BASS festival returns to Birmingham for its 11th year this November, with a theme dedicated to Hip Hop 360. Featuring legendary artists past and present who have shaped the sound of a generation, Hip Hop 360 celebrates every aspect of street level Black Music culture. DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rodney P, Slick Rick, Robert Glasper, Diamond D, Large Professor, DJ Bobbito & Stretch Armstrong DJ Semtex and Ty will perform on stages throughout the city of Birmingham over the two week festival period. BASS Festival runs from the 10th – 28th November with tickets available here, priced from free to £25.
BASS Festival is the brainchild of Punch Records, the UK's leading music development agency, based in Birmingham with an impressive fifteen year history of delivering groundbreaking public programmes, events and special one off shows. Now in its 11th year BASS has established itself as one of the UK's most innovative boutique festivals with an annual theme running throughout the events, this year being Hip Hop 360 – celebrating Black music culture. BASS Festival will run across a two week period at venues throughout the city.
BASS Festival have gone all out for 2016, booking legendary artists to celebrate the Hip Hop 360 theme. Hip Hop pioneer and multi award winning producer and DJ Jazzy Jeff will be showing off his flawless turntable skills and musical versatility, whilst Slick Rick – arguably one of the most successful British-American rappers in history will be bring his inimitable flows to the Birmingham crowds. Riding high off the success of his critically acclaimed book 'Hip Hop Raised Me', DJ Semtex will be hosting a live Q & A with UK Hop Hop stalwarts Rodney P and Ty also flying the flag high for the UK scene. US Hip Hop Radio legends DJ Bobbitoand Stretch Armstrong will be premiering their film biopic 'Stretch And Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives', directed by Bobbito himself, plus many more special events happening over the course of the two weeks.
PUNCH’s CEO AMMO TALWAR said; “HIP HOP is a beautifully complex culture of music and language, art and fashion which is in every way the voice of the youth & accessible to ordinary people. HIP HOP 360 will allow people to explore this culture from every angle.”
BASS Festival is the UK's only Black Arts festival, running from 10th to the 28th November. Tickets for each event available here – www.bass2016.co.uk.
LISTINGS Jazzy Jeff Friday 10th November 9:30pm – 2:30am Lab 11 Tickets here Price: £10 Early Bird – £15 Standard
Diamond D Vs Large Professor Friday 18th November 11pm – 3am Spotlight Tickets here Price: £5
Robert Glasper Live Sunday 20th November 8pm – 11pm Town Hall Birmingham Tickets here Price £25
Bobbito Garcia & Stretch Armstrong Film / Q&A Tuesday 22nd November 7pm – 11pm Birmingham Imax Tickets here Price – Earlybird £7 – Standard £10
Rodney P presents Yesterday, Today and Forever Ft Ty, Iman Rootz formerly Durrty Goodz & Children of Zeus Thursday 24th November 7pm – 11pm Hare & Hounds Tickets here Price: Earlybird £7 – Standard £10
DJ Semtex Q&A Monday 28th November 2pm – 4pm 6/8 Kafé Tickets here Price: Free
Slick Rick Live Monday 28th November 7pm – 11pm Birmingham O2 Institute Tickets here Price: £28.25
Pushing the parameters of what is jovially known amongst us music journalists as ‘festival season’ lies Boundary Brighton. Boasting an impressive line-up for its inaugural year, this one-day dance music extravaganza definitely made its mark. Exhibiting an impressive list of DJ’s and acts across four stages, the festival collaborated with clubs and venues across Brighton alongside party innovators Elrow, music publication Mixmag and the infamous LWE to curate something pretty brilliant to witness.
The main stage combined one of Brighton’s most beloved venues, Concorde, with the go-to publication for all things clubbing and dance music; Mixmag. Artists such as Bondax and Groove Armada (DJ set) took to the stage, as well as the energetic Gentleman's Dub Club, a delightful surprise, whose combination of ska and dubstep, suited appearance and Yorkshire accents over reggae vocals, brought an incredible live show. A DJ set by Wilkinson closed the stage down with an immense stamina and an energetic collection of tunes.
Notorious party-starters Elrow teamed up with Brighton’s The Arch – formerly known as Digital – to create a colourful psychedelic stage. If you haven't yet heard of Elrow, that's about to change, as the Barcelonian party enthusiasts have been putting on nights left right and centre; most notably the Ibiza classic Space. The Vibrant tent hosted the likes of Solardo, Seth Troxler, and Richy Ahmed all cocooned in a tent trying to be Woodstock, yet sounding pretty far from it.
One of London’s biggest underground events organisers LWE teamed up with Brighton club Patterns; still relatively new on the club scene since the death of Audio not too long ago (may it rest in peace) and I must say, whoever had the idea to build a fake London Warehouse as the set up for an inside stage was a genius. Entering the ‘building’ transported you into a club-like arena, where the likes of Jackmaster, Joy Orbison wowed the crowd, as well as sets from Patterns residents themselves. Last but not least, Boundary also set it’s very own bandstand. The smallest stage but still able to attract a crowd, the masked man Jaguar Skills played a hit-heavy set, albeit sounding a little rusty.
The man of the hour award definitely goes to Craig David and his new DJ project TS5. After the build up of one of the biggest revivals in garage history, Craig David’s comeback is definitely going strong. Though rumours of TS5 being a little rusty are still floating around, by the time the headliner hit the stage you could tell he’s cleaned up his act and his setlist was selectively fine tuned to please everyone from the 90’s kids in the crowd to old school garage fanatics. Being a fan as I am, I must say I’m probably a little biased but listening to Fill Me In and Seven Days live was enough to complete my summer of festivalling and if the attitude of my fellow punters in that crowd was anything to go by, I’m guessing they’d agree with me.
Craig David/ TS5 headlining the main stage.
This being said you can tell Boundary is still finding its feet. Though it’s had some great ideas and, in my opinion, had a pretty successful launch, it could do with a few tweaks. There’s no specific wristband system so punters are let in with no chance of re-entry if they leave, which would be fine if it didn’t make for a very confusing entry, there are no maps or clear labels as to which stage is which and punters have to check paper set times to make sure they catch who they want to see, It’s also pretty small. Though it held a 20,000 capacity, the festival site felt similar to a village fete making the four stages feel pretty squashed together. Nevertheless, in a way, this worked as a positive, as it promised big, energetic yet friendly crowds for each stage.
The acts themselves put on a great show, but with the renowned names on the bill and the brand of Brighton nightlife surpassing the name of the festival itself, this is hardly surprising. Though despite each stage’s own collaboration, all the music did feel a bit samey, samey. DJ’s and dance music aren’t always all too different and you come to appreciate the skills of each act you see, as well as their ability to captivate a crowd, but maybe next year it would be good to focus on a specific subgenre for each stage instead of mixing it up across the board. Do this, and Boundary could quite possibly become the next dance/club pilgrimage of the summer.
All images provided by www.visionseven.co.uk for Boundary Brighton.
It’s that time of year again, where the rest of the UK has basically resigned itself to Autumn but Bestival-goers know that there is one last high summer fling to be had. Cars crammed with people and gear are flooding the ferry docks, horns are blaring, people are already on the drinks at 9am… off we go to the Isle.
Upon arriving at Robin Hill, it’s clear something has gone awry. For some unknown reason they’ve decided to trickle-open the carparks, meaning those wanting to camp in yellow can’t actually park in yellow because it’s currently closed. For those not au fait with Bestival’s layout – the giant hill/massive walk through three campsites to get from Red parking (which is the only one open right now) to yellow camping, is utterly soul destroying when you’re carrying 4 days’ worth of binge-drinking materials. The second fail of the day (related) is that by not opening multiple car-parks and therefore access gates, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD is queuing for red entry. Two hours to get in is beyond mental, hopefully this will be rectified for next year because it was truly the worst entry system we’ve encountered at a festival this year, and Bestival have done it so right the last five years or so before.
After finally trudging over and setting up camp (in a field where toilets haven’t been delivered yet… what is going on?!), it’s time to head over to the arena to see what’s what. Next big shock of the day… where on earth is the main stage? The stage that sits in its’ place is about a quarter of the size of last years’ behemoth and is low-down, downhill. There are a lot of short people who are going to be seeing absolutely nothing this weekend that’s for sure.
Luckily, The Magic Meadow is up and running with the true Bestival vibe to make us feel better about everything. Happily The Feast Collective has only been moved here, not banished because everyone is starving and the food is just incredible. Where else can you side by side order a grilled-shrimp-and-samphire burger, raclette draped chips and a spicy beef rendang? With a pint of Bestivale in hand it’s off to scout out some early bands.
Asylums on the Invaders of the Future stage are punky and lively, you can’t really argue with a band who love to perform. ‘Joy in a Small Wage’ is perfect rock band fayre, easy to sing along, great to dance to, and the band themselves are leaping around the stage as they play in front of the Day of the Dead bar.
The highlight of Thursday is Besti-faves, Hot Chip in the Big Top. Weird and wonderful as always they play to a busy tent despite starting at nearly one am, and their electronic melodies can be heard far and wide across the still-filling campsites.
Friday
Friday sees ferries delayed by the discovery of a World War II torpedo in Portsmouth harbour which is later disposed of by controlled explosion, but with everything soon back on schedule it’s becoming apparent that not enough camping has been opened by the festival this year. Having sold only 40,000 tickets compared to years’ 50,000+ it seems that a decision was made to condense campsites. However, they clearly went a field too far and people are scrabbling for space today.
Anyway, on to the first proper arena day and we find ourselves drawn in by the presence of The World’s Biggest Bouncy Castle over on top of The Grassy Hill. At a price of £5 for ten minutes of bouncing, it’s pretty damn steep, but hey we’re drunk and ready to throw some shapes. After knackering ourselves out, getting told off by the flip police, and avoiding serious damage it’s time to explore Caravanserai over in the Stardust Field.
What can I say about Caravanserai except, it’s magical. Surrounded by half-caravan seating booths, a carousel stage and Wurlitzer carts, it almost feels as if you’ve stepped into an American Horror Story set, without the inherent creepiness I guess. An area is being roped off by toothless yokels who are swigging something foul from an xxxx bottle and people are being called up to ‘dance off’ against each other, choosing ‘beats’ or ‘junk’ as backing tracks. As people crowd in we see a wookiee face off against a cheerleader who is throwing flips on a perilously downhill slant, a pole-dancer takes on a guy with a bizarre rope-tied tiny tears doll, and an extraordinarily drunk flying squirrel twerks at an Adidas clad musician. It’s bizarre and brilliant.
Heading out to the main stage for something a little less frenzied we catch Kitty Daisy & Lewis on the main stage as they whip out the harmonica for some bluesy riffs.
Next up are Bestival legends and all-round disgracefully wonderful pervs, The Cuban Brothers. No Bestival could be complete without them and their crazy array of stunts, tricks, the tightest jumpsuits ever seen outside of Olympic gymnastics and old school hip-hop vibes. Starting off in traditional carpet-print suits, Archerio and Kengo hit the stage with their dance duo which we as always attempt to emulate badly. Miguelito rocks ‘Mike For President’ in his gold wrasslin’ belt, and guest BAM from hip hop crew The Jungle Brothers comes out just in time to be accused of #sexyfavours. As they sing “I’m a Jungle Brother, and he’s a Cuban Brother” we see Juan Erection and Kengo bust out the big moves with huge flares, head spins and tucks. Mike pops into the crowd for a bit of fondling and then busts out the swan pants with absolutely zero shame. The Cuban Brothers are party central and the huge crowd is laughing and dancing along with them. The only sad bit? Kengo brings out his skates but the stage appears to be a bit wet to see him do any tricks. Damn!
Next up, Norwegian waif Aurora is elfin and adorable. Wearing a ton of knitwear in the high summer heat, she has a touch of Tilda Swinton about her, but oh that voice. She soars with ‘Winter Bird’ and instantly endears herself to us when by breaking her ethereal spell to say “I really had to pee before I came on stage, but when I started to sing… it went away. I didn’t pee myself on stage though!!”.
Years & Years hit the stage with a light-show based on the lines of their album cover and some pretty fabulous futuristic outfits. Frontman Olly Alexander is dressed in metallic geometric 8-bit armour which kind of looks like a Minecraft/Moschino collaboration and with huge ticker tape explosions they race through hit after hit. ‘Take Shelter’ and ‘Ties’ have everyone mesmerised and as snappy modern dancers flood the stage it’s clear the band have upped their production value in the last two years. Finishing up with everyone singing along to ‘King’, Olly yelling “I love this festival” and a massive rainbow streamer explosion from the top of the stage, they have been a perfect Bestival band.
Over in Bollywood there’s a sweaty crowd dancing their hearts out whilst cocktails are flowing at the cocktail bus next door. A tiny rave is happening in Sunday Best and there are people spread out all over sampling the culinary delights on offer here. Anna Mae’s Mac & Cheese deserves a mention for being the stodge that saved our souls after two bags of wine. Yes, bags. Praise cheesus!
Heading into the Ambient Forest for a bit of a calm-down, we take a stroll into the revamped Amphitheatre (amazing new design) but we are a little sad that the late-night movies have been axed this year, along with Scroobius Pip’s much loved Satin Lizard Lounge. The forest itself is full of new seating nooks and artistic installations like the Tron-esque musical pipes, and the tinkling of ivories can be heard through the secret entrance to the Gatsby-esque Blind Tiger.
Back to the main stage and Skepta has drawn a massive crowd for ‘It Ain’t Safe’ but it’s Major Lazer who really take it up a notch with thousands pouring into the arena for the likes of ‘Lean On’ and ‘Light It Up’.
Over at the Spaceport, set in a giant fuse box underneath a massive rocket, Carl Cox is lighting up the night with some solid beats, followed by Diplo straight off the back of his main stage performance. The ribbon-wrapped area, flanked by two huge astronaut installations is awesome, but the layout does make access quite difficult with thousands of bodies piled in.
Saturday
Alas, predictions were true and the rain has put a stop to many of the wild and wonderful costumes we’re used to on a Bestival Saturday, not to mention the main parade has been cancelled due to ground conditions. Such a shame! However, spirits are never dampened at Besti when Mr Motivator is on hand for an early shakedown. There’s something weirdly comforting about a man espousing health in the midst of our foul hungover scurvy-wracked state. No I haven’t had any fruit for three days except in a cocktail, but I’m pretty sure I can keep up with these aerobics… probably…
The Chuckle Brothers are obviously both terrible and nostalgically hilarious but it’s Wolf Alice who deserve a much bigger, less soggy crowd for their soft, rock style. ‘Bros’ and ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ are brilliant and should have been sun-drenched. Hopefully we can catch them again at a less damp future Bestival. Lady Leshurr is a powerhouse performer with hit 'Brush Your Teeth' and clearly everyone is loving the return of Craig David, no matter how many times he says his own name.
Over at Invaders, Pretty Vicious’ ‘Cave Song’ has a huge crowd up and jumping including a rowdy bunch of people dressed as their older selves with inflatable zimmer frames – The Future, I geddit, very clever. Followed up by rowdy bijou band Hinds who rock so much pocket-power they practically eclipse the main stage sound, we are loving their energy. Yelling “What’s up Bestival! Bestival is the first festival we did as a band… we were so excited because it was the first time we ever had like an artists wristband!” they echo the sentiments of quite a lot of new bands who were given their first chances at this festival. Rob Da Bank and co. have always been right on the cutting edge of booking up-and-comers, allowing new acts to flow into the festival mainstream.
Onto tonight’s main stage headliner – The Cure. With probably half the crowd never having heard of them, it’s a pretty great turnout. Hits ‘Friday I’m In Love’ and ‘Just Like Heaven’ are absolutely amazing, but the three encores and an almost three hour set they perhaps go a step too far.
Next door on the Invaders stage, PC Music Allstars followed by Danny L Harle bring a small slice of electronic rave, then euphoria to the side of the Magic Meadow and the glowsticks are out in force (ermegherrrd right?) and as we head back to the campsites later on, the STA Travel garden is inexplicably packed with people winding to… Peter Andre’s Mysterious Girl. Yep, that’s the last song in my head before sleep. Thanks guys.
Sunday
Waking up to thankfully clearer skies it’s a chance to break out all the sparkly shit we couldn’t wear yesterday and walking through the tent graveyard, uh, campsite – it’s clear some people have gone full feral now. Broken poles poke holes in the sky as wellies (with feet still in them) protrude from tents, their owners flat out in oblivion.
The arena mud has dried enough to provide safe passage and it’s soon time for a bit of Electro-Swing with French movers and shakers Caravan Palace. At first a fairly small crowd has gathered but as they begin to blast out their strange mix of high tempo beats and jazz-swing riffs the arena suddenly becomes a bouncing, writhing mass of bodies throwing down together. It’s a big statement but I think CP are ‘the’ band of the entire weekend, the sun is out and the set is just incredible. Bow-ties and braces are the look, and cute and firey vocalist Zoé Colotis Charleston’s across the stage like she was born in the wrong decade. Hopping into the crowd to pull on a fans’ Union Jack tshirt, Zoé yells “We don’t care about Brexit, we love the UK!”. It’s a stellar performance and a great book for Bestival.
Over in the Big Top, a very different type of electro-swing-come-dubstep is going on with an incredible array of circus type acts to boot. Slamboree are fiercely Burning-Man in style, there’s a hint of cabaret mixed with Mad Max and freakshow vibes. Their sound is new, fresh and the fire-performers, skeletal dancers, fabric-winged fairies and kabuki masked creeps are amazing.
Taking a little time out up at Slow Motion, we laze in Solace with tea and cake, marvel at the Owl and Falconry display and laugh at Llama’s butts before attempting drunken hoop twirling and some hefty/danger fraught poi. The yoga tent looks great, but we are way beyond balance at this point.
In the Ambient Forest we stumble into becoming performers ourselves with the Uke band by The Gypsy caravans. With a song book filled with unlikely and brilliant options, we stay for renditions of Don’t Stop Believing, Friday I’m In Love, and go all out at the top of our voiced for The Final Countdown. This is the kind of unexpected happening that sets Bestival apart from other festivals, unplanned weirdness is always memorable.
The Out of Africa Bar & Disco Shed provide a little downtime as we listen to Michael Jackson jams and drink enormous cocktails whilst ducking to avoid the frenzied games of swirly tennis (swingball?) going on behind us. Grabbing some free fabric wristbands from the merch tent (if these were made up, why did we all get crap plastic wristbands for entry this year?) we stomp our way back to the main stage for Bastille.
Returning triumphantly to Bestival, Bastille are this time dressed in white jumpsuits with ww.com on the back, depicting their brand new album ‘Wild World’. Kicking off with old favourite ‘Bad Blood’ we know it’s going to be a good one, and the crowd is absolutely sardine-rammed into the arena. ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’ and ‘These Streets’ are brilliant, and new track ‘Good Grief’ gets a great reception. Despite it not really being a surprise any more, we all get down with their cover/re-working of No Scrubs ‘No Angels’ and ‘Of The Night’ a mashup of ‘Rhythm of the Night’ and ‘Rhythm is a Dancer’.
Dual headliners Sean Paul and Wiz Khalifa make their mark on Bestival, with everyone getting their groove on, reliving their noughties youth. Though ticket sales say that this years’ headline choices perhaps weren’t up to Bestival’s usual standard, it’s clear those who are here are having a rowdy good time.
Now, hugging your mates and telling them you intensely love them is pretty standard practice at Bestival, it’s just that kind of place that makes you love the world, but the closing fireworks is where you can hold each other tight and reminisce on the great/hazy memories you’ve made this weekend. Soon you’ll be trawling through blurry pictures of yourself looking an absolute state and missing every single moment of this magical festival, but for now – we’re oohing and aahing at this amazing Prince Tribute. Complete with screened video, purple smoke and confetti, we are truly sad that Prince never made it to Bestival, the kind of place that would truly have revered him and his music. The solar system rings of fire glow below as massive rockets flower in the sky and it is beautiful.
The night is still young for those squeezing every last ounce of Bestival into their souls, and The Human League are playing to a huge crowd in The Big Top. ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ and ‘Don’t You Want Me’ go way beyond karaoke and into the you-can’t-hear-the-band-because-everyone-is-singing territory.
Caravanserai is also full of life, with fire performers, aerialists and tightrope walkers walking high above cosy groups of people laughing in waltzer cars, whilst bursts of fire flame into the night from The Spaceport in the distance. Grabbing some gourmet grilled cheese we make the last trek back to the tents, watched by the shining eyes of the Lovebot.
There have been many harsh reviews floating about for Bestival this year which I think are largely unfounded. Yes things were very different which definitely came as a shock after the sheer grandiosity of the last few years, but the atmosphere was as ever, oh so Bestival. The creativity, beauty and balance was still there – all the things Bestival is renowned for. For every mad moment where something truly serendipitous has caught you off guard, where something held you in the kind of wonderment you thought you’d lost after childhood, and for every second you forgot your problems and just let loose, Bestival is the engineer. The thought that drives this festival is apparent in every corner, no matter the budget. I will be there next year with bells on. Or whatever stuff the new theme requires really.
The final day of Bestival 2016 has thankfully been a scorcher, and as we turn our sunburnt faces towards the main stage, it’s time for the first of tonight’s dual headliners – Sean Paul. Though, is it really a dual headline if they’re just one after another?
Highlights of Sean Paul’s set are Temperature, him saying his own name more than Craig David does, and obviously Get Busy which has the entire arena ‘shaking their thing’. What ‘thing’ that is, is seriously up for debate it seems. There really is nothing like watching a field full of drunk British people trying to imitate the very talented stage dancers’ dancehall moves. Truthfully, we ought to be stopped before we hurt ourselves or get arrested.
Like Glue still makes absolutely no sense but there’s something really comforting about Sean Paul’s music, it’s all about memories of the early noughties – riding five up in an old banger, arms hanging out the window swamped in gold chains and sunnies, being a complete gangster on the Coventry ringroad. Ballin’. The arena is a sea of waving arms and people climbing flagpoles for a better view (or eternal glory) as Sean Paul yells “I’ve never seen so much tits”. Well, I guess we’re at least good at that then.
For the second half of tonight’s festivities, we get a taste of Taylor Gang with Pittsburgh party animal Wiz Khalifa. Black and Yellow has the arena jumping with Wiz yelling “Let’s get fucking high y’all” and “Y’all seem to love loud music”. Other highlights include Work Hard Play Hard and See You Again, but the fact that he can’t seem to go more than two minutes without mentioning weed is just a bit predictably boring – “Shout out to all the ladies out there! How many of y’all smoke weed?”. On the other hand singing about say, heroin is possibly a lot less coherent or marketable.
Though Sean Paul and Wiz Khalifa certainly aren’t everyone’s cup of chai, it’s pretty obvious that the arena is full of appreciative applause after their energetic performances. It is however, the Prince tribute fireworks and big-screen play of Purple Rain (accompanied by streamers and purple smoke) that bring a tear to the eye. Oh how amazing it would have been to have seen him play Bestival.
Day two at Bestival is a bit of a wash-out, with rain coming in until 4pm the arena is a sludgy mess and the wellies are out in force. Nevertheless it hasn’t dampened the Bestival spirit, the crowds are rolling in for tonight’s headliner, The Cure.
Having played Bestival back in 2011 (a performance which was actually recorded for CD) they know it’s a vibrant and colourful festival… so naturally turn up in their standard undertaker-esque garb. Robert Smith’s unmistakable panda-eyed stare and backcombed mop grace the stage as the band kick off with the aptly positioned Open.
Calling out “I’m not going to start explaining what all the songs are about…” Smith warbles through The Baby Screams, and the entire crowd hoots along in unison for The Caterpillar. With a big screen showing MS Paint style heart designs, it’s on to hit Friday I’m In Love, with a quip “Wrong day for this really…” I mean, do The Cure purposefully not book Friday slots so they can make that joke all the time?
Just Like Heaven and Boys Don’t Cry are just, perfect. Every single voice in the crowd is yelling skyward. There’s nothing like the pure new wave gloom to make you feel like you are the most deeply emotional person that ever lived, and no-one could possibly understand your tortured genius.
However, this is where things get messy. After a longer than expected absence from the stage, The Cure pop back on for an encore. Then another. Then another. Now, the final encore does include The Lovecats which is fun to say and to sing, but come on. Two and a half hours of any band is excessive, let alone one which really less than half of the Bestival population has even heard of.
Much is made of Bestival’s age-range and how inclusive it is, but honestly – it’s an overwhelmingly young crowd, particularly with the other chosen headliners this year. Unfortunately this means a severe thinning of the arena every encore break, and by the third you can stride from the sound-desk to the front in thirty seconds. This says nothing of the performance though, The Cure are unfailingly brilliant, but perhaps a touch overdone tonight.
So here’s the thing. Festivals are continually criticised for their headline act choices, it’s always going to be the case. They’re damned for getting big name legends on repeat every few years, but also for giving newer bands the slot when they aren’t established or dramatic enough to be considered headline material. So what to do?
Well, most other festivals stick to the tried and tested, big act = big sales. But where does it end? The top drawer artist pool is rapidly drying due to either retirement or worse, death (2016 really has been a cursed year) and it just can’t go on. New blood has to flow.
This year, Rob Da Bank and co. have taken the far riskier, and frankly braver option of booking Major Lazer as their Friday night headliner. After a stellar daytime performance in 2014 they’ve been bumped into the top spot with good cause. The two year gap has seen Major Lazer release some huge anthems such as Lean On, Light It Up and Powerful (featuring Ellie Goulding), not forgetting the brand new Cold Water with Justin Bieber and All My Love with Ariana Grande. Tonight the rapidly filling arena is more than enough proof that newer bands can and will fill a top spot.
With bursts of streamers, flurries of confetti and smoke cannon blasts it’s unsurprising to see Diplo and pals take to the stage with a bang, Major Lazer are exactly the kind of high energy act that the Bestival crowd deserves. Wearing all-white outfits, flanked by dancers in sparkly black leotards, Jillionaire and Walshy Fire run around throwing tour tshirts out into the crowd to a frenzied crowd, whilst Diplo reminds us that Bestival is home turf for him – Rob booked him for the first time as a DJ back in 2004.
Despite a bit of dodgy sound (we do miss the much bigger speaker stacks of last year’s colossally huge main stage, sorry guys) it’s a great atmosphere and the Skrillex/Damien Marley collab Make It Bun Dem has the whole crowd attempting to wind. We British aren’t renowned for our sexy dancing skills but there are some serious shapes being thrown tonight, good job it’s dark.
Joined by Danish firecracker vocalist MØ, they tear it up with last year’s summer smash Lean On, and there’s something in Light It Up that just feels so… Bestival. Whenever I hear it I think of sundrenched fields of glitter-clad, neon-painted, carefree souls. Accompanied by a toasty array of on stage pyrotechnics and a considerable amount of jumping up and down, this is exactly what we came here for – wild abandon, and freedom from everything else in life.
We join in with the shirt-twirling, the dancehall steps, and duck as Diplo runs above the crowd in his giant hamster ball (okay okay, zorb…). It’s over far too soon. The only slight disappointments were the tiny acapella snippet of Cold Water, knowing that the drop is so good, and come on – for a band named Major Lazer, there were a distinct lack of actual lasers. Hopefully we’ll see Major Lazer back again soon, and kudos to Bestival for a great headline pick.
A Great British downpour lashed over festival goers as ponchos and true grit became standard for the first day of Sundown Festival.
“It's raining so hard my fingers are wrinkly,” bewailed one glitter-sodden music fan who said it looked like she had sat in the bath for an hour.
Yes. The rain was bad.
But remarkably the ground stayed mostly mud-free and the musical maelstrom kept the crowd in good spirits as three stages blasted out a mix of urban, pop and dance.
Kicking off proceedings on the main stage were Cambridge rapper Big Heath and Norfolk neo soul artist Mullally who stepped in at the last minute to replace Emmi.
Skipping on to the stage afterwards was a total style switch with trio MO who DJ Mistajam has described as the only girl group you need worry about.
They were followed by the earthy, jazz infused voice of Espa, then Kiko Bunn, who brought a good times, deep dance reggae sunshine vibe to the day.
Next up the ever youthful Ms Dynamite, whose energy shone as strongly as when she first topped the charts in 2003 ,with her hit single signature tune which heard the crowd sing in unison – Miss Dynamite-ee-ee!
Becky Hill stood out for her effortless performance show-casing her mind blowingly powerful voice, especially during Wilkinson's anthem Afterglow.
She is a truly likable artist with a great energy and simplicity of style.
Kano showed why his fifth album Made In The Manor has become a high seller with an edgy performance that ripped up the crowd followed by the unmistakable grin and good times set of tunes from original UK rapper Dizzee Rascal.
Jess Glynne stormed the stage with a set that engrossed the sodden masses encompassing her five number one UK singles and showing why she is a rising star on the other side of the pond as well as in the UK where she is preparing for a 10 date arena tour in the Autumn.
Duo Chase and Status closed the night with a show stopper of lights and kicking drum n bass as part of their summer of festival headlining while also producing their much anticipated third album.
By Sunday ,the Norfolk Showground venue, filled with 40,000 fans, had transformed thanks to some of the last of this summer's rays rolling through the clouds.
BB Diamond broke the musical ice on main stage with an easy set of dance tunes followed by an absolute whirlwind of energy that is Imani Williams.
This 16 year old is going places with her passion, unmistakable voice and style.
Signed to Sigala's label it is clear to see why he has snapped her up with her timed to perfection dance moves and big voice.
Next up was rapper Yungen who is among a new wave of rap/grime acts sweeping the British music scene.
He was followed by girl trio Stooshe whose high energy was a big hit with fans.
Anne Marie brought her big vocals to the stage where she compellingly lost herself in the moment and was enthralling to watch.
DJ Sigala followed with a big impact live set embracing a Caribbean theme with a guest slot by Imani followed by Krept & Konan who powered in, packing a mighty grime punch with lyrics that screamed pure London boy genius.
A turn around style switch followed, thanks to X factor contestant Fleur East who was a massive hit with the crowd. Think Beyonce and Tina Turner, blend them up and you get some kind of idea of her style, and panache. She was a joy to photograph with a star quality performance.
Next up was Years and Years – watching singer Olly Alexander is like seeing somebody emotionally throw their entire life and a handful of glitter into every word. Riveting.
Closing the festival was American star Jason Derulo who left the crowd in no doubt about why he is such a hugely successful global act.
This man can sing, he can dance and with a big beaming smile his performance was incredible to watch – not least when he picked out a girl from the screaming crowd and brought her up to dance on stage
A great performer with slick backing dancers and musicians to boot.
Over in the red and blue tents weekend highlights were David Rodiggan, who smashes it every time he takes to the stage, Jaguar Skills and his Asian babe dancers, Dimension, Red Light, Goldie and Wilkinson with thanks to stage hosting by Ministry of Sound, Defected In The House, UKF and the drum n bass arena.
Laurence Bagnall, one of the festival organsiers said: “This has been one of the biggest Sundowns yet.
“The weather failed to dampen the good vibes, the sun came out for some of the biggest acts and with no incidents to report the festival would like to thank everybody for their ongoing support.”
Wilkestock music festival is the Tardis of the summer event calendar….Small on the outside, big on the inside with a lot to offer. With a theme of 'Wilkestock Wonderland' showcasing artwork of the infamous white rabbit and queen of hearts, the hertfordshire setting looked enchanting. This is an event where all of the proceeds go to charity. This year all of the proceeds were split between Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and also Keswick Mountain Rescue.
The festival was brought to life in 2006 by two brothers Tom and Olly Wilkes. Originally a party for friends, the event just grew bigger each year. Last year's event in 2015 had over 1,500 people in attendance.
The organisers at wilkestock catered for all ages, the site included a bar that was styled like a log cabin, sofa's scattered all around the grounds for a relaxed atmosphere and a 'kids area' which provided two bouncy castles, a cinema with toadstool seating and minature golf. The most important part of the layout was the five music stages: Main stage, Bella Stage (BBC Introducing), Bangorang, Rock up & Rinse and The Doghouse.
I have to mention the variety of food. There may have only been a handful of vendors in the small food court area but there was certainly plenty to sink your teeth into. The traditional choice of burgers, chips and sub rolls from 'The Wingmen', fresh stonebaked pizzas, an ice cream van and something very different from 'Safari' an african themed caterer introducing exotic flavours such as ostritch, crocodile and zebra meats to festival goers.
Onto the main event! The music! The whole weekend provided a really good and varied line up but firstly lets take a trip back to Friday's acts. Early in the afternoon we saw perfomances from Cardinal Kings, Timeless Lizards (who also performed an acoustic set on the BBC Introducing stage on the Saturday) and quite popular acoustic style singer Doug Sure who introduced himself as the guy that people expect to be the soundman for the stage set up who felt like he needed to tell some stories with his songs after previous band's heavy rock music styles. Sure performed oringinal singles such as 'Wishing Well' (which is a song about the grim reaper), 'Darling' and also a song of the audience's choice by a show of hands in the air, their left or their right. From this choice he then sang the classic Craig David single '7 Days'
One of the bands to watch on Friday were four piece indie rock band Paves. Straight out of the Reading and Leeds festivals this year. Great band but I do have to mention how much I loved the lead singers attire. He sported Mick Dundee Chic as I like to call it, in light coloured fitted trousers, a denim jacket and a cowboy hat. And yes I am referring to the character from the Crocodile Dundee films.
Other popular performers included the uniquely vocalled Dinges, JoCee (who sang a fantastic cover of The Spice Girls' single 'Say You'll Be There'), and the headliner warm up act Eliza and the Bear – whose set included their biggest hits such as the one we all know from a particular cider advert on tv as the band themselves referred to. But unfortunately they were interrupted by two young girls climbing up onto the main stage to which was dealt with by the sound crew. This was a major security error and it should have been avoided. Though the band did play on in a professional manner.
Time for Friday's headline act….The Subways! The band is made up of three members Billy Lunn (vocals and guitar), Charlotte Cooper (vocals and guitar) and drummer Josh Morgan. An English rock band from Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire have seen great success since the releases of songs such as 'Rock and Roll Queen' and 'Oh yeah'.
The energetic set from Friday's headliner saw lead singer Billy doing his well known rock and roll leaps and even climbing up to rock out on the drum kit. The band sang other well known hits including 'Dirty Muddy Paws', 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' and 'Good Times'. The audience revelled in rock and roll goodness by singing along to well known lyrics and even creating the stereotypical mosh pit. The band finished their set with their biggest hit 'Rock and Roll Queen' during this, huge confetti cannons were activated, filling the festival grounds with colour and excitement, with both adults and children alike creating confetti angels on the ground.
Saturday
After a great day of festival frolicks that Friday had to offer, the following day had high expectations. The pressure was on! Unfortunately the weather was not ideal for a festival but the show did indeed go on. The place to be on Saturday was inside the enclosed Bella stage hosted by the team from BBC Introducing. A highlight from early on in the day was the performance from husky voiced Tom Grennan. A bedfordshire based artist with his acoustic guitar and soulful-indie sounds. He is certainly an act to look out for as he's already recorded a single with the huge Chase and Status called 'When it All Goes Wrong' and is about to support The Libertines at 02 Brixton academy on the 7th September 2016.
Another strong act of the day was four piece rock band Exit Black from Luton in Bedfordshire. The band performed a stripped back acoustic set with only two members: Tony on vocals and Joe on guitar. The duo performed original songs including: 'Memories' and 'Rise and Fall' encouraging the audience to sing along with them. The boys also performed a cover song requested by the BBC Introducing team which was a rendition of 'Maybe Tomorrow' originally by the Sterophonics.
There were three bands that really (pardon the pun) stood out in the crowd for me, one of which I have already mentioned (Exit Black), the second of those three, are the boys from Alexis Kings. An up and coming rock band from St.Albans in hertfordshire who have already seen success from their debut single 'Squire' which reached the top 10 in the spotify charts. They performed other originals which included the very popular 'Strawberry Blonde'
One of the biggest crowd pleasers of the late afternoon were The Scruff. A quirky guitar pop-rock band. With their crazy, trippy intro to their music and lack of clothing from the topless lead singer they really did bring something different to the stage. I can personally see a likeness to Blur and Madness with these guys.
Saturday's warm up acts for the headliner provided a large variety from the self labelled 'Dirty-pop' act Get Inuit, the glitzy set from The Jenova Collective and the big one before the big one (my third favourite act of the day) The Hunna.
Other than the highly anticipated live set from Mystery Jets, These guys were certainly not to be missed. The Hunna – who have gained over 1.75 million spotify streams, formed in October 2015 and have already made quite the name for themselves. The four piece indie-rock band's upcoming tour of the UK is almost a total sell out. It is clear that these guys are aiming for domination in the music industry. Their cleverly titled debut album '100' went straight into the top 20 of the official UK album charts. Not only did The Hunna provide an amazing warm up show for the headliner on main stage but they also did an acoustic set earlier on in the day with just two of the band members. They provided us with lyrical beauties including 'Bonfire', 'Still Got Blood', 'Brother', 'You and Me' and 'Bad For You'.
Drum roll please…Please welcome to the stage, Saturday's healine act. Mystery Jets! Formed in 2003 and six albums later the band are still going strong and ever popular with their loyal fanbase. Despite the soggy weather, the site was filled great vibes. With a quick adjustment of the microphone stand and a wave to the audience the band kicked things off with 'Telomere' then diving straight into 'Serotonin'. Amoungst the huge crowds of people under the bright lights coming from the main stage were photographers, people recording from their mobile devices, some groovy movers (including the food vendors with drinks in hand) and even a small toddler dancing along in a Captain America costume. How adorable!
Mystery Jets also performed other rocking hits like 'Two Doors Down', their latest single 'Bubblegum' and 'Half in Love With Elizabeth' before then finishing their awesome show with 'Alice Springs'
All in all, I had a great time at this festival and I would highly recommend it to everyone I know. An allrounder with lots to do and see. Bring on Wilkestock 2017!
The Big Feastival is a three day event held during August bank holiday weekend from Friday to Sunday and is held on Alex James (Blur) farm in Kingham– Oxon (Oxfordshire). The Feastival – founded by Jamie Oliver has become a very popular event and is famous for it’s selection of food outlets, live music and celebrity chef’s who do demonstration live cooking for audiences. some of the celebrity chef's that were there were Raymond Blanc, Nadiya hussain, Tom Kerridge, amongst many more.
As well as all the above there are also cooking school events for both adults and children and many activities and workshops throughout the feastival.
Since it’s first year, The Big Feastival has grown and grown and pretty much sells out every year. The line-up of music also seems to Improve yearly- attracting a whole mix of audiences. This year, the line-up included Mark Ronson, Tinie Tempah and Kaiser Chiefs amongst many other great acts.
My family and I have always wanted to visit The Big Feastival and now that we have a son, we thought it was time to check it out, especially as is known not just for food and music but for being very family orientated. My husband, who is a big foodie and a fan of Jamie Oliver was particularly excited to go as watches it on television almost every year.
I, however was mainly there for the food haha. Spending most of my youth at music festivals solely – food festivals have become a guilty pleasure.
As soon as you arrive you are greeted by a huge standing Big Feastival sign and can smell the wondrous foods that fill the air from all over. Right near the entrance was a vintage fair for the kids to have fun from the start. With the old fashioned swings, the fields were filled with excited screams and happy, smiley faces. There were food tents full of various food stalls selling all sorts of goodies from herbs and spices to organic brownies. Shabby Chic wooden signs were scattered throughout the festival to act as your guide, pointing the way to each and every area.
As we walked into the Main Arena, we were delighted to catch the start of Reggie N Bollie, two singers who were on last years X Factor and became fast favourites. The children in the audience loved every minute as did the adults. Reggie N Bollie are so much fun and did not disappoint, they had so much energy and stage presence that they brought life to the festival in a positive and up beat way – it is no wonder the sun shone so brightly for their set because after that, well…the rain came down like nobodies business, in fact, it was a storm as thunder was roaring and loud bangs filled the sky. In a mad dash panic, every guest ran for shelter. Having a buggy, this was hard but we made it into a food tent which of course, prompts impulse buying and Impulse buy we did. We bought two very lovely Organic Brownies from Fair and Square Chocolate Brownies, one Raspberry and one Salted Caramel, yum yum yum! Well what could I do but gorge on them right away? We were stuck after all haha! The rain seemed to subside, for a while anyway as we made our way back to the main arena and queued for some lovely Macaroni Cheese from Anna Mae’s Mac N Cheese whilst my husband had A Big Apple Hot dog with all the toppings. Both were delicious.
As we had the little one, we ventured off into the kids area called Little Dude’s Den. If the weather had not been so bad I would have liked to have explored more than I did. What caught my eye right away was these two huge eyes that were in one of the trees – what a wonderful idea, it looked fantastic! It’s the little details that make all the difference hey?
We went straight to the stalls and I was drawn in by a lovely baby food company named Babease who produce organic vegetable baby food. Babease were giving away samples for donations to Jamie Oliver’s charity The Jamie Oliver Food Foundation – The Charity teaches essential food skills to help people make better food choices for a healthier life and runs a number of successful programmes helping young people overcome disadvantages to create better futures for themselves working in the food industry.
As well as food samples we were kindly given a baby bib and a bag for mummy (me) and some good advice on weaning. If you want to check them out please visit http://www.babease.co
I found myself reverting back to my childhood as I beamed with joy when I saw two large buses from Hasbro, one for Transformers and one for My Little Pony. We did not get a chance to go in as had the buggy and there were big queues but I found out a little more about it here http://www.senselondon.com/hasbros-transformers-tour-hits-road-summer/
I was very pleased to see a small version of Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park where we saw gorgeous geese, delightful donkeys, glorious goats, lovely little lambs, bouncing bunnies, perfect little piglets and cute tiny chicks.
Alas, came down the rain again and with a vengeance. Of course, this is not the feastivals fault but mother nature. What a shame! Luckily we had a rain cover for our son but sadly, my shoes filled so much that they ended up with holes in them, our clothes were soaked so much so that they clung to our skin and I sneezed so much so that they my nose was running faster than Usain Bolt!
A few main stage acts were cancelled ( Zak Abel and Clean Cut Kid) due to the weather which, despite being a shame, was the safest option for everyone. Things went back to schedule in time for Reverend and The Makers, Reef, The Cuban Brothers, Ella Henderson, DJ Fresh and headliner Tinie Tempah. The crowds did not let the remaining bit of rain put them off as they danced and sang during every act. The children seemed to really enjoy every act. None of the standing area for the artists were crowded in a way you would find at a regular music festival, everyone was respectful of their neighbour and looked out for one another.
Seeing Reef made my day as were a band I saw many times in my teens and brought back many memories.
I highly recommend Big Feastival to anyone, especially if you have a family and want to introduce them to their first festival and for it to be enjoyable and child friendly. There is so much to do for adukts and children, so much we didn't see and so much food we had no room to eat. We passed bars, Alex James Cheese Hub, Crepe stalls, Dumplings, bakery stalls, meat stalls, you think of it – they had it! Arrive with an empty stomach, bring plenty of money and just in case, DO NOT FORGET YOUR WELLIES – I learnt the hard way.
The last bank holiday Monday of the year is known for many things: appalling weather, interspersed with glimpses of sun, a desperation to get the last drops of summer and a powerful desire to forget about work tomorrow and enjoy music for what it is.
For me, this weekend has alway been significant for the Notting Hill Carnival. For years I would spend my bank holiday Sunday and Monday wandering around the street of West London, taking in the sweets sights, smells and sounds of the caribbean. Today was different. Today I found myself heading down to the leafy and spacious surrounds of Clapham Common for the Madness headlined ‘House of Common’.
This appealed to me, for even if I was missing out on my jerk chicken, goat curry and cans of Red Stripe, I would be getting, for the first time, to see a band that has always been one of my guilty pleasures. You see I spent my time at school “smashing up the woodwork tools” while humming along to the catchy notes of ska and new wave that these veterans of the 70s and 80s proudly blared out. Madness was to be supported by a variety of reggae, ska, hip-hop and grime acts.
Four years ago they helped open the London Olympics. They brought the mellow tones of 'our house' to
the assembled audience of the entire world amidst a vision of a welcoming city.
Four years later and the messages of that night continue to hold true. London is still the global capital that is was and music is still what makes us great, but things have changed. Do we still have the heady optimism of 2012 or has it been replaced by something a little darker and realistic? I hoped that perhaps seeing this band that has stuck to the same routine would be comforting, delivering that nostalgic quality that in our dark and dangerous world is ever more appealing.
So what is Madness? Is it just a nostalgic throwback to a simpler time when the multi ethnic tones of a gang of guys from Camden Town, or is it something deeper? A reminder that the Britain we live in is no longer the one they played to, but rather one shaped by that very era. Well I was set to find out, but there were other artists to take in too.
First up, Toots and the Maytals delivered classic reggae to a crowd elevated by the hot sun shining down. The juxtaposition between the setting and the music was noticeable, with the latter closer to Kingston-upon-Thames than Jamaica. There was the weird vibe of a quietness of a crowd unsure of how act. Fans of reggae everywhere, but few willing to let loose. Camera phones and tattoos were on show, but this felt more like a cultural exchange than a happy marriage between audience and artists.
Before I had a chance to ponder this further, we were dashing to the second stage to take in Ms Dynamite.
From the lofty climes of Archway, this world famous singer and entertainer was one of the highlights of the supporting acts – whose names were so small below ‘Madness’ on the billing, that corrective eyewear was needed to read clearly. She blasted off with her eponymous track followed up with an increasingly heavy set bringing in a blend of the urban rhythms of hip-hop, grime and UK garage. A crowd of all ages and personalities were going crazy for the heavy beats.
Next on the stage was Mike Skinner & Murkage. The temperature was rising and this was an indisputably London sound. Echoes of Streets fame, were mixed enthusiastically with a more a more edgy feel. As balloons were punched back between the stage and crowd, everyone was jumping in sweaty unison. We ducked out for chilled cans of cider, and bumped into a very friendly Ms Dynamite backstage.
David Rodigan was the final act before Madness on the main stage. ‘Girl I want to Make You Sweat’ was the first track, with the audience now feeling the love and singing in unison. The Marley classics continued with ‘The Sun is Shining’ appropriately dropped on the crowd as the sun finally went down. Good vibrations were in play and the atmosphere couldn't fit middle class suburbia any better as Rodigan exclaimed that all were welcome "if you love the original sound of Jamaica", this was the intro to Jimmy Cliff’s ‘Wonderful World Beautiful People’ that gave way in seconds to ‘You Can Get it if you Really Want’. The performance was fast food reggae. Loud, plentiful, very quick and really very satisfying. Delivered song by song like reggae reggae sauce in pill form, it gives people from all over the country a taste of something exotic.
Walking out of back-stage we were knocked into by a guy in a West ham shirt screaming "I want to see mike Skinner now"! Only seconds later we heard that at the last moment the Madness team had decided they wanted no photographers (or cider drinking writers) in the enclosure for their headline set. Somewhat shocked and disappointed we were in an Uber not long later.
Tomorrow is a workday and real life resumes. Until then, the laid back rhythms of London Town and its proud Caribbean heritage offer a real escape from the humdrum of life in this very same city. So in truth, I can’t tell you the meaning of madness but I can say that ‘House of Common’ was a fairly good place to get away from it.
