The legendary Port remains missing, its whereabouts unknown but Bestival’s brand new, revolutionary monolith of sound, The Spaceport, is shaping up to be the greatest dance stage ever! Throbbing to an intergalactic soundscape of epic proportions, our seven storey symbol of the future will transmit Bestival’s unique vision of our dancefloor destiny as we unveil the crack squad of space cadets, who will be joining previously announced Spaceport headliners Diplo, Carl Cox, and Fatboy Slim, to blast us into the unknown this coming September on the Isle of Wight.
Bestival rave-master Rob da Bank says: “Prepare for lift off my futuristic friends, this is going to be the stage of the summer of UK festivals. A dream team of Josie da Bank, our mate Paul Normandale, who’s Bjork and Coldplay’s lighting designer, super set designers Spatial and a host of madcap inventors are building an incredible imaginary Spaceport for you to rave at and take off into The Future. In that rocket will be no less than rave veterans Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Diplo, DJ Yoda and Candi Staton propped up by newbies like DJ Barely Legal and Mele and Monki… The Future is almost here”.
Following an out of this world opening ceremony, we’ll be heading into orbit as we ramp up the rave action with a cavalcade of advanced selectors including Benji B, Destructo, DJ Barely Legal, DJ Yoda, Dub Pistols Soundsystem, Eats Everything, James Zabiela, Kenton Slash Demon, Klose One and Mella Dee.
And hitting the decks to take us beyond the solar system of sound will be Mount Kimbie, Mumbai Science, Norman Jay MBE, NRG Flash: Monki & Mele, Oneman going back to back with My Nu Leng, Purple Rave Prince Tribute from Heidi, Rob da Bank & Tayo, Riton, Sink The Pink presents No Limits with Candi Staton & Livin’ Joy, Skream and The Heatwave.
The epicentre of the inevitable and the future of the dance, The Spaceport is where the party’s at. Don’t miss it.
As the early bird catches the proverbial worm, so to do the first campers snag the best spots. A stream of gear laden guys and gals is making its way into the campsites from all directions and the sun is luckily, shining. Nighttime on Thursday sees the early opening of a few areas, The Wishing Tree is available for tiny raves, the Grassy Hill’s Caravanserai is jumping, and Underworld take an absolutely rammed headline slot in The Big Top. It’s a bit of a shame there’s no longer a big screen on the outside of the tent, as it’s frankly impossible to fit everyone in, but those outside are still dancing their legs off to the likes of ‘Born Slippy’ regardless.
Friday
Friday’s Gabrielle Aplin brings beautiful summer vibes to the main stage dressed in a spangly gold sequined jumpsuit, whilst The Cuban Brothers’ Miguel rocks his “Elvis in Marrakech” kaftan and afro combo as Archerio, Kengo and One Erection wow the crowds with headspins, backflips and flares galore. Having had the entire crowd sing Happy 70th Birthday to Bestival veteran, and former drug baron Howard “Mr. Nice” Marks who dons a golden kaftan on stage, Miguel implores everyone to “Increase the peace with a collective unconscious”.
Up on the big hill, the Slow Motion area is a serene place to take a break, with the bandstand gone, a new stage – Kaleidoscope – peeks out from the bottom corner, covered in silver sunrays. Grab yourself a fresh corn-on-the-cob, a pint of Bestivale and maybe take part in some Yoga. Massages, tea and cake from the Women’s Institute or making friends with fluffy llamas is also on the menu here, and if you venture inside Oberon’s Observatory you’ll find a tiny cinema and a pretty awesome lookout across the festival. Though there are notably less children year upon year, the kids area is still going strong with games and activities, across the way from lectures and comedy in the Bestiversity tent. There truly is something for everyone here.
A sun drenched crowd is relaxing at the main stage listening to the powerful voice of the incredibly talented Lianne La Havas, who is dressed in a show-stopping green ball gown and is tantalizing everyone with news of her upcoming UK tour in December for new album ‘Blood’. Followed up by the complete juxtaposition of Charlie XCX who spends her entire set swearing and making crude gestures. Luckily her songs are catchy enough to make up for it, and everyone seems to be enjoying ‘I don’t Care (I Love It)’ and ‘Boom Clap’ whilst she jumps around with a giant inflatable guitar, in her platform sneakers.
90’s Hip Hop super-group Jurassic 5 bring the entertainment with a massive turntable, portable turntable/mixer guitar contraptions and their distinctive brand of swagger, but it’s Duran Duran who are the stand out surprise of the night. The younger age set at this festival might not think they know more than ‘Rio’ but the hits keep rolling, and they put on an absolutely epic show which has everyone joining in with both classic hits and brand new album tracks.
If you’re not feeling so fresh this morning, a quick trip to the lavish Elle Beauty Cupboard in partnership with Rimmel will have you all dolled up with a makeover or a manicure, as well as a goodybag full of makeup and you can get your brain back on track with a stop at the Science tent, where you can pick up a pair of psychedelic solar glasses for watching the fireworks too. New this year is the giant Lovebot, and a new-look Inflatable Church for all your wedding-disco wishes.
Over on the main stage, Dodgy rock “Good Enough” and IOW locals Level 42 (with a cameo from Cubano’s One Erection breakdancing) play to a relaxed crowd. Little Dragon wears some sort of golden bin-bag with red evening gloves for a set of weird and wonderful sounds, and over in the Magic Meadow the parade is a swarm of bright silks and mysterious creatures. Colourful birds, adorable little strawberries and lotus flowers dance past, as a squid rides a giant turtle followed by a Battala band. Only at Bestival…
Secret act cheesy hip hop legends House of Pain are actually great and anthem 'Jump Around' is spectacularly taken to heart by Bestivalites who are doing their best to jump up, jump up and get down. Kate Tempest gathers a big crowd for her main stage foray, in previous years she’s usually a walk through the woods to the amphitheatre for her spoken word sets. With obvious excitement she quips “Jeremy Corbyn has been elected… this is the summer of change, the summer of love!” and a keen eye can spot Rob da Bank clapping in appreciation from the side of the stage.
In the deep dark of the night forest, the amphitheatre comes alive and tonight The Story Beast (comedian John Henry Falle) is MCing Films in the Forest. Award winning short ‘Jonah’ is beautifully made and captivates the audience but ‘Festevil’ is the one that’s really going to stick with you – what could be better than a slasher short about a couple getting murdered in a tent at a festival by pig-masked psychopaths? “Are you all suitably shitted up? That could happen to you tonight!” says Falle. Cheers Story Beast… no really thanks so much. Just as well he follows it up with a rousing rendition of the theme from Dune (join in, all the words are… THE THEME FROM DUNE) and Tom Hyatt brings beautiful acoustic flavours to the stage with his songs about love. We hot-foot it when the next movie ‘Behind the Candelabra’ comes on, but not quite quick enough to escape seeing Matt Damon fellate Michael Douglas.
Annie Mac is ripping it up on the main stage with glowing palm trees to match the glowing umbrellas and fairy lights of the neon night parade, and The Chemical Brothers’ headline slot is a laser loaded, big beat heavy, electrifying show with a slew of hits from opener ‘Hey Boy Hey girl’ to ‘Block Rockin Beats’ and ‘Galvanize’.
The night is young and the weather is sort of holding, so it’s off to Future Islands in the Big Top to see enigmatic frontman Samuel T. Herring dance like he’s been tasered and growl like he’s in a metal band. Completely bonkers but light, fun synthpop. The Port is packed with ravers and fire-dancers spit flames from atop the giant boat. Arial hoop dancers swing hypnotically from a crane above, everything is just on the edge of surreal and it’s brilliant. For a little less bass, Caravanseri’s little love-in is dancing along to violin folk-rockers Keltrix, cosying up in retro caravans or drinking mojitos in the carousel.
Sunday
Despite an overnight soaking, the campsite awakens to a clear and sometimes sunny morning (hurrah!) and there’s a dawning realisation that there’s only one day left of hedonistic adventures. DJ Yoda’s unmistakable beats reverberate across the arena to a massive crowd, and there are major queues outside the packed Amphitheatre for the genius Shitfaced Shakespeare. The drunken cast member simply can’t be arsed with what’s going on and keeps having existential epiphanies like “News is new… news!”. Throughout the forest people are hiding out, watching red squirrels or exploring round the lake, or searching out the secretive Blind Tiger stage.
Jungle Brothers get everyone chanting “We at Bestival baby” as indeed we are and Boy Better know keep up with the distinctly hip hop flavor to this year’s main stage lineup. It’s not as though those who aren’t into it have nothing else to do though, Pig’s Big Ballroom is a house of energetic folk and feelgoodery and the close-by Invaders of the Future stage is showcasing a plethora of great rock bands.
Over on the Kaleidoscope stage, Coco and the Butterfields are absolutely smashing it, gathering a bigger and rowdier crowd as they play, one of the very best things about Bestival is happening upon something or someone amazing that you’ve never heard of, and finding this banjo-led upbeat band is just one of those moments. Elsewhere the Oxfam tent is selling sparkly wares and as the weather is looking decidedly unsafe, wellies. The Llamas at Llama Karma are happily munching their way through Robin Hill’s luscious grass and wearing some very fetching rainbow neckerchiefs, the Solace tent is providing tea and cake to burnt out hippies and there are bare bottoms basking in the wood-fired hot tubs overlooking the enormous site.
A rare musical treat in the form of The Jacksons has the entire arena boogying, but it’s worth mentioning that it’s not just a classic hit parade – these guys are every bit as good as they always were. Polished entertainers with cracking vocals, for the likes of ‘Blame it on the Boogie’, ‘Rock With You’ and ‘ABC’. Jermaine has a noticeable tear in his eye when the crowd joins in for ‘I’ll Be There’ as a montage of their younger selves play on split video screens. Over in the Big Top, Todd Terje is providing summery soft electro-house to a busy tent, which makes a change from the heavier Port acts.
Final headliner Missy Elliott is every bit as showy as you could imagine. Plenty of bling, an army of backing dancers and MC’s hyping up the crowd the whole way through. Hits ‘Get Ur Freak On’ and ‘Work It’ are absolutely huge.
As Missy makes her way off stage, ticker tape explosions coincide with the start of the fireworks display, which is magically timed so that red heart-shaped fireworks burst to the chorus of “Love Is In The Air” to the oohs and aaahs of the crowd. The floral fire arrangement of the Commune is glittering away and everyone is hugging each other, it truly is the Summer of Love. Though the night isn’t over, the rain starts coming in hard and a lot of people are heading back to the campsites with the threat of early ferries and late hangovers in the morning. Skrillex is bouncing around at The Port with a few thousand pals, the Carnivale ship is still rocking tunes and the drag queens of Sink the Pink at The Grand Palace of Entertainment are still werking it hard.
This year’s Bestival has been home to some eighty thousand neo-hippies for the Summer of Love ’15 and it’s pretty hard to say goodbye to this beautiful, weird and wonderful land knowing full well that responsibility and the adult world is waiting beyond these borders. You can be sure we’ll be first on the early bird ticket bandwagon at the end of the month, and the countdown clock will be immediately set for Bestival 2016. Massive thanks to Rob da Bank and the Bestival crew for another incredible weekend, we can’t wait to see what’s next…
With over 25 stages, revolutionary soundsystems, zombie love-ins, psychedelic woodland adventures, 24-hour free haircuts, and a host of dazzling new attractions, Bestival’s Summer of Love is already looking pretty damn fit. But as ever, we want to get everyone we love involved, including this rather sultry bunch of musical marvels that will have you rockin’ Robin Hill all weekend long this September 10-13.
Love commando Rob da Bank says: “I’m well excited with this new batch of acts we’re announcing tonight. With so many identikit festivals about with similar acts and bills I’m proud that 12 years on we don’t go with the flow. If the indie amazingness of Drenge isn’t your bag then grimy faceslaps from Skepta and Wiley might be, and if you’re insane and don’t like the legendary junglist brilliance of Roni Size and his live Reprazent show then perhaps, just perhaps, you’ll be singing ‘to me, to you, to me, to you’ whilst dancing in a pair of ill-fitting tropical shorts to the Chuckle Brothers. No matter what, there’s plenty more fish in the sea to come, as our Summer of Love really starts to heat up. See you down the front.”
Bringing on the love with big fat beats, we’ll have main stage appearances from grime pioneer Wiley, who completely smashed it as our secret guest in 2012, plus the unstoppable skank machine, Dub Pistols.
Dub Pistols legend Barry Ashworth commented: “The Highlight of the year for us will always be playing Bestival, this year we are back on the main stage, it doesn’t get bigger than that, and if that’s not enough you can always catch me spinning tracks and drinking in the Sunday Best Cardboard Record Shop! There’s only one Bestival!”
Not quite true, Barry, there are two Bestivals, but we know what you mean! Big love to all our Canadian brethren! More Isle of Wight-based Bestival main stage action will come from cool chanteuse Gabrielle Aplin, sing-along faves Dodgy, and the Isle of Wight’s own Xockha and Yrslf.
Old blue, Bestival’s beloved Big Top will be playing host to some mighty sounds this summer, too, including the much requested return of Joseph Junior Adenuga AKA Skepta and an absolute must-see live set from drum n bass hero Roni Size & Reprazent. We’ll also have recently expanded noiseniks Drenge, our favourite scratch master DJ Yoda Presents: Breakfast of Champions, with his brand new hip-hop band busting up the Big Top live, and then the man himself will be taking on Bollywood for a typically special DJ set, and we’ll have one of the coolest bands ever to grace a festival, Sunday Best favourites, the utterly incomparable Kitty Daisy & Lewis.
Commenting on their latest Bestival appearance, Kitty Daisy & Lewis uttered as one: “We’re so excited to be coming to Bestival again this year, we always have a great time. Sunday Best know how to throw a festival!”
The Big Top will also welcome a high-voltage rock assault from Dinosaur Pile-Up, plus sets from Kero Kero Bonito, Lloyd Yates, Seafret and – we’re not sure it’s possible to express quite how excited we are about this – The Chuckle Brothers! Yes, it’ll be history in the making with be-mulleted slapstick to me, to you. CAN. NOT. WAIT.
As if all that wasn’t enough to get you all giddy with joy, he was one of the smash hits acts that started our summer in finest style at Common People, so we’re extremely pleased that turntable ninja, Jaguar Skills, will be joining us to destroy the dancefloor at The Port.
Bank holiday weekend in Southampton, all the cool kids are down at the beach right? Wrong. This weekend there’s a new festival on the scene brought to you by the wonderful wizards behind Bestival and Camp Bestival and it’s called Common People. Held on the beautiful Southampton Common smack bang in the middle of town, it’s easy to get to and find places to stay, family friendly and with an eclectic line-up sure to please each and every person in your squad.
Saturday sees the likes of George The Poet energising the main stage whilst the rolling thunder of The Portsmouth Batala band is going strong in the foodie area, and people are soaking up the sunshine and sipping pitchers of cocktails on the grass. Around the corner from the Uncommon stage hides the exciting kids area, featuring a tiny chair-carousel, a massive inflatable slide and a whole host of activities from crafts to stilt walking. A group of dads are also haphazardly trying to one-up each other with their hula-hooping skills.
Over on the main stage The South Sea Alternative Choir are looking decidedly mod but are banging out some classic covers from the likes of The Beatles and Blur. The VIP area is awash with sunbathing bodies on the woven canopy beds and the arena is starting to fill up for the masked Ninja DJ, Jaguar Skills. Jag’s set starts out loud and heavy, mixing in his musical influences and pop culture references, The Prodigy’s ‘Omen’ makes an appearance, as does the festival’s (already much played) namesake tune ‘Common People’ from Pulp. Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ gets a round of applause from the Dad contingent, and everyone loves a bit of Faithless ‘Insomnia’. It’s a powerful set, if a little weird to witness in the daytime, instead of a dark grimy warehouse.
DJ Yoda is up next, a Bestival stalwart who usually has an incredible AV show, which was advertised but doesn’t seem to have materialised. Nonetheless, Yoda’s mixes are seamless and the guy just looks permanently happy. From Macklemore to The Sugar Hill Gang, Chic to the Sesame Street theme, DJ Yoda just knows how to deliver a great set.
Following Yoda comes De La Soul, who spend the first few minutes of their show joking with the crowd and calling “Can all the photographers, all the journalists down here, just put their cameras down for a second and put one hand up in the air… and get down” as well as teasing the VIP area saying “VIP? We don’t do that bullshit”. Their no-nonsense style brings out the gangsta in the crowd, and there are random gang signs being thrown up all over.
Around 8pm appears to be dinner time in the south, as the queues stretch out in front of each food outlet, but the offerings are better than your average city festival. No dodgy burgers or disappointing noodles to be had here – it’s gourmet grilled cheese for us (brie, pear and walnut) from a little independent trader, washed down with a cocktail from the Day of the Dead Cocktail Bus.
Big Top headliners Waze & Odyssey are going off and the stripy tent is bouncing as the sun goes down. The Main stage welcomes firm festival favourite and long time Rob-da-Bank pal Norman Cook, also known as the epic Fatboy Slim. Bringing out a choir to intro ‘Eat Sleep Rave Repeat’ is a touch of genius and something completely special, even to those who have had the pleasure of seeing a Fatboy Slim show before. With his creepy white mask torn off, and signature Hawaiian shirt out and proud, Norm hypes up the packed arena with a host of hits and mixes at ear-bleeding levels, and everyone loves it. There’s something pretty exciting about seeing parents and teens raving alongside each other, covered in neon paint and totally lost in the music together. Giant inflatable balls are thrown out for ‘Right Here, Right Now’ and the crowd is going absolutely mental. Finishing up with lasers and another choral rendition of ‘Praise You’, it’s clear that Fatboy Slim has made Common People his own, and to top it off a barrage of fireworks breaks out as the sitewide exodus into town begins.
Sunday starts out a little cooler and there are decidedly less people in early, though judging by the state of some of last night’s revellers, that may be down to hangover recovery in nearby hotels and homes. Over on The Uncommon Stage a decent crowd has gathered for young bid-winners The Costellos who thank everyone for coming out to see them, before diving headlong into a fun and energetic set.
People are dancing on benches and drinking cocktails out of hollowed out watermelons over at the Day of The Dead bus, whilst the West End Kids put on a great main stage show. It’s a pretty clever and creative idea for the early slot at a festival actually, something that is lively and entertaining but can be sat and watched, it’s a wonder more festivals haven’t yet tried it. DJ Craig Charles wants everyone to know that his alter egos from Red Dwarf, Coronation Street, Takeshi’s Castle and Robot Wars are ‘not him’, and that he’s just a DJ who loves to play funk and soul. Despite a bit of a mishap repeating ‘Uptown Funk’ at the beginning, it’s a set that dragged the masses from their bums to the front for a good old boogie.
Following on comes the unstoppable and lewd force of The Cuban Brothers. For those who’ve never seen them before, it is a life-lesson in exactly what the watershed exists for. The cheeky chaps bounce around the stage break dancing and throwing shapes like there’s no tomorrow, with a couple of big jumps and lifts from One-Erection and Kengo-San, some head-spinning and of course an almost-nude run around the gangway by Miguel. Archerio in a lycra fringed onesie is an image which could haunt a child, but luckily his moves are memorable and there are more than a few kids worryingly trying to imitate his twerking. Miguel carries a kids-only chant for “Kenny… the bastard” before making up his own little ditty about touching husbands’ wives whilst they go to the bar… #miguelitomumtouch. Yelling “I’ve had five punnets of nose-whisky” to explain why he can’t run for Mayor of Southampton, Miguel drops into ‘Mike for President’ and the crowd is loving it.
Next up, Kitty, Daisy and Lewis are joined onstage by enough equipment to power the London Philharmonic, which they swap and change frequently. They do a good job and play some truly beautiful music, but in terms of atmosphere, it is a bit of a comedown after the wild abandon of The Cubans. Hot band of the moment, neo-punk rockers Slaves strut onstage and launch into an aural assault of drums and riffs that would be right at home with Vyvyan and Rick from The Young Ones. Gurning like bosses they get everyone amped up, but it might be a bit more of a style over substance situation. At least ‘Cheer Up London’ is an anthem for those who’ve travelled down from the city.
Stand out performance of the day goes to BBC Sound of 2015 winners Years and Years. The unassuming electro-popsters take to their first ever festival main stage and completely blow everyone away with their mix of soulful style of house beats and beautiful vocals. ‘Titus’ and ‘Eyes Shut’ have the (extremely young and female) front row screaming at the highest pitch, and when lead singer Olly really gets into it and winds down to the stage – the mood is electric. New single ‘Shine’ is a surefire hit, and their already fan-favourites ‘Real’ and ‘Kings’ are standalone incredible.
Band of Skulls bring a rock and roll edge to the proceedings with ‘Hoochie Coochie’ and tell the crowd “We’re so proud to be here for the first Common People, thanks to Rob for inviting us, we hope this goes on for a very long time”. ‘Sweet Sour’ is raw and brilliant, but ‘The Devil Takes Care of His Own’ is the standout song of their set.
Up next Clean Bandit clearly have a following as a slight delay sees people chanting for them to come on, and ‘Come Over’ gets a warm welcome as we say goodbye to the last snippet of sun-sun-sun-sunshine for today. Jess Glynne collaboration ‘Rather Be’ is the final song of an amazing set, and seems like a perfect sentiment for a Sunday afternoon of revelry, especially considering it’s a bank holiday tomorrow.
As a black curtain is raised over the main stage, it’s time for the final act of the first ever Common People. The ever bonkers Grace Jones is a breath of fabulousness that comes from years of not giving a single eff what anyone thinks of her. Striding on in an ensemble that can only be attributed to the tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes, and high heels, Jones proves that she is the ultimate performer, gadding about the two layer stage and winding with an extremely buff male pole dancer. Hits ‘La Vie En Rose’ and ‘Pull up to the Bumper’ go down well, but it’s her combination of ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ and her mad hula-hooping skills that set the night alight. Grace Jones has been there, done it, got the tshirt and discarded it for a thong. As the fireworks explode over the Common, it’s clear that Rob-da-Bank and crew are onto another winner. With Bestival, Camp Bestival and Bestival Toronto all still to come this year, Southampton has had the first tasty smackerel of this summers’ winning formula, and it is spectacular.
The creative minds behind Kendal Calling bring you Forgotten Fields, a ground breaking new festival at Eridge Deer Park in Sussex.
Celebrating 10 years of Kendal Calling, the Cumbrian team are launching a show in the South of England their vision that captures the heart and spirit of the original festival, and condenses it for an intimate audience of just 4000 party goers. Much like its Lake District counterpart, Forgotten Fields brings together unrivalled atmospheric charm and a quality line-up of emerging and established talent that spans the genres, all in a stunning location at a fantastic price. Those 4000 festival fans who snap up tickets will share in the good times this beautiful little festival will offer and cherish them for years to come.
Re-formed, psychedelic rockers, Super Furry Animals return to the fray after a 6 year hiatus and bring a huge back catalogue of incredible tracks to Forgotten Fields. The band are one of the most imaginative and powerful acts the UK has produced and there appearance is sure to be a stand out summer festival moment.
Basement Jaxx will headline the Friday night of the festival, bringing their genre-defining sound to the Main Stage, with hits like 'Where's Your Head At?', 'Romeo', 'Red Alert' and countless others set to feature. Saturday will see the south coast’s favourite sons and festival favourites, The Levellers top the bill with a set full of folk-rock sing along anthems.
The Horrors look set to provide a suitably immersive performance from across their critically acclaimed back catalogue, hip hop pioneers De La Soul will be showing exactly why they’ve stood the test of time and Public Service Broadcasting will perform their incredible new album The Race For Space. British Sea Power played the first ever Kendal Calling festival and fittingly perform at the inaugural Forgotten Fields alongside American indie rockers Augustines. Hip Hop turntablist and cut n’ paste maestro DJ Yoda & The Breakfast Of Champions will showcase his unique style with many more acts still to be announced across the two main stages.
Other acts performing include Skinny Lister, Sam Brookes, Coco and the Butterfields, Beans On Toast, Wooden Arms, Tom Williams, Get Inuit and many more.
Three other stages will provide a different musical focus. The Gypsy Disco will be a must-visit for fans of Ska, Balkan, Swing and immersive theatre, whilst the House Party stage will provide the perfect setting for ground breaking comedy. Arguably one of the most exciting areas of the festival, The Horizons stage will host the hottest new bands and artists, the type of acts you'll expect to see storming up the festival bills in years to come.
For fans of the finer things in life there is world-class gourmet food available on site as well as a dedicated real ale bar, and those averse to the idea of camping can enjoy a multitude of bespoke accommodation options. There will also be extravagant site art, festival games, fancy dress frolics, boutique stalls and camp fire tales all set in the picturesque English Countryside.
Forgotten Fields is perfect for families and revellers alike, with The Prickleback Urchin Kids Area built for the younger party animals in your group and The Late Night Cinema sitting as the ideal alternative to the wealth of musical options available across the site.
Needless to say, Forgotten Fields looks set to further cement Kendal Calling's outstanding cultural legacy.
Lineup below:
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS / BASEMENT JAXX / LEVELLERS / THE HORRORS / DE LA SOUL / PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING / BRITISH SEA POWER / AUGUSTINES / DJ YODA / SLAMBOREE AND MORE CONFIRMED FOR INTIMATE PARTY
SKINNY LISTER / COCO AND THE BUTTERFIELDS / BEANS ON TOAST / KESTON COBBLER’S CLUB /FICKLE FRIENDS / TOM WILLIAMS / SAM BROOKES / GET INUIT / LAZY HABITS / PHORIA / TOO MANY T’S / WILL VARLEY / JACKO HOOPER / COCOS LOVERS / WOODEN ARMS / TIME FOR T / ISLAND CASSETTES / NATIVE PEOPLE / FIRST FAMILY / ABI WADE / SKIES / MOK / MOLLY WARBURTON / ED PROSEK / GANG / GLASS CITY VICE / VELUDO PLANES / REALMS / THE BEAUTIFUL WORD / HALF CROWN / GARDEN HEART / FISH TANK / THE DUBARRYS / FLAGS / EDEN CIRCLE / THE COMMON TONGUES
REAL ALE BAR / GOURMET FOOD / KIDS FIELD / LATE NIGHT CINEMA / SITE ART
Tickets available to those who have pre-registered – Thursday 26th March 9AM
Today the festival invites even more names to the party including pioneering shoegazers The Horrors. With four acclaimed albums under their belts, the UK band are set to take festival-goers on a journey into blissful psychedelia with their unique sound when they take to the main stage this August.
In keeping with the birthday celebrations, Will & The People will no doubt have Standon Calling revellers in the party spirit with their raucous mix of reggae, ska and rock. The self-funded Brighton four-piece have become somewhat of a phenomena after selling out headline tours in Europe, playing four continents and releasing three albums. Renowned for their high energy live shows, The Cuban Brothersjoin in on the celebrations over the weekend for plenty of musical numbers, breakdancing and tongue in cheek hilarity.
This year Standon Calling's own famous nightclub, The Cowshed, will be taken over each night by a different host for three very different parties. Outrageous polysexual club crew Sink The Pink invite all to lose their inhibitions with their brand new dirty disco party Savage, Bondax bring the sounds of the summer with woozy R&B-tinged house and Gilles Peterson & Patrick Forge haul their massive record collections into The Cowshed to present the legendary jazz, funk and dance sounds of the original Dingwalls Sunday Sessions, established in 1987.
Perched on the lawn next to the festival's own swimming pool is The Last Dance Saloon, where BBC Introducing are set to champion new music with upcoming local acts, while independent record labelsLoose Music and Bella Union will be showcasing their own talent across the weekend. Acts for The Last Dance Saloon to be announced very soon.
Other highlights from today's additions include one of Q Magazine's “ten DJs to see before you die” DJ Yoda, Swedish/Gambian songstress Seinabo Sey and Scottish synth poppers Prides, who closed last year's Commonwealth Games.
Alongside the music, Standon Calling has revealed a myriad of activities and entertainment on offer across the site in keeping with its new theme 'A Town of Two Faces'. Inspired by the Wild West with a twist, one can brave a visit to Dr. Leech’s Wellness Center & Funeral Parlour to take A Beginners Class in Taxidermy and learn how to survive a standoff with a rattlesnake, get up close and personal with animals from the West at Wild Wyatt's Traveling Menagerie, or try their hand at Death Drawing with Art Macabre. Festival-goers can gather in The Town Square and get their dancing shoes on at The Dance Off’s Hillbilly Hoedown or take centre stage with the ever-popular Rockaoke. At The Church Fate join Legs Akimbo who will be delivering the kind of service you won't want to miss. Plus, fresh from their smash-hit V&A show, boundary-pushing art collective The Treatment Rooms return to Standon to offer revellers the chance to mosaic their own tombstone and take The Ride of Your Life in the Voodoo Taxi Wagon. The wonderful Salon London will also return to The Last Dance Saloon to host a selection of inspiring and surprising interactive talks and classes on the subject of Dark Matters and Bright Ideas.
Making Bollywood his home from home, we’re massively pleased to announce a perennial favourite of our Jurassic Coast amusements, it’s the return of David Rodigan MBE presents Ram Jam, featuring a very special extra appearance from DJ Yoda, and skank-tatsic sets from Prince Fatty, Artwork & Venum Sound and the man himself. We’ll also have Bollywood-based family fun and joy-inducing beats courtesy of Norman Jay MBE presents Good Times, plus late night action with eclectic treats from The Specials’ frontman Terry Hall, and dancefloor spanking bass from Music Mondays & World of Rave with sets from Billy Daniel Bunter, Slipmatt, Rat Pack, Ragga Twins, Uncle Dugs, Jerome Hill, and DJ Faydz.
Keeping Bollywood bouncing all weekend long, we’ll also have epic sets from Camp Bestival’s wildest man Rob da Bank, house music don Ralph Lawson, world music connoisseur Andy Kershaw, and 78 specialists The Shellac Collective, plus we’ll have Big Swing Soundsystem, Balearic Brothers, DJ Dapper Dan and our old friends the Mix It UP DJ Kru.
Bollywood won’t be the only place to cut some rug during the weekend though, you’ll be able to go wild on a sound safari across the site with off the wall behaviour atCaravanserai with Chris Tofu & friends, channel hopping, sing-along-a-madness at the Silent Discos with the Sunday Best Allstars, enjoy naughty After Hours Party Tunes at the Blue Coats Clubhouse and boogie on down to the Showmany Calliope’s Daily Discos!
We know that the kids love nothing more than busting a move or fifty, so we’ve got plenty of dancefloor madness in store for them (and, let’s face it, you), too, with Kids Discos in Bollywood. Featuring daily doses of afternoon fun from Big Fish Little Fish, Friday b-boy shenanigans with Fun DMC, and a series of workshops from Carnival Dance to the lowdown from the BRIT school, it’s all going off!
A man that can effortlessly start a party and get it bouncing before he’s even dropped the second tune, Fatboy Slim is the master, a true king amongst men, and one of our favourite DJs ever. From the likes of Everybody Needs a 303 and Gangster Trippin’ to recent top ten smash Eat Sleep Rave Repeat, Norman Cook has soundtracked some of the greatest moments of our lives, we’re massively proud to have him onboard for the launch of our brand new show, and we can’t wait to welcome him to Southampton Common on Saturday 23rd May as Common People’s first ever headliner!
Commenting on his headline slot, and quoting a classic tune in an exclusive video just for us,Fatboy Slim said: “Living in the love of the common people, smiles from the heart of a family man. Momma’s gonna buy you a dream to cling to, Fatboy’s gonna love you just as much as he can. And he can. Join me on Southampton Common with the Bestival family, 23rd May.”
Warming the cockles for the big event on the Isle of Wight this September, Common People will also have live sets on Saturday 23rd May from daisy age hip-hop legends De La Soul, sick beatmeister Jaguar Skills, and Sound of 2015 hot tip George the Poet, plus Plastic Mermaids, our Battle of the Bands winner, Funky Little Choir, and Lycra-clad enigma Mr Motivator.
Sunday 24th May capers will feature a very special guest indeed who will be announced very soon, plus live action from pop behemoth Clean Bandit, who will be showcasing their inimitable brand of classical riffs with a healthy dose of baroque pop nous for all the Common People. With their chart topping smash Rather Be racking up over a million sales, making it the third biggest selling tune of 2014, and their debut album New Eyes reaching the top three, Clean Bandit are a proper big deal and we couldn’t be happier that they’re joining us.
We’ll also have hometown riffers Band of Skulls, who said of their Common People appearance “We are extremely happy and proud to be playing Common People festival. We grew up here in Southampton and the common has played a big part in our lives. Hometown shows are always great, this will be extra special. See you in May”.
And there will be even more Sunday joy with authentic rock n rollers Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, incendiary two-piece Slaves, cut & paste master DJ Yoda, funky breakdance geniuses The Cuban Brothers, 6 Music funk aficionado Craig Charles and West End Kids.
Bestival’s creative team will be flexing visionary moves, taking the spirit of Bestival to the heart of Southampton, transforming the common into a world of wonder. Amongst the hysteria you will find plenty of mind-boggling Common People antics including the woven magic of Yarn Bombing, legendary Mr Motivator Workouts, and psychedelic 19th century salon, The People's Front Room.
There will also be plenty of opportunities to have a small libation with an array of stunning bars, including the vintage vibes of the Day of the Dead Margarita Lounge Bar featuring cabaret, rock n roll, alternative, world and gypsy music, fantastically exotic concoctions from Josie da Bank’s super chic Jam Jar Bar and lavish behaviour at the VIP Hospitality Bar. A huge selection of delicious treats from cocktails and craft beers to lip-smacking afternoon teas and a tantalising selection of the finest Streetfood vendors around will delight the most adventurous of souls and keep you all coming back for more.
A whole host of fantastical fun, daytime diversions, amusements and good times will entertain one and all including, Bigtopmania Circus, Lost & Found, Tree House Theatre, Big Foot the Clown Show, The Fez Heads, Big Bears Big Balloon Disco, Big Bubble Bash, Trapeze lessons, Circus Skills, Crazy Inflatable bundle madness, Face Painting, Toddlers Play Area, Craft tents, Welly Wanging, Morris Dancing, Hoedowns, and Brass Bands.
Much like at sister festivals Bestival and Camp Bestival, The Big Top at Common People will play host to some of the most exciting underground electronic music the world has to offer. Saturday will see Junk at the controls with sets from Dusky, Huxley, Dense & Pika, Leon Vynehall, Luca Pilato and Jordan McKinlay. Switch takes over on Sunday with Chicago house legend Derrick Carter taking pride of place, with sets from Rob da Bank, Friend Within, Toyboy & Robin, and Muddywellies. We’ll also have Southampton’s illustriousJoiners adding to the mix in our new bands tent, and plenty more to boot.
New to the lineup is hip-hop turntablist and cut and paste pioneer DJ Yoda, explosive Leeds alt-rockers Dinosaur Pile Up, the genre straddling experimental pop of Hot Vestry, 13 piece Latin-Salsa-Boogaloo band Giddy Gringos, elusive duo and AV specialist, Nordic Giants, South Wales indie synth-pop band Man Without Country, Belgian five piece indie-rock group, Balthazar, … Read more
Heading for a fifth anniversary celebration, over five days and three stages, Soundwave Festival Croatia has curated a formidable lineup that will combine with the always-electric Soundwave atmosphere and the glorious holiday surroundings to make this a trip to remember for a lifetime.
Bonobo hits Soundwave in the midst of his awesome tour supporting universally acclaimed album 'The North Borders', while sellout successes for UK promoter Soundcrash Quantic and Alice Russell make an appearance at Soundwave, and anticipation is high for DJ Shadow's debut performance in Croatia. Robert Glasper Experiment recently wowed audiences with a live collaboration with Kanye West, and DOOM's hip hop credentials are unrivalled, making his billing at Soundwave extra special. Plus, DJ Yoda, Lapalux, Hiatus Kaiyote, Homeboy Sandman, Andrew Ashong, Illum Sphere, Kelpe and many many more
The Argonaughty boat parties embark just seconds from the main stage, and this year there are 16 separate parties to enjoy, hosted by the likes of Ninja Tune, Soundcrash and Tru Thoughts, and featuring sets from artists of the calibre of Bonobo, Mr Thing, Quantic, Om Unit, Shigeto, Kutmah and Craig Charles to name but a few. There's even a boat party with a full-on brass band on board. The three-hour Funktion 1-powered tours of the Dalmatian coast are the ultimate highlight of the Soundwave experience and a chance to get up close to the artists.
