When: 12th – 15th June
Where: Seaclose Park, Newhaven, Isle of Wight
Long being the home of festival legend, Isle of Wight may have got it’s elevation and name from the original Summer of Love, but since its revival in 2002 it has still remained rooted in festival ideology. Artists to grace its stage since it’s resurgence include The Who, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, The Prodigy, The Stone Roses, The Rolling Stones and The Sex Pistols, leaving no shortage of iconic acts to make their presence clear and this year’s roll call is as rock sturdy as ever. Scottish titans Biffy Clyro will progress with their headlining streak alongside a one-off performance from the legendary Red Hot Chilli Peppers which promises to be nothing short of amazing. Kings Of Leon will round off the weekend, using their blend of southern rock blues and rollicking riffs to make sure no one leaves feeling discontent.
Isle Of Wight is known for its dip of heartfelt-coated nostalgia paralleled alongside some of the most exciting new acts to emerge out of musical waters and 2014 means no different. Gearing up alongside the big names, acts include Madchester stalwarts Inspiral Carpets, 2 Tone revivalists The Selecter and Travis. Other big acts scattered across the three days include emo pop heroes Fall Out Boy, The 1975 (we can hear the girl’s screams already), Taylor Momsen’s The Pretty Reckless, X Factor wannabe turned Billboard topper Cher Lloyd and the woman who Brian Eno declared “the best thing since Patti Smith”, Anna Calvi.
There’s no shortage on dance music either as overnight favourites Rudimental play the main stage Friday before Calvin Harris brings things to a euphoric peak. Recent chart wonders Clean Bandit will also be making a welcomed appearance at the Big Top alongside a headline slot from Katy B the previous night.
The real selling point of Isle of Wight festival though is its themed tents and bars. There’s literally something for everyone. Football pundits need not cry into their over spilling pints at the thought of missing some World Cup action as BT Sport has teamed up with the festival to create Field of Dreams, showcasing all the live matches.
For those with eccentricity at heart and a passion for the original hippy nature of a festival, the Bohemian Woods is the place to be. With rugs and hammocks to lounge in and a late night set from the Global Psychedelic Sound System, there is no other place you’d want to trip out to. Catch a professional wrestling match at Butlin’s Ballroom before it converts into an epic Silent Disco battle on the night or partake in some Zumba or watch a burlesque show at the Cabaret Club.
As ever, what’s a festival without some new talent ready to break through the surface? The Hard Rock Rising tent will be featuring new and unsigned bands throughout the weekend so it’s up to you whether you want to catch the fizzy, Balearic thrills of Swiss Lips or whether you’d rather head to a bar named after a Jimi Hendrix song. Hey Joe. 3 minutes and 30 seconds of distilled, vengeful glory encapsulated into a tent for your pleasure. Located in the aptly named Electric Ladyland, the Hey Joe bar and shisha tent is the only place you should care about next weekend. With DJ sets from The Prodigy’s Leeroy Thornhill, XFM legend Clint Boon, The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess and no-nonsense punk duo Sleaford Mods amongst many others, don’t expect anything minus other-worldly.
Ultimately, Isle Of Wight has a reputation for bettering itself and expanding in size since its revival. With a line-up that never disappoints and a mythical charm to accompany it, it promises to be an enticing experience.
Here is a microcosmic, yet handy list of the real gamechangers at this year’s she-bang, and just why you should see them:
The Specials: If you’re one of those people who make a list on what bands you want to see live before you die or even have a metaphorical one in your head, I deem it compulsory for every one of you to have The Specials on that list. Even if you don’t like them. Which we know is not true because pft, who doesn’t like The Specials? They’re still at it, they still have the tunes and they still have the vigour to elevate an audience onto the balls of their feet, arms around each other, singing “stop you’re messing around better think of your future” really loudly and probably out of tune. With a bevy of hits including Gangsters, Ghost Town and Too Much, Too Young, The Specials are Isle of Wight’s not so secret gem.
Suede: Britpop was great wasn’t it? Yeah, it was alright. There was a 50/50 divide of the great and the shit and luckily, Suede managed to scrape their way through mod rock revivalists and all too samey guitar riffs to play with that witty, eccentric and androgynous sexuality that worked so well for Pulp. Brett Anderson puts on a show and there’s nothing quite like hearing Animal Nitrate seduce the eardrums live.
Peace: The indie darlings of 2013 don’t seem to be going anywhere fast, especially with the release of some new material to play with. Working so many combinations of black clothing they should start a funeral wear franchise, Harrison and co create an euphoric experience live, whether it be in the incredible thralls of Bloodshake’s breakdown or the eyes closed, anthemic vibes of California Daze. It’d just be plain daft to not give Peace a chance.
The Horrors: You just expect The Horrors to be great. They’ve took their turn and played their hand at working on each genre incredibly well. From the caricature painted, blistering delivery of their early doom rock to a complete shuffle of heart that leapt into shoegaze fields, The Horrors certainly have an interesting, diverse and excellent back catalogue to work with that match any festival bill perfectly.
Boy George: Undoubtedly one of the most controversial and iconic figures in popular culture, Boy George didn’t need Culture Club to make waves and attract all kinds of attention but his talent gave him that nice little boost. With a liquid like voice and a style and character that doesn’t go unnoticed, Boy George possesses a wit and flair that can make whatever he’s going to do at Isle Of Wight, dare we say it, exciting?
Deap Vally: Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards are from California, have hair bigger and better than anyone on planet Earth and wield a guitar and drums with such brutal sexiness it’s hard not to get caught up in the mess. Playing with dirty riffs, crashing cymbals and vocals soaked in a mixture of booze and lust, Deap Vally are as wild as they are talented which equals all kinds of fun.
The Strypes: Cavan’s most talented and exciting sons have been making a name for themselves since their emergence last year and have had namedrops from Dave Grohl and Elton John to name a few… no biggie. Blending their youthful deamonour and electrifying presence with a style and passion for old school rhythm and blues, The Strypes prove time and time again to be a band worth seeing live even if you’re pessimistic about them to begin with.
