Just about every festival claims to have the best line-up of the summer. It’s a given. But such seemingly idle chatter carries extra weight when you’re talking about this year’s Green Man.
The bill will rival the surroundings of Glanusk Estate for star wattage, with Beirut, Mercury Rev and Neutral Milk Hotel kicking around at the top and some tasty treats on offer as you work your way to the bottom. Here, as is our way, we’ve set aside just a few acts that we think you should jot down to ensure maximum enjoyment.
Sharon Van Etten - Mountain Stage, Saturday
If you can find me a better record released this year than ‘Are We There’, I’ll eat the contents of my desk tidy (baseball, three old batteries, a rubber band and a dictaphone). And, if you’ve ever seen Sharon Van Etten play live, you’ll be all too aware of how it can be a bit much: tremendously emotional, often really fucking sad, but delivered with wit and charm by a great band.
Slint - Far Out Stage, Saturday
It’s been a big year for these post-rock forerunners, who re-released their seminal ‘Spiderland’ album as a bells and whistles box set, featured in the Breadcrumb Trail documentary and turned out at a fond farewell for All Tomorrow’s Parties. By this stage, you probably know if you like Slint or not, but even if you’re lukewarm, remember that you might never get another chance to see them and that about half of the bands in your record collection owe them something.
Ought - Far Out Stage, Saturday
Ought’s ‘More Than Any Other Day’ has flown under the radar, which is a shame. Their anxious, hyper-kinetic post-punk is a natural fit for Green Man, where there will be enough open minds eager for something a little more direct amid the niceties. Ought are very clever, very good and could do great things in the next few years.
Joanna Gruesome - Far Out Stage, Sunday
Not only is Alanna McArdle becoming an important feminist voice in the fight against the knuckle-dragging tendencies of certain music fans, her band, Joanna Gruesome, remain one of the most fiendishly enjoyable in the UK. ‘Weird Sister’, their full-length debut, arrived packed with sugary melodies and ‘90s guitar bluster, while the recently released Jerome (Liar) - taken from a split with Bristol’s Trust Fund - hints at an even more nuanced approach in future.
Sun Kil Moon - Mountain Stage, Friday
Fresh from the release of ‘Benji’ - an iron clad future cult classic - Mark Kozelek will head to the Beacons with acoustic in hand. A storyteller of rare quality and gravitas, his rich baritone will also provide a few shivers down spines given half a chance.
Green Man Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu August 14 2014 - CRICKHOWELL Glanusk Park
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