As Bestival’s luminous dream world draws ever nearer, we have news of a host of amazing new live acts and DJs who will be dropping future sounds among the cosmic campfires, mindful escapism, intergalactic raves and Mexican wrestling when Bestival heads into The Future this coming 8-11 September at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight.
Rob da Bank says: “As ever we aim to please at Bestival and cover all bases at our insane island party. So let’s head into The Future with one of my favourite electronic acts ever Leftfield, a-song-a-month sensation Oh Wonder and newbies Honne and Anne-Marie, plus jungle and house legend DJ Zinc and hardcore heroes Slipmatt, Billy Daniel Bunter and Altern-8!”
They’re one of the biggest and best live dance music acts ever, so we’re over the moon to announce that Leftfield will be tearing up the Big Top on Saturday night. Famed for their speaker smashing bass, and a truckload of anthems from Phat Planet and Release the Pressure to Swords and Universal Everything, they never fail to give the dancefloor a proper spanking. You don’t want to miss this one.
But that’s not all as we’ll have breathy synth duo Oh Wonder, electronic soul from Honne, Rudimental collaborator and winner of MTV’s Brand New list Anne-Marie, hotly tipped rapper Tiggs da Author. acoustic trance from The ShowHawk Duo, and post punk three-piece and Robert Smith faves The Twilight Sad.
There will be even more live music from London Music Awards’ Rising Star Espa, widescreen indie types New Desert Blues, Sunday Best’s own Alice Jemima and Xylaroo, high octane rhymesters Too Many T’s, and the incredible winner of our Isle of Wight bands competition Lauran Hibberd.
Joining our future perfect fun on the ones and twos we have a host of forward-thinking crate diggers who’ll keep you dancing all night long including super sharp shooter DJ Zinc, the World of Rave & Music Mondays crew with History of Rave action from DJ Slipmatt going b2b with Billy Daniel Bunter and a DJ set from Altern-8, plus grime selector Sir Spyro, Radio 1’s Clara Amfo, freestyle femme fatale Amy Becker and woozy, psychedelic wunderkind Roosevelt.
We’ll also have pleasingly repetitive beats from Junk: Not Your Thing featuring Luca Pilato & Jordan Mckinlay, Bestival FM co-host and all round party phenomenon Goldierocks hosting the main stage, and dancefloor devastation from Ghettospheric, K2rah, Dr DJ, Joe Roberts Presents Ecstasy Garage Disco, Suspiciously Delicious, Bitr8 and Isle of Wight DJ competition winner Just Eden.
Plus, there will be energetic pursuits from the amazing Reggaerobics who will be helping us blow away the cobwebs with some stirring morning manoeuvres.
There are still plenty of treats to be revealed for our Future paradise, including our Sunday night main stage headliners and much more, so head to www.Bestival.net, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram / Tumblr
Northern England’s most cherished festival, Beat-Herder in Lancashire, has sold out of all 12,000 tickets with 2 weeks to go.
Selling out in advance has become something of a given for the festival, which celebrates its landmark 10th anniversary this year. This will be the 9th year in a row that all tickets have gone in advance.
In other exciting news, legendary British electronic-duo Leftfield have been announced as Sunday night headliners. They will be closing the festival on Beat-Herder's main stage and replace Sugarhill Gang, who have sadly had to postpone due to health issues.
From humble free party origins to an annual three-day 12,000 capacity bonanza with a legion of devout fans,Beat-Herder is a rare find in today’s climate: a staunchly independent festival that stays true to its roots, completely shunning all corporate sponsorship or branding.
"We're over the moon about having yet another sell out event; our 9th in a row! We're looking forward to an amazing and very special 10th birthday with some surprises in store, and which is looking set for, dare I say it, great weather too." Nick Chambers, Beat-Herder Festival founder.
"With Leftfield, Booka Shade, UNKLE and James Zabiela joining Detroit luminaries Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May and Juan Atkins and underground treasures like No Artificial Colours, Krystal Klear and Boddika, Playground Festival will reach new heights of hysteria when it sets up shop in June. Borrowing as much from Sonar as Bloc Festival to inform its booking policy, headline slots from Gary Numan and Squarepusher will touch similar ground to the spectacle committed by Amon Tobin and his ISAM Live series recently, with 3D mapping visuals and an LED construction set, in a venue more than equipped to handle it… Adding to that, there'll be nobody knocking on The Academy door asking for noise to be kept down, ensuring the event is one London festival where the volume hits all the necessary levels. This playground is for adults only." DJ Mag
This year’s Playground Festival brings together many of the godfathers/ innovators of house, techno and electro music alongside those making a significant rise on current underground scene to create a truly retrospective festival experience. Headliners LEFTFIELD, SQUAREPUSHER, GARY NUMAN, DIGITALISM, VITALIC and UNKLE’s JAMES LAVELLE, will be joined by a whole host of upcoming and respected talent as they all play under one roof at Brixton Academy on the 7th – 8th June.
Unparalleled in their status as one of the UK’s biggest electronic acts of all time, LEFTFIELD, join the Friday leg of the festival with a rare electronic dj performance. Their seminal debut album ‘Leftism’ went platinum within a number of months of its 1995 release and earned a Mercury Music prize nomination later that year. The album is looked upon as a classic is regularly mentioned in music polls including Q Magazine that placed it 8th in their list of ‘The Greatest Albums Of All Time’.
While the Saturday, will be topped by contemporary experimental producer SQUAREPUSHER. This producer has redefined the spectacle of live performances. Using a giant screen, stage board and head-mask comprised of nothing but choreographed LEDs, Squarepusher’s live show now mirrors the incredible attention to detail he brings to his music, as well as highlighting the incredible technology it takes to be one of the world’s best producers.
Joining the list on the Saturday night will be legendary songwriter and innovator to electronic music GARY NUMAN. Since his groundbreaking work and named as one of the figureheads of the electronic movement in the late 70s and early 80s, Gary Numan has been a pioneer of forward-thinking electronic music and a living legend to the UK’s musical history. Since the release of his breakthrough track ‘Cars’ in 1979, Numan has gone on to have a glittering career that still holds strong today. With every passing year, Gary Numan has kept true to himself by breaking barriers and creating diverse and interesting electronic music that wins him new fans every day.
Topping Friday’s bill will be the electronic duo DIGITALISM, making a very rare LIVE performance at Brixton Academy. Known for their breakthrough single ‘Pogo’, Digitalism have been a huge driving force in underground electronic music and their critically acclaimed live show is all part of why we wanted them at the top of the bill.
Joining Digitalism on the Friday will one of the founding members of alternative electronic duo UNKLE, JAMES LAVELLE is a true staple of the UK’s music scene. Forming the group, alongside DJ Shadow, in 1996, UNKLE are regarded as one of the most groundbreaking electronic groups the world has ever seen with their debut album ‘Psyence Fiction’ regularly brought up as one of the greatest albums of all time.
French techno will also get its representation at this year’s festival with an incredible live performance from one of the country’s most formidable producers VITALIC. Since the release of his debut album ‘OK Cowboy’, Vitalic has proven to be one of the world’s leading beatmakers on the techno scene. From his early debut work with ‘La Rock 01’ to his current heavyweight album ‘Rave Age’, Vitalic has never failed to bring the party atmosphere everywhere he goes and earned his place on this year’s bill.
As well as all the seminal talent joining us at this year’s Playground Festival, we will also be graced with the presence of groundbreaking electronic duo THEORB with a full LIVE set. Since the release of their incredible debut album ‘Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld’ more than twenty years ago, The Orb have been one of the most innovative and awe-inspiring electronic outfit in recent times. The pair are currently working on a second collaborative album with dub legend Lee Scratch Perry and rumours have began to fly over a new tag-team with electronic hero and fellow Playground Festival performer John Foxx. Needless to say, The Orb’s performance will definitely come with surprises.
Joining Vitalic and Gary on the Saturday will be two of the founding fathers of the Detroit house and techno scene, DERRICK MAY and KEVIN SAUNDERSON who together reinvented the house sound in the 80s and have gone on to be two of the most respected tastemakers on the scene today.
We are also serving up German house duo BOOKA SHADE, who have been a staple of the world’s clubbing consciousness for more than a decade. Since the early 2000s, Booka Shade have been creating and pushing their sound through their self-conceived label Get Physical, resulting in four critically acclaimed albums with numerous singles and remixes to boot. After a 3 year absence, we welcome BOOKA SHADE back onto the UK live seen with open arms.
KAVINSKY will also be bringing his unique brand of 80s infused electro to the festival on the Friday night. After all the hype Kavinsky received from his contribution to the ‘Drive’ soundtrack, the producer finally released his debut album ‘Outrun’ this year. A retrospective look at what the producer has managed to achieve since his career began. While his fellow countrymen CASSIUS will join the French producer in what can only become a great union in the sounds of old and new French productions. Known for their anthems ‘Cassius 1999’ and ‘Feeling For You’, Cassius’ inclusion on this bill will bring a cool dose of electro nostalgia to this year’s festivities.
JAMES ZABIELA also takes the reigns on the Friday night and has been one of the UK’s most praised DJs over the last decade. As a longstanding resident to the Renaissance label, Zabiela’s mixes and DJ sets are regarded amongst the highest and have seen this DJ progress to one of the highest names on today’s underground electronic music scene.
MODEL 500 has been the most successful pseudonym of American producer and originator of the Detroit techno scene, JUANATKINS. Atkins first began working as Model 500 in the mid 80s and went on to create the now legendary Metroplex label, home to the likes of Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson, who will of course be joining us on the Saturday.
We complete the top of Saturday’s line up billing with some of the most inspiring and influential artists in the world. Including German-born PANTHA DU PRINCE, a staple of Europe’s ambient techno scene whose new collaborative album with The Bell Laboratory ‘Elements Of Light’ is looking to be one of this year’s most anticipated new releases. JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS, the new project from original ULTRAVOX vocalist, John Foxx, joins him on the second day. This new project has seen a reinvention of John Foxx as he looks to continue the ground he covered with Ultravox, and bring it hurtling into the new millennium.
Also added to Saturday’s bill will be on of the founding members of electronic pioneers Kraftwerk, WOLFGANG FLUR. Flur left in the group in the mid 80s to pursue other projects that have seen the producer create a number of unique and diverse productions right up to the present day.
The Playground Festival will also host a huge array of talent across both nights including dance music royalty X-PRESS 2, talented DJ and producer BODDIKA, championed producer of the Numbers label DEADBOY, nostalgic RnB reinventor KRYSTAL KLEAR, ethereal beat producer LAPALUX and North American beatmaker TOKIMONSTA.
With NATHAN FAKE, LUKE VIBERT, CRAIG RICHARDS, LUKE SOLOMON, OM UNIT, NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS, OLUGBENGA, WILDKATS, WHYT NOYZ, MOLO, SEVERINO, DAN BEAUMONT, LUKE UNABOMBER, FANTASTIC MR. FOX, RYAN HEMSWORTH, DAKTYL, CHARLIE TRAPLIN, MAXX BAER and TEMPLA opening the festival for us across both days, the event promises to kick start the summer off with a bang (or beat?).
Back once again for 2013 will be London party-starters The Playground with their annual two-day festival, taking place in the capital from the 7th-8th June. This year, the festival will be held at the incredible 4500 capacity Brixton Academy, and host some of the biggest names in electronic music that has ever been.
"With Booka Shade, UNKLE and James Zabiela joining Detroit luminaries Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May and Juan Atkins and underground treasures like No Artificial Colours, Krystal Klear and Boddika, Playground Festival will reach new heights of hysteria when it sets up shop in June. Borrowing as much from Sonar as Bloc Festival to inform its booking policy, headline slots from Gary Numan and Squarepusher will touch similar ground to the spectacle committed by Amon Tobin and his ISAM Live series recently, with 3D mapping visuals and an LED construction set, in a venue more than equipped to handle it… Adding to that, they'll be nobody knocking on The Academy door asking for noise to be kept down, ensuring the event is one London¹s festivals where the volume hits all the necessary levels. This playground is for adults only."DJ MAG
Considered as one of electronic music¹s most forward thinking artists, SQUAREPUSHER headlines THE PLAYGROUND FESTIVAL Saturday night. Following the critically acclaimed release of ŒUfabulum¹ on Warp Records last year, SQUAREPUSHER¹S AV show is an audiovisual barrage of brutal rhythms and laser guided melodies wowing crowds worldwide from SONAR to L.A.¹s HARDFEST and the Roundhouse in Camden recently.
Featuring a giant synapse shorting LED display designed and programmed by himself SQUAREPUSHER has reasserted himself in the electronic music pantheon. It¹s an intense show that feels like nothing else you¹ll see this year.
Headlining the Friday leg of the festival, LEFTFIELD are unparalleled in their status as one of the UK¹s biggest electronic acts of all time. Their seminal debut album ŒLeftism¹ went platinum within a number of months of its 1995 release and earned a Mercury Music prize nomination later that year. The album is looked upon as a classic is regularly mentioned in music polls including Q Magazine that placed it 8th in their list of ŒThe Greatest Albums Of All Time¹.
Joining him for the Saturday line-up, GARY NUMAN is a man that needs little introduction. Since his groundbreaking work and named as one of the figureheads of the electronic movement in the late 70s and early 80s, Gary Numan has been a pioneer of forward-thinking electronic music and a living legend to the UK¹s musical history. Since the release of his breakthrough track ŒCars¹ in 1979, Numan has gone on to have a glittering career that still holds strong today. With every passing year, Gary Numan has kept true to himself by breaking barriers and creating diverse and interesting electronic music that wins him new fans every day.
Since the release of their debut album ŒIdealism¹ and subsequent commercial success from lead single ŒPogo in 2007, DIGITALISM have grown become one of the world¹s most acclaimed electronic acts. The German duo have gone on to tour the world and all the while perfecting their emphatic live show with an impressive array of lights and visuals to boot.
As one of the founding members of alternative electronic duo UNKLE, JAMESLAVELLE is a true staple of the UK¹s music scene. Forming the group, alongside DJ Shadow, in 1996, UNKLE are regarded as one of the most ground-breaking electronic groups the world has ever seen.
Another James on the bill, JAMESZABIELA has been one of the UK¹s most praised DJs over the last decade. As a longstanding resident to the Renaissance label, Zabiela¹s mixes and DJ sets are regarded amongst the highest and have seen this DJ progress to one of the highest names on today¹s underground electronic music scene.
We are also serving up German house duo BOOKA SHADE, who have been a staple of the world¹s clubbing consciousness for more than a decade. After almost a three-year absence from their productions, Booka Shade returned earlier this month with a new EP ŒHaleshop¹, that the pair lovingly dished out for free to their fans. It¹s clear that Booka Shade are back to their best in 2013 and will now doubt bring their impressive live show to full power this summer.
While KAVINSKY, fresh from releasing his debut album ŒOutrun¹ earlier this year, is one of the most talked about artists of today. The subsequent buzz he received after providing the opening title music to hit film ŒDrive¹ gave KAVINSKY an instant audience that exploded his presence on the world stage.
Joining GARY and SQUAREPUSHER on the Saturday will be two of the founding fathers of the Detroit techno scene, DERRICK MAY and KEVIN SAUNDERSON who together reinvented the techno sound in the 80s and have gone on to be two of the most respected tastemakers on the scene today.
We complete the top of Saturday¹s line up billing with some of the most inspiring and influential artists in the world. Including German-born PANTHA DU PRINCE, a staple of Europe¹s ambient techno scene whose new collaborative album with The Bell Laboratory ŒElements Of Light¹ is looking to be one of this year¹s most anticipated new releases.
With further support throughout the weekend from, VITALIC LIVE, JUANATKINS / MODEL500, CASSIUS, LAPALUX, TOKIMONSTA, JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS, WOLFGANG FLUR (EX KRAFTWERK), NATHAN FAKE +++ many many more the event promises to kick start the summer off with a bang (or beat??).
Oslo Live Festival held for the fourth time in Kontraskjæret at Akershus Fortress in Oslo. The arena is a gem in the city and it is very easily accessible by metro, tram and bus.
Aiming to turn the fortress into a mega outdoor clubbing experience, a new setup will see a custom build DJ platform complete with huge LCD screens.
Leftfield, Ludacris, Groove Armada, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco, Pretty Lights, Casiokids, Goldfish, Big Bang, Fred Falke, Florrie, Kaskade, Wiley, Daniel Adams-Ray, Rebecca & Fiona, Schlachtofbronx, Bob Hund, Friendly Fires + a few local acts are already announced for this year.
We’ve got a few more confirmed that we will announce in the week to come and a few offers pending. Previous years we’ve had act’s such as Justice, 2manydjs, Big Boi, Diplo, Kent, Scissor Sisters, Crystal Castles, Klaxons, Santigold +++
Leftfield’s Head Honcho Neil Barnes says “I am very happy to be playing at Beat Herder this year. Feels like I am coming home!” It is a great honour to be on the same bill as Simian Mobile Disco and Andrew Weatherall amongst all the other great acts. Can’t Wait!”
Last year, Leftfield took the Live show on the road after years in hibernation and we are so excited that the Ribble Valley is going to experience what has only been described as a ‘mind blowing visual and aural feast’
Dance music’s underground heroes Dreadzone are the next act to be added to this burgeoning bill, along with Acid House legend Greg Wilson, DJ du jour Doorly. Going back to our roots on the reggae tip are The Selecter featuring Pauline Black and Gaps Hendrickson and original Rude Boy Neville Staple.
Deep in the heart of sleepy Ribble Valley something magical is on the boil! The festival gears and wheels have been slowly turning all through the winter and preparation for the best Beat-Herder yet is well under way.
500 Early Bird tickets sold out in a record 5 minutes! Full priced weekend tickets are now on sale for £85. This year children tickets are £15! Run by six hardy and creative Yorkshire men, preparation for the ‘best one yet’ is well under way! Beat-Herder HQ is already working over time cooking up a ruddy delectable pot of artistry, nonsense and Beat-Herder barminess for your fun packed festival pleasure. Oo err! The spectacular Beat-Herder workshop is already crammed with wood and recycled junk that is being lovingly crafted into the nuts and bolts of the madcap creations that make the breath taking festival site.
This year we have been working on beautifying the woodland, ready for a new and intriguing area has already begun, there’s a lot of work involved, but we’re really excited, it’s going to be ‘quality’.
And our fancy dress frenzy is being announced too.. Friday is Flower Power day to bring some colour, joy peace and love to Beat-Herder for you and your lovely petals. Saturday night is Everything begins with an E! Think Eggboxes, ET, Eskimos, Elephants, ETC ETC! oooh how Exciting!
With zero official sponsorship, no egos and not a scrap of branding in sight Beat-Herder is not about platinum selling artists on huge stages but about creative festival fun, locally sourced food and booze (at cheap as chips prices) and the friendliest most up for it crowds this side of the Pennines!
Beat-Herder legend has it that in the beginning there was the Toil Trees where the Toil Sound system brought friends together to party beneath the trees. The landowner was set to cut down the forest but he enjoyed himself so much that he couldn’t bear to chop it down. And so Beat- Herder was born and has grown from strength to strength! 2010 saw Beat-Herder scoop the runner up prize for ‘Best Dance Event’ at the UK Festival Awards and this year looks set to be the biggest to date!
With hay stacks more of amazing DJs and live acts soon to be revealed watch this space as Beat-Herder 2011 is going to be a goodun’!
And that folks is definitely not all! When your legs tire of dancing to this little lot why not check out the amazing extras… Being small, intimate and perfectly formed there’s never far to walk but there are still plenty of stages, interactive nonsense and hidden surprises to satisfy even the most curious of Beat-Herders!
Stop of for a brew or a beer at Mikey’s Tea Shack, sit down beneath the hanging baskets on one of the famous Beat-Herder vibrating benches (a favourite with the older lady) or check out one of the many magical surprises hidden around every corner. Last years Granma’s Launderette hidden deep in the trees through a 20m long tunnel was a massive hit and this year the BH crew are thinking bigger so watch this space!
Also back by popular demand for 2011 is the legendary Working Men’s Club. Remember 10p pints, Ford Cortinas, three-day weeks and the miner’s strikes? No? Well neither do we but we like to party like its 1970 at Beat-Herders very own working men’s club! It has all the glamour of a 70s pit village with added real ale, silliness and glittery blue eye shadow. The working men’s club with play host to the annual “Beat-Herders got Talent (judged last year by Coronation Street’s very own Jannis Battersby).” And again, mad old nana moon will be having a sing a long, there will be bingo, and some top class talent will also be performing!
Easily heard but not as easy to find, the Toil Trees stage which this year has a new and improved crispy clear sound system can be found tucked snuggly amongst the trees, the epicenter of the festival. Get amongst it and dance to the eclectic beats that last throughout the night.
With it’s intimate fun atmosphere and amazing facilities Beat-Herder strikes the perfect balance between ‘up for it crowd’ and family friendly vibe. With a new and improved Kids field and super cheap kid’s tickets, Beat Herder’s of every age are warmly welcomed!
More amazing acts and madness soon to be announced so watch this space!
The institution dance music fans know and love as the Slam Tent will be back at Balado to celebrate its 15th consecutive year and with Leftfield confirmed as a headliner, it’s a line-up that calls for double celebration. The stellar Slam bill of dance heavyweights also includes The Streets, Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77,
Felix da Housecat, Slam, Diplo, Josh Wink, Benga & Youngman, Silicone Soul andMathew Jonson. That’s just for Slam starters as there’s much more to come.
The infamous Swedish House Mafia are set to tear it up when they descend upon Balado. Huge individually and riotous together, the superstar trio of DJ’s Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso and Axwell take dance music to another level when performing as a collective. They stormed the charts with Tinie Tempah last year providing the unofficial soundtrack to the summer with dance floor anthem ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ and now it’s time to take on T in the Park.
Leftfield pioneered the electronic music scene of 90’s Britain with seminal debut album ‘Leftism’ which fused dub, breakbeat and techno. The album was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize and reached Q Magazine’s 100 Greatest British Albums ever. Famous for touring with an outrageously loud sound system which created headlines in Amsterdam and caused the ceiling of the Brixton Academy to crumble, Neil Barnes is set to make the blue walls of the Slam Tent throb as he single-handedly brings the Leftfield experience to the masses this summer.
This man is so on top of his game that he hardly needs an introduction. Deadmau5, the 28 year old Canadian, is an electro house producer with a big difference. There’s the large cartoon mouse head costume of course, but there’s also the artist, the technical whizzkid, the Grammy Award nominee and the outstanding reputation for being the most forward thinking person in electronic music right now. Killer clubland tracks such as ‘Ghosts N Stuff’ and ‘I Remember’ are sure to form part of a highly visual set that will go down in history. The man has his finger on the pulse, he creates the pulse, he IS the pulse.
Hailed as one of the world’s best electronic music acts, 2manydjs bring their pounding electro for what will be their third appearance at T in the Park. Fans of the Belgian brothers’ sell out shows know to expect outstanding visual treats and electrifying chemistry between the pair, making their set an unmissable affair. Mash ups of foot stompers like Gossip’s ‘Standing in the Way of Control’ and MGMT’s ‘Kids’ have been filling dancefloors all over the world and the fields of Balado will be shaking when these two take to the decks.
The massive dance music collective confirmed for T in the Park, along with leading urban music acts currently lead by the inimitable Tinie Tempah, and the biggest names in rock and pop, further proves that T in the Park has something for everyone. Music fans can get lost in their love of dance for the whole weekend, saturate themselves in the sweet sounds of urban and pop, rock out to the biggest festival acts on the planet or mix it up and do it all. The very best of separate musical genres, across multiple stages with carefully curated line ups for the most finely tuned festival bill of the summer – that’s T in the Park.
At the heart of T in the Park is the music and atmosphere that continually unites the crowd and creates a weekend of memorable moments that will last a lifetime. Brit Award and Grammy winners, multi-million selling artists, music icons and legends….T in the Park 2011 has them all. Bring it on Balado.
Residence packages are available, providing luxury accommodation options including Thursday – Monday Camping & Festival Ticket. For more information on Residence packages visit www.tinthepark.com/residence
