0805 101 825 info@jc-bracelet.fr

Étiquette : music

Firework FLEX Festival

Posted on

Taking place from 1 in the afternoon until 11:00 at night on Saturday 5th November, the FLEX festival is the type of one of a kind event that makes the UK’s festival scene so endlessly inviting. Held on the River Medway in Rochester, its stunning venue will provide views over the water on one side and sights of the beautiful Riverview manor to the other. In all honesty though, you’ll probably be looking upwards for most of the night.

Before we get to the outstanding dance music acts that the FLEX festival is able to bring to you, let’s focus on what makes this such a standout event. Making sure you really do remember remember the 5th of November, the event takes place on Bonfire Night, accompanying its acts with a jaw-dropping array of fireworks, including a phenomenal opening display.

Of course, there are plenty of top-notch acts to draw the attention of even the most jaded firework display veteran. You’ll be able to take in hip hop from the likes of S.kalibre, Dark Assassin, and Camilo Musse, as well as grime from Matt Pearce and Mojo-Margz. For reggae basement sounds, check out Tokes, Micky Ragga, or Irah; to enjoy some old school dance, try Micky Crist, Brooksy, or the legendary David Zowie.

These acts will take to the stage across two arenas, with one focusing on pumping house and the other bringing garage.

Here’s the full line-up to feast your eyes on:

Headlining the garage arena:

  • Wretch 32
  • So Solid Crew (Mega Man, Asher D, DJ Swiss)
  • Deekline
  • Jamieson
  • Bugzee
  • Jason Brooks
  • Mysta Harris
  • Lady S
  • Hazee

MC’s will include PSG, Hyperactive, Roacheman, Dark Assasin, Margz, Mojo, and Kifa.

Headlining the House Arena:

  • David Zowie
  • Micky Crist
  • Ryan Brasco
  • Rob Ireland
  • Nick Gransden
  • DJ Touch (FEMININE PRESSURE)
  • Annie Short
  • Solange
  • Coda B2B Lee C

Those are the sort of names that you might expect to demand top-dollar, especially considering the festival’s cool location and assortment of airborne pyrotechnics. However, you’d be blessedly wrong to stumble to that assumption; advanced discount early bird tickets are currently on sale for a mere £25. Act fast, is what we’re saying.

The FLEX Festival is an unmissable event in its own right, but it’s also the perfect way to both celebrate Bonfire Night and bid an explosive farewell to the 2016 British festival season. With tickets available at prices that won’t break

Whitby Blues Festival

Posted on

The annual Whitby Blues festival is a fantastic event for any music-lover who likes their festivals to come on a little slower and involve less in the way of mosh-pitting and head-banging.

Taking place each year at the popular seaside town’s iconic Spa Pavilion, the Whitby Blues Festival brings a whole host of the finest Blues artists from all over the world. When the start of October rolls around, it’s a great place to find yourself.

Previous festivals have seen a smorgasbord of internationally established bands take to the stage, including The Spellkasters, Grainne Duffy, Erja Lytinnen, The Stevie Nimmo Trio, Chantel McGregor, and even legendary sixties band, The Stray. For 2016, we had an equally strong line-up of seasoned professionals and emerging home grown artists, including:

  • Climax Blues Band
  • Paul Lamb & The King Snakes
  • Kyla Brox
  • Del Bromham’s Blues Devils
  • Blue Swamp Band
  • Mick Simpson

Crowds were enthralled, and there’s little doubt that the Whitby Blues Festival will continue to grow in popularity during upcoming years. In fact, tickets are already being sold for next year’s festival, which will take place on Saturday October 14th. If you’re interested, early bird tickets are coming in at a mere £23.

Naturally enough at this early date, the acts have not yet been announced for 2017, but we can confirm that the event will be returning to the Whitby Pavilion once again, and it’s this venue, in part, to which the festival owes much of its growing popularity. As a one-day event, you need to find somewhere that offers more than just great music to entice music-lovers from outside of the local area; this is no time to look for an empty field in the middle of nowhere.

Instead, the Whitby Pavilion offers stunning views across the North Sea, plus access to all of Whitby’s famous seaside charms. After the day of the festival, you can take in Whitby Harbour, Sandsend Beach, or walk the legendary 199 steps of the “Church Stairs”, which were built over 200 years ago. You can even visit Whitby Abbey, the location that helped give birth to the story of Dracula.

Boasting a stunning location and a strong line-up of top acts, the Whitby Blues Festival is a great Autumn event, as well as the perfect way to wind down after the more boisterous festivals that mark the British summer season.

8 Festival Essentials to Pack This Summer

Posted on

8 Festival Essentials to Pack If You’re Heading to Any Music Event This Summer

Festival season is finally upon us, bringing with it the promise of long summer nights spent chilling in campsites and roaring for your top acts. That said, there’s still a little preparation that needs taking care of before you head out.

For starters, make sure you pack these festival essentials.

Makeup

Keeping style on-point after pouring rain and ferocious raving is the mark of a true festival pro, and it all starts with packing smart. Head to Boots for lip and cheek stain to highlight your cheek bones and add a splash of colour. Add some tinted moisturiser to prevent breakouts and caked-on foundation.

Four-Man Tent

You could go for a smaller tent, but that precludes midnight gatherings and makes for some cramped sleeping conditions. Argos sell a great range starting at just £14.99; the ProAction 5 Man Dome Tent is our personal pick of the litter.

Toiletries

Wet wipes are worth their weight in gold – you can remove makeup and give yourself an ersatz shower. Next up, long-lasting deodorant and some sunscreen. Superdrug and Boots are ideal.

Rain Jacket

The UK hosts some of the best festivals in the world, plus some of the wettest weather. Pack a cheapy rain mac with a hood. You should be able to find one for £4 at ASDA.

Sleeping Bag

Don’t forget this one if you want to stay warm and sleep well. No need to splash out for a four-season expedition bag – a simple £10 job from Argos is fine for hitting a fest. Avoid feather sleeping bags, because they’re very hard to get dry.

Flannel Pillow

You’d be amazed how many people remember the sleeping bag and forget the pillow. Unless you fancy propping your head up on your wellies, grab a Eurohike flannel pillow from Millets.

Wellies

Wellies are essential, and kinda part of the whole festival-chic look. Most importantly, mud and grime will pull your trainers to pieces and freeze your feet if you aren’t completely protected. Try looking in Blacks or Millets for a decent pair. These will last, so think of them as an investment for future events.

Portable Charger

Maybe 10 years ago this would sound ridiculous, but that was before videoing your favourite acts and posting to Facebook and Twitter was part of the fun. Not much worse than being stuck at 1% with no help in sight.

Best Glastonbury Acts Ever: Our Top 10

Posted on

Glastonbury is not just about the music (the mud is another highlight), but every year the announcement of the festival line-up seems to attract delight and scorn in equal measure. It remains to be seen whether this year’s festivalgoers will recall with nostalgic pride that they were there when   the Foo Fighters or Kanye played Glastonbury in 2015, but if you were at any of the following performances, you can certainly claim bragging rights:

The Cure, 1986

Watching  The Cure perform their green laser show during a spectacular thunderstorm was electrifying, but the goth stars would have been incredible in any weather. They headlined Saturday night, prompting not one, not two, but three encores.

Johnny Cash, 1994

Many questioned the booking of a country singer for Glastonbury in 1994, but Cash’s performances will go down among the greatest performances in the festival’s history. Cash’s career revived several years later, but he always maintained that the reaction of the crowd at Glastonbury was a high point in his career

Orbital, 1994

1994 was a good year for Glastonbury. Boosted by the introduction of Glastonbury to TV (via Channel 4) the electronic dance act from Kent showed dismissive rock fans and the rest of the world that dance music was not going anywhere.

Radiohead, 1997

Despite the apocalyptic weather (even for Glastonbury), Radiohead delivered a career high in Glastonbury 1997. Fresh from the release of their iconic OK Computer album, they ruled Saturday night with their trademark mix of emotional subtlety and epic rock.

Muse, 2004

Muse was another act that initially had people scratching their heads, but ultimately blew people’s minds. The triumph of Muse’s performance was tempered by tragedy, as drummer Dom Howard’s father suffered a heart attack while watching the set and died later the same night.

The Stooges, 2007

It’s hard to believe that Iggy Pop is the only surviving member of The Stooges, when you consider the explosive performance the band delivered in Somerset in 2007. The mud-soaked, rain-lashed field became a battleground for their particular brand of screaming blues-punk— complete with memorable stage invasion.

Arcade Fire, 2007

The first truly triumphant performance on the Other Stage belongs to Arcade Fire, who played a set packed with anthemic moments and great singalong (if wordless) choruses. “Wake Up” marked  their most anthemic and magnificent moment.

Leonard Cohen, 2008

At 73, you don’t expect stage triumphs, but that’s what Leonard Cohen delivered in 2008. Cohen’s unmistakable gravelly tones drifted out on the warm evening sun, in a set of greatest hits and a “Hallelujah” complete with choruses from the adoring crowd.

Beyoncé, 2011

The queen of crowd pleasers, Beyoncé was triumphant in 2011. She rose up through the stage and immediately charged into “Crazy in Love” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” accompanied by enough fireworks to be seen from space.

Rolling Stones, 2013

The Stones and Glastonbury are a rock ‘n’ roll marriage made in heaven. 2013 was their year, with Mick owning the stage in all his supercharged skinniness. Showing the young folk how it’s done, the band played a triumphant set that lasted well over two hours, starting and finishing with two of their biggest crowd-pleasers, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”

Summer Music Festivals 2015: The Best You’ve Never Heard Of

Posted on

Feeling a bit Glastonbury-d out this year? Jaded festival fiends should go off the radar this year and discover some lesser-known gems of the summer circuit. From raves in coal mines to concerts among cranes, here are seven of our favourite European festivals:

Festival Tauron Nowa Muzyka, Katowice, Poland

A coal mine is a unique (if claustrophobic) setting for a rave, and Katowice’s cutting edge Festival Tauron Nowa Muzyka has made the most of its dystopian setting. See the likes of Detroit techno star Jeff Mills, Portico, London neo-soul performer Fatima, and U.S. rapper Tyler the Creator at this three-day festival in August, set among the  abandoned warehouses and mine shafts of the disused industrial facility.

Primavera Sound Festival – Barcelona, Spain

Primavera has been going for more than ten years, but it has still managed to remain relatively unknown. The line-up has something to please everyone, blending rock, pop, house and dance. It’s scheduled to take place this year from May 28th to 30th, with confirmed acts including Alt J, Belle & Sebastian, DJ Nancy Whang, and Patti Smith.

Mandrea Music Festival, Italy

This is the most laid-back festival of the summer. With a setting on a cliff overlooking Lake Garda, Mandrea (a.k.a. Mandstock) was already onto a winner. Throw in reggae-themed stalls, stone-baked pizza, and really good coffee, and you have an good-humoured get-together with great music. Expect plenty of techno, with Mad Professor and Max Romeo headliners for this year’s event, from July 30th to August 2nd. Kids are welcome during the day, with circus tumbling among the activities, and a stunning beach just a half-hour’s drive away.

Les Eurockéenes Belfort France

So chic it hurts, the French Glastonbury takes place from the 3trdto the 5th of July in a stunning setting in Belfort, France. The Eurockéenes line-up is certainly eclectic, with everyone from The Chemical Brothers and Eagles of Death Metal to Sting and Alabama Shakes among the list of acts performing. Not convinced? There’s a stage on a beach…

Bestival Isle of Wight

Bid farewell to the summer with this blast on the Isle of Wight. Bestival takes place from September 10th to 13th, seeing the season out with a bang with marathon dance sessions, the world’s biggest disco ball, and films in the forest. Acts include Underworld, Duran Duran, and Tame Impala. This year’s theme is “Summer of Love,” so bring your bell bottoms!

Meadows in the Mountains, Bulgaria

There is a Babes in the Woods feel to Meadows in the Mountains, a pastoral affair set high in the mountains among fields of wild flowers, a three-hour drive from Plovdiv. This little festival has an enchanting feel, with morning mists settling on the landscape and a line-up that will really appeal to anyone looking for the musical magic that is happening under the radar. Hispanic-influenced DJ/producer Quantic is probably the best-known performer, but the line-up also includes songwriter Chaz Thorogood, Jane Fitz, and Al Dobson Jr.

Melt Festival, Ferropolis, Germany

Melt is another European festival that has been around for a while, but it is still only starting to register on the radar. Given the quality of the line-up, this is something of a mystery. Alt J, Darwin Deez, Kylie Minogue, and the Trevor Horn Band are among the 120+ acts confirmed for the festival, which takes place from July 17th to 19th in a truly impressive industrial setting, surrounded by massive cranes.

Glastonbury 2015 – What you need to know

Posted on

The UK music festivals are famous the world over, mainly because they are capable of attracting some amazing talent. Bands and acts travel from across the globe to be at the events. This dynamic feel has created some truly memorable occasions, and every year UK events try to outdo each other with their line-ups, which are often shrouded in secrecy to the very last moment. This only serves to crank up the rumour mill. But one festival in particular reigns supreme in the music stakes, and that is Glastonbury. Never one to rest on its laurels, this year it has gone all out to attract huge names.

Glastonbury 2015 is not to announce it’s official line-up until Spring really kicks into gear, but already three major acts have been announced that have established it’s credentials as the big festival to attend this year. Perhaps it has truly pushed for the biggest acts in the world, and maybe this year it has bitten off a little more than it can chew with the main act.

Kanye West has been quite possibly the most visible celebrity in the world of Hip Hop for a number of years. And this is mainly down to his social life and his family. He is married to Kim Kardashian, one of the biggest reality TV stars on the planet, and their relationship is constantly under media scrutiny. Add to this the fact that West is constantly coming under fire for his comments and behaviour, and you have a headliner who is sure to cause controversy, as well as make some beautiful music on the night.

Foo Fighters also to headline

The festival has also managed to book The Foo Fighters. This band has packed stadiums around the world for the last decade. It has Dave Grohl as the leader, who is famous for being the drummer in the legendary Nirvana. The band has an impressive pedigree all of it’s own, and this should be a main feature of the festival.

Finally, Lionel Ritchie, a major soul star, has also been booked for the festival. His smooth tones and massive mainstream appeal are sure to bring the event even more coverage this year. He was part of the Commodores, an influential group that produced smooth and popular soul music, and his appearance is destined to be a real crowd pleaser.

The Glastonbury festival is famous for many reasons, not least the fact that it was started the day after Jimi Hendrix died. This event has built up its own marvellous history in the decades since, with some key performances by influential bands. A huge part of British history, the festival is incredibly hard to get tickets for, with most of them being sold in a matter of hours. If you are lucky enough to get tickets, you’re advised to bring plenty of blankets and wet weather gear, because Glastonbury is almost as famous for it’s mud as it is for the acts. A true British legend in festivals, 2015 looks like an even better year.

glasto-sitemap-2014full