There may have been flutterings of snow in the more elevated parts of the county right now, but it’s never too early to start thinking about festival season.
We’ve already had the El Dorado lineup announced – hi, Todd Terje – and now we’re rounding out the roster, with info on the acts coming to Nozstock, Lakefest and How The Light Gets In.
In order of appearance...
How The light Gets In
Hay-on-Wye, 24-27 May
Headliners: Anna Calvi, British Sea Power, Anna Soubry
The Hay music/philosophy/comedy/ideas symposium (it’s Hay, you can call things a symposium) runs parallel to The Hay Festival across town, but the bar’s open far later. The lineup is basically 6Music come to life, with Anna Calvi and BSP both brilliant and both coming with a well-earned rep as two of the best live acts on the Observer Culture Section Pull-out scene. It’s probably the only festival they’ll share billing with a Tory MP this summer though.
Down the order, look out for Zero 7’s DJ set, house from RAF Daddy and Donovan, the Scottish folkie who basically wrote the Beatles’ White Album (don’t @ me). Phil Wang and Tony Law also warrant big red circles on the comedy page of your programme.
Nozstock
Bromyard, 18 – 21 July
Headliners: Rudimental, Soul II Soul, TBA
The older cousin of the local festival scene – it’s somehow been running over 20 years – Nozstock has grown and grown, but still feels warm and fuzzy in a good way. Like last year the lineup looks a little top-heavy – it’s Rudimental (RUDIMENTAL!), and then a lot of names you might have to Google.
Noz is big on vibe though, and the bookers do a great job picking acts that fit that cider-in-the-afternoon-and-muddy-Vans-and-basslines-at-5am vibe. DJ Zinc’s very much the latter, Rodigan’s always a lot of fun and Oh My God! It’s The Church won a lot of fans last time they were there. Keep an eye on their social media though, as the posters feature several TBC’s pretty high up the bill so there could well be more big names joining the bill.
LakeFest
Eastnor, 8-11 August
Headliners: Kaiser Chiefs, Happy Mondays, James
Regardless of where you stand on The Voice’s Ricky Wilson’s band, there’s every chance that the Kaisers playing I Predict A Riot will be the best festival moment of the summer in Herefordshire. Lakefest’s 2019 lineup has a really strong topline, with Wilson et al joined by the Happy Mondays, James, The Bluetones, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the Pigeon Detectives. It’s a hell of a lineup if you’ve ever said the words ‘music ended in 2005’.
To be fair, the BBC Introducing Stage there to make a strong case that guitar music is not in fact dead, and if you ever want something you can do more than nod or pogo jump to, organisers are planning a new Disco stage called Funkytown where you can go for a boogie.
