Ah, festivals. Possibly the best thing about living in Britain is that because the weather is so dreary most of the year we party like idiots as soon as the sun comes out.
We used to have to either choose between about four festivals or go to Ibiza to combine hedonism and music. Now we are as spoilt for choice as a footballer in a lapdancing club.
So where are you going? There are small ones, big ones, dance ones, rock ones, ones for has-beens, ones for soon-to-bes. There are stupid amounts to choose from, but here are the ones that we would suggest?
The Big Chill, 5th-7th August, Herfordshire
This is strange, we remember Big Chill being an incredibly atmospheric weekend but with a line-up designed to make muso types stroke their goatees and congratulate each other on their impeccable taste, but damn it when did it get THIS good? Kanye West? Chemical Brothers? Metronomy? Wild Beasts? Kanye West? Have they found a suitcase of money in the woods or something? Hopefully we?ll be there. If the bastards approve our press pass request. Are you listening, guys?
Y-Not, 5th– 7th August, Derbyshire
A nice little one that we confess, we've not been to before. 5000 capacity so as ever with the smaller ones, the line-up is everything. Bands that we-like at y-not include Art Brut, the always entertaining Beardyman, The Duke Spirit, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Dananananakyroyd, Go!Team, and Maximo Park.
Standon Calling, 12-14th, Hertfordshire
Okay, we?d never heard of this one but here?s a bunch of reasons why it's worth your time. Headliners are Spiritualized, Lamb and Battles (all of whom are ace in different ways). They have a swimming pool! The bars are open all night. It clearly has that winning formula of people that are experts in how to create an atmosphere combined with an instinct for upcoming bands. ?We've got a good feeling about this one.
Beautiful Days, 19-21st, Devon
Regardless of how you feel about the Levellers, it stands to reason that they would know how to put on a festival, does it not? The headliners are normally aimed at your festival veteran crowd (this year sees Carter USM, Big Audio Dynamite and Gogol Bordello) while there's plenty of variety further down the bill. Every non-corporate festival in the country owes something to Beautiful Days.
Green Man,? 19-21st, Brecon Beacons
Traditionally the strongest indie-folk line-up, this year?s acts include Iron & Wine, Fleet Foxes, The Low Anthem, Holy Fuck, Josh T Pearson, Explosions in the Sky and The Antlers. There's also plenty of other genres spread around, but it remains a folk festival at heart.
Reading/Leeds 26-28th
One of the original rock festivals and its identical Northern twin still pull in one of the best line-ups and a massive crowd. Where once it was peerless it terms of line-up, these days there's a lot more competition. The headliners this year are My Chemical Romance, Muse and The Strokes which, with the possible exception of MCR is a pretty poor show for Reading. That said if you like left-of-centre rock music you will find enough bands here to justify the ticket price. Worth going? for The Joy Formidable, Pulled Apart by Horses, Jane?s Addiction, Interpol, Odd Future and Deftones. And at least they've stopped calling it the Carling Weekend.
Oh, and one more thing. Enough with the festival chic bollocks. If it’s not muddy, don’t wear wellies.
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