Summer FESTIVALS
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A IS FOR AUTOBAHN ‘We are the robots, NAH NAH NAH NAAAH!’ Kraftwerk probably aren’t sure what they’re
getting themselves into by appearing before a, shall we say, wired crowd at T in the Park. But the electronic music-pioneering Germans will hopefully enjoy their Balado reception, as a sizeable portion of 85,000 people dance mechanic to probably the most impressive and ambitious booking Scotland’s biggest music festival has made since Bowie in 2004 (who later cancelled due to ill health). It’s T’s 20th anniversary this year, and the standard
(line-up wise) is arguably higher than ever, much as the headliners remain predictably run-of-the-mill: Mumford & Sons on Friday, Rihanna on Saturday and The Killers on Sunday. Further down the bill, there’s something for music fans of nearly every persuasion, from herb-worshipping hip hop (Snoop Dogg) to sensitive and esoteric R&B (Frank Ocean), trashy indie-punk (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and sonic warfare- waging shoegazing (My Bloody Valentine).
But is anything likely to exceed the proto-krautrock thrill of seeing Ralf Hütter and co strike eerily- motionless poses behind neon-lit workstations during ‘The Model’, or embark on a leisurely motorik ‘Autobahn’ cruise as they revisit music from the past that shaped the sound of the future? Nein. (MJ)
T IN THE PARK Balado, Kinross-shire DATES: Fri 12–Sun 14 Jul + One of the best line-ups in years. - Crowd isn’t always the most discerning. TICKETS: Fri £75, Sat/Sun £82.50; Weekend (no camping) £184, Weekend camping £194. MORE INFO: tinthepark.com
B IS FOR BOOKWORMS Wigtown is Scotland’s book town, with over a quarter of a million second-hand books on sale, and it’s also host to one of the country’s quirkiest festivals. Although many bookish topics are covered – politics, travel, science – the focus is kept strongly literary, with plenty of poetry, short stories and literary fiction on offer. If you can tear yourself away from the stories, there’s a selection of theatre, music, visual art, and foodie events on offer, as well as workshops and networking events for aspiring writers. (KL)
WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL Wigtown, Dumfries & Galloway DATES: Fri 27 Sep–Sun 6 Oct + Beautiful setting is the ideal location to get lost in books. - Difficult to access on public transport, particularly for very early or late events. TICKETS: Events individually priced. MORE INFO: wigtownbookfestival.com
C IS FOR COUNTRY PILE Founded in 2006, Music at Paxton provides top class chamber music in the most elegant
of surroundings in the Borders. Among those appearing are Romania’s Arcadia Strong Quartet, the wild Renaissance vocal music of Les Canards Chantants, French pianist Pascal Rogé and prize- winning German ensemble EXtraCHORd. (BD)
MUSIC AT PAXTON Paxton House, Berwick-upon-Tweed DATES: Fri 19 –Sun 28 Jul + You know you’re in the midst of a different
20 THE LIST 16 May–13 Jun 2013
L-R: frocks at the Vintage Festival; fresh seafood at Loch Fyne Food Fair; iced treats at Fringe by the Sea
class of festival when it provides afternoon tea and buffet suppers. - If you forget your rug, you’ll ’ll kick yourself. TICKETS: Events individually priced. MORE INFO: musicatpaxton.co.uk
D IS FOR DANCING Disconcerted at the disco? Mortified by your r
own moves? Too ashamed to shimmy? Then Kelburn Garden Party probably isn’t the festival for you. Headlined by two acts expert in getting g people’s feet moving – Ninja ja Tune’s cartoonish cut’n’paste ste instrumental hip hop mix- master Mr Scruff, and heavy, heavy reggae selectors Trojan Soundsystem – this staunchly anti-corporate boutique weekender held in the grounds of Kelburn Castle is a dancer’s delight. t. An eclectic cross-section of top new Scottish talent – – Conquering Animal Sound, , Second Hand Marching Band and and Hector Bizerk – add to o the festival’s very inclusive, cosmopolitan feel. (MJ)
KELBURN GARDEN PARTY ARTY Kelburn, near Largs DATES: Sat 6 & Sun 7 Jul ul + Grown out of the Graffiti fiti Project – which saw w
Kelburn Castle’s exterior walls decorated by Brazilian spray-paint
S O N G S O F T H E S U M M E R
‘ W e ’ r e m o s t l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o h e a r i n g Ye a h Ye a h Ye a h s p l a y. W h i c h s o n g ? W e ’ l l t a k e a n y t h i n g f r o m Fe v e r t o Te l l t h a t w e c a n y e l p a l o n g t o a s w e p r o w l t h r o u g h t h e fi e l d l i k e t r a n s g e n d e r w i l d e b e e s t . ’ G a r d e n o f E l k s
artists – it’s a visual as well as
aural delight, full of hand-made décor, art and lighting. - Big-name headliners are in short supply. TICKETS: Advance weekend tickets £69.
MORE INFO:
kelburngardenparty.com
E IS FOR ESCAPE THE FRINGE There are two types of people who love Fringe by the Sea. Those who live in and around
North Berwick who want to enjoy a festival in August but don’t want to traipse all the way to Edinburgh for it, and those based in Edinburgh who want to enjoy a festival in August but don’t want the attendant jostling, mayhem and queuing. This year’s Fringe by the Sea is looking pretty hot with The New Rope String Band, Dougie McLean, The Boy with Tape on His Face and Larkin Poe among the names confirmed so far. (BD)
FRINGE BY THE SEA North Berwick DATES: Mon 5–Sun 11 Aug + It’s not Edinburgh! - It’s not Edinburgh. TICKETS: Events individually priced. MORE INFO: fringebythesea.co.uk
F IS FOR FROCKS IS FOR FROCKS A Scottish debut for this London- ndon- based celebration of all things gs
old-timey and secondhand, set up by by Red or Dead founder and one-time seller e seller of vintage clothes at Camden Market, ket, Wayne Hemingway. The Vintage Festival offers estival offers thrift shopping with stalls selling garments for arments for him and her, plus naff homewares and design and design classics from the 1920s to 1980s. There are There are also ‘Make Do & Mend’ workshops, makeovers, s, makeovers, 1930s dance classes, and clubs such as Soul uch as Soul Casino and The Torch Club by night. All of which ht. All of which can be accompanied by the drinking of themed ng of themed cocktails. (CS)
VINTAGE FESTIVAL GLASGOW W
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d DATES: Sat 27 & Sun 28 Jul + Pick your decade of choice – dressing up for the weekend is positively encouraged. - The clothes on sale may not stretch past the 1980s: bad news for fans of ‘new’ vintage. TICKETS: Many activities free to attend, Soul Casino £15, The Torch Club £20. MORE INFO: vintagefestival.co.uk
G IS FOR GREAT OUTDOORS In a prime example of community willpower and getting things done where blunt
economics failed, The Insider was started by Aviemore locals when the popular but doomed Outsider cancelled its second instalment in 2008. Set in the grounds of Inshriach House, in the heart