Beacons 2012: A Festival Preview

By Nick Cowan

The 2012 Beacons Festival takes place at the Funkirk Estate, Skipton, 17th-19th August (website/tickets)

After being called off last year due to flooding, Beacons Festival is back for another attempt. However, what with the worst summer anyone can recall, numerous other festival misfortunes and that Mayan apocalyptic prophesy, the outlook for 2012 isn’t looking good either. But the Beacons crew are a determined bunch and thanks to a better, more flood resistant location in the picturesque Yorkshire dales, and affordable ticket prices (originally £60, now £84.50) along with a fine selection of music and arts to take in, Beacons 2012 will be worth braving the elements for.

The line-up is a mouth-watering mix of established and buzz-worthy acts from all over hip-hop, indie and electronic scenes. Highlights include UK hip-hop from Ghostpoet and Roots Manuva, staunch indie favorites Wild Beasts, Patrick Wolf and Cass McCombs and some heavier stuff from Cloud Nothings and Japandriods. And all this before even getting on to the host of top electronic acts and DJs on offer, including Mount Kimbie, Andrew Weatherall, D/R/U/G/S and Errors to name but a few.

So, one of the best small festival line-ups this summer, a great location and whole load of arts, film and other stuff going on, Beacons looks set to take the UK festival scene by ‘storm.’ Ahem. Sorry. Oh and as if that wasn’t enough there is also some classic reggae to enjoy courtesy of Toots and The Maytals, which will surely be enough the finally coax the sun out.