2009 Festivals

We already have tickets for

Bearded Theory: 15th and 17th May

Never to be forgotten - the stage collapsed and I was right there at the front with just a few people - photos here.

Wychwood Festival: 29th - 31st May

Held at Cheltenham Race course so only a few miles away. Beautiful weather, some may say too hot! Glad I got to see Super Furry Animals, The Oyster Band and Kissmet. We've been 3 times but will go to Sunrise in 2010.

Rockness: 12th - 14th June

Held on the banks of Loch Ness and 500 miles there, and back! The most amazing site, looking at the Loch as we danced to The Prodigy, David Guetta and much more. In the tent was Orbital, Placebo, Super Furry Animals, Soulwax and a Pendulum DJ Set. We liked this festival and will be back next year. See my photos here.

Pendulum: 26th June

Not a festival, just a gig but we both love Pendulum. It was their warm up gig before Glastonbury and in quite a small and sweaty venue it was amazing. They played their remix of Calvin Harris's I'm not alone, and we heard it first! I love this band! and within a year will have seen them 4 times live (Creamfields, Bestival, LLandudno, Wolverhampton) and 3 DJ sets (Rockness, Beautiful Days and Get Loaded in the Park).

Hard Rock Calling : 27th June

Back to my youth going to see Neil Young, plus Fleet Foxes, Pretenders and more down at Hyde Park. Neil Young was amazing, I'd gone with my sister and his concert took us back 30 years! Even more amazing when we had one of those 'oh my god is that who I think it is' moments when Paul McCartney came on stage for the final encore to sing a day in the life. Don't think I'll go to this next year though, I like my weekend camping festivals with more random stuff as well. We'd loved the dance Saturday for Wireless last year (Underworld, and Fat Boy Slim were standouts!) but would rather dance than sit down for chilled out music.

Secret Garden Party: 23rd - 26th July

The setting was beautiful. with a lake and so much random stuff there, from beds amongst the trees, to musicians hanging from tress and mud wrestling. But it is the music I want more than anything, and there wasn't enough good music for me. It really was a garden party, and whilst I'm very pleased to have gone don't expect to be there again - will do Global Gathering instead next year. See my photos here.

Beautiful Days: 21st - 23rd August

The Levellers Festival and a favourite - going to see Hawkwind, the Pogues and much more, and it's a sell out!

Kasabian 25th August

We're going to see Kasbian in November at Cardiff International Arena, but are really pleased to have tickets to see them at the hot and sweaty Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

SW4/ Get Loaded in the Park (Clapham Weekender) on 29th and 30th August, for my birthday!

We were going to go to Creamfields again but Orbital are headlining on the Sunday for Get Loaded in the Park and Saturday is the dance day with Armin van Buuren, Sasha and John Digwood, David Guetta, Eric Prydz, Mark Knight ...

Muse @ Teignmouth: 5th September

We were so pleased to get tickets to the homecoming gig, and took my nephew with us. We also went to see them in Birmingham in November.

Bestival: 11th - 13th September

So muddy last year, got to be better this year. It was an it was great to see The Klaxons and Soul wax again, but the highlight was Kraftwerk.

Alchemy: 18th - 20th September

Only found out about this one after going to Bearded Theory, Looks good and quite a few bands and DJs playing that I like - Subgiant, Zetan Spore; Ed Tangent.

We've also booked tickets for the Bearded Theory Benefit Gig in Guildford on Saturday 26th September, with Sub Giant headlining, Franz Ferdinand in Wolverhampton, Dreadzone in Gloucester, Muse in Birmingham, The Troggs/Spencer Davies Band and The Animals in Leamington Spa, Kasabian in Cardiff and Placebo in Manchester, and in my spare time i'll be practicing my DJ skills.