established Judgement brand kicks the week off, with an eclectic array of guests joining the legend – from Eddie Halliwell to fellow Radio 1 jockKutski to breaks hero Krafty Kuts and electro don Mickey Slim, and a special 9 deck, 3 mixer, 3 dj´s in the mix session featuring Howard Donald at the end of his sold out Take That tour!!
Tuesdays
Various DJ´s, Artistes and promoters take over for a run of parties featuring some huge names from Radio 1 and beyond, rotating with BCM’s legendary in-house Masquerade Party and mischief-packed Students nights.
Wednesdays
The one and only Cream shows why it’s still going strong after all these years with a fiery mix of big room house music – from Holland’s hugely in-demand Laidback Luke to Calvin Harris and plenty more of the biggest draws in the scene. (Watch this space or check the website for updates on who)
Thursdays
RUDE returns with some of the biggest names in UK music – from 1Xtra stars like Mistajam, hip-hop’s number 1 DJ Semtex and Ras Kwame to live performances from mega stars like N-Dubz, Tinchy Stryder, Roll Deep, Labrinth and Far East Movement. The sound of the moment.
Fridays
One of Europe’s biggest names, DJ Sammy, takes charge for his weekly residency on Fridays, playing big room anthems and making full use of BCM’s epic main arena, with an array of live vocals, violins, guitars, and so on.
Saturdays
A rotating cast of nights make up the Saturday selection, from Dave Pearce’s Trance Anthems to X-Factor, Radio 1 & 1Xtra’s special bash on July 16th with Westwood,Uber cool Trevor Nelson and co., Dirty Sanchez, Spankox, and Italy’s Diabolica featuring an assortment of Italys finest Jocks.
Sundays
Rounding off the week are the massive Clubland parties, featuring anthem slayers like Cascada, Darren Styles, N-Trance and special guests including Danny Dyer, Aggro Santos and double Brit Award winner Tinie Tempah.
HD Fest has partnered up with Kiss FM, Dontstayin.com, Pukka Up, Epidemik, Raindance, Slip Back In Time, Kissdafunk, Pams House, Funked Up, Too Dam Glam, Sin City, Hat Club and Mixcloud to bring you the cream of the crop of dance sensations. HD Fest is providing a vast genre of dance music to please everyone’s tantalising tastes. With Trance, House, Old Skool, Garage, Drum & Bass and Dubstep. All this just a stones throw from Fairlop Central Line Station!
Saturday:
Main Stage Boy George, Dave Pearce, Freestylers, Scratch Perverts, Loose Cannons (Kiss), Alex P, Charlie Hedges (Kiss), Neev (Kiss) and DJ Competition Winner.
House Arena Jonathan Ulysses, Rob Tissera, Micky Slim, Miss Divine, Philgood & Ram, Mr Natralist, Joshua Roberts, Jay Funk, Danny May, Harry Pearce and Nicky Fingers.
Old Skool Arena Danny Byrd, Kutski, SL2 (Live PA), Jilted Generation (Prodigy Tribute), Slipmatt, Nicky Blackmarket, Ellis Dee, Kenny Ken, Sy, Uncle Dugs, Lee John, Jason J & Kezman, Harry Shotta, Skibadee, Jay J, Charlie B, 3Flow, 5ive-o, Strict and Cutter
Sunset Terrace Diason, Bernie T, Damo, Colin Chiddle, Jaxx, Rbee & Jim Sargent, Danny Quattro, Alex Muirden, Liam Cullen, Damo Walsh, Dan Johnson, Rob Ramos, Redifine, Ad Love and live electronic percussion by Pivotal.
Sunday:
Main Stage Yolanda Bed Cool, Vula (Voice of Basement Jaxx), Seb Fontaine, Bodyrox, Trophy Twins, Dermot C and Scott Giles.
Old Skool Arena Baby D (Live PA), Liquid (Live PA), Dub Hooligan (Live PA), Ratpack, EZ (Kiss), Slipmatt, Artful Dodger, Matt Jam Lamont, Billy Daniel Bunter, Phantasy, DJ Vibes b2b Johnny G, Twista, Evenson Allen, B Live, MC Alistair, Charlie B, 3Flow, Faction G and Jefferson.
Sunset Terrace Damien Stone, Laura Essence, Danny Keston, Vince Frimpong, David Lee, Katie Cooper, Carl Smeaton, Twisted Beatz, Brad Hudson, Darral S, Silks & Switch, DJ Nitro and Matt Caldwell
Camping and travel info Camping is available for 3,000 people. Campsite opens at 3:00pm Friday 17th June and remains alive and kicking until noon Monday 20th June for the most hard-core party people! HD Fest is providing a free shuttle bus to transport campers from the nearby offsite car park to the festival venue and campsite. The campsite is conveniently placed a 1 minute walk away from the main dance stages and the all-important bars. The campsite offers all the latest amenities in Festival Camping.
See www.hdfest.co.uk for full facilities, camp rules and a handy packing list. Coming by train? Fanstastic! Fairlop station is just next door and is accessed via the Central line on the London Tube (Red Line). The central line can be accessed via Liverpool Street and Stratford overground stations, for full detaiols visit www.nationalrail.co.uk to plan your journey.
Prices: Earlybirds are £30 per day or £80 including Friday to Sunday night included camping. Booking fees apply on all booking sites. Standard tickets are £40 per day and will be £100 for the 3 nights campign included. Booking fees apply on all booking sites.
RockNess TV – RockNess Gary Tank Commander Viral on MUZU.
From the best Scottish talent to some of the biggest festival comics from around the world, it’ll be rip roaring giggles galore between 1.30pm – 7.30pm each day in the new and improved HOWARD’S END.
The line up is topped each day with comedy heavyweights, kicking off on FRIDAY with headliner IAN COGNITO. Ian has headlined some of the best line ups in British comedy and is renowned for taking risks (he appears to be banned from more comedy clubs than any other British comedian!). Catch him unrestricted at RockNess. Joining Ian on Friday is Scottish Aussie Comic Cowboy, and controversial Scottish Comedian of the Year 2010, RO CAMPBELL, plus the inimitable one man tornado and fount of masterfully timed jokes that flout the very laws of censure… the REVEREND OBADIAH STEPPENWOLFE III. Hear how hewas lost but now he’s saved in this howlingly funny show.
Also on Friday is a comedian who walks a fine line between irony and downright obnoxiousness, MARTY McLEAN. His fearlessness of offending is legendary and the laughter in the audience is usually peppered with gasps of disbelief, and occasional cries of outrage, as those witnessed him storming last year’s Howard’s End will testify. BRUCE FUMMEY has been speaking since the age of seven months and now delights audiences with his natural verbosity and flair. A toastmaster with a difference, Bruce’s gravitas can keep even the most demanding of crowds entertained. Should be right at home at RockNess! ERIK LAMPAERT is renowned for sweeping up audiences in the sheer energy of his performance. Delightfully weird with a keen eye for the absurd, his scatty character rips like a mini-hurricane. Superb banter for day one of the festival.
The newcomers are on fire this year. Glaswegian new kid on the block MIKEY ADAMS joins the bill. Destined for a great future in comedy, Mikey has been enjoying rave reviews including ‘very, very funny’ LIST, and ‘the whole crowd were with him as he ramped up the level of expectation’ One4Review. JAMES KIRK is another one to check out if you can. Winner of the So You Think You’re Funny? New Act (previous winners include Peter Kay, Lee Mack and Dylan Moran), James “does comedy on his own terms” and made an appearance in the recent series of the excellent Gary: Tank Commander.
Scottish Comedian of the Year finalist and fast rising MC RAY BRADSHAW is on Friday’s bill too. Ray is ginger and it’s caused his some pain.Expect a set peppered with witty one liners! CHRIS HENRYstarted his joke telling career after performing song and dance shows in the holiday industry for six years (took him that long to figure out he couldn’t sing or dance). Now this loveable rogue will be sharing his bizarre and occasionally shocking tales at the Loch this June.
Bringing his talent in abundance on Friday is MAC STAR. He sings professionally in a Jamiroquai tribute band. He has performed as a male stripper. He has a laugh that could be used as a weapon. Mac Star is renowned for blasting his audience into submission with a warm but authoritative machine gun delivery. And if straightforward west of Scotland patter is your thing then EDDIE CASSIDY is your man. Eddie is wowing audiences as one third of the sold out ‘An Alky, A Junkie and a Psycho Walk Into A Bar’ show. Hilarious. Completing Friday and continuing the Glasgow banter is the strange but distinctive, and more than a bit different, DARREN CONNELL, andthe politically incorrect JOHN WALKER – noted for his role in the sketch comedy show Full Frontal as well as a famed impersonation of John Howard, Prime Minister of his native Australia.
Headlining SATURDAY’S comedy line up at RockNess is ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’ star SEAN HUGHES who is flying in especially. Known for his dark, acerbic sense of humour and quick fire comedy style, Sean is one of the funniest out there. Past winner of the Perrier Comedy Award for A One Night Stand with Sean Hughes, he also exercised his well honed comedic skills as team captain on the smash comedy show. Joining Sean is ANDRE VINCENT. Born inWoolworth’s Department Store in Penge, Andre has not stopped appearing in the most unusual of places since. He started his career as a professional show-off at an early age, becoming a star struck stage brat and working whenever a small child was needed to up-stage everyone. Fast forward and Andre Vincent is now one of the top stand-ups in the country today. Talking of top stand ups, tough, funny and original, with a brilliant and distinctively Glaswegian line in creative insults, RockNess is absolutely delighted to welcome back SCOTT AGNEW for what promises to be another big, burly, barnstorming performance. Unmissable!
Perched on the shoulder of decency, shouting his slightly-skewed invective and dark view of the world, PARROT is one of stand-up comedy’s great mavericks. His massive influence on the modern comedy scene extends far beyond his own stand-up act, having written for such stars as Dave Allen, Jack Dee and Jo Brand and shows including Rab C Nesbitt and Jonathan Ross Live. Expect a hard-hitting, quick-fire performance. Alongside Parrot, and with a repertoire of blistering, unadulterated material which pushes dangerously near the boundaries of good taste is one of Scotland’s true comedy gems,MARK NELSON. Winner of the inaugural Scottish Comedian of the Year and with a sold out 2010 Fringe debut, Mark’s RockNess performance is strongly recommended. ‘Nelson possesses a talent that’s simply obscene… a star in the making’ LIST. International globetrotter, English Comedian of the Year finalist, SKINS contributor and general heart throb, JOEL DOMMETT isalso Highlands-bound to share his manically funny musings. Known for reducing sell out audiences into bouts of uncontrollable laughter, this five time winner of the Comedy Café competition is not to be missed.
GUS LYMBURN burst onto the comedy scene in 2006 when he performed at The Stand’s Red Raw night. Since then he’s been charming and disturbing audiences in equal measure (don’t be fooled by the cheeky chappie demeanour, behind the puppy dog eyes lurks a sick mind). Never one to take a standard approach to his stand up, Gus’s act can – and has – incorporated a range of props from noodles to a burka, and on one occasion in a routine described by the Evening News as ‘the act of a desperate man’ – a can of squirty cream. He has even sustained a cracked rib when a mock stage fight with a fellow comic got out of hand. Joining Gus is former BBC presenter JULIA SUTHERLAND who stumbled intostand-up as the result of an on-air dare. Four years later, after losing 6 stone, she returned to comedy – with a whole new perspective. Her bold observations on relationships and tales of life in her new body pull no punches. PAUL ALCROFT has been entertaining audiences from Largs to Inverness since his introduction to comedy 20 months ago. With sharp lines, funny anecdotes and rapid delivery RockNess is pleased to be providing a platform for this exciting new talent.
SARAH-MAY PHILO – for raunchy confessions and enlightenment on life, love and everything in between, look no further than this blonde bombshell. Dump those Cosmo magazines, tell ‘Dear Deidre’ you’ve found another source of cheap unqualified life-counselling and join Sarah-May at RockNess for laughs and musical interludes. DARREN CONNELL drops back in again on Saturday too.
Headlining SUNDAY isScotland’s youngest comic prodigy DANIEL SLOSS. Half-man-half-Xbox, this hormone-ridden twenty-year-old started doing stand-up aged just 16. Daniel sold-out three Edinburgh Fringe seasons, starred on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Rob Brydon Show, Jason Manford’s Comedy Rocks and Mock the Week as well as starring in his own BBC show The Adventures of Daniel – all before he started to shave.
SCOTT AGNEW, REVEREND OBADIAH STEPPENWOLFE III, PARROT, RO CAMPBELL, MARTY McLEAN, MARK NELSON, CHRIS HENRY and RAY BRADSHAW all return to hit up Sunday’s Howard’s End and they are joined by the hilarious TEDDY. Ross ‘TEDDY’ Craig’s comedy style incorporates true life stories, topical gags, and sharp-edged one-liners weaved together in a darkly comic, self-deprecating and edgy fashion. Having cut his teeth at The Stand Comedy Club and with a stint at the acclaimed The Comedy Unit production company where he worked as writer (including on Only An Excuse?), Teddy has been doing stand up gigs as a freelancer ever since.
JOE HULLIAT began entertaining audiences with a varying range of underhand comments on race and class relations in modern Britain. Since then he has performed in the US, where he also produced the satirical podcast ‘Big Throbbing Question’, interviewed guests such as George Galloway as well as creating a prolific online profile much of which features his cult political character Tarquin Bartleby. “Frighteningly smart, thoroughly funny and consistently charming ” – Gus Beattie, BBC Radio 4 Producer.
Completing the RockNess 2011 comedy proposition are two fast rising Scottish talents, DAVID INNES and MATT WINNING. As one fifth of The Unusual Suspects comedy coalition who recently wowed audiences at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, expect a range of surreal, dark, angry, lateral and educational humour from DAVID INNES. Paisley boy MATT WINNING is also steadily making a name for himself…in between studying for a PhD in the Economics of Renewable Energy. Finalist in the Chortle Student Comedy Awards, Matt’s brand of humour is both intelligent and compelling.
And last but certainly not least the whole raucous weekend of laughs will (hopefully) be held together in some orderly fashion with MC extraordinaires BILLY KIRKWOOD, ALAN ANDERSON and the aforementioned ANDRE VINCENT. The bonafide Ayrshire born ‘comedy fizz bomb’ BILLY KIRKWOOD is a must see with a massive cult following, surreal style of storytelling and near non existent attention span. Undeniably funny, unspeakably juvenile. And if ever there was an authority qualified to compère the opening of this year’s comedy in Howard’s End it has to ALAN ANDERSON. As the promoter behind the Scottish Comedian of the Year, the annual event is now one of the hottest dates in the calendar and is always a night to remember!
Commenting on this year’s comedy proposition at RockNess, Festival Director Jim King said “The comedy programme last year was a great success and we wanted to build on that with more depth to the line. Brett has come up with some great names as well as the very best in emerging Scottish comedians, and with comedy now having its own home this year it’s going to be a really important part of the festival for many years to come”.
RockNess 2011 takes place 10-12 June, 2011 in the village of Dores, close to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
Exclusive coverage of this year’s festival will be available on BBC ALBA and the BBC iPlayer
TICKETS ON SALE NOW Student offer - £145 weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points. General offer – £149 weekend camping/non camping General offer – £159 weekend camping/non camping weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points.
Friday 26th August at Reading Festival / Saturday 27th August at Leeds Festival
Bringing a worldwide exclusive show to this year’s Reading & Leeds Festival, our co-headliner on The Dance Stage is UNKLE Sounds. The ever-evolving James Lavelle will debut UNKLE Sounds, an audio-visual DJ show pushing original tracks from UNKLE’s career plus select UNKLE remixes of other artists and remixes of UNKLE tracks on to the dance floor. With set and production design by long time UNKLE collaborators, Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones, the show will bring UNKLE’s illustrious music and visual history into the future. With exclusive audio and visuals being prepared for these shows, they are not to be missed.
We are not exaggerating when we say our co-headliners on The Dance Stage, SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, are one of the most successful electronic music acts around today. Early singles such as ‘The Mighty Atom’, ‘The Count’ and ‘Kitsuné hit ‘Hustler’ led to a 2007 debut album ‘Attack Decay Sustain Release’ on Wichita Recordings. The record was their breakthrough. Perhaps more importantly, it also gave birth to what would become one of electronic music’s most talked-about live shows, a celebrated DJing career and respect among their peers for a dedication to an analogue production aesthetic. These days, the live show is as forward-thinking as ever with an added component of video gradually being added to enhance and expand the experience. In other words, SMD are busy. Long may they remain so.
SUB FOCUS (LIVE) – the alias of DJ and producer Nick Douwma – is one of the biggest names in drum and bass and a pioneer in breaking down genre barriers within dance music. Rising from bedroom producer to major player in just a few years, Sub Focus has collaborated with the likes of Deadmau5, Dizzee Rascal and The Prodigy, with his stunning recent single ‘Splash’featuring vocals by Coco Sumner. Having joined Pendulum on tour last year to rave reviews, expect dancefloor hysteria as he brings his raucous melting pot of electronic beats to the Dance Stage at Reading & Leeds.
Producers Dan Stephens and Joe Ray are NERO (DJ set). Before setting the dubstep world alight (which resulted in a BBC Sound of 2011 nomination), NERO made drum ‘n’ bass for the masses. Having first come to widespread attention with a remix of The Streets ‘Blinded By The Lights’, they’ve subsequently remixed tunes for La Roux, N*E*R*D, Daft Punk and Beyoncé amongst others. The duo’s third single, ‘Guilt’, made its premiere when Zane Lowe selected it as his Hottest Record In The World, and will be included on the debut album which will drop early August.
SBTRKT (DJ set) is the elusive London based producer making some of the freshest beats around, and he’s heading for the decks at Reading & Leeds. He’s got the airwaves in a stir with Mary Anne Hobbs declaring ‘when people ask you who’s your top tip for next year, this guy might be it’. Recently SBTRKT has wrapped up remixes for Basement Jaxx, Jack Penate, Portico Quartet and These New Puritans. With solo releases forthcoming on the Young Turks, Brainmath and Ramp Recordings stables, look out for ltd release 12”s, a new album and further remixes from one of the hottest new UK producers.
Already a massive name on the underground rap scene, 2010 saw Dagenham’s DEVLIN emerge as one of the UK’s most exciting crossover artists. Blending playful storytelling with social realism and ‘the biggest vocabulary in grime’, Devlin’s meteoric rise from parties and open mics to three million YouTube hits, a five-label bidding war and a deal with Island Records has seen him dubbed ‘the Eminem of Essex’. Weaned on rap, inspired by garage, schooled by grime but with a scabrous wit and sound all his own, Devlin will be tearing up the Dance Stage this summer at Reading & Leeds.
Tipped by the Guardian as “one of this summer’s most irresistible festival bands”, CRYSTAL FIGHTERS are a thrilling addition to the Dance Stage. Their Basque-by-way-of-Hackney vibes are a jubilant collision of old-world musicianship and future electronics, utilising traditional wooden percussion and pipe whistles alongside raved-up synths and bass-driven computer-funk. The band have been honoured twice with a Radio 1 Record of the Week, whilst the energy and intensity of their live shows is legendary – “the single most exciting show in dance music” says Mixmag. Expect their gloriously euphoric sound to be the talk of Reading & Leeds.
UK post-dubstep duo MOUNT KIMBIE are one of the hottest acts of the moment, their debut album ‘Crooks and Lovers’appeared in over thirty ‘Best of 2010’ lists including Pitchfork, NME and Mixmag. Their minimal ambient soundscapes defy genre pigeonholing, featuring delicate loops, sampling and field recordings to hypnotic and haunting effect. With countless sold-out shows worldwide, their appearance on the Dance Stage at Reading & Leeds could be the best chance to catch them this summer.
Reading’s very own anarcho-electro heroes DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? return with the promise of another incendiary performance on the Dance Stage. Having severed ties with major labels to stay true to their experimental rave-rock roots, the band’s first album for Cooking Vinyl, ‘Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You’, was released in March and was a Top 3 UK dance chart smash. While their resolutely indie approach has earned transatlantic success and a touring spot with Linkin Park, a loyal UK fanbase will ensure a frenzied reception at both Reading & Leeds this summer.
COLD CAVE are back with a new album, ‘Cherish The Light Years’, and are heading to Reading & Leeds Festival. The record sees the band move in a new direction whilst still retaining the pulsing synthesizers, huge beats and post-punk sounds of their 2009 debut, ‘Love Comes Close’.Guest appearances arrive from the likes of Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and members of hardcore bands Glassjaw, Hatebreed and Moss Icon amongst others. The album delivers in all the right places and these shows are sure to do the same.
D/R/U/G/S is the project of one Callum Wright, who crafts some of the most euphoric, radical new music around. Early tracks quickly found their way onto the blogs and soon were being written about by NME, The Fader, Q, Dummy and XLR8R and played by Rob da Bank and Steve Lamacq on radio. This attention sent him on the road, and since starting out he has played around the UK and Europe, going down a storm at In The City, where he was given the title Most Buzzed About Act. In the live arena, Callum cements his reputation as one of the most exciting new musicians around.
Friday 26th August at Reading Festival / Saturday 27th August at Leeds Festival
Since emerging from the hyperbole last summer Southern US four-piece MONA have certainly caused a rumpus, be it the buzz of their first couple of low key releases, their (early) appearance on Later…With Jools or the London debut at Rough Trade East, the band certainly know how to get attention. Having won MTV’s Brand New For 2011 seeing off competition from Jessie J, The Vaccines and Jamie Woon, the imminent release of the much anticipated self titled debut album in May, gigs with both Kings of Leon and Morrissey and a first showing at Reading & Leeds, 2011 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for the band which has already seen The Guardian heralding them as “…very much rock ’n’ roll’s great white hopes.”
Expectations run high for MILES KANE playing his debut solo appearance at the festivals this year. The ex. Rascal and part time Last Shadow Puppets man has stepped out as a solo artist and releases his album ‘Colour of The Trap’ in May 2011. Described as ‘half boy- next-door, half charisma-firework’ Kane has instantly lovable star quality. The single ‘Inhaler’ dominated the airwaves at the end of 2010 and so far this year he has toured with Beady Eye as well as played his own shows. Look out for the darker corners of vintage pop, psych and blue-eyed soul sounds.
Sunderland’s FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS come armed with their acclaimed debut album ‘Hunger’ when they hit Reading & Leeds Festival this summer. The band have drawn comparisons to the likes of Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Orange Juice amongst others and built a reputation for their live shows and in particular the exuberant antics of frontman Frankie Francis. Primed with a clutch of brilliant singles and an ever growing fanclub, Frankie & The Heartstrings look set to be one of the weekend’s highlights having evolved into one of the country’s best loved bands.
www.frankieandtheheartstrings.com
Hailed by The Observer as “surely the best live band in Britain”, Yorkshire’s PULLED APART BY HORSES come highly recommended. Long recognised as a phenomenal live experience since their inception back in 2007, the quartet released their debut album last year and is a fitting accompaniment to the band’s incendiary live shows which more often than not witness much carnage both musically and physically. Catch Pulled Apart By Horses and you’ll see a band excel in their natural habitat with a whirlwind of noise and acrobatics!
Saturday 27th August at Reading Festival / Sunday 28th August at Leeds Festival
Not your conventional outfit, EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS fronted by Alex Ebert – who in turn becomes his childhood alter ego whenever the group perform – started playing together about two years ago and their shows have borne out scenes of euphoric joy as the group by turns bring their rousing, wildly adventurous, almost choral psychedelic folk rock to the live arena. With excitement building Stateside and debut album scheduled for later this year, catch this unique and incredible group when they play this year’s Reading & Leeds Festival.
The release of YUCK’s debut eponymous album this year continued the rise and widespread acclaim for this London based band. Formed from the ashes of Cajun Dance Party, they’ve taken the spirit of Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jnr, Teenage Fanclub and Pavement amongst others and created their own fresh sound. Having been featured in the BBC Sound of 2011 poll, everybody is invited to check out one of the best and brightest new bands around, not to mention one of the most mercurial and unpredictable.
California’s FUNERAL PARTY bring their punk-disco to Reading & Leeds Festival. Their kick-ass single ‘New York City Moves to the Sound of LA’ infected the airways on its release and the album ‘Golden Age of Nowhere’ which “shakes your hips as well as grabs your balls” followed earlier this year picking up more fans along the way. Expect frenetic dancing and moshing to infectious tunes.
Sunday 28th August at Reading Festival / Friday 26th August at Leeds Festival
With the release of their debut album ‘Crazy For You’ last summer, BEST COAST were hailed by many as ones to watch - with the album figuring highly in many end of year polls . The NME were gushing in their praise when they said “Best Coast have shot straight to the top of the pile for two reasons; great songs and immense charm” before handing the Los Angeles trio their favourite new band of 2010 gong. This summer marks a Reading & Leeds debut for Best Coast when they arrive with their infectious lo-fi summer soundtrack including the online hit single ‘Boyfriend’ to the NME/Radio 1 stage.
Led by the legendary Pink Eyes/Damian Abraham, FUCKED UP bring their hardcore punk all the way from Toronto to get things going in the NME/Radio 1 tent this year. With a history of raucous and rocking live shows the band have won over lots of fans in the UK. New album ‘David Comes To Life’ is a rock-opera (honestly!) which promises blistering melodic rock ‘n’ roll, crossed with all manner of psychic weirdness.
DANANANANAYKROYD bring ‘Fight Pop’ (their description!) to the Reading & Leeds Festivals this year. Since releasing their first records in 2006 they have picked up support and fans around the world for their ‘part craft pop, part noise, all energy’ sound. The Glasgow six-piece have a new album ‘There Is A Way’ due later this summer which is sure to find yet more fans drawn to this exciting live act.
www.dananananaykroyd.co.uk
TICKETING INFO
Weekend tickets £192.50 plus booking fees • Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £82.50 plus booking fee • Early entry permits £15 • Weekend ticket prices include camping.
Tickets are strictly limited to a maximum of four per household for those booking by telephone or online and two per person for personal callers to walk in stores.
Following the unfortunate news that blink-182 are no longer able to play at this year’s T in the Park, organisers have pulled out all the stops to deliver another stellar batch of formidable artists, including rock gods The Strokes and Slash.
Widely recognised as one of the most prominent bands to emerge in the 21st century, The Strokes have been changing the face of indie music with their records for a decade. 2001’s debut album ‘Is This It’ was hailed as the seminal album of its time, a creative goldmine, and claimed NME’s prestigious ‘Album of the Decade’ title. The band have since propelled to global superstardom, receiving adulation from all corners of the earth and released their fourth studio album ‘Angles’ to an adoring public just last week. These boys have toured the globe and will make a welcome return to T in the Park for what is sure to be one of the seminal musical moments of the summer.
Scotland welcomes another living legend to T in the Park this summer in the form of the one and only Slash. Respected worldwide as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, from performing with Guns N’ Roses, to setting up Velvet Revolver and now stealing the show everywhere he goes as a fully-fledged solo star, Slash is set to get even the most die hard rock fans trembling with excitement when he takes to the stage at T in the Park.
Peter Doherty is the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll star. Regarded as one of the most talented songwriters in the country, throughout his career he’s been the frontman of The Libertines and Babyshambles, earned a spot on NME’s 50 Greatest Rock Heroes and a Best Solo Artist accolade. Peter Doherty has proven himself as an accomplished artist, writer and poet. This man brings a certain romanticism to everything he touches and the T in the Park crowd are set to warmly welcome back the loveable wildchild of British indie music to the heart of Scotland.
Fronted by the undisputed epitome of cool Huey Morgan, Fun Lovin’ Criminals will touch down in Balado for the first time since 2000 to give fans a taste of New York street style. The dapper trio introduced the world to a sophisticated fusion of hip hop, jazz, funk and blues with monster hit ‘Scooby Snacks’ 15 years ago and have just released feel good album of the summer ‘Classic Fantastic’ in time for their much anticipated T in the Park performance.
Jenny & Johnny personify a modern day rock ‘n’ roll love story come true as two musicians, successful in their own right, come together as one to produce power-pop gold. The duo found fame separately in America before collaborating in 2005 and have been making sweet, sunshine infused music ever since. The pair have toured mainland Europe with Vampire Weekend and debut album ‘I’m Having Fun Now’ earned rave reviews from either sides of the Atlantic. Radiant harmonies and melodic choruses will dance through the fields of Balado when this highly acclaimed pair takes to the stage.
Devlin is one of the hottest MC’s in the country right now and set the bar for a new generation of grime music in 2006 with underground classic ‘Tales from the Crypt’. A regular on pirate radio since the age of 13, the lyrical genius has been perfecting his craft for years while the UK’s grime scene exploded into the mainstream with Devlin at the forefront. Admiration for his gritty lyrics and slick delivery have established Devlin as a new-age poet and his hard hitting rhymes show maturity beyond his years.
There’s a thin line between rock ’n’ roll and religion, and nowhere thinner than in the intense, sharp, sweat-drenched, duelling-guitar euphoria of Mona. The four-piece Nashville-based band cut their teeth in evangelical churches of Middle America where secular music was frowned upon, before rebelling against the religious straightjacket to record arguably the best debut album of 2011. As sharp tongued off stage as they are forcefully charismatic onstage, they want to convert everyone they come across to their unforgettable style of arm-pumping, vein-throbbing, knee-jittering, raw-throated, singalong rock ’n’ roll. Thank God they’re coming to T in the Park – Hallelujah!
Nominated for the BBC’s ‘Sound of 2011’ poll, New Zealand based band The Naked And Famous released their debut album ‘Passive Me, Aggressive You’ to critical acclaim last year and will take to the stage and wow the crowds with their live set at T in the Park this summer.
It is with regret that blink-182 have withdrawn from this year’s T in the Park due to the delay of their new album being finished. It’s important to the band to have new songs and a fresh set to deliver to the fans. The band said: ‘The three of us are working very hard to do what we set out to do when we re-formed…get a new blink-182 album recorded. For those of you who hoped to see us at T in the Park this year, we’re so sorry that we won’t be there especially because we were looking forward to it so much. However, we have added a Glasgow arena date onto next summer’s tour so we can make sure we see our Scottish fans.’
At the heart of T in the Park is the music and atmosphere that continually unites the crowd and creates a weekend of memorable moments that will last a lifetime. Brit Award and Grammy winners, multi-million selling artists, the best breakthrough talent, new music icons and legends….T in the Park 2011 has them all. Bring it on Balado.
Tickets for T in the Park 2011 are now sold out and fans are advised not to buy from unofficial sources.
A limited number of T in the Park Residence packages are still available to buy. The Residence offers festival goers a bespoke, luxury experience where all their accommodation needs are taken care of. Guests are welcomed into an oasis of indulgence to enjoy a unique festival experience in their luxury accommodation of choice. Once they have settled into their home for the weekend, festival goers can relax in the Residence Lounge Café & Bar or treat themselves to a pampering session in the spa before heading to see their favourite bands as well as accessing the festival’s hospitality area. For more information log onto www.tinthepark.com/residence
LIVE: Santigold / Johnny Flynn / King Creosote & Jon Hopkins / Yuck / Mr. Motivator / SL2 live PA performing “On A Ragga Tip” + SL2 / Foreign Beggars / Dutch Uncles / Ulrich Schnauss / Alice Russell / The Secret Sisters / Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer / Young Rebel Set / Chris Read
DJs: Joy Orbison / Busy P / Mary Anne Hobbs / Modular – Sneaky Sound System, Bag Raiders / Howard Marks (Dubstep Set) / Benji B / Jaguar Skills / The Heatwave Carnival -The Heatwave, Sticky, Lady Chann / Loefah / Bullion / Huw Stephens / Jaymo & Andy George / Kirk Degiorgio / Jon Hopkins / Firas & Jay Karim / Flying White Dots / Drm Rll Pls Dj’s / Sunday Best Forum Allstars / Prince Tribute Trio / Johnno’s Bugged Out New Years Day Set / Fragment Djs / Shepdog
PLUS: Bloco – Bestival Block Party / The Ambient Forest / Swamp Shack / Boom Boom Club / Black Out Gigs / Wunder Kabinet / Classic Album Sundays
AND: Grandmaster Flash Has A Message!
Putting old PT Barnum to shame, the Bestival crew’s unending quest to bring you the greatest show on earth continues apace with even more amazing acts joining The Cure, Pendulum, Primal Scream, PJ Harvey, Brian Wilson, Public Enemy, Mogwai, Kelis, Fatboy Slim and Groove Armada on the bill plus some very special festival exclusives. Spread across 15 stages from September 8th to 11th and curated by renowned arbiter of taste Rob da Bank, this year’s Bestival has it all like never before, from the great and good to your next favourite band, all topped off with the magic and madcap merriment that make our Robin Hill shindig a true one of a kind.
Rob da Bank says: ‘So we have another teasing taster of what we’ve got to invade the island with come September! Watch out for Santigold, Johny Flynn and King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, some of my favourite live acts at the moment plus DJs Ed Banger boss Busy P, dubstep dons Joy Orbison, Mary Anne Hobbs and Loefah and our Prince Tribute expanding to a threesome playing the Purple ones greatest hits! One of the things I’m most excited about this year is going to be the Block Party – a Rio style carnival procession with floats funded, designed and created by you lot. Roll on September.’
Philly pop sensation Santigold is the first name out of the hat for the latest line up additions. Sassy and super-stylish Santigold’s jack knife beats, bouncing bass and soaring vocals are all that’s needed to light the blue touch paper for a coruscating crowd pleasing set. Nu-folk hero Johnny Flynn has quietly been making a name for himself gaining accolades aplenty for last year’s ‘Been Listening’ long payer, so we’re delighted that he will be delivering his pastoral and plucky gems for one and all. The obscenely prolific King Creosote AKA Kenny Anderson will be teaming up with Jon Hopkins to treat Bestivalites to a taste of their lauded ‘Diamond Mine’ long player and Nu-gazers Yuck whose slacker pop has been getting those in the know all hot and bothered will be crossing the Solent to wow the masses with their glorious melodious fuzz. In a UK festival exclusive Mr Motivator is back by popular demand, an unstoppable force, Mr Motivator will be moving and shaking his way through Robin Hill once again in his infamous 80’s onesy. Keep your eyes peeled and your limbs limber, the Motivator can strike at any time! Other acts bringing the goods to Robin Hill include SL2 live PA performing “On A Ragga Tip” + SL2, heavy dubstep purveyors Foreign Beggars, scratchy and angular Mancunian indie-popsters Dutch Uncles, blissful soundscape architect Ulrich Schnauss, silky voiced chanteuse Alice Russell, vintage country duo The Secret Sisters, gritty folk-punk seven-piece Young Rebel Set and soulful acoustic pop troubadour Chris Read.
Manning the platters that matter are a slew of selectors including lush genre-smashing genius Joy Orbison, ED Banger’s Busy P the mighty Mary Anne Hobbs, the one and only Mr Nice AKA Howard Marks performing one of his extolled Dubstep sets, Radio 1 funkster Benji B, ninja mash-up master Jaguar Skills, The Heatwave Carnival with The Heatwave, Sticky, Lady Chann and special guests, Jungle infiltrator Loefah, chillwaver Bullion, BBC Radio 1’s Introducing stalwart Huw Stephens, jump-up electro duo Jaymo & Andy George and UK techno legend Kirk Degiorgio. Firing long into the night there will also be sets from Jon Hopkins, Firas & Jay Karim, Flying White Dots, DRM RLL PLS DJ’S, our very own Sunday Best Forum Allstars, the Prince Tribute Trio featuring Bobby Friction, Nerm, and Tayo, the Modular crew with Sneaky Sound System and Bag Raiders, Johnno’s Bugged Out’s New Year’s Day Set, the Fragment DJs and Shepdog.
We are super excited to introduce the all new Bestival Block Party for the Saturday afternoon. We know you all love dressing up and the Parade has traditionally been the pinnacle of the craziness on the Saturday but we’re going one step further with you guys and girls and getting much more involved in 2011. Taking inspiration from the Bloco’s or individual sections of Brazil’s Rio carnival, the Block Party will be a parade divided up into a number of blocks, each one with its own name, identity and uniform designed and funded by you and your block mates!
Each block has a, a vehicle, a band and performers styled around a specific sub theme blending elements of music, fashion and icons of popular culture. Bestival is teaming up with a crowd funding site and ticket holders will then choose their parade block and donate to fund the creation and build of their chosen group. Watch this space for the Block names and ways to enter in the coming weeks…
We’ve got some crazy new spectacles for your pleasure this year including The Ambient Forest, which is Bestival’s newest area, hidden deep in the woods. By day our bearded chum and poet extraordinaire Scroobius Pip will programme spoken word for anyone wanting a break from the 4/4. Line up coming soon! After signing David Lynch to his record label Rob da Bank has invited the David Lynch Foundation to join us in the Forest with meditation workshops and leftfield musical offerings… watch this space for much more info. And lastly for the Ambient Forest, during the evening and into the night the best ambient and horizontal DJs in the world from Tom Middleton to Chris Coco, Phil Mison to Pete Gooding will play pure ambient for your brain and body.
We’re beyond mega-excited about something else completely brand new for Bestival 2011 – Swamp Shack! A festival exclusive, at the far end of the Wishing Tree field, stands a ramshackle Louisiana bayou juke joint, topsy-turvy on rickety stilt-legs and wreathed in dry ice…On the porch an undead Honky Tonk piano player tickles the ivories, as a dreadlocked Voodoo Blues Queen howls at the moon… All of a sudden, the piano bursts into flames as the moon starts howling back…Welcome to The Swamp Shack darklings… Created in collaboration between Trash City co-creative director Ruby Blues and Block 9, the set-design pioneers behind the legendary NYC Downlow Gay bar, The Swamp Shack is a brand new music-and performance venue, straight from the pages of a Sothern Gothic fairytale…Populated by an interactive cast of True Blood-style Deep South vampires, fading Southern Belles and a host of other unwholesome night-crawlers, the venue will also play host to some of the best bands and DJ sets from the UK underground, headline appearances from some very special big-name acts and late-night live drumming old skool Jungle sessions!
Taking over the Cabaret tent on Friday night will be East London’s purveyors of gin-soaked entertainment Boom Boom Club. Acid-tongued host Dusty Limits will present a cocktail of hand-picked headline acts including king and queen of the educational pop mash-up Frisky And Mannish, the matador king of oral ping-pong ball juggling and songs Paul Morocco, Chinese pole and acro-balance husband and wife duo Frayed Knot Circus, striptease unicyclist gentleman Count Adriano Fettucini, Banjolele-toting dandy rap superstar Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, daredevil fire performer and unruly showgirl Kitty Bang Bang, versatile character actress and inventor of “chav-burlesque” Kiki Kaboom, glow-in-the-dark hula girl Jessie Rose, big hitting show tune crooner Frank Sanazi and ivory-tickling genius accompanist Michael Roulston.
There’s even more surreal fun to be had at the Blackout Gigs every evening in the Countryside Centre at Robin Hill which will see audiences kept in the dark – literally. Another exclusive to us, live performances by acclaimed acts will take place in complete darkness, and the bands’ identities will never be revealed! This unique idea is the result of a collaboration between eclectic promoters Eat Your Own Ears and young artist Sam Potter, lately of Late Of The Pier. Blackout audiences can focus on the subtleties of sound brought about by the sensory distortion of total darkness, whilst the artists can perform and experiment free from expectations and preconceptions thanks to the absolute anonymity that the Blackout gigs offer them. We can’t wait!
The exclusives keep on coming as Marisa Carnesky, modern day show woman and creator of the Ghost Train, will be hosting Sunday night in the Cabaret tent with an exclusive Wunder Kabinet show. Expect performances by the weird and the wonderful, a rag-and-bone style magicians workshop of illusions, mine, drag and surreal acts, with Marisa weaving in her twisted dark comedy in between. This is cabaret but not as you know it.
Classic Album Sundays are also set to join the throng putting on a Communal and Audiophile Listening Experience at Bestival that will give you a rare chance to fully listen to a classic album in it’s entirety on a Class A audiophile system. It will elevate the listening experience to greater heights and take you as close to the studio recording of the album as possible. In the communication age, where we’re always on call, texting, tweeting, emailing and more, when is the last time you ‘listened’ to an album from beginning to end undisturbed and focused? For many of us, it has been a while and for most of us, never in an audiophile way. So grab yourself a tea, and hole up with us at the Countryside Centre for an hour of uninterrupted aural bliss.
Lastly, Rob da Bank recently caught up with the previously announced Grandmaster Flash who had this to say about his appearance at Bestival!
There’s still one more headliner to announce and tons of far out fun and frolics to unveil so keep on checking www.bestival.net for all the up to the minute news.
