Electric Fields, Scotland’s most exciting new music festival, is proud to announce that Fat White Family, Field Music, Honeyblood and Eliza & The Bearwill join the two day bill at 17th Century Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries & Galloway on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th August.
“Electric Fields is all about bringing the best music to our audience in this incredible location,” says festival co-founder Nick Roberts. “We’re proud to welcome these amazing bands to the lineup. They each bring something unique and powerful to a bill that we think is the best for music lovers, and the best value, anywhere in the country this summer.”
Electric Fields also announces today that the second stage will be renamed The Stewart Cruickshank Stage in association with Tenement TV. Stewart, who sadly passed away late last year, was a champion of new music throughout his long career as a radio producer at the BBC and beyond.
“Stewart Cruickshank was a true Scottish music hero,” says Nick. “He was part of the fabric of music radio in Scotland and the UK for 35 years, giving a much-needed platform to new bands from Scotland and bringing us the best new music from wherever he could find it. With the blessing of his wife Lorraine, we’re proud to acknowledge his exceptional contribution to our musical heritage by naming our second stage in his honour.”
Fat White Family have built a formidable reputation for putting on the most uncompromising and anarchic live show in the world right now. Their unrelenting passion and commitment to their craft, bourne out on their 2013 debut album Champagne Holocaust and this year’s Songs For Our Mothers, has seen them thrill audiences across the globe in a way few other bands can challenge.
The smart money’s on Field Music being one of the highlights of Electric Fields 2016. Impossible to pigeon-hole, rooted in indie but branching out into all kinds of rarely-explored territory, the band’s sixth album Commontime is melodic but never obvious, lush but never overblown and spiky in all the right places. With an endorsement last year from Prince, no less, they are undoubtedly one of the most excitingly creative bands around right now and a perfect addition to this year’s lineup.
Honeyblood are no strangers to Electric Fields, having played a blinder at the festival in it’s first year in 2014. Drawing influences from The Breeders, PJ Harvey and Throwing Muses, they were hand-picked to support Foo Fighters at Murrayfield in Edinburgh last summer and are currently working on their eagerly anticipated second album.
The addictive chant from ‘Friends’ the opening track fro Eliza and the Bear’s self-titled album could have been written with Electric Fields in mind: “I got friends, I got family here.” It’s the calling card for a band who deliver festival-friendly, indie-pop anthems with a joyous inclusivity which lifts the spirit, even as it occasionally touches a melancholy nerve. We advise getting the album in advance – you don’t want to miss out on the inevitable sing-alongs they will inspire.
Best Kept Secret, the food and music lovers dream festival that takes place in Hilvarenbeek each year has finally released their full Line Up, with Daphni, PalbomenII and Joost van Bellen making their appearance on dj stage FOUR.
These are additions to an already overwhelming Line Up. Headliners Beck, Editors and Jamie XX will be joined by an array of different genres of artists, hailing from all continents. Two Door Cinema Club, Wilco, Mount Kimbe, Beach Slang, Yeasayer, Band Of Horses, Bloc Party, Fat White Family and many more will be taking the five stages at Beekse Bergen Safari Park over the weekender. We can't wait to see what the fourth installment of the festival has to offer, see you in June!
To read the review of last year's festival, click here.
Field Day are delighted to reveal the new line-up additions that will be joining headliner PJ Harvey, and previously announced artists including Beach House, Daphni, GOAT, John Grant and Thurston Moore Band on Field Day Sunday 12th June.
Field Day are thrilled to welcome Air, the French outfit whose sound has been influenced by the psychedelic and progressive rock pioneers Pink Floyd. With a string of hits under their belt, Air will treat fans to a special set of their classics, demonstrating their seminal signature sound this Field Day Sunday. Air are perhaps best known for their 1998 debut 'Moon Safari' which went platinum in the UK and for a short while seemed to define the musical zeitgeist. They've also composed elegant soundtracks for Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation and The Virgin Suicides.
Joining Air will be the hugely successful Australian rock band The Temper Trap. With the band's third album on the horizon, Field Day are extremely excited to welcome them on Sunday 12th June as they showcase their new material at the Festival.
It's been ten years since the recently announced Mystery Jets broke surface with their debut album, 'Making Dens'. What's kept Mystery Jets consistently fascinating over the last decade has been an itchy footed desire to keep trying new things. Given the strength of their new album 'Curve Of The Earth', the next ten years looks set to be as exciting for listeners as the last.
Field Day are also excited to announce New York native sing-songwriter and filmmaker Adam Green. With his new hyper-sensory, poetic and humorously subversive 'Aladdin' project currently making waves, Green will perform new tracks from the album at Field Day this June.
Hair-raising and pulse-quickening, indie punk rockers Fat White Family will also be on board this Field Day Sunday 12th June. Formed in a Peckham squat, the band have now released their second album 'Songs For Our Mothers', hailed as rich and fascinating both lyrically and musically.
Brooklyn-dwelling singer-producer Empress Of will bring her deconstructed R&B rhythms and skittering, minimalist beats to a Field Day stage. Whilst fresh off the back of his new album 'Meet The Humans', Steve Mason swings musically across dance, pop, folk, dub, and deep house influences, remaining lyrically adept and open.
Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen Skin will also be on board, known for his avant garde and experimental work with his custom-made electrified and modified instrument. Kimmo proudly counted the late David Bowie as one of his fans, who invited the artist to his 2002 Meltdown Festival in London. Finally, Field Day are excited to welcome the astonishing voice, thunderous rhythm and euphoric drone of D.D Dumbo and Italy's Mind Enterprises who will bring his vibrant take on dance to Field Day Sunday.
LINKS & FURTHER INFORMATION
FULL FIELD DAY LINE-UP:
Field Day Saturday 11th June 2016
James Blake
Ata Kak / Avalon Emerson / Bicep – Live / Champion / Coves
Danny L Harle / Dean Blunt / Deerhunter
Dilly Dally / DJ Koze / Dusky / Floating Points – Live / Fakear / Fickle Friends
Four Tet / Frisco / Gillbanks / Girl Band / Gold Panda / Greco-Roman Soundsystem
Winner of ‘Best Metropolitan Festival 2013’ at the UK Festival Awards, Dot To Dot Festival is established as the UKs premier festival for unearthing the hottest new talent around, alongside established acts from all over the globe. 2015 marks the festival’s 10th year and will see it returning to Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham from the 22nd to 24th May. Dot To Dot’s ever eclectic line-up is set to make this landmark year one of the biggest and best in the festival’s history. Already confirmed so far is Nottingham’s latest success story Saint Raymond, critically acclaimed singer songwriter Rae Morris, Californian surf-pop duo Best Coast, the anthemic synth-pop of Prides and the notorious, visceral Fat White Family.
Kicking off the fourth announcement is Rhodes. The 25-year-old troubadour from Hitchin has had a busy 18 months, with three EPs under his belt already and an eagerly anticipated debut album on the way. His epic balladry has drawn comparisons to Jeff Buckley, as well as Sam Smith, who you may have already seen him on tour with.
Ireland’s biggest indie-rock exports of recent years The Coronas also join the bill. The quartet specializes in catchy guitar hooks and towering melodies, which saw them beat U2 and Snow Patrol to Best Album at the Meteor Awards in their homeland. Their most recent effort The Long Way has seen the group take a more ambitious approach to their songwriting under the guidance of producer Eliott James (Kaiser Chiefs, Two Door Cinema Club, Noah and the Whale).
Amber Run, whose debut album 5am has just entered the top 20 in the UK midweek charts, play a slick brand of indie-pop with choruses that clearly have stadium ambition. Built on a foundation of rock, Nothing But Thieves mix a colorful pallet of fervent riffs, effortless falsetto vocals and hints of electronica. Manchester all female four PINS play a fierce brand of post-punk, which is well showcased amongst the glitter and middle finger salutes of recent single “Too Little Too Late”.
Sundara Karma boast indie anthems with sun soaked guitars turned all the way up to eleven. 23-year-old rock & roller Louis Berry has been described as “channelling the energy of Jerry Lee Lewis through the story-telling of Dylan”
Further additions include the urgent, staccato cool wave of All Tvvins, the honeyed balladry of Martin Luke Brown, the melancholy minimalism of Robyn Sherwell, as well as A.O.S.O.O.N , Aaron Keylock, Ady Suleiman, Amy Yon (Bristol only), Black Honey, C Duncan, Creepoid, Dark Waves, Daisy Victoria, Dralms, Easy Life, H.Hawkline, High Tyde, Jamie Lawson, K.I.D, Ming City Rockers, Movie, NGOD, Nick Brewer, Nothing But Thieves, Pierce Brothers, PINS, Rag’n’Bone Man, Sam Sure, Seafret, Steve Parker, Sykes, Vaults and White.
Dot To Dot Organiser Anton Lockwood (of DHP Family) said: “We’re just over a month away until we bring you Dot to Dot’s 10th Birthday, something that we’re all very excited for! Of the latest additions to the line-up, one of our biggest ever to date, I’m delighted to welcome Rhodes to the bill who is set for big things for sure!”
For the uninitiated, Dot to Dot is all about bringing the best new music to some of the most forward-thinking venues in Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham. One wristband gains you access to 14 hours of music across multiple stages around your city of choice. Always progressing, the Northern Quarter will this year host Dot to Dot Manchester. Considered the creative quarter of the North West, the area is synonymous with arts and culture and its high concentration of independent venues will be sure to showcase the hottest new artists around. For further line-up additions and venues be sure to check out www.dottodotfestival.com
Full Line-Up So Far:
SAINT RAYMOND
SWIM DEEP // RAE MORRIS HUDSON TAYLOR // BEST COAST
FAT WHITE FAMILY // THE WYTCHES
AMBER RUN // RHODES // HINDS THE CORONAS // LAURA DOGGETT ⌃ // PINS
PRIDES // HONEYBLOOD // JOSEF SALVAT
DAVE ROWNTREE (BLUR/XFM) DJ SET x
A.O.S.O.O.N // AARON KEYLOCK // ADY SULEIMAN // ALEX BUREY ALFIE CONNOR // ALL TVVINS // AMY STUDT* // AMY YON + // APRIL TOWERS // BLACK HONEY // C DUNCAN* // CAIROBI // CREEPOID // CYMBALS EAT GUITARS // DAISY VICTORA* // DARK WAVES // DELAMERE // DRALMS* // EASY LIFE* // FLESH // FRANCISCO THE MAN // H.HAWKLINE* // HIGH TYDE // HOLY HOLY // JAMIE LAWSON // KAGOULE // K.I.D // LAUREL // LITTLE MAY // LOUIS BERRY // MAN MADE // MARTIN LUKE BROWN // MENACE BEACH // MING CITY ROCKERS // MODEL AEROPLANES // NEON WALTZ // NGOD // NICK BREWER // NOTHING BUT THEIVES // OSCAR* // OSCAR & THE WOLF // PIERCE BROTHERS // PIXEL FIX // PRETTY VICIOUS* // RACING GLACIERS // RAG ‘N’ BONE MAN // REMI // REMI MILES// ROBYN SHERWELL* // SAM SURE // SEAFRET // SHELTER POINT // SINGLE MOTHERS // STEVIE PARKER+ // SUGARMEN // SUNDARA KARMA // SYKES // TEI SHI // THE AMAZONS // THE GRISWOLDS // THE HOTELIER // THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT // VANT // VAULTS ✕// VÉRITÉ // VITAMIN // WALKING ON CARS // WHITE
Manchester & Nottingham ⌃ Manchester & Bristol *Nottingham & Bristol + Bristol Only ✕ Nottingham Only Venues:
Manchester – Friday 22nd May – Cathedral, Methodist Hall, Night and Day, Ruby Lounge, Soup Kitchen, Gullivers, The Castle Hotel, Cord, Mint Lounge, Kraak, Roadhouse, The Whiskey Jar, Kosmonaut.
Bristol – Saturday 23rd May – O2 Academy, Thekla, The Exchange, Louisiana, Trinity, The Fleece, Start The Bus, The Birdcage
Nottingham – Sunday 24th May – Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Red Room, Bodega, Stealth, Nottingham Trent University Union, Spanky Van Dykes
Kicking off the second announcement, we're delighted to welcome Best Coast to the bill for this years Dot To Dot. The LA two-piece comprised of Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno first found success with their lo-fi surf pop debut Crazy For You and have recently released details of their forthcoming third full length 'California Nights'
Having played the festival back in 2013, it’s our pleasure to bring back Birmingham bohemians Swim Deep. With their sophomore album due later this year and its first single 'To My Brother' seamlessly incorporating a new, unexpected influence of acid house to their dreamy indie anthems, theirs is surely a set to keep a close eye on.
Joining them are the much-lauded Fat White Family, winners of the NME Radar Award in 2014. Sitting musically somewhere in between the lo-fi jangles of The Fall and the more visceral howls of The Birthday Party, the band have built a fearsome reputation for their wild, unpredictable live performances.
Anthemic Glaswegian trio Prides are also welcomed to this year’s bill. They wowed a 40,000 strong crowd at the closing of the ceremony the Commonwealth games last year with their nostalgic take on synth-pop and will undoubtedly take on the D2D crowd with the same fervour
Further additions include Alfie Connor, The Amazons, Delamere, Flesh, Francisco The Man, The Griswolds, Holy Holy, Laurel, Man Made, Model Aeroplanes, Neon Waltz, Pixel Fix, REMI, Sugarmen, VANT and Walking on Cars.
Thousands of like-minded music lovers made camp at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain this weekend to enjoy another inspiring Green Man Festival.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the greatest festival in the UK has to be Green Man. With beautiful music in equally beautiful surroundings, the atmosphere here is unlike any other.
Last year, my partner and I brought our 7-month-old to what would be our first festival as a family and our first Green Man. Initially worried about what to expect we soon became enchanted with its approach to live music, ethical values and it’s family friendly nature – we vowed to become regulars.
Unfortunately for us we would be begin our weekend on Friday which meant having to miss Thursday’s headliners, The Waterboys but from what I was told, the classic hits from their 80s album Fisherman’s Blues was the perfect end to the first night.
It must’ve been a good one because by the time we had rocked up, pitched the tent and headed into the festival for a pint we discovered the signature Growler Ale was already on the decline, not to worry though as the on-site beer and cider festival meant there was plenty on offer for ale and cider aficionados alike.
With the ground now nicely dried from the previous days down pour and with the sun blazing above the Black Mountains we settled ourselves in front of the Mountain Stage with a couple of cold ones.
The Augustines were just about to begin and the New York three-piece were the perfect way to kick start our weekend. Their crashing sound shook us out of the slump we were feeling after the journey down and when frontman Billy McCarthy announced it was his birthday the whole crowd erupted in an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday. That Green Man spirit and friendliness reminded me how happy I was to be there.
Photo courtesy of Green Man Festival
Our toddler had danced himself silly so we thought we’d take a walk to settle him to sleep before heading back to the Mountain Stage for Daughter and headliners, Beirut.
As a parent, other people’s judgment is a constant and irrational worry. In normal life, seeing a baby up after 9pm might invite all manner of tuts and side glances, the beauty of Green Man though is that the experience is as much for children as it is for adults. Wagons padded out and adorned with fairy lights are the transport of choice for tired little legs and are more abundant than drunk teenagers, thankfully. Hiring one of these won’t break the bank either and it ensures headliners don’t have to be missed. Everyone’s happy.
The effort to maintain the ground management to ensure it’s accessibility for wheelchair users, pram pushers and wagon pullers alike is also of noteworthy importance. The whole arena is relatively flat and is a pleasure to walk around, and as night falls, the trees light up and the place is framed with fairy lights, it truly is a magical place.
Back at the Mountain Stage, Daughter provided a stunning set playing tracks from their debut album If You Leave and EP, The Wild Youth. The ethereal voice of Elena Tonra was an early highlight. Perhaps one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend, they certainty didn’t disappoint. Hearing the hauntingly beautiful, Still come to life was earth moving and you couldn’t help but get drawn in by the raw emotion of it all.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Harris
Nicely mellowed out, we struggled to fight back the desire to head back to the tent, we knew we’d made the right decision however when Beirut burst on stage.
The rapturous trumpets blew out the need to sleep and the hit filled set soon had us all on our feet. Frontman Zach Condon seemed genuinely thrilled to be given the top spot and they were clearly the perfect choice to end Friday’s festivities.
Photo courtesy of Alex Elms
Unzipping our tent the following morning and watching the mist rise over the Black Mountains was something special indeed, and as the clouds parted across the valley all that was left were blue skies.
After breakfast we headed over to the Little Folk Enclosure to catch The Flying Seagulls. We saw this merry band of performers last year and were fascinated by their mix of energy and madness, perhaps more so than some of the kids!
Our toddler eventually pulled his parents away from the Seagulls and took us over to I See Magical Creatures, a whimsical band of characters who encourage creativity and participation through arts and crafts. We stayed and painted a rhinoceros and then as you are encouraged to do, we hid him near a tree for someone to find. This was an adorable activity that allowed our imaginations to run free and kept our boy enthralled for a good while.
After wandering though Einstein’s Garden and chatting to some very clever and creative minds there, we decided to head over to the Far Out tent to catch reformed Swansea band, The Pooh Sticks. Their inoffensive indie had us bopping along and we hung out after to catch up-and-coming purveyors of modernist pop, Woman’s Hour.
After bumping into friends and family with their children we pitched up near the helter skelter for a bite to eat and planned our next musical move.
We hung around the Far Out tent long enough to catch Fat White Family, eager to see what all the fuss was about with these young lads.
After reading about the madness from some of their earlier gigs I was keen to see what extrovert frontman Lias Saoudi would bring. Shirtless and repeatedly off stage and in amongst it, the punk-ish behavior somehow wasn’t enough to distract from how musically brilliant these guys are. Yes, they’re over the top but that’s what makes them so addictive – it was certainly up there with one of the best performances of the weekend.
We decided to forego I Break Horses in favor of a pit stop back at the tent before heading back down to the Mountain Stage for the evening.
We caught the tail end of The War On Drugs, and as we approached I couldn’t help but notice how packed the crowd was. Lead singer Adam Granduciel belted out songs from new album Lost in the Dream and had everyone warmed up for Mercury Rev.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Harris
Playing their classic album, Deserters Song’s in its entirety, headliners Mercury Rev were phenomenal. Considered one of the highest rated albums of the year when it was released in 1998, it truly was a joy to hear live.
Sunday started much the same as Saturday. We spent far too much time singing along with the Flying Seagulls but managed to pull ourselves away when we heard the band begin for No Fit State Circus who were on site showcasing some of their amazing skills and acrobatics.
Having seen the company perform Bianco last year I was hoping to see a little more from No Fit State, their blend of carnival vaudeville circus techniques were fun but unfortunately I wasn’t blown away. It was worth hanging around just to listen to their band though who were stomping out all manner of Parisian infused cabaret music which really got the audience going.
Sunday was mostly a day for lounging and exploring. We wearily wandered around the Nature Nurture area, discovering the joys of bush craft and wished we’d had the foresight to book into the spa before deciding to push on through and head to the Babbling Tongues tent.
We were hoping to catch Howard Marks who was due to give a talk on Dylan Thomas to tie in with the centenary celebrations but unfortunately this was cancelled. However, we were able to chat all things Dylan Thomas with aficionado and number one fan, Jeff Towns who was on-site with his mobile bookstore, Dylan’s Book’s.
After a good chinwag we decided to head back to the tent to feed the kid and layer up for the evening.
We made our way to the Mountain Stage later that evening and settled in to catch First Aid Kit.
“Hello, we’re two Swedish sisters,” were the first words from beautiful songstresses Johanna and Klara Söderberg and I overheard someone suggest the large crowd was probably made up of men, eager to catch a glimpse of the stunning pair rather than take in the music.
Whatever your reason for being there, their beauty was matched by equally gorgeous vocals. Playing tracks from their new album Stay Gold, and peppered with earlier tracks like Wolf, their set had something for old and new fans.
Bringing the festivities to a close were folk legends, Neutral Milk Hotel who returned to the stage bringing with them a newfound vitality and spirit. After disbanding in 1998, they returned to touring last year and the reception they’ve received every since has been huge.
After having far too much fun we couldn’t bare to stay up to watch the Green Man burn, the annual flaming full-stop that marks the end of the weekend would mean it really is all over for another year.
With such an eclectic programme of acts each year it is clear to see why thousands flock here. The breathtaking backdrop is the perfect location to what is fast becoming one of the most highly anticipated festivals of the summer. Only 360 odd days until the next one!
