Wednesday, May 29, 2024
by Tat
Summer is just around the corner and that means festival season is almost upon us again. Every year explore the dance and electronic outdoor musical landscape to see what parties are lined up for the coming months. This year I’m starting my festival frolics earlier than normal, especially as the excellent Blue Dot has taken the year off, so I will be visiting the veteran gathering of Bearded Theory to watch Orbital, Ibibio Sound Machine and The Orb. Below are some of the options for those wanting to a few nights dancing under the stars. At the time of writing, these festivals did have tickets remaining but most usually do sell out well before time.
Kicking off our list with a festival in my home county of Derbyshire with a hidden gem of a party in one of the most beautiful parts of the Peak District. Very much entrenched in the underground with a host of DJs including Bish, Keef & Natty D, DJ Limited and many more. A small but perfectly formed party in a field, very much born out of the original rave ethos.
Just like the mythical city of the same name, this festival is regarded as one of the best kept secrets on the summer calendar. No doubt that secret will become more well known as more people make the hedonistic pilgrimage to party until the sun comes up over the glorious Malvern Hills. Like many of my generation, we have fond memories of that location through the irreplaceable Big Chill festival which played out its final years by the side of Eastnor Castle. So the cycle of music culture goes on and it is a testament to that place that it should host another great event. This year’s line up includes Honey Dijon, Shy FX, Sub Focus, Palms Trax, Flowdan and for the older members of the crowd, Boney M (Featuring Maisie Williams) and Syreeta.
https://www.eldoradofestival.com/
Situated across three stages, Noisily sets out its ethos as: “Rooted in the underground electronic music scene, Noisily is a family forged in a holistic environment which feeds the mind, body and soul.” Located close to the Lincolnshire border and near to Grantham, the festival takes place under a beautiful lush woodland canopy. This year’s line features evergreen artists such as Dave Seaman, John 00 Fleming, Eat Static and System 7 along with newer acts. Expect house, breaks, drum & bass, trance and much more.
Without doubt, one of the best festivals I have been to in my 30 plus years. An incredible setting, friendly crowd and the best sound systems embedded within the sprawling Houghton Estate. With so many places to visit on site - one thing is for sure - that you will not be short of choice. Unlike many dance festivals, DJs at Houghton are given longer sets to create their journeys in sound, often lasting four hours. The line up is truly mammoth so if you do go, you will find yourself making tough decisions as to which speakers to dance in front of. Stand out artists include Adrian Sherwood, Optimo, Pearson Sound, Moxie, Moodymann, Hunee, A.L.F.O.S and Bill Brewster. As always, there is a carefully curated selection of live acts on show, including Dopplereffekt, Reggie Watts, Morphology, Higher Intelligence Agency, Red Axes, Legowelt and Radioactive Man.
https://www.houghtonfestival.co.uk/
Launched on the back of a compilation of the same name in 2018, you can expect a superb line up of pioneers and emerging talents in black and electronic music. Established by Giles Peterson, you can be sure that you will be entertained by some of the best artists in the same place over the summer months. There are too many standouts, but here are just a few, including Loose Ends, Ron Trent Presents WARM, Louise Vega and The Elements of Life, Floating Points and Andre 3000. Another beautiful place to spend a few days with good friends, food and music. One for the bucket list.
https://weoutherefestival.com/
Lost Village has established itself as one of the ‘must go to’ weekend parties of the summer. A visually stunning event with an impressive website that entices people to explore the many things on offer. Over the 10 years since the festival was born out of friendship, it has grown and matured to expand to include comedy, workshops and talks alongside an ever-evolving music line up. This year’s highlights in the village include Midland, The Blessed Madonna, Nightmares on Wax, Todd Edwards and Ben UFO.
Another festival taking place over the August Bank Holiday is Moovin’ which has grown considerably in popularity in the last few years. It is hard to find festivals with a ticket price below £200, although this is just set over three days. Another plus about this festival is that camping is additional, so unlike most festivals there is the option to head home after each evening, which helps keep this more affordable for people. The line up this year is exceptionally hot, with Leftfield, Laurent Garnier, Souls Of Mischief, Erol Alkan, Crazy P, Graeme Park and K-Klass Live all leading the bill.
https://www.moovinfestival.com/
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