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Uk Summer Festivals Guide 2008

15th Apr 2008

You know  the score, spend 2 or 3 nights in a field, get sunburnt or washed out,  see some excellent music then spend the next 6 weeks talking about it. Here at Skiddle.com we think festivals are brilliant, so here's roundup  of the summer ahead.

Ones to Watch

Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 24th - 25th
The first of the great british dance festivals, which like all the other  major dance events has introduced a second day and camping, something  that was first trialled by Godskitchen Global Gathering, and now seems to  be the in thing to do. Personally, My first dance festival was Gatecrasher Summer Sound System, it turned out to be one of the most interesting nights i've  ever had and unfortunately that year I didn't have a tent to retire to.  2008 sees it as the first major event on the summer calender and with The  Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers and more DJ's than you can shake a stylus at, it's the perfect reason to buy a tent and lose any dignity you ever  owned.

Buy Your Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem Tickets Here

Wax:On Live  at Lotherton Hall, Leeds - 31st May
Primal Scream, Hercules and Love Affair, Reverend and the Makers, Erol Alkan, Radio 1’s Annie Mac are amongst the amazing line up that’s set to put Leeds back on the music map, this May, with the launch of Wax:On Live Dance Festival.

Taking place against a rolling green countryside backdrop, deep in the Yorkshire Dales, the one day music event will boast a synergy between the old and new of the dance and party scene

Buy your Wax On Live Tickets Here

Rockness - 7th & 8th June
The only festival with it's very own monster, Fatboy Slim, Razorlight,  The View and Underworld headline. Get ready to shake it and get your  rocks off alongside the best artists in electronic, dance and rock & roll  at one of the most breathtaking natural festival sites in the world. It  will be my first year at this one and boy am I looking forward to it! Get  your tickets online with skiddle.com now

Buy your Rockness 2008 Tickets Here

The Wickerman Festival - 25th & 26th July
Our festival of choice presents an eclectic mix between new and old, rock and dance, and well you couldn't pigeon hole this event if you tried. With a massive 8 different musical areas there is something for everyone, including the skiddle.com showcase arena which this year boasts Xpress2, Greg Vickers, Mr C, Tim Sheridan and lot's more.

The full Wickerman Festival lineup is announced towards the end of April, be sure to read it here first.

Buy your Wickerman Festival 2008 Tickets Here

Creamfields 23rd & 24th August
The daddy of all dance festivals has this year taken a second day under its belt, introducing camping and a vast array of acts along the way. Expect to see Kasabian, Fatboy Slim, Sasha and Ian Brown all on the same bill to get just a small taste of Creamfields. What's more, August Bank Holiday is the date, allowing some serious messiness and an extra day to recover. We'll be there, make sure you are too.

Buy your Creamfields 2008 Tickets Here


The Main Events...

Radio Ones Big Weekend 11th-12th May
The only free festival in the commercial world is funded by the BBC  Licence payer. A shame then that only 20,000 people can attend over 2  days, which are picked at through a postcode lottery. We had this  wonderful event in Preston last year and it was hyped as a saving grace for the music scene. Of course if Chris 'Fat Ego' Moyles and  Jo 'Slurpin' Whiley are your thing with the radio one playlist as your  soundtrack then by all means go if you can get tickets, alternatively  press the red button and watch it from the comfort of your living room.

Liverpool Sound City - 27 May 2008 - 30 May 2008
An event designed to tie in nicely with Liverpools Capital of Culture  year this event is for industry insiders, promoters and music lovers  alike spread across several venues around Liverpool.The Wombats, King  Creosote and DJ Yoda play alongside breakthrough artists that are tipped  for the big time. In our opinion, Liverpool which boasts a great musical  history is the perfect venue for an event such as this one, and we're  sure to be checking it out. Early bird wristbands are on sale now.

Hide & Seek Festival 29th May - 1st June
Similar to Sound City, The purpose of this festival is to introduce new,  developing, and growing unsigned acts to all aspects of the music  industry, providing them with great promotional and recording  opportunities and essential information that will be key for progression.  This one the host is Manchester, another pioneer of the music scene as we  know it and there's sure to be an eye opener or two over the event. Not one to miss

Sellindge Music Festival (7th & 8th June 2008)
Featuring 3 arenas of  quality music including folk, dance and indie and all the bits in  between.

They say "We have been a bit frightened at the big festivals recently. This is our  remedy. A glorious location, Hope Farm in Kent, not far from London or  France, we will fuse the relaxed, easy pleasure of a folk festival  with all the brilliant music you want."
More information and tickets on skiddle.com

Download - 13th -15th June
Donnington Park is the venue for this monster of a rock festival, your older brother might have gone to Ozzfest and your dad would of gone to Monsters of Rock. Although an update of the name and lineup, the ethos is still the same. A big rock festival that knows how to party. Well worth a visit at least one in your life, even just to have your tent lit up at 3am by a low flying aircraft landing at east midlands airport.

Glastonbury - 27th - 29th June
The daddy of all things festival, it's now in it's 30 somethink year.  Ticket sales for 2008 haven't gone as quickly as in previous years, with  tickets still on sale as I type. This could be partly due to horrific  weather in previous years, but really if you want to experience the  definition of the word 'festival' then get yourself to glastonbury. Like  now.

O2 Wireless - 3rd - 6th July
The coolest festival in the heart of the city. Summertime, and London's Hyde Park plays host to 4 nights of incredible line-ups and cutting edge bands.

This year sees Fatboy Slim, Morrissey, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls and so many more big names play at this mammoth festival!

Zoo Thousand - 4th - 6th July
Taking place at the beautiful Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in The Garden of England, July 2008 sees the debut of the Zoo Thousand music festival where over 100 top live acts, bands and DJs will perform beside the park’s mix of ferocious, fearsome and friendly animals. Catering for a range of musical tastes, Zoo Thousand and Eight (ZOO8) will feature indie, dance, UK hip-hop, drum and bass as well as the more family-friendly chart sound.

We'll be taking a look at some of the festivals happening in July onwards a little bit later this year. In the mean time, check the links below for details on all the events happening around the uk...


The Full List...

Futuresonic 2008 / 1st-5th May
Sounds From The Other City 2008 / 4th May
Southport Weekender 42 2008 /  9th-11th May
Radio 1's Big Weekend 2008 / 10th-11th May
The Great Escape 2008 / 5th-17th May
Wood Festival 2008 / 6th-18th May
Hardcore Heaven Weekender 2008 / 6th-18th May
Run to the Sun 2008 / 3rd-26th May
Strummercamp 2008 / 3rd-25th May
Glastonbudget 2008 / 3rd-25th May
Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 2008 / 24th-25th May
Evolution 2008 / 6th May
Liverpool Sound City 2008 / 7th May-30th May
Sunrise Celebration 2008 / 9th May-1st June
Wychwood Music Festival 2008 / 30th May-1st June
Coloursfest 2008/ 7th June
Rockness 2008 / 7th-8th June
Beach Break Live 2008 / 9th-12th June                 
Isle of Wight Festival 2008 / 13th-15th June
Download 2008 / 13th-15th June
Big Session Festival 2008 / 13th-15th June
Meltdown 2008 / 24th-22nd June                     
Escape into the Park 2008 / 4th June
Glastonbury 2008 / 27th-29th June
Wakestock (Oxfordshire) 2008 / 27th-29th June
Hard Rock Calling 2008 / 28th-29th June
Manchester International Festival / 2nd - 19th July
O2 Wireless Music Festival London 2008 / 3rd-6th July
The Beat-Herder Festival 2008 / 4th-6th July
Guilfest 2008 / 4th-6th July
Wakestock (Wales) 2008 / 4th-6th July
Zoo Thousand 2008 / 4th-6th July
Wild in the Country 2008 / 5th July
Pride London 2008 / 5th July
Cornbury Music Festival 2008 / 5th-6th July
Lounge on the Farm 2008 / 12th-13th July
Oxegen 2008 / 12th-13th July
T in the Park 2008 / 12th-13th July
Larmer Tree Festival 2008 / 16th-20th July
Latitude 2008 / 7th-20th July
Glade 2008 / 8th-20th July
Lovebox London 2008 / 19th-20th July   
Truck 2008 / 19th-20th July
Secret Garden Party 2008 / 24th-27th July
Womad / 25th-27th July
Global Gathering 2008 / 25th, 26th July
Cambridge Folk Festival 2008 / 31st July-3rd August
Stokes Bay Festival 2008 / 31st July-3rd August
Big Chill 2008 / 1st-3rd August
Bulldog Bash 2008 / 7th-10th August
Underage Festival 2008 / 8th August
Sanctuary 2008 / 8th-9th August
Belladrum 2008 / 8th-9th August
Summer Sundae 2008 / 8th-10th August
Endorse it in Dorset 2008 / 8th-10th August
Field Day 2008 / 9th August
Bloom Festival 2008 / 10th-12th August
Greenman Festival 2008 / 15th-17th August
Bloodstock 2008 / 15th-17th August
Beautiful Days 2008 / 15th-17th August
V Festival 2008 / 16th-17th August
Loop Festival 2008 / 16th August
Leeds Festival 2008 / 22nd-24th August
Reading Festival 2008 / 22nd-24th August
Solfest 2008 / 22nd-24th August
Creamfields 2008 / 23rd August
South West Four - London 2008 / 23rd August
Get Loaded in the Park 2008 / 24th August
Bestival 2008 / 5th-7th September
End of the Road 2008 / 12th-14th September