Features

JUNE

CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL *20th June - 10th July* London

City walks, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Short Film Competitions, Art tours and Exhibitions.

Catch the end of 'MASSIVE ATTACK'S MELTDOWN' *14th - 22nd June* Southbank Centre

They are taking over the Southbank Centre for nine days of concerts, DJ sets, Talks, Films and Visual Art.

Acts include: 'Saxon Sound System' @ Queens Walk, 'Massive Attack' @ The Royal Festival Hall and 'An evening with Primal Scream' @The Royal Festival Hall.

AFRICA OYE 2008 *21st - 22nd June* Sefton Park, Liverpool

The largest FREE African music festival in the UK

KNOWSLEY HALL MUSIC FESTIVAL *23rd - 24th June* Knowlsey Hall, Liverpool

Headliners: The Who, Keane, The Coral, Zutons, Madness and Joss Stone

THE 46664 CONCERT *27th June* Hyde Park, London

Fundraiser for Nelson Mandela's 46664 Aids & HIV Charity and celebration of his 90th Birthday.

Headliners: Spice Girls, Queen, Will Smith, Eminem, Razorlight

RELENTLESS WAKESTOCK 2008 *27th - 29th June* Blenheim Palace, Woodstock

Music + Wakeboarding = A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

Headliners: Groove Armada, The Streets, Supergrass, Funeral For A Friend and Hadouken

EDEN SESSIONS 2008 *27th June - 29th July* Eden Project, Cornwall

A festival for nature-lovers set at the beautiful Eden Project.

GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL *28th - 29th June* Glastonbury

Headliners: JAYZ, The Verve, Kings of Leon

HARD ROCK CALLING *28th - 29th June* Hyde Park, London

Headliners: Eric Clapton, The Police, Sheryl Crow, KT Tunstall

JULY

MUSIC @ THE SCOOP *2nd - 30th July* Next to Tower Bridge, London

Free outdoor gigs.

O2 WIRELESS *3rd - 6th July* Hyde Park, London

Headliners: Fatboy Slim, Morrissey, Beck, Counting Crows

CORNBURY MUSIC FESTIVAL *5th - 6th July* Cornbury Park, Nr Oxford

Headliners: The Bangles, Crowded House, KT Tunstall, Beverly Knight, Toots and the Maytals and Bellowhead

WILD IN THE COUNTRY *5th July* Knebworth

Headliner: BJORK

Includes: Battles, Soulwax, Pendulum, XX Teens plus flocks of big name DJs

A HOP DAY AT THE FARM *6th July* The Hop Farm & Paddock Wood, Tonbridge

Acts include: Neil Young plus more TBC

T IN THE PARK *11th - 13th July* Balado Airfield

Headliners: The Verve, Rage Against The Machine, R.E.M, Amy Winehouse

LARMER TREE *16th - 20th July* Larmer Tree Gardens, Nr Salisbury

Headliners: Tinarwien, Orchestra Baobab, The Levellers, Belowhead, Kate Rusby and Julie Fowlis

LATITUDE *17th - 20th July* Henham Park, Suffolk

Music, Theatre, Poetry and Literacy.

Headliners: Franz Ferdinard, Sigur Ros, Interpol

CAMP BESTIVAL *18th - 20th July* Lulworth Castle, Dorset

Is the smaller offshoot of Rob Da Bank's Bestival.

Headliners: Kate Nash, Chuck Berry, The Flaming Lips

BBC PROMS *18th July - 13th September* Royal Albert Hall, London

Biggest Classical music festival in the world.

TRUCK FESTIVAL *19th - 20th July* Hill Farm, Steventon

Indie bands and up-and-coming bands.

LOVE BOX WEEKENDER *19th - 20th July* Victoria Park, London

Groove Armada two-day party in East London.

Acts include: Groove Armada, The Flaming Lips, Goldfrapp, The Human League, Seun Kuti and DJs

SECRET GARDEN PARTY *24th - 28th July* Secret location TBC

Heralded by the in-the-know festival pundits as the new Big Chill / Bestival, this kooky festival in a secret East Anglian location mixes eccentric goings-on with up and coming bands and DJs

Headliners: TBC

WOMAD *25th - 27th July* Charlton Park, Wiltshire

Global musicians.

Headliners: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Mavis Staples, Orchestra Baobab, Rachid Taha, Altai Kai, Toumani Diabate

AUGUST

THE BIG CHILL *1st - 3rd August* Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

Headliners: The Mighty Boosh, Norman Jay, Thievery Corporation, Random Dance, The Portico Quartet plus lots of non-musical happenings

LIVE AT LOCH LOMOND *2nd - 3rd August* Loch Lomond, Balloch Country Park

Scottish festival takes it cue from T in the park.

Headliners: Groove Armada, Sex Pistols, Happy Mondays

FAIRPORT'S CROPREDY CONVENTION *7th - 9th August* Cropredy Festival Site

Most-loved folk-rock bands. Folk music and good cheer.

Headliners: The Levellers, Fairport Convention, Supergrass

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL *8th - 31st August* Edinburgh

Art, Music and Literature, acts TBC.

SUMMER SUNDAE WEEKENDER *8th - 10th August* Leicester De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Bijou festival with acts from the worlds of indie, nu-folk and beyond.

Headliners: Supergrass, The Coral (Acoustic Set), Roisin Murphy, Simian Mobile Disco

TAPESTRY GOES WEST *8th - 9th August* Port Talbot, Wales

Wannabe minstrels, maids and merlins, mixes psychedelic, rock & folk acts and medieval sports including jousting.

Headliners: Acts TBC

FIELDDAY *9th August* Victoria Park, London

Headliners: Richie Hawtin, Filthy Dukes, Foals, Fionn Regan, Simian Mobile Disco, Mystery Jets

THE GREEN MAN FESTIVAL *15th - 18th August* Glanusk Park, Brecon Beacons, Wales

Folky-Dolky with a mixture of singer and songwriter, folk and psychedelic acts.

Headliners: Beirut, Super Furry Animals, Richard Thompson, King Creosote, Caribou

V FESTIVAL CHELMSFORD/ STAFFS *16th - 17th August* Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire

Headliners: Muse, The Verve, Alanis Morissette, Amy Winehouse, Stereophonics, Ian Brown, The Pogues, The Prodigy

LEEDS/ READING FESTIVALS *22nd - 24th August* Bramham Park, Leeds and Little Johns Farm, Reading

Voted Best Live Events at the 2007 NME Awards.

Headliners: Rage Against The Machine, more TBA

CREAMFIELDS *23rd - 24th August* Daresbury, Cheshire

Headliners: Fatboy Slim, Kasabian, Chic, Gossip, Ian Brown, Underworld

NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL *24th - 25th August* Notting Hill, London W11

Floats, dancers, sound systems, DJs, street parties: It is Europe's largest Street Party and it's FREE!

Festival essentials - Surviving the outdoor venues:

Right, now you know where you can go it's time to get down to the essentials, what to take? Although beer might be the top priority there are, believe it or not, other important items to take to any festival. From that all important loo roll to those baby wipes that you just won't be able to live without when you're stuck in a muddy field for three days and you know that the toilets just aren't an option! But remember the basic rule to festival packing; less is more. Think about your back on the trek from the car to your pitch. We have it all listed below in an easy to follow format, so let us be your packing guide to this summer's festivals.

Essentials:

• Tent: Millets, Blacks 20% off all tents and camping gear online, Argos, click here to search for tents on HelpHound
• Sleeping Bag: as above or search camping on HelpHound
• Money
• Bottled water: drinking lots in the morning replenishes you after a night under warm canvas, also ideal for teeth cleaning
• Loo roll
• Matches or a lighter: essential for campfire or camping stove cooking
• Wellies or Boots: It's not just Glastonbury that can be a mud bath
• Layer-able clothing: after all it is the UK, you just never know what to expect
• Socks: take lots and some thick pairs, to avoid wet foot rub
• Baby wipes: essential for festival hygiene or just a quick pre-gig freshen-up (a few little packs are more convenient rather than one huge one)
• Deodorant: after all it is the UK, you just never know what to expect
• Sunglasses: Practical, plus perfect for hiding tired eyes behind. The bigger the better
• Torch
• Wash Gel: keep those mitts clean, Antibacterial gel from Boots will do fine
• Travel towel: highly absorbent and compact, that's if you want to risk the showers
• Sun screen: check out the 'Summer Health' Hot Topic in the archive

Food and Drink:

• Beer
• Camping stove & pans: for basic snacks (pot noodles) if you don't fancy the stalls
• Pot Noodles: Make sure you don't get the hot sauce from the 'Bombay Bad Boy' flavour in your eye like one of our HelpHounders did on one fateful day at Reading. It's not advised!
• Food: notice that's separate from Pot Noodles!

Optional Extras:

• Ear plugs and eye masks
• Head scarf
• Dry shampoo: try 'Batiste Dry Shampoo' from Boots
• Visor: perfect for a rainy gig without keeping the heat in
• Money Belt: keep your cash safe
• Padlock: optional addition to the tent zip as a visual deterrent for opportunist thieves
• Emergency Poncho: Not the ultimate fashion statement but it will keep you dry and then you can throw it away afterwards

Security:

Although it's the last thing you want to think about and at the risk of sounding like your mum, it is worth your while having a think about onsite security. Just keep your wits about you. Don't leave anything out on display, don't take anything you can't afford to lose and always zip your tent closed. The last thing you want to happen is ruining a gig because you're worrying that you might have left your dad's camera on the floor outside your tent. Better safe than sorry (now that is a Mum thing to say!).

There are a few articles on the web that could offer some ideas to help you when it comes to your pre-festival planning and, of course, the all important packing list. One for you girls is a Times online article entitled 'The girl's guide to surviving festivals' which outlines: all the essentials to take including tips on good sleeping mats; how to find your tent; how to prepare yourself beforehand including epilating your arm pits, ouch! Tips on security, missing friends and much more.

For the lads, there is eFestivals.co.uk's 'Lads Guide to Festivals', which has some frank, yet factual, tips on: what clothes to pack; how much beer to take; some general rules on Festival life; things to take; things not to take and how to keep clean, well, how not to smell too bad would be more truthful! It's a worthwhile read and whether you find it useful or not, it's a coffee break well spent!

A good website to check out for Festival gear is onestopfestival.com who sell all things festival with some intriguing items according to matilda who finds herself "strangely curious" about their product named the 'Travel John', a portable toilet! It does sound intriguing.

So that's the festival dates, the packing lists and the advice covered, all that's left to do is get out there and enjoy your music-enriched summer. HelpHound wishes you all the best and sorry for sounding like your mum back there. Have fun and keep us posted on how you're doing by telling us about all the stops along the way!