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!
With 135 days to go to BLOODSTOCK, are we allowed to start a countdown yet?! Spring is officially here and though the festival has some disappointing news to share first, there is also a plethora of excellent news and lots more still to reveal while we’re (im)patiently waiting for August to roll around. You can also tune in to the next Facebook Live on Thursday, 6th April at 7pm. We can’t promise festival management will be wearing Easter bunny ears, but we can promise some Easter goodies. Keep an eye out on BLOODSTOCK’s socials next week too for a little Easter competition…! Unfortunately, we have to share that both Nonpoint and DevilDriver have pulled out of the festival this summer. Putting on a festival involves a lot of moving parts, and BLOODSTOCK is as disappointed and frustrated as its audience when things crop up which the festival has no control over – after all, BLOODSTOCK wants to deliver the very best possible festival for you and works hard year round to curate an stellar line-up. Dez from DevilDriver has shared the following message and we wish Dez all the best with his continuing recovery.
BLOODSTOCK is delighted to announce that the legendary, Norwegian black metal icon ABBATHwill step in to fill the breach on Saturday’s Ronnie James Dio main stage. Rarely in the UK, and not at BLOODSTOCK since Immortal’s headline slot in 2011, this is certifiably a set not to be missed!! ABBATH declares, “We’re really looking forward to be coming back to the UK to shake the Bloodstock foundation. It’s been way too long!” Get up to speed with this full stream of latest release ‘Dread Reaver’, out now via Season Of Mist, or watch the video for ‘Dream Cull.’ Better hone your meme skills, too. With Nonpoint dropping out, the previously announced, almighty BOSSKare moving up the Sophie Lancaster stage bill to takeover their slot, and BLOODSTOCK can also reveal the addition of crossover thrash beasts PEST CONTROL to keep your heads bangin’. Trot over to Bandcamp to investigate their tunes, including latest release ‘Don’t Test The Pest’, released just last month.
The festival is more than just bands though! BLOODSTOCK is excited to welcome the UK’s biggest rock and metal fitness company ROCKFIT for the first time! Renowned for an amalgamation of cardio, dance, and some serious body-sculpting set to a pure rock and metal playlist for those that like it loud, if you’re not sleeping in then ROCKFIT will be the perfect way to shake off the night before and limber you up for the pit! Squatting to Slayer, singing your lungs out, and even the occasional viking row, there will be a 45-minute open air class kicking off Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the main arena at 10:15am! RockFit @ Bloodstock is going to be a seriously unique festival fitness experience for metal fans by metal fans to leave you feeling energised and fit for the pit!
If the ROCKFIT workout gets you hot under the collar, then BLOODSTOCK also has the perfect thing to cool things down. BLACK ICE-CREAM is back! Suitable for all ages and a refreshing ginger and lemon flavour, it’ll be available in the main arena all festival. Possibly the perfect summer accessory for you to watch ABBATH’s unholy set with?
B London is something all new and music-centric for the West side of the capital. Now open to the public, with its chic industrial style the venue launches in earnest with a run of events featuring Dan Ghenacia, Adam Ten, Keinemusik’s Reznik (in collaboration with Perplex London), Mita Gami, Paul Oakenfold, and Carl Cox who plays for a charity night in support of The Baobab School in Nairobi, with more to be announced.
B London has put a huge amount of thought into making the space a perfect place for DJs and dancers. It boasts a five-ton concrete DJ booth in the heart of the space, especially catered toward visiting vinyl selectors – a rarity in West London – as well as a world class and professionally tuned D&B sound system throughout.
Situated at the site of a former West London celebrity haunt, the compact space now features low level strip lighting and diffuse neon lights, as well as walls adorned in graffiti by renowned artist Josh Colwell aka JXC. It is all set up for the music to be centre stage each night, with additional membership options offering discounts and exclusive benefits for the B London community.
Celebrated French house master Dan Ghenacia, who is one third of Apollonia, plays on 31st March and is sure to go deep into his A-grade collection. Mita Gami is up on April 7th, a Boston born and psychedelic house innovator who serves up sensory soundtracks, while Reznik of Keinemusik association plays on April 21st, an artist renowned for his unique sense of groove and spirituality. Paul Oakenfold plays on April 15th, then Israeli’s pioneering talent Adam Ten on April 28th, before UK legend and global star Carl Cox brings all his considerable know-how, years of techno innovation and globe-trotting DJ travels to the dance floor on May 25th, to raise money for The Baobab School in Kenya.
Soul Town Festival today adds a wealth of cultured new names to its already impeccable line-up and announces that Magic Radio’s sister station Magic Soul will be a main stage partner. Mica Paris, Eban Brown from the Stylistics, Odyssey, The Dualers, Dawn Penn and more will now join the likes of UB40, Sister Sledge ft Kathy Sledge, Tunde Baiyewu (Lighthouse Family), Desmond Decker & The Aces, Edwin Starr Band and Omar on September 2nd and 3rd 2023 at the new and improved location of Croydon Recreation Ground in Beckenham, Get the best ticket deals at https://soultownfestival.com
Soul Town Festival is the most authentic soul, disco, motown and reggae celebration in the UK. It offers two magical days with more than 65 artists, over 40 food vendors as well as dancers, rides, attractions, live steel bands, face painting, glitter stalls, hair braiding, fashion and craft stalls and so much more. The new location is a beautiful lush green space in Beckenham with more bars, more staff, more toilets and improved disabled access and viewing points.
Some of the many treats to look forward to include an all new Pimms bus with a terrace on the top deck, a premium gin garden and cocktail beach, plus hand selected Caribbean food stalls, wood fire pizzas, vegan wings and many more sweet tears and desserts. For those wanting a luxury experience, there are special VIP areas and VIP tickets that offer separate queuing for fast track entry, a drink and food voucher (beer, wine, spirit and mixer), Soul Town merchandise, private bar, luxury toilets, makeup bar, prime stage viewing area at both stages and more.
There will be two superb main stages each decked out with mesmeric production and world class sound systems to deliver the tunes in style. What’s more, the renowned Magic Soul will be the Main Stage partner for both Saturday and Sunday while Soul Town teams on the ground will be running competitions and giveaways.
These new names include plenty more soul, disco and funk talents with iconic singer Mica Paris, Eban Brown from legendary group Stylistics, Odyssey aka the New York vocal trio behind the hit ‘Native New Yorker’ Odyssey, plus The Dualers, Dawn Penn and more next to first wave stars Sister Sledge ft Kathy Sledge, the seductive soul sounds of Omar, uplifting sounds from Tunde Baiyewu of Lighthouse Family, reggae from the much loved UB40 and iconic vocalist Desmond Dekker and the Aces plus the soul and Motown greats that are the Edwin Star Band and many more.
Soul Town Festival is now all set to offer the most essential weekender for lovers of good time grooves. Get your tickets now.
Liverpool’s community minded and meticulously crafted One In The Woods is back with another mouthwatering mix of house, techno and drum & bass heavyweights in Orrell Hill Woods from July 28 – 30. This year sees the festival evolve from the two day event of previous years into bespoke three day camping festival offering its largest ever line up with Interplanetary Criminal, DJ Seinfield, Joy Orbison, Special Request, Call Super, Objekt, FJAAK, Sam Paganini, Len Faki, Kobosil, Paula Temple, DJ Marky, LTJ Bukem, Goldie, A.M.C and many more. Tickets will sell out so get yours now at https://www.oneinthewoods.com/.
Since its debut in 2021, One In The Woods has raised the bar each and every time with next level production, sound and a warm, friendly and up for it crowd. It’s a cultural festival that unites the sounds and scenes of Liverpool and Manchester and is hosted by The One Promotions, an experienced and accomplished group of friends who promoted many events across the region. In 2023, levels are set to be raised once more with an additional arena and the most complete and comprehensive line up of techno and drum & bass talents to date all set to make for an unforgettable three days.
The escapist location is deep in lush free woodland in Orrell Hill Woods with easy transport links from both Liverpool and Manchester. It’s a secluded spot with towering forests and a mystical aura that becomes all the more special over the course of this weekend. As well as world class music there is a superb mix of pop up merchants and mouth watering local food vendors offering both vegetarian and vegan options.
This year’s bumper lineup comes from the leading edge of the electronic underground with emotive house craftsman and Ninja Tune artist DJ Seinfield joined by the ever innovative multi-genre specialist Joy Orbison, acid, jungle and techno selector Special Request, the impossibly dexterous DJs that are Call Super and Objekt along with Interplanetary Criminal, plus serious techno from FJAAK, Sam Paganini, Berghain regulars Len Faki and Kobosil, the dark dance floor destroyer Paula Temple, plus drum & bass royalty DJ Marky, LTJ Bukem, Goldie, A.M.C and more.
There is no better way to spend a summer weekend than to get lost at One In The Woods with some of the world’s best DJs. Make sure you’re there by getting your ticket now at https://www.oneinthewoods.com/.
After receiving an award for Best Innovation at the UK Festival Awards, EXIT has entered into a multi-year collaboration with ticketing platform NFT-TiX for its upcoming festivals and events.
Last July, EXIT, a multiple Best European Festival Award winner, became the first major music event in the world to use blockchain technology to sell NFT tickets for an event of this size, enabling the purchase of tickets on a decentralised ticketing platform. It was this project that won the UK Festival Innovation Award mentioned earlier and it has now been shortlisted for the DISRUPTOR Award at the Ticketing Business Awards, one of the most prestigious global awards in the ticketing business industry. The collaboration with NFT-TiX will include a series of events organised by the EXIT team, with a special offer for the upcoming EXIT Festival, which will take place from the 6th to the 9th of July 2023 at the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad. In addition to NFT tickets, EXIT was the first big festival in the world last year, along with Coachella, to launch its NFT collection.
The partnership between NFT-TiX and EXIT Festival is a leading example of the innovative solutions the ticketing industry needs to meet the demands of today’s event goers. For the upcoming edition of the EXIT festival, in addition to regular NFT tickets, ten never seen before, ultra VIP humanitarian NFT tickets will be available, priced at €10,000. These passes will provide fans with a unique festival experience, including a personal host at the festival, meet and greets with performers, access to the VIP GOLD zones on the festival’s main stage and the Dance Arena, Onstage tickets to the Dance Arena, entry to the Infinite Dance Arena Lounge and the VIP Diamond area at the Dance Arena. In addition to the perks on festival grounds, holders of these tickets will be provided with accommodation at the Leopold Hotel, transfer from the airport, a separate wristband exchange location and festival entrance, and telephone assistance from the EXIT Festival’s VIP protocol service.
NFT-TiX and EXIT Festival have been shortlisted for the DISRUPTOR Award at the Ticketing Business Awards. The partnership between NFT-TiX and EXIT Festival is recognised as a leading example in the industry, and this award rewards innovation and competence in ticketing and event management. The winner will be announced at the Ticketing Business Forum in Manchester on the 19th of April.
NFT-TiX is a revolutionary ticketing platform built on the Ethereum blockchain that utilizes smart contracts to connect ticket sellers and buyers directly, eliminating the need for middlemen. By leveraging blockchain technology, NFT-TiX offers a secure and transparent way to buy and sell tickets for various events, such as music festivals, sports games, conferences and many more. NFT-TiX prioritizes fair prices and exclusive benefits for ticket holders, including long-term solutions against fraud, reselling, and secondary markets. NFT-TiX is a game-changer in the ticketing industry, providing a new level of transparency, convenience, security, and exclusivity for event-goers while empowering event organizers with direct access to their audience.
Tickets like these are undeniably the future of the festival industry and a profound contribution to the expansion of the music NFT community. With an NFT ticket, festival-goers don’t just receive admission to the event, but a one-of-a-kind digital asset making each ticket a unique and immutable digital asset that guarantees entry. These tickets also very often give their holders access to exclusive experiences, including fan clubs made up only of holders of similar NFT tickets.
Exit’s last year was also marked by its entry into the Metaverse and the creation of one of the first NFT collections in the festival world, as well as NFT festival tickets. Well known for being creative and innovative, this venture was fortunate to say the least, as all collections were sold out. Three NFT collections were created in collaboration with world music stars and famous personalities. The SHADES collection was created by one of the most famous artists from the world of electronic music, MACEO PLEX, the WINGS collection was created by model, pilot and human rights activist CHRISTINA CARMELA, while the third was a unique digital art called HEADPHONES.
Love Machine is the ultimate musical escape and one that restores and revives mind, body and soul deep in the sun-bathed and boulder-strewn mountains of Jacumba in California. This cultural getaway mixes up meditation, yoga, workshops and glamping with a soundtrack from world renowned talents including Rødhåd, Rodriguez Jr live, Nic Fanciulli, Themba, Pig & Dan, Doc Martin, Konstantin Sibold, Ian Pooley, Halo Varga, Emanuel Satie and many more. This intimate gathering all goes down from April 28th – 30th 2023 at DeAnza Springs in 500 acres of high desert. Get your passports to paradise now at https://lovemachine.live
The aim of Love Machine is to bring awareness to mental and emotional health through new human connections which are formed on the dance floor. With that in mind, the pillars of Love Machine are community, art, yoga, music and lifestyle awareness as well as cutting edge production. These themes run through three unforgettable days with like minded people, experts and performers from the local area as well as around the world. It’s a place to learn and share, to reinvigorate your senses and enjoy music in a truly unique location.
This year the festival remains in Jacumba but moves to DeAnza Spring, one of the largest newest clothing optional resorts in North America. Guests can splash around the outdoor or indoor pool, explore trails into the hills of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, grassy lawns, areas of shade under ancient trees between typical desert vegetation and stay in a wide array of different RV’s and motel rooms.
The production at Love Machine has to be seen to be believed – towering metallic structures reflecting the natural beauty of the setting and mapped with immersive lighting, stylish stage designs and world class sound systems. There will also be grand art installations, sound baths, lectures, bodywork, meditation and healthy food offerings with a focus on plant-based living and an array of holistic workshops including yoga and mindfulness.
On Friday, renowned Berghain mainstay and techno favourite Rødhåd headlines with a live show from Rodriguez Jr after he impressed so much last year. Deer Jade, Harvard Brass and Tyler Reid also lineup while Saturday features Saved label head and global tech house star Nic Fanciulli, global Afro house pioneer Themba, techno from the iconic Pig & Dan, West Coast sounds from US legend Doc Martin, deep vibes from Emanuel Satie plus Tony Y Not, Joe Pea, Carlo Key, Mala Ika and Tyler Chase. On Sunday, it is Konstantin Sibold’s master of melody Konstantin Sibold who is joined by Berlin’s longtime house innovator Ian Pooley, plus Invoker, Halo Varga and Kitsch.
Love Machine is an idyllic getaway and perfect escape to leave the everyday behind and form new musical and personal connections on a dance floor in the desert.
Pioneering and legendary French festival FAMILY PIKNIK, which was recently voted #57 in DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals, today drops an all-star menu for this year’s event on August 5 and 6th with Carl Cox (Hybrid Live), Adam Beyer, Ben Böhmer, ANNA, Margaret Dygas, Josh Wink, Raresh, Patrice Bäumel, Fumiya Tanaka, tINI b2b Anthea & many more…
After a hugely successful debut last year, the festival once again goes down in Frontignan next to the Mediterranean sea, which is easily accessible with direct trains from Montpellier. It is a charming city offering many advantages: 7kms of beaches, water sports, delicious local wine, oysters and great local food and now the most friendly music outdoor festival with the best talents in house, techno, deep and electronic music
Says TOM POOKS – Family Piknik founder, “This venue sticks to our values and initial concept, with a wide open terrain, trees and nature all around. It’s just only 10 minutes away from Montpellier by train and next to the Mediterranean sea. The perfect summer spot!”
EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCES
Since its debut in 2012, Family Piknik Festival has always invited the biggest house and techno talents to deliver exclusive performances and rare extended sets. 2023 won’t be any exception, with than exclusive French appearance from the king Carl Cox himself. Four years after a legendary extended set next to Sven Väth, the British superstar will showcase his new Hybrid Live set exclusively on Family Piknik’s stage on Sunday 6th of August. He will be joined by many of his favourite Live acts, including Christopher Coe, Hannes Bieger and Marc Romboy, most of them now being linked to Cox & Coe’s Awesome Soundwave project.
Sunday’s main stage will entirely focus on LIVE performances, from opening to closing. French duo Popof & Space 92 will also exclusively share their explosive Turbulences show, while Berlin’s new rising talent Joplyn is set to be one of the most promising newcomers of this 2023 edition. After years of back-to-back sessions, Family Piknik’s head honchos Tom Pooks & Joy Kitikonti will also launch their new Live set-up on that day.
On Saturday 5th of August, there will be another highly expected exclusive performance at Family Piknik, with German’s talent Ben Böhmer dropping his Live show in the middle of the afternoon. Anjunadeep’s stalwart will line up next to French newcomers Abstraal and Romain Garcia, before the stage progressively switches from deep melodic to something much more techno, with the likes of Patrice Bäumel, Josh Wink, Nakadia, ANNA and Adam Beyer, the Swedish DJ and producer who has been leading the techno industry for 15 years with his own label Drumcode, will be back to Family Piknik two years after a mesmerising first session next to Reinier Zonneveld.
FAMILY NOMAD STAGE
Family Piknik’s second stage, named Family Nomad Stage, will offer a totally different experience from the main stage. Built under some ethnic tents, with an innovative circular dancefloor, there will be a great proximity between the artists and the audience. Musically, this stage will look like an immersive travel through the waves of minimal, ethnic, micro and mental House music.
Romanian’s talent Raresh, member of the famous RPR Soundsystem and regular partner of Ricardo Villalobos, will be one of the highlights of this special stage on Saturday 5th of August, along with Berlin’s finest digger Margaret Dygas and living legend Fumiya Tanaka. On the following day, Sunday 6th of August, an exclusive back-to-back session with tINI & Anthea is sure to turn the dance floor upside down. Gene on Earth, Man/ipulate, Illi & Nikizi, Mood Gorning & Albanø and several other French support acts will spread the finest underground music through the week-end under this brand new Nomad Stage.
FAMILY CAMP
This is one of the main new additions to Family Piknik’s festival this year, the Family Camp will welcome festival attendees from Friday 4th to Monday 7th of August. This camping area will be settled next to the festival, with all the requested services to enjoy a great camping experience. May you bring your own tent or rent a premium Tipi, you’ll live in a cool village for this special week-end without worrying about your safety or your budget. Easy, cheap and convenient, Family Camp is the ideal solution to enjoy the best festival experience.
With the Mediterranean sea being just a few minutes away (walking, cycling or by bus), campers will be able to enjoy miles of wonderful beaches, while several chill zones will be built inside the camp. As Frontignan’s tourist area is often busy during the summer, making it difficult to find the right accommodation at a decent price, Family Camp is the best solution! What’s more, there are serious rumours about a free Opening Beach Party taking place on Friday 4th of August, which could give you a good reason to stay for three nights in the camp.
Victorious is back this year from 25 to 27 August 2023 in Southsea and the headliners are bigger than ever:
JAMIROQUAI
KASABIAN
MUMFORD & SONS
ALONGSIDE 30+ WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS
PETE TONG IBIZA CLASSICS | BEN HOWARD | KAISER CHIEFS | ELLIE GOULDING | JAKE BUGG |
ALT-J | JOHNNY MARR | PALE WAVES | BLOSSOMS | FRIENDLY FIRES |
SIGRID | BELLE AND SEBASTIAN | ANNIE MAC | THE CORAL | KATE NASH | THE VACCINES |
In a UK exclusive for Victorious, Mumford and Sons have recently been announced as headliners for the Sunday night.
They join Jamiroquai, who will bring a mix of acid-jazz, funky dancing and surely some of frontman Jay Kay’s crazy hats.
Saturday night sees Kasabian headline the main stage, with alt-J taking over the impressive Solent background of the Castle Stage.
Elsewhere on the line-up is singer-songwriter Ben Howard, while Sigrid will bring her charming Norwegian pop back to the south-coast.
Victorious is also renowned for its extra special early afternoon guests and this year is no different. Blossoms kick off events on the Friday – a first at this years event to have a full line up over three days! Natalie Imbruglia gets the party started on Saturday, while Hard-Fi will be hard-to-beat on Sunday.
The mighty Filth on Acid kicks on with label head Reinier Zonneveld joining forces with Kiki Solvej to release their very first EP together, “Keine Liebe, Kein Rave”! It features two new tracks to blow up your next party.
Kiki Solvej is a German DJ, producer and vocalist with a lifelong connection to music. She has performed on mega stages like Tomorrowland and debuted on this label late last year. Reinier Zonneveld is on a fine run of form having revitalised hard techno and acid over the last couple of years with his faithless label, DJ sets and unique live shows.
Says Kiki:
‘Keine Liebe, Kein Rave’ is about the love you feel, when you are – let’s say it like this (laughs) a ‘real raver’. Without true emotions there is no real rave. And this is always something that Reinier and I have in common so much. Our love for each other, our love for the music, the scene, the rave. This is why we’re here.
Says Reinier:
What we tried to pack into this so special track is what being at a rave is giving us: feeling the extreme, the lightness, the powerful, the hedonism (in a good way), the realness and most of all the connection to other people. Having the connection to each other while touring the world, making music together and sharing our passion and then also being connected to so many other people is what feeds us every day new energy.
‘Keine Liebe, Kein Rave’ kicks off with rock solid drums and a machine beat that will lock in the crowd then blow its mind with mind alterings synths that fizz with real energy. Dark vocal loops add more intensity to this funky banger. Royal then brings the laser lit rave sounds with flashes of acid and bright synths over quick techno beats.
This is another triumph from this label.
Artist(s): Reinier Zonneveld, Kiki Solvej
Title: Keine Liebe, Kein Rave
Record Label: Filth On Acid
Cat.Number: FOA128
Release Date: 17th March 2023 [Beatport + Streaming (2 weeks)]
There are so many things to love about Common Ground Presents: We Belong Here in Miami.
One of them is the circular stage known as the first ever 360 experience. It is a unique way to be fully immersed in music as you dance at the centre of the action with sound all around.
Another is the setting, right on the Atlantic with mesmeric views, sweeping beaches and acres of historic Virginia Key Beach Park to explore.
The third is the line up with names like Themba, Kaskade Redux, Lane 8, Korolova, James Hyp, Gioli & Assia, Calussa b2b Malone and many more.
These pictures convey some of the magic of the escape and we can’t recommend it enough.
