The Foo Fighters have cancelled their upcoming shows after Dave Grohl fell off the stage in Gothenburg last week. This includes the Friday night headline slot at Glastonbury, Rock Werchter and more!
The statement from the band: "Due to injuries sustained in Dave Grohl's fall from the stage during Foo Fighters' June 12 show at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden, doctors have required the cancellation of the remainder of the band's dates in the UK and Europe. After undergoing surgery Monday, Dave's full recuperation time is still to be determined. It was previously announced that Foo Fighters' June 14 appearance at the Pinkpop Festival and June 16 show at the AFG Arena in St. Gallen, Switzerland were cancelled. The following dates have now been cancelled as well: June 19 & 20 – London, UK – Wembley Stadium June 23 – Edinburgh, UK – BT Murrayfield Stadium June 25 – Werchter, Belgium – Festivalpark Werchter June 26 – Glastonbury Festival 2015."
The Isle of Wight festival has returned for its annual event bringing artist and music lovers together to celebrate 45 years since Jimi Hendrix performed his last ever UK performance in 1970. Where they estimated over 600,000 people turned up to experience his music in the flesh, In celebration of the man himself they have taken the opportunity to name the main stage ‘Electric Church’ This referring to how Jimi Hendrix himself described his music, as though music itself is a religion, away to express, influence and bring positivity to audiences all around the world, through his guitar and vocals.
45 Years later music is adapting, changing and influencing their audiences, and today i am in Seaclose Park, Newport in the Isle of Wight, The festival begins, here’s to threes days of music, dancing, paint fighting and food.
FRIDAY 12th JUNE 2015. IOW OFFICIALLY BEGINS
So it is Finally here I am arriving at the Isle of Wight festival 2015. Gear at the ready, Tent… check, Portable toilet… Check, Clothes… Check and myself… Double check. The crowds are gathering and the atmosphere is captivating, The fashion of the season is floral, and the young female hipster’s seem to favour the hotpant welly combination, this was thriving through the sea of people, they might find that they will be regretting that later. When the monsoon type weather hits the isle of wight. Although this has not dampened their spirits but motivated them to create a buzzing atmosphere and supporting the artists of the festival, with what i would consider rain dancing, glasses of cider and laughter. Myself on the other hand thought after being in the rain for an hour, that is was more sensible to listen to the artists from my tent, in the dry.
When walking around the event, which you do a lot of you see a variety of people from all walks of life, getting involved in the festival spirit, getting creative with the airbrush tattooing to dancing in the rain to 90’s pop sensations, communities sitting around being social with each other getting involved with the discussion of the moment. Getting the feeling of what the isle of wight festival is about, Families, music and people appreciating and creating that memorable year at the Isle of Wight festival.
Through out the evening there were bands performing on the ‘Electric Church’ stage. The line up included The Struts, Kodaline, Counting Crows, You me at six, The Black Keys and the prodigy. Even though there was heavy rain Festival goers still went out and supported the bands, The Black Keys alone sounded amazing, you could hear them from the camp site and even hear the audience cheering along with them, you could imagine the audience was their in the rain, rain macs on and arms in the air enjoy the sensational Black Keys and not caring that the rain was lashing down. The headliner of the night The Prodigy I was informed was outstanding, they didn’t falter under the weather conditions, the crowd went wild, raved, danced and enjoyed the electronic music from the 90’s and now. Some people only lasted half of the set but most stayed for the whole gig enjoying the captivating performance from their fellow English brothers.
Even though the weather was horrendous it was a great way to start the Isle of Wight Festival 2015. Now the sun should shine the clouds be visible and the weekend should improve for the upcoming bands of 2015.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival by Sara Lincoln
SATURDAY 13TH JUNE 2015-IOW: DAY TWO
After the torrential weather from the previous night, The people at the Isle of Wight Festival were ready and waiting for the music sensations to start tickling their ear drums, no matter how much rain that came down, it did not dampen their spirits, it just egged them on and made them want more. I can tell you, that day the small stalls around the festival made some money from Welly Purchases and Clothes alone before the food even came in to play. Lucky enough I woke up to slight clouds and a tent that was still standing, I feel this is a proud moment i would like to share with you guys, I Sharron put a tent together and it survived a storm and a half, and i survived sleeping through it, which i am grateful for as there are some outstanding acts that the Isle of Wight festival Goers are going to experience today.
Today was the Day Blur was performing on the 'Electric Stage', Their first ever performance at the Isle of wight festival, For me it was bag of mixed emotions. Damon Albarn the lead singer of Blur had previously lost his voice to illness before the gig, but this did not stop the man from performing with power, passion and giving 110% to his fans. They Did an hour and fifty minutes. Their first section was a mixture of their new album, which i felt didn’t get the crowd moving as much, and i found that it was to much new and not enough of the classics, which finally came towards the middle of the set, when they started playing songs such as Parklife which had guest star Phil Daniels performing with the guys, this got the crowd jumping around, the atmosphere changed and people started moving and getting involved with the music, they followed this up with Coffee and TV, Girls and Boys, Song 2 and the classic Tender. For me the classic win over all, it got people moving and ended the night with a bang.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival by Sara Lincoln
Previously to Blur we had the one and only Pharell Williams who first performed at the Isle of Wight festival back in 2008 with his band N.E.R.D, Tonight he gave a performance of old and new songs which included his special Guest his band member from N.E.R.D, They performed classics such as Lapdance and She likes to move, which they welcomed fans from the audience to dance on stage with them, a highlight of the night was the women who danced with the band to the song she likes to move. She bought entertainment to the Isle of Wight festival and the audience cheered her on as her performance bought laughter and fun to the event. He took a moment to celebrate Jimi Hendrix 45 years through an instrumental of the song one love, which the audience in turn put one finger in the air to celebrate a legend that stood on the Isle of Wight stage 45 years ago. He then went on to play renditions of songs that he performed with artists such as Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg and many more. He ended the set with the all time Minon favourite song ‘Happy’ He bought to the stage, the children that the Isle of Wight festival where raising awareness and donations for. To join him and to perform and dance on stage to get the crowd clapping along to the song.
Between Blur and Pharell Williams we had the sensational DJ Shortee Blitz, Getting the atmosphere and audience ready for the next big act Blur, he played songs from the 80’s and 90’s to get people on their feet, the last two songs were from the legendary Queen, We are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody. This got everyone going and ready for the rest of the night, the crowd was singing and the Isle of Wight was in full song. It was a stunning moment to bring on the one and only Blur.
Through out the day we had performances from bands such as, Ward Thomas, Nothing But Thieves, Jess Glynne, James Bay, Jessie Ware, Kool and the Gang and Dj Shortee Blitz.James Bay created an electric acoustic feel to the festival, He bought his soul and spirit to his music creating a mind blowing set that inspired people and relaxed them, whilst they singing along to the lyrics from hold back the river from his number 1 album and songs such as Let it go and if you ever want to be in love. He was followed by the astonishing Jessie Ware our London goddess, she bought her wonderful voice and performed her electro-pop music, whilst enchanting the audience with songs known as champagne kisses, wildest moments, Say you love me, running and kind of.. sometimes.. maybe which she considered to be her flirtatious song. Jessie ware gave an exceptional performance one of my favourites from this years Isle of Wight festival.
Over on the 'Big Top' stage we had band such as Twin Wild, New City Kings, La Femme, The Shires, Foxes, Stiff Little Fingers and Paul Oakenfold. Foxes performed on this stage creating a strong and fun atmosphere for their audience, people where coming from other venues such as the Colourena, where they had live Djs performing around the clock with classics from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s they provided Paint fighting with music for people to go and let their hair down in between acts and to burn off those calories added from all the food venders on site. It was a fun way to meet, mingle and to dance your socks off before going to rock out to your favourite artist on stage.
SUNDAY 14th JUNE 2015 IOW: DAY THREE
Sunday was the lead up to the headliners Fleetwood Mac and Paolo Nutini, through out the day you witnessed more and more people arriving to get a good spot at the main stage known as the ’Electric Stage’ for the evenings events to unfold. The line up through out the day consisted of The Rainband, Suzanne Vega, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, The Courteeners, and First aid Kit.Suzanne Vega performed with her Guitarist classics such as Left of centre, known for the Pretty in Pink soundtrack in the 1980’s.
In the ‘BIG TOP’ stage we had the band Coasts performing songs such as Modern Love and new hits from their upcoming Debut album also known as ‘coasts’ a new number 1 in the mix called Tonight, this Bristol band got the audience jumping around, whilst pulling people in from all around the Isle of Wight festival to enjoy this fresh new sound created by this 5 piece band from the UK. They where followed up with The View, Lightening Seeds and the one and only Ash.
Ash who performed songs such as Burn baby burn and Shining Light, bringing their music to their fans, the audience were bursting at the seems, the 'BIG TOP' stage was packed and people were gathering to watch this captivating performance, Although I only got to witness the first 15 minutes of this i can tell you these guys where rocking this crowd, and keeping the standard of the Isle of Wight festival which was created over the past two days going.
Even though there was rumours of Fleetwood Mac possibly cancelling the show due to illness and two previous cancellations on their current tour which they have already done 90 shows since last year, they turned up and Gave a performance of a lifetime, Fleetwood Mac Arrived with such grace and presence. The field was full, the Fans where waiting and the night was about to begin, the act that everyone was waiting to see was here, over 50,000 fans filled the Isle of Wight creating an nostalgic atmosphere with the sun setting in the background, creating a perfect evening for an outdoor gig.
They had previously been warmed up by the ever popular Paolo Nutini, His soulful, gruff voice wowed the audience with such power and grace, he topped this of with his dynamic stage presence it created the perfect show to watch and to get the crowed moving to songs such as Better Man, Jenny don’t be hasty and a beautiful rendition of New Shoes. A stunning performance by an amazing Artist, Thumbs up!
Fleetwood Mac opened the show with the song The Chains creating the atmosphere for the evening, and not disappointing with their renditions of classics such as, Go your own way, Rhiannon, Gypsy and who can forget Landslide which Stevie Nicks dedicated to her friend and fellow Artist David Grohl, Who has recently broken his leg whilst touring. This song was written and performed originally in 1974, 41 years prior to Isle of Wight 2015, this did not disappoint but left the audience in ore. They provided a spectacular end to an amazing weekend with the song ‘Don’t Stop’. Whilst performing, Fireworks where provided the perfect end with the perfect song, the crowd danced, they sang and they didn’t want the night to end wanting more from the legendary Fleetwood Mac who had performed for an outstanding 2 hours, getting better and better with each song, and their individual solos showing us what the music industry is all about.
Once Fleetwood Mac had ended, people departed the ‘Electric Stage’ and went on to other events within the Isle of Wight Festival, In the ‘BIG TOP’ stage The Charlatans where closing down the last gig to be performed on the ‘BiG TOP’ for the Isle of Wight 2015, the fans filled the tent and crowded around the edges to see these guys perform, people still buzzing and enjoying their last night at the Isle of Wight Festival, taking in the music, the atmosphere and their fellow music lovers around them. Joining in with the music and capturing these moments through images and tweets via social medias such as Twitter and Facebook. Truly showing what the Festival season is about, Music, Artists, Fans getting together under one Social weekend to celebrate 45 Years of music inspired by those who performed at the Isle of wight 2015 and those who helped to create the Isle of Wight Festival since 1968.
Artists known as: Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, Supertramp, Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez, Chicago, Procol Harum, The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie, Muse, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Kasabian, Amy Winehouse, Kings of Leon, Jay-Z, The Strokes, Coldplay, The Sex Pistols, The Police, Blondie etc.
Thank you guys for a wonderful weekend and an oustanding festival…till next year.
With the majority of the line-up announced across the festival’s five mindblowing stages, we can reveal the final acts who complete the biggest ever edition of South West Four…
COMPLETING SW4 SUNDAY LINEUP
CALYX & TEEBEE DEETRON [LIVE] [UK FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE] GEORGE FITZGERALD DENSE & PIKA WAX WINGS
A RAM stage simply wouldn’t be complete without our next act. Lauded for their complex and unique take on the drum & bass sound, Calyx & Teebee have played an intrinsic role at RAM since exclusively signing to the label back in 2013. Having also impressed at Brixton Academy and fabric, their position at the forefront of the UK scene has never been more apparent. As an act we’ve always had our ears on, bringing them to SW4 is very much mission complete. With their new album catching all the headlines, their inaugural SW4 performance on the RAM stage is one we can’t wait for.
A true master of his craft and pioneer of his sound, we are delighted to announce that Deetron will join us for the debut his brand new live show in a UK festival exclusive. Having marked his territory within underground circles over recent years, his new direction of mixing sultry vocals with dainty chords and tough compositions has led to a global army of fresh support. All of which are expected to be out in force for as the Swiss-born producer prepares for a career defining performance at South West Four.
Next is an act that we have been monitoring for some time and with 2015 shaping up to be his biggest yet; we’re pleased to confirm that George FitzGerald will make his SW4 debut on Sunday 30th August. Joining Maya Jane Coles in her arena, George joins us following the release of stellar debut album ‘Fading Love’ and at the height of his career. His deep musical knowledge and strong links to Domino, Double Six and Hotflush Records make him of the of the UK’s hottest talents and one we’re extremely excited to showcase this summer. Don’t miss it.
Also making their SW4 debut in 2015 are UK house and techno producers Dense & Pika. Made up of Chris Spero aka Glimpse and Hypercolour co-founder Alex Jones, the Hotflush signed duo have established themselves as one of the most exciting underground acts around today. With three stellar EP’s under their belt, recent performances include Panorama Bar and fabric, whilst upcoming dates confirmed at Awakenings and Hideout plus DC10’s Paradise, illustrates their pedigree. With an arsenal of innovative dancefloor focussed techno ready to be unleashed at South West Four, they also added to Maya’s stage in one of the weekend’s most forward-thinking line-ups.
Completing the Maya Jane Coles & Friends arena line-up is one of the undergrounds most promising talents as we introduce Joseph Icaro aka Wax Wings. A firm favourite within the MJC camp, the past twelve months have seen the young producer mark his territory with a series of standout dates including The Warehouse Project and Gottwood festival as well as supporting Maya across Europe. A brilliant producer and remixer including two outstanding remixes for The Presets and Zebra Katz, this breakthrough star is certainly one to watch out for this summer.
SW4 SATURDAY LINE-UP … Faithless
Eric Prydz
Fatboy Slim
In alphabetical order:
Aly & Fila
Amine Edge & Dance
Andrew Bayer
Andrew Rayel
Andy Moor & Lange present Stadium4
Anjunabeats Showcase
Bakermat Ben Gold
Black Coffee Carl Craig ft ‘Mad’ Mike Banks [Live]
Claptone [Immortal Live]
Danny Daze
Dubfire: live HYBRID
Eats Everything
Fritz Kalkbrenner
Gorgon City vs Pete Tong
Green Velvet vs Patrick Topping
Hannah Wants
Henrik Schwarz [Live]
Hot Since 82
Infected Mushroom
Kidnap Kid
Kölsch
Luciano
Maceo Plex
MaRLo
Mind Against
Nic Fanciulli
Pan-Pot
Paul Oakenfold
Pleasurekraft
Sasha
Secondcity
Solomun vs Àme
Sven Vath
The Magician
Todd Terje [Live]
Tube & Berger ft Paji [Live]
SW4 SUNDAY LINE-UP …
Skrillex Basement Jazz [Live] Carl Cox vs Loco Dice Armin van Buuren presents Gaia In alphabetical order: Adam Beyer Andy C Apollonia Ben Pearce Calyx & Teebee Camo & Krooked Chris Lorenzo Citizenn & Ejeca present Mountain King [Live] Culture Shock DC Breaks Deetron [Live] Dense & Pika Dixon DJ EZ George FitzGerald GotSome Jaguar Skills [Live] John Digweed Joseph Capriati Josh Butler Loadstar Mano Le Tough Marco Carola Martin Garrix Maya Jane Coles MistaJam Oliver Dollar Oliver Heldens Roni Size Reprazent [Live] Route 94 Sam Divine Shift K3y Sigma [Live] Sub Focus Tale of Us Tough Love Wax Wings Wilkinson [Live]
With thousands of die hard rock fans of all ages making the annual piligmage to Donnington on Wednesday, they were met with two days of stunning blue skies over the Castle, leading up to Friday it looked set to be a glorious weekend of sunshine and Metal. But would it be DOWNLOAD Festival without the rain?
Grey clouds formed as MODESTEP warmed up the MainStage at around 4:30pm on friday night, with a weird blend of dubstep and metal, half of their slot appeared to be a DJ set rather than a gig, seemingly out of place considering the rest of the Bill. As the heavens opened, there was still a a huge turn out for the original leaders of new wave of british heavy metal JUDAS PRIEST. Rob Halford may have struggled with some of the high vocals he’s always famous for but with hits like 'breaking the Law' was guaranteed to get older fans rocking, the motorbike and whip for the finale however needed to be left in 1969.
The anticipation for SLIPKNOT reached fever pitch, with many crowd members in masks and the boiler suits, and not even the monsoon like rain could dampen the assaulting experience of IOWAs finest export.
Any notions of them being a gimmick band with their masks and image, have been wiped since cementing themselves in Donnington history with their huge performances since 2009. Back with a New album and seemingly re-energised, the band made made their thundering riffs and singalong chorus’ wash over the adoring cult of maggots(sic) with ease and Mick Seven being one of the best guitarists I’ve ever witnessed glaring out over the audience whilst his shredding hands blurred over his guitar neck. A triumphant performance, even if it was there no doubt it would be.
Photo by Gobinder Jitta courtesy of Download Festival
With 24 hours of rain, the arena opened on Saturday half an hour later due to safety concerns, sawdust saved the afternoon from a wash out and first catching APOCALYPTA on the Encore stage was an intriguing set of classical strings and metal.
The surprise performance of the weekend were HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, a mutant child of slipknot and Beastie Boys hailing from Los Angeles, the group stood out with a lively Saturday afternoon slot sending the young audience into a frenzy on the main stage.
Being a Motley Crue fan, watching BLACK VEIL BRIDES seemed to be like viewing a synthetic rip off, but with a fan base bordering on the obsessive and similarities with My Chemical Romance, they seemed to have found their own niche and have to be respected for their gutsy rock and roll attitude.
MARILYN MANSON seemed to be a disappointment, with such a legendary reputation and colourful past, his limp attempts to engage with the audience were not helped by the drifting sounds of MUSE from the MainStage, who’s light show could probably be seen from the moon. Is there anywhere to go for MUSE? with album after album of space rock anthems filling the biggest stadiums around, there were no surprises amongst the bells and whistles in their massive headline performance but undoubtably they still set the bar high for British bands.
Photo by Richard Johnson courtesy of Download Festival
Waking up to blazing sunshine on Sunday, the MainStage was set for a superb line up of heavy metal legends, first catching CAVELERACONSPIRACY sounding to me like a wall of noise, thankfully followed by BLACKBERRY SMOKE with their soothing sounds american southern Rock, like a young ZZ TOP were perfect for a Sunday afternoon and I will definitely be checking out their music again once back to civilisation.
BILLY IDOL never fails to impress, his new album material matches perfectly with his classic hits like 'White wedding' and 'Rebel Yell', and with his tongue in cheek shirtless leather jacket combo, he’s been a born entertainer since the 80s and there is still no stopping him. Followed by SLASH, the Guns N' Roses legend had a packed audience on the MainStage, with a back catalogue of hits from GNR, Velvet Revolver and now with Myles Kennedy on vocals, his blistering live performances of 'Paradise city', ‘Nightrain', and a finale of ‘slither' a highlight of how mad a crowd can go for rock and roll.
They’ve said all Bad things must come to an end, and Motley Crue on their final ever UK festival performance, smashed out their biggest and baddest hits including ‘looks that Kill’ and Girls Girls Girls with all the vigour of it being 1981. With minimal set design they let the music do the talking and Nikki Sixx as always with the biggest grin of the weekend on his face. True legends and good to see them go out with a bang, the only down point in a faultless performance was the sorely missed ‘Home sweet home’ but you can’t have it all!
And so to the finale of KISS, with more anthems than most bands can dream of, pyrotechnics and huge circus like stage show, when confetti cannons exploded it was a perfect end to an epic weekend, for those that stuck it out to the end they were rewarded, the spirit of rock and roll prevailed over rainstorms that threatened to wash away even the most enthusiastic fans.
Photo by Andrew Whitton courtesy of Download Festival
Known as much more than just a music festival, Standon Calling's tenth year as one of the UK's best-loved festivals will offer its widest array of activities yet for all the family. For the wranglers amongst us pony rides will be on offer at The Wagon Park whilst cowboys and cowgirls can tame their own wild animal at thebuild a grizzly bear workshop. If revellers plan to run away and join the circus the Full of Fire team will be on hand to teach festival-goers the art of juggling, diablo, hooping and (quite literally) clowning around.The Wagon Park will house many of the workshops and activities throughout the weekend. Whether you're on the hunt for gold in Standon's huge sand pit, woodcraft classes, costume making, cake decorating, jewellery design and much more the adventure will not stop throughout the whole weekend.
While this year will see the return of the much loved trapeze masterclasses, dog show and the outdoor heated open air swimming pool the Standon grounds will be transformed into a world where all is not as it seems. Returning for its 5th year, Autumn Shift who will bring for the first time Dr Jekyll's Hideout& Dr Franken's Mine to the woodlands of Standon which, much like the Victorian legend, will house two very different personalities. By day the frontier town will house the wildest steam and brass-powered bands, stand-up comedy from the likes of Robin Ince, spoken word and folk acts from the likes of super-talented Grace Petrie, dance, poetry and much more in amongst the Victorian-themed music hall. As day turns to night this is when the figures from beyond the woods descend on the town as many of the performers throughout the day will undergo a dark and mysterious transformation…
Ukelele supergroup The Grand Old Ukes of Yorkshire will bring their u(ke)nique take on classic anthems to the fields of Standon while a classic wild west showdown will take place at the centre of the town square as The Dance Off presents: The Hillbilly Hoedown. For those feeling inspired by the main stage acts then the Rockaoke will be on hand alongside creepy crawlie enthusiasts at The Travelling Menagerie, a place to get up close and personal with wild west wildlife, still life drawing workshop Art Macabre and the high-octane Pandemonium Drummers. Plus the opportunity to tame those tresses at the bespoke on-site pop up hair salon provided by the fashion driven hairdressing brand Blue Tit brining their raw and luxurious independent boutique salon experience to the festival fields.
Fuelling the adventure across the three-day festival will be a selection of the most appetising street food vendors from London and beyond. Whether you're looking for warming pie and mash from Barnaby Sykes, award winning crepes at The Creperie, freshly cooked Neopolitan pizzas at Made of Dough or simply a little pick me up at Carnival Coffee Standon Calling caters for every taste. For the meat lovers American style BBQ'd pulled pork will also be on offer alongside vegan and vegetarian offerings from the Bhangra Bus and Goodness Gracious. Craft beer, cider and spirit enthusiasts are also well catered for with the esteemed Meantime brewery on hand alongside the acclaimed Old Mout Cider and master distillersSipsmith.
As a longstanding friend of the festival the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! will be partnering up with the Standon Calling once again. Dedicated to eradicating the late detection of breast cancer the Boob Team will be on hand all weekend, teaching people how to check their boobs in their bright pink boob cube. Worried they won't be spotted them at the festival? Look out for gang dressed as giant boobs…
With a lineup already fit to burst with huge names including headliners Kings Of Leon and Duran Duran alongside the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Paloma Faith, Madness and Tom Odell Gibraltar Music Festival 2015 are now adding even more names to this year’s lineup. Providing a fitting and appropriately huge end to the summer festival season, GMF provides sun and music in abundance all within the picturesque surroundings of the Rock of Gibraltar.
Heading up this announcement is British singer-songwriter James Bay. Having won this year’s BRIT Awards Critics Choice Award and also as runner up in the BBC Sound of 2015 list his is a talent that is utterly undeniable and not least showcased on this year’s breakthrough album ‘Chaos and the Calm’. His set is not to be missed.
Since gracing the nation’s TV screens on the X Factor back in 2012 Ella Henderson has proven herself to be a true superstar. With both her debut single ‘Ghost’ and debut album ‘Chapter One’ charting at number one; she is undoubtedly one of the UK’s finest pop exports.
It’s been two years since Union J went from talented unknowns to overnight sensations on the 2012 series of The X Factor, andthey have been on quite a journey. Their army of young fans will be delighted to hear the boys' next stop on their path to boy band greatness will be at GMF this September.
Also joining the lineup are Gibraltar via Manchester sibling trio This Side Up who come to the festival hot on the heels of their summer UK tour as well as Dead City Radio and Kharma 13.
Easily accessible, affordable and suitable for the whole family, GMF rolls a holiday and some of the world’s biggest acts into one incredible weekend.
It might be monday, but no need to fret because this weekend is one of the most widely anticipated european festivals of the year. Best Kept Secret is still in its youth, in fact this year will only be it’s third birthday! But that doesn’t stop it from being one of the festival heavyweights. With headliners such as the Libertines, Alt-J and Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds, and set in Hilvarenbeek, in the middle of the Netherlands, the dutch really know how to put on a show. So with the days creeping ever closer, here are some of the acts we’re most looking forward to seeing this weekend.
Libertines
Now that they’re done making the reunion rounds, they’ve got their hearts set on reclaiming the rock and roll throne. Rumours of a new album leaving fans gripping the edge of their seat, and if their history of stage antics and cult following has anything to go by, we can tell the friday night headliners are not one to be missed. You never know, we might even get some sneak peeks of a new track or two.
A$AP Rocky
Bound to be one of the best shows of the weekend after the much anticipated release of AT.LONG.LAST, A$AP Rocky aka Rakim Meyers is on top form. Not your average hip hop star, the young kid from Harlem continues to break the mould with his interest in fashion, his discontent with his own hype and passion for the art behind the music. The two year gap between his debut LONG.LIVE.A$AP and his new release had some of us reeling with frustration but now that it’s here, we could not have asked for more. Watch him on the main stage saturday night, he won’t disappoint.
Royal Blood
One of the hottest new acts of the past year, Brighton duo Royal Blood are continuing to blow up, despite still being on their debut. Don’t let their youthfulness deter you, because the matching of heavy drums and perfectly executed riffs in their blues infused rock is enough to make your hair stand on end. Spend a few minutes with them on sunday and you’ll be the newest heir to the royal blood throne.
Wolf Alice
Often called the ‘lovechild of grunge and folk’, Wolf Alice are kicking off the sunday at the second stage. Originally a duo that hit up the London Open Mic scene, they’ve now beefed up their sound and gained a cult following, making them one of the UK’s ones to watch over the coming year. Bearing in mind they don’t even have an official album yet, they’re doing pretty well for themselves and we can’t see what their show has to offer.
Vaccines
Gracing the main stage on Saturday is the return of the Vaccines, having matured slightly from their 2011 grunge-rock, strokes inspired anthems, their awaiting release English Graffiti shows their stature and is sure to cement their place in the halls of pop-rock fame.
Balthazar
One of Belgium’s hidden gems, Balthazar are back with their third album Thin Walls, and believe me it doesn’t disappoint. Chucked full of witty lyrics, dreamy guitar and a feeling of blues, if you haven’t heard them yet take some time to listen - they’re sure to become your new favourite band.
Though these are just a few of the bands gracing the stages of Beekse Bergen, but the lineup is even better. It’s sure to be a great weekend ahead.
In an awards show with no actual musical performances, Marilyn Manson still managed to steal the show. The headline from the night has to be not his Lifetime Achievement award but that he actually arrived in person to collect his gong. Such a presence instantly dwarfed the rest of the rock great and good that filled the Troxy for yesterday’s Relentless Kerrang Awards. Even reducing Alice Cooper’s appearance to collect his Legend award to that of a cameo role.
This black carpet event tied with a Zombie theme was certainly a resounding success; Relentless cocktails and un-dead bar staff made for a spectacular evening but it’s the attention to the small details that make you realise you’re somewhere special. Zombie hands leap out and grab you from the scenery (presumably from actors hidden behind the scenes), and smoke machines billow out scary Silent Hill mists giving everyone the Heavy Metal chills.
Alcohol ran free and everyone was raising a charged glass to the winners, with Bring Me The Horizon getting all the plaudits they deserved for their Best British Band award. I should imagine both their table and Royal Blood’s (Best British Newcomer) will be nursing a sore head this morning but a well deserved one.
The only question is, after a night to remember like this, just how will the event organisers top it next year?
Okay, so it's officially that time of year again the Isle of wight festival 2015 begins. Hope you've got your camping gear and your dancing shoes on to rock out with some of the top artists from around the globe. I can say I am officially exited and looking forward to all the acts this year. If you're starting early and camping on Thursday I recommend you go and check out the one and only Billy Idol, he will be getting you ready and in the mood for what is to come, over this epic weekend. He will be followed up by UB40'S Ali Campbell, Astro and Micky Virtue, so get dancing and ready to party.
From the 12-14th June 2015 there are going to be some great performerances coming your way, here are my top 10 to look out for at the Isle of Wight Festival this year.
1. Fleetwood Mac Bringing you Classics such as Dreams, Go your own way, Songbird and Don't stop, performing with Christine McVie after taking 16 years out, but now back to perform on their current tour, check them out on the "Electric Church" stage on Sunday
2. Blur Bringing their indie-pop music and the original four line up performing classic that rocked the 90's such as Park life, Boys and Girls and Song 2 and songs from their current number 1 album The Magic Whip, performing on the "Electric Church" stage on Saturday
3. Pharrell Williams Who last performed at the Isle of Wight in 2008 performing with his band N.E.R.D, but now soloing with many hits under his belt such as Happy, Get Lucky and GIRL, performing on the "Electric Church" stage on Saturday
4. Paolo Nutini This Scottish smooth artist will performing songs such as New Shoes, Jenny don't be hasty and Better Man, bringing his soulful rendition and vocals to the "Electric Church" stage on Sunday
5. James Bay This is guy is one to look out for, this guys has been going from strength to strength, bringing his unique and soulful voice and capturing his fans with his individuality, See him performing on the "Electric Church" stage on Saturday.
6. Counting Crows Who last performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2003, are back bringing their Californian vibe, These guys will be performing on the 'Electric Church' stage on Friday
7. Jessie Ware This London sensation, will be bringing her electronic soulful sound to the stage gracing you with songs such as Champaign Kisses, Say you love me and Wildest Moments, she will be performing on the "Electric Stage" on Saturday
8. Prodigy Will be opening the festival bringing their electronic, industrial rave music to you via the "Electronic Church" stage Friday get ready to rave like it's the 1990s
9. Ash Bringing their alternative rock to the stage with songs such as Shining light, Girls from mars and A life less ordinary you can check these guys out on the "Big Top" stage on Sunday
10. James Bringing classics such as don't sit down, she's a star and sometimes, bringing the 90's to the stage taking you back to those dancing days he will be performing on the "Electric Church" stage on Saturday
So guys can't wait to see you all there, not long now. Isle of Wight Festival 2015, enjoy and bring your dancing shoes and check out the Isle of Wight lineup and see who will be on your list to see.
Calling Festival, the Capital’s premier festival for music lovers, today announced a one-off flash sale to celebrate the tenth successful year of the event. As a thank you to its loyal fans and in celebration of ten years of Calling, a limited amount of tickets will be sold at special rates, starting with a price band of just £21 with no booking fee. The tickets will then incrementally rise up through ten price brackets until they again reach normal 2015 pricing. These tickets are sold on a strictly first come first serve basis, so get in early to grab yourself a bargain! Calling Festival takes place in Clapham Common on Saturday 4 July and is headlined by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The flash sale starts at 6pm on Tuesday 9 Juneand is available at www.livenation.co.uk (all tickets are subject to an order processing fee).
This year’s Calling Festival will see huge names and the hottest up-and-coming acts descend upon Clapham Common. Headlined by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, alongside Ryan Adams and the Shining, Modest Mouse, Echo and the Bunnymen and festival favourites The Hives. Calling Festival will also play host to a stellar range of the hottest new talent, including Wolf Alice who headline the second stage, Bleachers, led by Jack Antonoff of Grammy-Award winners ‘Fun’,Sunset Sons, nominees of BBC Sound of 2015, Deaf Havana frontman James Veck Gillodi, Sundara Karma, Osca, White Room and Vant have been announced to electrify the stage at this year’s event.
This one-off flash sale is only available from 6pm on Tuesday 9 June. It will kick-off with a limited run of tickets sold at £21 with no booking fee. The ten price tiers to celebrate the 10th Calling Festival, a price drop for each year, include the following prices: £21, £25, £29, £33, £37, £41, £45, £49, £53 and £57 (all tickets are subject to an order processing fee). There will be a strictly limited amount of tickets available at each price, so the quicker you buy the cheaper the ticket!
