There was a Twitter account for Doves fans a few years called something like @Dovespleasegettogetheragain (it’s no longer live, having successfully done its job). It was a place where the Doves-bereft could share their heartbreak and hopefully jog the trio back into action. And lo, in 2019, it happened – as Doves headed out to…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Festival Number 6 feels as if it has fully got into its stride. It offers a dizzying array of intelligently-curated events, from bands and DJs to comedy, nighttime processions, workshops and talks, plus something this festival has come to excel in – interviews and intimate performances by a handful of the main-stage artists.
Read More
One of my favourite festivals has just got even more exciting. A new headliner has been revealed for Festival No 6 – it’s the legendary Mancunian indie-rockers James as the surprise co-headline act on Sunday night. Said Jim Glennie from James: ‘I love Portmeirion and I can’t believe we are going to play a gig there.…
Read More
Festival planners are busy putting together their lineups for 2015 – and these are just a few of my personally tried-and-tested events. When it comes to festival size, I’m not one for marathon walks from tent to stage (nothing like a trip back to basecamp for an afternoon snooze and a cup of tea) so there’s no mention of…
Read More
Portmeirion is awe-inspiring on even the gloomiest, most drizzly day in January. So last weekend’s vision of the Italianate village set against a blue sky, fizzing with all the music, energy and colour of Festival No 6 2014, made it even more spectacular. The combination of Portmeirion’s ridiculously seductive charms combined with the glow of the Indian summer…
Read More
Here’s an update of some of my top festival recommends for 2014 and as of the time of posting, still have tickets available. These are all small to medium-sized gatherings (no hour-long trudges to the arena). All these festivals have plenty of well thought-out activities for children and a fairly broad age range of attendance, so whether…
Read More
Dust down the sleeping bags and camping stove, the start of festival season is only a couple of months away. These days, music festivals are working harder to attract a following, offering debating sessions and workshops, banquets and ballooning, hoping to carve out a unique and identifiable image from a sea of formulaic events. Here…
Read More