As we’re now into June and Summer is threatening to arrive, we thought it was high time we turned our attention to the upcoming attractions. There’s plenty of impressive festivals to get your mouths watering, from established big hitters to smaller, newer editions. We’ve cast our eyes over the line-ups and picked out where we’d be spending our money, and which ones we’d be giving a miss.
Green Man (15th-18th August, Brecon Beacons, Wales)
Set in the stunning surrounds of the Brecon Beacons, Green Man is a festival that has long been a jewel in crown of the UK’s alternative festival scene, mixing established stars with the best up and coming acts, and, a probably unfair, reputation for always raining. This year’s edition, the festival’s 15th, is topped by three very different headliners, with Four Tet adding an electronic twist, alongside a rare festival set from the legendary Eels, and the ever controversial, Father John Misty. There’ll be questions asked about a lack of female headliners, although there’s some big hitters elsewhere on the bill with the established Sharon Van Etten and returning Stereolab, alongside newcomers Porridge Radio, Malena Zavala and Stella Donnelly. If we were forced to pick one act that’s completely unmissable, it’s hard to look beyond Big Thief’s only UK festival appearance of the summer, showcasing material from their latest offering, U.F.O.F. alongside some old favourites. One of the best line up’s of the summer, and frankly we’ve come to expect nothing less.
Tickets For Green Man are completely Sold Out – enjoy!
Deer Shed Festival (July 26th-28th, Baldersby Park, Topcliffe)
It’s a landmark event for North Yorkshire institution, Deer Shed, which is celebrating it’s 10th edition, and with a line-up that looks like it could have been curated by Marc Riley, they seem to have taken a big step forward. The headliners might not be established bill toppers, but Anna Calvi and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are acts on the rise, while our love for Ezra Furman is well documented. There’s an eclectic undercard with the muted folk of Tiny Ruins and Kathryn Joseph, noisier offerings from Pip Blom and Pom Poko. B.C. Camplight might just be the festivals star-turn, now his visa issues are well behind him, the New Jersey turned Mancunian songwriter will be bringing his twisted, theatrical intensity: a set not to be missed. There’s also plenty of comedy and literature to keep you entertained if you managed to find a gap in the music. Very much a rising star, Deer Shed’s moment may just have arrived.
Tickets for Deer Shed are available now from £155 including booking fee. Click HERE for more information.
If Not Now, When? (14th September, East Oxford Community Centre)
A bit of a break from the full weekends, camping and fear of rain; If Not Now, When? is an Oxford-based all dayer, back this September for its third edition. With close to thirty acts spread across three stages, its shaping up be one of the finest celebrations of the UK’s DIY-scene. Headlining will be Durham-punks Martha, along with Boston’s Pile and the legendary Bilge Pump. Elsewhere Schande, Nervous Twitch and Secret Power bring some delightfully noisy fair. Chorusgirl are our pick of the lot, bringing their jangling take on indie-pop, and potentially some new material as they build towards their third album. With tickets from just £20, it’s quite possibly the best value line-up of the summer.
Tickets for If Not Now, When? are on sale now for £20. Click HERE for more information.
Field Day (7th-8th June, The Drumheads, Meridian Water)
The continuing evolution of Field Day has seen it get less and less like a field almost every year, this year’s event leaving the outside behind and taking place in The Drumsheds, a collection of warehouses in Tottenham. While not particularly in line with the acts we cover, Field Day always has an undeniably finger-on-the-pulse line-up, and this year is no different, courtesy of headliners, grime-superstar and Mercury Prize winner, Skepta and Jorja Smith. Field Day has never been a festival to stick to one style, and this year is no different with Pip Blom rubbing shoulders with Death Grips and Diplo colliding with Julia Holter. Our pick of the bunch is the surprisingly far down the bill Deerhunter, who’ll be showcasing new album, Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?, and serve as a reminder of Field Day’s more guitar-laden roots. Do note if Field Day is catching your eye, you’ll have to move quickly, as it’s taking place this weekend, tickets are still available though.
Tickets for Field Day are available now from £87.50 + booking fee for weekend tickets. Click HERE for more information.
Latitude Festival (18th-21st July, Henham Park, Suffolk)
Started back in 2006, Latitude Festival has grown way beyond its roots and become a big hitter on the festival scene. That said 13 years on, they’re actually revisiting the first ever edition this year, with the returning presence of headliners Snow Patrol. They’re joined by the pretty huge, if not really our sort of thing, duo of George Ezra and Lana Del Rey, and the festival has clearly evolved from its indie roots. That said there’s still plenty of hidden gems in the line-up with the likes of Honeyblood, Jenny Lewis and Julia Jacklin. One act we’d happily watch at anytime, anywhere are Scottish gloom-heroes, The Twilight Sad, one of the nation’s most intense and exciting live bands. It’s not a line-up that’s screaming out at us and at over £200 it does look rather pricy, yet there’s more than enough acts to have yourself an excellent weekend, plus all the multi-coloured sheep you could wish to look act!
Tickets for Latitude are on sale from £202.50 + booking fee. Click HERE for more information.
Truck Festival (26th-28th July, Hill Farm, Oxfordshire)
There’s something pleasantly old school about Truck Festival, with no talk of banqueting options, literature stages or children’s activities; it’s very much all about the music. Headlining are three of the biggest guitar bands of the day in the shape of Wolf Alice, Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. We were critical last year of the lack of female representation at the festival, and it does seem a little more diverse this year with the likes of The Japanese House and She Drew The Gun on the main stage, and Kate Nash headlining the second stage. It’s a line-up that to our ears gets better as you move to the smaller stages, with Sunday on The Nest looking particularly good courtesy of Martha, Gaffa Tape Sandy and Cheerbleederz. In something of a bizarre twist, they also seem to have booked Mr Motivator, so fully expect to see some spandex.
Standard tickets are Sold Out but limited “Zodiac” tickets for Truck are available from £190.00 + booking fee. Click HERE for more information.
Indietracks (26th-28th July, Midlands Railway Centre, Derbyshire)
With its winning combination of steam trains and indie-pop, our love for Indietracks is well documented, and the charming Derbyshire institution is basically unmissable in our eyes. The three headliners are all new to the festival with up-and-comers, The Orielles and Kero Kero Bonito joined by Tracyanne & Dany, the new project from Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell. There’s a host of big hitters in support, with established festival favourites, Martha and Peaness, joined by the legendary Bis and possibly the biggest name on the bill, Stealing Sheep. There’s plenty of our favourites lower down the bill, courtesy of the likes of Fresh, Witching Waves, Foundlings and L I P S. There’s also going to be a hugely emotional set on Saturday night as The Spook School bid farewell, the Glaswegian’s kicking off their final run of dates by appearing at the festival for the fourth time; tears almost guaranteed. This fabulous festival looks as good as ever!
Tickets for Indietracks are available now from £79 + booking fee. Click HERE for more information.
End Of The Road Festival (29th August – 1st September, Lamer Tree Gardens)
One of the summer’s final hoorahs, End Of The Road has long been the perfect way to finish off the festival season, and the 2019 edition looks no different. The headliners, Beirut, Metronomy and Michael Kiwanuka, are solid rather than hugely exciting, but the strength of the End Of The Road bill lies in the sheer depth of talent appearing. The likes of Angelo De Augustine, Mitski and Gia Margaret make rare UK appearances, along with big names like Cate Le Bon, Cass McCombs and Courtney Barnett. A smaller band well worth getting excited about are Black Country, New Road, the London newcomers breathing something fresh into the world of post-punk. A beautiful setting, some fantastic bands and all the peacocks you could ask for, End Of The Road is as strong as ever.
Tickets for End Of The Road are available from £192 + booking fee. Click HERE for more information.
For The Rabbits 