UK: For over 20 years Stage Electrics has been supporting the technical elements of the National Student Drama Festival. This year sees Stage Electrics Hire Department return again to Scarborough with over 21 kilometres of cable, 380 lighting fixtures, several sound systems including two complete K-Array systems and 17 tonnes of equipment for the students to use. The festival’s Director Michael Brazier has worked with Stage Electrics for the past 3 years, and commented: “it is great to be working with Stage Electrics again, their expertise and support is of huge importance to the Festival.” Over the course of five…
Author: Festival Insights
UK: Festival No.6 has added a second wave of artists to its 2015 roster, including art-pop pioneers Everything Everything, Welsh indie rockers Catfish & The Bottlemen and Brit Awards Critics Choice winner James Bay. Other newly announced acts include legendary Mancunian troubadour Badly Drawn Boy who will be performing and curating his own stage in celebration of the 15th anniversary of his landmark album ‘The Hour of Bewilderbeast’. Former Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes also joins the bill as does singer, songwriter and Bird label boss Jane Weaver. Festival Director Luke Huxham said: “We’re delighted to reveal our second wave of…
USA: For this year’s Miami-based Ultra Music Festival, the Worldwide Stage commanded the crowd’s attention thanks to a lighting and truss design by Steve Lieberman of SJ Lighting. Lieberman’s design concept was developed around a massive double winged truss structure that resembled an arched bridge. The abutment at one end of this bridge started at the edge of the concert pavilion; the other end was anchored behind the stage itself. This end of the bridge ran across the entire 60-foot width of the stage. A line of 12 intense Nexus Aw 7×7 warm white LED panels from CHAUVET Professional ran…
UK: Standon Calling has unveiled another myriad of talent for its 10th anniversary outing. Ex-Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll will now be bringing his solo project 8:58 to the Big Top stage and platinum-selling The Magic Numbers lead live additions to The Last Dance Saloon, along with Ezra Furman, PINS and more. Formerly known as the Lawn Stage and inspired by the 2015 Wild West theme ‘A Town of Two Faces’, The Last Dance Saloon has been curated by champions of new music BBC Introducing, and independent record labels Loose Music and the hugely influential Bella Union. Leading electronic talent 2 Bears,…
UK: Latitude has announced the line-up for its 10th edition’s Poetry Arena. Set to take place from July 16 – 19 in Suffolk’s Henham Park, the festival will welcome Simon Armitage, Michael Rosen, Blake Morrison, The Last Poets and Dr John Cooper Clarke to the stage, as well as many more. The Poetry Arena is at the heart of Latitude’s mission to bring arts and music together and for the last 10 years has showcased the very best in stand up, beat poets, laureates and literary legends. As host and co-programmer of the Latitude Festival’s Poetry Arena, Luke Wright has…
UK: OnBlackheath, in partnership with John Lewis, has confirmed that it will be the first festival ever to host a stage dedicated to magic. Fronted by the master illusionist Dynamo – who will perform a special set at the festival himself – ‘The House of Mystery’ tent will host all manner of dark-arts-practitioners. OnBlackheath will take place from September 12 – 13. Dynamo commented: “What an amazing combination, music and magic…two great passions of mine together at one festival. It’s a dream come true and I’m so excited to be bringing magic to a festival audience for the first time…
Darren Gallop is the CEO of Marcato, an innovative Canadian company that specialises in the creation and development of web-based management solutions designed to maximise efficiency in the festival & entertainment industry. Their two flagship applications, Marcato Festival & Marcato Enterprise, are now being used to manage organisations worldwide, by over 2000 users, including festivals like Coachella, Hard Fest, Osheaga, CMA Fest, Iceland Airwaves, Eurosonic Noorderslag; and events like the Country Music Association Awards, the Commonwealth Games, Pride Toronto, and many more. As Teresa Moore mentioned in a recent Insider Insights article, the festival industry is now professionalising at an…
UK: Touted as ‘a new intimate festival for just 4,000 nestled in the stunning Sussex countryside’, Forgotten Fields is set to launch this year from August 7 – 9 in Rotherfield’s Eridge Park. Headlined by Basement Jaxx, Super Furry Animals and Levellers, the festival will have five stages, a cinema, onsite art, boutique camping options, world food and real ale offerings, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Additional acts announced thus far include De La Soul, Public Service Broadcasting, The Horrors, DJ Yoda & The Breakfast of Champions, Augustines, British Sea Power and many more. The full line-up and additional information can…
UK: A green initiative on an unprecedented scale is taking root in the UK festival scene. The Energy Revolution officially launched on February 19 at the Event Production Show, with over 10 significant festivals uniting in a shared effort to tackle climate change. The aim for the industry to take an active stance on climate change, reduce impacts and fund a huge one megawatt wind turbine within 5 years. Energy Revolution is a registered festival charity (currently being incorporated) founded by the UK Festival think-do tank Powerful Thinking and many leading festival partners. The initiative crowd-sources voluntary donations from car…
DENMARK: 85 acts have been added to the line-up for Roskilde Festival 2015, bringing the total to 166 artists from more than 30 countries. Ever since the first edition of Roskilde Festival in 1971, the non-profit festival has been associated with a diverse profile, aiming to inspire and challenge the audience by combining raw talent with more well-known artists. Record-breaking hip hop act Kendrick Lamar will join headliners Paul McCartney, Disclosure, Muse, Florence + The Machine, Pharrell Williams and local Danish heroes Mew. Other new acts include Nicki Minaj, Ryan Adams, Hot Chip, Father John Misty, Die Antwoord, Einstürzende Neubauten,…