Green Man Festival
| Location(s) | Brecon Beacons, Wales |
|---|---|
| Years active | 2003 - present |
| Date(s) | the weekend before the August bank holiday weekend (4 days) |
| Genre | Folk / Psychedlia / Dance / Americana / Indie / Electronica |
| Website | www.greenman.net |
The Green Man is an independent music festival held annually in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. It has evolved from a one-day, 300 capacity event in 2003, to a seven-day festival with live music including psych, folk, indie, dance and Americana across five stages, as well as DJs playing everything from dub-reggae to electro and stoner rock, all throughout the night.
Literature, film, theatre, ceilidhs, all-night bonfires, comedy and secret gigs are part of the festival's unique identity. The festival has carved a niche as a non-corporate and ethically-minded festival.[1]
The festival site features nine stages offering over 400 different music and other acts each year. Music is the main content but science themed art, music and comedy area called Einstein's Garden, as well as an activity area for young people under the age of 18 called Future Generations. Cinema, talks from respected writers and musicians and well known comedians also perform. Gourmet food and quality beverages are all part of the Green Man and an area called Nature and Nurture has many holistic therapies and arts installations in a glade within the festival.
The capacity of the festival is 20,000. It is the biggest music festival in Wales and has been given signature status by the Welsh Government.
In 2009 the festival introduced a holiday ticket offer which gave people the option to stay on the festival site during the week and enjoy the local surroundings and tourist attractions. This was done to generate income into the local area.
Green Man has organises an annual Boat Party on the river Thames, London which hosts a variety of live bands and DJs. Last year's Green Man Boat Party line-up included Tom Williams & The Boat, Field Music and Three Trapped Tigers and took place on 16 June 2012.
Green Man also organises an unsigned online band competition to encourage new and emerging artists. It is well respected and has got the support of Moshi Moshi, Domino, Bella Union, Mojo and Drowned in Sound to establish the winner in a live event in London each year.
2003 festival
Green Man was held in Craig y Nos Castle for one day with 300 people attending. Artists who performed included King Creosote, James Yorkston, Julie Murphy and The Memory Band
2004 festival
The festival moved to Baskerville Hall Hotel at Clyro near Hay-on-Wye (Wales) and increased in size to host 1000 people over two days. The music included Four Tet, Alasdair Roberts, Fionn Regan, M Craft, Daimh, Gravenhurst, The Earlies, Lone Pigeon, My Latest Novel and an early appearance from Joanna Newsom. Baskerville Hall had an inside space, allowing some aspects of the festival to be hosted indoors.
2005 festival
Attendance of the festival increased to 1500 people, and the event spanned three days. The headline acts were the Incredible String Band, Bonnie Prince Billy and Joanna Newsom. Other artists included Wizz Jones, Adem, The Fence Collective, Josephine Foster and Tunng.
2006 festival
In 2006 the festival was moved to Crickhowell, near Abergavenny). The festival really established itself as a national outdoor event and saw a rapid expansion to 6,500. The festival was given a 5 star rating in the Guardian newspaper[2] and 4 star rating in The Times.[3] The event was headlined by Donovan, José González and Calexico. Other performers included Adem, Bat for Lashes, Jack Rose, Marissa Nadler, and Micah P. Hinson and Joe Boyd appeared in the Literature Tent, and the Institute of Physics started the science tent. The festival became more than a music event and elements from all aspects of culture and living were added. Quality food tents offered cuisine from around the world, whilst bars offered everything from real ale to cocktails.
2007 festival
The 2007 event increased in size to 10,000. Joanna Newsom, Robert Plant and Stephen Malkmus headlined on their respective days of the festival weekend. The following acts also performed: Devendra Banhart, Bill Callahan, Vashti Bunyan, Stephen Duffy & The Lilac Time, Battles, Seasick Steve, Fridge, Dead Meadow, Gruff Rhys, Vetiver, The Earlies, Richmond Fontaine, Euros Childs, Tunng, Steve Adey, Starless and Bible Black, Lisa Knapp, Men-An-Tol, Eugene Francis Jnr and The Juniors, Arborea, Alela Diane, Monkey Swallows the Universe, Six Organs Of Admittance, Gilbert, Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love, John Power, John Renbourn, Thistletown and My Brightest Diamond.
2008 festival
The 2008 festival's capacity was capped at 10,000. Despite taking place in the fourth worst British summer ever recorded, the festival received fantastic reviews, and the weather didn't close any entertainment areas down. Spiritualized, Super Furry Animals, and Pentangle (a worldwide festival exclusive) were the headline acts, joined by Richard Thompson, Iron & Wine, The National, Nina Nastasia, Laura Marling, Radio Luxembourg, Drive-By Truckers, Black Mountain (band), Junior Boys as well as a special night hosted by Domino Records and many, many others played to wildly enthusiastic crowds.[4] A new bar called the "End Up" was added that had the first 24-hour drinks licence at a UK festival. The 2008 festival was widely praised.
2009 festival
The festival increased in size again and was headlined by Animal Collective on Friday, Jarvis Cocker on Saturday and Grammy award winners Wilco, also 2008's hottest success Bon Iver, as well as Wooden Shjips, British Sea Power, Errors, Grizzly Bear, Peggy Sue, Erland & The Carnival, Megson, Pivot, It's A Buffalo, She Keeps Bees, Golden Animals, 6 Day Riot, No Thee No Ess, Sound Carriers, and The Fuzzbirds. Other acts included: Andrew Bird, Trembling Bells, Dirty Three and Peter Broderick on the Bella Union night on Saturday in the Far Out Tent.They also announced the first of many new hidden surprises around the site including 'Einstein's Garden', which combines science, green issues and art in a fun and thought provoking way, Chai Wallahs containing an exciting line-up of dj's, an expanded the children's area with even more workshops, entertainment and great stuff to do.[5] An 8 metre sculpture of the Green Man was set alight at the end of the festival, which created a wonderful finale and great spectacle to finish the celebrations for 2009.
2009 also saw the introduction of the festival's holiday ticket. This meant that fans could enjoy the local area during the week, as well as attend the festival at the weekend.
2010 festival
Green Man 2010 was headlined by Doves (Friday), The Flaming Lips (Saturday) and Joanna Newsom (Sunday). Other acts on the Main Stage bill included Mumford And Sons, Beirut, Billy Bragg, The Unthanks, Tindersticks, Laura Marling, Darwin Deez, John Grant, Fionn Regan, Erland And The Carnival, Johnny Flynn and Mountain Man.
In the Far Out (second stage), Fuck Buttons headlined Friday night, Wild Beasts on Saturday and Efterklang on Sunday. Girls, The Tallest Man On Earth, Megafaun, These New Puritans, Avi Buffalo, Summer Camp, Je Suis Animal, Steve Mason, Sleepy Sun and Chew Lips, also performed in the Far Out.
Music continued in the Far Out After-Dark (Far Out stage after 11pm) until 4am. On Friday night Hexstatic provided a night of "Audio Visual Dancefloor Mayhem" and invited Dj Yoda, DJ Food & DK and Cheeba to join them. Saturday night saw Metronomy provide the evening's entertainment in the form of "Metronomy Presents", inviting Factory Floor, James Blake and Wild Geese. Sunday evening saw Greco Roman Sound System taking over the After-Dark- "Greco Roman vs. Green Man" with Matthew Herbert, Gold Panda, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Greco Roman Soundsystem DJ's including Ross Allen and Full Nelson.
2010 also saw Green Man win Best Medium Festival at the UK Festival Awards.
2011 festival
Green Man Festival 2011 took place on 19, 20, 21 August 2011 at Glanusk Park Estate, Wales. Headline acts were Fleet Foxes, Explosions In The Sky and Iron and Wine
Other artists that took to the stages included- The Low Anthem, Noah & The Whale, James Blake, Laura Marling, Bellowhead, The Avett Brothers, The Burns Unit, Villagers, Destroyer, The Leisure Society, Sic Alps, Holy Fuck, Lia Ices, Robyn Hitchcock and many more.
As in 2010, there was a good range of electronic music on the Far Out After Dark Stage- Squarepusher, The 2 Bears, Andrew Weatherall, Clark, Darkstar, Ewan Pearson and more played sets.
2012 festival
Green Man 2012 took place on 17, 18 and 19 August 2012. Headlining was Mogwai, Feist and Van Morrison alongside other acts such as The Tallest Man On Earth, The Walkmen, Yann Tiersen, The Felice Brothers, Tune-Yards, Jonathan Richman, Dexys, Megafaun, The Time & Space Machine (live), Junior Boys, Damien Jurado, Cass McCombs, Slow Club, Benjamin Fracis Leftwich, Scritti Politti, Michael Kiwanuka, Ghostpoet, Peaking Lights, Bowerbirds, Dark Dark Dark, Islet, Lower Dens, KWES., King Charles, Cate Le Bon, Cashier No.9, The Wave Pictures, Pictish Trail, Lucy Rose and many more.
Other artists appearing included Robin Ince, Stella Duffy, John Peel's Shed by John Osborne, James Fearnley, Richard King, Jon Gower, Holly Walsh, Lori Campbell, Greg Hall and Brain Gittins.
2013 festival
Green Man Festival 2013 took place on 16, 17 and 18 August 2013. The Headline acts on the Mountain Stage were Kings of Convenience (Friday), Band of Horses (Saturday) and Ben Howard (Sunday). Patti Smith was the headline act in the Far Out Tent on Thursday 15 August. Fuck Buttons, Villagers and Swans took the headline positions in the Far Out tent respectively over the weekend. Other acts included Lord Huron, Edwyn Collins, Stornoway, Local Natives, The Horrors, Phosphorescent, Midlake, John Cale, Low, Darkstar, Half Moon Run & British Sea Power among many other acts.
See also
References
- ↑ "Virtual Festivals Green Man overview". Virtual Festivals. 2007-01-05. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ↑ Pidd, Helen (2006-10-05). "Guardian review". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ↑ Moran, Caitlin (2006-09-01). "The Times review". London: The Times. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ↑ Smart, James (2008-09-14). "Festival review in the Guardian". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ↑ "BBC Wales music site". BBC Wales. 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-03-04.