Wireless Festival 2013 Review – Saturday

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This year’s Wireless Festival had announced a lineup so spectacular that expectations were riding high when Jay Z and Justin Timberlake were set to close out all 3 days of Wireless, Justin on Friday, Jay Z on Saturday and the both of them performing their “The Legends of Summer” tour on Sunday.
Brooklyn born hip hop megastar Jay Z attracted a sold out 60,000 people to the main stage arena to close out Saturday night and he did not disappoint.  Looking slick in a plain white shirt and customary gold chain, he kicks off with ‘Public Service Announcement‘.  With the crowd in unison chanting HOV, this is just the beginning of his 70 minute set.  Announcing that his new album Magna Carta has gone number one in the UK, he dives straight into ‘Tom Ford’, one of the latest singles from his new album.  With one million giveaways of his album to Samsung customers, you can tell enough of the crowd have had a good listen to Magna Carta as they all sing along with him.
We immerse ourselves in the crowd to listen to ‘Empire State of Mind’, another new track ‘Picasso Baby’, and ‘Run this town’.  Jay Z‘s smooth lyrical delivery and ability to control the crowd reminds us why he is still one of the hottest rappers in the world.  Jay Z’s set is flawless and as the night comes to a close we are treated with an appearance by Jay’s Wireless headliner partner Justin Timberlake to perform the opening track on Magna Carta ‘Holy Grail‘.  The crowd goes absolutely mental as Justin’s silky voice hits the right notes on the first chorus to ‘Holy Grail‘.
Wireless Festival
Photo courtesy of Wireless Festival
Earlier in the day, there was a special guest set to perform in the Pepsi Max Arena and we got there just in time to see that it was UK rapper Tinie Tempah.  By this stage the tent was so packed that we made use of the outside screens to get a glimpse of the man that was a huge drawcard for the festival two years ago.  ‘Drinking from the Bottle‘ and ‘Pass Out‘ blast through the sound system as the crowd bounce up and down inside and around the tent.
Scottish songstress Emile Sande impressed with notable songs “Heaven” and “When I sleep” being my highlights of the set.  With the crowd singing alongside her as the sun begins to set over London, Emile is the perfect act to warm the crowd up before hiphop superstar and headliner Jay Z.
I have been a huge fan of Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar and was pleasantly surprised to see just how popular he was as a massive crowd packed into the main arena to see the West Coast lad bust out his hits from his album including album titled ‘M.A.D.D City‘, ‘Fu*kin Problems‘, ‘Money Trees’, ‘B*tch dont kill my vibe‘ and ‘Swimming Pools‘.  His chilled style and his seamless delivery of his tunes make him quite a different rapper to watch live than many others I have seen before.  If you haven’t yet heard his album or seen him live then I highly recommend it!
Rita Ora was on hand to make sure the crowd was ‘Hot Right Now‘ as the sun basked down in London on what would be one of the hottest days of the year.  Her rendition of The Neptunes ‘She wants to move‘ and Notorious Big’s ‘Big Poppa‘ & ‘Juicy‘ was a surprise but the crowd lapped it up and mashed to her music.
Wu Tang influenced Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed earlier in the day bringing their fast paced rapping and high energy performance to the Wireless crowd.  Number one hit’s ‘Thrift Shop‘ & ‘Can’t Hold Us‘ had the entire arena singing as the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the newcomers set.
Even though Wireless Festival had moved from the more central location of Hyde Park to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there was no denying that this years festival was up there with one of the best Wireless Festival’s yet.  With no rain in sight and the sun beaming down over the entire weekend, the iconic Olympic Park site proved to be the perfect setting for a weekend of amazing music and festival entertainment.

Wireless Festival 2013 – Saturday Live Update!

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We are on-site at the Yahoo Wireless Festival today in London reporting live for the Summer Festival Guide.  Keep an eye out here on who we are seeing backstage, the latest performances from today's lineup including headliner Jay-Z and much more!

13:00: We are en-route to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, its slightly overcast but the overall forecast is for a burning 30 deg so make sure you bring your sunscreen and your best summer atire!  Remember to keep hydrated!

14:20: Just arrived on-site at Wireless, the main stage area is already packed to the sounds of DJ Fresh who has the crowd jumping with "The Power" and a remix of White Stripes "Seven Nation Army". 

15:45: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis come out to the Wireless sunshine and run through their hits "Thrift Shop" and their current massive hit "Can't Hold Us".  Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is basking in this sunshine and the crowd are completely up for everything coming at them today.

So far we have sat down and talked to Taboo from Black Eyed Peas who performed in the Pepsi Max arena early and saw olympic gold medalist James Degale enjoying the music!

16:30: Up on stage is Miguel who is back for his second Wireless performance after a smashing performance last night.  Playing a similar style set as last night, the crowd was treated to his reindition of "Stir it Up" and more!

17:00: The crowd is building up for the enterance of compton rapper Kendrick Lamar.

17:30: Sat in the blazing sun we catch the begining of Kendrick Lamer's set.  With his DJ commanding the crowd to through their "W's" in the air, Kendrick comes out swinging with the title track of his Album "M.A.D.D city", and going through hits A$AP collaboration "Fu*kin Problems" and into "Money Trees" and "B*tch dont kill my vibe".  Kendrick's coolness and chilled out style on stage flows into the crowd.  Standing in the middle of the audience I see heads bopping up and down and W's being thrown up in the air.

Wireless Festival 2013

18:30: Rita Ora is blowing up the main arena with her massive hit "Radioactive" and has now just got the crowd literally jumping out of their clothes for "Hot Right Now" with a special apperance by DJ Fresh who was on the stage earlier on.  

18:40: We just got word that the special guest on stage in the Pepsi Max arena is no other than Tinie Tempah!!!!

19:00: Rita Ora is belting out covers of The Neptunes "She wants to move" and surprises the crowd with some Biggie Smalls "Big Poppa" & "Juicy".

19:10: With word that Tinie Tempah is at the Pepsi Max arena spreading through the crowd, I make my way through the main stage over the bridge to the tent.  As I proceed closer, I can hear the sounds of "Drinking from the bottle" blasting from the speaker stacks.  The arena is so crowded that people spill out about 10 meters deep from the tent!  I manage to get a glimpse of Tinie on the video screen in an outside tent.

19:45: Scotish songstress Emile Sande immediately commands the stage with her massive hit "Heaven" and then into "When I sleep".  With the crowd singing alongside her as the sun begins to set over London, Emile is the perfect act to warm the crowd up before hiphop superstar and tonights headliner Jay-Z takes to the stage.

21:00: The crowd has flocked to the Main Arena to watch headliner Jay-Z take to the stage.

21:20: 60,000 are on hand to see Jay-Z hit the main stage.  Looking slick in a white shirt with a huge gold chain, he kicks off with the crowd singing anthem "Public Service Announcement".  With the crowd chanting H.O.V. this is just the begining of what is set to be a memorable performance.  Announcing that his new album Magna Carta has gone number one in the UK, he kicks off with "Tom Ford", one of the latest singles from his new album.  We emerse ourself in the crowd to listen to "Empire State of Mind", another new track "Picaso Baby", and "Run this town".  Jay-Z's smooth lyrical delivery and ability to control the crowd reminds us why he is still one of the hottest rappers in the world.  

22:30: The majority of the crowd still remain to see out Jay-Z's performance when he introduces suprise guest Justin Timberlake to perform the first track of his new album Holy Grail.  The surprise is one that gets the crowd going crazy and singing along to the track.  The night is signed off with Jay and Justin both walking off the stage and the crowd making a swift exit to get home.  

 

Electric Daisy Carnival London Preview

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Electric Daisy Carnival London looks set to make this Summer of Love an extra special one, with a line-up that boasts some of the biggest names and freshest acts in electronic music. Partnered by Insomniac and Cream, Electric Daisy Carnival London combines the world’s leading electronic artists with the epic production and visual experience that Electric Daisy Carnival has become famed for.

You can see Alesso, AVICII, Burns, Caspa, Chris Lake, Chuckie, Crookers, Deniz Koyu & Danny Avila,
Destructo, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Dirty South, Fake Blood, Feed Me, Flux Pavilion, Goldie, Hardwell, Jack Beats, Jaguar Skills, Madeon, Mat Zo, Mistajam, Nero, NERVO, Porter Robinson, Rusko, SHY FX, Steve Angello, Sub Focus, Tiësto and Tom Staar. For a taster of what to expect check out the Electric Daisy Carnival London trailer here.

Alesso has been far from shy to the Beatport Number 1 spot, and comes to Electric Daisy Carnival London ready to prove just what the fuss is about. AVICII is currently ranked Number 3 in the ‘DJ Magazine’ Top 100 DJs list, and was nominated for a Grammy this year for Best Dance Recording. Watch London electro producer Burns too.

Household name Caspa is on board. UK house producer Chris Lake comes to Electric Daisy Carnival fresh from a US tour. Dirty Dutch house supremo DJ and producer Chuckie arrives, bringing his own world-renowned sound.

Crookers gets behind the decks, fresh from his remix of deadmau5 and Imogen Heap’s ‘Telemiscommunications’.  Turkish DJ sensation Deniz Koyu and Spain’s prodigy Danny Avila have joined forces for their Generation Wild tour. Big time producer, DJ and promoter of HARD, Destructo is in full effect. Dynamic duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike don’t look like slowing down any time soon. Acclaimed producer, DJ and remixer Dirty South has worked with a host of artists including Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, Sebastian Ingrosso, Deniz Kuyo and Alesso.

Fake Blood brings his collection of tunes so anthemic, so huge, his set will rattle the arena to the rafters. His recent release on mau5trap Records has won acclaim from all corners, and he’s an Electric Daisy Carnival veteran – and now Londoner Feed Me plays on his home turf. Fresh from the release of his brand new EP ‘Blow the Roof’, UK dubstep big gun Flux Pavilion brings a distinctive bass sound to the event.

Drum’n’bass innovator Goldie joins the ranks. Hardwell is known for his mind-blowing sets, and looks to deliver something unbelievable. He’s boss at Revealed Recordings, and his Hardwell On Air podcast is a regular in the iTunes Top Ten. DJ duo Jack Beats have remixed for the likes of Skream, Big Boi and La Roux and promise a big set. Jaguar Skills brings his electric-quick mixing and his own eclectic tune selection. Madeon is a teenage producer whose star is in the ascension, whose most recent collaboration was with Ellie Goulding on ‘Stay Awake’.

Catch British wunderkind producer Mat Zo – whose May collaboration with Porter Robinson ‘Easy’ has already reached the Number 1 spot on Beatport and Hype Machine.

Mistajam has had a fantastic year with his own Speakerbox concept, pulling together some of the best scenes and skills in urban and bass music. Nero come to EDC London. With a follow-up to their debut ‘Welcome to Reality’, which reached Number 1 in the UK albums chart, under construction, this is a chance to see this big-name act.

Australian twins NERVO, who co-wrote David Guetta’s Grammy-winning 2011 track ‘When Love Takes Over’, and have also worked with Afrojack and Steve Aoki, bring an undeniable stage presence.
Porter Robinson joins in the midst of his Circle Assembly Tour. His MInistry of Sound collaboration with Mat Zo, ‘Easy’, was proclaimed one of the tunes of 2013, such is its floor-filler potential. Very special guest Rusko hits heavy. One of the original pioneers of jungle, SHY FX teams up with Stamina MC. And Steve Angello is a star attraction; having just launched his label imprint X, he aims to give music “freedom, fuel and new life”.

Londoner Sub Focus enjoyed success with May’s single ‘Endorphins’, featuring Alex Clare. Dutch megastar Tiësto brings a touch of world class; a one-man music machine, he is a global powerhouse. And don’t miss Moda Music founding member Tom Staar.

Sub Focus

 

Electric Daisy Carnival, the world-famous electronic music event, heads to London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday 20th July 2013 for its first international event outside the USA. Promising to be one of the biggest UK shows of the summer, Electric Daisy Carnival London features some of electronic music’s biggest and most globally recognised talent.

FULL LINE-UP (A-Z)
Alesso
AVICII
Burns
Caspa (MC Ken Mac)
Chris Lake
Chuckie
Crookers
Deniz Koyu & Danny Avila
Destructo
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
Dirty South
Fake Blood
Feed Me
Flux Pavilion
Goldie (MC GQ)
Hardwell
Jack Beats
Jaguar Skills
Ken Mac
Madeon
Mat Zo
MC GQ
Mistajam
Nero
NERVO
Porter Robinson
Rusko
SHY FX (Stamina MC)
Stamina MC
Steve Angello
Sub Focus
Tiësto
Tom Staar

Jagermeister Stage announced for Bloodstock

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BLOODSTOCK is only four weeks away, and the event have announced another handful of bands for the Jagermeister Stage at Catton Park.

MOTORHEAD guitarist, PHIL CAMPBELL is set to bring new project., the PHIL CAMPBELL ALL STAR BAND to top out the party on Sunday night.  Phil comments: “I am very excited to announce that I will be playing Bloodstock on August 11th with my new band, featuring members of Straight Lines, The People The Poet, Dopamine, and Attack Attack.  It’s gonna be a lot of fun so come along and rock out with us!”

Also stepping onto the Jager stage on Friday are re-formed Nottingham rockers, WRAITH.  WRAITH’s success back in the 90’s had them renowned for their signature ‘dual guitar’ attack and saw them touring globally with the likes of UFO, Saxon and Motorhead.  Lemmy even sang backing vocals on their debut album, ‘Danger Calling’.  They’re now back celebrating 25 years since their inception and brand new material recorded in 2012.

AWAKE BY DESIGN get added to Saturday’s bill.  The melodic, modern metal band blend a combination of classic and prog rock, which has seen them garnering attention from the rock press and snapping up support slots with the kindred-spirit likes of Anathema, My Dying Bride, Apocalyptica and Sonata Arctica.

Also jumping in to a Saturday slot are INCASSUM.  Having released their debut, ‘Rites of Passage’ late last year, this melodic death metal outfit feature one of the best female vocalists in the genre.  Having met at Manchester’s Salford University in 2004, the band have built their reputation on the North West’s live circuit and are excited to make the cut for Bloodstock, enthusing; “We're thrilled to be chosen to play Bloodstock this year.  This is a milestone achievement realised & we can't wait to get started". 

Rounding out Sunday’s bill are THE BASTARD SONS.  Formed in late 2011, the York-based outfit are still fairly new, but have already courted a number of indie labels and have released a debut EP of ‘dirty rock n’ roll’, titled ‘Bones’.  Come over to the Jager stage on Sunday to check ‘em out for yourself.

There’s other fun and games going on in the arena all weekend.  To celebrate the legendary KING DIAMOND’s headline slot, there’s THE KING DIAMOND CHALLENGE face-painting competition on Friday.  Paint yourself up with your favourite KING DIAMOND make-up (any era you choose), visit the Sophie stage and speak to the DJ team there to register your entry.  The overall winner, judged later that day, will receive some Bloodstock goodies.  Also to add to the weekend’s fun, there’s an overall BLOODSTOCK weekend ‘fancy dress’ competition.  Take a photo of yourself on site, dressed in whatever crazy outfit you reckon will win, upload it to the Bloodstock Facebook page to enter and you could win yourself some special Bloodstock prizes.

Limited one-day tickets are on sale now.  The last batch of VIP packages are also moving fast.   Click on over to www.bloodstock.uk.com for your ticket needs, plus all the latest news and practical info for planning your visit to the UK’s best metal weekender.

Beat Herder 2013 – The Jewel of the North

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In readiness Beat Herder festival this year we went out and stocked up on new supplies of wellies and waterproofs after being towed off site in calf deep mud by a JCB last year. We couldn’t have got it more wrong as this year the festival fell on the most glorious weekend of the year so far, with scorching temperatures in the late 20’s.  In stark contrast, it was hard going due to heat exhaustion, rather than trudging in mud-laden boots.

Sprawling over the lovely valleys of Lancashire, this three-day festival attracts a wonderful community of people who all crave a fun-packed weekend. There’s an array of different stages here offering plenty of choice for musical tastes from house, techno, reggae, drum & bass, funk, disco and soul. New additions for 2013 was a 60 feet long, corrugated steel, fire breathing dance arena named The Fortress.  Over the weekend the DJ booth in the loft played host to Cut la Roc, John Carter, Justin Roberston, Bentley Rhythm Ace and Sicknote. The other notable new space was Maison D’etre that hosted eclectic music and comedy acts throughout the weekend.

Now in its eighth year, the BH organsiers seem to have hit on a winning formula for the perfect festival experience; reasonably priced bars, the ability to attract reputable artists and international dj’s and a not for profit ethic.  It’s clear that loads of love and attention that go into the site from the hand painted flower boxes with artists’ names on, to the beautiful hand-sewn timetables.

The site itself has everything in the right proportion, small enough to bump the same friendly faces around the site other and stages within easy distance of each other.  My favourite space has to be the beautifully lit up Toil Trees stage in the woodland area, where the trees seem to reach up to into the heavens. Apart from a awesome line up of dj’s from Kissy Sellout, Mr Scruff and Norman Jay, It even has its own mini town, complete with a chapel of rest (open purely for your dancing pleasure), a vintage sweet shop, a hotel, garage, a barbers shop (yes they really cut hair on site) and a tattooist (…and yes you can get yourself a real beat herder logo tat to boot).

Friday night’s standout performance was from Chic and Nile Rogers.  They kicked the festival off in pure style covering their hits ‘I’m Coming Out, Everybody Dance, He’s the Greatest Dancer, We are Family’ and stage invasion finale ‘Le Freak’. I felt like I was witnessing a very special moment. Groove Armada followed Booka Shade’s thumping live set. Tom and Andy brought the stage to a close with a dj set of clubland classics and mixes of their own superstylin’ tunes.

Chic ft Nile Rodgers

This year’s fancy dress theme is T, and dressing up here is huge. People really go to town on hand made costumes rather than cheesy bought in attire.  We witnessed twisters, terracotta armies, technic stereos, togas, tornados, taco’s, tin men, tweedle dee and dums, a twix, Thatcher, trailer trash, take away, teen wolves, tampons and one punter whom aptly came as a tent.

The Other Tribe helped us ease back into the party vibe early Saturday evening with their infectious summer anthem ‘Skirts’. Another main stage highlight was Slamboree. A 10 piece band made up of circus performers who manage to create what can only be described as an visual and audio riot, with music spanning dub, Balkan, rave and hip hop. We danced the rest of Saturday night away in the pews of the chapel, arms raised to the air and sipping on cocktails with the sassy waitresses in the Hotel California.  You have to shake everything that your mama gave you in in here, no standing still, it’s the law!

Sunday was super el scorchio down on beat-herdershire farm, hitting the low 30’s. Hiding in shaded areas and iced smoothies was the only way to keep cool.  Perfect Sunday afternoon tunes were underway from Good Times DJ, Norman Jay.  We melted in the Maison watching comedienne Barbara Nices’ hilarious set.  She encouraged overheated, lethargic punters to get involved in a game of dead celebrity statues. Raising temperatures nicely in the Toil Trees was a 4 hour set from Mr Scruff and MC Kwasi, perfect in the hazy wooded sunshine.

Bondax delivered a blistering Sunday night ‘dance ya socks off’ set that bought the festival to a beautiful close. Ahhh…well that’s Beat Herder over for another year, we’ll definitely see you in the shire next year for more beats and barminess. Herd em up!

Photos by Jane Anderson are here

Secret Garden Party’s Temple of Boom details

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The legendary independent label curates Secret Garden Party’s Temple of Boom on Thursday 25th. Billed as the ‘Rock ‘n’ Rave v Folk Off!,’ it will present a pick of hot new acts to perform exciting mash-up sets featuring folk music/ guitars/ dance/electronica….. They are:

WILL JOSPEH COOK/ SYKUR/ MAYAENI/ JEREMY LOOPS / DEATH BY CHOCOLATE / KILLAFLAW –  DJS, MARK JONES AND JAGZ KOONER

WILL JOSEPH COOK

Will turned 16 at the end of May and has been attracting the attention of the public and industry in equal measure. Lyrically beyond his years with a voice full of soul he supported Tom Odell in Manchester earlier this year and Tom subsequently tweeted his admiration. That message got back to the promoters behind The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park, where he performed as special guest this weekend. New song Fresh Air is up on You Tube Monday 8th July. Not a bad start at 16!

Will is looking forward to Secret Garden Party:

"Secret Garden has been on my mental wish list of parties to go to for a long time .. Totally stoked, thank you!" Will Joseph Cook

SYKUR

Iceland is now recognised as a world-beating exporter of fine talent – Björk, Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men, Gus Gus – you can now add electro-monsters SYKUR (meaning sugar in Icelandic) to this list.  The band, consisting of Agnes Björt Andradóttir, Halldór Eldjárn, Stefán Finnbogason and Kristján Eldjárn started as a trio back in 2008 while Halldór, Stefán and Kristján were still at school. Singer Agnes joined in 2011 thus completing the band and bringing with her a unique combination of sneering Courtney Love attitude and Donna Summer disco-fabulousness. Their second single ‘Curling’ from debut EP ‘Mesópótamía’ is out on Wall of Sound 26th August.

“It’s no secret that SYKUR are becoming super-excited for playing at secret garden party. We look forward to bringing some sugar-sweet sounds to Cambridgeshire” Halldór Sykur 

MAYAENI

Detroit born Mayaeni, is suddenly an ‘overnight’ sensation. Her song Nothing Inside with DJ Sander Van Doorn (which she co-wrote with Justin Parker of Lana del Rey Video Games fame) hit #1 on Cool Cuts, the DMC Buzz Chart and the Beatport Overall Chart. After a debut performance for over 20,000 people at Ultra in Miami in March, Nothing Inside became a breakout summer 2012 hit and a favourite in clubs around the world. Mayaeni has Jay Z as one of her fans; in fact he has just signed her.

JEREMY LOOPS

Hailing from South Africa, where he has a major following Jeremy Loops redefines the moniker ‘one-man band.’ Equipped with multiple instruments, a loop station, pedals and beatbox sounds, he creates a wonderful textured landscape of music that brings a new dimension to the new school of alternative folk music.

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Coming from a land renowned for its confectionary, it’s hardly surprising that five traveling Swiss musicians found themselves unusually attracted to a dessert item they encountered at an English eatery: Death by Chocolate. In fact, they liked the name so much they decided to appropriate it as their own, and so the band Death by Chocolate was born. Death by Chocolate have already

performed over 200 gigs, ranging from little clubs like the White Trash in Berlin to the massive EXIT Festival in Serbia and even to a Bon Jovi concert in Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium, where the quintet supported Jon Bon Jovi in front of 40.000 spectators. Their album From Birthdays to Funerals is out now.

KILLAFLAW

Named after a track by legendary bluesman Howlin’ Wolf, Killaflaw inhabit the electronic/rock interzone. They’re from Liverpool, and consist of Benn Helm (vocals, guitar) and Andy Paton (electronics, trumpet). Killaflaw have been likened to a number of other acts – “like Led Zep meet the Chemical Brothers”, “the missing Link between Soundgarden and The Prodigy” – but really they have a sound that is uniquely their own.

Gigging and recording all the time, Killaflaw produce everything from affecting electronic bangers (‘Broken Idol’, ‘Holy Funk’) to bluesy singalongs (‘Message’) to journeying rocky electronic MTV-friendly anthems (‘Set Me On Fire’, ‘Higher Ground’) to sync-friendly powerhouses (‘Revolution’). As the UK’s DJ magazine said: “Killaflaw have the passion, the soul, the raw power and the tunes. They’re gonna be massive.”Killaflaw’s Broken Idol Ep will be released in September.

For the Temple of Boom’s further line up curated by Eddy Temple Morris visit here: 

http://www.secretgardenparty.com/#!/the-secret-garden-party/stages-venues/the-temple-of-boom/

Introducing Rumi Festival

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Whirling Dervishes to celebrate Rumi Festival in the Scottish Borders

A troupe of dervishes from Turkey will be among the many artists coming together in the Scottish Borders this August, to celebrate the life and poetry of Rumi, at the Beshara School, Chisholme House, Roberton, nr Hawick.
Friday August 2 – Sunday August 4
 
Musicians, writers, poets and dancers will gather for a weekend of performance, art, film and theatre, exploring the legacy of Jalaluddin Rumi, the thirteenth century poet and mystic. This will be a unique event for the Borders, and also marks forty years of the Beshara School at Chisholme House this year.
 
The Festival will open with a solo concert of the hauntingly beautiful ney by Kudsi Erguner, one of the world’s foremost masters of this Turkish reed flute. Award-winning Scottish folk musician Mairi Campbell will be joining the lineup, as well as a Whirling Dervish Sema with musicians direct from Istanbul, who will honour Rumi’s inspiration, while sixties rock legendArthur Brown of Crazy World fame will join the Vastearth Orchestra to perform pieces specially composed for this festival.
 
There will be a books and poetry tent, and writers Alan Williams and Roderick Grierson from the Rumi Institute will present talks, as will Muriel Maufroy, author of the novel Rumi’s Daughter. And British sculptor Emily Young will speak about her internationally renowned carving in stone.
 
Participatory workshops for young people lead by The Young Actors Company, and presentations of tales from Rumi, will provide even more entertainment. The Beshara School is well known for its good food, and the Festival promises to be an enjoyable weekend for families and people of all ages.
 
Yurts and camping facilities are available on the estate, and there will be a shuttle bus from Hawick.
 
Volunteer opportunities at the Festival are still available– to apply please email [email protected]
 
As Rumi himself says: ‘Come, come, whoever you are
 
Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving
Ours is not a caravan of despair
Even if you have broken your vows a thousand times
It doesn't matter
Come, yet again, come’
 
The Rumi Festival is hosted by the Beshara School and takes place at Chisholme House and Estate, Roberton, Hawick TD9 7PH
from the evening of Friday 2 August until the evening of Sunday August 4.
 
Tickets are available online at www.rumifestival.org
Tel 01450 880 215 [email protected]

Blissfield’s 2013 Review

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I had never really heard of Blissfields before however after doing a little bit of research on the festival before I went, I was more than happy to be attending. After being in Glastonbury the previous weekend I knew it was going to be a major contrast however I was eager to see what it had to offer.

The journey to Blissfields from London was very smooth, it was about an hour on the train from London Waterloo. A small shuttle bus was also at the local train station, dropping festival goers to and from the station and the site. Blissfields was most definitely blessed in terms of the weather, and when I got there plenty of sun, shades and sounds were out.

The festival itself is very small however this definitely adds charm to it, it’s the right size for people to bump into each other regularly round the site.  Over the weekend seeing the same faces around the site gives people that sense of comfort and familiarity which gives it that extra relaxed atmosphere.  The weather was scorching on the Saturday when I arrived however there was enough trees and shade and little areas to explore, however I think most people were just chuffed and more than keen to be out in the sun.

On Saturday the main stage hosted the particularly impressive Sam Smith, who’s career has rocketed recently after having a recent hit with the song Latch which he collaborated with the young house duo Disclosure. His powerful soulful voice echoed around the site and brought about a sense of enjoyment and fun in the fields.  By early evening the Dub pistols got everyone up and dancing busting out some of there songs mixed in with some more famous ska and reggae tunes appealing to people of all ages.

Bastille were the biggest name to play on the Saturday, it was not their first time at Blissfields either so the regulars have grown a relationship between them and the band. They played a brilliant set even though at some stages the visual effects did seem a bit much, nevertheless the crowd was loving it!

Blissifelds is a good mix of people very family and child friendly with lots of activities for kids to get involved and also enough music and alcohol and atmosphere and so on for the adults to enjoy.

The bar was reasonably priced and the food seemed all good produce the burritos were particularly impressive. I spoke to a few people on what they liked about the festival and the majority of the feedback was mainly related around the family friendly vibe for all ages and the lively and creative atmosphere packed into a small site.

Blissfields is most definitely a festival I would attend as a teenager wanting to get the taste of their first festival or families or adults who want to get everything they would usually get form a festival just with less agro, crowds, people and headline acts. It does have something for everyone but if your aim for the festival is to go all out I would probably leave it and go to one of the bigger festivals besides that Blissfield’s has a great atmosphere and entertains all age’s and I would go again. The weather most definitely added a lot to the festival but apparently they are lucky with the weather every year. If you are an aspiring artist, band or DJ they also offer through their website a chance for people to apply and play at the festival which is a very good opportunity for artists wanting to get their foot in the door in performing at festivals and gives the festivals a chance to include a diverse range of established and up and coming artists.

Saturday Photos

Sunday Photos

Photos by Kevin Spice

Brownstock Festival announce band competition winners!

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Brownstock Festival has held a competition through their Facebook App for unsigned bands, giving them the chance to promote themselves and win a set at the festival, which is held in Essex on the weekend of 30 August to 1 September. Brit Award winners, The Fratellis andThe Pigeon Detectives, who are headlining the festival, were part of the panel to choose the band they want to see.

Brownstock Festival had over 1000 bands apply to play for the 2013 festival. For The Brown Family, who run the music and arts festival on their farm near Chelmsford in Essex, supporting smaller unsigned bands has been a big part of the festival's ethos since the festival began in 2005. The family personally listened to every band that applied and selected 100 acts. Then, to select the final winners of 13 available slots these were put to the vote.

Brit Award winning band The Fratellis and The Pigeon Detectives who are both playing at the festival have picked their band. Other judges were Festival site Festivals for All www.festivalsforall.com, record label Noise Kitten and the public, who were all asked to pick their favourite acts from the 100 strong shortlist.

The Pigeon Detectives

The Fratellis have chosen London Band Disemboweled By Sharks. Barry Fratelli said "I'm a big fan of Bristol-esque trip hop and acid jazz and this is the sort of thing I'd like to discover if I was walking round at a festival… bonus points for the double bass."

The Pigeon Detectives have picked duo from Essex, Frett, as their band to play in September.

The Pigeon Detectives said "I like their intricate yet low key sound. It's mechanical but there's real warmth to it. There's something very promising here…"

The competition was all run through Brownstock's Facebook Band App. This meant that all the Brownstock audience could easily explore and listen to the music of the bands that had applied to play at the festival.  Meanwhile all the bands that applied, even the ones that weren't picked, had an easy way to promote themselves to a new audience. 5000 people took part in the public vote for their winner.

Adam Brown director of Brownstock Festival said "We have been looking for better ways to help unsigned bands who work hard get noticed. We were overwhelmed this year by the support for the bands and the number of people who have taken part in the vote on our app. We can't wait to hear these acts play as there really is some amazing talent from Essex and beyond".  

The full list of the bands that have won the competition is here:

Disemboweled By Sharks – Picked by The Fratellis

Frett – picked by The Pigeon Detectives  

Josephine and The Artizans, Hamptons and Ordinary Noise – from the public vote

27 Strings, Frankie The Gambler, Rabbit Foot – Picked by  Festivals for All  

Kaleidophone, Apple Rabbits –  Picked by Noise Kitten

Ellekaye, Killatrix, Glenn Godfrey – Picked by The Brown Family

About the festival

Snoop Dogg is bringing the Cali sunshine to T in the Park

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The sun is set to shine on T in the Park’s 20th year celebrations, and with temperatures in Kinross currently soaring into the 20s, organisers are gearing up to welcome 85,000 music fans per day to the sunny Scottish countryside this weekend. When Snoop Dogg (aka Snoop Lion) played T in the Park in 2005, he brought a touch of California sunshine to the fields of Kinross, and with Snoop set to return to play the festival’s 20th year bash on Saturday, it appears as though he’ll be once again bringing the sunshine with him.
 
Geoff Ellis, Festival Director, said: “The sun is splitting the sky here in Kinross as we add the finishing touches to the site, and it’s looking like we’re going to have a glorious weekend for our 20th year celebrations. I think Snoop Dogg must be a lucky charm – he played in 2005 when we enjoyed fantastic weather so I think we may need to book him every year!
“Fans should ensure they’re prepared for all weather this weekend by bringing sunscreen and a hat to shield themselves from the rays. Remember to stay hydrated over the weekend plus bring layers of clothing as temperatures can drop overnight.”
 
Snoop Lion
 
The 20th year bash kicks off on Thursday, when over 35,000 Thursday campers (a new record!) will descend on the fields of Kinross for a top line-up of Thursday entertainment. This weekend, some of the biggest artists in the world will play T in the Park’s 20th year celebrations, including headliners Mumford & Sons, Rihannaand The Killers, plus Calvin Harris, Kraftwerk, The Script, Stereophonics, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, Beady Eye, Frank Ocean, Emeli Sandé, alt-J, Foals, The Lumineers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and loads more.
 
T in the Park organisers have also issued top tips to make sure that festival goers stay safe in the sun this weekend. Says a T in the Park spokesperson: “We’re all looking forward to a sunny T, but the last thing you want to happen is have your weekend ruined because you weren’t properly prepared. These tips should make sure you enjoy the festival and leave with a suntan.”
 
1) Sunburn is sore and it looks nasty. Bring sun cream, use it and reapply it throughout the day.
2) Drink lots of water! Bring an empty plastic bottle and fill it up for free at the water taps onsite.
3) Don’t drink too much alcohol –alternate with water and soft drinks and don’t forget to eat regularly – eating’s not cheating.
4) Don’t forget to bring any medication such as anti-histamines and inhalers as the sun can exacerbate these conditions.
5) Come prepared for a change in weather! Even if it’s hot during the day, the site could become cold at night so bring a warm change of clothes and bring a waterproof just in case!
6) If you do feel ill at any time, or run out of sun cream, visit a welfare tent or a first aid point situated around the site