Festival season is fast approaching and this year we’ve been spoilt for choice with a crazy summer lineup that’s got us picking out our wardrobe before we’ve even picked stages. While we prep for that British summertime weather, we’ve rounded up our Top 5 UK festivals for summer 2016. With line-ups powered by artists who will have you dabbing, cutting shapes, and turning-up, just free your mind and the rest will follow!
Reading & Leeds Festival (26th – 28th August)
Since its inception in 1961, Reading Festival is well deservedly known as the world’s oldest popular music festival and etched its position as an annual rock n roll knees up. In recent years, the festival has kept to its traditional rock and jazz roots, while incorporating more eclectic sounds. Last year saw Hudson Mohawk, Charlie XCX, Brodinski, Snakehips and BBK hit the stage, while Stormzy created a frenzy.
This year, BBK takeover the main stage on the Friday, with Giggs, Mura Masa, The Internet and Fetty Wap also making appearances. Saturday will see the return of Krept and Konan, and first festival appearances from Anderson .Paak and Metro Boomin with DJ Semtex hosting the 1Xtra stage. For the closing day on Saturday, A$AP Rocky headlines plus DJ EZ, Kano and more will all be taking to the stage. Tickets are on sale now.
Wireless (8th – 10th July)
The London festival to end all festivals. Wireless has been going strong year in year out and this year is no exception. Wireless has become an almost staple festival for those living in London. Centrally located, in North London’s Finsbury Park, Wireless has become the festival home to R&B, dance, grime and hip-hip acts from across the world. Previous years, the likes of Drake, Kanye, Nicki Minaj and Kendrick Lamar have graced the stage. This year, after some premature contention on social media after the first festival line-up was announced, a range of both UK and international acts will hit the stage over the three days.
On the Friday, Calvin Harris headlines, alongside our favourite ‘Don’t’ crooner, Bryson Tiller, Miguel, Vic Mensa and more. The Saturday line-up is huge and a real UK-USA affair, with Chase & Status and J Cole headlining, Future, A$AP Ferg and Jahkoy flying the USA flag. And so far from the UK, Krept and Konan, Bugzy Malone, Nadia Rose, and our very own DJ Semtex are all lined up. For the Sunday closing, BBK headline alongside Kygo, with appearances from Anderson .Paak, Young Thug and Section Boyz. With more acts still being announced, even after the Twitter furor about the line-up, I think Wireless 2016 is a very strong one. Tickets are on sale now.
BST Hyde Park (1st – 3rd AND 8th – 10th July)
British Summer Time festival aka BTS is a relatively newcomer on the festival circuit. Starting off in 2013 the festival has had some of the greatest legends, past and present, perform in their Hyde Park home. BTS is one of those festivals with a flavor for everyone. This year the festival flavor is no different. Returning with an absolute bang, selecting sounds from each mainstream musical genre.
Trip-hop legends Massive Attack kick off proceedings on the first of the two Fridays. Kendrick Lamar makes his only UK festival performance, this year, on the Saturday, alongside Jamie XX. The following weekend sees soul legend Stevie Wonder hit the stage, alongside G-Star’s co-wonder and ‘Head of Imagination’ Pharrell Williams flexing his vocal chords. Tickets are on sale now.
Field Day (11th – 12th June)
This year, Field Day celebrate their tenth year in the festival game. At a Field Day Festival, you’re transported back to glorious days of school sports day-style events. They run an area called ‘Village Mentality’ (your G-Star pouch will be handy for this), games include tug of war, egg and spoon races and sack races, and in more recent years it’s become a stage at the festival in its own right. For the ten year celebrations, Field Day welcome the likes of James Blake as headliner, Novelist, Air, Kelela, Loyle Carner, Little, Simz, Mura Masa, Nao, Rejjie Snow, Floating Points, Dusky and the one and only Skepta to their stages. Tickets are on sale now.
Lovebox (15th – 16th July)
Starting off as an East London club night by DJ’s Groove Armada, Lovebox started life as a one-year anniversary event, with a capacity of 10,000 people. Fourteen years later, Lovebox has its home firmly rooted in East London’s Victoria Park. Lovebox has become one of the most forward-thinking festivals showcasing, dance, electro, hip-hop and R&B. Last year Snoop Dogg and Rudimental headlined. This year, the line-up is so versatile and tasty it’s unreal with appearances from Jorja Smith, Kojey Radical, Kano and Chronixx to name a few. With dance crew LCD soundsystem and electro-dancehall ravers Major Lazer headlining and various stages from Visions, Noisey, Fabric, NTS, i-D and Thump, Lovebox 2016 is going to cramp as much musical joy (and arts) into two days, what most festivals can only pull off in three. Tickets are on sale now.
So before you go forth and pick out that poncho, you might want to pick out a pouch too. G-Star are prepped for festival season, and have introduced a pouch in their Elwood jeans just for the summer season. We know ya’ll wanna put those hands up, so no need to get weighed down by worrying about money or keys – just put it in your pouch and leave the house for festival season ready for the day.
As G-Star celebrate the 20th anniversary of the G-Star Elwood 5620, the new range comes just in time for the festival season. The G-Star 5620 Pouch Jean, harks back to G-Stars traditional work-wear philosophies of “liberating the hands of the worker”. For the festival goer, the pouch is a perfect fit. It’s practical and available in a range of denim washed from raw indigo to white, as well as a shorter one, in lightweight denim. Meaning you can still rock that festival fleekiness.
Before the summer festivals begin, G-star are already getting started early with celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the 5620 Elwood 3D Denim jean. G-Star are hosting an exclusive in-store session at their Oxford Street flagship store, with DJ sets from Snakehips, DJ Semtex and Eli And Fur.
To be in for a chance to grab your spot at this exclusive celebration follow the steps: Follow G-Star Raw on Twitter/Facebook and use the hashtag #GStarElwood to enter. Or email us with your full name and DOB to info@nationofbillions.com before Wednesday 12pm
