Between 23rd - 25th June, many musical artists came to entertain the masses of music fans at the most famous musical event of the year: Glastonbury festival. As always, the line up was as varied as ever, particularly with the rise in popularity of grime artists, such as Stormzy and Wiley, and of course, there was the buzz about the three headliners: Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran. In addition, there was the question that gets asked every year: Who is doing a secret set?
The head honchos...any good?
So...the main buzz I think was the headliners. Two legendary bands who were used to the big crowds that come with performing at Glastonbury and a man where the biggest stage he had played so far had been Wembley stadium: yep, Foo Fighters, Radiohead and Ed Sheeran.
Radiohead
Hmmm...how to sum up Radiohead. I thought I would try them for the purpose of this blog but...they're boring. Apologies to Radiohead fans who are probably cursing me now. However, I did know some of their songs so that is something. They started off the set with a song I had never heard (I later found out it was Daydreaming from their recent album A Moonshaped Pool), and continued by performing old fan favourites, including Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit and No Surprises. Lyrics from No Surprises, "Bring down the government/ they don't speak for us," were met with big cheers, considering the general election had happened a couple of weeks before. It was finished with Thom Yorke stating "Bye Theresa May. Shut the door on your way out." The biggest surprise came in the form of Creep, which Radiohead themselves admitted that they weren't a big fan of, hence the lack of plays it has on their setlists. The thing I was impressed with was the stunning light show that accompanied the tunes, putting on quite the spectacle, both for those watching it live at Worthy Farm, and for those, like me, watching it on TV.
Foo Fighters
Again...I'm not a massive fan of Foo Fighters but if you compare them to Radiohead...they are a much better headliner. They brought the energy that is expected with a Foo Fighters show, along with hit after hit, including My Hero, The Pretender and Best of You. They also brought out new material, in the form of Run, ahead of the release of their new album Concrete and Gold in September. Furthermore, the drummer, Taylor Hawkins, also sang Another one Bites the Dust and Under Pressure, with the latter sending Dave Grohl back to his Nirvana days, as he took the role as drummer, while Hawkins sang. For fans, I believe it was worth the two year wait, baring in mind they had to cancel in 2015, after Dave Grohl broke his leg.
Ed Sheeran
I have to be honest...this was the headliner I was looking forward to the most. I was a bit dubious about Ed headlining Glastonbury, considering that his biggest headlining gig before this was Wembley Stadium. Ok...he has played Glastonbury before but not as a headliner. However, he proved he could do it. Armed with a guitar and a loop pedal, he played everything, from irish ditties, such as Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan, and beautiful ballads, such as the smash hit Thinking Out Loud, to the one that started it all, The A Team. Yes...there was the odd criticism on social media, such as those saying he was boring and thinking he was miming instead of using a loop pedal, but Ed proved them wrong.
Secret sets
It wasn't only the headliners that created a lot of buzz around Worthy Farm...it was also the question that is always asked every year...Who are the secret acts? Well...this year it was Elbow, who were roped in to celebrate 10 years of the Park Stage, and The Killers, whose set was on the John Peel Stage. The latter was particularly met with welcoming arms, considering that they are back, 5 years after the last album release, Battle Born (Yes...they did have a greatest hits collection release in 2013 but in terms of new releases it is 5 years). Putting on a set, which included favourites When You Were Young and Human, they also performed The Man, taken from their upcoming album, Wonderful Wonderful. Of course, no set would be complete without Mr Brightside. No wonder the tent got so full that organisers had to eventually stop people from heading over.
Other highlights
Ok...let me get this out the way...this is the year that politics practically dominated Glastonbury. To be fair...Glastonbury did occur a couple of weeks after a general election. I bet if anyone was there, you would have heard "Oh Jeremy Corbyn," sung to the music of White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, at least once over the weekend. In fact, even Thom Yorke briefly led the crowd into this chant during Radiohead's headline set. To top it all off, Jeremy Corbyn himself turned up to introduce Run the Jewels.
Other highlights include Liam Gallagher, who performed classic Oasis songs, Rock and Roll Star and Morning Glory, among others, as well as his new single Wall of Glass. However, the emotional moment was when he dedicated Don't Look Back in Anger to the victims of the recent terror attacks, as well as the Grenfell Tower fire and literally let everyone sing it back to him. Watching thousands of people singing this song was amazing as a television viewer. I'm sure it was even more amazing for people actually there. Just in case anyone was wondering...Noel did not make an appearance.
I also managed to catch Emeli Sande's set. All I can say is what a voice. She put on an energetic set, playing hit after hit, from Heaven to Read All About It. She also included newish songs, Highs and Lows, and Hurts, off her latest album, Long Live the Angels. I reckon she could be headlining in a couple of years.
Oh...and of course, I couldn't have a highlights section without mentioning my favourite band on the lineup...Blossoms. I am so happy that they got upgraded to the Pyramid Stage as it meant that more people got to see how talented they are. Performing well known songs among fans, Charlemagne and Blown Rose, they proved that it was worth it to put them on a Pyramid Stage slot. They also performed new song, This Moment, their collaboration with Chase and Status. I maybe biased but I reckon that when the time comes, they would be a great headliner.
So there you go...my highlights of Glastonbury 2017. Unfortunately, the festival is not on next year, due to it being a fallow year for the farm, but it will be back in 2019...hopefully bigger and better.
Bring it on!
Em
x
Saturday, 1 July 2017
Saturday, 10 June 2017
One Love Manchester: the Perfect Tribute
On 4th June, Manchester and the world came together to pay tribute to the 22 victims who were killed in the terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Ariana Grande, whose concert these fans attended, decided to put on a concert to raise money for the victims' families. And what a concert it was!
In the space of a couple of days, Ariana managed to organise a spectacular show with some big names: Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Take That and Miley Cyrus to name a few, including Ariana herself. The most noteworthy thing is that Take That kindly agreed to perform at this show, despite having a show in Birmingham scheduled for that evening (they were first on the setlist so they could attend both shows).
I think the thing that stood out for me was how appropriate the song choices were for a concert like this. Coldplay chose Fix You, Take That chose Giants and Rule the World, Black Eyed Peas sang Where is the Love?, Robbie Williams sang Angels and Little Mix chose Wings (which includes the lyrics "We won't let nobody bring us down"). Ariana Grande sung her well known hits, revealing that the mother of one of the victims stated that they "would not want anyone to cry, they would rather everyone had the chance to hear the hits."
The song choices were not the only things that were perfect; the tributes were beautiful too. For example, Robbie Williams sang his hit Strong but changed the lyrics to "Manchester we're strong," and "We're still singing our songs." Other tributes included an important speech from Pharrell and Coldplay covering Don't Look Back in Anger, which has become an anthem of unity among Manchester. Ariana Grande performed her hit One Last Time, along with a beautiful cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with them both being released (or in One Last Time's case, re-released) as charity singles, to raise money for the Manchester fund. However, I liked Katy Perry's tribute, which I didn't notice until after she had performed; her dress was decorated with pictures of the 22 victims of the tragedy. Beautiful.
There was a surprise that was promised during this concert and that surprise was Liam Gallagher. After performing the classic Oasis song Rock and Roll Star and his new single Wall of Glass, he invited Chris Martin to join him to perform a moving rendition of Live Forever. Of course, there was hope that Noel would join him but he didn't. Now, I don't know about you but I am quite glad that there was not an Oasis reunion, as it would have detracted us away from the whole point of this concert: to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on that day.
Overall, I thought this concert was brilliantly put together by Ariana Grande and her team and it just showed that music is a wonderful tool for bringing people together with a sense of unity. It was popular among people at home; apparently an estimated 11 million watched the show and it has become the most watched show of 2017 so far. As for the funds? Over £10 million was raised for the Manchester One Love fund.
Em
x
In the space of a couple of days, Ariana managed to organise a spectacular show with some big names: Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Take That and Miley Cyrus to name a few, including Ariana herself. The most noteworthy thing is that Take That kindly agreed to perform at this show, despite having a show in Birmingham scheduled for that evening (they were first on the setlist so they could attend both shows).
I think the thing that stood out for me was how appropriate the song choices were for a concert like this. Coldplay chose Fix You, Take That chose Giants and Rule the World, Black Eyed Peas sang Where is the Love?, Robbie Williams sang Angels and Little Mix chose Wings (which includes the lyrics "We won't let nobody bring us down"). Ariana Grande sung her well known hits, revealing that the mother of one of the victims stated that they "would not want anyone to cry, they would rather everyone had the chance to hear the hits."
The song choices were not the only things that were perfect; the tributes were beautiful too. For example, Robbie Williams sang his hit Strong but changed the lyrics to "Manchester we're strong," and "We're still singing our songs." Other tributes included an important speech from Pharrell and Coldplay covering Don't Look Back in Anger, which has become an anthem of unity among Manchester. Ariana Grande performed her hit One Last Time, along with a beautiful cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with them both being released (or in One Last Time's case, re-released) as charity singles, to raise money for the Manchester fund. However, I liked Katy Perry's tribute, which I didn't notice until after she had performed; her dress was decorated with pictures of the 22 victims of the tragedy. Beautiful.
There was a surprise that was promised during this concert and that surprise was Liam Gallagher. After performing the classic Oasis song Rock and Roll Star and his new single Wall of Glass, he invited Chris Martin to join him to perform a moving rendition of Live Forever. Of course, there was hope that Noel would join him but he didn't. Now, I don't know about you but I am quite glad that there was not an Oasis reunion, as it would have detracted us away from the whole point of this concert: to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on that day.
Overall, I thought this concert was brilliantly put together by Ariana Grande and her team and it just showed that music is a wonderful tool for bringing people together with a sense of unity. It was popular among people at home; apparently an estimated 11 million watched the show and it has become the most watched show of 2017 so far. As for the funds? Over £10 million was raised for the Manchester One Love fund.
Em
x
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Radio 1's Big Weekend in Hull: Tributes, Tunes and comebacks galore!
This weekend just gone (27th-28th May), Radio 1 brought its annual festival to Hull, to coincide with Hull being 2017's city of culture. Spread over two days, with acts performing on three stages, the main stage, the Where it Begins stage (formerly the In New Music We Trust stage) and the BBC Introducing stage, there was bound to be someone for everyone to enjoy. so...what were the highlights?
Tunes
For many of the acts, it was a chance to perform all their tunes that the fans know and love. However, it was also a chance for these acts to preview new songs that they may not have performed live before. One example that springs to mind is Rita Ora. Not only did she perform some of her biggest hits, such as Hot Right Now, Poison and Black Widow, she also performed new songs for the first time, such as her new song, Your Song (following the premiere of the song at the Cannes Festival) and a brand new song that had never been heard before, Girls, a collaboration with Charli XCX and newcomer, Raye.
In fact, there were so many acts performing over the weekend that I bet that it would be hard for anyone to pick their favourite song that they partied to. I myself would struggle if anyone asked me what was my favourite song out of all the acts that I heard this weekend. Was it Zara Larsson with the brilliant Lush Life? Or maybe Blossoms with At Most a Kiss? Or Bastille with Send Them Off? So many choices! Also, a special shout out to Shawn Mendes, as the Big Weekend was his first ever UK festival appearance. Among the songs that he performed was his massive hit, Treat You Better:
Comebacks
This weekend saw so many comebacks from some of the biggest musical artists. Along with Rita Ora, who I've already mentioned, there were comebacks from Kasabian, who have recently released their fifth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, Royal Blood who are set to release their new album, How Did We Get So Dark? and the sultry songstress herself, who flew out to the UK especially for the Big Weekend Festival, Lana Del Rey. All these acts performed their classic tracks as well as brand new tracks.
Of course, these guys weren't the only comebacks. The coveted headline slot went to Katy Perry who made a spectacular comeback herself. Not only did she sing her classic hits, such as Firework and California Gurls, she also had the chance to perform her new songs, Chained to the Rhythm and Bon Appetite. Welcome back Katy!
Tributes
The thing that stood out for me was the many tributes from the artists, and the festival itself o the victims of the horrific Manchester attack that happened on the Monday before the festival. Many of the acts dedicated songs to the victims and Manchester itself, such as Katy Perry, who dedicated Part of Me, Kings of Leon, who dedicated Use Somebody, and Zara Larsson, who dedicated her Clean Bandit collaboration Symphony. There was also many heartfelt speeches given, by acts such as James Arthur and Emeli Sande, with my favourite speech coming from Zara Larsson, who said this:
"Music itself, it doesn't have a religion, doesn't have a country, or an ethnicity. It's something that we do and it unites us all."
However, the ultimate tribute came in the form of a minute's silence on both days to reflect on the awful events and to remember the victims. I thought this was the perfect way to reflect and remember victims of this tragedy.
Overall, I thought the line up was great and, yes the weather was a bit questionable, but everyone had a great time. Thank you Radio 1 for putting on this fantastic festival.
Here's to next year's festival!
Em
x
Tunes
For many of the acts, it was a chance to perform all their tunes that the fans know and love. However, it was also a chance for these acts to preview new songs that they may not have performed live before. One example that springs to mind is Rita Ora. Not only did she perform some of her biggest hits, such as Hot Right Now, Poison and Black Widow, she also performed new songs for the first time, such as her new song, Your Song (following the premiere of the song at the Cannes Festival) and a brand new song that had never been heard before, Girls, a collaboration with Charli XCX and newcomer, Raye.
In fact, there were so many acts performing over the weekend that I bet that it would be hard for anyone to pick their favourite song that they partied to. I myself would struggle if anyone asked me what was my favourite song out of all the acts that I heard this weekend. Was it Zara Larsson with the brilliant Lush Life? Or maybe Blossoms with At Most a Kiss? Or Bastille with Send Them Off? So many choices! Also, a special shout out to Shawn Mendes, as the Big Weekend was his first ever UK festival appearance. Among the songs that he performed was his massive hit, Treat You Better:
Comebacks
This weekend saw so many comebacks from some of the biggest musical artists. Along with Rita Ora, who I've already mentioned, there were comebacks from Kasabian, who have recently released their fifth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, Royal Blood who are set to release their new album, How Did We Get So Dark? and the sultry songstress herself, who flew out to the UK especially for the Big Weekend Festival, Lana Del Rey. All these acts performed their classic tracks as well as brand new tracks.
Of course, these guys weren't the only comebacks. The coveted headline slot went to Katy Perry who made a spectacular comeback herself. Not only did she sing her classic hits, such as Firework and California Gurls, she also had the chance to perform her new songs, Chained to the Rhythm and Bon Appetite. Welcome back Katy!
Tributes
The thing that stood out for me was the many tributes from the artists, and the festival itself o the victims of the horrific Manchester attack that happened on the Monday before the festival. Many of the acts dedicated songs to the victims and Manchester itself, such as Katy Perry, who dedicated Part of Me, Kings of Leon, who dedicated Use Somebody, and Zara Larsson, who dedicated her Clean Bandit collaboration Symphony. There was also many heartfelt speeches given, by acts such as James Arthur and Emeli Sande, with my favourite speech coming from Zara Larsson, who said this:
"Music itself, it doesn't have a religion, doesn't have a country, or an ethnicity. It's something that we do and it unites us all."
However, the ultimate tribute came in the form of a minute's silence on both days to reflect on the awful events and to remember the victims. I thought this was the perfect way to reflect and remember victims of this tragedy.
Overall, I thought the line up was great and, yes the weather was a bit questionable, but everyone had a great time. Thank you Radio 1 for putting on this fantastic festival.
Here's to next year's festival!
Em
x
Friday, 26 May 2017
REVIEW: Rita Ora- Your Song
 |
| Single artwork for Your Song. |
Hi guys!
Good news everyone...Rita Ora is back! Yep...after two years away from music, whilst pursuing other projects, including being a judge on The Voice UK and The X Factor, she is back with a brand new single, Your Song, which has been released today (26/05/2017).
Was it worth the wait? Yes...I think it was. Written by Ed Sheeran no less, it's got a nice catchy beat which would not sound out of place at a holiday bar. In fact, at the time of writing, the weather is beautiful so this song sounds perfect. In addition, you can tell it was written by Ed, as the music does sound slightly like the start of Shape of You. However, I believe there is nothing wrong with this (I may be a bit biased because I also like this song...).
So...what's next for Ms Ora? Well...she is performing this song live for the first time during her slot at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Hull and, seeing as she is on the line up for Glastonbury, she is likely to perform it there as well. As for the song? Well, I believe it is going to quickly become a classic Rita Ora pop jam and 2017's song of the summer.
Welcome back Rita Ora. We've missed you!
****
Monday, 8 May 2017
Live Review: Take That Wonderland Live at the Genting arena 05/05/2017
I had previously seen Take That 3 times and with their shows getting bigger and better, I was wondering how they were going to top their last tour, which was the III tour in 2015. They answered that for me...they were going to try something they had never done...they were going to perform in the round (a stage in the centre of the arena).
Despite never performing in the round before, Take That managed to accomplish what they set out to do, which was to perform a show. And what a show it was. Technically, it could be seen as the 25th anniversary tour, seeing as their debut album was released 25 years ago this year. Therefore, it was a nice touch that as well as performing songs that fans know and love, such as Patience and the iconic anthem, Never Forget, they also added album tracks from previous studio albums, such as Beautiful World from...err...Beautiful World (2006), Lovelife from III (2014) and Underground Machine from Progress (2011). They also had nods to Robbie Williams' time in the band, from using graphics that resembled the Progress album artwork to a cast member dressed in a rabbit costume that seemed very familiar, due to it resembling Robbie's You Know Me rabbit costume.
As well as old classics, fans also got to experience new tracks from Wonderland live in concert for the first time, from the singles Giants, Cry and New Day, to album tracks, such as Superstar, Hope and It's All For You. Meanwhile, whenever I anticipate a Take That concert, I always think, "Will they be able to top the last one?" Last time they had an underwater scene, complete with jelly fish hanging from the ceiling. The time before that, they had a massive robot (and Robbie Williams rejoining). So, was I worried? Well...to be honest...it's Take That, of course each show gets better and better. For example, during It's All For You, they had some sort of carousel arrangement, with various things, such as a swan, acrobats and a bed, moving around in a circle. They also had screens that moved up and down and displayed graphics that would change for each song (for Cry, the graphics were bubbles, for Beautiful World, the graphics were planets etc.)
Overall, Take That did not disappoint. Despite the fact that they are considered a man band, they still have fun filled energy that most man bands could only dream of. With catchy songs, spectacular staging and colourful costumes, it really felt that you were being transported to Wonderland.
****
As well as old classics, fans also got to experience new tracks from Wonderland live in concert for the first time, from the singles Giants, Cry and New Day, to album tracks, such as Superstar, Hope and It's All For You. Meanwhile, whenever I anticipate a Take That concert, I always think, "Will they be able to top the last one?" Last time they had an underwater scene, complete with jelly fish hanging from the ceiling. The time before that, they had a massive robot (and Robbie Williams rejoining). So, was I worried? Well...to be honest...it's Take That, of course each show gets better and better. For example, during It's All For You, they had some sort of carousel arrangement, with various things, such as a swan, acrobats and a bed, moving around in a circle. They also had screens that moved up and down and displayed graphics that would change for each song (for Cry, the graphics were bubbles, for Beautiful World, the graphics were planets etc.)
Overall, Take That did not disappoint. Despite the fact that they are considered a man band, they still have fun filled energy that most man bands could only dream of. With catchy songs, spectacular staging and colourful costumes, it really felt that you were being transported to Wonderland.
****
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Happy Birthday Favourite Worst Nightmare!
10 years ago this week, on 23rd April, well-loved indie band Arctic Monkeys released their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare in the UK. After the first album, Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not, it could have been questioned whether the band's second album would match the success of it's predecessor. Considering Whatever... became the fastest selling debut album ever and won multiple awards, including the 2007 BRIT Award MasterCard Album of the year, and the 2006 Mercury Music Prize, Favourite Worst Nightmare had a lot to live up to.
However, fans were not disappointed. The thing about Favourite Worst Nightmare that makes it an amazing album, and personally my favourite, is each track is as different as the last. In addition, it is clear that Alex Turner has developed his songwriting craft more. Gone were the days of singing about a typical night out in Sheffield, as described in Whatever... Here, we get as varied subjects as love, as described in the beautiful yet melancholic Only Ones Who Know, to heartbreak, in songs like Do Me a Favour, to a random encounter with a weird fan in Brianstorm (Yep...really...if you don't believe me look up the inspiration for Brianstorm). Oh...and no album would be complete without a power ballad, which in this case is my personal favourite, 505.
But how did the album fare compared to its predecessor? Well...it did very well actually. It went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts and was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize (Unfortunately, it lost out to the Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future). However, Favourite Worst Nightmare more than made up for this loss, as it earned the Arctic Monkeys their second win for MasterCard album of the year at the 2008 Brit Awards, and it was also nominated for the best album at the 2008 NME awards, losing out to...yep, you guessed it...the Klaxons. However, singles, Teddy Picker and Fluorescent Adolescent did win best video and best track respectively. It is also certified 3x platinum.
So...fast forward 10 years later. Is it still considered a classic? Well, in my opinion, it should be considered a classic, as it is a stunning album from start to finish. And the Arctic Monkeys themselves? Well, there are some rumours that they are currently all set to record new material. However, as Alex Turner once said, "Don't believe the hype,"so until the band themselves actually confirm something, it is best just to wait patiently.
Anyway...Happy Birthday Favourite Worst Nightmare!
Em
x
However, fans were not disappointed. The thing about Favourite Worst Nightmare that makes it an amazing album, and personally my favourite, is each track is as different as the last. In addition, it is clear that Alex Turner has developed his songwriting craft more. Gone were the days of singing about a typical night out in Sheffield, as described in Whatever... Here, we get as varied subjects as love, as described in the beautiful yet melancholic Only Ones Who Know, to heartbreak, in songs like Do Me a Favour, to a random encounter with a weird fan in Brianstorm (Yep...really...if you don't believe me look up the inspiration for Brianstorm). Oh...and no album would be complete without a power ballad, which in this case is my personal favourite, 505.
But how did the album fare compared to its predecessor? Well...it did very well actually. It went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts and was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize (Unfortunately, it lost out to the Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future). However, Favourite Worst Nightmare more than made up for this loss, as it earned the Arctic Monkeys their second win for MasterCard album of the year at the 2008 Brit Awards, and it was also nominated for the best album at the 2008 NME awards, losing out to...yep, you guessed it...the Klaxons. However, singles, Teddy Picker and Fluorescent Adolescent did win best video and best track respectively. It is also certified 3x platinum.
So...fast forward 10 years later. Is it still considered a classic? Well, in my opinion, it should be considered a classic, as it is a stunning album from start to finish. And the Arctic Monkeys themselves? Well, there are some rumours that they are currently all set to record new material. However, as Alex Turner once said, "Don't believe the hype,"so until the band themselves actually confirm something, it is best just to wait patiently.
Anyway...Happy Birthday Favourite Worst Nightmare!
Em
x
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
Festivals are coming!
Hi everyone!
It seems like yesterday when, in 2016, to distract us from all the terrible goings on in the world (even before we had those Presidential election results), our beloved festivals were releasing their line ups. Now, we have the full line ups for Radio 1's Big Weekend, V Festival, Reading and Leeds and, of course, Glastonbury. Note that there is no T in the Park this year, due to Ospreys being on the site, as they are a protected bird species whose habitat would be disturbed if the festival went ahead.
So...what do I think of this year's line ups? Well, as you will see...it is mixed.
V Festival: 18th (if you include the Friday dance night)- 20th August.
Ok, so V Festival is more of a family friendly festival so fair enough that it is mainly a pop festival, with little variety. The headliners this year are Pink, who I hear is amazing live, and Jay-Z, and joining them include the likes of Ellie Goulding, James Arthur, Clean Bandit, Sean Paul, Craig David, Rudimental, as well as many others. What is interesting is that Clean Bandit are on the line up along with their collaborators, Jess Glynne and Sean Paul and Anne-Marie. Could they be performing together on Rather Be and Rock a Bye respectively?
However, for those of you who are less into your pop music, there are other acts out there. For those who are into grime, you have Stormzy. For those who like to reminisce with classic songs, you have Busted, Madness and Craig David. Finally, for those who like your dance music, you have Friday night to party with the likes of Annie Mac and Duke Dumont, as well as during the Saturday and Sunday, with Pete Tong and his Ibiza classics, and Sigma.
Overall, the V Festival line up this year is great for those who would want variety and/or looking for a small festival to try, before they go to any of the other festivals.
Radio 1's Big Weekend- 27th-28th May
Last year's line up was really good, as it had something for everyone, whether you were into indie music, pop music, hard core rock or grime. This year is ok. However, I have issues with it. I'm not saying the line up is terrible but it seems to be last year's line up but with a few alterations. Music artists who were there last year, and also this year include Biffy Clyro, Bastille, Stormzy and Blossoms (who to be fair have gone from the BBC Introducing Stage to the newly named Where it Begins stage). However, there are other artists who are going to get the crowds going, in the form of Rag 'n' Bone Man, fresh from his double Brit award win, Emeli Sande and Kings of Leon. There are also some big names who are set for huge comebacks on the bill, including Lana Del Ray, Kasabian and Haim.
Overall, similar to V Festival, the line up has something for everyone. The only thing is tickets have sold out but you will be able to live stream the performances on the Radio 1 website.
Reading and Leeds- 25th 27th August
I like to think that Reading and Leeds is the rock and hip-hop version of Glastonbury. This year's headliners are Kasabian, who are set to release their new album, For Crying Out Loud, on April 28th, Muse, who, if you saw my previous post, could be releasing new music, and...err...Eminem.
Despite the presence of Eminem and Wiley, Reading and Leeds still maintains its reputation as a rock/indie festival, with established acts, such as Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille, Blossoms and The Pretty Reckless, as well as newer bands, such as The Hunna and Cabbage. There is also the Radio 1 dance stage for those who prefer dance music rather than Rock music. This stage will feature the likes of Fatboy Slim, Charli XCX and Becky Hill, as well as the spoof hip-hop group, Kurupt FM, who recently provided the official Comic Relief single with Ed Sheeran.
If you're looking for a festival full of rock and roll, hip-hop beats and a place to let loose and dance then this is the festival for you. If not...then it is probably best to avoid it. It has not been confirmed yet but it is likely that the performances will be available to stream on the BBC Reading and Leeds website. Highlights are also likely to be shown on BBC 4.
Glastonbury- 21st- 25th June
Yep...I have saved the best 'til last. We had a few ideas about who would be at the most famous festival ever (apart from Coachella), due to artists confirming themselves, such as London Grammar, Nile Rodgers, with Chic, and Kris Kristofferson. But first, the speculation was focused on those all important headliners.
I have to be honest, apart from Radiohead, the headliners were kind of obvious. After months and months of speculation, the Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran were finally revealed to be the headliners, with the Foo Fighters receiving the warmest reception, due to the band cancelling in 2015 because Dave Grohl broke his leg. Ed Sheeran...not so much. Don't knock it until you've tried it people! I have heard great things about Ed Sheeran performing live and, after seeing a few bits of his concert documentary, Jumpers for Goalposts, I reckon he is more than capable of performing in front of a massive crowd.
But what about the rest of the line up? Well, it is really varied. Glastonbury has every act that would like. If you're into grime, you've got Stormzy, Dizzy Rascal and Kano. For those into rock, you have the likes of Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro, Kaiser Chiefs and, of course, Foo Fighters. Don't worry pop music fans...there is something for you too! To cater for those who love to bop to pop, we have Katy Perry, Lorde and Clean Bandit. Plus, there is always other types of entertainment that people can explore.
Overall, Glastonbury is always known to be a spectacular event, and whether you like the line up or not, there is always something happening. Unfortunately, like every year, Glastonbury tickets went like gold dust. However, like always, Glastonbury will be live streaming most of its live performances on the BBC Glastonbury website, and on the BBC Red Button.
Here's to a great summer of festivals!
Em
x
It seems like yesterday when, in 2016, to distract us from all the terrible goings on in the world (even before we had those Presidential election results), our beloved festivals were releasing their line ups. Now, we have the full line ups for Radio 1's Big Weekend, V Festival, Reading and Leeds and, of course, Glastonbury. Note that there is no T in the Park this year, due to Ospreys being on the site, as they are a protected bird species whose habitat would be disturbed if the festival went ahead.
So...what do I think of this year's line ups? Well, as you will see...it is mixed.
V Festival: 18th (if you include the Friday dance night)- 20th August.
Ok, so V Festival is more of a family friendly festival so fair enough that it is mainly a pop festival, with little variety. The headliners this year are Pink, who I hear is amazing live, and Jay-Z, and joining them include the likes of Ellie Goulding, James Arthur, Clean Bandit, Sean Paul, Craig David, Rudimental, as well as many others. What is interesting is that Clean Bandit are on the line up along with their collaborators, Jess Glynne and Sean Paul and Anne-Marie. Could they be performing together on Rather Be and Rock a Bye respectively?
However, for those of you who are less into your pop music, there are other acts out there. For those who are into grime, you have Stormzy. For those who like to reminisce with classic songs, you have Busted, Madness and Craig David. Finally, for those who like your dance music, you have Friday night to party with the likes of Annie Mac and Duke Dumont, as well as during the Saturday and Sunday, with Pete Tong and his Ibiza classics, and Sigma.
Overall, the V Festival line up this year is great for those who would want variety and/or looking for a small festival to try, before they go to any of the other festivals.
Radio 1's Big Weekend- 27th-28th May
Last year's line up was really good, as it had something for everyone, whether you were into indie music, pop music, hard core rock or grime. This year is ok. However, I have issues with it. I'm not saying the line up is terrible but it seems to be last year's line up but with a few alterations. Music artists who were there last year, and also this year include Biffy Clyro, Bastille, Stormzy and Blossoms (who to be fair have gone from the BBC Introducing Stage to the newly named Where it Begins stage). However, there are other artists who are going to get the crowds going, in the form of Rag 'n' Bone Man, fresh from his double Brit award win, Emeli Sande and Kings of Leon. There are also some big names who are set for huge comebacks on the bill, including Lana Del Ray, Kasabian and Haim.
Overall, similar to V Festival, the line up has something for everyone. The only thing is tickets have sold out but you will be able to live stream the performances on the Radio 1 website.
Reading and Leeds- 25th 27th August
I like to think that Reading and Leeds is the rock and hip-hop version of Glastonbury. This year's headliners are Kasabian, who are set to release their new album, For Crying Out Loud, on April 28th, Muse, who, if you saw my previous post, could be releasing new music, and...err...Eminem.
Despite the presence of Eminem and Wiley, Reading and Leeds still maintains its reputation as a rock/indie festival, with established acts, such as Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille, Blossoms and The Pretty Reckless, as well as newer bands, such as The Hunna and Cabbage. There is also the Radio 1 dance stage for those who prefer dance music rather than Rock music. This stage will feature the likes of Fatboy Slim, Charli XCX and Becky Hill, as well as the spoof hip-hop group, Kurupt FM, who recently provided the official Comic Relief single with Ed Sheeran.
If you're looking for a festival full of rock and roll, hip-hop beats and a place to let loose and dance then this is the festival for you. If not...then it is probably best to avoid it. It has not been confirmed yet but it is likely that the performances will be available to stream on the BBC Reading and Leeds website. Highlights are also likely to be shown on BBC 4.
Glastonbury- 21st- 25th June
Yep...I have saved the best 'til last. We had a few ideas about who would be at the most famous festival ever (apart from Coachella), due to artists confirming themselves, such as London Grammar, Nile Rodgers, with Chic, and Kris Kristofferson. But first, the speculation was focused on those all important headliners.
I have to be honest, apart from Radiohead, the headliners were kind of obvious. After months and months of speculation, the Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran were finally revealed to be the headliners, with the Foo Fighters receiving the warmest reception, due to the band cancelling in 2015 because Dave Grohl broke his leg. Ed Sheeran...not so much. Don't knock it until you've tried it people! I have heard great things about Ed Sheeran performing live and, after seeing a few bits of his concert documentary, Jumpers for Goalposts, I reckon he is more than capable of performing in front of a massive crowd.
But what about the rest of the line up? Well, it is really varied. Glastonbury has every act that would like. If you're into grime, you've got Stormzy, Dizzy Rascal and Kano. For those into rock, you have the likes of Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro, Kaiser Chiefs and, of course, Foo Fighters. Don't worry pop music fans...there is something for you too! To cater for those who love to bop to pop, we have Katy Perry, Lorde and Clean Bandit. Plus, there is always other types of entertainment that people can explore.
Overall, Glastonbury is always known to be a spectacular event, and whether you like the line up or not, there is always something happening. Unfortunately, like every year, Glastonbury tickets went like gold dust. However, like always, Glastonbury will be live streaming most of its live performances on the BBC Glastonbury website, and on the BBC Red Button.
Here's to a great summer of festivals!
Em
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