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Rob Da Bank |
Hottest festivals! Part 2 of our guide
THE BIG CHILL (August 6-9)
SET up 15 years ago, The Big Chill one of the most successful arts and music cross-over events.
Highlights include the chance to star in a Film Four Zombie movie called I Spit On Your Rave. Well-known artists and designers, such as Vivienne Westwood Rachel Whiteread and the iconic Peter Blake, who designed the Sergeant Pepper cover for the Beatles, have donated tents they personally have designed to be auctioned off for charity at the end of the weekend. Other odd happenings include a bus-load of transvestites appearing at some point, a la Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, ready to let their “fake” hair down.
But of course, music is a huge part and the line-up is eclectic, to say the least. Headliners include Orbital and Davie Byrne of Talking Heads fame, while DJ Mr Scruff also stands out for his awesome breakbeat sets. www.bigchill.net
BIG GREEN GATHERING (July 29-August 2)
WHILE all festivals like to show how groovy they are with promises to recycle all the rubbish left behind, none can get near the Gathering for sheer eco-friendly attitude. It is a crucial plank of the festival.
The festival was an offshoot to the popular Green Fields at Glastonbury, which showcased green living and championed crafts, and has expanded as more and more people have become interested in green issues.
Highlights include 150 different permaculture workshops and leading architects giving talks and leading discussions on practical – and cost-conscious – ways you can make your home green.
But it’s not all organic meals and herbal teas, essentially it is still all about great music. www.big-green-gathering.com
RHYTHM FESTIVAL (August 21-23)
Organised by ‘Saint’ Jim Driver, this event has sprung from the world-famous 100 Club in central London, one of the capital’s premier live music venues. Driver is an old-style rocker, and he hand-picks famous names from the past 50 years to appear at a former UASF air base in Bedfordshire.
“I’m not into chasing all the latest fads and trends,” he says. “I’m after solid, quality acts that have proved themselves to be at the top of their game.”
This means you get Motown stars appearing alongside British blues guitarists, ska and reggae acts popping up alongside boogie woogie outfits, Chas and Dave and other legends.
This year such faces as The Alabama Three, James Hunter, The Proclaimers and The Beat will strut their stuff, while the Retro Record Revue tent has DJs spinning discs from tea time on Friday right through to midday Sunday.
It has a more simple feel to it then the big trendy festivals with hordes of beautiful young things doing impressions of Kate Moss in wellies – but you’ll not find a better real ale anywhere this summer. www.rhythm festival.net
BESTIVAL (September 11-13)
CAN it just be five years ago that Radio One’s Rob Da Bank decided to throw a rather lavish outdoor shindig in a rolling valley on the Isle of Wight?
His September do, Bestival, which brings the curtain down on the summer outdoor knees-up season, has become so well established that it feels like it’s been around for ever.
This year’s headliners include Massive Attack and Kraftwerk – but perhaps the one unmissable gig of the weekend is the set by Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip. These two wordsmiths trotting out their curly-wurly mega-quick raps are well worth crossing the Solent for.
www.bestival.net
DAN CARRIER |
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