There’s just 48 days until your wait is over for BLOODSTOCK – the biggest heavy metal party weekender of the year! BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity; the sunshine is on pre-order and there are still more bands being confirmed!
Added for an early afternoon main stage slot on Sunday are rising, home-grown Century Media metalheads, HEART OF A COWARD (https://www.facebook.com/heartofacoward). Check out the video for ‘Hollow’ from last album ‘Deliverance’ at: https://youtu.be/C-h3c2VnA7A.
Joining Friday’s Sophie Stage bill are German symphonic metal outfit BEYOND THE BLACK (https://www.facebook.com/beyondtheblackofficial), Wigan’s own progressive sludgelords BOSS KELOID (https://www.facebook.com/bosskeloidband), and self-described ‘epic fantasycore’ group FURY from Worcester (https://www.facebook.com/furyofficial).
Meanwhile, snagging a Sophie Stage slot on Saturday are heavy psych merchants VODUN (https://www.facebook.com/VODUNBAND) fresh from Stone Free festival last weekend and fast-rising London melodic metallers, THE RAVEN AGE (https://www.facebook.com/TheRavenAge).
BLOODSTOCK is very pleased to welcome back TEENAGE CANCER TRUST as their official charity partner once again. After shattering all previous fundraising records in 2015 with a colossal total in excess of £13.5K, BLOODSTOCK hopes you’ll join them to raise even more cash in 2016 to help TEENAGE CANCER TRUST support young people with cancer all over the UK.
Meantime, the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals continue around the UK through to 10th July (remaining dates below). BLOODSTOCK’s ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ judging squad have been searching hard for hot new talent and these lucky bands have won slots on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage!
Friday welcomes Mansfield stoner/groove rock trio WITCHTRIPPER (https://www.facebook.com/witchtripperuk) and Leicester’s melodic doomsters GARGANJUA (https://www.facebook.com/Garganjua). On Saturday, Leicester M2TM winners CONJURER (https://www.facebook.com/conjureruk) bring their blend of progressive post-metal sludge/groove, plus Norwich M2TM finalists VENDETTA (https://www.facebook.com/VendettaUKHC) offer up a slice of pure British hardcore aggression. Joining Sunday’s New Blood mayhem are Luton’s FAR FROM HISTORY (https://www.facebook.com/farfromhistoryuk), mixing chugging groove and hardcore riffs to round out your weekend.
There’s also a chance for punters at each M2TM event to win weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK, a case of Hobgoblin Ale to take home, or various other BLOODSTOCK related prizes. You can even shake hands with BLOODSTOCK’s ‘M2TM’ mainman, Simon Hall. Remaining finals run as follows so get out, support, and win those festival tickets for yourself!
24th Jun – SWINDON – The Victoria
24th Jun – DEWSBURY – The Old Turk
25th Jun – MERSEYSIDE / LIVERPOOL – Bumper
1st Jul – LINCOLNSHIRE / LINCOLN – The Lincoln Imp
2nd Jul – READING – Facebar
9th Jul – BURNLEY – Sanctuary
9th Jul – BOURNEMOUTH – The Anvil
9th Jul – POLAND / BIELSKO-BIALA – The Rude Boy Club
10th Jul – BIRMINGHAM – The Roadhouse
Already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX. Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, AKERCOCKE, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more. Additional bands are still to be announced.
One of the biggest artists of the past 12 months, Grammy award winner and Brit nominated pop sensation Jess Glynne is to headline Splendour on 23 July 2016.
The booking comes on the back of an amazing year for the artist after her debut album – ‘I Cry When I Laugh’ – made her the biggest selling debut artist of the year. The album features her five number one singles including smash hit ‘Hold My Hand’ and its equally successful follow up ‘Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’, along with the recent single ‘Take Me Home’, the official song for Children in Need.
Jess is the first solo female artist to headline Splendour since Kate Nash took to the main stage in the first year of thefestival in 2008.
The singer, 26, has already equalled the record for the most number one singles by a British female solo artist — five — and has now announced a brand new single from the album, ‘Ain’t Got Far To Go’, due for release on 26 February via Atlantic.
The Human League and UB40 – two legendary bands with an outstanding back catalogue stretching back more than 40 years – join the bill on the main stage headlined by one of the hottest artists of the moment Jess Glynne, the Grammy award winner with an unbelievable 5 UK Number 1 singles from her chart topping debut album.
Another British singer with a debut number 1 album, Jamie Lawson is next on the bill with Turin Brakes, Jeremy Loops and local Nottingham artist Ady Suleiman also announced for the main stage. Suleiman has been earmarked as one to watch, his timelessly classic yet fresh sound has garnered him a broad range of influential fans from both sides of the Atlantic. The festival will once again be championing local talent by offering the opening slot of the main stage to the winner of the hotly contested Future Sound of Nottingham battle of the bands competition.
Across the park, multi-million selling megaband The Darkness will headline the Confetti stage along with The Fratellis, The Rifles, Stiff Little Fingers, Louis Berry, These Your Children and Eyre Llew.
Headlining the Acoustic Rooms stage will be British folk singer Will Varley, who has recently sold out The Bodega and supported Frank Turner at Rock City, followed by Brad Dear, Tom McCartney, Bru-C, Ellie Keegan, Josh Wheatley, Raphael Blake and Lowrie.
Over on the Funhouse Comedy stage, acts will include: John Ryan, Patrick Monahan, Ivan Brackenbury, El Baldiniho, Tom Binns, Vince Atta.
Formed in Sheffield in the late 1970s The Human League evolved into one of the seminal 80s electro pop bands. The band sold more than 20 million records and their classic pop masterpiece ‘Don’t You Want Me’ was a number one hit around the world.
Naming themselves after the unemployment benefit form, UB40 formed in 1978, before releasing their debut album ‘Signing Off’ in August 1980. It was the start of a career that has since seen the band have over forty UK Top 40 hit singles and achieve sales of over 100 million records. Led by Robin Campbell and Duncan Campbell on vocals, UB40 play Splendour for the first time following a sell-out show at Rock City in 2014.
British singer-songwriter Jamie Lawson is quickly making his mark on the music industry, as the first artist signed to Ed Sheeran’s record label, Gingerbread Man Records. In the whirlwind that followed, Jamie toured with Ed across the world and supported One Direction on their final full UK arena tour. His self-titled album reached #1 in the UK and has sold over a quarter of a million copies worldwide.
After a fantastic sell out show at Rock City in December, three-times Brit award winners The Darkness will be bringing some glam rock to the Confetti stage. Revellers can expect a high-energy set, full of remarkably catchy material, and unapologetic worship of old-school rock & roll including their classic “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”.
Scottish rockers The Fratellis will bring their turbo charged indie guitar tunes including top 10 hit singles "Chelsea Dagger" and "Whistle For The Choir".
2015 saw indie band The Rifles mark the ten year anniversary of their debut album ‘No Love Lost’ with four triumphant sold out Electric Ballroom shows in London and 2016 will see the release of their 5th album.
Punk rock stalwarts Stiff Little Fingers take to the stage before hotly tipped Liverpool-born singer-songwriter Louis Berry will take things in a soulful direction with his gritty rock 'n' roll with soul. Louis has won praise from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, John Kennedy at Radio X and Zane Lowe.
With a host of musical manna, futuristic stages and sublime entertainment already announced, you might think Bestival’s Future couldn’t be more dazzling, but you’d be wrong. Inflaming your future food affections, we are mouth-wateringly delighted to announce the pioneering culinary artists who will be serving up this year’s menu of appetising eats and treats at The Feast Collective.
Rob da Bank says: ““Ever since we started Bestival, making sure that all the food we offer is top notch has been really important to us, so I am really proud to be able welcome so many mouth-watering stalls to The Feast Collective. We’ve got amazing sea food, loads of amazing gluten-free choices, and flavours from right around the world, so make sure you dig in and enjoy!”
It might be The Future but you can forget all about 3D printed cheeseburgers or Major Tom’s protein pills and get stuck into a seductively scrumptious array of nutritious and delicious food from some of the finest purveyors of bonne bouche around, including this year’s Feast Collective hosts Le Rac Shack, who will be dishing out a proper melt down of a play list from cheesy classics to tunes that'll make you go gooey at the knees. Plus, we’ll have winners of the Best of the Best prize at the 2015 British Street Food Awards, Seadog; ‘real' Southeast Asian street dishes and food to inspire happier living from Makatcha, and the wrap-based goodness of rich, succulent meaty meat combined with fresh, vibrant and inspiring salads from The Cauldron.
Don’t miss out on The Chocolate Bear Kitchen’s gluten-free and inclusive dining menu, with thoughtful vegan, dairy-free and raw options. Indulge in Polar Pops’ 100% natural ice lollies, handmade in the UK from real fruit and vegetables with no added sugar, or become a shrimpster and explore the taste of the ocean in a brioche bun with Shrimpy.
You can also expect delectable heart-warming and good for the soul soup that will change your life from The Rattling Pan, the ultimate fried chicken sandwich from Butchies, the very best Mauritian street food flavours from Coco Labelle and inventive oriental fare from Ta Ta Eatery. And finally, be sure to visit The Best of Taste of the Wight Stall, who will be bringing a selection of the Island’s finest produce, from Krista’s Cold Pressed Juices to toasties made with local pesto and cheese.
Forward thinking food adventures in a field, The Feast Collective is the future of festival cuisine.
Creamfields isn’t holding back as they continue on their quest to deliver an all new Creamfields experience this year. 2016 sees the award winning dance fest unveil a ton of new and exciting additions to its format, with a heavy investment focused on a series of all new stage constructions and production concepts and their latest offering to get you excited – The Vault.
This brand new open air arena, designed exclusively for Creamfields features industrial grade production and world class SFX, with a stacked LED cube design and 360 layout the structure features over 52 tons of metal, 274 light fixtures, 50000w of audio and will take 17 arctic trucks to transport it.
This is just the latest in a series of new additions to its winning format and follows last months announcement where they revealed plans for their most ambitions production concept ever – The Steel Yard superstructure, the largest of its kind in Europe with a capacity of 20,000 and featuring newly developed automated technology plus the all new colossal Horizon Stage. And it doesn’t stop there as next week they announce more big names to the line up plus reveal the brand new Arc Stage which is guaranteed to take their second outdoor stage to the next level.
Ffor those who need a break away from the beats, check out the Creamfields Collective, a brand new experience that’s been curated, offering a jam packed itinerary of alternative entertainment and experiential pop ups for festival goers to immerse themselves including Bongos Bingo, Pamper Street, the Inflatable Church and performances from theShowhawk Duo and the New York Brass Band. For full line up and ticket info go to www.creamfields.com. #Creamfields2016 #RaiseTheGame
CREAMFIELDS UK 2016 – LINE UP
FRIDAY 26TH AUGUST
NORTH STAGE
Alesso
Knife Party
NERVO
KSHMR
STEEL YARD
Chase & Status (DJ Set)
Cirez D
Martin Solveig
Sigala
Lee Walker
Anthony Probyn
ARMADA
Armin van Buuren
Andrew Rayel
Ørjan Nilsen
MarLo
David Gravell
Khomha
Ruben De Ronde
PARADISE
Jamie Jones
The Martinez Brothers
Richy Ahmed
Denney
Robert James
Special Guest: Maya Jayne Coles
ANDY C PRESENTS RAM
Andy C
Wilkinson
High Contrast
Delta Heavy B2B Loadstar
Dub Phizix
Annix
North Base
Special Guests: Roni Size & Krust present Full Cycle
Sigma, Blonde, Anne-Marie and Imani join the Saturday line up and DJ Fresh, Becky Hill, The Tide and Club Drive join Day Two on the Sunday. They join Jason Derulo who headlines Day One, along with Tinie Tempah, Labrinth, Craig David, Sigala, Fleur East and Krept & Konan.Olly Murs will bring the two day event to a close alongside Busted, The Vamps, Nathan Sykes, Lawson, Ella Henderson and Jamie Lawson.
Also for the first time ever at Fusion Festival, Kopparberg is set to bring a taste of scandi-cool with the arrival of the popular Kopparberg Urban Forest! Two of Liverpool’s most popular breaking artists, Louis Berry and Mic Lowry will be taking to the stage, underneath the magical canopy of the forest. Kopparberg will be supporting the very best in creative and imaginative live music, by hosting a series of pioneering artists and DJs on its iconic Urban Forest stage.
The stage will be placed in a scenic clearing, surrounded by the intriguing beauty of the Swedish pine forest and the charm of Kopparberg town. Carved into the Kopparberg Urban Forest will be two woodland bars serving up all kinds of refreshment from the independent Kopparberg brewery in Sweden. Alongside its selection of delicious fruit ciders, Kopparberg will also be serving the brand new Kopparberg Fruit Lager.
Electric Fields, Scotland’s most exciting new music festival, is proud to announce that Fat White Family, Field Music, Honeyblood and Eliza & The Bearwill join the two day bill at 17th Century Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries & Galloway on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th August.
“Electric Fields is all about bringing the best music to our audience in this incredible location,” says festival co-founder Nick Roberts. “We’re proud to welcome these amazing bands to the lineup. They each bring something unique and powerful to a bill that we think is the best for music lovers, and the best value, anywhere in the country this summer.”
Electric Fields also announces today that the second stage will be renamed The Stewart Cruickshank Stage in association with Tenement TV. Stewart, who sadly passed away late last year, was a champion of new music throughout his long career as a radio producer at the BBC and beyond.
“Stewart Cruickshank was a true Scottish music hero,” says Nick. “He was part of the fabric of music radio in Scotland and the UK for 35 years, giving a much-needed platform to new bands from Scotland and bringing us the best new music from wherever he could find it. With the blessing of his wife Lorraine, we’re proud to acknowledge his exceptional contribution to our musical heritage by naming our second stage in his honour.”
Fat White Family have built a formidable reputation for putting on the most uncompromising and anarchic live show in the world right now. Their unrelenting passion and commitment to their craft, bourne out on their 2013 debut album Champagne Holocaust and this year’s Songs For Our Mothers, has seen them thrill audiences across the globe in a way few other bands can challenge.
The smart money’s on Field Music being one of the highlights of Electric Fields 2016. Impossible to pigeon-hole, rooted in indie but branching out into all kinds of rarely-explored territory, the band’s sixth album Commontime is melodic but never obvious, lush but never overblown and spiky in all the right places. With an endorsement last year from Prince, no less, they are undoubtedly one of the most excitingly creative bands around right now and a perfect addition to this year’s lineup.
Honeyblood are no strangers to Electric Fields, having played a blinder at the festival in it’s first year in 2014. Drawing influences from The Breeders, PJ Harvey and Throwing Muses, they were hand-picked to support Foo Fighters at Murrayfield in Edinburgh last summer and are currently working on their eagerly anticipated second album.
The addictive chant from ‘Friends’ the opening track fro Eliza and the Bear’s self-titled album could have been written with Electric Fields in mind: “I got friends, I got family here.” It’s the calling card for a band who deliver festival-friendly, indie-pop anthems with a joyous inclusivity which lifts the spirit, even as it occasionally touches a melancholy nerve. We advise getting the album in advance – you don’t want to miss out on the inevitable sing-alongs they will inspire.
PLUS TODD TERJE LIVE BOOKA SHADE CHRONIXX & ZINCFACE REDEMPTION DIGITALISM MIIKE SNOW DONOVAN
A GUY CALLED GERALD / ANDHIM / B.TRAITS / CLAUDE VONSTROKE DERRICK CARTER / DOORLY / FORMAT:B / GENERAL LEVY / GREG WILSON JAUZ / JESSE ROSE / JUSTIN MARTIN / MARSHALL JERFERSON MR SCRUFF / RITON / SONNY FODERA / STANTON WARRIORS TC FEAT MC JAKES
BEARDYMAN FT MCS LEEN & SEROCEE / DUB PISTOLS EASY STAR ALL STARS / GENTLEMANS DUB CLUB & many more
COMEDY LINE UP: TOM STADE, ROB RUSE, FERN BRADY, JACK EVANS
You can’t deny it, something out there really has it in for Download Festival. It’s the same story every year – burnt for the first two days camping and then incessantly soaked for the rest, it’s like… metal is the music of the devil… or something…
Campers have been steadily pouring in since Wednesday, setting up epic tent-collectives with all manner of décor (bra-bunting is a particular favourite of mine) and it’s set to be a belter of a weekend, even though we’re probably all going home with trench foot and hypothermia. The Village, the hub of the camping area, is home to weird and wonderful acts such as The Wall of Death, The Inflatable Church, The Circus of Horrors, Zorbing and the fire-wielding Area 51. Oh and hilariously British pursuits like Bogan Bingo, a quiz and five-a-side football, if that’s more your speed. Head over there at night for after-hours bands, DJ’s and even catch a movie in the Cinema or laugh your arse off in The Side Splitter comedy tent.
It’s clear Download’s commitment to becoming a bit more of a well-rounded festival is working, the out of hours entertainment, things to do and see and the much improved food options mean a nicer festival experience for all, without taking the emphasis off the music at all. With the now extensive shopping and food outlets you’d better have cash on you this weekend, as despite last years’ ‘breakthrough’ technology claiming to take all the hassle out of on-site payments (which of course did not go to plan) Download have well and truly ditched the idea of RFID tags and have gone over to… er… all normal methods that you can do in the real world.
FRIDAY
Friday sees a dry start and Alien Ant Farm are failing to get anyone interested in anything other than Smooth Criminal, and Babymetal (half an hour late) draw a massive crowd for their J-Pop inspired metal, which is frankly just about the oddest thing ever. They’ve stuck to their goth-loli look and eardrum piercingly high vocals for Gimme Chocolate but actually the new album tracks seem a bit more developed and musically interesting rather than gimmicky. We do wish Herman Lee could have popped up for Road of Resistance, but the two girls down the front who have made a massive effort to dress like the band seem to be loving it, alongside some very big bearded men who appear to know ALL the words.
On the Encore stage, Christian rock band Skillet are killinit (see what I did there?) but the Lemmy/Motorhead tribute video on the main stage is in all honestly a bit lame. We all know Lemmy partied hard, but is it really necessary for people to recount exactly what variety of drug he offered them? Only Brian May appears to talk about him in a painfully honest way, saying “I miss him very badly”. Apart from a stage naming and a tshirt on the merch stand, it’s weirdly unspoken for the most part… maybe it’s all a bit soon for most of the bands.
Grabbing possibly the most English food available for lunch (Duck fat roast potatoes with gravy, followed by apple crumble…) we hit up the absolutely packed Maverick stage for Geordie rockers The Wildhearts who have everyone jumping to I Wanna Go Where The People Go. Over on the main stage we’re treated to a dose of Jonathon Davis’ chicken dance (hold mic, flap arms) as Korn blast out the likes of Coming Undone and Freak On A Leash. The rain is absolutely hammering down now and it kinda fits the grungy nu-metal feel, the arena is full of swamp-people whipping their hair everywhere. Amidst the seriousness of purpose that Korn portray, it’s hard not to giggle at the Lebowski-esque rug that has been laid down to stop Davis stacking it in front of everyone.
Finally it’s on to the main event, and the bedraggled but excited masses have gathered for the ever sinister yet playful German powerhouse that is Rammstein. Running through scores of hits like Sonne, Du Hast, Ich Will and Feuer frei there’s nothing missing from this incredible set. The expected but always insane pyrotechnics just keep coming, with fire breathing face-cages, firework body suits and a giant pair of angel wings, there’s just nothing these guys won’t do for a show.
Entering the arena today it’s obvious some effort has been made in the way of soaking up the sludge, using a ton of hay and woodchips, there’s a much boggier/safer quality to the underfoot feel, but it probably won’t last.
Over in The Kennels area, a queue is already forming for new addition WWE NXT stage, live wrestling shows hosted by Triple H, whilst self-proclaimed Swedish circus freaks Avatar are bringing some life to the main stage. Wearing what I can only describe as resplendent outfits inspired by the Vatican Guard and yelling “Bang your heads English men!” they put on a rowdy first set of the day, and gain a few more followers with their tight riffs and synchronized hairwhipping.
Beartooth’s punky tones soar across the arena to a decent sized crowd for In Between and Black Peaks are totally smashing the Maverick stage. Turbowolf take the baton next yelling “For the next half an hour, this is our home” before tumbling headlong into the likes of Rabbit’s Foot and Solid Gold.
Danko Jones starts out with classic Play The Blues which actually gets kind of a cold reception from the crowd, but soon he’s telling us “…everybody at Download gets to call me… delicious” and saying “I am a whore for that sound you make with your hands” everything starts to get lively. A fan in the front row passes up a flag requesting Sex Change Shake but Danko goes on to play Cadillac instead citing “…it’s the same three chord structure anyway… so this is like, Shake Change Sex”. There is something ridiculously fun about Danko Jones, in an overwhelmingly cheesy way. They are so uncool they’re cool. They’re the Fonz of rock.
Lawmower Deth however, are exactly the kind of godawful rubbish we should (and do) love, this time with an added Brucey Bonus of being joined by… and I can’t believe I’m writing this… Kim Wilde for Kids in America. It could not be more bonkers and everyone LOVED it.
Rival Sons bluesy cali rock has the arena up and dancing with their beers, soaring vocals and a stellar set – we loved closer Keep On Swinging. On the Encore stage Juliette and the Licks hit hard with Hot Kiss and Credence Clearwater Revival cover Proud Mary, J-Lew is just as enigmatic on stage as on screen. Megadeth are joined on stage by Nikki Sixx for Anarchy in the UK before Nikki steps out with his own band Sixx: AM for a completely different sound. It’s a strong set and a hell of a lot of people have come out to watch. Despite the sea of hair and black tshirts this weekend, it’s clear the pop-punk kids have been hiding in plain sight as the hoarde heads towards the Maverick stage for rowdy Welsh band Neck Deep, but they aren’t even going to win Taffy of the day with Skindred tearing it up over on the Encore stage. Despite the now constant rain, Skindred have drawn a huge crowd for their completely-weird-but-totally-works reggae-metal and the whole crowd is getting down and dirty for Doom Riff and Pressure. With an unsolicited play of Bieber’s ‘Sorry’ mixed into Trouble, they’ve singlehandedly outlined exactly which people we should push in the mud later, but not to worry as there’s an epic and extremely wet swirling of tshirts for Warning. We love a bit of a Newport Helicopter we do.
The rain is now unashamedly heavy and regardless of the plastic ponchos, raincoats and really fucking annoying golf umbrellas, pretty much everyone is soaked through. The crowd is built right up the main stage hill and the anticipation is palpable. Fan or not, there’s no denying that seeing Black Sabbath on their last ever tour (no really, it will be the last this time… right?) is pretty special and important. Though it’s clear throughout the set that Ozzy’s voice isn’t the best (was it ever?) the songs are heavy and hit the nerve of nostalgia so hard. Snowblind, War Pigs, Iron Man and Paranoid are obvious highlights, but no less great because of it. With the downpour drastically thinning the crowd, the views are spectacular and it’s the kind of closing show you hope for – full of hits, none of the new stuff. They will be missed.
With the early morning news that GHOST have cancelled their set today and nightmarish state of the main arena (seriously, it’s the kind of goop bodies arise from in the Walking Dead) today’s bands have to compete with the drowned-rat temperament of all those who’ve camped. Luckily there’s crepes for breakfast, a champagne tent and… hold up, what? I’m down with crumble but there’s no place for Moët in Metal. Come on.
Looking about as country as you can get, Whiskey Myers ease us in gently with Early Morning Shakes on the Encore stage before Amon Amarth give us growly Viking battle tunes from their dragon longship style stage set-up and giant fire canons. It’s even more awesome than it sounds, honestly. Whiplash back to bluesy rock with an inexplicably American sound for Glasgow vocalist Phil Campbell and The Temperance Movement. It’s an unrelentingly great set with a few tracks from the new album but finishing up with Ain’t No Telling from their first, we’re glad to see them back at Download.
On the Maverick stage, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes are, well, doing what they do. There’s a huge mosh pit and lots of people seem to be enjoying themselves, but lots of other people seem to be screwing their noses up and walking away. So we head on over to the main stage for the eponymous Halestorm who have grabbed a massive crowd and are belting out Amen, I Am The Fire and I Miss The Misery. There’s no doubting Lzzy Hale’s vocal prowess but there’s something very Nickelback about them, massively produced and clean, it’s hard to put your finger on it.
Shinedown have that crowd-participation approach that we Brits love to hate, like panto – they want us to jump, so at first we do it sarcastically… then again to reinforce the joke… before you know it everyone is pogoing like a complete tosspot to a band they don’t even really like. Either we’re a very very susceptible nation, or Shinedown are actually doing a good job. I’ve no idea at this point. Delain on the Encore stage have drawn all the raven haired goth girls for a good old headbang but there’s a bit of power missing behind it all. On the Maverick stage Electric Wizard are heavy in a way that makes your stomach drop but it's Gojira who really make our skin crawl, in the best kind of way.
Disturbed are actually forcing joy out of otherwise non-fans today with the likes of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence – a stalwart of their tour repertoire. In an epic hit-to-hit continuous play we get; U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For with Lzzy Hale, The Who’s Baba O’Riley with Blaze Bayley and RATM’s Killing In The Name with Benjamin Burnley of Breaking Benjamin. Where else are you gonna see that kind of mash up? Let’s be honest though, we’re all waiting for Down With The Sickness, and Disturbed give it to us with a cry of “I think it’s apparent the entire United Kingdom has been infected with sickness…”
Nightwish are plagued from the off with the heaviest downpour of the weekend but that’s never done anything to quiet this truly epic band before. Lords of the symphonic circuit, Nightwish have been the subject of more drama than any other band, public shamings and bootings aside – they seem to have bounced back each time. In Floor Jansen they’ve found a vocalist capable of traversing Tarja Turunen’s operatic realm and the rock sound they’ve been moving steadily towards over the last few albums, and she hits the stage dressed like a Valkyrie, which I guess, is the point really. With giant bursts of fire from stage canons, Nightwish (and the now extraordinarily drenched fans) power through some of the strongest numbers of the entire weekend. Nemo’s the one everyone has been waiting for, and though it will never quite be the same without Tarja, it packs a punch and remains a fan favourite. It seems Download loves Nightwish, no matter who’s fronting. Especially that dude vogue-ing the shit out of it at the back.
Headlining the Maverick stage Saxon get more than they bargained for – the tent is bursting at its seams with the soggy and groggy, warming themselves up for Maiden with the Yorkshire boys. 747 (Strangers in the Night) is melodic-shreddingly amazing, And The Bands Played On is the perfect description of what Saxon seem to intend to do… forever… and Wheels of Steel has every single person singing along. Biff’s voice and determination is as strong as ever.
As is typical of Sunday headliners at Download, there is very little crossover of other stages, and Iron Maiden also joining us a little later than intended means the arena is absolutely COVERED in bodies. Thankfully the rain has stopped just in time for the screens to switch over to Eddie TV and Bruce Dickinson to emerge from centre stage for If Eternity Should Fail. Through a Book Of Souls heavy set we are well and truly smacked with the fact that Bruce’s throat cancer surgery has done nothing to dull his vocals or his enthusiasm, he races the stage with the same wild abandon he has always had. In the wake of Black Sabbath’s ending, it’s sort of comforting to know that Maiden have no plans to quit any time soon. Hell, they just got a new plane.
Old favorites The Trooper, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Fear Of The Dark are every bit as heart-stoppingly brilliant as we’ve come to expect, the stage sets and animatronics just can’t be rivaled. With an epic encore of The Number Of The Beast, Blood Brothers and Wasted Years, Maiden came, saw, conquered. With a long speech regarding this weekend’s tragic events in Orlando, an incredible set and more energy than any one of us can muster after three days in a field – Bruce may as well have done an actual mic drop.
So what to make of Download 2016? As always controversy over headliners is rife for this sort of festival. With a genre so diverse, with arguably warring factions – there’s always going to be something you love, and something you hate. That’s kind of the point right? If you loved the whole lineup everything would clash. If you hated the whole lineup, you wouldn’t buy a ticket. This year, Download seemed to have secured bands from a whole heap of genres without one heavily dominating the others and let’s be honest – seeing Rammstein, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden on the same bill is really pretty incredible when you think about it. But who the hell is going to top this? Roll on DL2017’s announcements and the ensuing forum arguments we will inevitably be part of…
Today, Friday 17th June, the UK’s finest multi-arts festival Latitude is delighted to announce further names joining the Comedy Arena line up at this year’s event, which takes place from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th July 2016 in the stunning grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk.
Latitude is thrilled to announce that one of Britain’s most celebrated comedians Bill Bailey will headline at Latitude this year. Known for the astounding musical knowledge that saw him become a panel show staple on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, as well as starring in Channel 4’s sitcom Black Books – Bill Bailey is an internationally acclaimed stand-up comedian, renowned for his trademark intelligence and wit. Bailey will be delighting Latitude audiences with his uproariously funny blend of show-stopping musical comedy as his famous Limboland world tour makes a stop at Henham Park next month.
Also performing this year will be Silver Sony Award winner Milton Jones. The pun-loving comedian is best known for delivering “beautiful one-liners so skilfully sculpted, you don’t know whether to laugh or put them on your mantelpiece” Guardian. Milton Jones is regularly on Mock the Week (BBC2), has appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (BBC1), Live at the Apollo (BBC1) and has headlined Dave’s One Night Stand (DAVE).
Katherine Ryan will be entertaining audiences with her acerbic, razor sharp critique of pop culture. Originally from Canada, Katherine is a stand-up who has taken the UK television and live comedy scene by storm as a team leader on comedy roast show Safeword and a presenter on Heir, alongside being a regular fixture on panel shows, including appearances in Mock the Week, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Have I Got News For You.
Creator, writer and actor of the multi-award-winning The League of Gentlemen, Reece Shearsmith, and comedian, actor and presenter Rufus Hound will be the special guests for Robin Ince&Josie Long’s Festival Shambles: a very special take on their hit podcast, Book Shambles. Previous guests and topics have included quantum physics with Charlotte Church, Charlie Chaplin and Eddie Izzard, and what to read when you’re in outer space with astronaut Chris Hadfield.
With over 12 million YouTube hits to his name, Piff the Magic Dragon has performed to hundreds of thousands in Shakespeare’s Globe, the O2, London and Sydney Opera House. Along with his Chihuahua, Mr. Piffles, Piff’s mixture of magic tricks and deadpan comedy has received high critical acclaim from the likes of Sir Ian McKellan, who called him “the hit of the party” and a “hugely entertaining hour of grumpy magic” from Time Out.
Also performing this year is Radio 4 stalwart and one of Britain’s finest comedian’s Marcus Brigstocke, who will host Prince Fest, a performance in tribute to an artist who changed the world. Join Marcus and special guests for an evening of conversation and celebration, culminating in a fittingly eclectic, flamboyant finale.
Hot on the heels of his new BBC 3 sitcom Sunny D, Dane Baptiste has had incredible success with his stand up shows Citizen Dane and Reasonable Doubts, and is already being hailed as one of the most exciting acts to break through in years.
American comic and New York Times bestselling author of I Can Barely Take Care of Myself,Jen Kirkman will also be performing, following the release of her Netflix comedy special I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) – which was named one of the top ten stand-up specials of 2015 by The Atlantic and Time Out New York.
Further acts include musical comedy duo Jonny & The Baptists who will be delivering their seemingly light-hearted yet satirical take on right-wing politics and media hysteria; Jonathan Pie will bring a cutting parody of broadcast journalism, performing as a UK News reporter with brutally honest views on the world of politics; plus technophobe Jimmy McGhie, who has just finished a string of sell out shows during his second tour of Asia, following a welcomed return to Edinburgh Fringe.
Award-winning comedian and warm-up for The Graham Norton Show Joe Bor will be performing as Jasper Cromwell Jones, a hapless climber who retells the story of a treacherous climb, including a video cameo by TV favourite Jack Whitehall. The hugely talented Lou Sanders will be performing this year, having been featured in The Times ‘Witty Women To Watch 2014’, along with hopeless romantic comedic poet Micky P Kerr, the unpredictable risk-taking Luke McQueen, and Joey Page, who has been named by Chortle as “one of comedy’s most unique and exciting new talents”.
Finally, Thom Foole’s Shed Party will be delighting the Latitude crowd this year, providing an evening of clowning, comedy, storytelling, mischief and party games in the Shed of Stories, hosted by absurd character comedy acts, cabaret performances and DJ’s.
Joining the already announced headliners Rudimental, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Madness and The Charlatans and a supporting cast including Catfish and the Bottlemen, Eagulls, Kelis, Everything Everything, Spring King, Ghostpoet and Peter Doherty are MC of the moment Novelist alongside grunge stars The Wytches, Yak, Nimmo, Kloe, Brawlers, Mind Enterprises, Prose, Kioko, Broadway Sounds and special DJ sets from Slaves, Rat Boy, Phil Taggart and M.A.X.
Set in the stunning surrounds of the Lake District’s Lowther Deer Park, this innovative, independent festival is renowned for more than just music and festival lovers will also enjoy 4 days of artsinstallations, comedy,gourmet food, kid’s entertainment and a real ale festival all within the confines of what is widely regarded to be the most beautiful festival site in the UK.
As one of the undisputed highlights of the busy summer calendar, Kendal Calling 2016 is not to be missed. Tickets always sell out for the festival well in advance and for the first time Kendal Calling is not increasing it's capacity so grab one of the final tickets now and see you in the fields!
