V Festival 2014 Review – Chelmsford

by

This years V Festival saw 120,000 revelers over the twin site event who were in luck for some supreme delights. In its 19th year there was a whole host of different acts on offer for festivalgoers. From disco to indie to dance to good old-fashioned Rock n Roll. there was certainly something for everyone.

Dublin band Kodaline kicked off Saturday at V Festival Chelmsford with summer sing-alongs.  Setting the tone for the day with uplifting songs the crowd were in full verse by the time they belted out their well known hit ‘High Hopes’.

It’s been a long time since one man and his piano sparked such an engaged crowd as Tom Odell managed. Even though the onlookers did not seem old enough to have experienced such angst ridden relationships; Odell had them jumping along to ‘Another Love’, whilst the blues hipster passionately pounded the keys.

With all the classics, Kaiser Chiefs reminded the crowd why they were all there., to have a bloody good time. Ricky Wilson put in a performance to answer all the critics, running up and down the stage more times than anyone could count, he was back in full form, even surprising the backstage crew when he went slightly too far. Ricky’s passion could not be mistaken; he puts everything into the performance. Evidently someone is prompting him that this is to sell records as between the mosh pit inducing hits he enlightens the audience that they are the Kaiser Chiefs and that the new album ‘ Education, Education, Education and War‘ is out now. Clearly agitated from the sound of Bastille’s drums in his ear, Ricky mischievously jokes with the stagehands before lifting everyone with the ‘Angry Mob’ and ‘Oh My God’.

Meanwhile there was no mistaking the summer vibes of the Wailers on the MTV Stage, how can you resist singing along to tunes such as ‘Jammin’, ‘ One Love’, ‘Could You Be Loved’. Everyone left beaming from side to side.

Back on main stage was the penultimate act before what everyone had been waiting for.  Ed Sheeran, one man and his guitar, brought the vibe to serve as the perfect warm up act for JT.

The stage was set, the crowd were pumping, the most anticipated set of V was ready to kick off. JT certainly brought sexy back  looking suave as ever in Tom Ford suit and backed by The Tennessee Kids, could be mistaken as arrogant but no he actually looked overwhelmed at ‘how far back you all go’. Hit after hit,  in a perfectly polished fashion that you would expect from this superstar, the night was Timberlake’s.

Even festivalgoers who would not admit to being Timberlake fans were swept into it, everyone singing every song. The acoustic rendition of What Goes Around (Comes Back Around) was a highlight of the night.  Justin served what appears to now be the theme of this weekends V Festival taking a selfie with a fan.  He wowed the fans at every moment, didn’t put a step wrong and was pitch perfect. The crowd obligingly taking their part in Senorita, finishing the night with ‘SexyBack’ and ‘Mirrors’ everyone wanted to leave with you, Justin.

Sunday started with threatening skies, you couldn’t blame fans for hiding in the comedy tent. Newton Faulkner brought out the sunshine and the crowds on the gloomy Sunday. Followed by San Francisco band Train, with hits ‘Hey Soul Sister’, ‘Marry Me’, ‘If Its Love’ they even managed to get Bananaman crowd surfing.  Pat Monahan gets the award of the weekend for the most selfies taken, it would appear that everyone in the front row has a piece of photo memorabilia.

Closing the set with ‘Drops of Jupiter’ the crowd was well and truly warmed up for the party that was about to ensue Nile Rodgers and Chic.

The most lovable performance of the weekend goes to veterans Nile Rodgers and Chic. Who knew how many hits Nile Rodgers had written. He is a true legend, inspiring character, telling the crowd how he battled cancer by going out and living life. Using music the way it was intended, uplifting everyones spirits and bringing the funk to V. It was true carnival atmosphere. Too many hits to believe one man wrote them all; ‘I Want Your Love’, ‘I’m Coming Out’, ‘Like A Virgin’, ‘Lets Dance’, ‘Get Lucky’, the list is endless. No one was standing still, jiving along, doing the salsa as the legend requested. Fifty lucky punters were brought on stage for the last song and all the rules were broken. Nile Rodgers left everyone exhilarated wanting more.

Rizzle Kicks brought the largest crowd to the MTV stage, all ages, connected for ‘The Lost Generation’. Two hip-hop boys who genuinely looked like they were having a blast in the middle of this corporate festival. What a sight to see 15,000 people ‘Doing the Hump’.

Lily Allen looking svelte as ever bounded onto stage in a silver leather catsuit. Lily baffled a large number of the crowd with a stage full of milk bottles, as if people needed to be reminded she is now a mother. Allen did feel the need to quash rumours of a split with her husband, and passionately sang ‘As Long As I Got You’.  This performance felt like it was a big ‘Fuck You’ to all the critics along the way, comparing her song ‘LDN’ to a William Blake poem, this was lost on the festivalgoers.

Paolo Nutini followed in Allen’s footsteps intriguing the audience by appearing in a different world. Whilst slurring when speaking, "feeling a little bit drink" he was mysteriously in tune when singing. With hits ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’ and ‘New Shoes’ providing the perfect warm up for The Killers.

Embrace vs The Killers. The clash of the weekend. Embrace were back after an 8 year break from the festival. Whilst having one of the worst clashes of the weekend, with The Killers, the McNamara brothers attracted a 300 strong crowd . With festival favorites ‘Come Back To What You Know’ and  'One Big Family’ Embrace have certainly hit the ground running on this comeback. Fans lucky enough to have got tickets to their now infamous Secret Festival are in for a treat. Danny was very proud of his "little brother Rich" encouraging everyone to dance, with Danny himself joining the fans in an out of character dance along.

Meanwhilst completing the all American headline, Brandon Flowers of The Killers stormed onto stage in a glittery purple suit. Ever crowd pleasing, ‘Somebody Told Me’ was the first of a multitude of triumphant songs. After a few beats  everyone was set for 90 minutes of singing, word for word, all the tunes.  The classics from Hot Fuss, pulled the most promising reaction, with a handful of covers driving the audience to a new level of excitement. Jimmy Carr, comedian, introduced the band for a well received encore. The Killers closed the festival with ‘Mr Brightside’ and the obligatory fireworks.

V Festival certainly had something for everyone this year, VIP bar, posh toilets, celebrity packed Louder Lounge, hammocks, comedy, funfair, skydivers and of course a plethora of music acts. As the sun goes down on another year, the organizers set the bar high for next years 20th anniversary.

Long Division Preview

by

Wakefield will play host to the fourth Long Division Festival between September 12th and 14th. Initially conceived as a way of putting Wakefield under the spotlight by acclaimed local music fanzine Rhubarb Bomb, Long Division has grown remarkably since 2011 and has showcased big names including The Fall, The Wedding Present and Los Campesinos!

This year’s bill is bigger than ever, including a headline Friday set by Yorkshire legends The Cribs. Saturday headliners are Welsh Singer-songwriter Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, twee Sheffield duo Slow Club, Psychedelic rock act Toy, London indie-popsters Summer Camp and Long Division veterans The Wedding Present. Sunday sees a free Fringe festival, with acts still to be confirmed.

Admission to The Cribs gig on Friday is £30, whereas a Saturday all-day pass is £22.50. Alternatively, VIP passes granting access to both Friday and Saturday are available for £50. Sunday’s fringe festival is free apart from a separately ticketed headliner which will be announced in the coming weeks. Admittedly this isn’t the most straightforward ticketing structure, but separately-ticketed headliners ensures that fans won’t be turned away disappointed from headliners despite having a wristband.

One of the things which makes Long Division special is its distinctive venues. The jewel in Long Division’s crown this year is the historic Unity Hall, a derelict Grade-II listed building currently undergoing restoration and only due to reopen the week before the festival. Other confirmed locations include dedicated music venue Warehouse 23, Players Bar and listed building The Orangery.

The festival sticks to its local roots with Leeds contributing three top picks from the rest of the line-up, including a Union Hall slot for Leeds quartet Post War Glamour Girls, riding high on the release of their sublime debut album ‘Pink Fur’ earlier this year and a series of festival appearances this summer. Following their tour supporting Embrace this May, brooding post-rockers I Like Trains can be relied on to deliver a theatrical and dramatic set. Solo instrumentalist Juffage is not to be missed, known for his complex, multi-layered live-looping and collaborations with Katie Harkin and Tom Evans.

Saturday and VIP passes are available online now from See Tickets, Jumbo Records and Crash Records, or in person from Wah Wah Records and Debut Records.

Full Long Division 2014 line-up:

The Cribs, The Wedding Present, Slow Club, Gruff Rhys, Toy, Summer Camp, Roddy Woomble, I Like Trains, Mazes, Kid Canaveral, Frankie & The Heartstrings, The Membranes, Beans On Toast, Post War Glamour Girls, Holy Mountain, Islet, Milloy, Casual Sex, Too Many T's, Patterns, Randolph's Leap, Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts, Candy Says, Joel Rl Phelps, Bleech, Sam Airey, Brawlers, Then Thickens, Theo Verney, Radstewart, High Hazels, The Witch Hunt, Versechorusverse, Tuff Love, Allusondrugs, Cowtown, The Ainsley Band, Nadine Carina, Cut Ribbons, Buffalo Skinners, Crybabycry, Juffage, Aztec Doll, Treason Kings, The Wind Up Birds, Adore // Repel, Protectors, Ruby Macintosh, Dead Party Scene, Clandestines, Narcs, Samuel S. Parkes, Cactus Knife, The Sunbeams, The Castellers, Deadwall, Flowers, Forever Cult, The Grand, Salvage My Dream, Knuckle, Gunnarson, Yard Wars, The High Club, Jack's Attic, Jamiesaysmile, The Reacharounds, Whales, In Cubicles, Secret Society, Clown, Alpha Shallows, Wearenotdolphins, Yawning Dog, Loz Campbell, Wot Gorilla?, Chanel (C.Nicole), James Coley

Hevy Festival 2014 Review

by

Day one: Thursday, 

Rocked up at the site while it was raining feeling a little depressed as I didn't want it to rain all weekend, but after 10 minutes of being there it stopped a cleared over. Set up my tent in a field with no more then 10 other tents. After a couple hours the field slowly started to fill up. At about 6pm I decided to have a little explore around the site and have a look to see what Hevy had to offer, it took a hole 5 minutes to get around the whole site, thinking it would be a tad bigger then it was, but considering its so small the atmosphere is brilliant. 

Day 2: Friday, 
Finally woke around mid-day to a rather warm tent and the sound of the stages getting the sound ready for the first acts to go on. At around 1pm decided I should go check out some bands and see what the day has to offer. Checked out the clothing stalls and found a great stall called Skull and Cross Bone Boys Club bought a few new t-shirts, a hat and some shades, and had a long chat with the guys that own the stall and found to be the nicest bunch of lads. Also nice to see Violent Hearts Clothing here too, as they were founded just over the water from where I live. At 3pm I went to go shoot Heart In Hand and catch there set as I'm a fan of there's and caught them at Takedown Twenty14 earlier in the year. I fully enjoyed there set, I fell they should of been put on later in the day as the tent wasn't as full as I thought It should of been, but non the less they played a cracking set and everyone looked to be enjoying it to the full with a small circle pit going on in the middle of the tent for the duration of their set. Also they brought on Lead singer from Texas In July (JT Cavey) for guest vocals, which was brilliant. I'd give them a 10/10 for performance as I really enjoyed watching them and shooting them.

After catching HIH went for another little wonder around the site to see what else was going on and talked to some random people to see if they were enjoying Hevy this year, everyone I chatted to were loving the weekend and having a great time. After my small wonder around I caught Brutality Will Prevail's set, I'd never seen this band before or heard of them, but fully enjoyed it, they were very heavy compared to HIH but I felt it was a brilliant set, the crowd were wild throwing shapes and pitting to every song, so they went down well with the Hevy Crowd.

After BWP I went to catch Feed The Rhino as I caught them earlier in the day for a chat. This was my second time seeing FTR as I caught them a few years ago in London supporting WSS. FTR lead vocalist came out rocking a Skull and Bones Boys Club vest and owned that stage, during there second song he jumped onto the barrier to get the crowd singing with him, then jumped back on stage and climbed onto the speaker so everyone could see him while they finished the song. I really enjoyed there set and the crowd were loving every minute of it. After they finished I had a little wonder down to the press area to see how everyone was doing and how they were finding the weekend, they all were enjoying it and chatting about who they were looking forward to seeing and shooting, and who they'd already enjoyed.

At 8:30pm I went to go catch Deez Nuts as they are one of my favourite bands and been looking forward to them since knowing I was going to Hevy and they didn't disappoint as per normal, JJ Peters vocals were flawless and the music was tight and completely spot on, JJ managed the whole set with a tie-dye hoody on, in which I found crazy as that tent was so hot and under the lights was even hotter, but he pulled it off brilliantly, the crowd sang every word to there hit song Stay True, the pits stayed strong through the whole time they were on, only down side to the performance was that they should of been on main stage.

After the smashing performance from DN I wondered down to main stage to catch the Friday night headliner's Finch. I wasn't sure what to expect from Finch as I'd never seen them live and to be honest not really heard of them. After sitting in the photo pit for about 15 minutes they all came on stage and started there first song to which I didn't have clue what it was but I enjoyed it.  During there second song the Guitarist took a slip and fell head first off the main stage (which was a good 6ft high) right in front of me, I didn't know what to do I felt so awkward as he landed straight on his neck and winded himself he looked like he'd really hurt himself and I stood there like "oh god this could be the end of there set before its even began" but like a trooper after a couple minutes to get his breath back and making sure he hadn't done any damage he jumped right up and ran around to get right back on stage and carry on performing. They played for about an hour and the crowd loved every minute of it and sang along to the songs, for a first time seeing them I thought they were great and no faults (almost). After all the acts played I decided to have a look at my shots from the day and was rather happy with them. Uprawr put on a party till 1am in which most the camp-site was there partying.

Day 3: Saturday,
Early afternoon we had our first interview with Dead Harts, which was a laugh as we'd met the band on Thursday as they also owned Skull and Bones Clothing so the interview ended up being a giggle, after the interview I went to catch there set to see what they were all about. Even though the tent wasn't full they played like they were playing to a thousand people the stage presents was brilliant and the crowd were loving them, a few members of the crowd were singing there songs and the lead singer jumped down to the barrier to get in with them and they all sang into the mic, for a band I'd never seen before I loved every minute of it, they put so much effort into there performance and didn't disappoint.

After the set I headed back down to press to have a chat with The Hell which was a tad confusing, and a little frustrating as all the questions asked were answered as a joke, so didn't get a whole lot of information from them, after they interviewed they had to jump on stage where I caught one song of theirs before having to run off and catch another band on main. The song in which I caught was rather good they were all dressed up in bandanna and faces covered with sunglasses and animal masks in which I found rather amusing, the small tent was packed out and crowd were enjoying the performance.

After The Hell was Me Vs Hero, another band I'd not heard of but really enjoyed there set, it made a nice change from just seeing a heavy band to go see a pop punk band with clean vocals and easy listening rifts. Their whole set was blessed with sunshine, so the audience were chilling out sitting on the grass while watching them. Definitely a band to go see if there playing near by. At 4pm I popped down to 2nd stage to get few snaps of Heights and to see what they we're like musically, I wasn't impressed with there performance over all I felt the lead singer was far to cocky and just acted like an idiot on stage and let the rest of the band down by kicking mic-stands over and thinking he was a massive rock star who could get away with trashing the stage, I only stayed for 3 songs while I got some photo's but left rather swiftly after that, so didn't catch the end to see if they'd buck up there performance. After that performance I went to see Capdown on main stage and was pleasantly surprised with there set the singer was fantastic, his voice was brilliant and what I liked even more was that he brought out a Sax and started playing amazingly and he was so modest when talking to the crowd, saying he was a normal guy with kids who loves to play music. These guys are a must see. Sadly I had to leave partly through there set to go catch a band I'd wanted to see over the weekend, which was Polar. 

I heard many good things about this band from friends and they were all right, the band were great, the stage presents was brilliant, the singer often jumped into the crowd to interact with them, the whole tent was moving and everyone singing along to their songs, for such a new band to the scene they are defiantly a favourite to watch. After rushing about all afternoon catching as many bands as possible I had a little time out in press to go through the photographs I had taken through the day.

At 8pm I went round to main stage to catch Reel Big Fish who were dressed very brightly and brilliant to watch as they were so much fun on stage with all the different types of instruments such as sax, trombone, trumpet, guitar and drums. The lead singer was dressing in a bright shirt and stripy sunglasses, the whole crowd danced to every song and sung there hearts out, they had to be the funniest band all weekend to watch and the music was outstanding they had to be in the top three for all acts over the weekend, defiantly worth seeing.

Only one more act to see and that was the headliner's The Vandals, this was also another band I'd not heard of so wasn't sire what to expect, the guitarist came on, in the brightest orange t-shirt I'd ever seen followed by the rest of the band. During there first song there was a cracking guitar solo in which the crowd loved and watching the guitarist was very amusing as he danced around stage through almost the whole hour odd that they were on. When they finished the crowd chanted for one more song, while banging on the barriers, and they got what they wanted one more song from The Vandals, and that was that Hevy Acts were finished till next year.

Hevy Festival is such an under-rated festival it was a brilliant weekend with some wicked bands playing, no matter how small it was it made the festival unique and I wouldn't want it to change or get massive like the rest of the festivals it just wouldn't be the same and don't think the atmosphere would be as good as it was, so anyone into the Scar,punk,hardcore,metal, just all round alternative music this is defiantly a festival not to miss next year! Also an awesome perk to this small little festival is that is was 5 minute walk from Port Lypme Animal Park in which was free to enter for any festival goer, so if you wanted a little break from the music, poping into the park was great to go see the monkeys, tigers, rhinos and lots more animals, which was great and so unique as no other festival has this facillity to use and enjoy!

Win with Dr Martens and the Stand For Something Tour

by

Dr. Martens is thrilled to announce an excursion into Europe with a five-city tour across five countries as the Dr. Martens #standforsomething tour rolls out for the first time into mainland Europe from 8th September.

Dr. Martens are offering music fans an opportunity to win tickets to the #standforsomething tour to watch Pulled Apart By Horses and Dinosaur Pile Up in Paris on 8th September. 

The winners will also get the chance to visit DM’s original factory in Northamptonshire to make their own pair of vintage DM’s.

Prize includes Travel and Accommodation. T&C’s apply. Go to www.drmartens.com/standforsomethingtour                                                  

The tour will be headlined by one of the UK’s most exciting Indie Rock bands – PULLED APART BY HORSES –  whose new album ‘Blood’ is released on 1st September. Receiving its debut on Radio 1 as ‘the hottest record in the world’ on Zane Lowe’s show, PULLED APART BY HORSES have recently unveiled the first single from the album, called ‘Hot Squash’.

What do PULLED APART BY HORSES stand for?

‘We stand for using rock music as a joyous, cathartic release. Uniting every beautiful soul in the room. And riffs. Lots of riffs’ – Lee Vincent, Drummer.

Joining them on the tour bus is DINOSAUR PILE UP.  Founded in 2007, DPU are an English alternative rock band who broke out of the thriving Leeds rock scene of the time and instantly drew favourable comparisons to the cream of 90s US college rock. The band have released two amazing albums in ‘Growing Pains’ and ‘Nature Nurture’ and are one of the most explosive live acts around.

What Do DINOSAUR PILE UP Stand For?

"I'd love to say we stand for something profound, but really we're just three dudes that wanna kick it as hard as we can. No agenda, no egos. We've never fit in too much and that's why we stick together. Weird is good. Be your own gang." – Matt Bigland” – vocals / Guitar

The Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING tour will be hosting gigs with one simple promise – the most rousing live acts in tiny venues, giving music lovers the chance to see some of the UK’s most exciting acts up close and personal.

The tour takes in:

8th September –  Maroquinerie, Paris
9th September –  Molotow, Hamburg
10th September – Rust, Copenhagen

11th September – Debaser, Stockholm
13th September – Bitterzoet, Amsterdam

The Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING bus will also announce with a special local guest band at each leg to complete the line-up. There will also be opportunities for local fans to meet the bands at the Dr. Martens store during the day.

Tickets on sale from 14th July at local venues.

More information on further support acts and will be made available to fans in the coming weeks. To ensure you are the first to hear, register interest at www.drmartens.com/standforsomethingtour

MTV Brand New Review

by

MTV kicks off the Liverpool International Music Festival with a line-up of fresh UK vocal talent.

I'll be honest…I didn't quite know what to expect going into this gig.
The cynic in me though "Oh, here we go…MTV parades a bunch of marketable girls all 
billed as 'the next big thing'". The cynic in me was quickly silenced. 

As soon as we got under way, one thing was abundantly clear…..these girls can really do it. 
And they can do it well.

Becky Hill was first up with a strong performance of old and new material. 
There always seems to be this sort of stigma attached to the whole 
'reality TV contestant goes legit' thing, or maybe it's just me, but again, this was dispelled
from the get go. Becky proved to both me and a warehouse full of 300+ Liverpudlians that she's the real deal.

Next up was Jess Glynne.. and yes, even I've heard of Jess Glynne. This girl just seems to be everywhere at the minute.                                                                                                             Giving off a much less animated presence than Becky, Jess was fine letting her voice 
do the talking. In her short career, she seems to have already built up enough hits in her back catalogue to keep almost any crowd screaming …and this crowd was no exception.                                             Backed up by a slick band (and I don't say that often) and some pretty energetic backing singers, this whole group put in a stylish performance leaving the crowd hungry for much, much more.

So there's me. Stood in the trendy setting of the Camp and Furnace with my cameras round my neck, pleasantly surprised by what I'd seen so far.
Then it was time for the final act..and trust me when I say that this crowd was already pretty bloody happy with what they'd got for their £3 ticket purchase, but when Ella Eyre was announced,                 they kicked it up a notch…and by 'kick it up a notch'…I mean they went mental.                             Figuratively, of course.

On to the stage runs this electric lioness, dressed like a sexy x-men character and absolutely rips the crowd to shreds. Whipping around in a blur of hair and Spandex, Ella worked this crowd like she's been doing it since she was born. 
Honestly, I just shot Kendal Calling and even there I didn't see stage presence this good.
Of course, she dropped some crowd-pleaser's like "Deeper" "Love me like you" and "If I go" (which sent the already manic crowd through the roof) – and the ones we didn't
know, she taught us the words to.                                                                                                   Even through a few technical difficulties (let's face it, sh*t happens sometimes) she managed to keep the crowd right in the palm of her hand.

It's kind of ridiculous to think that this girl is only 20.  
What's even more ridiculous is to think how good she'll be in another few years.
Probably the worlds next International super awesome ultra mega star. Or y'know, words to that effect.

All in all, this was a stellar line-up of absolute vocal powerhouses who definitely brought their A-game for the MTV cameras..and whilst they were busy doing that, they also restored my faith in the future of UK vocal talent. Thanks ladies.

An excellent way to kick off the Liverpool International Music Festival.                      

Well played, MTV. Well played…

Island parties announced for Unknown Croatia

by

Hosted by a different label each day, Unknown revellers will have the chance to catch a boat and party on Unknown's very own secluded island with some of the best DJs in the world providing the soundtrack.Erol Alkan's label Phantasy takes to the island on Tuesday with a set from the DJ himself as well astechno mastermind Daniel Avery and Lemmy Ashton. The following day Jackmaster and Spencer take to the decks with Seth Troxler for their Numbers island party and on Thursday Young Turks and Hivern Discs team up to present a packed line-up featuring Nick Tasker, JMII and Dani Baughman as well as an unmissable back to back set by Jamie XX and John Talabot.

Tickets links:

Phantasy – Tuesday 9th September: http://unknownfestival.eventgenius.co.uk/events/Unknown-Island-P/index.html
Numbers – Wednesday 10th September: http://unknownfestival.eventgenius.co.uk/events/Unknown-Island-1/index.html
Young Turks x Hivern Discs – Thursday 11th September: http://unknownfestival.eventgenius.co.uk/events/Unknown-Island-2/index.html

Set in the paradise location of Rovinj on Croatia's sun soaked coast, nestled between luscious forest and crystal clear waters, Unknown is a festival like no other. Some of the world's leading musicians, artists and designers will create the ultimate experience as revellers embark on a week of live performances, boat, island and pool parties, art installations, forest escapes and mystical adventures.

PROGRAMME

LIVE:
Chic Ft. Nile Rogers / Chvrches / London Grammar / Moderat / Wild Beasts / Jungle / Mount Kimbie / Forest Swords / Henrik Schwarz / James Holden / Kink / Ten Walls

DJ:
Disclosure
Dixon / Dj Harvey / Jamie XX / Seth Troxler
Âme / Daniel Avery / Dj Koze / Dusky / Eats Everything / Erol Alkan / George Fitzgerald / Gerd Janson / Heidi / Jackmaster / John Talabot  / Joy Orbison / Kim Ann Foxman / Mano Le Tough / Michael Mayer / Optimo / Prins Thomas / Richy Ahmed / Rub N Tug / Ryan Elliott / Simian Mobile Disco / Tale Of Us / The 2 Bears / Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs / Waze & Odyssey   

Auntie Flo / Bad Passion / Capablanca / Cutloose / Eskimo Twins / Force Of Nature / Gatto Fritto / Geddes / Giles Smith & James Priestley / Harri And Domenic Cappello / Hunee Jennifer Cardini / Last Waltz / Lord Of The Isles / Man Power / Mike Jones / Nicola Bear / Paramida / People Get Real / Red Axes / Scott Fraser / Simon Baker / Spencer / The Sonic Emporium / Tim FairPlay / Tom Grainger  

ISLAND PARTIES:
Phantasy – Erol Alkan / Daniel Avery / Lemmy Ashton
Numbers – Jackmaster / Seth Troxler / Harri & Domenic Cappello / Spencer
Young Turks x Hivern Discs – Jamie XX b2b John Talabot / Nick Tasker / JMII / Dani Baughman

Bestival adds BBC Introducing Stage

by

On Saturday, the teenage production duo Bondax headline the stage alongside performances from Karma Kid, Seb Wildblood, Farrow, Night Flowers, Blessa, Joel Culpepper, Phildel and The Gorgeous Chans.

Sunday sees Manchester producer TCTS headline with GhostChant, Mella Dee, TRU Concept, Nai Harvest, Go Swim, Lake Komo, Brooklyn. and Raphaella also appearing on the stage.

These acts join our already gargantuan line-up featuring performances from the likes of Outkast and Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, Beck, Disclosure, Foals, London Grammar plus many more.

This year, BBC Radio 6 Music hosts Bestival’s Big Top which will feature artists including Beck, Jenny Lewis, Caribou and Basement Jaxx. And on the Friday (7-10pm) Tom Ravenscroft will be broadcasting his show from our festival site on the Isle of Wight. His guests include pop experimentalist Tune-Yards, Chicago's finest Ezra Furman, Welsh songstress Cate Le Bon, and electropop queen, Elly Jackson – alias La Roux – ahead of her Big Top performance. He will also be checking out the weird and wonderful entertainment on offer in the peripheries. And Tom Ravenscroft, along with fellow 6 Music presenters Mary Anne Hobbs and Nemome, will be playing DJ sets over the weekend!

Performances from the BBC Introducing Stage at Bestival will be filmed and videos of the performances will be available online on the BBC Introducing website (www.bbc.co.uk/introducing).

With over 250,000 tracks uploaded to the BBC Introducing website and 100,000 artists registered, BBC Introducing provides a network dedicated to supporting the best emerging talent from across the UK and a platform to propel them onto the national stage through Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, 6 Music and the Asian Network. Big name artists including Florence and The Machine, Jake Bugg, Rizzle Kicks, Wretch 32 and George Ezra all received BBC Introducing support at the start of their careers. The stage at Bestival is part of BBC Introducing’s commitment to offering the best new artists unrivalled opportunities to be seen and heard.

Boardmasters refund information

by

Boardmasters has confirmed all ticket holders will be refunded the face value of their Sunday ticket after the event on Sunday 10 August was cancelled because of extreme winds caused by ex-Hurricane Bertha.

As Boardmasters operates a tiered ticketing system, refunds will be remunerated accordingly to the ticket purchased. The value of refunds is listed on the website here:http://www.boardmasters.co.uk/tickets/your-sunday-will-be-refunded/

All card payments made via See Tickets will be refunded automatically within the next 14 days. Cash buyers are to advised to get in touch with See Tickets directly on 01158 960074 from 10am tomorrow, Thursday 14th with their ticket as proof of purchase. Those who purchased from a different ticket agent should contact that agent directly for details of how to arrange their refund.  Any Tipi or pre-erected tent ticket holders are to email [email protected]

Boardmasters 2014 is already being hailed as the best year to date despite Sunday’s cancellation. Those that can’t wait to get back to Cornwall for more explosive live music, world-class surfing and thrilling BMX and Skating action can purchase Dawn Patrol earlybird tickets for Boardmasters 2015 from the website now, available at the 2014 price of £109 for a full 4-day ticket.

For any further information or to book 2015 tickets visit www.boardmasters.co.uk

 

Beacons Festival 2014 Review

by

It’s now two o’clock on Monday morning. My feet are numb, my ears are ringing and my tent is full of water and STILL this has been the best weekend I’ve had BY FAR since I sat in almost exactly the same spot this time last year.

Beacons festival is now in it’s third year and long may it continue. Aswell as being tucked away between some of the most perfect countryside I have seen and boasting lineups which have consistently excited me like a child on Christmas morning, the festival has another certain magic about it that is difficult to put into words until you experience it for yourself. It boasts an eclectic mixture of hipsters, underground music fans, families and artsy types, bringing in people from all walks of life and yet keeping focus on enjoying beautiful music and art. The Yorkshire Dales allow a wonderful setting to nurse a hangover and an excellent excuse to chomp on a succulent locally sourced hog roast.

b1.jpg

Thursday was all about getting reaquainted with Beacons festival. Our first stop was for food, which took us on three laps of the arena before finally deciding on a fantastic little street food stall called Fish& for some delicious sweet chilli battered fish and chips. After this, we wandered into the ‘Impossible Lecture’ tent and caught the end of the previous performance. We were greeted by a naked, purple-haired lady, crowd surfing her way out of the tent. Welcome back!

Our Friday began to the washing ambient sounds of backwards facing ‘British Sea Power’ inside the main stage, which was hosted by ‘Loud & Quiet’ and ‘Last.fm’. This was certainly not a case for starting as we mean to go on though, as the next artist we saw was the person I was most looking forward to from the whole weekend. The much anticipated Dan Snaith (aka- Daphni) entered the Resident Advisor stage at 6.00pm to an eager crowd. Luckily for us, the tent was designed with blacked out windows, making it feel almost like the middle of the night. The green strobe lighting was mesmerizing and the atmosphere was certainly not negatively affected by Daphni’s early set time. A wave of excitement passed through the crowd as Snaith dropped his latest Caribou release, ‘Can't do without you’ from under the guise of his alter-ego. It was a noticeable turning point for the resident advisor tent, which went on to host blistering sets from first Daniel Avery, straight off the back of Drone Logic and finally the techno/house inspired Roman Flugel. Friday’s headliners over on the main stage were Daughter, who seemed a little uninspiring after the electric atmosphere within the Resident advisor tent. Although they sounded beautiful, with their haunting minimalist sound and the raw emotion portrayed through Elena Tonra’s vocals, it was a slight downer on the fun I had experienced in the Resident Advisor tent earlier. I am sure on another day, perhaps at a different festival, Daughter would have blown me away with exactly the same set.

b2.jpg

Saturday catered for the house lovers over at the Red Bull Tent. The party started with Pariah, an R&S labelman from London, who would get any electronic underground fan nodding their head with his approach in the current wave of British dance music. The DJ entered the part-open stage at 6:00pm – allowing festival goers to ease themselves into Saturday evening whilst the glorious sunshine brought warm party moods well into the sunset hours. The critically acclaimed ‘Huxley’ kept the beats going into the night, leaving the crowd screaming in excitement with the much unexpected addition of ‘Space Cowboy’ by ‘Jamiroqui’ emerging through his heavy house beats. Joy Orbison continued where Huxley left off and finished the night in style.

b3.jpg

Saturday’s headliner was Jon Hopkins and once again, he did not disappoint. Blowing the crowd away with his explosive and bass heavy, kaoss pad inspired soundscapes. His set was an unsettling, yet completely soothing experience. A master of his art, Hopkins is known for his intriguing aesthetic performances. Halfway through this particular set, an unexpected sea of colourful giant bouncy balls sailed through the crowd as excited fans punched them into the air creating a colourful explosion of orbs floating over the stage. After the initial excitement of feeling like you are a big kid in a ball pit (and of course the fantastic visuals) the excitement wore off and we realized that being banged in the head by those things actually quite hurt…

Sunday came and the heavens opened. The rain was torrential and so our day was planned around keeping dry, as well as who we would like to see. Tall Ships were the first band on our list and they played one of my favourite performances of the entire festival. T=0 being a highlight and it’s guitar hook has been stuck in my head ever since. After this we took position inside the Resident Advisor for Mano le Tough and then Dixon. Both of whom played quite similar sounding sets. Tough bordered more on house and modern disco, with Innervision’s founder Dixon edging towards progressive house and techno at times. The weather had put a downer on the day for me and although some people I had spoken rated Dixon as their highlight of the festival, I was not in the same mindset. The DJ seemed a little too similar to the artist previous which wasn’t his fault, but I found myself glad to move on from this tent by the time we needed to leave.

Once we had walked over to the final headline act, we were freezing and soaked to the bone. The rain was pouring and spirits were low. Darkside were make or break.

The guitar/electronica duo of Nicolas Jaar & Dave Harrington have some amazing tracks and there was a lot of hype around this performance, with Nicolas Jaar’s live set being one of the best around at the moment. The stage plunged into darkness for their entrance, before Jaar & Harrington took to the stage, which was a cloud of smoke. Spotlights set behind the stage made the two visible only as silhouettes, as they treated the rain-soaked crowd to a show that they will not forget in any hurry. Harrington’s live guitar added complimentary ambient textures to Jaar’s driving analogue synth sounds. A clued-up individual standing near me noted his use of max/msp for drum programming, which went completely over my head but sounded very impressive indeed.

I was completely blown away by Darkside. They were well worth persevering through the cold and rain; their expert shifts in tempo throughout their set shadowing the rollercoaster of a weekend we had experienced. ‘Paper Trails’ was magnificent and Jaar’s live vocals were such a refreshing thing to see and hear.

The fact that Beacons festival still kept it’s magic, even after one of the worst downpours I have experienced at a festival, speaks volumes for the place. Looking back now, as I sit in my little tent with my freezing toes, the past four days have been completely mind-blowing.

Thanks again Beacons festival…. see you next year.

Kendal Calling 2015 Tickets on sale at 2014 prices

by

The sun has set on last weekend’s sold out Kendal Calling festival and the From The Fields promoters are already hatching plans for their eagerly anticipated 10th birthday party next year.  The quest is on to bring festival lovers the best Kendal Calling yet and a limited number of tickets are available at 2014 prices.

Customers must sign up with their email address and they will then be sent a unique code to purchase their 2015 tickets.  Once signed up, customers will receive an email on Thursday 14th August with their unique pre-sale code and details on how to purchase your pre-sale tickets.

To sign up for tickets please register at – https://kendalcalling.ticketline.co.uk/kc-2015-registration/index.php

Kendal Calling have also confirmed the extremely popular monthly payment scheme will take place again and customers will be able to secure their ticket for the 10th birthday celebrations for only £12.11 per month.

KENDAL CALLING 2015

THURSDAY 30TH JULY TO SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST

LOWTHER DEER PARK, HACKTHORPE, THE LAKE DISTRICT