The Anticipated Festivals Guide 2013

This year at The Edge, we’ve been working very hard in the build up to the festival season to bring you our very own Festival Guide 2013! We’ve carefully selected 14 of the most anticipated, alternative and affordable festivals this summer! If you haven’t decided where you’re going yet and you can still get tickets, have a look at what we think before you make any decisions.

Isle of Wight Festival 

Where?: Seaclose Park, Newport

When? : 13th – 16th June

How much?: Adult weekend camping ticket: £185

Who?: The Stone Roses; Bon Jovi; Sub Focus; Emeli Sande; Paul Weller; The Killers; Ben Howard; Blondie; The Script; Paloma Faith; The Boomtown Rats; Rizzle Kicks; Jake Bugg; Everything Everything; Bastille.

Running just one year longer than Bestival, The Isle of Wight Festival has hosted some massive names over the decade, and it doesn’t look like this year is going to change. With a wide variety of great classic artists such as The Stone Roses and The Boomtown Rats, alongside those hot on the scene such as Jake Bugg and Ben Howard, the line-up is certainly very promising. In the dance tent, you’ve got Example & DJ Wire, Mistajam, Ghostpoet, and Alex Metric, who are guaranteed to get the crowd buzzing.

Isle of Wight festival is situated in Seaclose Park, Newport – probably not as picturesque as Bestival’s Robyn Hill Country Park, yet still possessing the chilled, hippy vibe. The festival also boasts a man-made beach (so pray for some sunshine) and if the grimy conditions are getting too much, you can always jump in one of the luxurious hot-tubs on offer. Isle of Wright’s headliners are its strong point, featuring a great mix of indie-pop and folk-rock. For this it narrowly beats Bestival by a tiny half-point, although it’s a shame there isn’t as much up-and-coming talent.

Rating: 4.5/5 (By Eva Pemberton)

Benicassim Festival (FIB)

Where?: Benicassim, Spain

When?: 18th – 21st July

How much?: £150 (4 day pass; other options available)

Who?: Queens of the Stone Age; Primal Scream; Beady Eye; The Killers; Arctic Monkeys

If you want a holiday and a festival this year—FIB offers the chance to wrap it up into one for a ridiculously cheap price. In the day you can rush off and top up your tan down on the beach or go to the local water park; then you can come back in the evening and party the whole night through with bands until 3am and DJ’s until 7am. The fact that the headliners see all 00’s indie kids dreams come true with both Arctic Monkeys and The Killers on one weekend should be enough to tempt you. But just in case it isn’t, further down the bill it plays host to some other great names like Hurts, Jake Bugg, La Roux and Kaiser Chiefs. Admittedly not the most unique line-up in the world, there’s plenty there and with the added sunshine, this is one you should check out.

Rating: 3.5 (By Nátt Day)

Glastonbury

Where?: Worthy Farm, Pilton

When?: 26th – 30th June

How much?: £205

Who?: The Rolling Stones; Mumford & Sons; Arctic Monkeys; Bastille; The xx; Rita Ora; Rufus Wainwright; Professor Green; Example.

Despite the diverse range of genres that can be found on some of the smaller stages, this year’s main stage line up definitely tends more to indie and mainstream pop than it has done in recent years, with the Rolling Stones providing a burst of rock nostalgia that seems at odds with the other artists. While this year’s line-up certainly contains something to appeal to all ages it doesn’t embrace a broad range of music tastes or come close to matching the quality of previous Glastonbury festivals, which have included the likes of Biffy Clyro, The Gaslight Anthem, Slash and Pendulum. Overall, the 2013 line-up is tired, predictable and not really terribly exciting. For a really diverse and enjoyable bill, Reading and Leeds is a safer bet, and if you have a burning desire to see rock nostalgia done well, go and see Bon Jovi at the Isle of Wight festival instead.

And, hopefully, we won’t have a repeat of the terrible weather we’ve seen in previous years…

Rating: 3/5 (By Elinor Day)

Bestival

Where?: Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wright

When?: 5th – 8th September

How Much?: Student Ticket with entry from Thursday 5th September – £180

Who?: Elton John and his band; Snoop Dogg; Franz Ferdinand; Bastille; Bombay Bicycle Club; Jessie Ware; Disclosure; Rudimental; Sinead O’connor; DJ Fresh; James Blake; Tom Odell; The 1975.

As Bestival celebrates its tenth anniversary, this year promises to be a big one – possibly the Best (excuse the pun). With festival founders Radio 1 DJ Rob da bank and his wife Josie da bank in charge, a unique, creative wonderland is on the cards. Not only is it set to be a musical feast to your ears with headliners Snoop Dogg, Elton John, and Rudimental, but ‘The Port’ – an exciting new dance arena staged on a boat – is really going to shake things up. With DJ sets from the likes of Annie Mac, Mark Ronson VS Zane lowe, Duke Dumont, and Rob da bank himself, it will be all aboard this ship! And, although we’ve been spoiled by a host of big names, Bestival also boasts fresh talent such as the soulful dub-pop singer Lulu James, By The Rivers with their Motown and Reggae infused sounds, and hard-rock band While She Sleeps – all ones to watch!

The scenic Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight is a beautiful backdrop for the festival extravaganza: a whole host of magical areas to visit and things to do, ranging from the eccentric, to the downright bizarre (there’s even an inflatable church if you feel like getting hitched).

With such a great variety of music, an amazing atmosphere and bags of entertainment, its no wonder that Bestival is achieving its well-deserved recognition, and this year, I’d say it’s a strong match for major players Reading and Leeds.

Rating: 4/5 (By Eva Pemberton)

Reading & Leeds Festival

Where?: Richfield Avenue, Reading & Bramham Park, Leeds

When?: 23rd – 25th August

How much?: £210.50

Who?: Green Day; Eminem; Biffy Clyro; Deftones; Foals; Chase and Status; Skrillex

The line-up for this year’s Reading and Leeds festival is one of the most diverse I’ve seen yet, with old classics like Green Day, Brand New and Deftones, to recent phenomena such as Alt-J, Temples and Drenge. It’s also interesting to see such a mixture of genres being introduced into a traditionally rock centred festival: from popular rap artist Eminem, to staple rock fair Fall Out Boy, to indie rockers Tame impala, all the way to Gallow’s grunge and dubstep magician Skrillex. With such a wide variety of music on display, it will difficult for anyone to not find something they would risk being crushed against a barrier for. My personal list to look out for consists of rising stars Foals, Scottish rockers Twin Atlantic, folk artists Frightened Rabbit, all-girl electro fusion group Haim and hidden treasures Tribes. Consequently, the Festival Republic stage is looking spectacular this year, with lesser known wonders such as Chvrches, The Strypes, Temples, The 1975, Swim Deep, and To Kill a King (who recently supported Dog is Dead at Wedgewood Rooms). As usual the Dance stage offers a stark alternative to other sets; including ‘innovative’ mixer Sub-focus, 60’s rock and roll/R’n’B combo Willy Moon, electro promise Charli XCX and eccentric dance-rock trio Is Tropical. All in all, Reading and Leeds is shaping up to be a true collage of sounds and styles, sure to provide a memorable experience to anyone. At a steeper price-tag than Glastonbury but more variety of music, this could be very interesting festival this year. The only issue might be having to wade your through crowds of drunken sixteen-year-olds.

Rating: 3.5/5 (By Alex Meehan)