Bestival

Sigma, Tayo and more set for Temple Island at Bestival 2014

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The return of the hugely popular Temple Island at this years Bestival will be powered by SBTV and they have an almightly lineup to boot.

Temple Island curator, and director of The Physical Network, Liam Negus-Fancey says “We’re really excited to be back at Bestival with Temple Island after its phenomenal debut last year. The acts reflect our audience, they go above and beyond what others expect, constantly evolving to produce the best environment possible. We’re teaming up with the Bestival creative crew to build a brand new venue to host this exciting pool of fresh, boundary pushing talent to ensure you’re partying late into the night!”

Temple Island host and SBTV founder Jamal Edwards says: “I’m a massive fan of Bestival, it was one of the very first festivals I went to, and the experience was unreal. So partnering up with them this year is an honour for me. I'm a big supporter of the electronic dance scene, so I'm really happy that Bestival has given me an opportunity to put on an area that has got such great names like Kidnap Kid, T Williams, Preditah & many more”.

Out of the traps and ready to spank the dancefloor from the word go, Temple Island goes big from the off with a Thursday night line-up that includes Austrian chart-botherers Klangkarussell, epic house purveyor Kidnap Kid, bass heavy Bristolian Woz, Bestival’s top castaway Rob da Bank going up against Robin Hill regular Tayo for a touch of Purple Rave and the Monkeylove Stunt Team.

Friday’s dancefloor indulgences include jacking action from T Williams, monstrous manoeuvres from Shadow Child, gigantic grimey garage finesse from Preditah, cut-up vocal comforts from Lxury, divine duo Maribou State going b2b with audio-chisellerPedestrian, triple trouble on the double from Spoils And Monkey Wrench and siblings on a mission Star One.

Saturday’s look goes for chart-toppers Sigma dropping the big hitters, garage vibes from Shift K3Y, heavyweight attitude from Ed Solo, genre-mashing deeds from My Nu Leng, rave behaviour from Friend Within, London Grammar’s Dot Major, predestined vibrations from Karma and a live set from sultry soul chanteuse Purple Ferdinand.

And, bringing Temple Island’s second Bestival outing to a triumphant close will be Sunday servings from the Eton Messy crew who are back for another takeover, with their top boys’ own Blonde, fast rising Lancashire duo Bondax, Leeds twosome Wayward, Electric Minds’ skipper Dolan Bergin and Southern Fried’s own Kashii.

Bestival Unveils Boundary Breaking Acts And The Best New Bands

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This years Bestival unveils breaking new acts and some of the hottest bands around including:

Tune-Yards / Factory Floor / Mnek / Wolf Alice / The Amazing Snakeheads / Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats / The Wytches / MØ / Fat White Family / Say Lou Lou / Glass Animals / John Wizards / Ezra Furman / Joel Compass / Woman’S Hour / Pional / Rosie Lowe / Childhood / Kate Tempest / Jessy Lanza / Melt Yourself Down / The Front Bottoms / Hockeysmith / Wild Smiles / Black Orange Juice / Rag N Bone Man / Vaults / Ftse / Tourist / Sivu / God Damn / Happyness / The Correspondents / Bo Saris / Congopunq / Indiana / The Bulletproof Bomb / FÉ / Cousin Marnie

With a cavalcade of big hitters, including OutKast, Foals, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, Beck, Busta Rhymes, Candi Staton, Sven Vath, Chase & Status and many more already lined up to take Bestival’s Desert Island Disco to stratospheric new heights, Rob da Bank and the Bestival crew have been beavering away behind the scenes, rooting out gleaming talents to ensure we bring you the freshest acts around. With a long history of championing the next big thing, unearthing the incredible and showcasing the best new sounds, both on his Radio 1 show and at Bestival, these are the cream of the acts getting the man like da Bank all hot under the collar. From boundary pushing mavericks to hip young chaps in this year’s slacks, we’re set to announce a ton of the most exciting bands in the world, who will be dropping in to Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight this September 4-7 to blow you away!

Rob da Bank says: “So in our humble opinion these are the breaking acts of 2014 from the worlds of rock, indie, electronics and pretty much any genre – a delve inside the musical brain of Rob da Bank to find the ones to watch, the ones who'll make records you'll love this summer and the ones who'll make you dance ya socks off in September”. 

With her third album Nikki Nack out this week, we’re pretty darn chuffed to announce Merrill Garbus AKA tUnE-yArDs will be heading across the Solent to bring her uniquely kaleidoscopic collision of aural extremes for your collective listening pleasure. Smashing buckled cheerleader chants into punk riffs with razor-sharp melodies and colossal beats, Merrill, alongside long-time cohort Nate Brenner, is a force of nature when it comes to performing live, so don’t miss out.

Riding a wave of critical acclaim for their eponymous debut album, released late last year, we’re very pleased to say that Factory Floor will return to Robin Hill with an all out assault of mind-melting sequences, crashing rhythms and twisted vocals, plus there will be sets from Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and sometime Rudimental collaborator MNEK, deliriously unabashed indie-noise merchants Wolf Alice, exhilarating Glasgow trio The Amazing Snakeheads, critically acclaimed psychedelic doom purveyors Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, apocalyptic surf rockers The Wytches, Danish electropop chanteuse Mø, and scuzzy rock n roll six-piece and all-round incendiary live behemoth Fat White Family.

We’re not stopping there though, we’ll have live music from BBC Sound 0f 2014 nominees Say Lou Lou, Paul Epworth protégés Glass Animals, genre-swerving pan-global types John Wizards, gritty rocker Ezra Furman, atmospheric soulster Joel Compass, archetypal indie quartet Woman’s Hour, Spanish vocalist and sometime John Talabot collaborator Pional, twisted R&B nightingale Rosie Lowe and hazy pysch dudes Childhood.

And the new music keeps on coming with appearances from Kate Tempest, Jessy Lanza, Melt Yourself Down, The Front Bottoms, Hockeysmith, Wild Smiles, Black Orange Juice, Rag N Bone Man, Vaults, FTSE, Tourist, Sivu, God Damn, Happyness, The Correspondents, Bo Saris, Congopunq, Indiana, The Bulletproof Bomb, Fé and Cousin Marnie.

There’s still plenty more incredible music, mayhem and madness to announce, so make sure you join us at the Desert Island Disco this September for an escapist weekend of off the chain behaviour!

Reggae Roots stage added to Bestival

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Featuring Bestival regulars Reggae Roast, Tayo and jim8track as residents throughout the weekend, withReggaerobics every day to awaken your inner lion, the Roots Reggae stage kicks off big on Thursday night with Radio 1’s Toddla T making good with the rockers and heavy beats man Dub Phizix dropping the drum n bass, plus there will be bassline pressure from Prince Fatty and Ashley Beedle on a Yardism tip.

Friday’s soundsystem controllers spreading musical sunshine via the medium of bass include erstwhile Rebel MC,Congo Natty Ft. Congo Dubz & Tenor Fly, original skanking rave dons SL2 and the incomparable Trojan Sound System. Plus there will be outlandish live antics from Uzimon, and sublime versions from Unit 137’s Ghost Writerz.

Nice Up run ting on Saturday, getting scientific with Jus Now’s sub-heavy carribean rhythms, 1Xtra’s Robbo Ranxand his dancehall waist-winders, the legendary Rodney P getting lyrical, bassbin botherer Mr Benn, Nice Up’s ownShepdog, mash-up soundman Jstar, and Dub Mafia’s Eva Lazarus. Plus there will be beat-polymath Wrongtom, up-tempo irieness from Turntable Dubbers, dapper dan Count Skylarkin, and authentic reggae power sound fromWreck It Up Crew.

And the Reggae Roots stage is gonna be large and in charge on Sunday, with the mighty Jah Shaka’s uncompromising high energy riddims capping a day that will see digital don Mad Professor at the controls, a live set from the explosive Natty and Poland’s dancefloor warriors, Dreadsquad supplying the goodness. There will also be live sets from hook-laden, bass heavy beatmiesters Rebel Control, progressive Ska types and Isle of Wight locals The Ohmz, and London based duo Subculture Sage, plus we’ll have an appearance from supreme selector Kaptin Is Dead.

REGGAE ROOTS

RESIDENTS 
REGGAE ROAST / TAYO / JIM8TRACK / DAILY REGGAEROBICS SESSIONS!

THURSDAY 
TODDLA T / DUB PHIZIX / PRINCE FATTY / ASHLEY BEEDLE PRESENTS YARDISM

FRIDAY 
CONGO NATTY FT. CONGO DUBZ & TENOR FLY / SL2 / TROJAN SOUND SYSTEM / UZIMON (LIVE) / GHOST WRITERZ

SATURDAY: NICE UP! PRESENTS 
JUS NOW / ROBBO RANX (1XTRA) / RODNEY P / MR BENN / SHEPDOG / JSTAR / EVA LAZARUS / WRONGTOM / TURNTABLE DUBBERS / COUNT SKYLARKIN / WRECK IT UP CREW /

SUNDAY 
JAH SHAKA / MAD PROFESSOR / NATTY (LIVE) / DREADSQUAD / REBEL CONTROL (LIVE) / THE OHMZ (LIVE) / SUBCULTURE SAGE (LIVE) / KAPTIN IS DEAD

Bestival Red Bull Music Academy lineup announced

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Taking its place among more than 20 stages in 10 fields of wonderment with mega soundsystems, non-stop parties and 24-hour escapism, Bestival are delighted to announce that Red Bull Music Academy will be returning to Robin Hill once again in 2014 with a mind-blowing new stage featuring a stunning altar dedicated to dance and a winged deity. 

A takeover by Glaswegian electronic music Mafiosi Numbers, who return to Bestival for the fourth time, kicks things off on Thursday, with Jackmaster & Oneman Present Can U Danceshowcasing their four-deck manoeuvres, live sets from Redhino, and Kool Clap and Spencergoing back to back with Optimo.

Commenting on his return to Bestival Jackmaster said: “We've started thinking of Numbers at Bestival as a bit of a tradition within our ranks, as have myself and Oney with our b2b sets at the festival. Heavy looking forward to taking that to the next level with our 4 deck Can U Dance set and also welcoming two of our favourite DJs on the planet!”

Friday sees Harvey’s Discotheque taking charge, channelling the same wide-grinned disco as his sell-out UK comeback gig with RBMA in 2012. Techno DJ du jour Daniel Avery joins in, alongside stalwarts of the sunrise anthem Pachanga Boys, while Eric Duncan brings the party-throwing antics of his NYC outfit Rub N Tug to the fray, and the ever-charismatic Berlinite Hugo Capablanca goes maximal. The Red Bull Music Academy alumni corner is repped by Jolly Mare and Andre Laos, both from the 2013 edition in New York.

Speaking about his Red Bull Music Academy appearance at Bestival, Harvey said: “Having been a regular guest DJ at Rob’s original Sunday Best Party almost 20 years ago, it's a real treat to come full circle and curate my own Discotheque at Josie and Robby's Bestival, and what a theme! “We've put together a really great line-up of DJ's, some you will have heard and others that have blown my socks off when I've seen them DJ on my travels. It's an honour to play with them all for you all. I can't bloomin' wait”.

Saturday’s line-up comes packing some urban heat, headed up by Boy Better Know’s JME,Skepta, and ex-Kiss FM DJ Logan Sama. They’re joined by garage poster boy Preditah with regular collaborator C4, Rinse co-founder and “Godfather of Grime” Slimzee with Riko Dan, and dubstep pioneer and early FWD fave Plastician. Saturday’s special guest comes in the form of garage royalty DJ EZ, while RBMA alumni Elijah and Skilliam go b2b for an alumni hat-trick.

Bringing the weekend to a close, Sunday sees Diplo & friends take the headline slot, with appearances through the night from seasoned beatmaker Kaytranada, enigmatic remix artisteTrippy Turtle, dubstep originator Artwork and sublime selector Martelo. Rounding up Sunday’s roster, 2013 RBMA alumni DJ Slow and Sinjin Hawke weigh in.

Supplementing the music, the stage will be brought to life along a ‘dance temple’ design theme, complete with totem poles and resplendent tribal miscellanea inside and out – a fitting testament to the pantheon of talent on offer. Cranking out sermons of hip-swaying hedonism, the roster brings together acts from across the spectrum, giving Academy alumni the chance to share the bill with legends for a party to end all parties, at our Desert Island Disco.

Skreamizm comes to Bestival

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Skream says: "I’m extremely proud/excited/over the moon to be able to say I'm hosting a tent at Bestival this year! I’ve been playing at Bestival for the last 4/5 years (I think), and to be able to say I took Skreamizm there, I'll die a happy man!"

Taking it back to the source, Skreamizm is all about ace tunes on fat soundsystems, like it should be. Bringing the unmistakably ecstatic vibes of funky little sweatboxes where the real action is, we’re over the moon that Skreamizm is coming to blow away Bollywood at Bestival on Friday 5th September. Blazing his own trail, Skream, AKA Oliver Jones’, recent Rollercoaster joint smashed disco into the future, so it’s more than fitting that he will be adding his own inimitable style to our Desert Island Disco.

Also adding his not inconsiderable presence to Skreamizm at Bestival is Chicago house leviathan Derrick Carter! Quite simply one of the greats, Derrick Carter’s sets are as edifying as they are electrifying, taking in underground house, soul, jazz and, of course, disco. His own ‘Derrick Carter Does Disco’ sessions have had dancefloor aficionados and those in the know begging for more,  so this rare treat, as Derrick joins Skreamizm to dig deep into his crate of disco classics, makes it a total honour for us to welcome him back to Bestival. 

Completing the Skreamizm line-up at Bestival will be current UK singles chart number 1, Route94 who has long enjoyed support from Skream, and knows his way around a massive banger or two and long-time Bestival party favourites Horse Meat Disco who will pump pure joy out of the soundsystem and into your bones.

Bestival’s 2014 lineup continues to grow

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With the Desert Island Disco in full swing for this years Bestival having previously announced Chic feat Nile Rodgers, Outkast, Beck, Foals and many more, we can now reveal more additions!

Joining the disco will be house legends Basement Jaxx, Paloma Faith and Candi Station.

A stunning chanteuse and no mistake, Paloma Faith is the very definition of unique, so we are delighted that she will be joining us on Sunday night in the Big Top to close this year’s Bestival. With a brand new album, A Perfect Contradiction, due for release imminently, Paloma’s disco credentials are just about as good as they come and with her well know penchant for dressing up, she’s the perfect fit for a sassy climax to our Desert Island Disco.

Commenting on her Bestival appearance, Paloma Faith said: “Bestival is the best festival because everyone gets dressed up and I will be too, dressing my band up… It’s so perfect that I should be invited to play at this festival this year because my new album, which is called A Perfect Contradiction, was all influenced by the history of soul music, particularly disco. So, I was listening to artists like Candi Staton, Prince, Chaka Khan, Gloria Gaynor, all of those types of artists, Parliament, Funkadelic, the lot… It is my favourite festival without a doubt, I’m so excited, see you there!”

No strangers to spanking a dancefloor, the Bestival crew are very pleased indeed to welcome back Basement Jaxx to Robin Hill. Headliners at the very first Bestival, we know for a fact that Basement Jaxx have got a truck load of tunes that will keep you reaching for the lasers long into the night. A full on live extravaganza, Felix, Simon and co always fail to disappoint with their hip swaying, booty shaking business, so don’t miss them!

Basement Jaxx’s Felix Buxton said “It was an honour and a pleasure to headline the very first Bestival – and we are very pleased to be back!"

Finally for now, it is a true honour to announce that one of the legends of gospel, disco and dance music, Candi Staton will be gracing our Desert Island Disco with her presence. With super-soulful tracks like Young Hearts Run Free, her amazing version of Stand By Your Man and, of course, You Got The Love, Candi’s voice has sound-tracked two generations of joyful good times and we can’t wait to bust our moves to her grooves.

The Port returns to Bestival with Sven Vath, Chase & Status and more

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One of the most imaginative stages ever built, The Port returns to Bestival 2014 to host some of the biggest DJ's!

Heading up the first of three full-on days of big sounds is Cocoon kingpin and techno protagonist Sven Väth, who, for over 30 years, has been transporting dancefloors to rapturous new lands and will no doubt baptise 2014’s Port crew with his boundary pushing brilliance. Friday will also see sets from uncompromising genius Damian Lazarus, bass heavy groove merchant Eats Everything, rave detonator Boys Noize, driving techno type Bella Sarris, sine-woven tech head South London Ordnance, and our very own chief castaway Rob da Bank.

Saturday action comes courtesy of the amazing Annie Mac Presents, with sets from Annie Mac, the incomparable Green Velvet, 1-800-DINOSAUR (ft James Blake / Dan Foat / Airhead / Mr Assister), stripped back beats architect Route94, underground house duo Bicep, Hot Natured resident Richy Ahmed, mutant house purveyorKrystal Klear and BBC Radio 1’s Monki.

Wrapping things up at The Port for 2014 is an almighty beats blitzkrieg featuring a DJ set from soul-stirring bass lords Chase & Status, plus drum n bass legend Andy Cwill present Ram, with firing sets from Wilkinson and Loadstar and MCs 2shy, Adapt and Jakes. We’ll also have dancefloor action from beat ninja Jaguar Skills, Foamo and RackNRuin in their Gorgon City guise, soul infused pair Dusky, wildly experimental riddim wizard Kaytranada, divinely deep duo Âme and techno twosome Dense & Pika.

Chic feat Nile Rodgers to headline Bestival 2014

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Closing out this years Bestival will be the king of funk himself, Mr Nile Rodgers who comes fresh off a massive year releasing Daft Punk's hit Get Lucky and picking up three Grammy Awards and a Brit Award.

Rob da Bank says: “Ever since I first booked Chic and Nile for Bestival a few years back they have hands down been the best live band we've ever had at Bestival and Camp Bestival. And once people start realising how many hits Nile has written and produced for artists ranging from Madonna and David Bowie through to Daft Punk's Get Lucky you realise this is just one huge disco jukebox that is gonna keep firing out the hits all night! I’m over the moon that Nile and the crew are going to wrap up our Desert Island Disco Finale with a damn funky, glittery bang. Everybody Dance!”

We’re chomping at the bit to get on our Desert Island dancefloor as super producer and the world’s coolest man, Nile Rodgers is bringing the ultimate cosmic party band, Chic Featuring Nile Rodgers back to Robin Hill, this time as glorious Sunday night headliners!

Speaking about his headline set Nile Rodgers said: “I’m so excited to be back at Bestival, this time in the prestigious Sunday night headliner slot following legends Stevie Wonder and Elton John. Expect an extra special Desert Island Disco set from myself and Chic! Looking forward to seeing you all in September”

The undisputed heavyweight King of Disco and hailed “a legend” by none other than Pharrell following their crowd-slaying collaboration at the BRITs, Mr Nile Rodgers is the world’s most in-demand producer right now, racking up studio time with the likes of Chase & Status, Felix da Housecat, Disclosure, David Guetta, Tensnake, and Avicii. Additionally, Nile is also the man behind the biggest career hits from David Bowie, Dianna Ross, Duran Duran, and Madonna, to name but a few. In recent years at Bestival, we’ve seen Nile and his Chic organisation re-emerge as a globally respected and truly mighty musical force and can’t wait to see them bringing the house down like only they can, headlining Sunday evening.