We’re heading to Big Chill festival this weekend, so to whet your appetite, here’s a run through of the must see’s and why we think you’d be crazy to be anywhere but directly in front of the stage they play on at Eastnor Castle over the three days…
Ghostpoet
Having recently received a bit of attention by being nominated for the 2011 Mercury Prize, Ghostpoet is an up and coming artist whose experimental take on hip hop is turning heads. With a live band setup, he’ll certainly offer something different to (and much better than) the likes of Chipmunk who are also playing the festival.
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
I’ve never seen these guys live, but Ariel Pink and co’s alternative and psychadelic approach to making pop music are certainly a tip for the weekend. This comes with baited breath however, as their shows are often viewed negatively. Worth going anyway if you ask me, their last album, Before Today, was a cracker.
Wild Beasts
These guys are known for a fantastic live set, and with three albums to pick from, there will be no shortage of great songs for them to play. A band whose last album I fully expected to join the likes of Metronomy and Ghostpoet in the Mercury Prize nominations, but sadly, and inexplicably, missed out.
The Bullitts Ft. Jay Electronica, Lucy Liu and Idris Elba
This is an odd one. Jay Electronica has been one of my favourite rappers for a while, whilst Idris Elba has been one of my favourite actors, yet here they are both playing with The Bullitts? The reason is that The Bullitts is a ‘360 degree experience’. God knows what that truly means, but they’ve already released some great songs and it’s sure to be a special performance.
Kanye West
Sorry, couldn’t not mention him. Following his fantastic album from 2011, Mr. West is hopping the pond for his only UK festival performance this summer. It will undoubtedly be fantastic. The question is, with him and Jay-Z releasing their joint album just two days later, will there be a very special guest?
Warpaint
Placed on the BBC’s Sound of 2011 list, despite their brilliant debut album coming out last year, this all girl band are just fantastic. Smooth, soulful and delicate rock music. Not to be missed.
Jamie xx
When we heard his work as one third of The xx, we knew their beatmaker Jamie Smith was a great young talent. With his album of Gil Scott Heron remixes he again proved his worth, and now his own material is starting to emerge, we can’t wait to hear how he develops as an artist. This is a great chance to witness the young man’s live performance.
From Oli Shilling.
Sucking Lemons.
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