Bestival 2012: A Festival Review

By Sam Cleeve

August 6th-10th, 2012

Bestival 2012 was one of polarities. For every joyous, life-affirming Stevie Wonder headline set, there was Borgore around the corner blasting the most depraved bass noises possible. For every beautiful art installation or on-site roller-disco (truth), an absolute throng of people in between you and your destination. What can’t be faulted is the booking – this year’s Bestival genuinely offered an unparalleled summer line-up, one that pitted soul legends against sweeping icelandic cinematic explorations, all the while staying faithful to its electronic and dance music roots (it was, by time we were off site, a luxury just to sit somewhere in absence of bass). … Continue Reading

Green Man 2012: A Festival Review

By Russell Warfield

August 17th-19th, 2012

Green Man 2012 might have been the year when the festival completely transcended my abilities of articulation. At the very least, I’m not going to be able to say anything desperately fresh about it, so let’s start at the most tiredly clichéd, lowest common denominator: we arrived in deluges of rain. Nestled into the crevice of the everlastingly gorgeous Black Mountain range, there have been years when I’ve actually, after grimacing at the swelling Usk on the periphery of the campsite, feared for Green Man’s cancellation. But not only was this year bringing the heavens down with as much Old Testament sadism as I’ve ever seen (or felt), it was the first time I’ve had the misfortune of actually having to put my tent up in that shit. But, in spite of this, it also just so happened to mark the beginning of the best Green Man Festival I’ve been to yet. … Continue Reading

Bestival 2012: A Festival Preview

By Sam Cleeve

Bestival 2012 takes place 6th-9th September at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight (website/tickets). Lead photo (left) by Louise Roberts.

Next month sees the eagerly awaited return of Rob Da Bank’s annual shebang—the ninth instalment of his four-day festival, nestled away on the UK’s favourite holiday-making annex, the Isle of Wight. Across the water, festival-goers will be privy to one of the summer’s most thoughtful and eclectic line-ups. Exclusive live performances and an unparalleled selection of DJ sets are all present and correct—hell, that poster below even promises ‘wildlife antics’ (exactly what sinful hijinks this quite entails I’m not sure—check back after the festival; maybe I’ll have some reprehensible goat anecdote). In the meantime, find my personal highlights form the weekend’s musical offerings after the jump… … Continue Reading

Boardmasters 2012: A Festival Review

By Charlotte Gay

August 8th-12th, 2012

Those who took advantage of the festival’s helicopter rides must have had a blissful view of the sun beaming down on the tops of Newquay’s Watergate Bay—the musical home of Boardmasters 2012. Back for its 31^st annual music, surf and skate festival, the Great British summertime happily disregarded its usual drizzly weather for those flocking to the ever popular event. … Continue Reading

Hevy 2012: A Festival Review

By Judy Tate

August 3rd-6th, 2012

For me, Hevy Festival 2012 was perfectly, though unexpectedly, summarized by an elderly lady outside the Bison enclosure in the nearby animal park, which wristbands gained festival goers free entry to. The grandmother stated she had never seen so many tattoos and piercings in her life and this was pretty accurate. Perhaps if she had been aware of flesh tunnels, vans, flat caps and creepers she may have also been impressed at their abundance too. Having set the scene (in particular the subcultural ‘scene’) of Kent’s rock and alternative festival, it was American hardcore band Trapped Under Ice that set the bar musically and atmospherically for Hevy 2012. … Continue Reading

WOMAD 2012: A Festival Review, Part II

All words and photos by Alex Kavanagh (http://www.alexkavanagh.com/) (excluding lead photo, above). Part I of Alex’s review can be found here.

Day 2 (Saturday)

Ahhh, another beautiful morning in the south-west. After a bracing cold-water shower (shower!), a nice cuppa and a fried breakfast cooked in a wok, we were set. There were a couple of people we wanted to see, so we made loose plans and hoped to take in some bonus acts along the way. This is Womad’s true forte: the voyage of musical discovery you’re forced to embark upon. It’s inevitable you’ll only be familiar with a handful of names on the bill, unless you’re a true connoisseur of world music, so you have to experiment. Don’t like something? Move on. And if you do like something, chances are you’ll fall head over heels for it. Like when you take a punt on a CD by a group you’ve never heard of and it’s brilliant. It’s that feeling you’ve unearthed a gem that makes it feel that little bit more personal, more intimate. Thirty years have given Womad the time to perfect their formula, and its determined open-mindedness is what truly sets it apart from other music festivals. … Continue Reading

WOMAD 2012: A Festival Review, Part I

Charlton Park, July 26-29, 2012

All words and photos by Alex Kavanagh (http://www.alexkavanagh.com/)

When you think of Womad, it’s hard not to conjure up images of middle-aged chin-strokers and families of dairy-intolerant Guardianistas tapping their Birkenstocked feet to ultra un-trendy World Music. As a newbie at the festival, which celebrated its 30^th anniversary this year, I was lucky enough to be able to see it all through virgin eyes, and the preconception really didn’t match the reality. … Continue Reading

Leopallooza 2012: A Festival Review

By Charlotte Gay

The echoes of music, fun and laughter have been replaced to the gentle lowing of cows as Leopallooza VII draws its 2012 festival to a close. Their story began seven years ago when four avid music lovers wanted to create a festival with genuine intentions, fair prices, volunteering friends and a great atmosphere.  Leopallooza mark 7.0 proves their core values have not changed. They’re getting recognised for their work too with the Guardian this year naming it as a favourite boutique festival and one of the cheapest at that. … Continue Reading

Antony’s Meltdown 2012: A Festival Preview

Nick Cowan, Robert Freeman, Greg Salter and Sam Cleeve take a moment to look at some of the events they’re looking forward to as part of this year’s Antony-curated Meltdown Festival. This year’s Meltdown Festival takes place August 1st-12th t London’s Southbank Centre. Full line-up and tickets details are available here: http://meltdown.southbankcentre.co.uk/

… Continue Reading

Latitude 2012: A Festival Review, Part II

By Sam Cleeve

July 13-15, 2012

Part I of our coverage of this year’s Latitude festival can be found here.

A little later on Saturday, and we return to The Word Arena to catch masked London beat-maker SBTRKT. It’s the rowdiest a Latitude crowd gets all weekend–as tensions begin to mount before Aaron Jerome and his right-hand man Sampha take to the stage, we’re flanked by an unprecedented number of Topman wife-beaters, and there’s a staunch smell of Lynx in the air. Predictably then, things get a bit boisterous. In a sort of pseudo-riot, tentative pushing‘n’shoving, middle-class kind of way. Regardless, the duo put in an electrifying performance–from opener ‘Never Never’ through to the likes of ‘Wildfire’ and ‘Pharaohs,’ the pair blast through SBTRKT’s eponymous debut LP with an unrelenting ferocity. … Continue Reading