Beacons Festival, nestled in the heart of the Yorkshire moors, is boutique bliss. Having burst onto the already swollen festival scene a mere two years ago, the four night event boasts the crème de la crème in food, arts and culture-and by no means slim pickings when it comes to stellar performers.
It’s tough to know where to start when the offerings span from up-front indie to chillcore trance, edgy noise punk to folky-psych pop (if you hadn’t already guessed, this festival could count as "one for the hip ‘n’ happening students") but Friday headliner Bonobo is a sure place to start. If you weren’t lucky enough to catch the trip hop megastar’s down-tempo London shows showcasing new album ‘The North Borders’ then you have no excuse not to go. Simon Green's bass-guitared brainchild will surely be the premier event of the weekend, with Gold Panda's similarly trippy blend of electronica shortly following.
Not to worry fans of the heavier side of life; Canadian hardcore outfit F*cked Up will no doubt, a la Gallows, prove they're eclectic and interesting enough to break out from the punk scene into all rounder NME poster boys. F*cked Up may not be one not to take your kids to, but the festival's famously family themes (the Guerilla Rave Rug is apparently perfect for the child who wants every day to be their birthday) add generational variety beyond what the lineup suggests.
For more chilled out vibes, check out Channel One Soundsystem and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats; the former being world famous reggae dub DJs (expect tantalising Panda Dub overlays) and the latter grubbing out some classic stoner rock 'n' roll. Nice.
Others not to miss: Local Natives, Django Django, Eats Everything, Egyptian Hip Hop, Savages, Hookworms, Drenge
Beacons Festival takes place on the Funkirk Estate, Skipton between the 16th-18th August and, at just under £100 a ticket, is set to be the most economically priced-for-what-you-get fest of the summer.
For full lineup details and information visit: www.greetingsfrombeacons.com
