Friday 20th until Sunday 22nd August 2010 @ Glanusk Park Estate, Brecon Beacons
Featuring Performances From: The Flaming Lips, Beirut, Johnny Flynn, Laura Marling, Darwin Deez, Josie Long, DJ Yoda, Metronomy, Gold Panda

When you’re sat in your tent pitched in the Welsh valleys, wasted on cheap cider, full of reasonably priced nachos and having just seen The Flaming Lips enter the stage via a door in a naked woman’s vagina, you start to wonder why you ever bothered with festivals that aren’t Green Man.

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How many times have you been out having coffee with a friend and they say ‘I had the strangest dream last night’? What follows is usually a tale of twisted environments, people doing strange things and then a good, shared chuckle. On that token, have you ever had someone come up to you and say ‘I had the most normal dream last night’ …unless you’re a cognitive therapist dealing with a unique patient who has an altered sense of reality, I highly doubt it. Some people are too fixed on being serious or being ‘in real world’ but let me just say, to the subconscious mind, a dream experience is just as real as the physical real world.
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Summer might not be the most consistent of seasons but the way we optimistically dream it can be could still happen and I am resolute that garden time in England is still the best; as Sam Keen famously stated; “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” The sun is up until ten, the pigeons coo from six and any refreshing alcoholic beverage is not frowned upon at any hour - because it’s summer and you’re in the garden! Halloumi, peppers, burgers, sausages, salmon - its barbeque central and everyone is a chef. Add some candles, outdoor fairy lights and some music and you got yourself a classy, grassy joint. I recommend listening to Volare by The McGuire Sisters (very late 50s, whisky chinking, lips pouting) or jazz is also good for a garden party, but as it’s your party, you’re on the decks – Dirty Diggers, For The Haters? Do it!
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Getting noticed as an electronic music outfit in Bristol is a thankless uphill struggle. Not because Bristol as a place makes it hard for aspiring producers you understand, quite the reverse in fact: Bristol has a long tradition of spearheading emerging genres and fostering the artists that define them, from the Wild Bunch to Massive Attack to Portishead, as well as Roni Size, DJ Die and Daddy Skitz, all giants in their field. The last few years have seen the rise of Dubstep, from Appleblim to the H.E.N.C.H crew and, well, you get the idea… The trouble is, with so many madly talented outfits knocking about, you have to be something really special to stand out.

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Thursday 5th until Sunday 8th August 2010 @ Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire
Featuring Performances From: Massive Attack, Thom Yorke, Mr Scruff, Bonobo, Mount Kimbie, Caribou, Craig Charles’ Fantasy Funk Band, Roy Ayres

The likes of MIA, Tinie Tempah and Lily Allen drew a slightly younger audience to this year’s Big Chill Festival, though there was still plenty to be found to satisfy the festival’s more seasoned patrons. Ever since The Big Chill’s humble beginnings as a small ambient dance festival in the Black Mountains of Wales, few would dispute that Friday night’s headliners, Massive Attack were the perfect band for the festival. Silhouetted in trademark eerie shadows and dim lighting, they delighted with their menacing austerity engrossing the eclectic audience. Safe From Harm, Angel and a minimal version of Teardrop led to a predictable but triumphant climax in Unfinished Sympathy, and an inspired crowd headed in the direction of the dance tent, ready to party long into the night.
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Friday 20th August 2010 @ The Prom, Bristol

Legion Of Many are a new electro pop band that sound like a blend of Daft Punk and Queen and were formed a year ago by Bristolian singer and producer Jeremy Goddard in his basement. Legion Of Many are characterised in part by their exuberant stage costumes inspired by rock, glam and clublife. According to the band anyone can join the Legion regardless of background or age all they have to do is be prepared to have a good time and connect with others.

Legion Of Many have been a rapidly growing movement since their debut last summer with acclaimed performances including WOMAD, Shambala, Notting Hill Carnival, Mayfair’s Sketch, headline shows at New York’s legendary Webster Hall, and a UK tour in December.

Have you joined the Legion?

www.legionofmany.com

Bristol Old Vic, the stunningly beautiful theatre on Kings Street in the heart of the city centre, has had a very turbulent past few years. For those that need reminding, here’s a little recap of what happened: Having fist opened in 1776, it was one of the oldest continually working theatres in the country until it closed its doors in the summer of 2007 citing desperately needed structural refurbishments and huge debts. Reading between the lines, the theatre had been in a downward spiral for years; the shows they were putting on frankly weren’t very good so the public had just stopped coming and the second large problem was the insular nature of the entire Bristol Old Vic establishment. During these problem years they seemed to regard themselves as some sort of ivory tower, culturally superior to anything else going on in Bristol and so instead of working alongside Bristol’s other theatres, festivals and events, they excluded them and therefore themselves, loosing a lot of friends and support along the way. Their 2007 closure sparked an outcry though and the public came out in force to support the theatre’s future but also demanded changes.
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Bristol is regarded as a port city. We’ve got the harbour, we’ve got the bridges, we’ve got the boats, the ferries, the locks, the wildlife and now, thankgod, we’ve got the aquarium too! Winner!

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Leo
Drugs are lucky this month, Leo. So is standing around in the park drinking White Ace. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, just shout ‘I hate you! No one understands me!’ and slam off to your room to write angsty poems.

Virgo
This month you are just as happy working by yourself as being part of a team, Virgo. But you won’t get the job because your flies are open and you have weird ming on your face.

Libra
This month vague, generic clichés are lucky for you, Libra. So be your own inner warrior and fight to dream. And stuff. Your lucky inner warrior: Viking with a battle-axe.
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My Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard

When hearing the word “Milkshake”, the naïve among you will no doubt already have a firm favourite from the exhausted choice of strawberry, chocolate, banana or vanilla. This is all well and good if you are content spending those long-awaited summer days sipping on your usual mundane beverage but for some, this does not suffice. To ensure that you are not disappointed with your milky treat, my plan is to delve much deeper into the world of milkshakes in search of weird and wonderful flavours to satisfy the needs of the milkshake thrill seekers of Bristol. There will be six contenders, each marked on originality, generosity of portion and value for money. Let the Bristol Milkshake Challenge begin!!

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