Bestival 2015 - Live Review / Pictures

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As Bestival started to wind up for the weekend, Thursday saw Jamie XX and Underworld  headlining the Big Top. Underworld’s vocalist Karl Hyde gave an enthused performance really drawing the crowd in. Check out our exclusive pictures from their performance here:

With the festival now in full swing Friday was gloriously sunny and truly felt like a Summer Of Love. 

The day was shaping up nicely with performances by Tame Impala, Honeyblood, Fat White Family, Misty Miller and Boxed In. We caught Boxed In on the Invaders of the Future stage, their debut album is out now including the single False Alarm. Check out their luxurious blend of electro-indie led by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Oli Bayston on the link below and also our exclusive pictures from their performance here:

In an afternoon set on the Main Stage Charli XCX

bounded on stage and really got the crowd going with her upbeat energy and sense of humour. Introducing Body Of My Own “for all the ladies who have pussy power” she is a strong character and with a Gwen Stefani twang to her vocals Charli XCX’s brand of pop has a fresh and vibrant edge.

 

With fun, light-hearted tales of Breaking Up “everything was wrong with you so breaking up was easy to do” and the song Break The Rules about “Dancing / getting wrecked” the crowd was really getting involved. With the girl-gang chorus of Boom Clap chants and hand claps rang clear across the site.

Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer was a highlight for Friday, from deepest darkest Surrey his performance in Club Da Da was packed out with a queue of eager folks waiting for their turn … one in one out. Check out the link below, if you have not already discovered this gem you need it in your life!

Friday’s headliners Duran Duran wow’d the crowd with so very much pyro! Set opener Wild Boys was lavishly set alight on the main stage and they were going down really well. Firm favourite of all the Duran classics Hungry Like The Wolf was up next and then A View To A Kill amongst all the usual favourites. 

On Saturday we checked out LA’s Girlpool on the Invaders stage. Cleo and Harmony treated us to their beautifully acoustic sound that really felt like they had something to say. With the lyrically narrative storytelling and Velvet Underground / Verruca Salt tinged sound. Highlights were Blah, Blah, Blah with its catchy girl gang harmonies and “Before The World Was Big” with its chorus developing into a seem-less round. 

Saturday was packed with plenty to see, the secret Main Stage act was finally revealed to be one other than 90’s favourites House Of Pain.

Kate Tempest on the Main Stage and Slaves in the Big Top:

Saturday's headliners The Chemical Brothers on the Main Stage. Following their vastly popular new album Born In The Echoes they mixed new material with old favourites which translated well with a great lighting show to provide an overwhelming all encompassing musical experience.

By the time Sunday rolled around there was no way the threat of rain would dampen spirits. We started off the day with Portsmouth favourites Kassassin Street in the Big Top, 

It was then onto the amazing Skinny Girl Diet on the Invaders of The Future stage. 

Leading up to the grand finale of the weekend we caught The Jacksons on the Main Stage, who ran down all the favourite hits including a touching rendition of I'll Be There.

The grand finale had Missy Elliot appear from a tower beneath the Main Stage, full of energy for her first Bestival performance and played all the favourites like Get Ur Freak On, Work It and The Rain. The actual rain did not put off revellers and the massive firework finale was a fitting end to an eventful fun festival experience.

Bestival Preview

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The Skints 

This weekend sees Bestival open its gates for the 11th year running, themed as Summer of Love.

Headliners Chemical Brothers, Missy Elliot, Underworld and Duran Duran are set to storm the Isle of Wight.

With soon to be announced Special Guests rumoured to be Muse after Matt Bellamy mentioned they were playing in an interview at a snooker championship earlier in the year there is a diverse lineup, although this has not been confirmed so watch this space! 

Our top picks from the lineup include The Skints (pictured above), Slaves (below), Girlpool, Skinny Girl Diet, Dinosaur PileUp, Tame Impala and Sleaford Mods.

Check out the full info here and we'll see you there!

www.bestival.net 

Sextile - New Album

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 LA’s SEXTILE release their Album this month. The song ‘Cant’ Take It’ is a frantic & shadowy call to arms, meditating on feelings of infatuation, desire, the unattainable and the fear of loss, as bubbling synths burst into screams of frustration. It’s a dramatic taste of the occult-inspired moods to follow on their debut record ‘A Thousand Hands’ – to be released on August 21st via Felte (Nite Fields, Ritual Howls, Mysteries).

Initially living in Brooklyn, guitarist/vocalist Brady Keehn and drummer/vocalist Melissa Scaduto made a jump to Los Angeles on a whim as the financial climate in New York became too much. Within months of being in LA, the two met bassist Kenny Elkin and guitarist/keyboardist Eddie Wuebben.
 
A Thousand Hands presents a primitive form of rock ‘n’ roll, melding surf punk, early industrial, ambient and post-punk. The album title is inspired by a form of spirit channeling that Wuebben was experimenting with one night. Whilst doing open eye meditation he felt thousands of hands reaching down towards him – a vision that was both frightening & exhilarating The experience left such an impression on the band, it became the first track on the album as well the album title.
 
On their debut record, Sextile waste no time setting a sombre tone with openers 'A Thousand Hands' and 'Flesh.' Menacing guitars blend into dark, rumbling synths as driving militaristic drumming leads the focused charge into unforeseen danger.
 
Still, whilst Sextile’s journey on ‘A Thousand Hands’ has undoubted moments of bleakness & catharsis, the band express their will to live, to confront their demons and forge on in search of better days, making for a captivating & spellbinding listen upon the way.
 
A Thousand Hands is out August 21, 2015 worldwide. Check it out on the link below:

Chemical Brothers - New Album - Born In Echoes

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Chemical Brothers first full length release for 5 years sees them back with their familiar sound collaborative guest appearances from Beck, Q-Tip, St Vincent and Cate LeBon keep it sounding fresh.

Stand out tracks include the title track Born In The Echoes, EML Ritual and Just Bang with their dirty bass lines, electro-tastic Reflexion and Taste Of Honey complete with buzzing bee effects!

Go! full on big beat electronica ... check it out on our playlist on the link below:

Download 2015 - Galleries

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Check out our galleries here from Download 2015!

Babymetal

Beasts

The Darkness

Defeater

L7

Gnarwolves

Allusondrugs

Andrew W.K.

Bodycount

Evil Scarecrow

Fightstar

Goddamn

The Pink Slips

Hyde Park - The Who, Paul Weller, Johnny Marr, Kaiser Chiefs, Gaz Coombes

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In the blazing sun this all day event in the prestigious Hyde Park, gracing the Oak stage for this all day event were Gaz Coombes, The Kaiser Chiefs, Johnny Marr, Paul Weller and The Who.

Gaz Coombes, perhaps best known as the frontman of Supergrass, the singer / songwriter embarked on solo shows around 2011. Since then he has released solo albums Here comes The Bombs and most recently Matador in January this year.Well suited to the …

Gaz Coombes, perhaps best known as the frontman of Supergrass, the singer / songwriter embarked on solo shows around 2011. Since then he has released solo albums Here comes The Bombs and most recently Matador in January this year.

Well suited to the line-up his music boasts a 60's psychedelic edge with a modern twist. This summery sentimental and experimental set was a perfect fit to kick off the day.

An exuberant and imaginative Gaz Coombes has expanded sonically since being one of Britpop's integral statesmen is no longer seen as just a fun character but now a quirky side-burned musician who has matured with his music.

Kaiser Chiefs were next up and off the back of their 2014 album Education, Education, Education, And War played a widely tipped return to form.

Singer Ricky Wilson really engaged the crowd, pogo-ing throughout the whole set in his smiley face tee and sunglasses.

First song up Every Day I love You Less And Less was followed by an energetic Ruby and I Predict A Riot was pogotastic, even got the older contingency patiently awaiting The Who moving, with their infectious energy.

Oh My God kicked in and we were reminded of just how many familiar songs they have as they churned out the hits. We Are The Angry Mob with obligatory hand claps galore and the quintessentially British post-punk Never Miss A Beat had singer Ricky Wilson showing no let-up in his enthusiasm, swinging the mic and cheekily playing up to the camera.

Kaiser Chiefs are currently working on their 6th studio album and today demonstrated they are not finished with us yet.

The legendary guitarist and songwriter Johnny Marr has his fingers in many pies, performing at Hyde Park an his solo guise the ex Smiths, Electronic, The The, Modest Mouse and prolific session musician has just released his second solo album Playland. 

Having already won the NME's god-like genius award Johnny Marr continues to push boundaries in his ever evolving music career.

With the jangly guitar playing synonymous with the familiar Smiths sound and so influencial to the whole Manchaster sound of the 80's / 90's Johnny Marr delivered hit after hit. He dedicated songs "to everyone here and no-one ****ing else".

Covering The Clash's I Fought The Law singalongs ensued then with the Electronic classic Getting Away With It and closing with How Soon Is Now? Johnny put on a great showcase of his work.

Paul Weller - The great UK singer, lyricist, guitarist and iconic Modfather's lifelong relationship with The Who continues well into his solo work. Rooted in British culture 70's 80's The Jam's principle Mod figure has matured through his long career towards a more soulful and melodic sound from the suburbs. In turn himself a massive influence on Britpop, Paul Weller wowed the crowd with the classics Wild Wood and especially going down well from 1995's Stanley Road, Changing Man and the beautiful You Do Something To Me.

The Who

Still celebrating over 50 years, despite the bickering they still pull massive crowds of adoring fans. Once pioneers they now seem quite tame, not too surprising when you've been playing for over half a century. With so many classics like My Generation and Baba O'Reilly they put on a craclking show. Roger Daltrey's strained gravelly and screamy vocals accented the large psychadelic and rounded out big sound. This still great live band's dramatically narrative style has cemented them as the legends of rock that they clearly still are.