Top 10 May 2011 Festivals
May
is the month in which the humble festival-goer knows that they've got
it all to come—if you live north of the equator of course. That said,
Australia does still get a look in this month, while elsewhere we visit
Ireland, France, Spain, UK and the USA in search of the finest May
festivals.
Groovin The Moo is the type of festival that can only happen in
Australia: A five-date regional tour that stops off in the kind of
country arenas that usually miss out on headliners reserved for the
stages of larger cities. This time around, Groovin' The Moo will touch
down in Bendigo, Townsville, Maitland and Bunbury, along with a showing
at the University of Canberra. And while the electronic lineup may be
relatively light, Groovin The Moo's sheer quirkiness is its draw. On the
tour, Cut Copy will play their first Australian festival shows in some
time, while Modular label mates and fellow Melbourne residents
Architecture in Helsinki also make their return to the outdoor circuit.
As far as internationals go, you can catch UNKLE playing live among a
host of indie rock names, with Datarock, The Drums and The Go! Team all
down to do their thing.
May 4 - May 6
Lyon, France
Once referred to as a "no man's land" for electronic music, Lyon has
undergone a considerable renaissance in its nightlife over the past
decade. It's been the launch pad of Agoria, the founder of the annual
Nuits Sonores festival, and this May the southern French city debuts the
Rumble Festival. Bringing in a bill of UK grime, drum & bass and
dubstep, and held over a period of two nights at Le Transbordeur, Rumble
features lineups that generally alternate between the aforementioned
genres. Across the venue's three rooms, the first evening kicks off with
DJ Hype, Mala, Plastician, Concord Dawn, MJ Coleand Bok Bok, while day
two features a similarly themed roster, with sets from Shy FX &
Stamina MC, Emalkay, Roska and Hemlock's Untold.
It's harder than hell to get a seat at the International Music Summit,
as conference organizer Pete Tong will proudly tell you. He's more than
happy to keep things limited so that some of electronic music's most
influential people can actually speak to one another and trade ideas.
This year's keynote interview will see Tong talking to Pacha's Sunday
success story, Luciano. Call it exclusionary, but the concept has
worked: Now in its fourth edition, the event is quickly gaining a rep as
the spring version of the Amsterdam Dance Event. Musically, IMS boasts a
star-studded finale of a party. This year, 2 Many DJs, Hercules &
Love Affair, Dubfire and Tong himself take to the stage.
Now entering its 16th year of operation, FutureEverything returns this
May to once again offer a glimpse of the future through "music, art and
and ideas." Operating similarly to a conference, the four-day festival
encompasses a number of club shows, exhibitions and discussions, with a
festival pass the best way to see it all. Representing the techno
contingent, Alex Smoke and Tolga Fidan will both play live shows, while
indie rockers Warpaint, Gang Gang Dance and Radio Dept. are also billed.
Delving into modern classical, Radio 1 host Rob da Bank and
65daysofstatic will perform film scores at RNCM Concert Hall. However,
by far the biggest guest is American Steve Reich, recipient of the 2008
Pulitzer Prize and hailed by many as the world's greatest living
composer.
Southport Weekender has always given off a bit of a grown-up vibe, with
its self catering apartments and strong contingent of 'mature' British
selectors like Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay and Kev Beadle. Having
evolved out of a soul music festival, there's still a discernible link
to R&B, broken beat and acid jazz, and this year as always, it's
complemented by top-banner house DJs. 2011's gathering has shifted down
the coast from the town that gave it its name to Butlins in Somerset,
and will feature Teutonic house devotees Dixon and Motor City Drum
Ensemble, party jams from US pioneers Grandmaster Flash and Jellybean
Benitez, among other danceable allsorts from David Rodigan, Kenny Dope
and Joy Orbison.
Back in 1999 London events organisation All Tomorrow's Parties developed
a concept that has served them soundly throughout all of their
festivals up to the present day: allow a much-loved act to curate the
lineup. That's typically meant giants of indie/alternative given the nod
to program the mainly UK-based event—and although you could place this
year's hosts, Animal Collective, in such a bracket, their choice of acts
is about as dance-friendly as an ATP weekender has been. What that
means is Omar-S, Actress and Floating Points setting up at Butlins
alongside experimentalists Oneohtrix Point Never and Vladislav Delay,
and indie headliners Gang Gang Dance and Ariel Pink.
Barcelona, Spain
Although the impulse association between "festival" and "Barcelona" is
summertime favourite Sonar, the city is well and truly broken in each
year by Primavera Sound, which eclipses Sonar in terms of scope,
stretching out over five days and pulling in around 100,000 punters. The
sheer scale of Primavera Sound and its air of aloof indie cool ensures
that there's something for anyone who prefers to stay off the musical
beaten track. This year will see Atlantan hip-hop figure Big Boi,
psychedelics from Animal Collective and Caribou, up-tempo dance fare
from Matthew Dear and Simian Mobile Disco, and pensive bass music from
James Blake and Darkstar, in and among indie darlings like Mogwai and
Belle & Sebastian.
Irish festival Life deals in the magic of hedonism under a cloak of
seclusion—the site is located 14 miles outside the town of Mullingar in
Co. Westmeath, nestled away among the trees on the banks of Lough
Ennell. For another way of looking at it, click
here. Performers, art installations, workshops and camping also feed into this feeling of alternate living—the
hints section
of their website advises attendees to bring condoms and an open mind,
although we're not sure if the two things are related. Musically
speaking, you'll get techno from Jeff Mills, Sandwell District and Slam;
bass music from Youngsta, Ramadanman and Pinch; and in keeping with the
event's green-awareness policy, Dr. Lektroluv.
There's not a whiff of coyness about May's silver medallist: Bang Face
Weekender is only concerned with fun by the bucket-load. With this
year's theme, "Horror," assuring plenty of fake blood, rave zombies wigs
and glow-in-the-dark poltergeists, ribald beats will be provided by
Atari Teenage Riot, DJ Godfather, Chris Clark with a special MPC rave
set, and an 'avin-it appearance from The Happy Mondays' Bez. The
festival's three days of all-out mayhem will, however, be given a little
musical texture in the shape of bass-heavy goings on from Untold and
Africa Hitech, a full live Leftfield show, and appearances by Gonjasufi,
Jeff Mills and Luke Vibert.
01. Movement
May 28 - May 30
Detroit, USA
Surprised? You shouldn't be. Movement once again takes the crown for our
May feature due to their effortless mix of mainstream and underground
acts. Few other festivals will have Claude Young and Cio D'or rubbing
shoulders with Fatboy Slim and Skrillex. This year boasts the world live
debut of Carl Craig's 69 alias, as well as a rare American visit from
Cocoon boss Sven Väth. There is also a strong Desolat contingent coming
to town: Loco Dice, Martin Buttrich, Pulshar, Guti and Livio & Roby
will all perform. And then there's DJ Harvey, Dam-Funk and Echospace. At
no other festival does this sort of variety seem to make as much sense.
But that's the beauty of Movement over the past few years. It's got
something for everyone.
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