FESTIVAL PROFILES There are festivals in every corner of Scotland this year, from one-day parties in Glaswegian glasshouses, to intimate shindigs in castle grounds. We profile the best of the music fests
WICKERMAN
Where and when: East Kirkcarswell, near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway, Fri 23 & Sat 24 Jul. Unique selling point: They burn a big bloody man! www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk
The Wickerman Festival capitalises on the urge within every man and woman to stand around with your friends and burn something to the ground. Tommy Perman, of Fence Collective members FOUND, agrees. ‘I’m a big fan of the The Wicker Man film, so I’ll be disappointed if I don’t see sacrificial goats, naked frolicking and burning wooden effigies.’ There are several crowd-friendly acts topping 2010’s bill including Futureheads
(pictured, below). The real draw this year, though, is the Solus tent, where FOUND will be joined by Unicorn Kid, Conquering Animal Sound and Django Django, among others. ‘I’m particularly happy that Django Django are on the bill,’ says Perman. ‘We played with them at this year’s Homegame Festival and they were a joy to watch – they all donned safari suits and there was at least one pith helmet being worn on stage. I’m also intrigued to check out Unicorn Kid’s set (although I fear I’m now too old to be allowed in).’ (Niki Boyle)
Line-up: Charlatans, Buzzcocks, Ocean Colour Scene, Futureheads.
BELLADRUM TARTAN HEART
Where and when: Beauly, Inverness-shire, Fri 6 & Sat 7 Aug. Unique selling point: There’s a fancy dress theme (this year ‘Wonderland’) with the best dressed revellers getting free tickets to next year’s festival. www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk
Belladrum successfully snares the youth with hip bands like Young Fathers and Unicorn Kid, but also ticks the ‘family friendly’ and ‘sing-along’ boxes with headliners like Feeder, The Wailers and The Divine Comedy. Beyond the music, there is theatre, cabaret and comedy to keep audiences happy and a Saturday morning bike race, the Sweaty Bella, to blast away the cobwebs. Feeder frontman Grant Nicholas has hinted he may take part: ‘I’d maybe be up for the mountain bike race. I used to be a cycle courier many years ago! As for the fancy-dress, I think it’s best to leave that to our road crew.’
If you’re looking to find the (tartan) heart of Belladrum’s musical patriotism, head to The Potting Shed stage – a haven for Scottish acts and the best place to catch some raw talent. As Nicholas recognises, there’s something wonderful about a Scottish stage. ‘It’s always a challenge to headline any festival, but Scottish festivals have great audiences who love their music.’ (Niki Boyle)
Line-up: Feeder, The Wailers, Amy Macdonald, Candi Staton.
WIZARD
Where and when: Craigieford Park, Aberdeenshire, Tue 27 & Wed 28 Aug. Unique selling point: Attention paid to families. www.wizardfestival.com This fest goes kid-friendly in a very big way, with a separate camping ground for families and plenty of activities courtesy of the Wee Wizards arena. Little ‘uns will be able to see shows and try their tiny hands at
various workshops, including hip hop dancing and rapping, and (appropriately for Wizard) a magic show. How this gels with the Madchester vibe created by Happy Mondays (pictured, left), The Complete Stone Roses and James will remain to be seen, but all three offer good potential for some ground-stomping sing- along action. Altogether now, ‘Oh sit down, oh sit down . . .’ (Niki Boyle)
Line-up: Happy Mondays, James, Alabama 3, Peatbog Faeries, The Complete Stone Roses.
Sonar
17-19 Jun, Barcelona, Spain,
www.2010.sonar.es Barcelona’s electronic music festival features a beats and bleeps-lovers line-up with headliners including Fuck Buttons, 2manyDJs, Hot Chip, Joy Orbison, Roxy Music and LCD Soundsystem.
Glasgow Jazz Festival
18-27 Jun, Glasgow www.jazzfest.co.uk Neil Cowley Trio, Tim
Kliphuis, Polar Bear and The Necks are just a few
artists appearing at Glasgow’s annual jazz event. See our previews in Music, next issue (9
Jun).
JULY
Glastonbury Festival
Hard Rock Calling 25-27 Jun, Hyde Park,
Roskilde Festival 1-4 Jul, Roskilde,
Wireless Festival 2-4 Jul, Hyde Park,
London, www.hard rockcalling.co.uk
The headline acts’ music may not necessarily be ‘hard rock’, but Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie
Wonder, Jamiroquai and James Morrison are sure to impress, and leave the hard rock up to Friday’s headliners Pearl Jam.
23-27 Jun, Worthy Farm, Glastonbury, www.glastonburyfesti
vals.com
It’s Glasto’s 40th anniversary and the
festival is going all out, compiling a line-up of
Stevie Wonder, Faithless,
Shakira, Slash, Willie Nelson and Muse, plus pretty much every up-
and-coming band you’ve ever heard of playing
myriad stages across the
site.
Denmark, www.roskilde- festival.dk/en
London, www.wirelessfestival.
co.uk
The Scandinavian Hip hop meets rock and
pop at this year’s Wireless festival, as
Snoop Dogg, D12 and Jay-Z meet Lily Allen,
Slash, LCD Soundsystem,
2manyDJs and Pink.
equivalent of
Glastonbury, Roskilde is famed for its extension beyond the music.
Festivalgoers are able to
enjoy wall climbing,
skating, cinema, book readings and poetry slams as well as music
from Muse, Jack
Johnson, Patti Smith and Them Crooked Vultures.
Edinburgh
International Magic Festival 7-11 Jul, Edinburgh, www.magicfest.co.uk No prizes for guessing what goes on here –
John Archer, Paul Wilson, Drew McAdam and Lewis Barlow are
just a few of the
conjurors, mind-readers and illusionists at this festival’s debut outing.
27 May–10 Jun 2010 THE LIST 23