Rob da Bank says: “Woo hah people! Yes it’s true, Busta Rhymes has got you all in check and he’s coming to Bestival for his first ever UK festi appearance! I’m such a Busta fan and it’s amazing not just to see him back in the charts with another banger with Thank You but also to know he's getting on the ferry and bringing it to Bestival!”
Yes, you might have noticed that we like a bit of hip-hop at our Desert Island Disco, so we are extremely pleased to say that rap superstar Busta Rhymes is coming to Bestival to flex his next level skills in what will be his first ever UK festival appearance. A bona fide hip-hop colossus whose intricate technique has brought him a sack full of plaudits, Busta is gearing up to release the much anticipated Extinction Level Event 2 this year and we can’t wait to witness his dopeness on our main stage!
Commenting on their headline set Foals said: “We couldn't be more excited & honoured to be part of Bestival this year; it's the perfect end to our touring for Holy Fire. We promise a night of madness, mayhem & good times!”
Topping the bill on Thursday 4th September is the exalted Beck! With Morning Phase, his first album in six years, just about to drop and another one rumoured to be already done and dusted, Beck has a wealth of fantastic new material, as well as a treasure trove of favourites spanning R&B, hip-hop and folk at his command but no matter what he unleashes on us, you know it’s going to be a perfect start to our Desert Island Disco. A mercurial talent with an uncanny knack of pulling at the heartstrings, Beck is guaranteed to get Bestival 2014 off to a flyer!
Dynamic sibling duo, Disclosure, have gone about this conquering the world malarkey in breathtakingly swift fashion and their return to Bestival is a reflection of their meteoric rise. Playing our Main Stage on Friday night before OutKast, the brothers will, no doubt, take the crowd to fever pitch and beyond with their already overflowing armouring of big hitters and dancefloor detonators, lifted from their number one album, Settle. One of the biggest attractions aboard HMS Bestival last year, you can bet that Disclosure are going to get our Desert Island Disco bouncing. Don’t miss them.
Also guaranteed to send the Main Stage crowd into total frenzy, but this time on Sunday evening, will be the incomparable Major Lazer! Playing before our as yet to be revealed Sunday night headliner, Diplo, Jillionaire and Walshy Fire will be bringing the big cannons, firing off lashings of dutty dancehall and bountiful booty shaking bass. With their Apocalypse Soon EP due to drop later this month, you can expect plenty of super fresh and upfront behaviour to get you Pon De Floor from one of dance music’s most adventurous live acts.
We’re not stopping there though; this Desert Island Disco is just getting started! Joining in the throng of cool castaways will be the perfectly transfixing London Grammar, whose life-affirming brilliance really needs to be seen by absolutely everyone; Cumbrian four-piece Wild Beasts, whose imminent fourth album is already getting those in the know very hot under the collar; BBC Sound of 2014 winner Sam Smith, who will be returning to Bestival following a sensational set aboard HMS Bestival last year; genre-dodging sonic adventurers Caribou, whose main man Dan Snaith is in the form of his life; chart toppers Clean Bandit, whose electro-classical fusion is making them one of the most talked about bands around; synthpop trio Chvrches, whose beguiling pop hooks will captivate all our island’s tribes and delectable chanteuse Laura Mvula, whose psychedelic tinged soul has already made her one of the UK’s brightest new stars.
icking off with a frankly magnificent headliner, and our very best theme yet, believe us when we say Bestival is gonna go off big time this September 4th-7th, and you’re gonna want to be with us!
Rob da Bank says: “Hey ya! By the power invested in me as chief Bestival booker, I'm pretty darn excited to announce that OutKast are headlining Bestival this year! We've fought hard to get the recently reunited legendary hip-hop duo onto the ferry… and it's no ordinary ferry this year as Bestival goes Desert Island Disco for 2014… Palm trees, grass skirts and mirrorballs are the order of the day. It truly is gonna be the Bestival yet!”
Levels of excitement are beyond stratospheric in the Bestival bunker because one of our all-time favourite duos,OutKast, have not only reformed but they’re also coming to headline Bestival, laying down the sickest flows they know in one of only two UK Festival appearances! From Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik to Idlewild, Andre 3000 andBig Boi have consistently delivered booty shaking brilliance; their live shows are the stuff of legend and their comeback is undoubtedly one of the most feverishly anticipated this century, making Bestival a golden opportunity to catch the most popular, innovative and downright amazing hip-hop force on the planet! As you can probably tell, we’re just about as pleased as we’ve ever been that the Gs have returned and part of their 20th anniversary celebrations are going to be with us! BRING. IT. ON!
An overnight wash out and soggy campsites do nothing to calm the excitement of the campsites, particularly not the shock-and-awe naked guy who leapt into our front garden (code for hangout area in between tents) yelling loudly that he wanted everyone to join him in being “Tattooed and handsome”, but the sun is peeking out here and there as the dressed up masses head towards the main arena. Walking around, it’s clear to see the rain hasn’t dampened the British love for dressing up, as mer-men, sailors, jellyfish and sharks roam freely. We asked one enterprising soul if her freezer was now full of fish fingers, as she’d fashioned a costume from Birdseye boxes, she replied “Yeah, we’ll be eating them all winter…”.
2013 debut album smash-hitters Bastille turn out in style dressed as members of Team Zissou and play all the favourites to a packed out arena. ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Icarus’ go down a storm but it’s ‘Flaws’ that really packs a punch and a cover of ‘Rhythm of the Night’ is weird but kind of brilliant at the same time. Ending with ‘Pompeii’ Bastille do themselves justice, with the whole crowd singing along.
Following Bastille is A-Yo featuring Mark Ronson Vs. Zane Lowe with a Bestival party-mix, and over on the big hill, the Bandstand is playing host to the Zee Guveya Heritage Band. Getting up for ‘The Pizza Dance’ whilst a cardboard Viking longship (with a Viking hoarde aboard) sails/walks past is extremely bizarre, but sipping our Bestivale’s and sampling the amazing food on offer provides a little Bestival downtime. We munch our way through fresh grilled corn on the cob and the most delicious lobster and chips (which were caught just round the corner in Ventnor apparently) before dragging ourselves to the peak of the hill for a look across the site. The magnificent scale of Bestival is only surpassed by it’s colour, from the tents to the arena areas, the flags and the works of art – Bestival really is a beautiful place.
At the top of the hill is the secret hideaway for lost souls known as The Solace Tent. The interior is all leather chairs and wicker sofas, comfy cushions and tables you can write messages on – enough of a sanctuary in it’s own right, but the lovely bods there will give weary travellers a cup of something hot and a tasty bit of cake (baked by IOW churches)… for free! Re-energised by the Solace saints, a trip to tiny town is a giggle – the kid sized village which you can take amusing photographs in, before heading back down the hill via a rummage in the second hand tents (nanna-knits everywhere) and a few cheeky tasters at the Crabbies bus.
On the main stage, Rudimental are showing off their status with an absolutely packed arena, busting out big hit ‘Right Here’ accented by a weird burst of what tasted like flavoured smoke (?!) before a cover of Fugees’ ‘Ready or Not’ and closing with the huge ‘Feel The Love’, with everyone pogo-ing like mad. Next up are Glaswegian punk-pop rockers Franz Ferdinand with a blast of hits starting with ‘No You Girls’. ‘Do You Want To’ is only slightly marred by the enormous downpour that drops in, but as the skies clear, the boys of FF bring it home with ‘Take Me Out’. They might be accused of being a bit samey sometimes, with jarring chords over marching-band beats, but they do what they say on the tin, and perform well. It’s probably a shame for them that they’re playing right before their practical antithesis – Snoop Dogg.
With giant red, yellow and green Rasta banners and posters of his own face – it was inevitable that Snoop Dogg would roll out with as much swagger and self-confidence as he displays on screen. Rocking a leather jacket and Adidas sweatpants, The Doggfather churns out hits ‘PIMP’, ‘Gin and Juice’ and Katy Perry cover ‘California Gurls’ featuring the dancing skills of some scantily dressed ladies giving him a lapdance. ‘Next Episode’ and ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ prove Snoop to be a great showman, and he finishes Saturday night on a high (probably quite literally in his case). See the full headline review for more details!
Sunday is a soggy morning too, but everyone seems determined to go full out for the last day of this truly special festival, so it’s on to do a bit of dancing with Bestival mascots The Cuban Brothers. With quite a lot of swearing, manly gyrating and costumes that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination (fringed, metallic lycra jumpsuits to be precise) they’re probably not the act to take your kids to, but damn are they good fun. Guest vocalist Mica Paris belts out ‘So Sweet’ which is from the new Cubans album ‘Yo Bonita’ (which we later got signed by Miguel and Kengo-San over at the Sunday Best tent) and breakdancing skills are busted out by Archerio, Kengo and newbie ‘One-Erection’. Miguel gets suitably excited about all the dancing (after having a broken foot and not being able to participate last year), takes off his white captain’s pants and thrusts the mic-stand like a pro. After telling a story about their times at Bestival… “We were in the woods eating philosopher’s stone mushrooms and we were lost… we were so cold we had to set our socks on fire to keep warm” and stuffing the mic into his spangly undercrackers, it’s time to say goodbye to the crazy Cubanos for another year.
Next up, Tom Odell croons his way into the ladies hearts with his soulful piano laden music, but it is a bit of a comedown after the hype created by The Cuban Brothers, but everyone warms up again for Chic feat. Nile Rodgers and a bit of boogying on down.
Disasterously scheduled at the same time as the Sunday headliner – Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip’s Swamp Shack appearance has nevertheless garnered a pretty massive crowd around the strange run down house style stage, and as the smoke billows from the beat-up cars that set the scene, the duo drop right into classic ‘Beat That My Heart Skipped’, sending fans wild. Calling out “I’m all adrenaliney, I’m all shaky” Dan busts out the beat for ‘Sick Tonight’ and Pip launches into it with power, swinging on the (actually quite fragile) porch of the shack. After being handed two curly wurlys by some odd gentleman in the front row, Dan and Pip give us a tasty treat back in the form of new tracks ‘Stunner’ and ‘Gold Teeth (feat Flux Pavillion)’, the latter played for the very first time ever. Taking on a darker side the songs have everyone getting rowdy with Pip swishing water off the Shack’s decking to the beat.
Heading over to join the biggest crowd of the weekend at the main stage, Rock Royalty, Sir Elton John is giving us a tour through his vast collection of hits, wearing a trademark sparkly jacket. Elton’s packed set includes ‘Candle In The Wind’, ‘Crocodile Rock’ and ‘Rocket Man’, with the crowd singing along to closing ‘Your Song’ (See the full review for more details!). As the stage goes dark, Bestival’s closing ceremony commences, with an even bigger firework display than last year, a giant circular 10 being set alight and ticker tape explosions from the stage. Way to go out with a bang.
As usual, it doesn’t end there – Knife Party are playing at The Port and Easy Rider is on in The Amphitheatre… the night is young at Bestival, and we intend to make the most of it before we have to leave it behind for another year, but it’s safe to say that Rob and co. went all out this year, it truly has been a spectacular celebration and we would like to doff our captain’s caps and say HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY BESTIVAL!
Photos by James Bridle for the Summer Festival Guide
As the late summer nights begin to draw in and the end of the festival season is in sight, while many have packed away their daisy dukes, the Bestivalites are suiting up sailor style for the magical mayhem of HMS Bestival 2013 – Robin Hill park is adorned with swaying flags, the ferries are full and the campsites are primed for partying.
Thursday’s foray into the mad world of Rob Da Bank’s imagination sees a brand new area – Temple Island (which we managed to explore before it all burnt up – apparently part of the act not an act of pyromania) and a host of new ‘bubbles’ with a stage, chill out areas and sculptures as well as a heap of amazing places to eat (our particular favourite is Anna Mae’s Mac n Cheese).
Heading into the main arena past the giant illuminated Big Wheel, the Big Top is already chocka with people for The Correspondents. Mad frontman Mr. Bruce is spinning wildly in his humbug-harlequin frilly getup during ‘What’s Happened To Soho?’ before launching headlong into heart thumping jungle tunes, to which the crowd goes mental. Yelling “This is about as dirty as a gentleman like me gets on a Thursday” before leaping onto the sea of arms in the audience, Mr. Bruce crowd surfs to the halfway point in seconds as DJ counterpart DJ Chucks lays down the beat. Calling out “I’ve gotta be honest, this is overwhelming…” Mr. Bruce isn’t kidding – for anyone who hasn’t seen The Correspondents before; they usually play to pretty tiny crowds, and tonight The Big Top is overflowing and going top notch wild. Elsewhere, Tankus The Henge bring a punky edge to the adorable Polka Tent and every single person we pass has a giant grin plastered on their chops.
Friday sees drag spectacular Sink The Pink (usually found gyrating at The Grand Palace of Entertainment) joined on the main stage by members of The Royal Marine Reserves for a thoroughly jolly workout session, “On behalf of the armed forces, we thank you” and “On behalf of transvestites we thank you” are not two sentences you expect to hear at a festival on a Friday afternoon but it did make us giggle. French electro band Caravan Palace are a surprise with their interesting mix of what’s being termed ‘gypsy jazz’ alongside some proper swing-dancing, but the crowd really draws in for the hotly anticipated return of American hip-hop crew, Wu-Tang Clan. Despite the fact that pretty much everyone only knows one song, the band manage to produce enough hype to get the crowd jumping, before busting out 2001 mega hit ‘Gravel Pit’. DJ Mathematics pops off his shoe and proceeds to work the mixer with his foot to the chant of “When I say Wu-Tang, you say forever…” as a mass of ‘W’ hand signs are thrust skyward in appreciation. Though their set seemed to a lack a bit of punch overall, the nostalgia factor made up for it.
A quick jaunt to check out new area The Port reveals it to be a giant boat with Diablo acts, fire poi spinners and a massive mermaid, alongside some banging music from DJ’s atop the structure and a huge crane providing an aerial dancer a place to do crazy tricks above the awestruck crowd. It’s sort of reminiscent of our beloved (missing) Arcadia from the last couple of years, and really comes into it’s own at night, with regular fireworks, flame cannons and an amazing DJ lineup.
Over in The Big Top, Sinead O’Connor pokes her signature shaved bonce out onto the stage to a decent crowd for a stirring rendition (with added crowd participation) of her iconic Prince cover of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, giggling, Sinead says “Thank you, you sang beautifully”. Main stage veterans The Flaming Lips are as bonkers as ever, with frontman Wayne Coyne cradling a baby-doll atop silver spheres, in front of a light-waterfall before spinning a flaming orb around his head like a talisman. Amid the madness and glitter ticker-tape, it’s actually a decent set, but the bafflement on the faces around us suggest they’ve gone a step too odd/dark for the Bestival crowd this time.
The Big Top welcomes Belle & Sebastian with an almighty roar for ‘Cuckoo’, and their soft melodic rock lights up the rammed tent, as the rain begins to pour outside. Joking “I hope you haven’t taken all your drugs at once, remember it’s a marathon not a sprint” frontman Stuart Murdoch launches into ‘Another Sunny Day’ and grabs a host of lucky fans from the crowd to join them on stage for ‘Boy With The Arab Strap’. The Scottish Belles definitely put on one of the best performances of the whole weekend.
Despite the extreme soaking the thousands at the main stage just received, the crowd is going absolutely hyper to the sounds of Fatboy Slim’s Bestival Birthday Bash (See main review for full details), with lasers, fireworks, a great AV show and absolutely banging beats. Norman Cook was absolutely made for Bestival and it’s great to see him filling up the main stage instead of either getting crushed in the Big Top or on the fringe watching the fun happen from the outside. ‘Right Here Right Now’ and ‘Rockafella Skank’ are just absolutely massive, heart pounding, raving beasts of tunes and the whole arena is jumping and waving glowsticks like there’s no tomorrow.
At Bestival, the headliner isn’t ever the end of the action – if you go back to your tent, you’re missing out on the most magical hours at Robin Hill. Staggering about the Ambient Forest, with it’s Chinese lanterns and kids play areas, tiny stages and secret hideouts is honestly like being a kid again. Stick on a forest dwelling animal onesie and you may as well have been dropped into Where The Wild Things Are. It’s totally surreal. As if that wasn’t enough, sneaking past Bollywood and The Port, the top left corner of the forest has a hidden jewel in the form of The Ampitheatre. During the day, this plays host to a huge array of acts (notably, Scroobius Pip’s Satin Lizard Lounge of amazing spoken-word artists) but at night they show bizarre and melon-bending movies for the drunk and delusional. Tonight’s effort is an 80’s hip-hop spectacular ‘Beat Street’. The movie itself is kind of confusing and terribly acted, but the atmosphere of the dark benches hidden in the trees, the bunting and the secret snuggling is what The Amphitheatre is all about, oh and the really exceptionally drink-and-or-drug addled couple falling all over people on their 30 minute attempt to leave – comedy gold.
How do you close an epic teniversary, four day festival extravaganza, in a field full of the happiest souls in the country? LIKE A SIR. That’s how. Sir Elton John to be precise, Great British rock royalty doesn’t get better than this. Elton’s coming is preceded by shoulder-to-shoulder, asscheek-to-asscheek, barely standing room only arena-fullness and an air of excitement you can practically inhale. Despite worries of cancellation due to appendicitis earlier in the summer, Elton practically bounces on stage with aplomb in a bejewelled jacket emblazoned with ‘Madman Across The Water’ for comically entertaining ‘The Bitch Is Back’.
Ballad-tastic ‘Tiny Dancer’ and ‘Candle in the Wind’ were clearly loved by Elton fans, but a yawn here and there betrayed more than a few people hanging out for the rockier hits like the truly epic ‘I’m Still Standing’ and ‘Crocodile Rock’ – complete with crowd participation (especially from the few people dressed in crocodile onesies that night, perfect). ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’ prompts shadow boxing all over, and a few ill-timed jokes result in mates accidentally punching each other and then falling about laughing, and karaoke style lyrics on screen for new single ‘Home Again’ keep everyone singing along and engaged.
Calling out “You’ve been amazing, I’ll never forget this” Elton says exactly what’s on everyone’s minds, and there’s a kind of mutual community in that – something special to Bestival, a shared emotion between artist and fans experiencing something together, and this certainly is the kind of memory that lasts. Elton finishes up with a huge sing-along ‘Your Song’, with people opening their voices into the sky before the enormous closing firework display. It’s been a belter.
Has there ever been such a hotly anticipated, or completely bonkers act booked for Bestival than the D-o-double-G? With giant Rasta-flag stage projections emblazoned with his noggin, and a nonchalant slither onto the stage to ‘Here Comes The King’, it’s clear that Snoop Dogg has lost none of his cool and is determined to do things his way (otherwise affectionately known as Doggy-Style…). Wearing trademark baggy Adidas trackies, oversized tshirt and a leather jacket, with a confident swagger – Snoop looks like he rolled off a sofa somewhere and decided to do a show… to thousands of people, he just oozes ease. Calling “If you’re smoking weed, now’s the time to light that shit up… Snoop Liiiiooonnn”, Calvin Broadus Jr.’s newest alter-ego is a lot more reggae and a lot less rap, but that doesn’t appear to affect his having some scantily clad ladies join him on stage.
Asking the crowd to wave their hands from side to side, Snoop burns through ‘PIMP’ and ‘Gin and Juice’ before a sneaky Katy Perry ‘California Gurls’ cover, clips of Calvin Harris’ ‘Feel So Close’ and straight into his more controversial section of the show. Dressed in hungry-bum style leather hotpants (you know, the permanent wedgie kind worn by every other Rihanna-wannabe at festivals) the gyrating girls proceed to give Snoop a public lapdance, whilst he’s singing Akon track ‘I Wanna Fuck You’ to the amusement/bewilderment of the crowd.
The famous refrain of Dr. Dre/Snoop collaboration ‘Next Episode’ elicits a roar of excitement from the audience and hilarious dancing ensues for ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ (most funny was the extraordinarily tall skinny kid in front of us, dressed as a member of Team Zissou, trying to twerk). A quick acoustic rendition of ‘Lodi Dodi’ and an ultimate sing along of ‘Who Am I (What’s My Name)’ and the Doggfather closes out the show with the words “I’ll be back in England whenever you want me”. Yelling“I got some last words… SMOKE WEED MOTHERF**KERS!” and Bob Marley’s ‘Jammin’, he slinks casually off stage. It’s safe to say Snoop lived up to the hype, whilst staying effortlessly at ease – it’s all part of the charm and nostalgia, and Bestival definitely got a big Doggy-dose of it tonight.
Friday headliner, superstar mixmaster Fatboy Slim ascends the dizzying heights of Bestival’s main stage to the tune of Happy Birthday, for Bestival’s ten year anniversary spectacular. A ram-jam arena and deafening screams confirm that Rob Da Bank has made the right choice booking beat-tastic Norm for the job, as he drops into an aural assault accompanied by an awesome AV, laser and light show.
Remixing summer’s big hit from Daft Punk ‘Get Lucky’ has the crowd grooving along, and a little of Zombie Nation’s ‘Kernkraft 400’ goes down well with the 90’s kids, but it’s Fatboy hit ‘Right Here, Right Now’ that spins the arena into a frenzy of flailing limbs, especially when a host of white beach balls are released onto the dancing masses.
With somewhat disturbing images of Norman’s face in an array of facepaints, the hypnotic ‘Eat Sleep Rave Repeat’ encourages some proper old school rave moves like the sprinkler being busted out, and a quick blast of ‘Simply The Best’, complete with images showing ‘Simply the Bestival’ is met with guttural yells of agreement from the entire arena. Iconic ‘Praise You’ brings out the best of circular congas (if you haven’t seen the video, to be honest, you’ve failed at your generation.) and is accompanied both chorally and by Rob Da Bank himself on piano.
Bursting back on stage wearing a Titanic life vest to fireworks and glitter cannons, Fatboy Slim goes out with a bang, to the tune of anthemic ‘Rockafella Skank’ – and yes, we’re all doing the dance from She’s All That, shame on us.
Already worrying the plimsoll line with unutterably brilliant acts, there’s still room for more good shipmates aboard the trusty HMS Bestival including recent UK singles chart Number One holder, John Newman. No stranger to topping the charts having already hit the summit with fellow Bestival billed pop behemoth Rudimental, John’s soulful sounds are set to make him a truly big hitter. There’s also live action from dancefloor geniuses Simian Mobile Disco, genre hopping glitch chief Pretty Lights, rock n roll torch bearers and Bestival stalwarts, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, skank masters the Dub Pistols, another Rudimental collaborating Number One type Ella Eyre, barnstorming party starters Skinny Lister, uplifting rock and electronica-clash collaborators Mixhell, chap-hop don Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, Stockholm based quartet Kate Boy, dreamwave electro from Dream Koala, Southampton thrashers Polio, cosmic-pop chanteuse Zhala, Kent’s melancholic indie tunesmith’s Story Books and the impossibly young and talented Will Joseph Smith.
Stepping up to the decks on a mission to keep you dancing all weekend long are BBC Radio 1’s original dance music champion Pete Tong who returns to our Wight isle to host Bestival’s All Gone Pete Tong, Fabric resident and Scrutton Street shaker Daniel Avery, Wall of Sound top boy Mark Jones and deep sea bass warrior Mumdance. Plus there will be sets from Lovesick, ComfyPorn DJs, Dan Hayes, Propaganda DJs and Across The Tracks DJs.
For the fifth year running, we are opening our doors to you lovely Bestivalites on Thursday and for our 10th birthday, we’ve got even more top drawer behaviour than ever before, with a jam-packed line-up in the Big Top that includes the amazing M.I.A., Justin Robertson, The Correspondents, Mark Jones, Sunday Best Forum Allstars, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Bike To Bestival, Courtney Pine, and our Druids Opening Ceremony all hosted by Peter Tautz The Right Toastmaster.
The Replay with Rob da Bank stage, will kick off on Thursday night, with upfront sounds from the aforementioned Mixhell, Tythe, Man Without Country, East India Youth, Dog Is Dead and Feeling Gloomy. But that’s not all as there will be plenty of seafaring shenanigans across the site with a host of stages open including The Knees-Up Tent, Grand Palace Of Entertainment, Tomorrow's World, The Bandstand, Temple Island, Club Dadaand the Polka Tent.
In keeping with our 10th birthday spectacular celebrations at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight from September 5th to 8th, the amazing gifts keep coming as Bestival HQ is buzzing with news of another brand new arena for 2013 –Temple Island. Taking its place among more than 20 stages in 10 fields of wonderment with mega soundsystems, non-stop parties and 24 hour escapism, you’ve got to explore it before it burns to the ground! Plus we have line-up news for two of Bestival’s most off the wall destinations, Club DaDa and the Polka Tent.
Rob da Bank says: “Bestival has almost 30 stages of live music, DJs, poetry, cinema, drag acts, ultraviolet ping pong and general mayhem going off in 2013. Club Dada and the Polka Tent programmed by the insanely creative and madcap Chris Tofu is always ahead of the curve and we've been proud to host the first festival stages of gypsy punk, electro swing and many other underground genres. As ever, Señor Tofu has pulled it out the bag with his line ups for 2013.
“Never looking backwards and always embracing the future I'm so proud to unveil Temple Island – a brand new totally ace fusion of styles from festivals like Burning Man and Portugal's Monegros festi with a cutting edge global electronic DJ collective… half hippy, half techno warrior. Roll on September”.
Chris Tofu says: “Bestival is so amazing for us, it’s been the first festival in the UK with a venue dedicated to the 1000 year old festival music Polka, wall to wall, crazy Gypsy Music and Hoedown, makes this the natural festival music hangout. Club Dada has always been like a mad feast of Brass and Vintage Remix and this year’s no exception with killer Electro Blues and Electro Swing, crazy remixing Carnival bands and so much more, the perfect music for a tent where 70 years ago Marlene Dietrich performed in. Bestival stands unique with more killer and closely curetted music per square inch than anywhere else, big up to Rob and Josie and the team“.
New for 2013, Temple Island is a lucid dreamland of beguiling saturnalia where acts like London Grammar, DJ Falcon and Karma Kid come to play. Around them, fantasy and reality fuse in a haze of bio-sculptures and an eclectic collection of some of the tastiest foods in the country. It’s a beautiful place. But nothing is what it seems…
If it looks like a sculpture, it may really be a chilling cocoon that sings to you when you step inside. You’ll find them hidden in a sparkly part of Temple Island, away from the stage. Creatures here may be actors in disguise who lead you to a mystery trail of street art by fast-rising artist My Dog Sighs . 21 pieces are yours to keep, if you find them. The first person to complete the entire My Dog Sighs Treasure Hunt will take home a £2,500 masterpiece! Feeling inspired by all that artistry? Try your hardest to create your very own twisted structure with amazing Willowtwister artist Sara Holmes and crew.
That’s not all though, Bestival’s darkest secrets are gathered on Temple Island’s confession wall. It’s hungry for yours. Confess… if you dare. Party until the small hours in The Doghouse, the secret part of Temple Island you’ll stumble upon, find exactly what you’ve always been looking for, and never, ever, want to leave. But beauty dies fast. So, late on Sunday, Temple Island will go up in flames. Before that, there’s dancing to be done, coconuts to be drunk, gourmet banquets to be eaten and art to explore.
Temple Island will play host to sets from some of the most havin’ it acts currently spanking dancefloors worldwide. Opening on Thursday night there will be music from south Florida future music mogul Henry Krinkle, heads down house purveyor T.Williams and uncategorisable bass merchant Karma Kid. Cranking it up on Friday, there will be Gallic grooves from Daft Punk collaborator DJ Falcon, ethereal digital dance moves from Chrome Sparks, the previously announced siren-fronted trio London Grammar, bass-led bombs from Shadow Child, genre-swerving threesome Dark Sky and future garage manoeuvres from Maribou State.
Saturday will tickle your guilty pleasures with the previously announced Cyril Hahn, plus there will be sets from Bristol based collective Eton Messy, drum n bass wonder Wilkinson, woofer worrying beat tycoon Run Riot andKashii who will be smashing-up house, techno, garage and bouncing UK bass into something glorious. And finally Sunday will see the Eton Messy crew return as hosts for the entire day. Catch it while you can because when the rest of Bestival has you shipwrecked, Temple Island will have you back on your feet; in ways you never thought possible!
From the makers of Shangri Las Glastonbury and long term residents of festival fields Continental Drifts, Club DaDa always offers a warm welcome with music that floats in your ears like honey. Expect crazy Vintage Remix and brass brass brass! Thursday night shenanigans kick off with Robby’s Choice Cuts featuring captain of our ship Rob da Bank going head to head with Tayo & Nerm reprising their Prince tribute, plus Bestival favourite Beans On Toast, laughter, dancing and head-nodding good vibes from Too Many T’s, DJ Moneyshot & Rackabeat’s brand new sampled funk, psych, hip-hop and rock outfit The Allergies and the man himself, DJ Chris Tofu. Friday sees the The Dawn Of Electro Blues a night dedicated to the new sound of electro blues – from The Delta to dance, with an array of electro blues masters Cyborgs, Heymoonshaker, DJ Nick Hollywood, The Future Shape Of Sound and King Lagoon’s Flying Swordfish Band.
Saturday is all about White Mink’s French Electro Swing Special. After hosting the world’s first 1920s to 1950s remixed electro swing night at a festival, Club DaDa had to bring it back. Curated by White Mink, it’s boasts a quality line-up including Shore Leave, Le KKC Orchestra, Smokey Joe and The Kid, Dutty Moonshine, Max Pashm Electro Swing Ensemble and DJ Dodgy Style.
Keeping it fully on the boil for Sunday, Club Dada had to make their amazing Brass Special happen again, as a fitting end to what is destined to be a legendary weekend. Highlights of the night will include Joe Driscol and Sekou Kouyate, Old Dirty Brasstards and, wrapping things up, the annual DJ Chris Tofu Closing Party squeezing the last of your energy into a mash-up maelstrom of madness, with special guests.
The Polka Tent is the most fun and unusual musical set up in any festival. There’s only one place you can find this rare and wonderful thing. Get ready for some Gypsy Punk and Hoedown mayhem. From Global Local – the maddest thing the arts council ever funded.
Opening night action in this musical world like no other includes King Lagoon’s Flying Sword Fish Band, Tankus The Henge and king of the gypsy remix DJ Kobayashi. Friday night is the Polka Party with Hallouminati, Gypsy Hill, Discount Orchestra, Gypsy Fever, Penny Metal, Karauke, Cut A Shine and Gypsy Disco.
Saturday in the Polka Tent goes from Gypsy Punk to Stomping Kleizmer with Buffo’s Wake, Tantz Klezmer Band, The Turbans, Maniere Des Bohemiens, and more from Gypsy Disco and Karauke. Finally the Sunday Hoedown – With Two For Joy celebrates the Polka Tent’s fifth anniversary with a whole day dedicated to jumping nu folk and demented old hoedown! Helping the celebrations go down in style will be City Shanty Band, Ramshackle Union Band, Katy Carr and Gorgeous George, plus there will be special surprise guests and DJs all weekend long.
