Icons, Upstarts And Metallers: The Ultimate Summer Festival
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Written by James Ball
This summer's festival schedule truly does offer something for everyone. From rock icons, to dance royalty, via hairy metal and hip hop's biggest names, there's almost too much choice to handle.
Luckily for you, we've trawled through the summer's line-ups to assemble the Stereoboard Ultimate Summer Festival. No stone was left unturned, no festival neglected. It's the bill to end all bills in 2013.
FRIDAY: THE MAIN STAGE
The Rolling Stones (Glastonbury)
One of the most talked about headline acts in Glastonbury history. You can watch an hour for free on the BBC, but if you’re a real music fan you'll want to be there in the flesh instead. We don't know how long these legends will keep going and they’ve got one of the most extensive back catalogues in music history.
Bloc Party (Latitude)
Due to go back on hiatus this year, KeleOkereke and Co will treat the fans at Latitude to a series of tracks that defined the indie explosion in the early-2000s.
Foals (Latitude)
Endlessly original, but never difficult, this Oxford group is hell-bent on making gloriously inventive, different records. Expect chaos when they hit the stage.
The Horrors (Glastonbury, Truck and more)
Released one of the most critically-acclaimed albums of the last 10 years with the seminal 'Skying'. You can see them at a host of festivals, but you’ll get a nice long set at Truck in July.
Miles Kane (Glastonbury, T in the Park and more)
Former Rascal and current Last Shadow Puppet (that is, if he and Alex Turner get their collective brains in the same room again), Kane comes highly rated by Noel Gallagher, Bobby Gillespie and Paul Weller, and he has an attitude to match.
The 1975 (Reading and Leeds, Latitude and more)
Came from nowhere to open for Muse at the Emirates Stadium in 2013, showing no fear of the huge stage at all. Bodes well for the future. Due to release a highly-anticipated debut album later this year.
Palma Violets (Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds and more)
Having won NME's best new band in 2013, they also produced one of the the magazine's best 50 tracks of the year and appeared on the BBC's Sound of 2013 list. Destined for big things.
FRIDAY: THE METAL ARENA
Slayer (Bloodstock)
Absolute legends of thrash metal. Tragically lost guitarist Jeff Hanneman just over a month ago, but that will not stop them rocking out harder than anyone you’ll ever see. If you’re in a metal band and want to know how to boss a stage and a crowd, watch these guys.
System of a Down (Reading and Leeds)
It’s hard to imagine that Chop Suey came out 12 years ago, but it’s still one of the most recognisable and endlessly popular metal tracks ever - quirky, bouncy and heavy all at the same time. This is a rare chance to see the band live.
Deftones (Reading and Leeds)
Chino Moreno and Co have been mainstays of the metal scene for such a long time that it’s your duty to see them live. While favourites like Back to School and My Own Summer (Shove It) defined a generation at the turn of the century, their latest release – 'Kai No Yokan' - is a Stereoboard Top Album of 2012.
Black Flag (Hevy Fest)
A year ago, there was no hope of seeing Black Flag live. Now, there are two bands touring their songs: FLAG – featuring Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski, Bill Stevenson and Stephen Egerton of Descendents – and Black Flag, led by Greg Ginn and Ron Reyes, who will turn out at Hevy Fest this year. This could be your only chance.
65DAYSOFSTATIC (Glastonbury, Y-Not and more)
Post-rock does not get any better than this. End of story.
Fozzy (Bloodstock)
It’s too easy to make fun of a band that has a current WWE wrestler as their frontman, but until you’ve seen them live and witnessed their straightforward hard rock swagger for yourself, you won’t know how good this band actually are.
Rolo Tomassi (Truck)
Utterly impossible to assign a genre to. They take their influences from classical music, screamo, metal, post-rock and prog. No matter what you decide they sound like, they do one thing better than most and that’s rock the underwear off a crowd.
SATURDAY: THE MAIN STAGE
Bruce Springsteen (Hard Rock Calling)
The undisputed Boss of good, old fashioned rock. Anthems pour from this man and his E-Street Band with ease. Headlining Hard Rock Calling for the second year running just because he can, with the 35th anniversary of 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town' at the forefront of his mind.
Kraftwerk (Latitude, T in the Park and more)
There is no band like Kraftwerk, and they don’t play live that often. They’re playing a couple of major festivals this year, including T in the Park and Latitude, and they're packing a spectacular audio-visual experience.
Van Morrison (Cornbury Music Festival)
One of the undisputed legends of popular music. Released 32 albums across 45 years and one of his most famous songs (Brown Eyed Girl) came from that very first release just to prove how timeless he is. An old school hard worker with a trusted pedigree.
Bastille (Glastonbury, Blissfields and more)
One of the biggest breakout success stories of 2013. Just four months ago you could probably put everyone who had heard of Bastille into a large room. Since then they’ve had a #2 single, one of the biggest selling albums of the year and have sold out pretty much every gig they’ve played. Future headliners.
Bellowhead (Cornbury Music Festival)
Hugely good fun, with a large catalogue of tracks suited perfectly for the festival circuit. You don’t have to be a fan of folk to enjoy and respect this incredible band.
Rodriguez (Wilderness)
Searching for Sugar Man has reignited this singer-songwriter's career. Previously, only South Africans really cared, but since that film's release, the world has been introduced to the sultry guitars of all-round nice guy Rodriguez.
Tom Odell (Glastonbury, T in the Park)
Tom Odell’s first studio album 'Long Way Down' is just about to drop in record stores. It is one of the most heavily-hyped solo records of the year and he is looking like a major star of the future. Won this year's Brit Critics' Choice award, and not by chance.
SATURDAY: THE DANCE ARENA
The Prodigy (Creamfields)
When you see The Prodigy, you don’t just get a bunch of songs, you get an assault on all your senses. The crowd goes wild, and the lights, the sounds, hell, the bloody aura surrounding the stage is electric. If you value your life, be nowhere near the pit when they play Smack My Bitch up. Essential.
David Guetta (Creamfields)
His live act may just be a DJ set, but as he's worked with absolutely everyone who’s ever picked up a microphone, you can almost guarantee an all-star performance from this Swedish legend.
Chase & Status (Reading and Leeds)
Arguably the current kings of drum and bass, dubstep, breakbeat and probably some other stuff too. Who would ever argue against kings? You want an all-out party? See this lot.
Basement Jaxx (V, Kendal Calling)
It’s amazing to think that their smash hits Rendez-Vu and Remedy both hit the upper echelons of the UK charts nearly 15 years ago. These guys have been at the forefront of dance for a very long time and with a new album due out this year show no signs of slowing down.
Spiritualized (Truck)
Listen to 'Ladies And Gentlemen We are Floating In Space' and then give me one good reason not to see this group live.
Disclosure (Glastonbury)
When you go up against rock behemoths Queens of the Stone Age in a battle for the UK's #1 album and win it, then you’re doing something right. Two young lads with a very bright future. See them live before everyone else does.
Digitalism (Standon Calling)
Heavily influenced by Daft Punk, this German group redefine the dance genre with a long list of synths and computer beats. Infectious and melodic all at once.
SUNDAY: THE MAIN STAGE
Kings of Leon (V)
Kings of Leon have bounced back following some issues for frontman Caleb Followill with another studio album, and they already possess a back catalogue of instantly recognisable favourites ideal to draw any festival to a close.
Primal Scream (Glastonbury)
Mainstays of the Manchester music scene. There’s very little we could tell you about Primal Scream you don’t already know. Well worth an hour of your time to soak up their influence as they play with more passion than most.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Latitude)
There are very few front people in all of music with the grace, beauty and confidence to own a stage as Karen O does. There are very few bands who can write clever, enticing garage-rock songs as Yeah Yeah Yeahs do. Thus, you must see them without fail.
Frank Turner (Reading and Leeds)
Turner cares about nothing more than his music and his fans, and is always having a ball on stage. If folk-punk means nothing to you now, it soon will.
KT Tunstall (Glastonbury)
Has just released the best album of her career, 'Invisible Empire//Crescent Moon'. For that reason alone she’s worth seeing, and as well as the beautiful, stripped back tones of that record you will be treated to the more upbeat chart hits from her early days too.
Alabama Shakes (Glastonbury)
Released one of the critics' choice albums of 2012, and an absolute storm on stage. This is good, old fashioned garage rock with a real attitude.
Amanda Palmer (Glastonbury)
You may not have heard of her, but she is everything good music is about. Formerly of the Dresden Dolls, also in Evelyn Evelyn, and now going it alone, she does not shy away from a crowd. Ludicrously talented.
SUNDAY: THE HIP HOP ARENA
Jay-Z (Wireless)
Announced his latest album, three weeks before its release, at a basketball game and then gave a million copies away to people with a phone app. That’s why Jay-Z is the boss. Having a huge array of hip hop classics under his belt helps too. Expect a series of collaborations when he takes to the stage.
Dizzee Rascal (Glastonbury)
Dizzee has evolved a lot since his Mercury Prize-winning debut 'Boy In Da Corner', but each album still gets people onto their feet for a dance. A real entertainer with some smash hits under his belt.
Plan B (Lovebox, Global Gathering)
This is a man who takes the grimy streets of London and brings them before you for all to see. Has three very, very different and equally exceptional albums in his locker these days.
Rudimental (Lovebox, Global Gathering and more)
Eased to a debut #1 album earlier in the year. They’ve been picking up a steady fanbase along the way and their crossover style shows no signs of slowing down.
Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip (Truck, Bestival and more)
Spoken word poetry meets a club DJ. Shouldn’t work. Does. Lyrical masterpieces combined with catchy beats and an excellent beard mean that these two should be a top priority on any festival schedule.
Dot Rotten (Global Gathering, High Definition)
The best rapper ever to be loosely named after a character from Eastenders. Started his career by self-releasing a series of DIY mixtapes, and has slowly been growing his fanbase ever since. Watch this space.
Watsky (Wireless)
Ludicrously talented poet with a real knack for hip-hop. Is mostly famous on his YouTube channel, but has finally released his first physical album 'Cardboard Castles'. Does not look like the kind of guy who can own a hip-hop crowd, but not only does he have the songs for you to relate to, he has the stage presence of a headliner. Unmissable.
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