It’s that time of the year again folks – the festival line ups are being confirmed and we’re getting a very clear picture of which of this year’s musical weekends will be worth all that trudging through the mud!
And there’s so much to choose from! My highlights from previous years include Isle Of Wight Festival for their incredible acts (Paul McCartney, Blondie, Kanye West and Foo Fighters have all blown me away at Seaclose Park). This year IOW Fest’ falls over the weekend that Glastonbury usually takes place – so we’re expecting BIG things! Hard Rock Calling is also another one of our favourites, based in London and always drawing a brilliant crowd – last year we danced with Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie to Brandon Flowers and The Killers. Now that was a moment. And I also have a very soft spot in our hearts for the family fest’ that is Latitude out in Suffolk (The National particularly rocked last year). And then of course there’s V Festival, which sees some of the hottest pop acts in the work entertain Essex and The Midlands for two big nights. Even rock-loving Reading has won us over with Pulp and Two Door Cinema Club leading the top performers of 2011 – so we’re more than ready to see what 2012 has to offer!
So here are some of our top picks on line ups so far… there are some right goodies booked in, so make sure you book your tickets now…
The Great Escape, Brighton
Thursday 10 – Saturday 13 May
300+ brand new artist will take to the stage at various venues around Brighton for the Great Escape this year – a fun answer to the US’ SXSW Festival. Grab a hotel, get away and enjoy some great live music from acts you’ve probably never heard of – but you will love. Alabama Shakes, Lulu James and Mystery Jets are just a few names you might have heard of.
Pick up your tickets and more information on who’s playing here: http://escapegreat.com/festival-line-up
ONE FEST, A secret location near Marlborough, Wiltshire
14 April
It’s for one day only – so make sure you grab your ticket for just £3 and see Damon Albarn’s Dr Dee and the fantastic Dry The River while you munch on local food and enjoy some real ale. There’s also plenty for the family, including sporting fun, an acoustic café, circus area and an actual hoe down! It all kicks off at noon.
Get your tickets here: http://www.seetickets.com/Event/ONEFEST/Rockley-Manor/622945
DOWNLOAD, Donington Park
Friday 8 – Sunday 10 June
The crazy world of Download gets underway on the Friday with Chase and Status and The Prodigy headlining, while Metallica, Biffy Clyro, You Me At Six Sound Garden and Black Sabbath will be setting the standards on Saturday and Sunday night. Oh and then there’s Tenacious D - don’t forget Tenacious D.
Ticket details are right here: http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets/
LOVEBOX, Victoria Park, London
Friday 15 – Sunday 17 June
Oh this one’s a goodie… Hot Chip, Friendly Fires, Lana Del Ray, Kelis, Crystal Castles, Emeli Sande and there’s still one headliner to be announced for Sunday. London’s Lovebox festival is celebrating a decade of musical wonder with a jam-packed list of acts. And the best bit? You don’t have to sleep in a tent to enjoy it.
Get your tickets here: http://www.lovebox.net/#filter=.home&tickets=tickets
ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL, Seaclose Park, Newport
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 June
Get your pop rocking on this year at IOW, because this line-up caters to everybody’s taste. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen (yes, the real Bruce Springsteen) will be ending the nights – with the likes of Elbow, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Tinie Tempah, Lana Del Ray, Ash and Biffy Clyro joining them. Plus if you get a B&B, you can have a full English brekkie by the beach before heading to the site each day… The Isle Of Wight totally rocks!
Isle Of Wight tickets are on sale here: http://www.isleofwightfestival.com/tickets.aspx
RADIO ONE'S HACKNEY WEEKEND, London
Saturday 23 - Sunday 24 June
If you've ever been to one of Radio 1's Big Weekend celebrations, you'll know that it's one of the most fun weekends of the year, with top pop acts from around the world joining hot DJs to create a big musical extravaganza. This year, the celebrations are coming to ur home City of London and in particular Hackney - and here's who you can catch on stage... Jay Z, Leona Lewis, Azealia Banks, Emeli Sande, The Ting Tings, Swedish House Mafia, Tinie Tempah, Labrinth, Calvin Harris and Florance and the Machine (amongst many others). And the acts are still being announced - so stay tuned and make sure you register by 19 March for tickets!
Find out who else has joined the line up and register here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/hackneyweekend/2012/tickets/
WIRELESS FESTIVAL, Hyde Park, London
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 July
Today, the team at Barclaycard’s Wireless Festival announced that Deadmau5 will be one of the superb headliners at this year’s event – playing the Friday night crowd into the weekend. Rihanna is also be on the bill and will be bringing things to a banging end on Sunday. Plus, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Example, Professor Green, Jessie J and Calvin Harris are all on the list too. It’s going to be huge and I have a feeling there are more big names to come!
Register for tickets here: http://www.wirelessfestival.co.uk/
T IN THE PARK, Balado, Kinross-Shire, Scotland
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 July
Why not combine a long weekend with a bit of festival magic – and head up to Kinross-Shire in Scotland for this year’s T in The Park Festival. Grab a B&B or cottage to stay in and head over to the festival to check out headliners Snow Patrol (Friday), The Stones Roses (Saturday) and Kasabian (Sunday) – and add to the fun by catching Florence and the Machine, Tinie Tempah, NewOrder, David Guetta, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Elbow, Swedish House Mafia and Nicki Minaj. Even Pete Doherty is showing up for a set!
Get your tickets here: http://www.tinthepark.com/content/default.asp?page=s19_2
LATITUDE FESTIVAL, Henham Park, Suffolk
Thursday 12 – Sunday 15 July
Bon Iver, Elbow and Paul Weller will be headlining the July weekend in the South East – which means there won’t be a dry eye in the house as we all sing along to One Day Like This at the tops of our voices on the Saturday night. Other acts include Simple Minds, White Lies, The Horrors and Metronomy. The fabulous Laura Marling and Janelle Monae will also perform. Jack Dee will be heading up the comedy tent.
For tickets head to www.latitudefestival.co.uk
HARD ROCK CALLING, Hyde Park, London
Friday 13 – Sunday 15 July
So far, Bruce Springstreen and The E Street band have been announced for the Saturday night – but that’s all we know! Whoever will be playing Friday and Sunday though, will be huge – and I’m very excited about it. *Crosses fingers for Blur*
Ticket details are all at http://www.hardrockcalling.co.uk/
MANCHESTER JAZZ FESTIVAL, Manchester Town Centre
Friday 13 – Saturday 21 July
Eight days and a lot of fabulous music – and you can even sign yourself up if you’d like to play. The Manchester Jazz festival will take place at different venues around the City and will feature up and coming and established acts, and it will be the perfect alternative to the pop fests taking over the headlines.
Check out the details here: http://www.manchesterjazz.com/
V FESTIVAL, Hylands Park & Weston Park
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 August
The Stone Roses and The Killers headline this year's V Festival - which in itself makes a pretty good line up, I reckon. But add to that some Noel Gallagher, Snow Patrol, Tinie Tempah, Tom Jones, Madness, Friendly Fires, Happy Mondays and Noah & The Whale and we think we might have a winner!
Normal tickets are sold out already but there are still packages available at: http://www.vfestival.com/tickets/official-ticket-outlets
READING FESTIVAL, Richfield Avenue, Reading
Friday 24 – Sunday 26 August
The atmosphere last year at Reading was incredible and it looks like this year will be even better with some of the names they’ve bagged! The Cure, Kasabian and Foo Fighters will be headlining the three days – and they will be joined by the fantastic Black Keys, Florence and the Machine and Paramore amongst others. In fact, here are more names – they are all great! Enter Shikari, Bombay Bicycle Club, Kaiser Chiefs, Two Door Cinema Club, Azealia Banks... We could go on forever.
Tickets are available here: http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/READING-FESTIVAL-2012/
BESTIVAL, Robin Hill Country Park, Isle Of Wight
Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 September
Friendly Fires, Hot Chip, New Order, The XX, Two Door Cinema Club, Michael Kiwanuka, Orbital, Sigur Ross, Bat For Lashes, Emeli Sande, Orbital – the list for Rob da Bank’s Bestival is immense this year.
Check out the full line up (there’s so much more, we couldn’t fit them all in) and
bag your tickets here: http://2012.bestival.net/tickets
