In London and in surrounding cities in the United Kingdom, musical emphasis is often placed too much on chart toppers and pop-rock royalty. In recent years, as more new bands have cropped up, a few festivals have gained reputations for either having the biggest pull or the smallest niche in music, and some others are more known for a carnival than head-bopping atmosphere. Here are some unique players in the music fest scene.
V Festival
Noted for its commercial nature compared to other festivals, The V Festival has the kind of pull many club DJs dream of: getting Beyonce, Kings of Leon, Calvin Harris and Eddie Izzard to headline different stages of music and comedy fare, as it did in 2013. For a taste of the same or even better next summer, book early V Festival Tickets as Brit, Ivor Novello and Q Awards winner Emeli Sande will be taking centre-stage.
Held annually in the penultimate weekend in August, V Festivals runs at two parks simultaneously, which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. These locations are Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in South Staffordshire.
Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury needs no introduction, and as the largest green-field festival in the world, it is yearly attended by more than 175,000 people. Since its small initial edition in 1970, the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts has taken place near Pilton, Somerset; and also incorporates festivals around dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.
Bestival
A four-day music festival held on the Isle of Wight, Bestival is relatively new, only turning ten next summer. Organised by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and his wife Josie, it was originally envisioned as an offshoot of the Bank’s Sunday Best record label and club nights. It was voted the best major UK festival in the UK festival awards 2010 and again in 2012, whilst picking up Fans Favourite Festival in 2011.
As a boutique festival, Bestival draws quirky crowds and ideas. It is considered more alternative and diverse, offering a large selection of vegetarian foods,fancy dress themed days, a dressing up tent and a ‘secret stage’.
Besides social and environmental causes, Bestival launches odd and innovative ideas, including an inflatable church where people can get married. The “Breastival” is a yurt for mothers and their breast-feeding children, while the local Women’s Institute provides refreshments for affordable prices, unlike certain closed commercial festivals.