Festival season is upon us bringing just about every band you might want to see live…if you can get or afford a ticket.
SHAKEDOWN
JULY 9 / STANMER PARK / £35
5.5 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Razorlight, Mark Ronson, Example
DON’T MISS: Freemasons, Rivastarr, Prok & Fitch
There’s no better way to spend a summer’s day than with a great outdoor party. Forget about the idea of dance all-dayers being a Global Gathering-style filthy rave, Shakedown has put together a line-up of quality names that pop fans will have heard of and dance aficionados will respect. The big day out features a mix of DJs and live acts – Example, for example, is always a festival favourite. While it finishes early there are after parties planned for those with stamina. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Dance names you know come and party in Brighton
GLASTONBURY
JUNE 22-26 / GLASTONBURY / £200
130 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: U2, Coldplay, Beyonce
DON’T MISS: Crystal Castles, Everything Everything, Primal Scream
Yes, the big one. No other festival garners the same hype as the yearly pilgrimage to Pilton. The whole line-up can of beans has finally been spilled, so we know the Pyramid Stage headliners and the fact that Fleet Foxes, The Chemical Brothers and Mumford and Sons will all be in attendance too. It’s either a drought or a deluge, so pack your flip-flops and wellies, and although we don’t know what the weather will do, we’re definitely in for a good time. (JC)
IN A NUTSHELL: A city-sized spectacle under canvas
LATITUDE
JULY 14-17 / SUFFOLK / £170
160 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: The National, Paolo Nutini, Suede
DON’T MISS: Bombay Bicycle Club, Foals, The Vaccines
In its sixth outing Latitude is putting more emphasis on its slogan ‘It’s more than just a music festival’ than ever. Although the line-up boasts incredible talent, with a decent bag of headliners and many more on the bill, it’s still the non-music schedule that’s really amazing. A live Never Mind the Buzzcocks, a Q&A with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon and the Royal National Ballet all contribute to the truth of the slogan and a wide-ranging cultural cornucopia. (JC)
IN A NUTSHELL: Radio 4 in a field
BANGFACE
MAY 13-15 / CAMBER SANDS / £159
52 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Leftfield, Jeff Mills, Amen Allstars
DON’T MISS: Gonjasufi, Atari Teenage Riot, Chris Clark
This weekender is pretty much the closest you can come to the hedonistic illegal raves of the late 80s/early 90s, and is essentially a riotous debauchery fest. If you’re a fan of acidic sounds, raves, slogans, and waking up with your brain seeping out of your ears, get yourself to Bangface where you’re guaranteed a mental weekend, and all in a Pontins Holiday Park. Nuts, with a soundtrack to match. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: A raving mad chaos fest
END OF THE ROAD
SEPTEMBER 2-4 / DORSET / £145
101 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Beirut, Joanna Newsom, Mogwai
DON’T MISS: The Fall, Midlake, Gruff Rhys
There’s a really nice vibe about this West Country gathering – intimate and uncluttered, it’s a world away from the hoards of pilled-up partygoers who frequent other fests. It’s kind of like a mini family camping holiday with more activities than usual, like the obvious draw of the music plus art, workshops for all ages, comedy and cinema, all taking place in beautiful surroundings and helped along by great food and drink. (NC)
IN A NUTSHELL: Creative viewing and doing
LOVEBOX
JULY 15-17 / HACKNEY / £31-108
56.9 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Snoop Dogg, The Wombats, Scissor Sisters
DON’T MISS: Beth Ditto, The Drums, Robyn
The most properly festival-like atmosphere of the London outdoor events, Lovebox has evolved a distinctive character for itself over the last eight years. Snoop doing ‘Doggystyle’ will be worth seeing, and the unofficial Sunday ‘Gay Day’ looks set to close the weekend in flamboyant style with the perfect-for-outdoors antics of the Scissor Sisters. It’s an eclectic mix of music and fun that attracts a wide-ranging and enthusiastic crowd. (NC)
IN A NUTSHELL: True festival vibes in an urban setting
MEADOWLANDS
MAY 27-29 / LEWES / £80
11 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Hot Club De Paris, Penguin Café, Turin Brakes
DON’T MISS: Mirrors, Jo Harman, The Miserable Rich
For the greener Brightonians out there, Meadowlands offers a carbon-neutral showcase of local and national talent. Set in the grounds of a Sussex manor house, this bio-fuelled three-day festival features a Tru Thoughts club night on Friday followed by two nights of eco-friendly music. Also on offer is home-cooked food and at 50p a pop the luxury toilets are an unusual but welcome festival treat. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Intimate and local, it won’t cost the earth
LETS ROCK THE MOOR
MAY 21 / MAIDENHEAD / £20
77 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Rick Astley, T’Pau, The Real Thing
DON’T MISS: Curiosity Killed The Cat, The Quotes, Who Are You?
If you’re at a festival and ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ starts playing then you might think your mates have Rick Rolled you. But no, this is the real Rick Astley, backed up with other huge 80s stars T’Pau and Curiosity Killed The Cat. It’s like a live version of It Is Still 1985. There’s a handful of covers bands including Stereophonics and Who tributes and some original songs from local Cookham bands. That’s a lot of entertainment for 20 quid. (JK/BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Bringing back the 80s, at that decade’s prices
GLADE
JUNE 10-12 / WARWICKSHIRE / £135
144 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Trentemøller, Global Communication, Adam Beyer.
DON’T MISS: Skrillex, Krafty Kuts, Dub FX
After the unfortunate events that led to its cancellation last year, Glade has ‘stripped back to its shiny grass roots’, away with the big top tents in favour of smaller, intimate stages and a more relaxed vibe. New to this year, the Sanctuary away from the mayhem offers blissful treats to replenish achey bodies; there’s free yoga classes too. The LZRDM (laser dome) contains 40 individually-controlled lasers to beam you up like, spiritually, man as you dance the night away. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Grassroots ravin’
BESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 8-11 / ISLE OF WIGHT / £170
64 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: The Cure, Pendulum, Primal Scream
DON’T MISS: PJ Harvey, Crystal Castles, The Drums
Curator Rob da Bank has definitely pulled out the schedule of the year with this year’s Bestival. Yes, the Isle of Wight extravaganza of whimsy and wonder is back and brags the line-up of line-ups – The Cure, Pendulum, Primal Scream presenting ‘Screamadelica’, Brian Wilson, PJ Harvey, Fatboy Slim, Kelis, Big Audio Dynamite, Paloma Faith, Noah and The Whale, Groove Armada, The Drums, Katy B, The Maccabees, and The Village People. Speaks for itself really. (JC)
IN A NUTSHELL: Dress-up fun in the sun
SECRET GARDEN PARTY
JULY 21-24 / CAMBRIDGSHIRE / £155
134 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Leftfield, Guillemots, Mylo
DON’T MISS: Alabama 3, Mystery Jets, The Bees
Bringing the random fun of Bestival to the Cambridgshire countryside, SGP is the festival idealist’s dream come true. A huge line-up of music across a mass of intimate stages is often a mere distraction from the enormous sense of oneness and adventure its attendees seem to revel in. No corporate banners and a kind of co-operative approach to the event’s financing and reinvestment make it a really cool thing to be a part of. (NC)
IN A NUTSHELL: Big scale festival vibes in a small scale setting
LARMER TREE
JULY 13-17 / SALISBURY / £197
101 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Seasick Steve, Jools Holland, Imelda May
DON’T MISS: Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Bellowhead, Ozomatli
If you’re not looking for an all-night-raving, mosh-pitting experience but still want to get to a festival this summer, Larmer Tree is perfect. Voted the Best Family Festival at the UK Festival Awards 2008, this is definitely somewhere you can take your little bro or sis for their first festie experience. With a wide variety of genres and a veritable smorgasbord of activities including theatre, art and even a film club from the godlike movie critic Mark Kermode. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Family fun with something for everyone, not just music lovers
THE BIG CHILL
AUGUST 4-7 / LEDBURY / £165
176 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Kanye West, Chemical Bros, Rodrigo y Gabriela
DON’T MISS: Metronomy, Janelle Monae, Warpaint
Bloody hell, The Big Chill has only managed to bag Kanye West for their festival. With a booking like that there won’t be much chilling – this is party time. But it’s still in the beautiful setting of Eastnor Castle Deer Park and Rodrigo y Gabriela will be bringing acoustic loveliness so the link to the past isn’t completely gone. We like this new vibe though – the BC has really made its mark as a revitalised festival for non-rabid dance fans. Art, films, cabaret and comedy round off a varied and eclectic event. (JK)
IN A NUTSHELL: It’s big. It’s not as chilled as it used to be
PLAYGROUP
AUGUST 5-7 / TUNBRIDGE WELLS / £77
33.1 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: The Correspondents, Hexstatic, High Rankin
DON’T MISS: Nordic Giants, Hint, The Apples
Playgroup’s secretive debut went down a treat last year – bringing together the creative movers and shakers of Brighton for one big three-day magical musical bender. We’re talking bands, acrobats, cabaret performers, jugglers and dancers all in the picturesque location of Eridge Park, complete with hidden wooded glades. It’s not all about music either, expect art installations from world famous graffiti artists, giant origami dinosaurs and the Gin’ll Fix It agony aunt bar serving up solace in a highball or three. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: The best bits of Brighton in a field
STANDON CALLING
AUGUST 11-14 / HERTFORDSHIRE / £120
102 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Spiritualised, Battles, Penguin Café
DON’T MISS: Born Ruffians, John Cooper Clarke, Caravan Palace
One of the best festivals we went to last year, Standon Calling is an intimate, fancy dress-loving affair which punches way above its weight, especially in its indie-based line-up. It has a reputation for spotting upcoming talent and mixing it with classic artists of the last decade or so, Standon is also the only UK festival to feature the combination of a swimming pool, all night bars and a nightclub. Thank god they have excellent lifeguards. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Intimate with a great line-up and beautiful setting
OUT OF THE ORDINARY
SEPTEMBER 23-25 / HAILSHAM / £45
28 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: TBC
DON’T MISS: TBC
No line-up confirmed as we write this, but Out Of The Ordinary is a three-day, season’s end festival loosely aimed at the longer-haired elements of the community. Its many attractions are grouped under the elemental themes of air, fire, earth and water, and the emphasis is firmly on a natural and holistic experience with ethical produce and organic booze. This is a good one to get kids into the true sprit of festival experience at a young and impressionable age. (NC)
IN A NUTSHELL: A festival vibe like you see on great old documentaries
BOOMTOWN FAIR
AUGUST 11-14 / SECRET LOCATION / £97
1 HOUR FROM SOUTHWEST LONDON
HEADLINERS: Gogol Bordello, Goldie Looking Chain, DJ Zinc
DON’T MISS: The King Blues, The Selecter, Barrington Levy
Having completely nailed bass-heavy music, this year Boomtown have added jump up swing and gypsy to their mash-up of reggae, hip hop, dubstep and rockabilly. Highlights include the Bassline Circus stage, hosting a chunky selection of Foreign Beggars, Ms Dynamite and JFB. With old fashioned bars and discos playing music from the 50s for the old and the old of heart, Boomtown truly is great if you love bass heavy music, with plenty to explore if you don’t. It’s getting better every year, and Gogol Bordello are always worth seeing. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Bass and more bass topped with rock’n’roll
FIRST DAYS OF FREEDOM
JULY 15-18 / SECRET LOCATION / £79
50 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Mystery Jets, Tinchy Stryder, Zane Lowe
DON’T MISS: Dry The River, Dirtyphonics, Tempa T
A brand new lifestyle, extreme sports, music and general coming of age festival, this is aimed squarely at school and college leavers – 10,000 of whom are hoped will arrive at this undisclosed location in Kent. The festival grounds are filled with inflatable dome venues forming a micro-city of entertainment, including live bands, the best of clubbing with UV raves and foam parties, and even a full circus fairground. There’s a serious side too for the lower octane attendee, with talks and workshops.
IN A NUTSHELL: The last summer outing with all your school and college mates – make it count
READING
AUGUST 26-28 / READING / £192
82 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: My Chemical Romance, The Strokes, Muse
DON’T MISS: Pulp, Friendly Fires, Metronomy
This year’s Reading doesn’t actually have the greatest main stage line-up ever; there’s no big reunion on the cards and no extraordinarily massive headliner. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t still one of the best festivals in the country, especially if you venture outside the main arena. The campsite banter is always brilliant, the sense of camaraderie with everyone is incredible, the music is generally great and the potential for anarchy to explode at any time is always welcome. (JC)
IN A NUTSHELL: Rock mainstay outstanding in its field
SUNRISE CELEBRATION
JUNE 2-5 / WARMINSTER / £108
147 MILES FROM BRIGHTON
HEADLINERS: Lamb, The Beat, System 7
DON’T MISS: The Correspondents, The Orb, Jono McCleery
Sunrise takes its role as the UK’s leading sustainable arts and music festival very seriously, concentrating their effort of building “organically grown good vibes”. The bohemian atmosphere is clear to see from an array of alternative lifestyle talks and workshops, plus there’s a line-up that includes the best 90s chilled out sounds and trippy electronica, mixed with reggae and world sounds. A healthy handful of folk with Johnny Flynn and Jono McCleery give this festival a relaxed feel. (BR)
IN A NUTSHELL: Chilled out and green
WORDS BY NICK COQUET, JAKE CUNNINGHAM, STEPHANIE DUNLEAVY, JESSICA MARSHALL MCHATTIE, BILL ROBINSON