Bestival 2012

 The 2012 Bestival takes place 6-9th September at Robin Hill, Isle of Wight, tickets go on sale NOW!

More Bestival info at www.bestival.net

Florence + The Machine headline Friday night at Bestival 2012

Making a triumphant return to Bestival, we are mega-pleased that Florence + The Machine will be headlining the main stage on Friday night. A longstanding Bestival buddy, Florence Welch and her trusty Machine have wowed Bestivalites across the years. From her mesmerising performance in the Club Dada tent to a handful of those in the know, to her all-conquering main stage set in 2009, her epic vocals, quirky melodies and self-contained musical world have created some utterly jaw-dropping moments that will live long in Bestival lore. Her second album ‘Ceremonials’, released at the end of last year, has cemented her reputation as one of the biggest stars on the planet and gained her accolades by the bucket-load, so we really are honoured to have her back with us again!

To celebrate the fact that Florence + the Machine will be headlining on Friday night, they have put together a spectacular video message for us rejoicing in our Wildlife theme

WILDLIFE THEME announced, ORBITAL to headline the Big Top PLUS new bits for Bestival 2012

With Bestival due to return in the not too distant future, everyone is getting very excited... particularly Rob da Bank and the Bestival crew!

Here’s what’s new for Bestival 2012!

The theme for Bestival 2012 is Wildlife… unleash your inner party beast from the hinterlands of your imagination. Robin Hill will be covered with some seriously wild things, from fantastic fauna, kings of the jungle and even organisms aplenty to just the outrageously wild...

Bestival are overjoyed to declare that dance music legends Orbital will be crossing the Solent to join in the adventure, or as it used to be called.. a proper rave up, headlining the Big Top on Sunday night! Renowned for their festival annihilating brilliance and a dashing line in torch specs, the brothers Hartnoll are true pioneers of dance music and with a brand new album, ‘Wonky’ currently getting the critics all giddy, you can expect nothing less than a legendary set!

Rob da Bank says: ‘So, here we are then! Announcing Bestival again - and another bumper selection of acts from across the musical world and styles. The xx at Bestival two years ago is in my top three Besti performances ever so I’m delighted they're hitting the main stage in 2012 and I’ve finally landed Sigur Ros, one of my all-time fave festival acts. From Justice to Azealia Banks, Spiritualized to Gaslamp Killer and Sister Sledge, I hope there’s something for everyone and still three headliners to unveil shortly!'’

Icelandic post-rock behemoth Sigur Ros are also set to make a UK festival exclusive appearance with Bestival on the Isle of Wight. As well as those tantalising mouth-watering exclusives they've got a colossal first wave of acts to tell you about, including Gallic dance dons Justice.

Another brand new thing for this year’s Bestival is the new Premium camping area, nestled between a beautiful wooded forest they're calling the Wild Copse. The Bestival crew know that sometimes festival camping can get busy and maybe a little rambunctious so we thought many of you would like the opportunity for a little more space.  

BESTIVAL’S LINE-UP BALLOONS

They're having a wild old time down at Bestival HQ planning a long weekend of ferocious fun for this September. We’ve already lined-up amazing treats, so it’s with great pleasure that we give you news of lots more lovely musical acts joining the bill and some ingenious ways to travel to our party paradise.


Making a very welcome return to Bestival is Bat For Lashes. A firm favourite round our way, the Mercury Prize and Brit nominated chanteuse is currently recording the follow up to her acclaimed second album Two Suns and we really can’t wait to see her again. Singer-songwriter Ben Howard will also be making an appearance with his rootsy folk stylings, which helped his debut album Every Kingdom to a top ten chart position, making him a certainty to captivate the crowds. Masked beat manipulator SBTRKT will be liberating your feet with his tribal post-dubstep melange, plus there will be dub, hip-hop and raga coated in the unique lyrical dexterity of Roots Manuva and the exalted Alabama Shakes, who have been getting everyone from the likes of David Byrne to Adele giddy with glee, will be demonstrating just why they’re so hotly tipped.

See what wildness lurks beneath the belly of… ALTERNATIVE BESTIVAL

With amazing music acts galore, including Stevie Wonder, New Order, The xx, Sigur Rós, Friendly Fires, Bat for Lashes, Roots Manuva, Orbital, 2 Bears and David Rodigan to name but a very few playing at this year’s show, you could be forgiven for thinking that Bestival is just about the incredible music. But, of course, as anyone who has ever been to Bestival will know, it’s not all about the music, there’s a whole other world of madcap mayhem and convention defying oddments waiting to be discovered around every corner…

Rob da Bank says: “We're all very proud of the musical line-up each year at Bestival with so many great vintage and festival-rocking acts combined with the who’s who of new blood… But this is the announcement I’m probably most excited about - the alternative land of Bestival. Stages, tents, hidden nooks and crannies, jam-packed with polka, cabaret, striptease, cream teas, gay bingo, birthday parties, spoken word, freaks, circus, a live band playing inside a jukebox, illuminated night time ping pong, an arts salon and drag queen foodie demos…obviously! This is what Bestival is all about, the creativity and madness of all who come, let loose on a multi-stage technicolour freak out. Jump in!”

FRANK OCEAN JOINS THE BESTIVAL BILL PLUS AZEALIA BANKS WILL BE AT BESTIVAL!

With 10 fantastic fields of Bestival’s own inimitable magical mayhem and 20 stages of the best music around, including headline sets from Stevie Wonder and New Order, exclusive performances from The xx and Sigur Rós and hundreds of amazing live bands and DJs, our Robin Hill shindig is already shaping up to be pretty darn incredible.
    
Rob da Bank says: “With the Friday headliner coming in a few weeks I thought we'd ramp up the excitement a bit more for Besti-goers with the addition of Frank Ocean. Frank is one of the most requested acts on our messageboards and he's such an incredible performer - like a young Prince!”

Mega-exiting times at Bestival just got even more mega-exciting as we can confirm that the one and only Frank Ocean will be rocking the party at Robin Hill! One of world renowned hip-hop collective OFWGKTA’s major players, at just 24 Frank is already a well established songwriter to the stars including Beyonce and John Legend and can count the likes of Kayne West and Jay Z amongst his collaborators. Silver medallist in the recent BBC Sound of 2012, the pop-gilded R&B beats of his mixtape ‘Nostalgia, Ultra’ have made him one of the world’s fastest rising stars and with a wealth of new material from his forthcoming debut album in the offing we can’t wait to see him!

And that’s not all, as we have a lovely bit of good news for you! Following her decision to cancel her summer schedule of shows, we can confirm that Azealia Banks will definitely be appearing at Bestival this September, so get ready to dance when she’s vamped up!

PLUS...

You’ll be pleased to hear that our ramshackle Louisiana style Swamp Shack returns for a second year, after being voted one of the highlights of Bestival 2011!

But that’s not all... this year the venue will be crawling with interactive theatrical performances from the Invisible Circus and Roundhouse Performance Collective bringing a host of Deliverance-style mutants, fading southern belles and other unwholesome night-crawlers to life around the Shack.

The Ambient Forest is also back with a treasure trove of enchantments to lose yourself in. From the captivating Nomad Cinema to the David Lynch Foundation’s Transcendental Meditation sessions, there’s plenty to salve the psyche and enrich the soul with soothing grooves supplied by myriad cosmic crusaders including The Orb’s Dr Alex Paterson, Pete Gooding, Chris Coco, Tom Middleton, Phil Mison, Mixmaster Morris, Pathaan, Tythe Versus Mojo Filter and Balearica’s Graeme Fisher.

We’ve got even more to add to the already jam-packed line-up on our brand new Amphitheatre Stage, set deep in the heart of the Ambient Forest. Scroobius Pip’s Satin Lizard Lounge was so popular last year we had people climbing the trees to get a look in! This year, he’s secured a stellar line-up of the very best spoken word artists in the country, including B Dolan, Laura Dockrill, Chris Redmond, Tim Clare and Luke Wright.

Continuing the poetry offerings, we’re welcoming Tongue Fu, which features spoken word artists performing alongside a live band in a unique and compelling union and Bestival Limings, who fuse a carnival and party-loving vibe into a spoken work format to Bestival for the first time this year.

Completing our already announced line-up of comedy theatre on the Amphitheatre Stage, Guilt and Shame present their brand new depraved show Night of Seduction and on a slightly less debauched note, Eye Brow Productions present Collision, four hilarious and thought-provoking new short plays about surviving physics, testing love, and time travel.

Plus Fake Bush will also be gracing the stage with her unmissable renditions of our favourite Kate Bush songs. And are you ready to play some extreme UV ping pong at Bestival this year...? Ping Tron is a fully immersive, totally captivating ping pong experience played in a custom-built, lightproof mini arena with just the glow of AV to illuminate the action!

During the day you can sing your heart out with alternative karaoke kings, Hot Breath Karaoke, or test your musical prowess with the ever popular, Sounds Familiar Music Quiz. If pop culture is more your thing, then don’t miss the raucous games of Let’s Get Quizzical and don’t forget to check out Vikki Stone, in her hilarious and brilliant one-woman musical comedy show, Big Neon Letters.

In the evening, we’ll be presenting a very special selection of the UK’s best in alternative cabaret. First up, is award winning performance artist Scottee’s brand new 70s gameshow inspired Camp, featuring the likes of Bourgeois & Maurice. Favorites from last year, Boom Boom Club are bringing us a new, Coney Island inspired, showcase of deliriously twisted cabaret freaks, geeks and misplaced spirits from the lost age of the fairground.

And taking us deep into the night, our favourite tranny super group Sink The Pink will be donning their Lycra leotards and rainbow eye shadow to lead us into a hedonistic, multi-coloured, glitter strewn party where all your inhibitions should be left at the door. See you in wonderland!

It's not all about the stages, though. Peppered between the big tops and tucked into secret corners are a host of delightful sideshows and micro venues to discover.

Brand new to Bestival this year and situated in the Ballroom Field is Mazy's Art Club helping you to get back to your creative roots.  It's miles ahead of your old after-school club but still requires you to stick out your tongue in concentration.  Drop in and get into printmaking or giant origami; making anything from pin badges and mosaics to feathered headbands.  Be sure to take an hour out of watching the artists and become one yourself.  Make and do man!

To keep you on your toes while you’re exploring the many wonders of Bestival we are also adding even more musical acts for your pleasure, including twitchy blissful beats from Jamie xx, beguiling bass from Julio Bashmore, and cut-up party anarchy from The Nextmen, plus there will be sets from B Traits, Leo Zero, Evian Christ, Reggae Roast, Frank Tope, Rev Milo Speedwagon, Pathann, DJ Cable, Foamo, George B, and Sink The Pink who will be taking things late into the night at the Grand Palace of Entertainment.

Live sets will come courtesy of Barcelona’s, Pitchfork approved, John Talabot, wistful elfin singer-songwriter Lucy Rose, Bristolian, by way of Chicago, bluesman Jamie N Commons, woozy Warp signing Kwes, and erstwhile Tuung man Sam Genders in his Diagrams guise. There will also be appearances from Clock Opera, Stealing Sheep, Mary Epworth, Wet Nuns, Dingus Khan, Anothers Blood, Tom Williams And The Boat, Valentine Gray, Cherishport, The Widowmaker and back by popular demand is living legend Mr Motivator who will be helping Bestivalites shake off those fuzzy heads ready for another day of adventure!

There’s plenty more information coming your way in the next few months, including two more headliners to announce, plus more magic and mayhem than you could ever imagine, so keep your eyes peeled!