Latest announcement

[Dave The Hedgehog]

http://2012.bestival.net/news/even-more-musical-acts-for-your-pleasure

&

http://2012.bestival.net/news/see-what-wildness-lurks-beneath-the-belly-of-alternative-bestival

... so yeah.

[Paul ™]

Excellent, loads of stuff to see and do.. Slumbarave is amazing

With amazing music acts galore, including Stevie Wonder, New Order, The xx, Sigur Rós, Friendly Fires, Bat for Lashes, Roots Manuva, Orbital, The 2 Bearsand David Rodigan to name but a very few playing at this year’s show, you could be forgiven for thinking that Bestival is just about the incredible music. But, of course, as anyone who has ever been to Bestival will know, there’s a whole other world of madcap mayhem and convention defying oddments waiting to be discovered around every corner…

Rob da Bank says: ’We’re all very proud of the musical line-up each year at Bestival with so many great vintage and festival-rocking acts combined with the who’s who of new blood… But this is the announcement I’m probably most excited about – the alternative land of Bestival. Stages, tents, hidden nooks and crannies, jam-packed with polka, cabaret, striptease, cream teas, gay bingo, birthday parties, spoken word, freaks, circus, a live band playing inside a jukebox, illuminated night time ping pong, an arts salon and drag queen foodie demos… obviously! This is what Bestival is all about, the creativity and madness of all who come, let loose on a multi-stage technicolour freak out. Jump in!’

You’ll be pleased to hear that our ramshackle Louisiana style Swamp Shackreturns for a second year, after being voted one of the highlights of Bestival 2011! Once again there’s an incredible music line-up at night including some of the UK’s hottest emerging acts like Jess Mills, Clean Bandit, The Correspondents and Kill It Kid. And there’s a rocking mix of blues, bluegrass, folk and country music in the daytime on the rickety old porch stage.

But that’s not all… this year the venue will be crawling with interactive theatrical performances from the Invisible Circus and Roundhouse Performance Collective bringing a host of Deliverance-style mutants, fading southern belles and other unwholesome night-crawlers to life around the Shack.

The Ambient Forest is also back with a treasure trove of enchantments to lose yourself in. From the captivating Nomad Cinema to the David Lynch Foundation’s Transcendental Meditation sessions, there’s plenty to salve the psyche and enrich the soul with soothing grooves supplied by myriad cosmic crusaders including Dr Alex Paterson (The Orb), Pete Gooding, Chris Coco, Tom Middleton, Phil Mison, Mixmaster Morris, Pathaan, Tythe Versus Mojo Filter and Balearica’s Graeme Fisher.

We’ve got even more to add to the already jam-packed line-up on our brand newAmphitheatre Stage, set deep in the heart of the Ambient Forest. Scroobius Pip’s Satin Lizard Lounge was so popular last year we had people climbing the trees to get a look in! This year, he’s secured a stellar line-up of the very best spoken word artists in the country, including B Dolan, Laura Dockrill, Chris Redmond, Tim Clare and Luke Wright.

Continuing the poetry offerings, we’re welcoming Tongue Fu which features spoken word artists performing alongside a live band in a unique and compelling union and Tilt presents Bestival Liming who fuse a carnival and party-loving vibe into a spoken word format to Bestival for the first time this year.

Completing our already announced line-up of comedy theatre on the Amphitheatre Stage, Guilt and Shame present their brand new depraved showNight of Seduction and on a slightly less debauched note, Eye Brow Productions present Collision, four hilarious and thought-provoking new short plays about surviving physics, testing love, and time travel.

And Rob da Bank favourite Fake Bush will also be gracing the stage with her unmissable renditions of our favourite Kate Bush songs. And are you ready to play some extreme UV ping pong at Bestival this year…? Ping Tron is a fully immersive, totally captivating ping pong experience played in a custom-built, lightproof mini arena with just the glow of AV to illuminate the action!

• 

We’ve cranked up the fun factor just a little bit more to present a brand new Bestival venue; The Grand Palace of Entertainment. On the outside, it’s a beautifully decorated traditional fairground façade but on the inside, it’s a rainbow coloured, pleasure-seekers’ twisted fun house…

During the day you can sing your heart out with alternative karaoke kings, Hot Breath Karaoke, or test your musical prowess with the ever popular, Sounds Familiar Music Quiz. If pop culture is more your thing, then don’t miss the raucous games of Let’s Get Quizzical and don’t forget to check out Vikki Stone, in her hilarious and brilliant one-woman musical comedy show, Big Neon Letters.

We’ll also be throwing a retro style Daily Birthday Party each afternoon, where everyone who is celebrating their special day (plus guests!) can gather to regress to the good old days of musical bumps and pass the parcel.

In the evening, we’ll be presenting a very special selection of the UK’s best in alternative cabaret. First up, is award winning performance artist *Scottee*’s brand new 70s gameshow inspired Camp, featuring the likes of Bourgeois & Maurice. Favorites from last year, Boom Boom Club are bringing us a new, Coney Island inspired, showcase of deliriously twisted cabaret freaks, geeks and misplaced spirits from the lost age of the fairground.

Longstanding Bristol institution Hoochie Coochie Kabaret will be bringing their world of trashy and surreal entertainment to the Grand Palace, while drag queen legend Jonny Woo will be whipping us into a frenzy with his Gay Bingo and Lipsyncing mayhem.

And taking us deep into the night, our favourite tranny super group Sink The Pinkwill be donning their Lycra leotards and rainbow eye shadow to lead us into a hedonistic, multi-coloured, glitter strewn party where all your inhibitions should be left at the door. See you in wonderland!

• 

If you have a taste for the macabre then you’ll be welcome at the Hotel Slumbarave, an irresistibly twisted, spooky hotel. Check in, if you dare, in the early hours and consort with characters ranging from the gothic to the insane; become part of the murder and mystery during the weekend at the haunted Hotel Slumbarave. Keep your bed tidy and the pillow fights tight, get your straightjacket pyjamas on and make sure the bed bugs don’t bite. The ‘Chambermaid of Festivals Past’ may well tuck you up during your worst nightmares.

You can make your bed and ‘Rest In Peace’ in it in our funeral parlour or find bed-wear ‘to die for’ in the dressing down cupboard. Patrons can enjoy nocturnal party games galore; play Swingo Bingo, Pillow Fight Club, or dance the dream with our late nightie music policy where DJ’s supplying narcoleptic beats ‘lift spirits’ with rare disco, soul and house for those incurable insomniacs…

It’s not all about the stages, though. Peppered between the big tops, and tucked into secret corners are a host of delightful sideshows and micro venues to discover.

• 

Spidora is a dark yet delightful immersive theatrical sideshow presented byCopperdollar and The Peoples Front Room is a 19th Century Salon of creativity, artistry and performance all combined in a strangely familiar yet surreal environment. And why not join the RSPLB for romantic chit chat over a jigsaw, pen a love letter, go on a blind date or learn a mating dance and celebrate love in all its glory? And if you’re still looking for something a little different, Camp Cooks are a trio of 1950s style drag queens, cooking up a storm with foodie demos, camp performances and delicious meals for sale in their retro Airstream.

• 

Those who haven’t yet seen this have been missing out! The Dukes Box is a sideshow that crams an entire band into a tiny shiny…er…juke box. With 35 songs to choose from, you can hear your favourites played just for you – live, with lights and sound system! And new to Bestival this year is the Dukes Box’s caravan cousin, the Sol Cinema, a super-cute and dinky retro cinema for eight people, showing short films, music videos and random curios for your viewing pleasure. All powered by the sun! Amazing.

Brand new to Bestival this year and situated in the Ballroom Field is Mazy’s Art Club helping you to get back to your creative roots. It’s miles ahead of your old after-school club but still requires you to stick out your tongue in concentration. Drop in and get into printmaking or giant origami; making anything from pin badges and mosaics to feathered headbands. Be sure to take an hour out of watching the artists and become one yourself. Make and do man!

Staying on a creative tip, if you head down to the Wishing Tree in the afternoons, you can join in the Spread the Love project with super talented folk Craftinoon Tea. Create handmade messages and random acts of kindness then spread the messages to as many people as possible by joining them on secret field missions.

• http://2012.bestival....jpg?1333479557

Bestival wouldn’t be the same without our two much loved institutions the Knees Up Tent and Time for Tease. If you fancy an afternoon tea with a dollop of saucy burlesque, or taking part in a racy art class with Dr Sketchy, then the Time for Tease tent is the place to indulge. For an eclectic and reckless party, with everything from world street vibes to comedy to plenty of gin fuelled sing-alongs with Underbling and Vow, then join the revellers in the ever energetic Knees Up Tent.

A certified Bestival treasure, Club Dada will be a four-day marathon of mentalness featuring DJ Tofu’s welcome home, The Electro Swing Club, the Night of 1000 Beat Boxers and Breakin Brass. And fast becoming a September tradition we can’t live without, the Polka Tent is a den of wild-eyed wonder and the only tent in the world dedicated to the remix of Gypsy and Hoetown styles, curated by Continental Drifts, Global Local and Penny Metal.

And to keep you on your toes while you’re exploring the many wonders of Bestival we are also adding even more musical acts for your pleasure…

[Paul ™]

EVEN MORE MUSICAL ACTS FOR YOUR PLEASURE

• 4 APRIL 2012

• POSTED BY DUNCAN

• 

To keep you on your toes while you’re exploring the many wonders of Bestival we’ve also added even more musical acts for your pleasure, including twitchy blissful beats from Jamie xx, beguiling bass from Julio Bashmore, and cut-up party anarchy from The Nextmen, plus there will be party-starting sets from B Traits, Leo Zero, Evian Christ, Frank Tope, Rev Milo Speedwagon, Pathaan, DJ Cable, Foam, George B, and Sink The Pink who will be taking things late into the night at the Grand Palace of Entertainment.

And for those of you looking for something a little more chilled, you will find cosmic crusaders like Dr Alex Paterson (The Orb), Pete Gooding, Chris Coco, Tom Middleton, Phil Mison, Mixmaster Morris, Pathaan, Tythe vs Mojo Filterand Balearica’s Graeme Fisher salving the psyche and enriching the soul with soothing grooves in the Ambient Forest.

And we can also announce more live music courtesy of Barcelona’s, Pitchfork approved, John Talabot, wistful elfin singer-songwriter Lucy Rose, woozy Warp signing Kwes, and erstwhile Tuung man Sam Genders in his Diagrams guise. There will also be appearances from Jamie N Commons, Clock Opera, Stealing Sheep, Nina Nesbitt, BIGKids, Mary Epworth, Wet Nuns, Dingus Khan, Anothers Blood, Tom Williams And The Boat, Valentine Gray, Cherishport andThe Widowmaker.

And back by popular demand is living legend Mr Motivator who will be helping Bestivalites shake off those fuzzy heads ready for another day of adventure!

[rexclark]

Sounds great. Festivals to me now are about so much more than music. The last two years at Glasto we've spent hours without seeing any bands and just wandering around and seeing the sights. Bestival looks like it'll easily live up to expectations and I can see why alot of people are seeing it as a Glastonbury alternative.

[Joe-]

Lots to see and do, as usual. Sounds great.

Pretty glad I didn't get my hopes up for bands, although I'm very glad Tom Middleton is returning and Jamie XX should be great. I'm hoping we get a few more DJs added, feels like we're missing a few, I'm not sure whether it's just because last year was the ultimate DJ festival or what.

There's not as many bands I want to see this year, which is pretty good because I want to see a few more non-music things this year.

[LondonTom]

Sounds good Wish i had grasp of ping pong, but I imagine my terrible hand eye co-ordination while sober and in natural sunlight will be even worse, but will defo visit as I like the imagary of Ping Tron

Does this stuff get as packed when the major acts are not on like at Glasto? I would have liked to explore bit more of these arty things, but most of the times I went I found it to packed to bother with.

[Paul ™]

Does this stuff get as packed when the major acts are not on like at Glasto? I would have liked to explore bit more of these arty things, but most of the times I went I found it to packed to bother with.

[rachbon]

I'm so excited about the non music stuff! It all looks amazing. It'll be good to have the time to properly explore the different areas at Bestival and actually spend time in these places. I love having a look round all the different areas at Glasto (prefer that to watching bands) but because there's so much to do, you don't get to spend enough time in each area to see everything. Looking forward to seeing some Glasto style things on a smaller scale.

Edited April 4, 2012 by _rachelbon

[TheSeventhOne]

The the non-musical stuff looks fantastic, and I'm happy with the additions of Jamie xx and John Talabot. Ace!

[LondonTom]

Not in my experience, as they are more spread out over the site where as at Glastonbury it all seems to be in the SE Corner.

Remember there is only 50,000 at Bestival too..

[Vanderlyle]

I'm so excited about the non music stuff! It all looks amazing. It'll be good to have the time to properly explore the different areas at Bestival and actually spend time in these places. I love having a look round all the different areas at Glasto (prefer that to watching bands) but because there's so much to do, you don't get to spend enough time in each area to see everything. Looking forward to seeing some Glasto style things on a smaller scale.

[DJL]

I generally run around at festivals trying to see as many bands as possible but, whilst there are many at bestival i want to see, there is enough here to keep me occupied for a few hours at any stage day or night so if there's nothing else added to the line-up i can live with that.

[Paul ™]

This was in response to one of Dave The Hedgehog/ShockTK's usual posts on the Bestival forum

TICKETS ARE GOING FAST MR SHOCK! UP ON LAST YEAR AND WILL SELL OUT AGAIN... ON BESTIVAL AND CAMP BESTIVAL!... NOT AN EASY YEAR TO SELL BUT WE ARE...AND PROUDLY!

IF YOU'RE EXPECTING LOADS MORE BIG ACTS THEN DONT COS THERE ARE V FEW...FRIDAY HEADLINER, ONE OTHER BIGGISH ACT AND A LOT OF SMALLER ONES...

THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WHERE FORUMITES HAVE BANGED ON ABOUT WHAT SIZE ACTS YOURE GETTING...SURELY ITS THE QUALITY NOT THE SIZE..ID RATHER SEE A JOHN TALABOT..OR A WET NUNS THAN A BIGGER ACT THAT MOST WOULD BE INDIFFERENT TO...ANYWAY IM NOT JUSTIFYING THE LINE UP BREADTH WHEN WE HAVE ACTS LIKE STEVIE WONDER, SIGUR ROS, THE HORRORS, ORBITAL, HOT CHIP, NEW ORDER, GALLOWS AND OF COURSE MR MOTIVATOR

[Joe-]

&

[Kyelo]

It's all the non music stuff that has attracted me to Bestival so get in!

[mike46]

Very pleased Lucy Rose has been announced, saw her last year playing the Bandstand and was one of my highlights of the festival,

Roll on September!

[Poleski]

Julio Bashmore will be gooooood

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Did you go see This Will Destroy You on Monday? Was a hell of a show!

[coma girl]

Great couple of announcements there, I don't see how people can possibly still be moaning! The non-musical stuff is what has attracted me to Bestival and it all sounds great, also happy with Tom Williams & The Boat being added

[Dave The Hedgehog]

The non-musical stuff is what has attracted me to Bestival and it all sounds great

[Smit93]

I need to convince my friends to go to this!