Continuing our Festival Guide 2013, it’s time to have a look at some of the more ‘student friendly’ festivals… Well, a little friendlier to your bank account, at least!
Blissfields Festival
Where?: Vicarage Farm, Winchester
When?: 5th – 7th July
How much?: £85
Who?: Bastille; Mystery Jets; Matt Corby; Mike Skinner & Rob Harvey; Dub Pistols; Theme Park; Subgiant.
Blissfields has been crowned ‘Best Small Festival’ and in recent years has been growing from strength to strength. This year’s lineup boasts an impressive mix of acts, with headliners Bastille and Mystery Jets. Other acts include Matt Corby, The Staves and Theme Park. Blissfields will be taking place from the 5th to 7th July and is right on our doorstep at Vicarage Farm, Woodmancott in Winchester. Weekend tickets are £85, a mere bargain compared to the more well known festivals. Okay so I’ll admit there’s not many people on the lineup who’s music I know really well but that shouldn’t discourage people from going. There is a great mix of new, upcoming music and all for a fraction of the price festivals normally charge, as well as a few little quirky extras such as this year’s film festival. I say Blissfields looks perfect for those of you who are looking for a weekend of discovery.
Rating: 3.5/5 (By Grace Pattle)
Radio 1’s Big Weekend
Where?: Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland
When?: 24th – 26th May
How much?: Free! (If you managed to get tickets)
Who?: Olly Murs; Two Door Cinema Club; Conor Maynard; Little Mix; Thirty Seconds to Mars
Having started in 2003, Radio 1’s Big Weekend is Europe’s biggest free ticket festival. This year will see the likes of Paramore, Bruno Mars, Vampire Weekend and Biffy Clyro descend onto Ebrington Square in Derry. The only downside to the Big Weekend is that the tickets are allocated randomly and by this point in the year, they’re all gone. Nonetheless, if you did manage to get hold of one, I think you’re in for an absolute blinder! And, hey! If not, at least you didn’t pay for it!
Rating: 3/5 (By Andrew Ovenden)
Parklife Weekender
Where?: Heaton Park, Manchester
When?: 8th – 9th June
How Much?: £69.50
Who?: Plan B; Example; The Maccabees; Rita Ora; Jessie Ware; Disclosure; Johnny Marr.
It’s actually surprisingly hard to find out any information about the Parklife Weekender. In fact, until last week I had never heard of it before! However, that only seems to add to the mystery and excitement behind the whole thing. Coinciding nicely with the end of exams (for most), Parklife is clearly a festival aimed for students and, if the reviews are anything to go by, you can expect those high spirits to carry over. The music seems to be a great mixture between popular indie and niche electronica. Had I found out about this sooner, I might have been tempted to go myself. There’s always 2014 though!
Rating: 4/5 (By Andrew Ovenden)
Takedown Festival
Where?: Southampton Uni, Southampton
When?: 11th May 2013
How much?: £30
Who?: The Blackout; The Defiled; We Are The Ocean; Sonic Boom Six; Don Broco
Takedown 2013 has already happened now, but is always great and is one to look out for next year. Headlined by The Blackout, with other exciting acts including The Defiled, We Are The Ocean, Sonic Boom Six and While She Sleeps playing alongside returning favourites such as Don Broco and Mallory Knox. The bill for this festival this year was packed with many of the most exciting young British rock bands around at the moment. The Blackout perform catchy sing-alongs that could start a party anywhere and definitely have more of a universal appeal than last year’s headliners Skindred. One band that promised to be unmissable was fast-rising goth-rockers Fearless Vampire Killers, fresh from their stint on the Kerrang Tour and their own triumphant headline tour; they always deliver a fantastic set, and proved well worth getting there early to see! Overall, with a bigger, better line-up than last year and a truly crowd-pleasing headliner in The Blackout, Takedown is head and shoulders above other festivals of its kind and was certainly an event to remember, for all the right reasons.
Rating: 4.5/5 (By Elinor Day)
