Page 48 - DemoZone Magazine Issue 003

Zone's Guide to European Festivals 2015
As the temperature rises and the days get longer for music enthusiasts that means one thing - it's time to get out the clubs and into the fields and embrace this seasons festival offerings.
In Ireland we have an abundance of all sorts of festivals, so we have compiled a list from our experiences and on feedback we have gathered over the years in the dance scene.
AVA FESTIVAL - 30TH MAY BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND www.avafestival.com
AVA (Audio Visual Arts) Belfast, is a one day grass roots festival and conference that celebrates, amplifies and develops the strong current of electronic music and digital visual arts that has emerged from Northern Ireland in recent years. It takes place in the industrial yet cool surroundings of T13 in the Titanic Quarter. There'll be free talks and workshops during the daytime before things get a little heavier with an evening showcase from headliners Bicep, Ejeca, Optimo, Space Dimension Controller as well as the first ever Boiler Room broadcast from Ireland.
FORBIDDEN FRUIT - 29TH-31ST MAY www.forbiddenfruit.ie
You can't beat the buzz of a festival over a bank holiday weekend, especially when it's right on your doorstep. Forbidden Fruit have really knocked it out of the park this year with the line-up and by adding a Friday night of music to what was previously a two day festival. No need to book any days off work (except maybe the Monday morning!) and you can see the likes of Wu Tang Clan, Fatboy Slim, Richies Hawtin, Matador, Nicolas Jaar, Jamie xx, Tensnake and Booka Shade right smack bang in the middle of Dublin's fair city.
LIFE FESTIVAL - 29TH-31ST MAY BELVEDERE HOUSE AND GARDENS CO WEATMEATH
www.life-festival.com
Life Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this June Bank Holiday 29-31 May boasting it’s biggest line-up to date, headlined by one of hip-hop’s most legendary star NAS who’ll be performing his classic Illmatic album.
This festival showcases the finest electronic artists over a three day open-air weekender in the stunning surrounds of Belvedere House and Gardens. You can relax in the sun by the lakeside stage, chill out in the shade of the wooded areas or bask in the glory of the main arena. This year's Life Festival line-up is by far the best so far with some insanely good acts on it - Pantha du Prince, Motor
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City Drum Ensemble, Robert Hood and so many more. If Forbidden Fruit feels a bit too tame, this is your festival...
SEA SESSIONS 19TH - 21ST JUNE MAIN BEACH, BUNDORAN
SURF & MUSIC FESTIVAL www.seasessions.com
Sea, surfing, tunes and hopefully sunshine - Sea Sessions has got it all (weather depending!). The festival combines loads of activities like beach soccer, tag rugby and ultimate frisbee with three days of live music and DJs right on the coast of Bundoran in Donegal. Like many of the festivals this year, they have really upped their game with their lineup this year - there'll be performances from Seasick Steve, Kormacs Big Band and Lee Scratch Perry as well as DJ sets from our very own Krystal Klear and Klingande.
BODY AND SOUL - 19TH-21ST JUNE BALLINLOUGH CASTLE, CO. WESTMEATH www.bodyandsoul.ie
Things don't get much more magical than Body and Soul.. Taking place over the Summer Solstice weekend at Ballinlough Castle, the grounds and woods are transformed to create a mystical atmosphere. You never know what you might stumble upon, with installations of all sorts around every corner. The line-up this year is shaping up pretty nicely with Flight Facilities, Mmoths, Talaboman and Rhye but to name a few. However, the real magic of Body and Soul is having a woodland boogie at the Reckless in Love stage, or going for a midnight Jacuzzi, or having a chance encounter with a handsome stranger under the moonlight. Other-worldly.
VALENTIA ISLE FESTIVAL - 10TH-12TH JULY www.valentiaislefestival.com
After what felt like a very long two years, this beautiful arts and cultural boutique island festival is back with a bang. There's nothing quite like travelling by boat to a festival, and landing on a new space which will become your home for the next three days. Surrounded by ocean, landscape and amazing people, you'll be overwhelmed by the stunning scenery, and bowled over by the lovely shared experiences of such a small, intimate festival.
KERRY FESTIVAL OF PRIDE - 14TH-17TH MAY
TRALEE KERRY www.facebook.com/KerryPrideFestival
Kerry Festival of Pride is annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Kerry Region, Ireland. It was
established in October 2012 and this year are celebrating its 3rd year of existence.
North of the border in the UK, and in advance of the Ibiza charters filling and departing the liveliest of punters to the White Isle, on June 6th it's the long running Coloursfest on the outskirts of Glasgow. Held at the sprawling Braehead complex on the banks of the Clyde this year welcomes a heavyweight EDM line up headed by Steve Aoki and Showtek. With a generous dose of hi-octane trance jocks on the bill to including Aly & Fila and Bryan Kearney and local heroes such as Clyde One's George Bowie, Paul Zitkus and Ross McFadyen Coloursfest assures a sure fire fix of relentless beats for those that enjoy music with a harder edge.
Also as summer commences on May 29th & 30th Glasgow offers the Riverside Festival, set on the banks of the Clyde but this time at the cities Riverside Museum complex - a similarly concrete setting to Braehead this is where the similarities end however, promoted by Electric Frog & Pressure this event is aimed squarely at a techno crowd with a stellar line up including Sven Vath, Robert Hood, Riccardo Villalobos, Len Faki and Slam it's an essential visit for any underground aficionados.
With the med in full swing on 10-12th July it takes a monumental line up to sway most peak season punters from spending their cash on a weekend at the likes of Space, Sankeys and DC10 in (almost) guaranteed sunshine. However this years Slam Tent at T in the Park offers a DJ listing to rival any of the aforementioned clubs and demanding of your attention if the Worlds best techno artists is your thing then you may want consider trading your flip flops for wellies to hear Adam Beyer B2B Joseph Capriati, Alan Fitzpatrick, Ben Klock and Dubfire. The weather may not be warm but the atmosphere will certainly be electric in truly Scottish style.
Finally to cap the guide if last summers anything to go by we can only presume that as Scotland's new breed of clubbers vibe up the summer initially at Coloursfest after a Balearic jaunt at some point between June - August they are coming back more Deep House and Defected than glow sticks and EDM. This is based on the popularity of 2014s EH1 Festival at The Royal Highland Showground Ingleston. No details as yet for this East Coast offering other than the date of September 19th, however last years proved an ideal end to the festivals with an on the pulse line up including MK, Oliver Dollar, Mark Knight, Laidback Luke and Paul Van Dyk expect more of the same this year.
Moving on to the UK & mainland European festivals we have picked a few from the many there are, which we feel have had an impact and are important within the Underground scene.