The line-up for this year's Open’er Festival is ever expanding as more outstanding major acts confirm for 2013’s edition.
Each year, the Grammy Award ceremony needs it's quiet, surprising hero. In 2012, it was Bon Iver, while at this year's ceremony the role was played by Miguel, a 28-year-old Los Angeles singer. With the surprising five nominations, until the ceremony, known only to a small handful of fans, he gave a fiery interpretation of his hit single "Adorn", later receiving a Grammy award for it as Best R’n’B Song. He was just a little short from returning home as author of "Song Of The Year", yet, the American market wasn't ready for him yet.
Miguel Pimentel debuted in 2010 with a decent, yet unnoticed album "All I Want Is You”. While the LP gained its faithful listeners, its high quality deserved a far better reception. In 2011, Miguel broke the contract with his label at the time, signing to the renowned RCA Records, who understood the potential in the young singer. In October 2012, he released "Kaleidoscope Dream", deemed one of the best albums of the year straight away. Perfected to the last detail, sung in a way to strike only one comparison – Prince, the album did not only gather words of praise, but also checked in at top positions in the charts. The comparisons to Prince appear in nearly all "Kaleidoscope Dream" reviews, as Miguel has another advantages but exquisite songwriting: good looks and untamed stage antics.
Hip-hop beat and the use of rock instruments make Miguel not only one of the creators of the so-called "new r'n'b" (along Frank Ocean or The Weeknd), but also an artist to refresh the entire genre, while keeping faith to the classical sound. It is acknowledged by the growing crowd of fans, award juries and the greatest stars. We believe that on July 6, the Open'er audience will acknowledge it too.
Having begun teasing elements of the line-up almost two months ago, ID&T has today unveiled its line-up for TomorrowWorld, set to take place on September 27-29th 2013 in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, USA. Featuring over 300 names from all corners of the electronic music landscape, the line-up is diverse, taking in house, trance, techno, trap, bass, disco and almost everything in between.
From superstar luminaries such as Tiësto, Armin Van Buuren, Afrojack, David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Sebastian Ingrosso, through to up-and-coming stars like Art Department, RL Grime and AraabMuzik; each and every one of the festivals seven stages will play host to a distinct range of acts – hosted by a range of world-renowned brands.
From A-Trak’s Fools Gold, to Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak and of course the centerpiece Main Stage and brand new Bass Arena – the festival offers something for everyone, all taking place in the most unique live event environment known on the planet. Other highlight appearances come in the form of the Afroki, a new collaboration from Afrojack and Steve Aoki, as well as Jacques Lu Cont, Late Night Alumni, Carnage and Fake Blood.
Built upon the reputation of the internationally revered Tomorrowland, ID&T will be bringing its full production might across the Atlantic to America. Known around the world for jaw-dropping spectacles, from the largest stages through to the most intricate of details, not to mention the Michelin star chefs, bakeries and breweries that accompany it. The full theme for TomorrowWorld as well 15+ more acts will be revealed in the coming weeks.
DreamVille, TomorrowWorld’s very own campsite is unlike anything the United States has ever seen, hosting over 30,000 campers in a uniquely designed environment, including food courts, shopping centers, 24 hour bakery, launderette, daily TomorrowWorld Newspaper, and an exclusive pre-party, The Gathering, the night before the festival. What’s more, TomorrowWorld will be the first ever exclusively 21+ festival to be held in the US.
Weekend and day tickets for the festival are still available, including hotel packages as well as ID&T’s very own Global Journey flight packages, now only available from five cities within the US due to overwhelming international demand.
Arriving in the arena to a sudden and torrential downpour, flapping around trying to get crap plastic ponchos on whilst simultaneously attempting to crouch over the tops of your wellies to avoid trench-foot, wasn’t exactly a joyful experience, but thankfully the rain abated as we queued for a bottle (and special edition cup) of Iron Maiden Trooper beer. Saturday is the day of unfortunate overlaps, a lineup of incredible acts spread across stages so wide that you can’t hope to catch them all, so we resign ourselves to the wishlist and hope to catch others another year.
Starting with classic Brit-rock UFO take to the mainstage for some shredding good fun, and Mastodon do a decent job of pepping up the squelchy audience with ‘Blood and Thunder’ and ‘Oblivion’, but it’s Alice In Chains who really power up, touting their signature grunge doom and gloom. ‘Down in a Hole’ and ‘Check My Brain’ stand out, but the whole set is superb and radiates a sort of nonchalant, effortless aura of cool. On the tiny Jagermeister stage, Buffalo Summer’s funked up southern rock ‘Typhoid Mary’ is getting the small but jolly crowd up and jigging about, and Download repeat offenders Motörhead are, well, EXACTLY the same as always. Despite Lemmy’s stuck record “We are Motörhead and we play rock and roll” lead in, and ‘Everything louder than everything else’ tshirts that have only had a colour update, it is a formula that works, and ‘Ace of Spades’ is as good a mosh-pit starter as it always has been.
Taiwanese metalcore kids Chthonic are as weird as ever, but lady bassist Doris Yeh is definitely gaining a LOT of new fans as the band ramp up the volume and she pulls a very metal pout… however, on the main stage Queens Of The Stone Age aren’t really living up to the hype. The sound is dead, the crowd looks bored and the quips just aren’t that funny – particularly the one about ‘No One Knows’ being a song to get laid to. I’m sure Barry White is turning in his grave. After their departure, the arena heads into instant turmoil as people rush to toilets, bars and food carts whilst the stage is set up for Iron Maiden’s prop heavy show. Bands we’d have liked to see today but missed due to there being TOO MUCH to see were, punk legends Lit, rock royalty Thunder, Norwegians Kvelertak and fellow headliners The Hives and Enter Shikari. *sigh* we just hope Download books them all again. Please.
Iron Maiden begin the evenings shenanigans with an actual Spitfire flyby. Yep, that’s right – they managed to get a Spitfire to thunder up from behind the main stage and fly over a stunned crowd. If you can tell me a band who’ve gone further for their fans, feel free to comment. A stunning set with hits ‘Fear of the Dark, ‘2 Minutes to Midnight’, ‘The Trooper’ and ‘Aces High’ as well as a raft of other Maiden classics and giant moving Eddies, makes for a spectacular night (read the complete Maiden review for more details) that will stick in our memories forever.
In keeping with our 10th birthday spectacular celebrations at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight from September 5th to 8th, the amazing gifts keep coming as Bestival HQ is buzzing with news of another brand new arena for 2013 –Temple Island. Taking its place among more than 20 stages in 10 fields of wonderment with mega soundsystems, non-stop parties and 24 hour escapism, you’ve got to explore it before it burns to the ground! Plus we have line-up news for two of Bestival’s most off the wall destinations, Club DaDa and the Polka Tent.
Rob da Bank says: “Bestival has almost 30 stages of live music, DJs, poetry, cinema, drag acts, ultraviolet ping pong and general mayhem going off in 2013. Club Dada and the Polka Tent programmed by the insanely creative and madcap Chris Tofu is always ahead of the curve and we've been proud to host the first festival stages of gypsy punk, electro swing and many other underground genres. As ever, Señor Tofu has pulled it out the bag with his line ups for 2013.
“Never looking backwards and always embracing the future I'm so proud to unveil Temple Island – a brand new totally ace fusion of styles from festivals like Burning Man and Portugal's Monegros festi with a cutting edge global electronic DJ collective… half hippy, half techno warrior. Roll on September”.
Chris Tofu says: “Bestival is so amazing for us, it’s been the first festival in the UK with a venue dedicated to the 1000 year old festival music Polka, wall to wall, crazy Gypsy Music and Hoedown, makes this the natural festival music hangout. Club Dada has always been like a mad feast of Brass and Vintage Remix and this year’s no exception with killer Electro Blues and Electro Swing, crazy remixing Carnival bands and so much more, the perfect music for a tent where 70 years ago Marlene Dietrich performed in. Bestival stands unique with more killer and closely curetted music per square inch than anywhere else, big up to Rob and Josie and the team“.
New for 2013, Temple Island is a lucid dreamland of beguiling saturnalia where acts like London Grammar, DJ Falcon and Karma Kid come to play. Around them, fantasy and reality fuse in a haze of bio-sculptures and an eclectic collection of some of the tastiest foods in the country. It’s a beautiful place. But nothing is what it seems…
If it looks like a sculpture, it may really be a chilling cocoon that sings to you when you step inside. You’ll find them hidden in a sparkly part of Temple Island, away from the stage. Creatures here may be actors in disguise who lead you to a mystery trail of street art by fast-rising artist My Dog Sighs . 21 pieces are yours to keep, if you find them. The first person to complete the entire My Dog Sighs Treasure Hunt will take home a £2,500 masterpiece! Feeling inspired by all that artistry? Try your hardest to create your very own twisted structure with amazing Willowtwister artist Sara Holmes and crew.
That’s not all though, Bestival’s darkest secrets are gathered on Temple Island’s confession wall. It’s hungry for yours. Confess… if you dare. Party until the small hours in The Doghouse, the secret part of Temple Island you’ll stumble upon, find exactly what you’ve always been looking for, and never, ever, want to leave. But beauty dies fast. So, late on Sunday, Temple Island will go up in flames. Before that, there’s dancing to be done, coconuts to be drunk, gourmet banquets to be eaten and art to explore.
Temple Island will play host to sets from some of the most havin’ it acts currently spanking dancefloors worldwide. Opening on Thursday night there will be music from south Florida future music mogul Henry Krinkle, heads down house purveyor T.Williams and uncategorisable bass merchant Karma Kid. Cranking it up on Friday, there will be Gallic grooves from Daft Punk collaborator DJ Falcon, ethereal digital dance moves from Chrome Sparks, the previously announced siren-fronted trio London Grammar, bass-led bombs from Shadow Child, genre-swerving threesome Dark Sky and future garage manoeuvres from Maribou State.
Saturday will tickle your guilty pleasures with the previously announced Cyril Hahn, plus there will be sets from Bristol based collective Eton Messy, drum n bass wonder Wilkinson, woofer worrying beat tycoon Run Riot andKashii who will be smashing-up house, techno, garage and bouncing UK bass into something glorious. And finally Sunday will see the Eton Messy crew return as hosts for the entire day. Catch it while you can because when the rest of Bestival has you shipwrecked, Temple Island will have you back on your feet; in ways you never thought possible!
From the makers of Shangri Las Glastonbury and long term residents of festival fields Continental Drifts, Club DaDa always offers a warm welcome with music that floats in your ears like honey. Expect crazy Vintage Remix and brass brass brass! Thursday night shenanigans kick off with Robby’s Choice Cuts featuring captain of our ship Rob da Bank going head to head with Tayo & Nerm reprising their Prince tribute, plus Bestival favourite Beans On Toast, laughter, dancing and head-nodding good vibes from Too Many T’s, DJ Moneyshot & Rackabeat’s brand new sampled funk, psych, hip-hop and rock outfit The Allergies and the man himself, DJ Chris Tofu. Friday sees the The Dawn Of Electro Blues a night dedicated to the new sound of electro blues – from The Delta to dance, with an array of electro blues masters Cyborgs, Heymoonshaker, DJ Nick Hollywood, The Future Shape Of Sound and King Lagoon’s Flying Swordfish Band.
Saturday is all about White Mink’s French Electro Swing Special. After hosting the world’s first 1920s to 1950s remixed electro swing night at a festival, Club DaDa had to bring it back. Curated by White Mink, it’s boasts a quality line-up including Shore Leave, Le KKC Orchestra, Smokey Joe and The Kid, Dutty Moonshine, Max Pashm Electro Swing Ensemble and DJ Dodgy Style.
Keeping it fully on the boil for Sunday, Club Dada had to make their amazing Brass Special happen again, as a fitting end to what is destined to be a legendary weekend. Highlights of the night will include Joe Driscol and Sekou Kouyate, Old Dirty Brasstards and, wrapping things up, the annual DJ Chris Tofu Closing Party squeezing the last of your energy into a mash-up maelstrom of madness, with special guests.
The Polka Tent is the most fun and unusual musical set up in any festival. There’s only one place you can find this rare and wonderful thing. Get ready for some Gypsy Punk and Hoedown mayhem. From Global Local – the maddest thing the arts council ever funded.
Opening night action in this musical world like no other includes King Lagoon’s Flying Sword Fish Band, Tankus The Henge and king of the gypsy remix DJ Kobayashi. Friday night is the Polka Party with Hallouminati, Gypsy Hill, Discount Orchestra, Gypsy Fever, Penny Metal, Karauke, Cut A Shine and Gypsy Disco.
Saturday in the Polka Tent goes from Gypsy Punk to Stomping Kleizmer with Buffo’s Wake, Tantz Klezmer Band, The Turbans, Maniere Des Bohemiens, and more from Gypsy Disco and Karauke. Finally the Sunday Hoedown – With Two For Joy celebrates the Polka Tent’s fifth anniversary with a whole day dedicated to jumping nu folk and demented old hoedown! Helping the celebrations go down in style will be City Shanty Band, Ramshackle Union Band, Katy Carr and Gorgeous George, plus there will be special surprise guests and DJs all weekend long.
BLOODSTOCK FESTIVAL are excited to announce a whole batch of new additions for all three stages. There’s only seven weeks left to the most metal weekend of the year!! Have you got your tickets yet?!
Opening Friday’s main stage, and fresh off the back of the release of ‘IV’, their first album in ten years, are British post metallers, EARTHTONE 9. The band are stoked to find their way to Catton Park’s hallowed ground, commenting "Earthtone 9 have never played Bloodstock, so we could not be more excited! It's one of our only gigs this year, so we are truly going to make the most of it. There may well be some drinking!" You can pick up a free download of their single,‘Horizon’s End’ at this link; http://www.pledgemusic.com/widgets/4136.
On Sunday’s Sophie Lancaster stage, SACRED MOTHER TONGUE get added. Having received huge plaudits for their second album, ‘Out of the Darkness’, and live shows, the Northampton based band are building quite the name for themselves. Check out the video for ‘A Light Will Shine’, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGY1bUEW1mc.
Also added to the Sunday Sophie stage line up are relentless road dogs, BREED 77. Bound to deliver a pummeling performance, these energetic Gibraltan bruisers are sure to bust out some new tunes from their latest album ‘The Evil Inside’, which was released in March. You can watch the video for recent single ‘Bring On The Rain’ at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIx-T1iWNYI.
A whole raft of acts are also set to grace the JAGERMEISTER stage. The stage is perfectly placed in the main arena with massive passing crowd pull due to its placement, and time slots are arranged to capitalize on main stage changeovers. Performances show a different side to the artists’ repertoire, offering up new and old material with many venturing into cover version territory. Friday’s bill includes solo artist MITCHELL EMMS, medieval metallers RAVENAGE and 80’s-styled newcomer, MIA KLOSE (check out her Bloodstock clip here: http://youtu.be/i1Z7cPCaT-k). Saturday’s line up rolls out the inimitable EARLS OF MARS, Stoke on Trent aggressors BALLS DEEP, and rowdy riffmeisters CAVORTS, while Sunday’s features prog death metallers BETRAEUS, Sacred Mother Tongue’s shredmaster ANDY JAMES’s GUITAR CLINIC, and the self-proclaimed “progressive epic”outfit, OPERATION ERROR.
BLOODSTOCK tickets are on sale now, priced £125 (plus booking fee) for a weekend pass with camping. VIP ticket packages and upgrades are also available. Look up all the info on BLOODSTOCK 2013 so far, plus all kinds of cool coverage from 2012’s event over at www.bloodstock.uk.com or www.facebook.com/bloodstock.
BLOODSTOCK takes place at Catton Park in Derbyshire on 8-11th Aug 2013 and features SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, KING DIAMOND, ANTHRAX, DEVILDRIVER, GOJIRA, AVANTASIA, EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL, MUNICIPAL WASTE, VOIVOD, WHITECHAPEL, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, GAMA BOMB and many more.
The award-winning Festival No. 6 is proud to announce My Bloody Valentine. They join an already stunning bill which includes Manic Street Preachers, Chic, James Blake and many more. The performance will be their only England and Wales festival date this year.
Festival No.6 is a pioneering festival concept bringing together music, arts and culture in the most incredible festival location you will ever see. Festival No.6 takes place over the weekend of 13-15 September 2013 in the eccentric surrounds of Portmeirion, Wales, home of the cult TV series The Prisoner.
After a 22 year hiatus from recording, My Bloody Valentine returned in 2013 with their critically acclaimed record ‘M B V’, a wonderfully dense exercise in lo-fi indie. The Dublin rockers will join fellow headliners Manic Street Preachers and Chic Ft. Nile Rodgers at the top of the bill. London duo Public Service Broadcasting have also been announced.
Legendary indie label Moshi Moshi Records will be celebrating their 15th birthday at the festival and will host the 'Lost in the Woods’ stage. They will showcase a range of cutting edge new acts and more established talent, including folk-rock duo Slow Club (two piece set), Leicestershire rockers The Wave Pictures, hypnotic pop songrtress Mariam the Believer, indie three-piece Teleman as well as Totem and Boxed in.
Elbow front man Guy Garvey will be returning to Festival No.6 this year to join BBC 6 Music’s Stuart Maconie ‘In Conversation’. After the huge success and turn out for last year’s performance, they have been relocated from the beautiful Town Hall to the higher capacity Piazza.
Acts for The Clough Stage have also been announced. The stage will feature a bespoke mix of Welsh and international artists and collaborators. Highlights include Geraint Jarman, Bryn Fôn, Bob Delyn, Sen Segur, Yr Ods, Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog, Georgia Ruth, Heather Jones and R Seiliog alongside a host of other established and emerging acts and a number of DJ sets from the likes of Huw Stephens, John Rostron and many more. The mighty David Holmes will also be making a rare UK festival appearance
Warp Films is pleased to announce the screening of their critically acclaimed Made of Stone, the highly anticipated film about The Stone Roses’ record-breaking reunion and will be accompanied by a Q&A. Vice will also presentReincarnated, the film that documents Snoop Lion’s explorations with reggae and Rastafarian culture.
The acts will perform across the entire site, from the historic town hall to the Colonnade gardens, to the picturesque Estuary Stage and the promenade along the river, against a back drop of neo-classical architecture, sandy beaches and palm trees.
The legendary British act have just confirmed they will be performing at this year’s Secret Garden Party. Maxi Jazz and Sister Bliss return with an array of dance classics including Insomnia and We Come 1. Arriving at the forefront of the mid-nineties dance movement, the group went on to win numerous accolades including Brit Awards during their reign as the UK’s leading dance pioneers.
Sister Bliss said: "Really looking forward to playing at Secret Garden Party.
As well as being a brilliant line up in a magical setting, it's also our first time playing there, so we can't wait to find out what delights are in store!
Think you may find us enjoying Rebel Bingo after the show… it’s going to be a Crazy English summer for sure!"
They will be joining, as previously announced: –
REGINA SPEKTOR – 2MANYDJS (LIVE) – DJANGO DJANGO
BASTILLE – THE STRYPES – WILLY MASON – LONDON GRAMMAR -PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING – YOUTH LAGOON – JOHN NEWMAN – LISSIE – WOLF ALICE – CHILDHOOD – TEMPLES – THE STAVES – SHOUT OUT LOUDS – MØ – THE CORRESPONDENTS – HADOUKEN! – NATTY – LITTLE COMETS – ELIZA AND THE BEAR – FINDLAY – THE FAMILY RAIN – DAN CROLL – CLEAN BANDIT -JAMIE N COMMONS- CHERUB – RODIGAN – CONCRETE KNIVES – JOSH RECORD – CHLÖE HOWL – PHILDEL – NINA NESBITT – DEEP SEA ARCADE – FARAO – SYKUR – SAM SMITH – THE BOMBAY ROYALE
BIG DEAL – ROO PANES – THE WYTCHES – MISTY MILLER – SON OF DAVE – GOLDIE – WILKINSON & MC VISIONOBI – MISTAJAM – LOADSTAR – MODESTEP – JAMES LAVELLE (UNKLE DJ SET) –
DAS KAPITAL – DISMANTLE B2B BREAKAGE – MARIBOU STATE
THE OTHER TRIBE – FOAMO – LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS – SNARKY PUPPY – THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT – THE LEE THOMPSON SKA ORCHESTRA – PARLOUR FLAMES – DANNY MCNAMARA (EMBRACE) DJ SET – HE'S MY BROTHER SHE'S MY SISTER
BIG YOUTH – JOHN KENNEDY (XFM) – EDDY TEMPLE MORRIS (XFM) – PEDESTRIAN – PETE MOLINARI – BEN CAPLAN – TREETOP FLYERS – SUNLESS 97 – VICTORIA & JACOB – GORGEOUS GEORGE – OFEI – Z-STAR – MAKING MARKS – RUEN BROTHERS – BHI BHIMAN – SKIP "LITTLE AXE" MCDONALD – WINSTON FRANCIS – BIG BOY BLOATER – KESTON COBBLERS CLUB – AVA LEIGH – WILDFLOWERS – SI CRANSTOUN –ETHAN ASH – RUARRI JOSEPH – SERAFINA STEER – SCOUNDRELS – DANNI NICHOLLS – MORE LIKE TREES – INDIANA – ANNIE EVE – BEANS ON TOAST – STRANGEFRUIT – THE LADYKILLERS – THE NIGHTINGALES – EARL OKIN – ALISON & THE EARTHQUAKES – ARCHIE SYLVESTER TRIO
STEVE HOOKER & THE STRIPPED DOWN STOMPIN' BAND – NIA – BLACKBOMBERS – WARA – JARDARES POR FUERA – GRAVEOLA – TALISMAN – VOODOO LOVE ORCHESTRA – DUCIE – BY THE RIVERS – BACKBEAT SOUND SYSTEM – RUMBA DO BODAS – THEY SAY JUMP – MAMA NOLLORA – BIG HAND – THE DROP – CHAINSKA BRASSIKA – SOLKO – RESONATORS – MAGNUS PUTO – PLANETMAN & THE INTERNATIONALZ – BABILONDON – AUDIO RAZOR – GENERAL ROOTS – THE HEMPOLICS – LOSERS – MONARCHY – EVIL NINE – PHIL KIERAN – LE CAROUSEL – PIXEL FIST – SUBSOURCE – BOBBY TANK – RECREATIONS – JOSH BUTLER – AYAH MARAR & ILAMAN – DODGE & FUSKI – THE GOOD NATURED – MOJO FILTER
JACKSUN FEAR – THE PROTOTYPES – ELITE FORCE
ANIMAL – TONI JARVIS – PHLEBAS – PHIL CLIFTON & JAY CAMILLERI – ILLAMAN – MC VNM – NEVER SAY DIE SHOWCASE – DPPLGNGRS – STEFFIE (VILLA COCO) – RORY LYONS – SIRKUS SIRKUZ – THE CAULFIELD BEATS – GAIKA – ALOOSH – TONI PHILLIPS – JO GOOD – SLIM JIM
Sónar’s 20th anniversary reads like a who’s who of electronic music new and, well, more new. From Jurassic 5’s old school hip-hop and the eternally synth-pop Pet Shop Boys, to dance anthem pedlars like 2manydjs and the impossible grace of Natasha Khan aka Bat for Lashes, this was always going to be a big weekend.
The three day festival kicks off Thursday, leaving you Sunday to recover – or carry on the party. We catch Oddisee under the SonarDôme, slick rap between brassy jazz, while outside SónarVillage has exploded with the cheesy 70s hit ‘Love is in the air’. Fun is the aim of the game.
Gold Panda is another of those non-DJ DJs. In black denim and t-shirt, I picture him nursing a book alone in a café somewhere. Today, though, he hits us with playful and animalistic beats, eyes fixed on his fingertips as he bops along to perfectly haphazard breaks. The sound is of a runaway music box, and oddly relaxing.
Beer vendors wind through the crowd under a heavy Spanish sun. I worry for all the hipsters getting hot beneath their beards – at least they have their Wayfarers on. One such beardy man holds a kaleidoscope to his mobile phone to film the set (not the Beardyman, though he plays on Saturday). Lindstroøm and Todd Terje get us to nightfall. It’s the first time I’ve heard Terje’s ‘Inspector Norse’ and I understand immediately why it’s so popular. Have a listen.
There’s action aplenty with ‘off Sónar’ events across the city, but we save our feet for the first Sónar de Noche, held in a series of warehouses at the edge of town. Of course Bat for Lashes is wonderful, but we knew she would be. Bristolian DJ Eats Everything plays ahead of Two Door Cinema Club, a sentimental favourite who move seamlessly through their repertoire. “Maybe someday, you’ll be somewhere, talking to me, as if you knew me.”
It’s worth the rush to the outdoor SónarLab to see French DJs C2C perform ’Down the Road‘. They do a Run-DMC cover and manage to hold a sound-off in the crowd, a winner-by-applause deal without spoiling the mood. The 3D Kraftwerk set is all hype and Skrillex becomes the night’s surprise win (although I’d like my ears back, badly). I’m distracted by someone so famous wearing a shirt with his name on the back, but he’s forgiven with Benny Benassi’s ‘Cinema’. I don’t like dubstep; I just love that he’s got us all dancing.
Three hours sleep gets us by, and we’re back at Sónar de Dia for some synth-disco courtesy of US act Chromatics. I warm to their 80s edge and a convincing take on the Kate Bush classic ‘Running up that hill’. We watch AlunaGeorge from faux-grass decking, and catch TNGHT open with a cinematic rendition of Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’. The stop-start set isn’t my thing, and I leave early to give my eardrums a break.
The closing night of Sónar is marked with a three-hour Ed Banger tribute. Justice scores easy points with his Simian Mobile Disco mashup ‘We are your friends’, and it’s good-time fare ‘til Laurent Garnier heralds the Sunday dawn. Even with a huge turnout, the warehouses have space to sit and take stock when needed. Revellers don’t seem to overdo it as much as back on the British Isles, and the international crowd adds to Sónar’s world-class festival credentials.
In 2014 Sónar hits five cities, so the next question is Barcelona, Tokyo or Mexico? Life’s tough.
Avid weather watching and ultimate festival preparation was indeed necessary for this year’s Download Festival at the legendary Donington Racetrack, as the masses were simultaneously sunburnt and soaked, we thank the grand old British climate for a mostly acceptable atmosphere in which to rock. In it’s eleventh year, Download Festival draws in the metal hordes, clad in anything black, denim, ripped and studded, for a weekend of extraordinary music and warm beer.
Heading into the arena on Friday, the familiar sights and smells wash over us (portaloos, expensive burgers, eau de camping) with one particular very obvious addition – the zipline. Even at this time people are queuing up to spend fifteen smackers for thirty seconds of extreme wedgie, it’s baffling. I suppose the view is good from up there though. At the Zippo Encore Stage nearest the arena entrance, legendary hard-rocker heroes Uriah Heep draw an absolutely massive crowd and play a storming set that would have you think you’re at the ’82 heyday Monsters of Rock, not 2013 Download. Screaming “Where were you back in nineteen seventy seven?” frontman Mick Box smiles at the blank stares of all those who weren’t born yet, and pushes on with ‘Gypsy’ and some serious shredding. Despite the very recent and death of bassist Trevor Bolder, the band put on a great show and leave the stage with an outtro of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ just to cement their homegrown status.
Over on the main stage, Yorkshire metalcore kids Asking Alexandria spin damp fans in the rain into a frenzy, whilst London based power metal heavyweights Dragonforce are beset with shoddy sound for the first few songs. Despite this they ride rambunctiously through ‘Through the Fire and Flames’ and new track ‘Cry Thunder’ is punchy enough (and almost ironic enough, in the current conditions) to gain instant earworm status. Herman Li’s frankly beautiful hair blows in the wind as he and Sam Totman shred harmoniously in their distinctive style and the crowd joins in for the chorus. Main stage emotions are running high as Papa Roach create circle-pits and drive the hits ‘… To Be Loved’ and ‘Last Resort’, and the second stage area is awash with Swedish flags for Stockholm rockers Europe. After a hugely entertaining and musically engaging set, the inevitable party-piece ‘The Final Countdown’ is final-ly rolled out, to which the crowd goes wild. It’s more comedy than it is song now, but boy do we Brits love a good cheesy anthem.
Korn, though intensely self-aware and at times quite comical, are actually rather good and manage to draw the largest crowd of the daytime. Head honcho Jonathan Davis’ looks like he’s having a fit whilst dancing/headbanging through ‘Blind’ and ‘Falling Away From Me’, but it’s ‘Coming Undone’ that really gets the audience thrashing. An unnecessary ten minute bagpipe interval (of which Davis really only plays a few notes, it’s like… if Deep Purple went highlander…) leaves a lot of confused faces, and more than a few people groan when the dubstep part hits, however, fan favourite ‘Freak On A Leash’ brings them back.
3 Doors Down do a sterling job making the afternoon light with their particular brand of American Rock, with a fun cover of Megadeth’s ‘Symphony of Destruction’ and Gypsy Punk crazies Gogol Bordello have everyone up and skanking to their weird and wonderful accordion packed sound, also rainbow stripes don’t really make a balaclava any less menacing, but we appreciate the oddity of it.
Second stage headliners Black Stone Cherry, here on merit of a forum-wide plea from fans, play an absolutely stunning set with favourites from the first three albums, and a first ever sneak peek at brand spanking new material from their studio work (see headline review for full details). Main stage masked-bandit headliners Slipknot have ditched the red boiler suits for white (much to the dismay of die hard fans who’ve spend the whole day perfecting their costumes) but other than that, not much is different from their 2009 Download appearance, except that this year they play without late bassist Paul Grey and play ‘Duality’ in tribute to him (the 2009 Download Festival show was his last appearance). Fans are fans though, and twice during the wild night, Corey Taylor called to stop the performance due to crowd surges, yelling “No-one is getting hurt on my watch, I'm not going to let that happen to my family”. Over the two hour set, hits ‘Wait and Bleed’ and ‘Psychosocial’ make for rowdy moshpits and after an extra long pause before the encore, ‘People = Shit’ and ‘Surfacing’ complete the show.
Following the announcement a couple of weeks back about The Fortress, a formidable 60 ft long corrugated steel rave stronghold complete with huge turrets and a DJ booth in the loft, Beat-Herder a delighted to reveal the second new stage for 2013 – The Maison D’Etre. Unlike The Fortress which features a huge soundsystem and an exclusively DJ led line up, The French themed Maison D’Etre will play host to Beat-Herder’s strong new bands contingent, featuring the likes of hotly tipped buzzy acts such as Public Service Broadcasting, TOY, Temples, To Kill a King, Sicknote, Roosevelt, Concrete Knives and many more. At 15m squared and channelling rural French peasant chic, with quaint shutters and washing lines, the Maison D’Etre will provide an intimate setting to see the next big things and is a welcome addition to the festival.
Full 2013 Line Up:
GROOVE ARMADA DJ SET / BURAKA SOM SISTEMA / JIMMY CLIFF / CHIC FEATURING NILE RODGERS / BOOKA SHADE LIVE / NORMAN JAY MBE / FEED ME DJ SET / JAGUAR SKILLS / KISSY SELL OUT / STANTON WARRIORS / MISTAJAM / RONI SIZE AND DYNAMITE MC / SHACKLETON LIVE / TOM STARR / BANCO DE GAIA LIVE + DJ SET / CLEAN BANDIT / KORMAC’S BIG BAND / MR SCRUFF / GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB / BONDAX / TEMPLES / TO KILL A KING / SKINNY LISTER / FEATURECAST / PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING / CONCRETE KNIVES / GRINNY GRANDAD / MUMBAI SCIENCE / DUB PISTOLS DJ SET
SLAMBOREE / PRINCE FATTY FT. THE HORSEMAN / SHARAM JEY / THE OTHER TRIBE / ROOSEVELT / TOY / EDU IMBERNON / JUSTIN ROBERTSON / ELITE FORCE / JON CARTER / UTAH SAINTS / RENNIE PILGREM / SUNS OF ARQA / SHEPDOG / MR BENN / DAN CROLL / JOE DRISCOLL & SEKOU KOUYATE / CUT LA ROC / ONLY JOE / BARRY ASHWORTH / BEANS ON TOAST
IDJUT BOYS / DIZRAELI & THE SMALL GODS / DUB MAFIA / FREEFALL COLLECTIVE / PAUL TAYLOR / D.A.V.E. THE DRUMMER / EDDY TEMPLE MORRIS / JOSH WAVE / DOCTOR & THE MEDICS / KRYSKO / THE SQUATTERS / RANDOM HAND / LOW DOWN & DIRTY DJS / THE INEXPLICABLES / EXTRA LOVE / CAZAL / GIDEON CONN / USHTI BABA / SOUND ASSEMBLEY / THE DARLINGTONS / FORMBY IN DA CLUB / THE SQUIRE OF GOTHOS / DANKLE
CABLE STREET COLLECTIVE / DUB DADDA (ZION TRAIN) / FATHER FUNK / GEMMA FURBANK / GINNY KOPPENHOL / THE IMPRINTS / JOSH P (STYLUS) / MOUNTAIN OF LOVE / THE RAGAMUFFINS / ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS / SICKNOTE / THEPETEBOX / COLOUR THE ATLAS
OLIVIA FERN / DOHNUT / KARL ROSCOE / BISCUITHEAD & THE BISCUIT BADGERS / WOLFIE RAZMATAZZ / TOM JARVIS / BANE / PAUL THORNTON / CHRIS HOLT / THE 59ERS / TICKER LE PUNK / UNDERGROUND ROOTS FT. DAN MAN & BONGO CHILLI / 1ST AIDE / JOHNNY CLASH / AXIS SOUNDSYSTEM / DUB SMUGGLERS / LA LA AND THE BOO YA / TOM JARVIS / STACEY COHEN / LEWIS GARLAND / NATHAN BALL / CLAYTON BLIZZARD / THE YUYA
BENTLEY RHYTHM ACE DJ SET / CAPTAIN HOTKNIVES / RUSS CUBAN / MONSTER CEILDH BAND / MOOQEE / VELVET STREAM / GEORGE EZRA / TOO MANY T'S / CLUB SMITH / EXTRA CIRRICULAR / TONI JARVIS / THE LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS ACOUSTIC CONQUISTADOR / DUTTY MOONSHINE / EDDIE EARTHQUAKE & THE TREMORS / THE RESONATORS
ANGIE DA SILVA / BANANA DAVE / CHAPTER 4 / COJO / DANEJAH & RAGGA RAGGA / DR CUMBFYNSTEIN / IRIE VIBES / JAMBEATER / JAYNEY MAC / JIMI JIM BOB / MATT BUGGINS / MATTY B / MESSENGER SOUND SYSTEM / NORTHERN SCHOEY / OLD BOY / POM / PRINCE LIUIJAH / RAMON JUDAH / ROOTS LAB INT RADIO DJS / SMEGS / SPAT / STEVE BARKER / STEVE JARVIS / STRICTLY BUSINESS / THE FARMER / THE PROPER NORTH / TIM FORRESTER
WOLFIE ELECTROSWING / RUM JIG / ED STONES & THE BD3 / FOXES FAUX / CORPORATE TRAMPS / JAMES KELLY / AGE OF GLASS / ANDY CAPS FUNKY DISCO / FIRE BENEATH THE SEA / PEPPER JAM / EMMOTT & THE FOLKESTRA BUNTY / SILVER TORTOISE / HANG PROJECT / KALIKA / THE WONDERFUL SOUND OF THE CINEMA ORGAN / RIDERS IN THE SKA / STEE BOWDEN / KING SUMMAT / WAKA / RED TIN DAVE / GLYN BAILEY / TOOLEY / LOUISE & THE RIGHTEOUS BEES / STAGGER LEE FISHER / JONNIE COMMON / ADAM & PIWI / AGE OF GLASS / WISEGOLDFISH / WOLFSON & WINTERS / JAMIE BREWER / PHIL SMITH / BLOWJANGLES / EARTH DOCTOR / ALL WE ARE / DANIELLE & COWBELL / PURPLE TURTLE / RUBBER KAZOO
THE BAR STEWARD/ GRITTY BRITAIN / SONS OF VAL DOONICAN / WOODEN MACHINE / LOVE EM TOUCH EM SQUEEZE EM / SKINNY DJ / THE YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS / NANA MOON / BREAKBEATROOT / MISS MCQ
