So as summer is (hopefully) about to creep up on us with its moderately high temperatures and heavy sporadic bursts of rain, it also gives us students the chance to relax and have a long well-deserved break from our studies, and what should you do while your off other than party?
Well, if you’ve got a few bob and love your music, there may be one British summer institution that you should consider; attending a Music Festival! This part of the industry has exploded over the last two decades and there are 100s to choose from, here in Britain and across Europe, and every genre of music is covered; there really is something for everyone.
A highlight for the London festival line-up is this year’s Yahoo! Wireless Festival, which has switched location to the brand spanking new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, due to open at the start of the summer. To celebrate opening the park with a bang, organisers are going all out to ensure this will be the biggest line-up to date. One of the acts joining Justin Timberlake and Jay Z at the world premiere of their Legends Of The Summer tour on Sunday 14 July is British songstress Jessie Ware. The singer songwriter released her stunning debut album – Devotion – to critical acclaim last year and received BRIT nominations for British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough, and her soulful voice should be a surefire hit with the crowd. Also added to the line-up is singer songwriter Katy B, dub-step DJs Magnetic Man, US hip hop star 2Chainz, electro DJ Porter Robinson and hotly tipped UK stars Angel and Daley.The bill already boasts A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, A$AP Rocky and Rizzle Kicks, and most recently Will.I.Am. This is one festival for any Londoners wanting the festival experience on a low budget or wanting to give the camping part a miss! Tickets from £75.
JT and Jay Z will be headlining things in the Olympic Park, London for the Yahoo! Wireless Festival.
The Big One, aka the 2013 Glastonbury Festival line-up also looks set to be epic, with The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons revealed as headliners on the Pyramid Stage. You have to be on the ball for these tickets as they went on sale in October, and any cancelled tickets have been resold in April of this year, but it’s a surefire hit for music lovers. Go all out for the ultimate festival experience here, especially with the weather! You are Guaranteed mud! Tickets set you back £200, then you need the full camping gear and plenty of money for food and alcohol, so if you’re lucky enough to have tickets get saving!
If you’re wanting to make a holiday out of your festival experience, why not try one on the continent?Now in it’s 6th year, Outlook Festival, based in Fort Punta Christa Pula, Croatia, is widely recognised as Europe’s largest bass music and sound system culture festival, featuring the biggest names from the most vibrant and cutting edge dance scenes around.
If you’re into underground dancefloor music, whether it be house, techno, dubstep, reggae, dub, hiphop, garage, grime, electronica, this is the experience for you!
The motto of the festival goes by the famous words of Duke Ellington: “There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind”
Outlook has grown rapidly and is going from strength to strength in the previous five years, and critics have raved about everything from how amazing the vibe was,to the wicked music on set, how beautiful the smiling people were and how stunning the setting is.
For all those who want to make a holiday out of a festival, Outlook offers the ability to have an amazing time for around only £450, which is pretty good for the holiday of a lifetime and a great music festival! The official website offers a general budget for what the trip might skin you:
Festival Tickets themselves cost £135 and are still available, they also recommend attending the Boat Party, tickets for which cost around a very reasonable £15. Camping is also pretty cheap at £36 for site hire for the entire four day fest. The biggest cost would be your travel from the UK with Sunshine Bus/Flights & Transfers totting up to roughly £200, so this is definitely one for the spendthrifts out there!
A host of new names have been announced to take the stage in 2013; with their most expansive line-up to date including hip-hop legend Mos Def, Reggae icon Anthony B and Warp Record’s finest Rustie. The line-up also welcomes back a number of festival favourites including Gentleman’s Dub Club, Hatcha, and Submotion Orchestra, with a heap of Outlook debut’s also on the cards from the likes of Evian Christ, Happa and Artwork amongst others. Outlook Festival runs from midday Thursday 29th August 2013 – 6am Monday 2nd September 2013.
So, whatever your taste is in music, and whatever you want to get out of your summer, attending a festival is an absolute must, tickets are in abundance so don’t be afraid to shop around and pick your perfect one.