Festival Number 6 - Portmeirion, Wales

[Stanton]

Anyone that's been before... do they release the set timings through anything other than buying the programme on-site?

I've pre-booked one anyway, but the cynical side of me thinks they're withholding the times to try and flog as many programmes (at a tenner a go!!!) as they can.

As far as I can remember the only place the set times could be found was the programme. I do remember a board at the campsite exit / arena entrance but pretty sure that only showed any last minute changes. The programme was actually really decent last year.

[dentalplan]

Pretty much how I remember it too. Programme was too big for your pocket too and there were no lanyards so you may be as well going shares with camp mates and writing down the acts you wanna see on some paper. Definitely a festival you can just wander around happily without itinerary between must-sees though.

[5co77ie]

tickets sorted - not looking forward to the journey there I don't like journeys at the best of times and this one will be six hours.

[Timberford]

Estuary stage timings...

http://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2014/08/festival-no-6-full-estuary-stage-programme-details/

[JustLikeHoney]

Quick question...Our tickets are valid from today, we're about to set off and thought we'd double check the parking info. Looks lke the park and ride bus doesn't start til tomorrow. Is that right? If we can camp from today surely we must be able to get there???

[Timberford]

According to the 'essential info' PDF the park & ride starts at 3pm today.

http://www.festivalnumber6.com/userfiles/FN6_2014_ESSENTIAL_INFO.pdf

[mrbananapants]

So I'm getting the train to the festival.

Does anyone know if I can walk into the site from Minnfford Station?

The website map implies all wrist bands need to be collected from the Park & Ride site which is a bit of a trek away.

I called the Festival site and the guy who answered didn't really know. Suggested i take the park & ride like anyone else.

I don't mind heading that way but if I can avoid it, I'd like to!

[5co77ie]

...off shortly - to cross a whole country.

[Stanton]

Leaving in an hour from bonnie Scotland. Overnight in Manchester then on to Wales tomorrow morning. Safe journey folks.

[5co77ie]

that was pretty good, best real ale bar view at a festival so far. Lovely setting, decent line-up, a few small gripes:

nightly drunken meltdown by the locals, I've not seen so much open air vomiting in a while - nice.

noise bleed at night - fine have a VIP tent for the prats who want to miss the festival but then don't turn up the volume so loud in it you can't hear the headliners - London Grammar aren't exactly loud at times - every stage in the field was drowning their quiet moments.

Taxis and that queue - mental, learnt pretty quick to take the park and ride.

a lot of positives:

the location

the woods - again though stage too loud to hear the choir - on their 50th anniversary concert too shame!

the viewing points

the line-up, and the quiet moments

and more, later.... my review will be online shortly.

be seeing you.

[Timberford]

Great festival. The village is equally surreal as it is stunning. For those thinking about going to this festival next year, I would highly recommend it.

But it is weird as it actually attracts quite a few different groups of people that go for very different reasons. Because of this I think the scheduling sometimes suffers as it tries to be all things to all people (as pointed out above regarding sound bleed during London Grammar). Pretty much each stage is curated by a different promotor. So the variety is great if you're up for it.

I agree with the point above about drunken 'youngsters' coming out at night. They're all there for the dj's, as those tents got packed out. It's clear this festival has a definite lean towards electronica as the electronic acts and djs got better time slots, better stages to play and also got great crowds compared to some of the bands.

There were actually a load of lesser known (but really great and actually quite buzz-worthy) bands that got really disappointingly small crowds. Mostly the ones on early on the iStage (where the sound was at times terrible).

Personally I think they'd be better not using the iStage early in the day and should put those bands on in the village instead. This would have given them a great chance to promote them to a new audience as that's where everyone is at that time of day. For example a Tiny Ruins or Aquilo set in the central piazza would have been very special and perfectly palatable to the families that park up there for the day until the sun goes down.

Also the Estuary stage is stunning and severely underused for bands. Again, sets from Childhood, Arthur Beatrice, Lucky T Jackson and Gengahr (amongst others) would all have gone down really well with the people lazing about on the loungers and dipping their toes in the pool down there.

It's interesting though, as originally I thought this festival might give End of The Road a real run for its' money. But it's clear at Festival No.6 the music is definitely not the star of the festival (unlike at End of The Road).

First it's the village, second it's the choir. Then they have a carnival, authors and talks, prisoner reconstructions and marching bands and it's all of these things that make it a little bit different from most other typical "festival in a field" offerings. So in reality it's probably a moot point to wish for more bands playing better stages and better time slots in the village.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Really glad I went. But for my 'bands at festivals' fix I suspect I'll be going elsewhere next year.

Musical highlights for me:

1. Bonobo

2. John Wizards

3. Bird

[dentalplan]

That's interesting. I didn't notice the 'youngsters coming out at night' last time around and the festival crowd seemed an older one but them again the electronic edge developed a lot for this year judging by the lineup.

[DomDom1984]

If I had to pick a top five bands for this, I'd go with...

1. London Grammar

2. Peter Hook and the Light

3. Pet Shop Boys

4. Neneh Cherry

5. Tom Odell

Heaton/Abbott and Kelis narrowly missing out on the top five, and Patrick Wolf, Los Campesinos!, Spector and Temples are all worth at least a wee shout. Absolutely hated Bonobo.

Other highlights

1. Harry Leslie Smith

2. Twin Town Cast Reunion

3. Marcel Lucont

4. Salon No. 6 presents Rock n Roll

5. John Robins

The village was wonderful and importantly, the alcohol was actually rather tasty.

I've already got my ticket for next year paid for and really looking forward to it.

[manxboba]

I've not been to this festival before but already bagged a ticket for next year.

Considering bringing my daughters (10 & 14).

Anyone with any experience of bringing kids to this that can advise if its family friendly?

Cheers

[DomDom1984]

It's definitely family friendly.

[johnl]

Went last year and it was superb no doubt aided by the fantastic weather. As Dom said it's definitely family friendly. I remember reading a quote that said it made Latitude look like Download and chuckling to myself when there how true it was.

Me and my mate spent our mornings sitting on the garden furniture at the hotel looking out over the estuary reading the papers and supping Estrellas. All very civilised!

[DomDom1984]

Aye, the free newspapers were quite handy. Especially on the Sunday when I was wanting to read about the fitba in the morning in the café in the town hall. That was a bizarro world festival experience.

[dirty_dog]

I've been to all 3 and this was the best yet, The Welsh Choir where the stars of the show yet again and others worth a mention is Jon Hopkins and Beck.

[sadimmock]

The festival has just tweeted that the first lineup announcement will be made next Tuesday. Genuinely curious as to where they going this year.

[DomDom1984]

I'm guessing Belle and Sebastian are on the lineup somewhere. Beyond that, I'm hoping for Rita Ora who has an album in the summer. Maybe Manics doing the Holy Bible?

[neil_clarky]

Pretty much guaranteed that the Charlatans will be headlining I would have thought seems as Tim Burgess runs the Cafe and they have a new album out

[DomDom1984]

Are they even big enough to headline small festivals these days?

[dentalplan]

I'm guessing Belle and Sebastian are on the lineup somewhere. Beyond that, I'm hoping for Rita Ora who has an album in the summer. Maybe Manics doing the Holy Bible?

Rita Ora? Don't think that'd go down well.

Manics only played in 2013 so it'd be a bit repetitive. I could see Belle and Sebastian headlining with them being around and not doing EOTR.

[johnl]

Hopefully see Django Django and Future Islands who are playing EOTR the same weekend.

They seem to for new, "cult", classic headliners so I'm going for George Ezra, Belle & Sebastian (both at Electric Picnic the same w/e) and either New Order or Stereophonics for classic.

[jjason]

I have been to all 3 No 6 festivals and I have to say it gets better each year.

I also have to rant that i didn't see any "nightly drunken meltdown by the locals" and as someone who got a local ticket, my mission next year is to hunt the writer down and piss on his Tipi to cofirm his prejudice.