Solfest 2012

[DeadAmos]

Just seen the first bands to be announced, looks like it's gonna be another goodun

Roll on August

[LOCHLAND5]

At the risk of being rude ............. Oh well here I go!

Big country ..... Big in the 80s lead singer sadly deceased and now that American bird off downtown abbey is gigging with them wow !

Adam ant ........ Cuckoo ! Completely barking bonkers is he a headliner?

The south , come on they were good mid nineties but its just wrong that They are missing Paul heaton!

Antique fest ........ Dreadful.

On a positive and you should always end on positive, they must have good insurers compared to Kendal calling cos you can still park next to your car............. No health and safety bs from this fest .

[laid back in the sun]

cos you can still park next to your car.............

[ramragon]

thats a really uninspiring line up so far, i know they have a loyal following that will buy tickets for them but im not really sure who on that announcement will lead the charge of "i've gotta see them", i came from the era of adam ant and big country and couldnt be arsed to see them 20 years ago for a fiver a ticket never mind now at £85.

Shame because i was really looking forward to a decent announcement and headliners. Still considering going as it gets really good reviews

[Perks]

Bragg and the Duke Spirit are the only decent ones for me....still more to be announced.though.....still looks like an ace festival....I cant go now anyway. enjoy all who do.

[lisobely]

I've got to say I'm a little disappointed in the acts announced so far too. There are a couple that appeal, but overall I'm not inspired. Big Country are one of the headliners it says, though I'm not sure if any of the other acts announced so far will be headlining or not. Could be that they have someone decent to announce when the tickets go on sale, but with Big Country having a headlining spot it doesn't bode well for the other two slots. I may get tickets in April, but it's not looking good for me up to now. Shame really, I like Solfest, but I'm not tempted yet this year.

[LOCHLAND5]

think you mean camp! but yeah awful line up so far!

[ramragon]

whats peoples opinions of the latest line up releases ?

strangefruit, nina nesbitt, larkin poe and Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo.

can anyone convince me why i should go ?

[DeadAmos]

Ramragon did you check out the bar stage , some good bands in there

[ramragon]

Ramragon did you check out the bar stage , some good bands in there

[Guest manc_al]

Haha....I looks like the efestivals main site is equally uninspired by the Solfest lineup...they've not reported the additional lineup announcement or that the tickets have gone on sale today

[Guest manc_al]

I stand corrected

Has ANYONE bought tickets??

[Guest Flip]

Great start to the Dance Tent line-up with System 7 and Eat Static!! Best dance tent around imho as they are allowed decent levels and a decent cerfew!! The decors always good and the crew obviously know what they are doing!!

TGU on the main stage and Astralasia in the Dogs in Space...thats a class line up already...

Crackin festival done right..

Edited April 2, 2012 by Flip

[ramragon]

The more i look at the line up the harder i think they'll find it to sell all the tickets, i'm 42 and from a pretty broad background in musical tastes and its hard to find a highlight on the card. I hope im not wrong and the tickets sell fast for the organisers. Has anyone bought any yet or can persuade me otherwise

[elfweirdigan]

Just back from Nuts in May which was in a similar NW Cumbrian location to Solfest. Headliner at Nuts was Nik Kershaw who, in my hazy memory of teenage days, was far lamer than Adam Ant... but who cares?!

The great thing about both of these festivals is being way out in the sticks, listening to bands you've never heard of from Scotland and Newcastle and Carlisle (and Cornwall and Eastern Europe) who are so full of originality and enthusiasm and raw talent that they make you grin and dance involuntarily... Plus there's the Reggae Tent and the Love Shack (Soul Disco and more) and the Acoustic-Folky-Sessions and Open Mic stages and chill-out cafes and seriously friendly people to drink chai and chat with into the wee hours...

Give me all that over a more commercial festie with humdinger headliners any day.

[cals]

Myself and GF are heading and really looking forward to it. 1st timer but in a great part of the country and on a Bank Holiday weekend.Timo Maas a great addition and looking forward

To Big Country, saw them last year at

T and they were very good.

[ramragon]

I'd love to have the enthusiasm to book tickets for solfest, to me the line ups just really poor to justify the price tag. I was around in the 80's and wouldn't have paid a few quid to see Adam ant, big country or the water boys so why would I shell out nearly 500 for tickets,transport and food for the 3 of us ? . I've seen kt tunstall before and wasn't that struck. I wouldn't mind seeing bootleg Beatles but they still tour quite regularly so I'll probably just grab a ticket for the next tour

[Guest Flip]

Ramragon - Lots of other things you can do that weekend!!

Solfest leads the field in the provision of a well-rounded festival in my experience, the myriad of different areas, kids activities through to naughty stay-up-late areas are tough to beat!!

Solfest has the best chill tent [Dogs in Space] anywhere at any festival I have ever been to...and it goes on through the night!! Run by a total legend and the quality of the music is stunning..the big monster dance tent gets to play out late too which is rarer and rarer these days...

The Drystone [or Drystan? Never know which?] provides the acoustic corner and still has the lovely Weidigans next to it for allnight acoustic jams round the woodburner..

Loads of other areas that change each year means the wander you have one year will be different to the wander you remember..

[Rufus Gwertigan]

To be fair I have always found Solfest to be relatively good value. Plenty of festivals at the same price with sameish line ups but are just 2 day festivals (and the buggers dont allow beer in the arena). I have never bothered with the line up at Solfest except the dance tent as it is one of the most laid back around.

[elfweirdigan]

Yeah, many things make Solfest good, regardless of line-up. You can take your own drinks in and the food isn't a huge rip-off... are just two things that make it better value than you might imagine

[karlpowell]

Me and the family love solfest ,cant wait for this years

[puppetmode]

I wanted to do something different whilst Glastonbury is off and went for Solfest. Not only that, I wanted to see a festival from a different angle so I am traffic stewarding for the ticket. 2 x 12 hour shifts doesn't mean it's an easy ticket though.

The line up is ok, but I am looking forward to chilling in a smaller festival.

[Nina frae Cumbria]

Two years ago a band called Kitchie Wud opened the Saturday at midday on the main stage. It started with about 30 friends and family watching and soon swelled to over 120 people as people came from around the site, attracted by the music to hear this little known local band. This is what Solfest is about, its about hearing stuff you've never heard before, its about the street theatre, the numerous stalls selling wierd and wonderful things, the food stalls that won't cost a fortune, the sensible drink prices, the acoustic tent and Wierdigans, the artworks, the kids running about everywhere safely playing, the workshops, most of all its about the friendly laid back atmosphere.

This is what all festivals should be about.

Incidentally, stewarding is a great way to go to Solfest, you'll make lots of new friends with other stewards and have a tent where you can get a brew and chill out at anytime.

[puppetmode]

Yes, this is exactly what I want from Solfest. I always hang around for bands Ive never heard. Makes my festival.

And looking forward to stewarding and if all goes well, I will spend a lot of next year doing just that

[eFestivals]

Solfest is lovely.