BBC Introducing stage announced plus many more for Reading & Leeds Festival

by

BBC INTRODUCING STAGE

One of Huw Stephens’ BBC Introducing Discovery tips, Amber are five guys from Nottingham and London. Their first original song ‘Noah’ is described by Huw Stephens as “a glorious summer tune” and where better to watch it than at Reading & Leeds this August.
 
 
Indie-pop band As Elephants Are hail from High Wycombe and have been making music together since 2011. The band have enjoyed success with their debut single ‘War Cry’ which has received plays from national stations and DJ Mary Anne Hobbs. Their latest offering ‘Youth Blood/Lucifer’ gives more of a taste of their innovative indie-rock.
 
Big Wave are an indie-pop five-piece from Torquay who have recently released their new single 'Goldmine' through Art is Hard Records and have previously performed with bands including Metronomy. Their sunshine-rock style will make for the perfect summer time festival set.
 
Casablanca have received support from Huw Stephens who is a big fan of the London indie band. With comparisons to Bombay Bicycle Club, Cajun Dance Party and Theme Park expect good things from this four-piece when they take to the stage.
 
The melodic Welsh-based indie four-piece Catfish and the Bottlemen are signed to Communion Records. 2013 has seen the band support The 1975 on their UK tour and they will also join Glasvegas on their UK tour date.
 
Securing their place through Futuresound’s competition City of Lights aim to create their own brand of honest rock-pop that will ignite and engage feelings, thoughts & emotions. Meshing the song-writing aptitude of Biffy Clyro with the melodic mastery of UK big guns Snow Patrol and the heart and drive of Thrice, City Of Lights adeptly glide along the tight-rope of having an accessible sound with true longevity.
 
Glasgow based Crusades offer up a big dose of post hardcore, high speed riffs on their recent debut EP ‘Golden Throats’, released to received rave reviews and gaining air play on BBC Radio 1.
 
19 year old East London singer-songwriter Denai Moore only picked up a guitar two years ago but already counts Plan B and Tom Odell amongst her fans. Her debut EP ‘Saudade’ is out now featuring her haunting vocals and soothing mix of folk and soul.
 
Futuresound competition runners-up Glass Caves are building a feverish and faithful following throughout the North of England shifting thousands of their self-released ‘Glass Caves’ EP as well as selling out notable venues across their home county.  The underground buzz spilt over to the masses in April 2013 when BBC Introducing gave the band their coveted BBC Radio 1 Playlist slot.
 
Transatlantic alternative pop trio The Grand formed in 2010. The brooding Wakefield indie rockers come on sounding like Nick Cave wrestling with The National, an attractive proposition that has seen them championed by BBC Radio 6 Music. Their first single ‘Romance Is Dead’ was released in Sept 2012 and the band are currently working on material for their debut album, expected in 2014.
 
Up-and-coming Exeter five-piece I Divide exploded onto the rock scene in 2011 with their debut album ‘What’s Worth More’. They have since toured with Funeral For a Friend, won the 'Best Rock Act' Award at the 2012 South Wales Music Awards and bring their raw energy to Reading & Leeds this Bank Holiday weekend.
 
Four-piece Jaws are quickly making a name for themselves in the West Midlands, performing alongside fellow Birmingham bands Peace and Swim Deep. As well as having a critically acclaimed vinyl-only EP ‘Milkshake’ under their belt, they now have a new single ‘Gold’ due for release at the end of the July. Keep an eye out for their catchy garage pop on the stage this year.
 
Nottingham born songsmith Joel Baker burst onto the scene via the internet with his spellbinding covers including Kanye West and Maverick Sabre. Now stepping out with his own politically minded tunes, he is set for big things.
 
King No-One were crowned the winners at the recent Martin House Centre Stage final having beaten 10 other strong finalists from the West and North Yorkshire areas. Encompassing smooth chilled melodic vibes right through to raw expressive rock, the band are becoming well known in their home town of York for gathering huge crowds whilst busking.
 
In their relatively short existence, Lonely The Brave have performed live at Maida Vale Studios for Dan P Carter's BBC Radio 1 Rock Show and received plaudits from major music titles. Their debut album ‘The Day’s War’ has been a year in the making and with a new member, the band are set to make their mark this year. 
 
Alternative-folk-rock quartet Man Can’t Fly create emotive sounds and memorable hooks. Despite only forming a year ago, the Bradford band have already self-released their debut single ‘Don’t Waste My Time’ which has received numerous plays on BBC Radio 1.
 
Influenced by artists as diverse as Phoenix, Talking Heads and Kanye West, Newcastle’s Mausi bring plenty of energy and a dose of pop with their invigorating live performances. The quartet features siblings Daisy and Thomas Finetto who bring their feel-good vocals and danceable tunes, guaranteed to get the crowd moving.
 
 
Modo Stare is the project of Jon Headley, a musician, writer and producer from the UK and the group won their place on the stage through the Futuresound competition. Their music is built around a blend of old and new, electronic and acoustic, synthetic and organic; mixing 100-year old harmoniums with sparkling synthesizers, out-of- tune pianos with growling bass synths, and antique cuckoo clocks with distorted drum loops.  The project’s debut full-length album ‘This Is How We Know What Love Is’, is almost finished and will be out soon
 
Five-piece Peasants King from South Wales, had their song 'Antidotes' selected as the 'Introducing Track of The Week' – gaining praise from Fearne Cotton, Greg James, Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens. Comparisons have been made to Kings of Leon and Vampire Weekend, so be sure to check them out.
 
Scottish trio Prides are making a name for themselves with their synthpop. Built on the foundations of previous band Midnight Lion, the introduction of a third member Callum has ignited them to a new level in 2013. The band are signed to Island records and have just released their single 'Out of The Blue’, so watch this space.
 
Ruen Brothers are monochrome-clad brothers Rupert and Henry Stansall from Scunthorpe, who share a fascination with the early to mid-1960’s that has set the music industry buzzing since Zane Lowe played their track ‘Aces’ earlier this year. Their sound has been compared to Roy Orbison, but their elaborate melodies and natural swagger are quickly earning them fans in their own right. 
 
Hailing from Nottingham, 17 year old singer Saint Raymond is often described as the next Jake Bugg. A stratospheric rise is surely imminent, much like his debut EP ‘Escapade’ which rose up the iTunes chart following a release on Gabrielle Aplin’s label Never Fade.
 
Kent two-piece Slaves have gained a fearsome live reputation with their political punk. Taking their influences from punk behemoths UK Subs, Crass and Refused, their in-your-face songs have caught the attention of the industry with The Fly describing them simply as “brilliant”.
 
The four young members of Sundara Karma all come from Reading and claim that their indie-infused sound is “more refreshing than sunshine”. Shimmering indie escapism showcased in their debut single ‘Freshblood’ mixes percussive tropical beats with intoxicating sounds of the summer.   
 
Four-piece alternative rock band Theory 59 from Cleethorpes are now a step closer to stardom after their latest single ‘Through The Lies Comes Clarity’ was added to the BBC Radio 1 playlist. With a full length album in the works and a UK tour in their sights, their passionate and energetic offering is set to make its mark on the rock scene sooner than you think.
 
London-based Thumpers have been playing music together since the age of 15 and, having previously been in Pull Tiger Tail, they have reemerged as an alternative pop duo. They have a big emphasis on rhythm with booming drums taking the leading role and will get the crowds moving at the Festivals this year.
 
Producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Frank Pescod initially made a name for himself creating scores for brands, TV shows and films. Now writing under the moniker To Be Frank, his four-track EP 'Nothing' was recently released via Solebay Music to critical acclaim.
 
Counting Tame Impala as fans, Tripwires will arrive at Reading & Leeds fresh from supporting the band in Switzerland. Their Festival shows will give them the chance to bring their nineties indie sounds to hometown fans in Reading and a brand new audience in Leeds.
 
Since forming their current line-up in 2010, Peterborough quintet We Are Fiction have been performing their unique blend of modern alternative rock to an ever growing passionate fan base across the country. Passion, love and energy are three things you can expect from their shows and music, with many describing them as a heartfelt, captivating and emotive band who possess a unique stage presence and sound.
 
Having cut their teeth on the underground circuit, We Are Knuckle Dragger are a trio hell-bent on unleashing their music to the masses. They have released two EPs, enjoyed support from Dan P Carter on BBC Radio 1 and have recently completed a tour with the Dillinger Escape Plan.
 
Leeds based duo Louisa Osborn and Chris Mulligan are signed to Dead Young Records and have a spark of the black magic which has seen them much talked about on the thriving West Yorkshire music scene. Since their sold out debut launch,Witch Hunt have wowed audiences alongside Wolf Alice, Veronica Falls and at festivals including Live at Leeds and Tramlines; they are runners up in this year’s Futuresound competition.
 
Tipped as one of the UK’s most outstanding up-and-coming independent musicians and producers, Zaheer has already received support from a range of stations including BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Radio 6 Music. His creativity and disregard for clichéd musical conventions mean he is catching the attention of the music industry, expect big things from him.
 
DANCE TO THE RADIO STAGE AT LEEDS
 
Leeds Festival welcome the return of the influential and innovative Leeds-based record label Dance To The Radio who will be taking over the BBC Introducing Stage on Thursday 22nd August and kicking off the weekend at Leeds in style with the following live bands:
 
Formed in 2010 out of the ashes of a Leeds-based rock band, Black Moth were seduced by the brutal and hypnotic lure of the riff, to emerge translucent, skinned and bleary eyed from their cocoon as a ferocious kick-ass heavy rock outfit.
 
Sheffield’s The Crookes are a four-piece at the forefront of the nascent new pop movement in the UK guitar scene. Set to release their second LP on legendary indie label Fierce Panda this summer and with a cult following already in the bag, be sure to see them for a dance on Thursday night in Leeds.
 
Manchester’s finest Dutch Uncles are a group who have pitched their tents firmly in pop’s left-field with crashing guitars, electronic dueling xylophones, and lead singer Duncan Wallis' eye-popping dance moves.
 
Leeds five-piece Hookworms are often bracketed among the latest wave of psychedelic rock. By only using their initials to avoid any form of ‘celebrity status’ adds to the mystery of the band’s deep, emotive lyrics involving attempted suicide and depression.
 
Leeds’ Menace Beach is the project of members of existing local bands with Rob from Pulled Apart By Horses, Nestor from Sky Larkin and Matt from Hookworms. Their hazy grunge songs have seen comparisons with Splashh and Swim Deep.
 
NEW ADDITIONS ACROSS THE REST OF THE FESTIVAL
 
NME / RADIO 1 STAGE
 
READING SATURDAY 24TH / LEEDS SUNDAY 25TH  
 
Childhood have supported Palma Violets and have been compared to Stone Roses, House of Love and Primal Scream. The ‘fresh-faced’ band are renowned for evoking a feeling of heady joy, if not drug-induced euphoria – a cocky young bunch of lads who have come to shake things up.
 
BBC RADIO 1 DANCE STAGE
 
READING FRIDAY 23RD / LEEDS SATURDAY 24TH
 
Named after a Nigerian state capital, Benin City is Theo Buckingham, Tom Leaper and Joshua Idehen from London. They have gained fans, as well as accolades, for their energetic live performances and have supported Soweto Kinch, VV Brown, Moko and Youngblood Brass band. Album ‘Fires In The Park’ is out now and has been described as ‘a sultry piece of afro dub blues’ in recent reviews.
 
READING SUNDAY 25TH / LEEDS FRIDAY 23RD 
 
Bipolar Sunshine is the solo project of Manchester singer/songwriter Adio Marchant, a recent collaboration with Rudimental saw them run an experiment to create and produce a single in 24 hours and perform it in front of an audience. They succeeded! His debut EP ‘Aesthetics’ has received great reviews and single ‘Rivers’ was recently iTunes’ ‘Single of the Week’.
 
Stay Positive is a London based producer and classically trained violinist who just released his latest EP ‘Blood Brother’ via Stay Positive Industries, which sees a perfectly arranged composition in minimal techno.
 
Aussie duo Parachute Youth cite their influences as Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, The Cure and The Stone Roses, but their sound is completely modern and goosebump inducing. In their own words, “we're only a two piece but we make a lot of noise.
 
LOCK UP STAGE
 
READING SATURDAY 24TH / LEEDS SUNDAY 25TH  
 
Decade are an alternative rock / post-hardcore band from Bath, formally known as Ready Set Low.  They have supported the likes of Forever The Sickest Kids, D.R.U.G.S and Set Your Goals and have been locked away of late, hard at work making their album, watch this space!
 
FESTIVAL REPUBLIC STAGE
 
READING FRIDAY 23RD / LEEDS SATURDAY 24TH
 
Brighton-based band The Wytches have had their music descried as “a cynical, dark and flowery take on psychedelia, 1950’s surf riffs, desert whips, loungey, melancholic shuffles with a stage performance that puts you under.”
 
READING SUNDAY 25TH / LEEDS FRIDAY 23RD 
 
Overall winners at the recent Futuresound competition final in Leeds, where 60 regional bands compete to win a coveted spot to play at the festivals, were Leeds newcomers Battle Lines. Dark and cerebral, they blend shoegaze guitars with alt-rock and synthpop to create a raw and energetic live show. Reading & Leeds will be their UK festival debut, remember where you saw them first.

Danny Brown, SBTRKT, Gold Panda and more join Beacons Festival lineup

by

Beacons Festival, the cutting-edge music and arts festival are pleased to reveal the latest acts. Joining Bonobo, Ghostpoet, Django Django, Local Natives, Savages, Dutch Uncles is DANNY BROWN. A natural born rapper, the 32 year-old began his life in rhyme at a young age, thanks to his mum, who raised him on a literary diet of Dr. Seuss books. A little edgier than a rhyming kids' book writer, Detroit-born Brown started turning heads back in 2010 with his debut album The Hybrid. 2013 brings album number three, entitled Old and Danny's had hip-hop fans foaming at the chops with anticipation for its release. 

Danny Brown joins the recent additions of  SBTRKT (DJ), GOLD PANDA, WIRE, JAMES HOLDEN, T. WILLIAMS, THROWING SNOW, FINDLAY, EAGULLS and SKY LARKIN.

Beacons also revealed that the fancy dress theme for the Friday is Frontiers of The Future along with a new outdoor stage The Red Bull Music Academy. T. Williams, Throwing Snow and James Holden will headline that stage with further announcements due soon.

Beacons is a three-day, four-night festival and for a short period, tickets are available at £99.50 with deposit schemes still available. Early Bird tickets are now sold out and Beacons have launched a new ticket. The Beacons Bundle which features 24 cold beers or cider, a Beacons hand printed tote bag with the festival programme and a weekend ticket all for the price of £129.50.

Newly confirmed artists below:

Danny Brown 
Eagulls 
Findlay
Gold Panda 
James Holden 
New York Brass Band 
Sbtrkt
Sky Larkin
T. Williams 
Throwing Snow 
Traams
Wire 

Beacons Festival 2013 Reveal 24 New Acts Including Melody’s Echo Chamber, Stealing Sheep Plus Many More

by

Beacons Festival are pleased to reveal the latest additions. Joining the likes of Bonobo, Django Django, John Talabot and Solange are: Melody's Echo Chamber bringing her sunshine pop and French melody; Stealing Sheep with their unusual contemporary folk; London's grunge scensters Splashh and the hotly tipped fuzz-pop band Menace Beach. Full list of additions are below.

Beacons has also revealed they are introducing a new art and chill space for 2013. Dawson's  Arthash House will allow you to kick back, relax and enjoy independent films, photography, graphic design and digital art. It's aim it provide a space where you can profile the creativity in cities around Beacons both up and coming and historic, in a laid back environment, to allow you to rest between all those great bands and DJS.

Django Django

Beacons is a three-day, four-night festival and for a short period, tickets are available at 99.50. All early Bird tickets are now sold out.

Confirmed bands for Beacons 2013 so far:

Django Django,  Local Natives,  Bonobo  Solange,  John Talabo,t David Rodigan, Obe Oneman, Ghostpoet, Theo Parrish + Andres, Eats Everything, Floating Points, Dutch Uncles, Savages, Fucked Up, Ben Ufo, Moon Duo, Machinedrum Egyptian Hip Hop, Lunar C, Bicep, Chad Valley, Bondax, Hookworms, Esben & The Witch, Childhood, Wolf Alice, Move D, Temples, Channel One Sound System, Iration, Steppas, Fatima Jaws, Gabriel Bruce, Jon K (Hoya Hoya), Thumpers, East India Youth, Prince Fatty, Ofei Dauwd

 

Kendal Calling 2013 SOLD OUT plus Live Stream info

by

Kendal Calling is thrilled to announce that it has sold out for an incredible 8thsuccessive year as music and arts lovers head to the beautiful Lake District for what promises to be the best Kendal Calling yet.  Hundreds of acts will be performing over the weekend including Primal Scream, Basement Jaxx, The Charlatans, Public Enemy, Seasick Steve, Johnny Marr, British Sea Power, The D.O.T and many more artists across 12 stages over 3 days. 

Public Enemy

Kendal Calling promoter Ben Robinson comments “Big love from everyone on the Kendal Calling team to all those attending this year’s event.  We can't wait for the show to begin, we have some reals treats & surprises in store for you all on site.  We are also extremely excited about our first live stream, we have some amazing content coming to everyone’s homes”!

Kendal Calling has also announced that the festival will be streamed live via a partnership with Dailymotion, the world’s second largest video portal.  Live performances from key can be views on www.kendalcalling.com or on the Dailymotion.

Marc Eychenne, Head of International Content at Dailymotion, said: “2013 is the Summer of Festivals on Dailymotion – building on the 50 million hours of live music we have already streamed – and Kendal Calling is one of the leading events we are showing.

Boardmasters View Stage lineup complete

by

Boardmasters are thrilled to announce that the View Stage Line up is complete. Arguably one of the most beautiful stages on the festival scene this is a perfect fit with the artists selected to perform there this year.

On the menu for 2013 is Sweet Baboo (Stephen Black), a native of the north Wales countryside and a single-minded, idiosyncratic singer. Black possesses an ear for a sparkling melody, a restless soul, and a gift for a deft lyrical turn – from darkly funny to piercingly tender, twinklingly boastful to deliciously self-deprecating.

Joining Sweet Baboo is 18-year-old Saint Raymond who has been receiving attention for his self-penned debut EP which has recently been released on Gabrielle Aplin’s Never Fade Records label. Saint Raymond’s video has already received over 30,000 plays on YouTube and he recently completed support slots for Jake Bugg, Lewis Watson, and Lauren Aquilina and is currently on tour in Europe supporting Gabrielle Aplin.

The line up doesn't stop there with Isaiah Dreads also confirmed for this years spectacular event. Isaiah Dreads is a 15 year old rapper from the South West who despite his tender age is already making a mark on the industry. Isaiah has been heavily involved in music since the age of 6 due and from the age of 7 he was writing his own lyrics and was booked into his first studio by the age of 9. This young talented is guaranteed to have festival-goers undivided attention with his incredible raping skills. 

Boardmasters are also proud to once again bring incredible local talent to the View stage with artists  White Bicyles, Ben Jordan and Joss White as well as Rich Stephenson, Stevie Ray and Franklin.

This plethora of talent will be joining the already announced View stage headliners including acoustic wonders Josh Kumra, Andy Burrows and Cosmo Jarvis.

 

Rudimental and Tom Odell added to Brownstock Festival

by

Rudimental and Tom Odell have been added to the line up for Brownstock Music Festival in Essex.

Latest line up: The Fratellis, Rudimental (dj), Mark Ronson, Tom Odell, The Pigeon Detectives, Benga & Youngman, Duke Dumont, Jaguar Skills, Roni Size,  Doorly and DJ Yoda.

Brownstock Music Festival is an independent boutique festival run by the Brown family on their farm near Chelmsford, Essex. All the family's personalities combine to create this varied and intimate small festival. It will be held this year for the 9th time on the weekend of the 30th Aug -1st Sept 2013.

Dance floor sensations, Rudimental, will headline the main stage on the Saturday night at the Essex festival. With two number ones and a Brit award nomination under their belt, this should be one of the weekend's most memorable performances. At Radio 1's Big Weekend they were "The most watched act of the weekend". They also boast YouTube hits in excess of 20 million. "Waiting All Night", featuring  Ella Eyre, reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 21 April 2013. Two weeks later, Home debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart. Their latest single "Right here" was released on the 5th of July. 

Rudimental

Also added to the festival's main stage line up on Saturday 31st July will be singer song writer Tom Odell. Odell won the coveted BRITs Critics' Choice Award in early 2013 with "Another Love". His debut studio album, Long Way Down, was released on 24 June 2013.  He was discovered by  Lily Allen, who said "his energy on stage reminded me of  David Bowie". Odell's debut album, Long Way Down, was released on 24 June 2013 and reached No. 1 in the UK Official Chart.

Brownstock Music Director Mat Dixon said this about the latest additions:

"We are incredibly excited to welcome two of the hottest acts in not just the UK right now to our family shindig in South Woodham Ferrers. Rudimental were a no brainer booking and their high energy show and catalogue of top ten hits guaranteed to have the crowd bouncing along. Tom Odell on the other hand represents the incredible singer song writer talent this country consistently produces following on in the footsteps of Ben Howard and James Blake, set to be one of the absolute highlights of Brownstock 2013."   

Other main acts for the 3 day festival include:

The Fratellis will play at Brownstock as part of only a handful of UK festival performances.  The Glaswegians had sold over a million copies of their debut album, 'Costello Music', in the UK alone. The peak of their achievements was picking up the Best British Breakthrough Gong at the Brit Awards, as voted by listeners of BBC Radio 1.

Mark Ronson: will play in the Essex festival's dance tent. Ronson started his career as a hip hop DJ. He is now a Grammy and Brit Award winner, famous for his extremely successful work with good friend Amy Winehouse.

The Pigeon Detectives: The platinum selling indie rock band have 3 top 40 albums. Their first, "Wait for Me" debuted at number 3 in the album charts. They have also previously supported The Fratellis, playing alongside them and the massive Kasabian.

Benga & Youngman:  Benga widely thought of as one of the pioneers of dubstep. One third of Magnetic Man, half of Radio 1 DJ duo, Skream & Benga, and producer behind Katy B's first string of hits. He even has the claim to fame of playing dubstep for Prince William and Harry!

Duke Dumont: Veteran DJ and producer. Recently reaching the UK number 1 spot with the song " Need U (100%)". The official music video for the song, directed by Ian Robertson, has over 2.5 million YouTube views.

Jaguar skills: Famous for DJing in a ninja mask which continues to add mystery to his persona as his name, age and hometown remain unknown. He is the king of crossover and mash up sets. He has a weekly 10 minute mix on Radio 1 for Trevor Nelson and gives a big festival DJ performance which will not leave people disappointed. 

Roni size: Roni Size is a veteran DJ of drum and bass and Mercury Music Award winner. The well renowned Brown paper bag is still an institution of a track!

Doorly: As a Brownstock ambassador this will be Doorly's 3rd appearance at the festival after hosting his own stage in 2012. More recently he's gone on to play some of the biggest shows the scene has to offer, including a Nokia launch in Times Square, New York, alongside Nicki Minaj in New York.

Reading Festival 2013 Weekend tickets SOLD OUT

by
With a month to go until Reading & Leeds Festivals, taking place from 23rd-25th August, excitement for the event is rising as fast as the recent temperature and the best weekend of the summer is hotting up with the news that all Reading Weekend have now completely sold out!
 
EminemThere are now only a limited amount of Sunday Day tickets still available to purchase following the recent sold out announcements for Friday Day Tickets, Saturday Day Tickets and all Early Entry tickets for Reading Festival.
The only way for music fans to guarantee seeing the full amazing Reading & Leeds Festivals line-up is now at Leeds Festival, where fans should take the opportunity to snap up the remaining Early Entry, Day and Weekend tickets and witness the same incredible artists, with UK festival exclusive headline performances from Green Day, Eminem and Biffy Clyro.
 
If you want to see huge names including Biffy Clyro, Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Azealia Banks, Knife Party, Baauer, Shikari Sound System, Funeral For A Friend, Spector, Wretch 32 and Angel Haze, then a very limited number of Reading Sunday Tickets are still available.
 
As well as the headliners the Festivals will feature over 200 artists, with UK festival exclusive performances from System of A Down, Fall Out Boy, Skrillex, Deftones, City and Colour and more. Other exciting names confirmed to perform include Devlin and Wretch 32 on the all new BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage, comedy from Judah Friedlander World Champion and Russell Kane, plus Alkaline Trio and Shikari Sound System playing on the Lock Up and the new Rock Stage respectively.  This year is set to be the best year yet, with more stages, more music and more fun to be had than ever before!

Creamfields announce brand new stage production for 2013

by

Fresh off the back of Electric Daisy Carnival London, a partnership with Cream, Insomniac and Live Nation we can now reveal the main stage production plans for Creamfields 2013 which will feature thebiggest stage production ever seen in the UK.

The brand new stage structure will be three times the size of 2012, spanning 60 metres wide x 18 metres high, (the equivalent of 6 x 4 double decker buses) and will be fitted with 7 LED screenspromising an unforgettable visual show.

To complement the new stage production we will also be installing six FX towers either side of the crowd packed with lasers, pyrotechnics and FX to provide a total 360 degree production experience.

That’s not all, over the past six months we have been developing a production package to outshine anything seen before at the festival before including six different pyrotechnic packages including thelargest flame system range in Europe, aptly named the ‘Hurricane’. 

Turning up the heat with our pyro packages we’ve also got something too cool you down. If you have ever visited Cream Ibiza and stood under the ice cannons then get ready for their debut at Creamfields. Firing from our brand new FX towers we’re going to hit the crowd with 20 metres of nitrogen decimating it in seconds, leaving a low lying cool mist to refresh everyone for the next track.

Finally, as one of the most important aspects of any electronic show, we have put together a breathtaking laser package which will cover the crowd from the stage and the FX towers before hitting it with themega shooter, powershot and stadium shot confetti cannons capable of blowing confetti up to 50 metres.

To top off an unforgettable festival there will also be a spectacular firework display above the stage.

With over 200 artists across 3 days Creamfields promises an unforgettable weekend with performances from The Prodigy, AVICII, Tiësto, David Guetta, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso,  Above & Beyond, Eric Prydz, Knife Party, Paul van Dyk, Groove Armada, Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice, Sub Focus, Afrojack, Alesso, Marco Carola, Ferry Corsten, Eddie Halliwell, Laidback Luke, Steve Aoki, Hardwell, Nicky Romero, NERVO, Solomun, AlunaGeorge, Madeon, Sasha, Julio Bashmore, Maceo Plex, Eats Everything, Baauer, Jackmaster, Redlight and Maya Jane Coles.

Those wishing to purchase tickets for this year’s Creamfields festival are being urged to do so as soon as possible as these tickets are close to sell out.

CREAMFIELDS 2013 – THE BIGGEST PARTY OF THE YEAR JUST GOT BIGGER.

Larmer Tree 2013 Review

by

Situated in the Rushmore Estate in Cranborne Chase (Dorset), Larmer Tree Gardens Originally an Ancient Hunting ground comes back this year for another wondrous long weekend. This festival actually starts on Wednesday night and goes all the way through to Sunday evening. Main stage and garden acts play each night to give the quirky mix of young and old crowds an excitement they wont forget. 

Larmer Tree has four main areas to go to watch live performances this year the first is of course stunning main stage and included with it the garden stage which is a real gem in its own right. The stage is comprised of a huge wooden slatted painted muriel which is shaped like archway.  The artists play within the arch to a beautiful backdrop. The Second stage is the BigTop where you can find activities like dancing tutorials like Zumba, Flamenco Dance, Bollywood Dance as well as amazing drum and percussion lessons using all sorts of drum types and woodwind instruments. The Arc is Larmer Tree’s third stage and hosts live music from names like Alice Jemima who is known to BBC Radio 1s introducing stage and the well known show hosted by Rob Da Bank. Along side Alice names like Blair Dunlop who as well as a well regarded Folk singer also started in the Tim Burton version of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ as the young Willy Wonker. Finally the fourth stage bringing a social aspect as well as a musical theme to the Larmer Tree ‘s gathering big comedy characters like Alister McGowen best known for his amazing impressions and BBC show ‘The Big Impression’ Dylan Moran and the classic one-liner grouch that is Rich Hall best know for their performances on ‘Mock the Week’ and ‘8 out of 10 cats’

Larmer Tree 2013

This small but very beautiful festival is well known due to the opening night held in previous years by Jools Holland. This year however the great Van Morrison brought his mix of Pop, Blues and Folk to the main stage and Gardens at Larmer Tree. Van Morrison also teamed up with his daughter Shana Morrison to sing ‘God Shines His Light’ in the tranquil surroundings of this truly idyllic place. Evenings at Larmer Tree are a sight to behold and the forest they have created for the younger crowds are lit by hundreds of lights  along with electronic noises of forest dwelling creatures scurrying around the trees . its like you would imagine yourself in the 1965 book Alice and Wonderland, with so many people dressing up with hats and outrageous costumes you would never believe your so close to home. 

The festival has a very broad and mixed age group ranging from very young 3-10yrs all the way up, with so many different activities for all age groups Larmer Tree caters for all. Adults have their own Adult only craft classes to go and spend time chatting to others and enjoying a fine cup of tea or coffee and a beautiful slice of freshly made cake. The young crowds have face painting tents and many different areas all packed with fun toys like Diablos, juggling balls, Hula Hoop and many more.

Dexys (Aka Dexys Midnight Runners) previously performed with Jools holland on his show in 2012 singing ‘Later’ This year performing on the Garden Stage at Larmer Tree. Dexys new wave rock and pop well known for their smash UK 80s hit ‘Come on Eileen’ and ‘Geno’ make them ideal for the crowds at Larmer Tree. 

Festival prices for food and drink were similar to that of most festivals 4-7 pounds for a Burger or dish from one of the many stalls or vans located in the main field. Drinks were around the 2-4  pounds mark for Water bottles then Beer & Larger. There were however nicely positioned vans and shops selling camping accessories and vital food supplies on the outer areas of the festival for those camping in need of forgotten and well used supplies like loo roll and milk. 

Imelda May the Dublin-born rockabilly singer also performed with Jools Holland on his show in 2008 success grew for this vivacious blues & Jazz queen,  voted Best female artist of the year in the Meteor  awards 2009. Imelda hit Saturdays performance hard at this years Larmer Tree, performing in previous years Larmer Tree was not the first time for Imelda. Performing songs from her most recent album ‘No Turning Back’ she always packs a punch. Imelda May is set to play in two weeks time with Bruce Springsteen back in Kilkenny, Ireland 

Sunday bought with it much of the same great vibes as the rest of the weekend with performances from KT Tunstall and Bellowhead the evening was set to be a mix of great vocals and instrumentals from the the classics like ‘Black Horse & The Cherry Tree’ from the Larmer Tree favorite KT Tunstall and Bellowhead’s amazing mix brass and string instruments ranging from violin to Saxophone. Energetic as always songs like 10,000 Miles Away from their acclaimed best selling 2010 album Hedonism hit the Main Stage crowds of kids being lifted above to their parents shoulders to get a better view of this dynamic set which could be heard playing all over the festival. 

Bellowhead @ Larmer Tree Festival 2013

Overall Larmer tree is a really impressive small festival it holds some really charming and quirky events and sights to see perfect for kids and families as well as adults and teens if your looking for a great get away festival that isn’t too hard on your body with walking and carrying camping equipment this is the one for you. Its also great as an introduction to festival life and what a festival can be like perfect for a first timer or for those who are tired of some of the bigger events round the UK Relaxing in this perfect setting watching the sun set around the garden stage asleep in the sun surrounded by the fruits of the summer is the ultimate way to fill your days. I hope to be heading out to Larmer Tree again next year. 

Photography By James Bride

www.James-Bridle.co.uk

More photos from Larmer Tree 2013 are here

Electric Daisy Carnival London 2013 Review

by

It was EDC’s (Electric Daisy Carnival) first appearance in the UK and there was a lot that was expected of the organisers and they didn’t disappoint. From hearing and reading about EDC events from across the globe, the organisers know how to put on a show of epic proportions. The anticipation was already evident on the train journey up from Essex. People dressed in ravey colours and drinking cider at 11 in the morning summed up the excitement. I was to found later that many people from the north of England has travelled down for this event, and even met some people from Brazil who had travelled over just for this event!

A flood of people walking from Stratford train station through the Olympic park was a sight. As you got closer and closer to the main arena, you could start to feel that rumble in your heart when the huge beat kicks in. Straight away you could see there was many ways to enjoy yourself away from the music with a various amount of fairground rides available for those that like an adrenaline rush. The location was ideal; however I found the onsite stages to be a fair bit of a walk away. There was the Kinetic stage located in the main arena area where the likes of Steve Angello, Avicii and Tiesto were playing. Other tent stages across from the Kinectic stage were the Cosmic Meadow, Bass Pod and Neon Garden. Acts such as Chuckie, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike and Sub Focus played across all 3 stages.

EDC London

With the UK seeing the best heat wave it has had since 2006, the overcast weather was something of a surprise. When the sun did appear every so often, it was greeted with a roar of applause from the thousands in attendance. As 2pm came up, and I had stopped being angry at paying £5 a pint, Nervo were second up on the Kinetic Stage, and received a brilliant reception. The Australian pair have lived in London for the last 10 years. This was greatly shown and appreciated when they played ‘Like Home’ in which they got everyone doing all the moves associated with the song. Even though there was some feedback issues towards the end of the set that also affected the start of Hardwells set, it was resolved quickly.

The Kinectic Stage was a very Swedish affair, with the first swede DJ of the day being Alesso. He got the crowd jumping around and clapping when he dropped in the song ‘Years’. By this time, the crowd were many drinks down and this only added to the already dreamy, joyous and the ‘I don’t care about anything, I’m just going to dance’ attitude. Something of which we have in all of us! Up next was 1/3 of Swedish House Mafia Steve Angello. Regretting never seeing the Swedish House Mafia, it was amazing to see Steve Angello. To mine and the crowds enjoyment, he dropped in a few SHM hits, most notably ‘Greyhound’ and ‘Don’t you worry child’. The crowd kicked off when these songs came on.

EDC London Steve Angello

Next up was Avicii, who is currently sitting firmly in the No1 single spot around the world with ‘Wake me up’. The country/dance track that features Aloe Blacc is the perfect combination of beautiful lyrics, a country vibe and then a jumpy dance vibe. These shouldn’t really combine so well but Avicii somehow manages to make this work, and the EDC London crowd was the perfect example of this. Friends arm in arm, singing word for word at the top of their lungs was brilliant, and this was at the end of his set! Avicii really looked like he was enjoying himself to, waving on the crowd more and more with his different looking DJ fist pump. Other hits in the set included ‘Levels’ and ‘Silhouettes. ‘Levels’ is what introduced Avicii to the world, and is a song that will remain amazing forever.

EDC London Avicii

Last but not least was Tiësto who closed the Kinetic Stage in dramatic fashion. The muliple winner of the DJ Magazine Top 100 DJ played hit after hit. ‘Adagio for Strings’ was simply amazing, as well as ‘Maximal Crazy’ which added a hard jumping element. The lighting and visuals were incredible too and added even more to the experience of a Tiësto show. He also dropped in many crowd pleasers such as ‘Pursuit of happiness’ which was mixed in well with last year’s song of the summer ‘Rattle’.  Crowd pleasing tracks 'Lethal Industry', 'Love Comes Again' & 'Suburban Train' where just some of the highlights of the Dutch DJ's set.   The song ‘Mystery Land’ was also played which created a euphoric feeling across the whole of the EDC main stage area as the darkness crawled in at night time.

I definitely recommend EDC if it was to return to London again.  For the cost of a £72 ticket to a one day festival that provides the quality of names available to see and the amazing production, it is well worth spending that money for a really good day of dance music!

Photos courtesy of Eric Kabik & Neal Houghton