Stereosonic 2013 Announces Line-Up

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Totem Onelove Group, Hardware, Onelove, Nova, inthemix, Channel [V], Mixmag and Rdio are pleased to announce the highly anticipated Stereosonic lineup. Returning in 2013 as a two-day festival across the country, Stereosonic promises to create an experience that showcases the world’s most illustrious musical talent on offer.
 
The two day showcase will be the first of its kind in Australia, on such a large scale, for an electronic festival. Fans will not be disappointed with the 2013 offering. No two acts will play both days of the festival, in one city, enabling a completely different entertainment experience for patrons each day.  
 
Richie McNeill, Totem Onelove Managing Director, is thrilled with the lineup “For the first time ever in Australia, the world’s biggest acts from all spectrums of the electronic world, will be playing at one festival, Stereosonic. This is a groundbreaking lineup supported by a spectacular festival environment”. 
 
The 2013 Stereosonic experience will be supported by world class production and staging, producing a festival that encourages patrons to immerse themselves in the Stereosonic world. The all encompassing event will illustrate why Stereosonic is Australia’s award winning, leading electronic festival. 
 
Bolstering Stereosonic’s huge lineup will be leading international electronic brands: Full On Ferry, HARD, Hot Creations and UKF presenting stages that expose patrons to other leading electronic brands. 
 
Organisers, have once again listened to patron feedback and have ensured that providing value for money is integral. Ticket prices will commence at $199.95 indicating the organiser’s commitment to providing value for money to loyal Stereosonic patrons.
 
Ticketmaster will be providing an exclusive pre-sale for MyTicketmaster members commencing 9am, local Australian capital city time, Monday July 29th.  General ticket sales will be available from 9am, patron’s local capital city time, Thursday August 1st from Ticketmaster online, phone and stores. Tickets are expected to sell out quickly, with patrons advised to purchase tickets at their earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.
 
For more information regarding Stereosonic, please visit: http://www.stereosonic.com.au 
 
2013 Lineup: 

David Guetta                                                          Armin Van Buuren

Calvin Harris                                                           Axwell

Sebastian Ingrosso                                                  Above & Beyond

Empire of the Sun                                                    Afrojack

Boys Noize                                                              Alesso

Dog Blood                                                               Nero

Nicky Romero                                                          The Bloody Beetroots

Labrinth                                                                   Bingo Players

Zedd                                                                        W&W

Tommy Trash                                                            Krewella

ShockOne                                                                 Maceo Plex

Ferry Corsten                                                            Andy C

Hot Natured                                                              Solomun

Showtek                                                                   Gareth Emery

Robert Delong                                                          I AM LEGION

Jamie Jones                                                              TJR

Clockwork                                                                 Mat Zo

Cajmere                                                                   Stafford Brothers

Aly & Fila b2b John O’Callaghan                                  Giuseppe Ottaviani 

Flight Facilities                                                           Claude VonStroke

Will Sparks                                                                Doctor P

R.L Grime                                                                  ƱZ

Lemaitre                                                                    Fritz Kallbrenner

Infinity Ink                                                                 MaRLo

Destructo                                                                   Matrix & Futurebound

What So Not                                                               Justin Martin

Tritonal                                                                       DJ Falcon

Lee Foss                                                                     Tommie Sunshine

Jochen Miller                                                               Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano

B U R N S                                                                   Heatbeat

Breach                                                                       Drumsound & Basslinesmith

Andrew Rayel                                                             Hot Since ‘82

Djedjotronic                                                               Solarstone

Late Nite Tuff Guy                                                       Bryan Kearney

M4SONIC                                                                   Nick Thayer

Feenixpawl                                                                 Kaz James

Generik                                                                      Acid Jacks 

 
Arenas;

Full on Ferry
Hot Creations
Hard
UKF
    
Key Stereosonic Dates

SYDNEY
Saturday 30th November & Sunday 1st December  
Sydney Showground
     
PERTH
Saturday 30th November & Sunday 1st December 
Claremont Showground
     
ADELAIDE
Friday 6th December & Saturday 7th December 
Adelaide Showground
 
MELBOURNE
Saturday 7th December & 8th December
Royal Melbourne Showgrounds

BRISBANE
Saturday 7th December & 8th December
RNA Showgrounds

Armin Van Buuren eagerly returns to perform for Australian fans for the first time since Stereosonic 2011. His amazing new album "Intense" continues to receive a huge response, with Australian fans embracing "This Is What It Feels Like" by propelling the track to the top of the charts in June and July. The ever vivacious DJ, David Guetta will bring the party to Stereosonic. Countless number 1 tracks, platinum albums, worldwide tours….the accolade list goes on for  this defining DJ. Who doesn’t know and love his legendary club night in Ibiza, F*ck Me I’m Famous? He continues to express such enthusiasm and energy within his sets that as a listener you can't help but become involved, as you join thousands of others singing along to some of dance music's biggest anthems.

Armin Van Buuren
 

One of the most loved acts of Stereosonic 2012, Calvin Harris returns! With even more chart toppers, awards and touring success underneath his belt, anticipation is high. His iconic set of Stereosonic last year has been downloaded and streamed ten of thousands of times since, indicating his ability to deliver one hell of a good time. 
 
Empire of the Sun make their Australian national festival debut for their chart topping album "Ice On The Dunes". Expect to experience one of the most defining performances you've ever witnessed. This all encompassing show will feature state of the art costume, set and performance design and a string of genre-defining hits from their albums that have taken the world by storm. 
 
After a huge sold out, national tour, in February, Above and Beyond return for their first Stereosonic mainstage performance and a killer show to go with it. Australia loves them, we love them and you will too.
 
Appearing for the first time since their unbelievable performance as part of Swedish House Mafia earlier this year, are Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso. Both artists, since One Last Tour have produced chart topping tracks. Expect Axwell's "Centre of the Universe" and Sebastian Ingrosso's "Reload" to pump loudly across the festival grounds with tens of thousands of people to bear witness to their individual performances. 
 
Stepping foot on Australian soil for the first time since Creamfields 2012, Alesso will be bringing his A game to the stage. His first track of 2013 “ If I Lose Myself ” (Alesso vs One Republic) has been a standou release this year, with his upcoming track with fellow Stereosonic artist, Calvin Harris & Hurts sure to be a hit. Expect pure epicness from Alesso’s performance. 
 
What would be a Stereosonic without Afrojack? He returns to rock the socks off Stereosonic patrons and will showcase tracks off his new album, due later this year. Expect  his signature sound and on-stage antics to be a highlight!
 
As electronic music has exploded across the globe in the last few years so too has the emergence of acts redefining genres. Arguably four of the biggest emerging acts in the last two years to do this are “ I Could Be The One” chart topper, Nicky Romero, “Clarity” virtuoso, Zedd, the Chicago trio that loves to “Play Hard”, Krewella and “Easy” chart topper Mat Zo.These distinctive acts are taking a fresh approach to their genres and encourage fans to be part of their rise to the top.  
 
Established artists that continue to find new fans thanks to their impressive thirst to remain groundbreaking are Bingo Players, who are ready to make the crowd rattle, The Bloody Beetroots, who will showcase a new show and tracks off their new album and iconic music legend, Tommie Sunshine, who always delivers one hell of a good time.
 
Bringing the cool will be a juggernaut of artists. Leading the charge of the hip acts will be the debut performance at Stereosonic of Boys Noize. With the “Go Hard” EP highlighting the diversity of the Boys Noize sound, expect to be taken on a roller coaster ride with this performance. Boys Noize will also be hitting the stage in another reincarnation; as Dog Blood. The Skrillex and Boys Noize hybrid act has quickly gained a reputation of knocking the wind out of everyone with their wild sets.  Their first track “ Next Order” has been dropped in sets across the world and induces the listener to move move move! If their Coachella set is anything to go by, expect the very best for their debut Australian performance…Awesomeness!
 
Taking the cool factor to the next level will be lead by the HARD LA and Holy Ship! head honcho, Destructo, heralding the HARD stage. Expect downtown LA cool with plenty of suaveness thrown in . Cool kidsClockwork, of the summer anthem, “BBBS”,  R.L Grime of the upcoming highly anticipated, “High Beams” EP, young guns, What So Not and Euro darling, Djedtronic will deliver performances that will make you sweat, get wild and be uninhibited. Be prepared! 

Expected to become an unofficial anthem of Stereosonic, is “Global Concepts” , the tongue in cheek track by up and coming Robert DeLong. Blatantly asking you “ Did I Make You F*ing Dance?” , Robert’s debut performance at Stereosonic is highly anticipated. Joining him with be another breakout artist of the last 12 months, Norwegian disco synth pop artists, Lemaitre. Their Relativity 3 EP reached #12 in the Australian iTunes charts and their tracks continue to receive huge airplay across the globe. Be prepared for huge debut performance from both of these artists. 
 
#trancefamily will be in for an unbelievable time with all colours of the trance sound being represented in this blockbuster line up. W&W lead the charge, with a huge 12 months behind them. They’ve released chart topping tracks including, “Thunder”, “Lift Off” , a collaboration with Armin van Buuren, “D# Fat” and #1 collab “The Code”. Expect a performance that stops the crowd in its tracks. 
 
Gareth Emery, the genre blending heavyweight, will make his debut performance on the Stereosonic stage. With the release of his latest track, “ Meet Her In Miami” following the success of previous hit tracks, “Tokyo” and the #1 voted ASOT trance track of 2012 “Concrete Angel” , expect Gareth to leave nothing unexplored during his Stereosonic tour.  
 
An act to continually redefine his onstage presence, Giuseppe Ottaviani will present his live show to Stereosonic fans. His latest album release, “Magenta” has been described as “…encapsulating the true essence of trance” , an ethos that this Italian clearly projects on stage. Another iconic artist that fans will be thrilled to see perform will be “pure trance” advocate Solarstone, who has enjoyed massive beatport success with his releases that remain true to the pure sounds of trance.

Further substantiating the trance contingency will be wunderkinds, Heatbeat, with their signature sound, and up and coming Irish artist, Bryan Kearney. These artists will make sure fans get their dose of the faster, darker, more driving side of this genre.

But that’s not the last of it! Ferry Corsten will be presenting his very own FULL ON arena. Lead by Ferry himself, fans will experience 15 minute back to back sets with Ferry and all of his guests on stage. Expect a huge performance from Dutch duo, Showtek, who continue to push the boundaries of their sound to incredible new heights. The FULL ON arena will also showcase an impressive Australian first and Stereosonic exclusive; backtoback sets from two of trance’s most elite acts, top 100 DJ act Aly & Fila and Subculture label owner, John O’Callaghan. Armada young gun and the highly anticipated “modern day Mozart” , Andrew Rayel will round out the FULL ON arena with Tritonal and Jochen Miller. 

Ferry Corsten
Exemplifying the epic vibe Stereosonic is known for are two exceptional house acts, Tommy Trash and Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano. Tommy’s phenomenal high energy performance at last year's event went down in the history books as one of the best moments of the festival. Expect to hear his latest track with fellow Stereosonic artist, Sebastian Ingrosso, “Reload” , blasted throughout the festival arena. This vibe will also be championed by Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano.  Self proclaimed as “…the world’s most energetic house DJ duo”,  they will make their debut performance at Stereosonic.

Just as you’ll  be regaining your breath you’ll need to catch two of the UK’s standout acts of the last 12 months, Labrinth and Nero.  Both artists have had huge releases, resulting in awards and accolades aplenty. Labrinth , the crossover bass master’s debut release “ Electronic Earth” featured the Brit Award nominated single “ “Beneath Your Beautiful” with Emeli Sandé. Whilst Nero’s defining  EP “ Won’t You (Be There)” featured in Zane Lowe’s Top 100 Hottest Records of 2012.

Nero
Taking reverberation to the next level will be the debut of the UKF Arena. The eclectic mix of bass acts to perform in this huge arena include Matrix & Futurebound, Doctor P, Andy C, Noisia & Foreign Beggars presented, I AM LEGION, ƱZ and Drumsound & Bassline Smith.  The huge presence of these acts is exemplified with all of them making debut performances at Stereosonic.

Matrix & Futurebound’s huge track, “ Magnetic Eyes” hit the top of the D&B charts and found huge support by other bass acts. Doctor P’s will deliver a performance that quakes with bass and banging drums.Noisia & Foreign Beggars present , for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere, I AM LEGION, a new concept that has been five years in the making. The highly anticipated collaboration will officially release their first single, “Make This Move” later this month, with a debut album slated for release in September.
Drumsound and Bassline Smith and ƱZ round out the huge DnB presence with both acts touring heavily this year, ensuring they’ll be ready to kick it to Stereosonic bass lovers.
 
Cult record label, Hot Creations, is presenting an arena that encourages frivolous fun. Leading this vibe will be newly formed live act, Hot Natured. Born out of a deep love for disco and soul expect the Hot Natured live show to create a steamy vibe. Increasing the tempo will be individual performances from label bosses, Lee Foss and Jamie Jones, 90’s Chicago House legend, Cajmere , soulful funk house hybrid,Infinity Ink and deep house up rising star, BrEACh.  Delivering on the promise of the coolest and freshest acts ever, the Hot Creations stage will become steamy. 
 
Lovers of all sounds deep can explore their love of the sound further with an unprecedented experience with  thumping beats expected from Maceo Plex, Solomun, Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin , Fritz Kalbrennar, TJR , Hot Since 82 and up and comer B U R N S. Between these iconic artist sets and the fresh sounds of the next generation fans will be taken on a journey from the heady days of techno to the current resurging sound. Be warned, you may not ever leave the techno arena! 
 
And of course who can forget our leading Australian artists making waves across the world! ShockOne's #1 album "Universus " has made a huge impression across the globe with its fresh sound.  Exemplifying how strong Australia’s bass scene is at the moment, Nick Thayer’s EP, “World’s Collide” reached #7 in the Beatport charts. Expect big sets from these two artists .  
 
Bolstering the Australian contingency will be house boys, The Stafford Brothers.  Their ability to bring the party will ensure that no one will be left standing still. When you think you’ll have time to give your dancing shoes a break, Australian favourites Feenixpawl and Kaz  James will be there to take the dance floor vibe to the next level

After another huge year including a non-stop touring schedule that found this much loved trance artist performing at ASOT and holding his own alongside fellow Stereosonic artists Armin Van Buuren and Above & Beyond, MaRLo returns for another highly anticipated performance at Stereosonic. Expect to do the “Boom” dance , when his killer tune is spun. Put your hands in air, move side to side and follow MaRLo’s moves! With thousands of other fans joining you, we guarantee this will be a defining performance of Stereosonic. 
 
Championing the Melbourne Sound will be the leader himself, Will Sparks. This young artists touring schedule has ensured he is well versed and ready to make his Stereosonic debut. Another young driving force within the Australian scene, M4SONIC, will be making his first national appearance. Expect big things from this young gun, considering his first official release was a remix of fellow Stereosonic artist, Empire Of The Sun, one of only four artists to be chosen the world over. 
 
Disco darlings, Flight Facilities, will deliver a performance full of their iconic anthems, that will leave you craving more. They’ve had a huge few years that has found them receiving airplay on the world’s biggest stations and touring the coolest clubs. 
 
Acid Jacks and Generik, as fans who know and love them will know, will deliver thumping sets full of cool. The diverse Australian lineup exemplifies the talent we're producing on home soil with the world's audience embracing them on a level never seen before.

Global Gathering reveal brand new Main Stage setup

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2013 has been an unprecedented year for GlobalGathering with a bigger, better and bassier lineup of world-class artists, production concepts and more tickets sold than ever before!

This year at Global we’ve overhauled the site at Long Marston Airfield to create the ultimate immersive EDM experience. 2013 sees the unveiling of an all new Main Stage arena stripped down and supped up by production supremos 250K. With one of the biggest Main Stage line-up’s at any UK festival this summer including performances from Plan B, Example, Nero, Disclosure, Annie Mac, Katy B, Rudimental, Netsky and Modestep this is sure to be a truly unforgettable experience for all our GlobalGatherers.

Plan B

In true GlobalGathering style we didn’t stop there and we’ve commissioned three further 250K arena overhauls including our brand new Global Freight Depot, soon to be the warehouse style home of both the Toolroom and Born Electric stage across the weekend. This year on Friday 26th July the Born Electric arena will host a stellar roster of acts including James Zabiela, Eats Everything, Dusky, George Fitzgerald, Spectrasoul and Pedestrian. The Global Freight Depot will then transform into our Toolroom 10 arena featuring Mark Knight, MK, Doorly, Mihalis Safaras, Rene Amesz, Prok & Fitch, Filthy Rich and Matt Small Wood. Click here for more info.

If that wasn’t enough, team Global have uncovered an exciting new stage addition: The Bunker. Our secluded, subterranean space long forgotten and unseen arena hidden in the depths of Long Marston Airfield. The never-before-seen arena, The Bunker, will be christened by an incredible mix of up-and-coming, fresh new talent including Last Night In Paris, Dubvision, Alex Niggemann, Tripmastaz, Kidnap Kid, Ozzie, Etherwood, Hauswerks, Stooki Sound, Knox Brown and so many more across the weekend.

This year Long Marston is primed for a very special arrival. The UK debut of the Godskitchen Fusion Cube. Never before unveiled on British soil the Fusion Cube is an awe-inspiring aural feast dripping with over 130 lighting fixtures, 460 metres of LED strips and 150M2 of LED screens. Not to mention sets from Dash Berlin, Markus Schulz, Ferry Corsten, John O’Callaghan, Orjan Nilsen, Aly & Fila, Cosmic Gate, Richard Durand, Simon Patterson, Tenishia, many, many more and last but not least, special guests Infected Mushroom and Paul Oakenfold.

Not only is GlobalGathering bringing some of the most cutting edge music arenas to site in 2013, we’re also providing some great new chill out areas for some much needed downtime between dancing. We’re delighted to announce the Container Compound: with the perfect place to grab a drink, refuel, meet up with friends and recharge for more raving. Click here for a sneaky peak.

These unprecedented production innovations will come together to create an awe inspiring atmosphere comfirming GlobalGathering’s place as the UK’s Best Dance Event. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya!

Ghostpoet and more added to Ringmaster Festival lineup

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Festival newcomer Ringmaster Festival, are pleased to announce the second installment of additions to this years line up. On September 28th 2013 the first Ringmaster Festival will take place on the Whitbourne Estate near Worcester, for a concoction of music and food, meeting a vintage circus theme.

New additions to the line-up are Ghostpoet, who headlines the Mabel Stark stage, along with Johnny Borrell & Zazou, We Are The Ocean, Dutch Uncles & Dinosaur Pile-Up who also join the bill.

Ghostpoet

Others acts joining the line-up are The Blackout, who will headline the Red Baron stage, Arcane Roots and in keeping with the festivals new music ethos newcomers, Waylayers, Chronographs, Meadowlark & Mike Dignam, amongst others are set to play this years festival. The Red Baron stage will also play host to a Special Guest before The Blackout.

Set in the stunning Hereford & Worcestershire countryside borders, a place usually home to cattle, this years Ringmaster Festival will, for one day, be home to 6 big top tents, with the look and feel of a vintage circus (circa 1934) but with a focus very much on music.

With a shared vision and ethos of celebrating creativity in all forms whilst supporting the next generation running through from the festival founders and all the extended staff Ringmaster will be donating a share of £5 per ticket to their two chosen charities, Barnardo’s & Longlands Care Farm. There will also be a focus on being ‘green’, with the festival using local food produce and only allowing a certain number of vehicles on site, to reduce long term damage to the fields.

Other acts confirmed for this year are; Maximo Park, who headline the BIG ELI tent, with Mystery Jets, Deaf Havana, Swim Deep, Theme Park. Canterbury, The Xcerts & Blitz Kids join play the Red Baron stage, with Tall Ships, Chloe Howl & Fossil Collective being some of the names on the Mabel Stark stage.

Ringmaster also welcome, Isolated Atoms, Dolomite Minor, The Darlingtons, Lloyd Yates, Mike Marlin, Midnight Special, Katey Brooks, The Watermelons and Liz Lawrence to this years line up.

For full line up and stage information please visit:  www.ringmasterfestival.co.uk

Hard Rock Calling 2013: Sunshine, plastic grass and no mud!

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Saturday 29th June 2013

Hard Rock Calling; the sun shone brightly as we strolled down the wide paths of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park into the open space where the main stage lay in front of us. Crowds were already making themselves at home on the plastic grass, enjoying the sunshine and the catchy rock melodies of Lower than Atlantis. Across the bridge, and when I say bridge, we found the other two music venues crammed right next to each other fighting to be heard. U-turn back to the main stage and Kodaline, were winning over new fans, their mandolin led tune 'Love like this' was an instant hit and unexpected highlight of the festival.

As the day progressed, the crowds began to fill into the main stage where Miles Kane played an electric set, filled with wild solos and sing along moments, the momentum really began to pick up. Paul Weller played through all the classics to a crowd that loved it, ‘That’s entertainment’, ‘What you give is what you get’ and of course, everyone went wild singing ‘Town called Malice’.

Almost an hour later Kasabian were ready to start, the stage transformed from all black to brilliant white, cheers rose from the crowd they walked on stage for their debut at Hard Rock Calling. Tom Meighan screams ‘All humans on the earth, raise your hands to the f***ing hands to the sky!’ The beat drops, with a full LED screen behind them and a string quartet to help out, this it seems, was what we'd all been waiting for. Hit after hit from their 2004 album, heavy beats and rock anthems combined to make a great show, we paused for a quieter moment with 'Everybody's got to learn some time' A few tracks later, cue the unforgettable piano intro to Fatboy slim’s epic tune ‘Praise you like I should’ supported by the sustained and piercing notes of the trumpet, mashed up into L.S.F. It was truly epic. As crowd cheered for the encore the heavy drum and bass sounds of Switchblade Smiles began, but swathes of people reluctantly had to leave, it was a good gig, but not worth missing the last train home.

Sunday 30th June 2013

From early on the next afternoon there was a buzz in the air. The crowds which had been decent the day before, now swelled across the roads and pavements on the way to the park, and everywhere we looked were American flag bandana’s, and Bruce Springsteen t-shirts. If we hadn’t known any better we would have thought we were about to attend the Bruce Springsteen fan-club convention. We could have played Bruce Bingo with the huge variety of fan t-shirts we spotted. Walking to the main stage the soulful tones of Alabama Shakes greeted us, they were a perfect warm-up for the day, and a female vocalist was a welcome break to our ears form the men that dominated the line-up, the day before.

We really enjoyed Josh Doyle’s set in the Hard Rock Rising Tent, though it was a shame when his ballad, 'I figured the world out' was overpowered by the Pepsi Max stage only a stone’s throw away. As the Hard Rock Calling hot air balloon rose a few feet off the ground we chilled out in the Olympic garden, then slowly idled our way towards the main stage once again to watch legends of rock 'n' roll, The Black Crows. It was an hour of guitar solos, and old school rockers singing along to 'Hard to handle', but now everyone was ready for Bruce.

In fact everyone had been ready for Bruce all day.

As usual Bruce did not disappoint, the E-Street band were on top form, from 'Born in the USA' to 'Dancing in the Dark', where his mum joined to dance on stage and his little sister played guitar with him it was the family Springsteen show, pretty much all the essentials were covered. Encore after encore, the e-street band played relentlessly to a crowd that could not get enough until unexpectedly it seemed the band had enough, the show ended, half an hour before the program said. I wonder, did budget cuts mean that Bruce and his band also need to catch the last train home? Or was this just a statement about last year’s catastrophe, when the power was cut before the end of the show guest starring Paul McCartney. Either way, we all walked away happy and caught the last train home.

This years Hard Rock Calling Festival organisers made a bold move by moving the festival into the Olympic grounds, and in some ways it was a great venue, but we couldn’t help but feel the festival was dwarfed by the magnitude of the grounds, with only three venues, and little else to see, there simply wasn’t enough going on to fill out the huge space. On top of this, it seemed like all the attention was put on the main stage bookings and the two smaller stages, which in many festivals provide some of the most memorable gigs were relegated to the back fighting over each other to be heard. Regardless of that, the sun shone, there was some great acts, and absolutely no trace of mud, that's pretty good going for a festival in the UK.

The Joy Formidable and more added to Summercamp Festival

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The Joy Formidable, who recently toured the US with Muse, make a brief return to the UK for a slew of festival dates, which now includes a stop off at Summercamp. The riff-loving Welsh trio’s tidal wave of euphoric rock is sure to engulf the stage in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle district. The last few early-bird tickets for the August bank holiday event at only £20 are available to buy from Summercampfestival.co.uk.
 
Currently riding high on praise for their third album, which has been described as the band’s “most accomplished to date” by The Fly, Dutch Uncles have also been confirmed for the stellar Summercamp line-up. Will Sergeant and Les Pattison, members of Liverpool legends Echo and The Bunnymen, are bringing their new band Poltergeist to the festival for a dose of progressive-inspired rock.
 
Elsewhere on the bill are new offerings in the form of lo-fi indie and afrobeat rhythms from Fair Ohs and the new band project, Le Carousel, from DJ/producer Phil Kieran known for his work with labels including Bugged Out!. Add to that Roscius, a one-man live loop and beats maestro, Americana-inspired garage rock from Spectrals and the sugary sweet electro indie pop of We Were Evergreen and Summercamp is shaping up to be the North West’s best bank holiday weekend bash by a long shot.
 
Whilst early tickets are in very limited supply standard adult passes will still only set fans back £50, proving that a top quality festival need not break the bank or involve wellies. Tickets are now on sale via summercampfestival.co.uk.

 

The Scribes Interview @ Gottwood Festival Anglesey

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Deep in the glorious, green woods of Anglesey in June-time is the annual Gottwood festival; an increasingly popular outdoor event, which promises not only uniquely stunning fairy-lit scenery but also a broad range of live musical talent from all over Europe.

The journey through the festival grounds puts one in mind of a surreal secret garden! At one end lies a beautiful, colourfully spot lit lake, and at the other, a huge dome tent bathed in psychedelic light and blasting out futuristic dance music. The event certainly caters for a wide range of festival lovers and general sight-seers alike.

The Lakeside Stage proved to be a hit throughout the weekend. Although the area would have undoubtedly benefitted from less unpredictable weather, the dedicated crowds never failed to show their support for the live talent. Ending the evening in style, The Scribes performed their unique hip hop set to hundreds of fans, who battled the rain to dance along. I joined the band after their show for an interview on behalf of Summer Festival Guide.

Rachael Hey guys. I loved the set, you absolutely smashed it! So tell me – it’s your first time at Gottwood, how are you finding it so far?

Johnny It’s been really good, and we’ve had a great crowd. Although it took a long time to get here, and to be honest by the time we arrived in the pouring rain and tried to put up a tent, we were expecting the worst! But once we got to the woods and saw what Gottwood has to offer, which is frankly a lot of light, a lot of ambience and a great vibe going across the whole place, it has been really nice.

Shaun Plus it is different to a lot of festivals we do. It’s a lovely area, lovely surroundings, lovely ambience that’s around the place. It’s a shame the weather’s been a bit on and off, but to be honest, it’s so nice here that we’ve definitely enjoyed playing it.

Johnny And with all the owl sculptures and lights, and everything they’ve managed to put together. It makes it more than just a few stages. It felt like a bit of an adventure.

Rachael So you’ve had a chance to explore. Do you have a favourite section?

Lacey Obviously performing at Lakeside was good. I also liked it all lit up at night, especially the little dance-y tent with all the lights on. That was cool.

Shaun Well sadly we didn’t get here ‘til late, but we had a chance to look around. We saw all the areas they’ve got. They have a few different stages and it’s all set amongst the forest which is really nice. They’ve got all the lights in the trees, the sculptures and stuff going on. As Lace said, there’s a projection tent that’s like a big dome, with visual effects in time with the music – that was a bit surreal. But the vibe is the most important thing and there have just been nice, happy people here having a damn good time!

Johnny I enjoyed the bit where we played, which was the Lakeside. It was a really nice stage with a great view and once the sun came out it looked really quite spectacular. Definitely one of my favourites.

Rachael So are you guys used to performing at the mercy of the Great British outdoors or is this a new experience for you?

Shaun Well we’ve been going for a long time now so we’ve done plenty of festivals, and you have to sort of roll with it. I think you’ve got to work a bit harder in the rain. If a crowd is staying in the rain to see you, then they’re giving you a lot more than normal. They’re making a point of standing to see you in the rain, and nobody enjoys standing in the rain! So you feel obliged to give a lot more in the show and the audience really enjoyed that which made it very memorable.

Johnny We have been to many random places and the great outdoors is something we’re used to. We did a festival in the South of Italy on a beach with lightening striking out at sea. It is nice to get outside instead of being stuck in a club.

Lacey I prefer performing outdoors too. It’s like a nice, open space festival atmosphere here. Lovely.

Rachael So how would you describe your sound? Because you’re a lot more upbeat than a lot of hip hop I’ve heard.

Shaun It’s hard to say to be honest. I think we definitely sound like us. It’s very hard to draw any immediate comparisons.  We’re obviously very much rooted in hip hop, in terms of the raps, in terms of the beats. But we do pick up the pace a bit. It’s not sample-based, it’s all played in the studio with live instrumentation, so we can be a bit more progressive and melodic with it. I always go with ‘New Wave Hip Hop’, which is a made-up genre that makes the point that we’re not that strictly hip hop. It gives us a lot more freedom to make the music we want to hear. The fact other people want to hear it is just really nice.

Lacey Our music is quite up and dance-y. I’d describe it as raw, energetic lyrical magic.

Shaun Nice!

Johnny And I think it was a nice change of pace for Gottwood, because what we played was a little bit more uptempo. It was nice that the crowd we had decided to stay in spite of the rain, so I think the change of pace went down well.

Rachael Good stuff! So have you guys got any tips for people camping at Gottwood?

Shaun Yeah, make sure you arrive when it’s light, because putting up a tent in the dark is enough to pull apart any band’s friendship. (laughs) But we’ve all reconciled now.

Lacey Yeah, don’t try and set your tent up at eleven o clock at night. My favourite bit of the camping experience was not sleeping in the tent and sleeping in the car!

Rachael That does not sound fun! So you’ve recently signed with Kamikazi Airlines Records in the US, how did that come about?

Shaun Yeah, we're chuffed to bits with it to be honest. The label's co-owned by Dizzy from Ugly Duckling. We toured with them last year and he liked what he saw, so he bought the other label people to see us live and we put pen to paper a few weeks back. They've worked with some huge names in hip hop so we're honoured to be working with them going forward. It's a big deal for us.

Johnny It's massive. We're the first English act they've signed so we've got to fly the flag for Britain! To celebrate the deal, and as a thank you to everyone who helped us get here, our last album ‘The Sky is Falling’ is now available as a free download from www.kamikaziairlines.com/scribes. So if you're reading this go and get it now! 

Lacey Like the guys said, this has been years of hard work in the making, so we're pretty excited about it all.

Rachael And finally, where can people find out more about The Scribes?

Shaun Well we're all over the web like a hippedy hop rash! We keep our facebook up to date with all our latest tour dates and news, so you can add us up there at www.facebook.com/scribesmusic.

Johnny Or, if you're a really cool kid, you can follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/thescribes, though we're still getting to grips with that one!

Lacey And the label page at www.kamikaziairlines.com/scribes for the free LP. Do it.

Rachael Well, guys, it’s been a pleasure chatting with you this afternoon. Best of luck with the signing, and I look forward to hearing what The Scribes have to offer in future!

Cream @ Privilege Ibiza to be broadcast on Radio 1

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Cream returns with another exclusive party at Privilege, to be broadcast live on Radio 1 as part of the station’s weekend in Ibiza.
 
The event will take place on Saturday 3rd August featuring sets from the awesome Eric Prydz, Chase & Status (DJ Set), Pete Tong, Hardwell, Zane Lowe, Benga, Mistajam, Friction, B Traits, Gorgon City, Monsta, Danny Howard, Koan Sound, The Frederik and the Cream Ibiza residents.
 
BBC Radio 1 will be broadcasting live from the venue between 1am- 5am (BST) / 2am – 6am (CEST). UK listeners will then have the option to stream the show for the next 7 days via http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
 
Based on the success of last year’s party this event is expected to sell out so please purchase tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
 
For more info please go to Cream Ibiza’s facebook page – www.facebook.com/officialcreamibiza
 
Eric Prydz
 
 
FULL LINE-UP
Eric Prydz
Chase & Status (DJ Set)
Pete Tong
Hardwell
Zane Lowe
Benga
Mistajam
Friction
B Traits
Gorgon City
Monsta
Danny Howard
Koan Sound
The Frederik
& Cream Ibiza Residents B2B
 
EVENT INFO
Cream @ Privilege, San Rafael, Ibiza.
Saturday 3rd August
Times – 11pm – late.

Comedy lineup announced for End of the Road Festival

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Located in a hidden glade in the woods that surround Larmer Tree Gardens, End of the Road's comedy stage is a bit like a seditious medieval meeting, except instead of rebels plotting against the king you are greeted by a series of brilliant comedians wearing jeans and T-shirts rather than tabards and sword-sheaths.

Okay, so it was not the best simile, except, maybe, for the fact that among the comedy additions announced today – alongside wonders such as Mark Watson and Sara Pascoe – is Gemma Whelan, also known as Yara Greyjoy from that ridiculously addictive TV series Game of Thrones. She and seven others join an already-great lineup whose names so far confirmed include Phil Nichol, Michael Legge, Robin Ince, Nick Doody, Joey Page, Colin Hoult, Tom Allen, Sarah Bennetto, Stuart Black, Chris Coltrane, John Robins, Robin and Partridge and Felicity Ward.

Read on for the latest confirmations with notes by the festival's comedy creator Sarah Bennetto.

Mark Watson
Stand-up, writer, all round great guy. He has won the Edinburgh Best Newcomer Comedy Award and Panel Prize, and has appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Mock the Week. His “long shows” are the thing of legend, and his warm-hearted humour and terrific flights of fancy will leave you aglow. 

Sara Pascoe
Wit and whimsy, with a dark edge and political subtext. Sara Pascoe is a talented stand-up who also starred in Twenty Twelve, The Thick of It and Live at the Apollo (amongst many more of your favourite comedy shows). 

Gemma Whelan as Chastity Butterworth
Hilarious stand-up and comic actor, Gemma Whelan can also be seen gallivanting about as Yara Greyjoy in the mighty TV behemoth, Game of Thrones. Chastity Butterworth will whip you all into shape as she lectures on social niceties and festival manners. 

The Monster Comedy Shed
A wonderful little thing run by that clever Neil Wates and the folk at Monster Comedy. A tiny audience inside a wooden garden shed, plus special guest comedians. There will be no more than four audience members at a time – you have been warned! The Monster Comedy Shed will also be wheelchair accessible. 

Pappy’s 
The return of the anarchic comedy trio. They have yet another Edinburgh Award nomination under their belt, a smashing podcast, plus a BBC sitcom just about to launch! Watch them soar in 2013 onwards.   

Tony Law
Often surreal, always sharp Canadian stand-up and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee. Audiences and comedians, alike, love him. And with good reason – the man’s a comedy god.

Phil Kay
A force of nature. Phil Kay had a few years off End of the Road, and now he’s back with a new book in the works and even more tremendous adventures to tell us about. A mesmerising, messy comic journey. 

Tiffany Stevenson
Straight-talking and often biting, Tiffany Stevenson can be found cracking her wit whip at all the best theatres, clubs and music festivals. End of the Road Festival is honoured to have her joining us in 2013.

The music lineup at this year's End of the Road Festival is topped by Belle and Sebastian, Sigur Rós, David Byrne & St Vincent and Eels.

Creamfields – Saturday Day tickets almost sold out

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Those wishing to purchase Standard Saturday or Standard Sunday Day 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 is on course for its 5th consecutive sell-out and promises an unforgettable weekend hosted by some of the biggest stars in electronic dance music including 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.

Standard day tickets are available to purchase online at www.creamfields.com/tickets and over the counter via 3b records, Slater Street, Liverpool City Centre.

Best Kept Secret Festival 2013

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Its a very rare occasion that you get to experience a new festival without hearing the experiences of others, and I wasn't sure what to expect from Best Kept Secret, but I was pleasantly surprised by the site, the friendliness of others and sheer organisation, this is definitely a top European festival to be reckoned with.

Not only is it situated on a safari park, but it is surrounded by a beautiful lake and a white sandy beach. Revellers have the opportunity to kick off those shoes, get their feet wet and go swimming whilst listening to some great bands that are were offer. And don't worry if you're not a great swimmer, there are life guards on patrol looking out for your safety.

For the foodies out there, a great selection of both meat dishes and veggie delights were on offer at a reasonable price. And although the weather wasn't on our side, this didn't stop anyone from grabbing a free poncho, throwing it over themselves and making the most of what was on offer. Like most European festivals, BKF operates on a token system, and have a great incentive to ensure you don't litter. For every cup you return to the bar you receive half a token, 2 tokens gets you a free beer, so before you know it, you'll be receiving a free beer for your efforts.

Best Kept Secret Festival

Friday saw the doors open at 5pm, and within easy walking distance you had a choice of 3 stages. Most of the artists had only a slight overlap, so if you wanted to check out a number of bands, then it was easily done. On the bill were Swim Deep, The Maccabees, Bloc Party, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Fuck Buttons and closing the main stage were the Arctic Monkeys. Not only did they pull in biggest crowd, but they played an hour and a half set including their classics which had everyone jumping up and down.

Day 2 saw the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, Alt-J, Allah-Las, Koreless and Damien Rice take to the stages. Damien Rice entertained the crowd with his hits and it wasn't long before everyone was singing canon ball in unison.

The final day ended with the Local Natives, Everything Everything, Palma Violets, Kurt Vie and the Violators, Portishead and Sigur Ros. Not only was there a great selection of established bands on offer, but also some exciting new bands to watch out for. One band that stood out were Autre Ne Teut, hailing from New York, these guys provided a packed out tent to a mixture of way out musical styles mixed with some great beats to match. Sigur Ros closed the festival with an incredible set and atmosphere to match. They also donated some used signed drum heads and drum brushes, all proceeds donated to Unicef. For anyone looking for their next European festival, I would strongly recommend BKF, you won't be disappointed.

Sigur Ros @ Best Kept Secret

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEST KEPT SECRET FESTIVAL