The good, the bad and the muddy… On a positive note, Festival Number 6 yet again had its moments of music, magic and discovery. The location is Portmeirion, the beautiful and quirky Italian village in north Wales. And it was commendable to note just how many of the artists appearing on Festival No 6’s various stages were from…
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Forecasts were for gales, thunder and torrential rain. What we actually got were tantalising peeks of sun, and showers which floated down with clockwork regularity like a sprinkler system. If you’ve ever wanted a quiet word with the Met Office when they get things wrong, by fortunate coincidence there they were, at Einstein’s Garden, Green Man’s science /…
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In the third of my ‘festivals and food’ series, Gourmet Gigs this week takes a look at the gorgeous global food treats at Womad. The festival might be known primarily for world music, but it has steadily built a name for itself in the food arena too, and the Taste the World stage has proved popular over the…
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If the TV programme Location, Location, Location were to feature festivals instead of houses, I imagine the following would be selected. These have a magic location ingredient, being either gorgeous, rural, coastal or just unique. A festival in a great location can inspire you in the way a good holiday does. Blue Dot (above) 22 – 24 July A new…
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I was tempted to call this review of Field Day, in its 10th celebratory year, “A Tale of Two Festivals”. Saturday was primarily populated with a youthful crowd, offering plenty of dance music and DJs. The centre of the site featured the festival’s delightful Village Mentality area where games and general silliness were in full flow on the ‘village green’,…
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The weather gods smiled down on Bearded Theory again this year: I can only imagine it was at the sight of so many hirsute individuals disporting themselves in the Magical Sounds dance tent, stomping along to The Levellers on the main stage, or maybe it was the giant pink puppets prancing about the festival site. Each year, Bearded…
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Field Day festival has built a reputation for intelligent curation and securing exclusives – this year PJ Harvey and James Blake are headlining, with artists such as Floating Points, Blossoms, Goat and Fat White Family as part of the eclectic lineup. I’ll always be grateful to Field Day for managing to entice the elusive Mazzy Star onto their stage in 2012. The team are working similar magic…
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1 It’s the perfect festival season opener three (and a bit) days of music with a choice of stages and two new ones for 2016, plus the infamous dance tent. And there’s plenty more going on besides. Tickets are only just over £100 and Bearded Theory festival is, as usual, on the way to selling out, so don’t wait too long. 2 Magical…
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If you’re a festival fan, by now you’re dreaming of a green field, banners waving in the breeze, the sound of a band on the main stage… yes, festival season is nearly upon us again, and here is my Ultimate Festival Guide. Most have been personally tried and tested, some on a yearly basis – plus there’s…
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A review of the final day of folk music in Crouch End’s Earl Haig Hall. Part of The End festival
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