FESTIVALS 2008: Forget Glastonbury, Go Boutique

When Kate Nash steps on to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury today it will the mark the unofficial start of Britain's music festival season. It's too late to get Glastonbury tickets now but given the much publicised debacle over poor ticket sales and the name calling and blame throwing that followed it's safe to assume that those without tickets are so by choice.

So why did Glastonbury not sell out? Jay Z has, rather unfairly, been made a scapegoat to some extent (since when has Glastonbury been a rock festival anyway? It's always been a music festival,) the registration process that didn't seem to confuse anyone last year has been said to have put people off, even potential ticket buyers have been accused of not being the right type of music fans.

Given the line up this year and the cost of tickets it just doesn't seem like good value for money. For the same price as Glastonbury you can get yourself tickets to a couple of weekend events and if you include the money you save on a train ticket to Somerset, then you could also go to a few one day events too, and if you really look around you could find line ups that look like they've been hand picked especially for you.

Here's a few of the best alternative festivals to be seen at this summer.

ZOO THOUSAND
Port Lympne Wildlife Park
4th July - 6th July

WHY WE'RE GOING

With a 20,00 capacity Zoo Thousand is one of those new small festivals that has crept up on us from nowhere. As if a festival in the grounds of a zoo and fairground rides wasn't enough the line up is one of the best around this summer. Although the mainstage will host headliners Mark Ronson and The Hives, the Tap n Tin stage is the place to be, with Late of the Pier, Pete and the Pirates and Cazals all due to appear.

Unusually for a festival Zoo Thousand's line up crosses over to an urban audience without ever alienating guitar fans. As well as the usual indie fanfare the dance tents look unmissable with electro favourites MSTRKRFT, Stanton Warriers and Evil Nine standing out.

And if that isn't enough to sway you some of the proceeds go toward animal conservation so we'll all be helping our furry neighbours too.

WHO WE'LL BE SEEING

Metronomy
Friendly Fires
Sportsday Megaphone
These New Puritans
Wild Beasts

WHAT WE'LL BE WEARING

Anything aminal related - gorilla suits or animal masks. But we'd be most comfortable in Vince Noir and Howard Moon zoo-keeper outfits with a hint of summer neon.

http://www.zoothousand.com/

STANDON CALLING
Standon Lordship
1st August - 3rd August

WHY WE'RE GOING?

Festivals are great as they're a chance to catch all different types of acts that wouldn't usually play together within a designated area. This year at Standon Calling, those acts include Super Furry Animals, The Maccabees and Mystery Jets as headliners along with the likes of Friendly Fires, Late of the Pier and Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip. We also love festivals as they give you an excuse to go all out and dress up while you get to meet some crazy characters along the way. And all of this happens in an unbeatable atmosphere. At Standon Calling all of these things are definately on the agenda.

After seven years it has dropped its invite only policy and is opening its beautifully designed gates to everyone. More than just a music festival, Standon Calling invites artists and set designers to create alternative worlds and a festival far removed from the grit and shove of other weekenders. Held in the grounds of a 16th Century Hertfordshire manor house, the theme this year is Japan and on Saturday night there's a fancy dress session that will inevitably see many people taking advantage with the organisers plea to embrace "a clash between the floating world of old Japan and the searing neon decadence of its modern day equivalent."

There's Rockaoke on the lawn and if the weather's nice, you can enjoy a relaxing dip in the pool. On top of that they're raising money for local and national charities Standon & Puckeridge Community Centre and Phoenix Futures. What more could you want?

WHO WE'LL BE SEEING

The Mystery Jets
Super Furry Animals
Late of the Pier
Florence and the Machine
Eddy Temple Morris

WHAT WE'LL BE WEARING

Anything Japanese! We'll be whipping out our sequin masks, and wearing red lipstick and bright kimonos. And we expect the guys to be going all ninja on us. Hooray!

http://www.standon-calling.com/

Field Day

Victoria Park, London
9th August

WHY WE'RE GOING

Held in East London, Field Day is a festival for the trendy music lover set on seeing the latest acts within a small proximity. With stages hosted by the usual suspects (Eat Your Own Ears, Adventures In The Beetroot Field, Bugged Out!), this year sees Foals and Mystery Jets return to the bill along with Laura Marling, Noah and the Whale and Heartbreak. There is also what their website calls the 'Villiage Mentality', an area that contains fun and games and sports-like events that cater for creative and competitive minds. Splat the Rat!, Carrot Eating Contest and Pom Pom international look the most fun. So get stuck in.

WHO WE'LL BE SEEING

Foals
Jeffrey Lewis
Primary 1
Wild Beasts
Filthy Dukes

WHAT WE'LL BE WEARING

The latest trends worn in a 'I just ran through a charity shop naked' style. Glitter. Oh and big, bright sunglasses, come rain or shine.

http://www.fielddayfestivals.com/

GET LOADED IN THE PARK
Clapham Common
24th August

WHY WE'RE GOING

If camping isn't your cup of tea or you think Reading and Leeds has gone too metal this year then head over to Clapham this August bank holiday instead. Get Loaded in the Park blows away all one day competition with a super excellent line up comprising some of the biggest names in rock n' roll (Iggy and The Stooges) with some of its brightest young stars (Kid Harpoon.) Also on the bill are dance pioneers Soulwax and the lively, if a little odd Metronomy.

There are no gimicky extras here it's just a a day of great music, and the perfect excuse for local kids like us to to get all excited about South London again. You don't need to just take our word for it, ask the Maccabees, "we’re really looking forward to playing. We used to hang out on Clapham common when we were fourteen, so it's nice to do something near home."

WHO WE'LL BE SEEING

Iggy & The Stooges
Soulwax
The Maccabees
Boys Noize
Wiley

WHAT WE'LL BE WEARING

Whatever the hell we like, we won't be camping so it'll be as impratical as we can make it.

http://www.getloadedinthepark.com/

Claire Evans