Thursday provided the festival with an opening night that was more of a fizzle than a bang. Transport problems, computer issues meaning waiting around two hours to get a wristband, and rain all contributed to that festival nightmare that every festivalgoer has to experience. Although you could hear people chatting away and having a good time if you ever left the tent all you would find was a deserted mound of tents surrounded by mud. Friday however definitely made up for anything that may have gone wrong the night before.
Jumping on the bus with a load of hung-over, tired students for the 20 minute journey into town where a 10 minute walk was waiting for us to get to Fistral beach. It was most definitely worth it when you talk those last few steps before you see the stage and the view that surrounds it, you start to hear the beat of the drums and you know it’s going to be a good day. The weather however teased us into thinking it was going to be terrible but the moment Gentleman’s Dub Club jumped on stage the sun came out and it no longer felt like you were just on a beach in Cornwall.
Stand out act of the day had to be Cuban Brothers, recommended for those who like to have a good laugh. The first thing the lead singer did was jump straight out into the crowd; the sea of people parted to form a perfect circle around him as he continued with the song. He danced with as many people as he could, people were jumping on his back, and I believe he got hit in the head with several beach balls and yet never missed a beat. If you search them up and read the bio of their website the first thing you read are the words “They will make you laugh, sing along, cry with joy, shit your pants and shake your booty” and I don’t think I could sum them up any better.
Following on from the Cuban Brothers were Foreign Beggars who weren’t really my cup of tea but they definitely put on a show; providing beats and an overall vibe that their fan base would love. Bouncing around on stage making sure all of the crowd were involved, getting people to put their hands up, sing along and even managed to chuck in a couple of jokes now and then. After Foreign Beggars was Devlin. His grime collective teased the crowd as they came on one by one over a long period of time; I’m not sure whether this is their usual plan of action but it definitely frustrated the crowd. Once they were all on they did put on a good show; much to the relief of the security guards who really didn’t want to have to control a crowd of hundreds of people. Shock of the day came last; the entirety of the press pit was shocked as the man we all thought was getting the stage ready was actually David Rodigan himself. On came the remixes of original reggae which was an incredibly way to end the night at Fistral beach; they were pieces of music that everyone could admire and have a casual groove to. The crowd that was still standing, even though the sun had gone away and the weather had started to take a turn for the worst, definitely enjoyed David Rodigan and left leaving positive and still dancing.
The overall vibe of the day was perfect, you had people walking around in their swim wear with flip flops on as they paraded on the beach section of the festival. There were people dressed up as clowns, pirates, and many other strange combinations of costumes who all provided a source of energy and fun when no one was on stage. To sum up the day in general I would have to say it was a day to remember, and if the rest of the weekend is like this I recommend buying a ticket for 2014.
Today Beach Break Live announce a monumental array of artists to add to their already bulging carnival line-up. Featuring everyone from the globally renowned Cuban Brothers to the phenomenal Dizraelli & the Small Gods. This year Beach Break Live brings ticket holders its best offering yet, taking over the surfer paradise of Newquay from 20th – 24th June. The new music holiday will be creating a carnival extravaganza like no other with ticket holders enjoying everything from cliff-top choirs to cave performances, 2013 is set to be better than ever before. Beach Break Live is discounting a limited number of standard silver tickets for local residents on 6th May at 10am, music lovers living in the postcode of TR7 or with a Sailors Card can purchase tickets for just £20 here. Standard silver Beach Break Live tickets are available now from just £40, for more information please visit www.beachbreaklive.com
Beach Break Live announce over 100 artists to join the already astonishing line-up, confirming the new music holiday as one of the best places to hear new music and breaking talent this summer. Featuring the likes of Passport To Stockholm, the London based trio who have been pumping fresh air into the lungs of the acoustic genre since forming at the beginning of 2012 they are set to take the festival season by storm this summer. The wonderful Cuban Brothers will no doubt be entertaining the masses at the beach side paradise alongsideShadow Child, originally a side project for Simon Neale, Shadow Child has gone from strength to strength attracting thousands of international fans.
Also joining the bill is breakbeat aficionados Freestylers, who have been dominating the genre since their inception in 1996. Flying the Beach Break Live flag in 2013 will also be Coda, the amazing Gentlemens Dub Club, house icon George Fitzgerald and Eddy Temple Morris' number one producer of 2012, Maribou State. A host of additional artists are also announced today, including Abigail Hubbard, Alice Amelia, Battle of You, Boddika,Laura Flethcer, Lazy Habits, Only Joe, Planes, Second City, Submotion Orchestra, Urban Folk Quartet, Tom Bradley and many more.
On 6th May at 10am a limited number of silver tickets will be available at just £20 to residents living with the TR7postcode or with a Sailors Card, these will be able to purchase the discounted tickets via the website here:www.beachbreaklive.com/localtickets. 2013 sees Beach Break Live move to the stunning surfer paradise of Newquay, its original home. The new music holiday will showcase the best in underground and up and coming music from across the globe, AlunaGeorge and Jake Bugg headline the event on 20th -24th June.
Craig Burnett, Ocean Lodge owner, Newquay says: "I'm really looking forward to having Beach Break back in Newquay this summer and more-so I'm thrilled to be an affiliated accommodation provider. Festivals like this bring lots of trade to the area and it's great that they are supporting local businesses like Ocean Lodge. Now fingers crossed we get the weather!"
LINE-UP SO FAR…
Abigail Hubbard / Adam Burridge / Albert Jones / Alex Davies / Alice Amelia / Alice Jemima / AlunaGeorge / Andy H / Annaca / Astroid Boys / Auction For the Promise Club / Audio Sleaze / BackBeat Soundsystem / Badger / Battle of You / Bear Arms / Bela Takes Chase / Ben & Lex / Ben James / Benji Boko / Bim / Blair & the Mackichan Band / Blue Rose Code / Boddika / Breakage / Bremond / BRIDGES / Brown Bear / B-Traits / Budos / By The Rivers / Callum Beattie / Captain Backfire / Chaka Chaka / Charlie Wingfield / Chloe Foy / Chunky / Club Peel / CODA / Corp / Cuban Brothers / Danny Byrd / David Rodigan MBE / Devlin / Dismantle / DJ Boundski / DJ Chamber / DJ Demonise / DJ Dubman / DJ Edge / DJ Format / Dr Kotch / DJ Shockproof / Drakelow / Drumachine Project / Drop DJs / Dub Pistols / Duro / Dusky / Eats Everything / Ed Solo, Dekline, JFB / Ejeca / Ellie Rose / Emily & The Woods / Empire of Fools / End of Level Baddie / Erin K / Eton Messy / Felix Fables / Felix Hagan & The Family / Fjokra / Foreign Beggars / Freerange / Freestylers / French Wives / Frett / Fringe Man / Frisky Nippa / Funky Drop / Gang Colours / Gareth Lee / Gentlemens Dub Club /Gentlemen Duke / George Fitzgerald / Ghouls / Glot / Great Plain Sundance / Greta Isaac / Grudge / Hanna Jacobssen / Helen & The Sirens / Hidden Riddim / High Contrast / Hoi / Honey / Honeyfeet / Hong Kong Ping Pong / Huxley / Iago / Iller Instinct b2b Shortson / Ilona / Imperial Leisure / Injured Birds / Intermission Project / Island Cassettes / Jack Light / Jack Wallen / Jackmaster / Jacob Curtis / Jakarta Club / Jake Bugg / Jamie Lawson / Jasper in the Company of Others / Jay Bee / Jello / Jenna Bennett / Jman / Joseph / J Robot / Jungle Doctors / Kezia / Killamonjambo / Klose One / Kola / Krafty Kuts / Laid Blak / Land of the Giants / Laura Fletcher / Laurence Fox / Lazy Habits / Leanne Smith / Le Chat / Leroy / LFM & Mali / Little Arrow / Lion The Weak / Loefah / Loose People / Lovelight Soundsystem / Lucy Rose / Luke Ritchie / Lulu James / Magnus Puto / Major Triadz / Maribou State / Mark Nichols / Martin Vital / Matt Anderson / Mele / Metrik / Minuten / Modu / More Like Trees / Moriaty / Mystery / N.U.M.B. / Natasha North / Nathan Ball / Neil Halstead / Nu:Logic / Obliqka / Olee & Mr Morri / Olos / Only Joe / Panda / Passport to Stockholm / Pedestrian / Phrixus / Planes / Polar Caps / Polly Money / Prospero's Judgement / Rag & Bone Man / RAPHAELLA / Reckless / Redefeat / Richie T / Riddim Fruits / Riott Jazz / Robb Maksimcyz / Rock & Oben / Rogue Elements / Rory Hoy & Kitten & The Hip / Rosie & the Vandals / Roska / Rushil / Sam Beeton / Sam Supplier / Sam Williams & the Flock of Bats / Scratch Perverts / Seattle Yacht Club / Sebastien / Seizure / Shadow Child / Shark Bait / Shout Timber / Shy FX / Sion Russell Jones / Si Roxwell / Six Kinds of Wednesday / Skream & Sgt. Pokes / Sky Murphy & The General / Snatch the Wax / Sneaky Nuts DJs / Sophie Scott / South / Spy / Steve Moore / Submotion Orchestra / Suitenoir / Swiss Elf / Tall House / Tankus The Henge / Ten Story / The Attic Project / The Boston Tea Party / The Boxettes / The Dark Lights / The Daydream Club / The Great Nothing / The Icarus Youth / The Intermission Project / The King Regards / The Magnet / The Nextmen / The OxBox / The Peoples String Foundation / The Shallows / The Skints / The Soul Circle Gang / The Standards / The Vertigos / The Winter Olympics / The Worries / The Zookeepers / This Calamity / Those Damn DJs / Tom Aux / Tom Bradley / Tom Brady / Tom Dibb / Tom Figgins / Tom Gall / Tom James / Tom Jarvis / Tom Staniford / Trick the Fox / True & FalseTwo Fold / Urban Folk Quartet / Vendetta / Victoria / Waylayers / We, The Undersigned / Whisky Jax / Will & the People / Wiseman / Wokka / Wrec & Dynamite MC / Xander Rawlins / Xeno / Xhosah / Yannick / Ygnve & the Innocent
Rocketing onto the MAINSTAGE is the Midas of house music LAIDBACK LUKE! Supercharged with all the big blockbuster beats he can lay his super hero hands on, LUKE will be tearing things up at this year’s festival where he will be joined by Road to RockNess Headliners, THE JAPANESE POPSTARS.
Also joining the Main Stage over the weekend will be THE BOXER REBELLION, MORNING PARADE and the sonically adventurous outfit hailing from Kilsyth, TWILIGHT SAD.
Exciting new additions to the ARENA line up include the hottest Dubstep duo of the moment and Beatport heroes NERO, and ready to shake the loch to its core with his bass bin crushing dance floor beats is the revolutionary SKRILLEX!
Get ready for a hilarious and screw-face inducing roller-coaster ride through the twisted mind of BEARDYMAN and then get stunned by Drum & Bass debonair SUB FOCUS whose adrenalin-fuelled-audacious LIVE performance is going to get the crowds jumping.
The ARENA also welcomes Glasgow rock outfit SONS AND DAUGHTERS, andEdinburgh’s finest, BROKEN RECORDS, bringing their gargantuan joyous Scottish 7 piece sound to astound the masses. As well as London’s alt-indie quintet CHAPEL CLUB, the unconventional and genre defying JIM JONES REVUE, DOG IS DEAD and SOUND OF GUNS.
AND ON TOP OF THIS…..
ROCKNESS is thrilled to introduce an electrifying new addition to the festival, the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS. This brand new structure for 2011 is set to take you on an all encompassing musical journey that will enlighten and excite any true music fan. The arena will open by showcasing cutting edge emerging artists and truly magnificent talents in the music scene right now and as the sun sets it will be transformed into a full on-unadulterated hedonistic RockNess club experience taking you into the early hours!
So on entering the festival make your first stop across the weekend the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS, where you will get sucked in by a band described by ‘Popjustice’ as a “Delicately swooshy fairytale electropop with a glittercanon where its heart should be” – SOUND OF ARROWS and we introduce a prolific songwriter with an extraordinary vocal talent, SAINT SAVIOUR, a lady who has already toured with ROCKNESS favourites, GROOVE ARMADA!
Also adorning the arena is WORSHIP showcasing their moody, haunting music, soaring vocals and tense, synth-laden atmosphere to the new arena.
As night time rolls in the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS will then be transformed into a festival CLUBBINGexperience like no other by indie club phenomenon PROPOGANDA who take their show to over 20,000 people every week in the UK, Ireland and Australia. DJ DAN, Propaganda creator and Oasis after show DJ, is guaranteed to keep you dancing and singing along to the best new and classic indie music. Be a part of the biggest guilt-free arms-in-the-air FRIDAY night opening party ROCKNESS has ever seen!
After the Friday night debauchery the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS will be the perfect setting to ease yourself back into the SATURDAY with incredible music from one of the ‘must see’ acts of 2011, JAMIE WOON,who has received huge critical acclaim for his music and is already set for big things in the coming year. And if you haven’t heard of one of the UKs most in demand enigmatic artists WOLF GANG, we highly recommend getting him on your ROCKNESS ‘ones to watch list’.
Next up and representing SCOTTISH ladies is an urban singer who hit the spotlight by collaborating with Chipmunk on his “Diamond Rings”, EMELI SANDE. Then like a breath of fresh air the glorious and undeniable complex and compelling sound and lyrics of THE GOOD NATURED will be filling the arena to the rafters. SATURDAY also welcomes the YAAKS a Brighton 5-piece who have been making a real stir of late, finding their way onto the BBC Radio 1 up-front playlist.
And as the sun goes down and you feel re-energized to party hard, SNAFU seize the reigns and pull in the help of two of their favourite DJs and producers to ensure their first year of the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUSgoes off with a bang. Headlining the SNAFU stage is France’s most wanted radio host and selector - IVAN SMAGGHE - who stands at the crossroads between glamorous Parisian hype and musical integrity, best known for his techno, electrohouse, minimal sounds and past projects with BLACK STROBE… perfect festival fodder! TheFidget King JESSE ROSE is on board, and he’s guaranteed to be dropping his MADE TO PLAY big tunes to truly get the party bouncing. Completing the Snafu sound are Glasgow’s BIGFOOT’S TEA PARTY with CHRISTOPHER KELLY and REDUX, and Snafu’s MOTHERSHIP with resident ADAM ACKERS. SNAFU is a full creative spectrum who has a long history of championing and showcasing the local talent and booking big name guests so watch this space as they welcome their superb residents and the sound of SNAFU.
The SUNDAY ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS has been specifically programmed for you to enjoy and expand your musical passage across the festival site and recharge your batteries whilst experiencing the finest in new music. Described by Mojo magazine as ‘dark, lustful blues-folk’, SMOKE FAIRES will be a sublime performance to put on your weekends agenda and BOY & BEAR a band, rich in folk harmonies, startling elegance and living breathing rock influenced form will also be making their debut.
Then indulge in the stunningsounds and musical purity ofsinger songwriter LUCY ROSE, the truly talentedFolk singer/songwriter PETE ROE and bringing their stunning lyrical genius STORY BOOKS.
SUNDAY NIGHT will take a turn in to insanity as we close the festival by cordially inviting you to ‘AN AUDIENCE WITH THE CUBAN BROTHERS’ . The Rock Ness Legends will be bringing a whole host of famous friends to create their hilarious mix of havoc, mischief and mayhem. Watch this space for an announcement on possibly the funniest 2 hours the festival has ever seen.
AND FINALLY…
Get ready for the BIGGEST BIRTHDAY PARTY ROCKNESS has ever hosted as we help SOMA RECORDS celebrate 20 YEARSof releasing stunning and eclectic electronic dance music from across spectrum.
The Scottish party will last for 3 days (of course) and is taking place on the ARCADIA AFTERBURNER, who will once again be bringing their unique collaboration of artists, technicians and engineers, showcasing new innovative ideas through installations and productions, full on pyrotechnics and futuristic circus acts.
Joining EROL ALKAN on the FRIDAY night will be Parisian techno minimalist PAUL RITCH who will be bringing his LIVE show! Continuing the party vibes and getting your arses shaking on the dance floor will be a lady who requires no introduction, HEIDI, and completing the SOMA FRIDAY line up is one of the most in demand and highly respected DJs of our timeEWAN PEARSON.
To make the SATURDAY party last even longer, ROCKNESS have EXTENDED THE AFTERBURNERTILL 3AM guaranteeing the SOMA party is bouncing well and truly into the early hours of the morning!
Taking you deep into the infamous SOMA AFTERBURNER experience is a duo whose mastery of audio principles allows them to turn conventions on their heads, casting functionality aside as they plumb the deep, uncharted depths of pitch-black techno, PAN-POT. SOMA have then called on a friend of the family and guy who will be home from home, Scottish global electronic legend FUNK D’VOID.
Then bringing a collage of electronic influence ALEX UNDER will be commanding the afterburner decks, joined by GARY BECK renowned for his unique sound, SOMA producer MASTER H &Glasgow’s HARVEY MCKAY.
To close out the weekends celebrations on SUNDAY,SOMA have enlisted one of techno’s rising stars,JAMIE JONES, Glasgow’s SUNDAY CIRCUS,and a man who continues to mould the techno landscape and will be shaping your Sunday night into one of big electronic beats and dance till you drop sounds isANDREW WEATHERALL.
But they have called upon a true electronic messiah and king of the decks DERRICK CARTER, to guarantee that ROCKNESS 2011 comes to an unforgettableeuphoric clubbing climax!
Festival Director, Jim King said, ‘We think this is a great announcement and shows the strength in depth of this year’s line up. Laid Back Luke is one of the most exciting Djs of the last 2 years and its great to welcome him, Nero, Skrillex and Sub Focus to the festival for the first time. Im also particularly excited about some of the new emerging acts like Jamie Woon, Wolfgang and Smoke Fairies who will make the new Rock and Roll Circus a really great addition to the festival.
Finally, Happy Birthday Soma. Electronic Legends. We salute you.’
RockNess 2011 takes place 10-12 June, 2011 in the village of Dores, close to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
Exclusive coverage of this year’s festival will be available on BBC ALBA and the BBC iPlayer
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Student offer - £145 weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points. General offer – £149 weekend camping/non camping General offer – £159 weekend camping/non camping weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points.
