‘With the passing of each and every year, Camp Bestival edges ever closer to perfection and whilst adversaries falter economically; organisationally; hopelessly you sense Rob and Josie have enough plans and pioneering strategies in the brain bank to perpetuate these unspeakably Good Times for decades to come. All it’s cracked up to be and immeasurable amounts beyond, is and was this one.’
Losing count of how many unforgettable weekends Rob da Bank has lavished on us now, and this year’s Camp Bestival down in Dorset was no exception. Highlights both multitudinous and multifarious came from Chic & Hot Chip & Henry Rollins & Little Dragon & Jenny O…
‘The subdued sibling packed off to Lulworth Castle, Dorset in order that the mildly hedonistic peccadillos of its more established elder on the Isle of Wight be evaded, Camp Bestival is, as Sly Stone once proclaimed, a Family Affair. And it’s arguably all the better for it, as this year’s bill coincidentally boasts nigh on every original R&B stalwart (provided both alive and active, and just shy of Sly), whether that be in the dreadlocked form of Nile Rodgers or the somewhat more well-rounded shape of Al McKay. Last year’s bash was something of an emphatic sensation and next month’s, taking place between 26th-29th (July), looks little different. Here be our subjective highlights in the usual Fest Bests format..’
Few living artists may truly be considered Legends. No matter how many rude Glastonbury awakenings Rolf Harris may provide, few could conceivably, credibly, brand him thus. However it was in Michael Eavis’ very fields that, sturdy as it may already have been, Stevie Wonder’s status as just that was quite spectacularly fortified. Thus news that the inimitable Duke of Motown is to round off Bestival is cause for wild, shirtless celebration in itself. Isn’t that lovely? That said, with this year’s bash taking place over the second weekend of September (6th-9th) it’d perhaps be advisable to keep covered up…
The full musical line up now goes a little summin’ like:
Stevie Wonder & New Order & The xx & Sigur Rós & Friendly Fires & 2manydjs & Soulwax & Justice & Two Door Cinema Club & Hot Chip & Bat For Lashes & Nero & Emeli Sandé & Orbital & SBTRKT & Warpaint & De La Soul & Roots Manuva & Major Lazer & Sister Sledge & Gary Numan & The Horrors & Spiritualized & Death In Vegas & DOOM & Ben Howard & Michael Kiwanuka & Sub Focus & Azealia Banks & Alabama Shakes & Kevin Saunderson feat. Inner City Live & Gallows & Rizzle Kicks & Buraka Som Sistema & Sage Francis & Bellowhead & Earth, Wind & Fire Experience feat. Al McKay & Django Django & Little Dragon & Gold Panda & Adam Ant & The Good The Mad and The Lovely Posse & The Cuban Brothers & Top Cat And Sir Coxsone Outernational & Chairlift & Iceage & Ren Harvieu & Lianne La Havas & Delilah & First Aid Kit & Gesaffelstein & Daughter & Zulu Winter & Ane Brun & Friends & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs & Brainfeeder presents Thundercat, The Gaslamp Killer, Teebs, Lapalux, Jeremiah Jae & DJ Kutmah & King Khan And The Shrines & The Japanese Popstars & Chas & Dave & Dub Pistols & Factory Floor & Charli XCX & Errors & King Krule & Kindness & Drums Of Death & Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard & General Levy & CongoNatty & Grimes & Slagsmålsklubben & Jaipur Kawa Brass Band & Field Music & Jinja Safari & 2:54 & Frankie Rose & Porcelain Raft & Milagres & Three Bonzos And A Piano & Liz Green & Trailer Trash Tracys & Forest Swords & Alt-J & Skinny Lister & Josh Kumra & Ryan Keen & Stay+ & Nina Nesbitt & BIGKids & Gabrielle Aplin & Fiction & Turbowolf & Misty’s Big Adventure & This Is The Kit & Young British Artists & Patterns & Ghost Outfit & L.A. Salami & To Kill A King & Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo & Heathward & Laurel Collective & AHAB & Gecko & Model Society & Sky Sphere & Blackhouse Crow & The Lovely Eggs & St. Spirit & Charming & Shepherds.
DJ SETS FROM ROB DA BANK AND FRIENDSAnnie Mac Presents & Four Tet b2b Caribou & The 2 Bears & David Rodigan MBE presents Ram Jam & François Kevorkian & DJ Yoda & Moodymann & Maya Jane Coles & Dirtybird Showcase feat. Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin & Eats Everything & Scuba & Kavinsky & LTJ Bukem & Plastician & Greg Wilson & Doctor P & Pearson Sound & Borgore & Flux Pavilion & Max Cooper & Gemini & Krystal Klear & Pangaea & Billy Daniel Bunter & Pariah & Warm & Electric Minds & Scratch Perverts & Koan Sound & Camo & Krooked & Giles Smith & James Priestly (secretsundaze) & Mosca & Numbers Showcase: Oneman b2b Jackmaster & Ben UFO & PBR Streetgang & Jaguar Skills & His Amazing Friends & Blawan & Girl Unit & Chris Coco & Pete Gooding & Phil Mison & DJ Shepdog & Shellac Collective & DJ Charge.
