The line-up at the festival this year was truly special. Also unlike many other festivals, it is impressive that two out of the three headliners were women (listen up Glastonbury) – Lorde and Florence & The Machine highlighted powerfully that UK festival line-ups don’t need to be dominated by the usual stale male performers. Saying that, Liam Gallagher certainly didn’t disappoint on Saturday night, in a UK exclusive.
The festival gates opened on Wednesday for the early revellers, or for those who simply wanted to enjoy a break in the stunning Cornish location. But the real party started on Friday.
Gabrielle Aplin began the festival in style, appropriately playing songs from her debut album, English Rain. Everything Everything followed but to a relatively small crowd – possibly due to the conflict with Bob Vylan who was playing the Land of Saints stage at the same time.
Later festival favourites The Vaccines took to the main stage, for their fourth appearance at the festival. Their album entitled ‘What Do Expect From The Vaccines’…well now after all these appearances, it’s clear you can expect feel-good indie pop and a lot of charisma.
Unfortunately charisma was something Ben Howard seemed to be lacking with much of the crowd talking to themselves confused why he was advertised as a special guest, but the headliners certainly didn’t disappoint.
You can always judge a good festival by how many clashes there are, and unbelievably on Friday night, there was a tough four-way choice on the south-coast. Lorde dazzled on the main Stage, beginning with a unique interpretation of her hit ‘Royals‘. Elsewhere, Example kickstarted the Unleashed stage, with the tent looking like it would burst due to number of people trying to squeeze inside.
Possibly the hardest working festival band in the UK, Dub Pistols took to the The View stage overlooking the magnificent Watergate Bay, while the fourth headliner and undisputed kings of rap, Cypress Hill gave a legendary performance of their classic album Black Sunday in the Land of Saints stage.
Coming on stage with possibly the most potent spliff, the stage was also decked out in marijuana plants – presumably fake to get past the increasingly vigilant security. Hit after hit followed, before the ground literally shook when they finished with a cover of ‘Jump Around‘.
You could tell how good Friday night was by the weary faces on Saturday afternoon.
The Lottery Winners began the day, with the singer Thom celebrating his birthday at the festival. Finishing with moving song ‘Letter to Myself’ which, as the name suggests, he wrote to his 12 year old self, with the prophetic lyrics ‘All your greatest days are still yet to come. There will be heartbreak, but there’ll be so much love‘. Wise words.
Dylan followed, clearly with many adoring fans in the crowd and played a guitar hero solo for her dad. The Reytons followed sounding like a second rate Arctic Monkeys, but Confidence Man surprised all the crowd with their euro pop dance moves and early 90s vibe. Singers Janet Planet and Sugar Bones have created one of the hottest acts of the summer. RAYE followed with her stylish new jazz sound despite the strong winds circling.
Little Simz truly is exceptional and deserves to be headlining. Mixing songs from her award winning album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert‘ and ‘No Thank You‘ she has an unbelievable amount of talent, style, and respect. She surely would be top-of-the-bill if it wasn’t for Liam Gallagher, making his UK exclusive headline performance at Boardmasters.
Coming onstage to Manchester City Football Club winning chant, he was in great spirits frequently asked ‘Are there any Oasis fans in the house‘ – proceeding to play a mix of the classic bands material, including ‘Stand by Me‘, ‘Slide Away‘ and ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol.’ He often said during his solo material that the crowd could nip off and grab some noddles while he played his slower material such as ‘The River’. Despite mixing in a few solo songs, when asking ‘What do you want me to play next’, it was clear what the crowd wanted, and he finished with ‘Champagne Supernova‘ and dedicated ‘Live Forever‘ to his late friend who passed away recently.
Fingers crossed there will be an Oasis reunion in the near future. Both Liam and Noel seem to be softening to the idea, and based on the triumphant return of Blur, Suede and Pulp this summer, it is about time the brothers worked it out.
Sunday was a return of many Boardmasters favourites. Gentleman’s Dub Club were back for their regular residence Sunday slot at the festival – no wonder they have been booked so many times as they always get the crowd on their feet….or bare feet in the case of the singer.
With the downpours commencing, many people descended on the Land of Saints stage to witness an inspiring set from Jockstrap, fresh from opening up for Blur at the Wembley shows. They were followed by Squid, who despite a leaking roof in the tent, proved entertaining while the skies cleared.
Dermot Kennedy was one of the surprise highlights of the weekend. If you get chance, check him out at All Points East next Sunday in Victoria Park, London. His songs featured a raw unfiltered honesty reflecting in his emotional and music. He certainly sounds better live than on record where his passion and talent are clearly visible.
Drawing the weekend to a close was the inimitable Florence & The Machine.
This was one of the headline performances of the summer. Boardmasters was lucky to have her.
Dressed in an ethereal gown, she graced the stage, before walking down to join the crowd for two songs. Later, during ‘Dog Days Are Over’ she insisted all of the audience put their phones away and stopped filming to savour the moment in real time. Take note Coldplay. Contrary to this, she finished with ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)‘, in which she insisted everyone raise up their partner or loved one on their shoulders.
Such a unique performance to end to the festival and as stated earlier, Lorde and Florence Welch highlighted that more women should be booked as headliners of UK events going forward.
For those of us who can’t get the extra day off work, Festivals are still a three day affair unfortunately, so I’m starting my Bloodstock Open Air 2023 journey here on Friday morning. Surprisingly sunny and warm despite one of the worst summers on record, we are grateful on two fronts – no need for the heavy duty rain gear we would have needed two weeks ago, and that the grass is visibly still green unlike the scorched Sahara situation of last year.
It is nice to note however, that Bloodstock seem to have upped their game a little after the 2022 hellscape, and there are a few more canopy structures around site to offer sun/rain relief. New too is the very cool Jewellery collaboration between Black Feather Designs and BOA, being a stalwart OG Bloodstocker – I was tempted into getting a signet ring, and they are beautifully made. Otherwise, Bloodstock remains largely unchanged and for that I am thankful – it is one of the easiest to navigate sites of all UK festivals and means I’ve got the best chance at seeing heaps of excellent bands this weekend.
Starting up with Hate on the main stage, who are uncompromisingly heavy and daubed in corpse paint (my first bingo tick of the weekend), followed by Gatecreeper who seem to have swapped set times. Gatecreeper fulfil my hair-windmilling requirement for the festival on day one, opening with the aptly named ‘Sweltering Madness’, play some good solid heavy metal and get an extremely rowdy circle pit going.
On the Sophie stage, Zetra sound like the band from your 90’s Buffy dreams. Gloomy, emo and deliciously ethereal – if you want to write poems in a graveyard, this is your soundtrack. By your soundtrack, I mean mine. Off to buy some black lace and a scrying gemstone.
Back on the main stage Sacred Reich have worked out whatever the hitch was that meant they had to switch slots with Gatecreeper, and they joke “This sun isnt typical here… I think its cause you’ve got two Arizona bands on today, so you’re welcome” before thanking Gatecreeper for the swap. It’s a great set from them so I’m glad the powers that be managed to work it all out.
Wild Heat are rocking out in the Jägermeister tent, it sounds like the 80’s and I’m entirely here for it. Looks like everyone else is too because that tent is absolutely overflowing with people cheering them on, and I reckon they could more than handle a bigger stage next time. Fit For An Autopsy also get my stamp of approval, their sound is built from so many different sources and angles it’s a truly unique experience across their set, yes it’s heavy but the underlying melodies are the hook that reels you in. Calling “This is a bucket-list festival for us, we are so glad to be here! We need more crowd surfers, get up there!” they are visibly gaining new fans today.
Fury on the Sophie Stage are absolutely throwing down, it’s classic 80’s metal and I LOVE IT. Twin vocals from Julian Jenkins and Nyah Ifill are the soaring sound of the epic 80’s movie montage – think Karate Kid and Rocky. I know that sounds like I’m placing them in the category of cheesy, but trust me when I say I’m putting them up there with the greats. If you like hair metal, Fury are one hundred percent for you. If you don’t like hair metal, you’re wrong. ‘Hell of a Night’ has a very singable “Monster movies” refrain which has already become an earworm and is therefore entering my playlist immediately.
Over on the main stage, Heaven Shall Burn are already enjoying themselves “It’s our first time at a festival in the UK, this is pretty special for us”, their stage filled with huge lighting panels and a lot of face-melting pyro. After a two year hiatus from live music before this summer, they’ve come out swinging, heavy and fast enough to entice a whole raft of crowd surfers across the barrier – including someone in a completely pink suit and tophat, very dapper.
Less production fanfare for the iconic In Flames, but no compromise on power whatsoever. The Gothenburg heavyweights are as raw and brutal as ever, backed up by their intensely interwoven melodies that form their unique sound. I couldn’t rave enough about this band if I tried, after thirteen albums their catalogue speaks for itself, but live – they just have that certain something that draws you in. ‘Leeches’ and ‘Behind Space’ back to back show just how varied this setlist is today, we’re getting the full tour and I’m extremely appreciative.
Shouting “Do you wanna join our band? Get him up here, no wait, he’s got superhero clothes on he can fucking fly up” Anders brings a fan dressed as a pirate up to join them on stage. “Finally we got a rock star up here!” he jokes, before handing him a mic. “Open a big circle pit for this one, pirate guy, are you ready?”. We love a bit of silliness here for sure, but we love a bit of ‘Take This Life’ more, and wow what a set that was. The last time In Flames played BOA was 2007, it’s been a long fucking time coming, In Flames we trust.
We take a little time to peruse the food offerings before the headliner, and settle on some slow cooked brisket from the most magnificent BBQ van, whose siren blares when the meats are ready. I would now like to be informed of dinnertime this way every day. 10/10 deliciousness, even if the chipotle sauce is still burning.
Closing out the main stage for the night, Killswitch Engage are a strong choice for BOA headliner. It’s an absolutely massive crowd spanning the arena and they come in heavy and melodic with ‘My Curse’ and ‘Rise Inside’. Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz is rocking cocktail print boardshorts and a cut off Hawaiian shirt whilst bouncing around the stage with utter uncontained glee, as they head into ‘The Signal Fire’ – “This song is about unity and love, and that’s everything this festival stands for”.
“I think it’s important to say this to all you people who were picked on. The freaks, the geeks, the weirdos. You are not alone, we are all here for each other” is a lovely supportive sentiment for a big ole metal band to espouse for sure, but becomes slightly ridiculous when followed up with “…what are you pussies doing there in the middle? I thought this was a metal show? Get a circle pit going!”. Nevertheless the band is rewarded with just that, if there’s one thing Bloodstock fans do brilliantly – it’s getting themselves nice and chaotic when asked. Closing with ‘My Last Seranade’ and a fitting tribute to the Ronnie James Dio stage – a cover of ‘Holy Diver’ is the perfect ending to an epic headline set.
SATURDAY
Starting out on Saturday with doomy Urne, who have gathered a decent crowd. It’s not my jam to be honest but there are plenty of approving fans headbanging along this morning.
Up next is possibly the stand-out performance of the weekend, surprisingly… Royal Republic. A strange pick for Bloodstock, and one that I expected to annoy more true heavy metal fans. What I actually saw, was one of the biggest daytime crowds of the whole weekend, everyone dancing, everyone having a great time and everyone letting the pretence of coolness down for 40 minutes. Royal Republic are Swedish clean-cut rock and roll, dressed like T-Birds in tight denim and leather jackets, they bandy about the stage like they’re trying to embody the spirit of Elvis. There’s a keytar, a moment where drummer Per Andreasson fully stands up on top of his kit, and heaps of crowd interaction, what’s not to love?
Yelling “These are my hands, I have two… the maximum amount. They would like to meet your hands… clap!” its clear enigmatic frontman Adam Grahn is here for a fun time. “We love metal, and we could have been a metal band… but we also love money” they joke, before giving us a quick and VERY convincing rendition of Metallica’s ‘Battery’. Finishing up with ‘Baby’ which is immediately my new summer road-trip jam, they have solidified their place in BOA history as a surprise hit amongst all the doom.
Employed To Serve get the unfortunate slot of a proper downpour, but manage to throw down some brutality after it clears. Vocalist Justine Jones absolutely crushes the low death metal growls, and they’ve got a very respectable crowd in front of them. Bloodstock veterans Crowbar are back once again with their excellently heavy riffs, and a joke or two about the weather “We’ve had a lot of wind, a lot of rain… it’s fucking England” to a massive crowd of fans.
Knocked Loose promote as much chaos as their name suggests, and we see the biggest circle pit of the weekend so far, as vocalist Bryan Garris goes absolutely berserk on stage himself.
Over on the Sophie stage another new one for me is Dakesis, despite the fact that they’ve been at Bloodstock a few times before, I seem to have missed them. Frontwoman Gemma Lawler is an absolute powerhouse vocalist and the band’s prog/symphonic metal is right up my street. Their show is dynamic and exciting to watch, the melodies are on point, and I’d truly be happy to see them hit a main stage slot sometime.
On the opposite side of the style coin, Abbath (fronted by former Immortal guitarist, Abbath Doom Occulta… what a handle) are bringing us another dose of corpse-paint and creepy tongue waggling. There’s an awful lot of people in the crowd sporting corpse paint today in support, even a few of the photographers were spotted getting gloomified, and the set is worth the hype.
Walking into the Sophie tent ahead of Gutalax, with no prior knowledge of the band… is nothing short of a fever-dream. Yes yes, I should have realised with the band name, but I wasn’t prepared for what I saw at all. Fans waving toilet brushes (imagine explaining those to security on your way into the campsites) and inflatable excrement flying around the tent, whilst they sing songs about… well, shit, is actually quite fun. I too would like to make it this far in life doing something incomprehensibly weird, I think I’m doing life wrong.
Triptykon performing Celtic Frost is quite special in and of itself, so I don’t know why it isn’t hitting the button for me today. It’s technically brilliant but I guess I’m missing the little things that engage and endear me to live music, it feels a bit like they’re going through the motions I suppose.
On the other hand, the incredibly silly but rather excellent TrollfesT are bringing me all the chaotic joy I have been craving. Sorry purists, but I am going to fucking LOVE a band dressed as resplendent sparkly flamingos and I won’t be taking any questions at this time. Looks like I’m not alone in this sentiment, as there are flippin’ heaps of inflatable flamingos in the crowd, and many people sporting flamingo paraphernalia, and surfing their way to the front of a full tent. Joking about how they entered Eurovision but didn’t get through, frankly enrages me. I would absolutely have voted a million times for the band who play folk metal and dance around the stage, but even more so for the band who call themselves “agents of chaos” and cover Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’. Come on, even the most seasoned metalhead absolutely must find this sort of thing amusing.
Last up for me on Saturday are Meshuggah. I’m trying not to let my opinion be too obviously jaded by the fact that their lighting for taking photos was the absolute worst… but, after playing their first three songs almost entirely in darkness from the back of the stage, I can’t imagine it was that exciting for anyone else either. Yes it’s heavy, yes it’s gut-twistingly brutal, but they’re known for their saga-length songs that I just don’t always think translate well to headline sets, and there’s no movement or interaction. On the other hand, it’s a bloody enormous crowd and I know they’re on point musically – for the fans, this would be a great night. For everyone else, I’m not sure it hits.
Sunday has us checking out some of the other offerings around the arena, there’s always a small but great collection of shops at Bloodstock, with everything from patches for your battle vest, to frog hats and ornate drinking horns. If I am permitted one small gripe this year, it is that the queues for the merch stand on Friday were atrociously long, and it’s placement along the back of the arena meant that it made the walkway a bit difficult to pass at times to get to the New Blood stage. It would be nice to see a second merch stall over in the food court area somewhere, as I believe there had been in years past. I was also super disappointed to find that the S’Tan plushies had sold out on Thursday, so please BOA – order some more in time for Christmas ok?
Checking out All Hail The Yeti on the main stage for some good solid heavy metal, I did find myself giggling at the Stranger Things experience I was getting with the intro to ‘Highway Crosses’. Tribulation are today’s dose of corpse-paint, and in a very cute move they even have little incense sticks stuck into their PA speakers at the front, adorable. Guitarist Joseph Tholl is incredibly talented, and their soaring gothic melodies are truly delicious to the ears.
Polish death-metallers Decapitated bring the fun and heaps of crowd surfers, with vocalist Rafał Piotrowski whipping his Rapunzel-ian dreadlocks around the stage. It’s a very large and hyped up crowd despite it being Sunday, this is one of the funnest sets of the weekend by far.
Dead Air (who suffer a typo on the app and were very sweetly presented instead as Dear Air, narf) are playing their bouncy rock and roll in the Jägermeister tent, jumping around in the very limited space and giving the frankly massive crowd a fucking fantastic set. I’d like to see them back!
Ugly kid Joe are bringing the nostalgia, with their funny take on other bands’ logos (note the Motorhead style drum skins, the Britney Spears/Sabbath tshirt, Slayer backdrop etc…) and they’re just damn good fun, even their Ace of Spades cover was decent.
Over in the Sophie tent, I once again feel I’ve stepped into an alternate reality for Church of The Cosmic Skull. Opening with the truly epic ‘Mountain Heart’ I am immediately captured by their sound, 70’s organ and strings with that Pink Floyd/Animals ring to it. The band themselves are a visual force to be reckoned with as well, all dressed in bright white of varying styles, and all white instruments (apart from the rainbow axe sported by frontman and founder Bill Fisher) they look like the kind of cult I would absolutely fall for. It is prog, for sure, but not the self-serving hours of widdling-around and paying no mind to listenability kind. They have a very singable quality which had me playing their spotify channel all the way home. Call me a convert, they were truly one of the stand out bands of the weekend.
Now for maybe the most exciting set of the weekend, and who could be remotely surprised – it’s Sepultura. If you don’t get hyped up to jump around to this band, your heart might not be installed correctly, because it is impossible not to be drawn in when Derrick Green asks you to jump with him. “Bloodstock! Let’s get it GOING!” he yells, as the crowd surfers rain down on the security guards at the front. “This goes out to all the bands at the festival, and all you motherfuckers out there” is the signal call for everyone to go wild for ‘Refuse/Resist’ and closer ‘Roots Bloody Roots’ just seals their position as one of the best bands I’ve ever seen at BOA… again.
KK’s Priest stepping up in place of Helloween after their cancellation, means a crowd full of slightly disappointed people wearing their pumpkin outfits in mourning, which is a little funny. Yes, joke along that this is Judas Karaoke if you will, but honestly – it’s good. Solid heavy metal, a lot of running around and fun stuff, can’t complain for a last minute addition. I would have been one of the people who would have liked for Skindred to fill the slot on the back of their hit album, but the forums are full of people who were Skindred-ed out and I do get why.
I was however, absolutely blown-away by Zeal & Ardor and do feel they could have been an incredible pick for that main stage slot too, despite their relative new-ness. The rammed tent supports my theory, overflowing with equally awestruck people for their bluesy country flavoured metal. It’s hard to categorise them to be honest, and I think that’s some of the draw – finding a new style can be hard in a saturated market but they seem to have cracked it and created something unusual. Opener ‘Church Burns’ is very country, while ‘Götterdämmerung’ is as black as metal comes, it certainly keeps them interesting.
Megadeth are taking the final main stage tour of the weekend and the band tshirts are out in force for them, though they are no longer the true end of the festival due to the Sophie stage going one bigger each night (tonight with Biohazard) this feels like a fitting end to BOA 2023. Replete with the classic 80’s imagery, albeit delivered via screens instead of backdrops these days, Megadeth enter a dark stage and stand at the back, with drummer Dirk Verbeuren risen aloft amongst the speaker stacks. Loading up with ‘Hangar 18’, MegaDave (Mustaine) and the band give us that unmistakable ‘Big Four’ production. Yes it’s thrash, but there’s just that clean element of a band who’ve been perfecting something for this long and absolutely nailing it, and the ginormous inflatable unicorn nodding along at the front of the crowd seems to agree.
Between each song break the arena shakes with a chant of “Mega-deth” and there is no choice but to headbang along to ‘Conquer or Die!’ really is there? “Two words… lookin good! There are so many beautiful faces tonight” are the words that precede ‘Tornado of Souls’ which I personally think is quite accidentally witty. ‘Symphony of Destruction’ is of course excellent, come through my fellow Guitar Hero kids… as is ‘Peace Sells’.
After a brief break (one of the only bands to continue the pretence of going away and coming back for an encore these days) they call out “This is Bloodstock, all metal, all night!” to which the guy next to me loudly replies “PLAY SOME RIFFS OR FUCK OFF”, much to the amusement of all around us. Finishing up with ‘Mechanix’ and ‘Holy Wars… The Punishment Due’ means Megadeth go out as a solid headline choice for Bloodstock, and certainly one to remember.
Over and out Bloodstock 2023, you have been absofuckinglutely magnificent. With the line-up announcements already – I am positive it’s going to be yet another stunner next year.
Note: Following the festival, it was reported that there had been a death in the campsite on Saturday evening. This publication would like to extend their thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of this person, and to the team at BOA. Bloodstock is a close-knit family and this news is extremely sad.
Debuts for Carl Cox Invites & ANTS Ibiza for the October Event in collaboration with Framework
Pioneering LA promotional team, Framework, has teamed up once more with Wynn Nightlife to present the latest edition of Art of the Wild at Wynn Las Vegas’s world renowned venues XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club. This cultured underground gathering takes place from October 6 – 8, when ANTS Ibiza and Carl Cox Invites will be making their debut with Animale, Black Coffee, Rüfüs du Sol (DJ Set), Rumors and much more to come. Three day passes start at $100 and will sell out, so move quickly to secure yours.
Since 2013, Framework has become the leading purveyor of unique underground experiences in Los Angeles and beyond, offering up the greatest DJ talent in the world in unreal locations with cutting edge production. Since 2018, the brand has worked with Wynn Nightlife to bring carefully curated underground music showcases to Las Vegas in the form of the three-day art and music festival, Art of the Wild.
It is renowned for bringing together the most coveted international brands and artists, attracting thousands of guests a few times a year to the Vegas Strip and host venues XS Nightclub – a lavish, gold-accented dance club in Encore featuring an immersive dance floor and poolside patio – and Encore Beach Club – an indoor-outdoor day and night venue offering an expansive pool and luxury cabanas.
This all encompassing music and travel experience is a luxury escape that offers everything from casual to fine 5-star and Michelin recognized fine dining. There are also two Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star spas, a newly designed 18-hole championship golf course, a global roster of designer boutiques offering luxurious apparel, accessories, fine jewellery, status watches, and more with an endless list of amenities available to be booked separately.
Kobi Danan from Framework says, “Las Vegas plays host to a staggering 32 million global visitors, illuminating the city’s universal appeal. Electronic dance music, intrinsic to the Las Vegas experience, seems to have been embedded in its cultural fabric from the inception of the city. However, it was only upon the recognition of a substantial void in the market, a demand for a more niche, house-centric space, that the concept of Art of the Wild was materialised. Created in strategic alliance with the esteemed Wynn, our endeavours are primarily focused on importing a fragment of the illustrious Ibiza experience to American soil. Our aim is to transform the sonic landscape of Las Vegas, making it a melting pot of global dance culture, analogous to the vibrant, pulsating beats that echo through the White Isle of Ibiza.’
Musically, this year’s Art of the Wild offers another bold and adventurous programme with a debut for techno titan Carl Cox’s Invites concept as well as the Ibiza powerhouse party that is ANTS, an underground celebration of the freshest housed techno with the world’s biggest stars and out of this world production. Add into that sets from Grammy winning Afro house pioneer Black Coffee, a DJ set by the award-winning and highly coveted Rüfüs du Sol crew, Guy Gerber’s emotionally charged Rumors and much more to come and you have another essential edition of Art of the Wild.
Art of the Wild is an unmissable and escapist showcase that offers something unlike anything else in the heart of Las Vegas.
London’s E1 has established itself as one of the UK’s most essential underground venues and its next season is another step up. Playing and hosting between now and the end of the year are the likes of VTSS b2b Boys Noize, DJ Bone, Nastia, a world debut of Lady Starlight and Sterac live, Sweely, Dan Ghenacia, Overmono, Helena Hauff, Young Marco, Job Jobse, Leon Vynehall, plus Mixmag’s 40th Birthday and more.
Once again this season there is a vital array of brands, DJs, labels and parties taking place. Drum and bass and techno, house, acid, electro, breakbeat and everything in between are all catered for. October features Toy Tonics, VE1 x Percolate with VTSS b2b Boys Noize, Adonis, Verboten, a DnB Classics All Dayer, DnB All Stars, Rhythm Labs with Daddy Trance, Free From Sleep with Stanton Warriors, Krafty Kuts, Plump DJs, The Freestylers, Zed Bias, 2 Bad Mice, A Skillz, Leeroy Thornhill, Slipmatt and Scratch Perverts, and a second DnB Classics Halloween All Dayer.
November doesn’t let up with System Olympia, Giles Smith, Aika Mal, Labyrinth with Themba, Cera Khin Presents, an AD Showcase with Antonio de Angelis, DJ Bone, a world debut for Lady Starlight & Sterac live and Nastia b2b The Advent.
ZIGZAG then welcome Sweely, Sidney Charles, Dan Ghenaica and more, R Label host a 10 YR Showcase with Kobosil, Mall Grab Presents Steel City Dance Discs with a bumper line up and more such as B4ME, Vyndia and more.
In December the parties keep coming from E1 Presents with Alexandra and more, plus Mixmag’s 40th Birthday, Breakin’ Science, E1 x Mixmag with Overmono, Valve, Labyrinth with Kevin De Vries and an epic Percolate x E1 6th Birthday 24 Hour Party on New Year’s Eve with Helena Hauff, Young Marco, Job Jobse, Niks, Leon Vynehall, Surusinghe, Reece Spooner and more to come on New Year’s Day.
E1 is now well known on the world stage for its awe-inspiring, state of the art AV & lighting system. It adds an extra dimension to party proceedings that is unlike any other you will have experienced. On top of that, all three E1 music rooms have custom built, bespoke Funktion-One sound systems that have been designed, installed and maintained by Sound Services Ltd. The tech on these is cutting edge with Evolution 6 Mid Highs and the revolutionary new linear transducer-powered BR132A Bass enclosures that means every beat and hi hat comes with peerless precision and low end weight. The venue constantly tweaks and fine tunes the set up and has added acoustic treatment of the full venue, has continual upgrades of the lighting and updated visuals provided by Rebel Overlay.
The Warehouse and Black Studio offer different atmospheres with their own programming but the DJ setups have been configured and optimised to provide with the very best technology. To be lost in the middle of the dance floor in either is as complete a musical experience as you could imagine.
The autumn-winter season has a renewed focus on E1 residents and London’s own local talent with soon to be announced dedicated resident nights and is working towards ‘Get To Know: In the Warehouse’ which are sit down sessions and interviews with key members of the E1 community. Add in the launch of the E1 Members WhatsApp community group which gives priority access to best priced tickets, discounts, VIP drops, exclusives, competitions and much more, and you have a club that continues to innovate on all fronts.
There is plenty more to be announced from E1 though this first wave already offers a mouthwatering run of events.
Fresh off the back of launching their own record label, Release is now back with huge Halloween news as they invite Ilario Alicante to play an exclusive four hour set on Saturday October 28th. He will be for this epic day and night party joined at London’s celebrated Studio 338 by Matthias Tanzmann, Dense & Pika, Clive Henry (Peace Division), Hypoxia, James Welsh and Kira for a freaky night full of ghoulish grooves. Get your tickets now at studio338.co.uk.
From its home at Studio 338, Release has quickly become one of the UK’s most fresh and forward-thinking parties. They always host sold out events including a huge annual New Year’s Eve celebration and have had former guests like Marco Carola, Nicole Moudaber, Paco Osuna, Lilly Palmer, Cassy and Magda to name a few.. They have got plenty lined-up this summer, not least a super solid new EP of club ready techno from Syncia to kick off their new label arm which is followed by James Welsh’s ‘Spectral Bucaneer’ EP coming out on 18th August.
Their London home will be fully transformed with immersive and thematic Halloween decor for this event. It is now one of the world’s foremost venues – up to #21 in DJ Mag’s latest global Top100 Clubs poll and somewhere with many different rooms and areas to explore, from the recently renovated and licensed open outdoor space to the main clubbing space with its glass ceiling allowing natural light to drench the dance floor. It is all kitted out with a flagship Void Acoustics Sound System and this year had an all new acoustics refit, huge high resolution LED screens and awe inspiring light installations which are known throughout the industry as some of the best in the country and beyond.
Heading up this one is the evergreen Ilario Alicante, an Ibiza favourite and house and techno influencer who is sure to dig extra deep for this special four hour set. He is a mainstay of the Cocoon label and a true talent that knows exactly how to work the floor with his unique signature sounds.
Also playing is the influential underground house tastemaker and Moon Harbour label boss Matthias Tanzmann, innovative UK techno duo Dense & Pika who have dropped banger after banger on labels like Hypercolour and Hotflush Recordings, Clive Henry part of the legendary house outfit that is Peace Division, plus more from across the electronic spectrum courtesy of Hypoxia, James Welsh – who will be next up on Release LDN Records – and Kira.
This is an unmissable Halloween gathering that always sells out so move quickly to get your tickets now from studio338.co.uk.
Listen and pre-order the new Release LDN ‘James Welsh – Spectral Bucaneer’ here – https://snd.click/RL002
Rain or shine: Camp Bestival is the ultimate fun-filled family festival.
Although the line up this year in Dorset doesn’t seem as impressive as the sister Shropshire line-up (well this big-kid was upset that Primal Scream weren’t down at the Lulworth Castle event), there was certainly something for all the family over the weekend.
This year marked the 15th anniversary of Camp Bestival – as usual there was plenty of fancy dress across the site. This year, it was animal themed, with the festival teaming up with the fantastic World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Billed as the ‘Best. Party. Ever’, Australian DJ Hot Dub Time Machine began proceedings by showcasing records from every decade and genre of music, from ‘Ghostbusters‘ to Louis Theroux’s ‘Jiggle Jiggle‘…in his words, Camp Bestival is ‘the best festival in the world. There’s nothing like this anywhere else in the world‘ – he could well be right.
Festival favourites Elvana followed with Elvis fronted Nirvana tunes, mixed in with Blue Suede Shoes and Hound Dog….the ever-charming Scouting for Girls followed with chart-friendly pop songs. Later, Ella Henderson, recently dropped from mogul Simon Cowell’s Syco label, delighted fans despite the pouring rain, with a mix of dance classics ‘Crazy What Love Can Do‘ and ‘Glitterball‘. Brighton indie-boys The Kooks brought the Friday night to a close.
Saturday at Camp Bestival is always fancy-dress day and this year didn’t disappoint.
While on initial glance, the line-up didn’t dazzle, at Camp Bestival, the costumes certainly did sparkle. It’s always the hidden gems and surprises which make it such a special event that festival goers return to each and every year.
This year, was certainly no change. The highlight of the weekend was the HMS Camp Bestival stage, with an unmissable back-to-back DJ set with festival founder and curator Rob da Bank and fashion icon Gok Wan.
Always one to make an impressive appearance, Gok descended on to the stage from above in a giant heart, scattering scented confetti onto the fans. Truly it had to be seen with the crowd dancing while the sun shone. A little later, East 17 brought their House of Love to the Big Top, before closing their summer festival set strangely with Xmas hit song ‘Stay Another Day.’ Fortunately the gifts kept giving, and Summer Festival Guide favourites The Cuban Brothers never disappoint. Miguelito always acknowledges the stunning location of Lulworth Castle as a backdrop and summed up the event well to the press team by stating Camp Bestival is ‘the original festival where you see people coming together, having fun and being free, that’s why it’s so special!”
Always a difficult act to follow, and there’s only one woman in the industry who can do it – Ms Grace Jones. Her stage presence is transfixing and she refuses to grow old without any grace (excuse the pun.) At a majestic 75 years, she hula hooped through her greatest hits, including ‘Slave To The Rhythm‘ and ‘Pull Up To The Bumper‘, where she rode the security guards shoulders as she met her adoring fans.
Sunday began with everyone’s favourite Australian CBeebies legend Bluey, before Mr Motivator blew away all the cobwebs getting everyone, including the aforementioned security guards working out.
Later, remarkably impressive tributes to Kate Bush and Dolly Parton followed, before Spice Girl Mel C delighted mums (as well as many dads with her washboard abs on show.) Beginning with solo material, including ‘When You’re Gone‘, it was truly the girl power songs the crowd were looking for, and she didn’t disappoint. Mixing an acoustic ‘Spice Up Your Life‘ with ‘2 Become 1‘ and ‘Who Do You Think You Are‘, it’ll be great to see if the rumours of a Spice Girl reunion headlining Glastonbury next year are true. Watch this space.
Another difficult act to follow, but Confidence Man, brought the magic from their 2022 Glastonbury winning set to the Dorset coast. A mix of Scissor Sisters and 90s dance, their multiple impressive costume changes kept everyone moving. If you ever get chance to catch them, it’s a definite must and a sublime booking, before Craig David took over the decks with his TS5 show.
Asked what TS5 means, it’s his one man show, in which he DJs, MCs, sings his own material and also covers a number of classic R’n’B tunes, from the likes of Whitney Houston to TLC.
No Camp Bestival can conclude without the absolute highlight and majesty which is the acclaimed firework display.
With Lulworth Castle lit up with animal imagery, fireworks illuminated the sky to the delight of the young and older ones within the audience.
Rob da Bank summed up the weekend perfectly, stating ‘What a weekend with our Camp Bestival family! Josie and I had the best time celebrating 15 years of memories across four magical days and we are thrilled that all of our Camp Bestival family could join us. From a roaring Animal Snap theme to headline sets from Grace Jones, The Kooks and Craig David, it’s been a birthday celebration for the history books and we can’t wait to bring the magic of Camp Bestival to Shropshire in just three weeks time!”‘
Truck Festival is a one of our firm favourites on the festival calander and this years did not disappoint at all. Located on Hill Farm in Oxfordshire the festival offered a huge line up with some of the hottest bands around. Headlining the weekend was The Wombats, Two Door Cinema Club, Alt-J and Royal Blood. Every band who performed put on a cracking performance and put all their energy into their sets. The festival had plenty to offer including food and drink stalls, kids activities, gameshows, yoga, karaoke and more. Unfortunately the weather was a typical British type for a festival. Saturday was a downpour which made the site into a slippery mud bath but that did not dampen any ones spirits.
Our photographer Kane Howie was at the festival to document the weekend. You can see a selection of his images below.
2024 tickets are on sale now and are selling fast! We will definitely be returning for next year!
Following massive successes with the likes of music and arts festival Labryinto in Costa Rica, Tithorea production company co-founders Shahin Mani and Sherif Koyess announce Medaina, a new 5-day, 2-location festival in the magnificent Kingdom of Jordan. The historic and visually stunning sites of Petra and Wadi Rum will be used to host the cutting-edge music and arts festival, a combination never done before.
Set among timeless landscapes and archaeological treasures, Medaina will be held for 5 days, May 22 – May 27, 2024, over the two legendary and world-renowned complexes of Petra and Wadi Rum. Featuring the founding duo’s immersive world, with intricate and mind-blowing production based on unique creative direction, the opening day in the rock-carved city of Petra on Wednesday May 22 will be followed by a special presentation on May 23. The festivities will then move to Wadi Rum on May 24 with a huge bash on the 25th in the visually breathtaking Valley of the Moon.
Medaina is based on five creative pillars: music, art, gastronomy, culture and sustainability. Expect to see an all-star lineup of international and local musical talent, incredible visuals, compelling presentations and an immersive world. Attendees from over 70 countries are expected, making the event a truly global one.
Co-Founder Shahin Mani explains: “We’ve done festivals all over the world but I’m especially excited to present Medaina at the absolutely magical sites of Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan. The synergy that has come together to make this historic celebration happen has been thrilling and the support from the Jordanian people and government is deeply inspiring. We’ll offer our fantastically state-of-the-art creative direction to make this an immersive experience of a lifetime.”
Petra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the most breathtaking humanmade sites on earth. Known for the Treasury (or Al-Khazneh as it’s known in Arabic), a structure carved into a rock face, there are also dozens of temples, all of them overwhelming in impact.
Wadi Rum is a stunning mixed natural and cultural site in southern Jordan. Its desert landscape has narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, and caverns. Petroglyphs, inscriptions and archaeological remains show 12,000 years of humanity. 25,000 rock carvings with 20,000 inscriptions trace the evolution of human thought and the early development of the alphabet. It is truly a treasure of the world.
The name Medaina derives from a portmanteau of Mediterranean and “ain”, which is Arabic for spring. Water was crucial in the development of Petra and its nexus as a trade route for the Mediterranean. The festival will honor this foundational civilization.
In these incredible landscapes, Medaina will present a forward-thinking musical line-up with globally renowned acts offering innovative takes on electronic music, sure to make one dance as well as get lost in the imaginative musicscapes.
With only a couple of weeks to go, BLOODSTOCK’s here to update you on lots of non-band-related delights at this year’s event, including a diverse range of traders, food stalls, drinks, on-site entertainment, and other facilities at next month’s glorious celebration of heavy metal. Not to mention a bargain deal on this year’s festival t-shirt and info on 2023’s charity partners.
First up, BLOODSTOCK is very aware of the cost of living squeeze, so is pleased to confirm that the price of the 2023 event t-shirt has been frozen at £25. Head to the merch stand in the main arena over the festival to snap it up! You can also find a range of new merch online now here including super-soft dressing gowns, drinking horns, umbrellas, and the S’tan plush toy/bobblehead!
Whether you’re vegan, veggie, meat-eating, or seeking something gluten-free or halal, BLOODSTOCK has a wide range of food available onsite. Here’s just a few options… burgers, pizza, tacos, burritos, gyoza, waffles, crepes, toasties, smoked meats, chicken, noodles, pies, giant Yorkshire puds, baguettes, fish & chips, fries, hotdogs, kebabs, donuts/churros, mac n’ cheese, wraps, nachos, fudge, the infamous black ice-cream, and more – and Bunnychow is back too! Check out more info here and there’s a handy graphic below to help you keep track of which food stands to head to first.
For any essentials you’ve forgotten, there’s a supermarket in the Midgard campsite (and a small shop in the main arena) plus Fat Frank’s Camping Store, where for £2 you can even get your air bed inflated for a comfier night’s sleep.
For those looking to do a little heavy metal shopping in the arena, you’ll be able to pick up patches and badges, CDs/vinyl, or official merch and alt clothing (leggings, t-shirts, denim jackets, leather waistcoats, army surplus, hats… you name it) to rock ‘n roll home accessories, wiccan wares, all types of jewellery (visit the Guitarwristfor items benefiting charity made with used guitar strings and Black Feather Design for BLOODSTOCK’s official 925 silver jewellery range) and if you don’t have one already, surely a Viking drinking horn is an essential addition (other Viking crafts also available).
When you’re not watching bands, how about a spot of axe-throwing with your pals or visit Firehound Forge, the local blacksmith stall, who may even forge your item while you watch? There’s also the Nordic Spirit Gaming Arena with modern and retro video games to play, the Rock And Metal Gallery (reputed to be the coolest place onsite, metaphorically and literally), the Planet Rock Signing Tent to meet your favourite bands, and fairground attractions, plus you can join a 45-min open air Rockfit class at 10:15am Fri-Sun to get your blood pumping squatting to Slayer, or why not grab a cold beverage and watch some Vikings go to battle right in front of you!
When the bands are done, it doesn’t mean BLOODSTOCK is! Late night ents kick off with DJs on both the New Blood and Sophie stages ‘til the early hours. Over in the Sophie tent, on Thursday from 12am-2am, DJ Pressplay welcomes you with a selection of tunes from upcoming bands and other metal bangers; Friday from 12am-2am brings The Blood Rave with DJs Little M and Lloyd, marking the 25th anniversary of iconic movie, Blade! Expect EBM, industrial, techno, and heavy beats.
The Sophie tent on Saturday from 12am-2am is the Dark Night of the Scarecrow! Jakk and Jordan from EVIL SCARECROW are joined by DJ Arockalypse to offer up a slab of the best metal and rock anthems. Sunday from 12am-2am, sees DJ Rich Harris (Desertfest) closing the festival in the only way he knows how – loudly and by including guilty pleasure metal whoppers to lodge in your head until Bloodstock 2024!
The New Blood tent sees the return of the very popular silent disco on Thursday and Saturday nights from 11pm-2am – take your pick from three channels of rock & metal, pop & party cheese, or full-on dance, or why not mix it up with all three?! Just turn up and grab a headset. At the other end of the scale, New Blood’s Friday night from 11pm-1am sees DJ Darren Smith serving up a crushing selection of the blackest, darkest, and heaviest music around.
If you’d rather have your fun back in the campsites, get in on Midgard Madness between 11pm – 1am, with some brand new inflatable shenanigans this year. Fan of wrestling? Take on your pal in a sumo wrestler suit! Feeling a bit more athletic? Put your strength and stamina to the test with the Bungee Run! How far can you make it down the track before the bungee catapults you back to the start?!
For the jousters amongst you, take on the Pole Joust challenge. Who can stay on the pole the longest without being toppled to their doom?! Who will be the BLOODSTOCK Almighty Joust Champion?? Bragging rights indeed. A late night Redbull bar will be there to quench your thirst (wings not included).
Each year BLOODSTOCK has various dress themes for those who want to participate. In 2023, we see the return of the very successful ‘Pink For Sylvia’ theme on both Thursday and Friday, in memory of Sophie Lancaster’s mother, the founder of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Pink was Sylvia’s favourite colour. Corpsepaint Saturday does what it says on the tin! If you don’t want to do your own make-up, stop by the Sophie Lancaster charity stall in the main arena between 10am – 3pm Sat and they’ll paint your face for a small donation, with all proceeds going to the Foundation. On Sunday, it’ll be Helloween Pumpkins day, so bust out your best pumpkin-themed attire to welcome the mighty HELLOWEEN!
As part of BLOODSTOCK’s continuing sustainability/green efforts, the cup redemption scheme returns to help keep BLOODSTOCK litter-free!! Open to those 18+, you can redeem prizes for collecting cups! Hand in your stash at Lemmy’s bar to get a stamp on your collector’s card for every 50 cups returned. This year’s prizes are:
50 cups – 1 free pint / spirit worth £6 100 cups – 15% off Bloodstock merch or 1 meal voucher worth £12 (one transaction only) 250 cups – 1 Bloodstock festival shirt (size subject to availability) 600 cups – Jump the queue to the signing tent for one whole day 750 cups – Access to Serpents Lair VIP hospitality area for 2 people 1000 cups – Watch a band from side of stage or in the pit for first 3 songs (subject to no closed stage or pyro restrictions).
In addition, the tent donation point returns by Fat Franks in the Midgard campsite! When you’re going home, if you can’t be bothered to lug your tent with you, don’t abandon it to be lonely in landfill! Put it to good use by donating it for charitable benefit.
BLOODSTOCK’s official charity partners for 2023 are The Sophie Lancaster Foundationand Derbyshire Air Ambulance. The ever important work of The Sophie Lancaster Foundation to stamp out prejudice, hatred, and intolerance everywhere is something BLOODSTOCK have been proud to support for many years.
The Derbyshire Air Ambulance Service operates 24/7, 365 days a year, providing a rapid trauma response. They receive no government funding and rely solely on the public’s generosity to keep their helicopters flying and saving lives. BLOODSTOCK is also pleased to confirm that a team from Derbyshire LGBT+ will run a stall too. They are Derbyshire’s only LGBT+ specific support service, supporting all LGBT+ people or anyone who is having issues with sexual orientation or gender identity, including family and friends. Look out for their spots in the main arena (left of the main stage as you look at it) and pop over to learn more about the awesome work these organisations do.
BLOODSTOCK would like to take a moment to celebrate the incredible efforts of Pick Collectors Against Cancer, who have now raised more than $250,000, benefiting band-nominated cancer-related charities all over the world. BLOODSTOCK is very pleased to keep supporting this worthwhile cause, and with everyone’s help, perhaps they can top $300,000 this year. Head to their socials for more info, and look out for Lee from PCAC at the fest.
If you find yourself falling ill or in need of some extra support/assistance while at BLOODSTOCK, head to the MEDICAL / WELFARE TENT in the main arena. You can also visit THE SAMARITANS marquee located in the Midgard campsite for a non-judgemental, confidential chat at any time over the festival event.
BLOODSTOCK is also pleased to welcome 1625 OUTREACH, a local service that specialise in supporting festival goers in relation to drugs, alcohol, and personal safety. This year 1625 will be working collaboratively with Welfare on site – you can find them in the campsite hub or you can drop them a message on Instagram (@1625_Outreach). 1625 are available to provide…Free & confidential advice about drugs/alcohol.Harm reduction information & resources.Assistance in accessing additional support on site & in the community.Free safety resources (drink spiking covers, condoms, etc).A harm reduction &/or recovery centred safe space to chat.
Every campsite has its own vibe, but if you’re looking for the designated quiet campsite, make a beeline for Ragnarok. Niflheim is the accessible campsite for those who have applied successfully in advance to camp there. Coming on your own and/or a bit anxious about that? Consider joining unofficial Bloodstock group Camp Loners & Newbies, who always camp in a corner of Valhalla. With Ironwood, Midgard, Jotunheim, Asgard, and Hel to choose from too (plus Vanaheim 1 & 2 for our campervan friends & the Serpent’s Lair campsite for VIPers) you’re sure to find your home away from home! Want to chat to fellow BLOODSTOCKers before you get there? There are a number of unofficial Facebook groups, including BMF666.
Looking for directions or travel info including coaches and the official festival shuttle, running from Tamworth train stationthis year (note: NOT Lichfield, as in years prior)? Click here. For all general event info & frequently asked questions, including box office, main arena, and car park opening times, accessibility, lost & found (inc. lost kids), and much more, go here. You can find this year’s site map of BLOODSTOCK here. Stay tuned to BLOODSTOCK’s official social channels over the next couple of weeks for news all about the festival’s brand new app that you’ll soon be able to download, complete with a helpful clash finder and stage times.
While you’re planning your packing, don’t forget that BLOODSTOCK has introduced a dedicated one-stop-shop featuring all those festival essentials. From the all important cold beers to BOA’s 2023 merchandise, through to camping equipment and much more, BLOODSTOCKers can secure all their must-have items in advance from one online shop, eradicating the need for last-minute scrambles, long queues or searching in multiple online stores for different items. For more info and to explore what you can get, visit the official Bloodstock Festival Preo store.
Weekend early bird tickets for BLOODSTOCK 2024 will be available to purchase at the box office on site for £165. This is the cheapest way to buy a 2024 ticket, minus any online booking or admin fees. Serpents Lair VIP tickets and campervan pitches will go on sale at 9am on Wednesday 16th August and are expected to sell out quickly, so if you want one, be ready!! Please note that there will be no VIP Upgrades in 2024. A very limited number of 100 VIP Deposit Scheme tickets will be available at 9am on 1st September. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
Still not got your ticket?! Snap up your standard weekend tickets inc. camping at theticket storefor the bargain price of just £165 (+ fees). Don’t hang about, limited numbers remain! If you want to make it a family affair, there are child tickets too, priced £45 (+fees) and mini-moshers under age 4 go free. If you can’t make the whole weekend, but don’t want to miss out, limited day tickets are available priced £75 (+fees) for adults and £25 (+fees) for kids. See all options in the ticket store and get excited watching the latest trailer here!
BLOODSTOCK’s 2023 Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners are KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, MESHUGGAH, and MEGADETH. Also appearing are HELLOWEEN, IN FLAMES, BIOHAZARD, EMPLOYED TO SERVE, ROYAL REPUBLIC, SACRED REICH, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, SEPULTURA, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, CROWBAR, CANDLEMASS, TRIBULATION, SEETHING AKIRA, UGLY KID JOE, DECAPITATED, GATECREEPER, ZEAL & ARDOR, KING 810, ABBATH, URNE, ALL HAIL THE YETI, DEAD LABEL, BOSSK, CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL, BROTHERS OF METAL, PEST CONTROL, GUTALAX, UUHAI, INVISIONS, COBRA THE IMPALER, TROLLFEST, SKYND, FROZEN SOUL, EMBODIMENT, THE VIOLENT INZIDENT, TRIBE OF GHOSTS, DAKESIS, THE ENIGMA DIVISION, THE GREY, AMBRIUS, TUSKAR, STENGAH, OVERTHRONE, TORTURED DEMON, CASKET FEEDER, GAEREA, BLOODYARD, WOLFBASTARD, EMBODIMENT, SKIN FAILURE, WITCHSORROW, WYTCH HAZEL, HATE, BLACK COAST, PHOENIX LAKE, ZETRA and more.
The picturesque grounds of Hatfield Park welcomed home one of it’s best events of the calendar year. A festival known as ‘Folk By The Oak’. It which showcases some of the best of of the Folk music genre.
The all day Sunday event was packed full of amazing activities for all the family to enjoy.
The Willow Foundation had a stall selling preloved clothes and items which you could grab a bargain from. In one area of the park it featured a large children’s activity space with a climbing wall, story telling, games and even a stall about looking after bees, what a great idea to teach little ones about looking after all inhabitants of our world, no matter what their size.
There were tents filled with handmade crafts with demonstrations in how to make certain things like pot painting, leather work etc. Ideal for anyone who loves a hobby in crafting.
The scents of the huge array of food & beverage vendors filled the air which aromas to suit everyone’s tastebuds.
The site itself had two stages, the Main stage and the Acorn stage showcasing the very best in music.
The first act I was able to see was The Wilderness Yet who performed music full of well written lyrics and showed a very keen interest on wildlife. The band had mentioned they had also worked with a charity to help save the bees who are a vital part of the environment.
On the mainstage were The Longest John’s who sang a lot of folk and sea shanties. They were also very humorous which earned a lot of laughter from audiences.
Back to the Acorn stage which featured Nick Hart, an award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist. He is becoming one of the most acclaimed performers of his generation with his music. On stage was the man himself and a guitar. He really knew how to captivate the audience with his songs.
One of the best acts of the day was This Is The Kit. They had performed twice in the day once of the main stage where they had technical difficulties with some of the instruments but carried on through which was entertaining to watch. They then stepped in to headline the Acorn stage with a different set of songs. It was such a delight to witness both of their sets.
Sona Jobarteh graced us with her set bringing her cultural Gambian sounds. She played the Kora which is a 21 stringed instrument that combines the harp and the lute sound. This was definitely fascinating to watch and the audience participated with the language in the songs and danced along.
Unfortunately the artist most well known for his hit “Cucurucu”, Nick Mulvey had to cancel his set on the main stage due to illness (get well soon Nick!), so the Acorn Stage headliners Cut Capers moved onto the mainstage and put on one hell of a show! The band were displayed so much energy on stage and with a big selection of different instruments. The crowd loved to party to them! They are now a new favourite of mine.
Headlining the night was Folk rock band The Waterboys who put on a great performance which ended with a glittering firework display.
This year’s Folk By The Oak festival was a lot of fun, but yet just so mellow. Perfect for a Sunday out!I very much look forward to attending Folk By The Oak in 2024!
