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July Outdoor Events 2008
July Outdoor Events 2008
The blazing heat of July sends people scurrying for the open spaces of the suburbs, and this is the best month for festivals near London. There's plenty going on in the capital as well, with gigs and festivals in most of the Royal Parks.
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Jack Johnson
Hyde Park, London, W2 3JA2nd July 2008
Hyde Park has become London's venue-of-choice for big outdoor gigs in recent years, a lush and gently-sloping park where vast crowds can gather in summer. Jack Johnson is an intriguing choice for one of this summer's gigs: the space has previously been used almost exclusively by the monsters of rock music, from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Foo Fighters, via The Who and REM. The laid-back Hawaiian singer-songwriter offers a very different sound to these big singalong bands, encouraging his audience to chill out in the sun, soak up the sounds and enjoy an amazing spot of parkland at the heart of the capital. Support comes from funk rock geniuses G. Love and Special Sauce.
Henley Royal Regatta 2008
Henley-on-Thames, London, RG9 2LY2nd July 2008 - 6th July 2008
Henley Regatta is a historic occasion, set in a riverside village that has hardly changed in the last two centuries and bringing some serious competition to the water in one of the world's most physically challenging sports. It has been running since 1839, and has grown from a local event into one of the biggest meetings in rowing, attracting crews of international quality to an array of Challenge Trophies. The draw is still conducted on a knock-out basis with only two boats racing in each heat. Nineteen events take place over the five days including six classes of races for Eights and aces for Coxless Pairs and Double Sculls. Come and admire one of the country's loveliest areas and some of the toughest sports stars in the world.
O2 Music Wireless Festival
Hyde Park, London, W2 3JA3rd July 2008 - 6th July 2008
A four-day festival smack bang in the middle of London - no long car journeys, no queuing for mud-covered taps, no losing your tent at 4am - it sounds like manna from heaven. Now in its fourth year, Wireless has established itself as a major live music event, attracting crowds of over 20,000 every day to Hyde Park. You don't have to commit yourself in quite the same way as a traditional festival - just dip in when you want, buy a ticket for the days you like (maybe one, maybe three) and go home to your own bed. The downside is that it definitely lacks the atmosphere of a camping festival - the weirdoes in costumes, stalls, tee-pees, organic cafes and strange entertainments have been replaced by blandly corporate fare, drenched in giant logos; there's definitely less of a community feel, and music licensing laws can restrict the volume. Gripes aside, the line-ups are consistently excellent - so far this year they've confirmed Fatboy Slim and Underworld to headline Saturday, a great indie-rock line-up for the Friday, a Sunday chill-out that'll include Ben Harper and Counting Crows, and a fabulous fashion parade of a Thursday.
Friday 4th July - Morrissey, Beck, Dirty Pretty Things, Guillemots, Lightspeed Champion, Siouxsie Sioux, The New York Dolls
Saturday 5th July - Fatboy Slim, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Robyn, Underworld, The Whip, Sam Sparro
Sunday 6th July - Counting Crows, Ben Harper, Bowling for Soup, Delays
Guilfest
Stoke Park, London, GU1 1HB4th July 2008 - 6th July 2008
I'm not absolutely sure when this happened, but at some point this sleepy jazz and folk festival turned into an absolutely kicking live event. For one weekend every summer Guilfest takes over Guildford's Stoke Park in Surrey as music fans set up camp. In spite of some naff sponsors (mostly ticket-selling websites this year) and performers (Kula Shaker anyone?), they now also attract some brilliant musicians and DJs. This festival is most famous for its role in showcasing all the best of the past rather than the latest craze, so though it's always very varied don't expect much ground-breaking stuff. Confirmed acts so far include The Levellers, Blondie, 90s trance legend Hallucinogen, Howard Marks, British Sea Power and The Australian Pink Floyd Show.
Zoo Thousand and Eight
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent, London, CT21 4PD4th July 2008 - 6th July 2008
This year's biggest new festival is Zoo Thousand, the only party in Britain where if you get bored of the music, you can go and laugh at the monkeys. The music should provide a pretty substantial distraction from the charms of Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, with a diverse line-up that mixes major bands (The Cribs, Athlete, Funeral for a Friend), with a very respectable mixture of of urban stars (Mark Ronson, Dizzee Rascal, Skinnyman, Lethal Bizzle, Wiley, Newham Generals), and dance music (MSTRKRFT, Freemasons, Hoxton Whores, The Whip, Pendulum). Chas 'n' Dave and Seb Fontaine will also be putting in appearances, suggesting that the booking for this festival was very much based on getting in the biggest names who would turn up, rather than any kind of specific music policy. Anyway, there are some good acts there, it's close to London, and if the rhinos go on the rampage halfway through Hadouken's set, you'll definitely have the best festival anecdote of the summer.
Blissfields
Matterley Bowl, Matterley Estate, Alresford, Winchester, London, SO24 0HY4th July 2008 - 6th July 2008
The winner of the Best Small Festival category in 2007's Festival Awards is this unpretentious affair that has kept it real by keeping it local. The move to a larger venue is likely to damage the atmosphere a little - and lead to some teething problems with the facilities - but they've added a third stage to ensure that they can continue to showcase local bands and the regular acts who built this festival in the first place. The main stage plays host to an odd selection of new and old acts, mixing 90s stars The Wonderstuff and Roni Size, with newcomers like Pete and the Pirates and The Whip.
Pride London 2008
Trafalgar Square, WC2H 7BP5th July 2008
For the past few years London's Pride Parade has been growing in scale and ambition. Now increasing numbers of straight folk are also turning up to join in the heady mix of fun and politics in what has become one of Britain's biggest street parties. This year around half a million gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and straight people will flood into Oxford Street and Regent Street for the parade. Entertainment is provided by 80 floats and more than 200 costume groups and walking bands. The serious stuff takes place in Trafalgar Square, where community stalls and music support a rally, with major speakers celebrating a year of successes for the Gay Rights movement. Soho and Leicester Square host more frivolous activities, with cabaret and bands in the square, and a huge market and food festival in Soho. The hundreds of lesbian and gay bars and clubs in the area keep the celebrations going all night long.
Summer Swing at Kew
Kew Gardens, Kew, London, TW9 3AB8th July 2008 - 12th July 2008
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is an enchanting spot in summer and no more so than when hosting their ever-popular summer concert series. The stage for Summer Swing is set up at dusk on the front steps of the Temperate House, the largest surviving Victorian glass structure in the world. This makes for a gorgeous setting, which is lit up by a firework finale at the close of each concert. These concerts attract whole families - toddlers, twenty-somethings, parents and grandparents sharing the same picnic rug. Though you might struggle to get your teenagers excited about this lot...
9th July: Commitments/Sounds of the Blues Brothers
10th July: Lulu
11th July: Gipsy Kings
12th July: Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Hampton Court Palace, Kingston-Upon-Thames, London, KT8 9AU8th July 2008 - 13th July 2008
Henry VIII built one of the finest gardens in the world at Hampton Court Palace, so it is only fitting that the world's largest horticultural show should take place there. The show includes displays from over 150 specialist nurseries. Some are beautiful, complex works of living art, filled with rare blooms and water features. However, many are on a smaller, more English scale, and should give you ideas for improving your own garden. The Festival of Roses is Britain's largest annual display of roses in full bloom; the sweet scent is overwhelming, as is the sight of thousands of stunning roses blooming all under one roof. The Inspiring Spaces show gives visitors tips on how best to utilise those difficult spaces and tricky corners. Water gardens reflect the event's beautiful location beside the River Thames. During the final afternoon many of the exhibitors sell off their plants at bargain prices - you can bet the gardening gloves come off for this free-for-all.
England vs. South Africa
Lord's, London, NW8 8QN10th July 2008 - 14th July 2008
After what should be a comfortable win against New Zealand, the real business of the summer gets underway with the first test against a ruthlessly effective South Africa side - last seen making England grovel in the dust during the World Cup. This should be a great match for the traditional British summer activity of getting gently sloshed during a farcical batting collapse, before watching Southern Hemisphere opponents put on 200 without loss. If England can buck the form book, South Africa's many London-dwelling fans will help create a riotous atmosphere in Lord's. If not, it's still a lovely day out.
Summer Series
Somerset House, WC2R 1LA10th July 2008 - 19th July 2008
The Courtyard of Somerset House is an idyllic, calming, escapist location for a concert on a summer's evening. As a breeze drifts in off the Thames you'll forget the city bustle outside and tune into some great music, surrounded by one of eighteenth century London's most spectacular buildings. This year has another cracking selection of artists, with a breezy final three days of super-lite retro summer pop, featuring Adele, Duffy and The Feeling. There's clever indie from The Zutons and We Are Scientists, the breathless lyrical brilliance of Kanye protege Lupe Fiasco, and bouncy rock noise from The Fratellis. For our money, though, the highlights are on the first weekend, which opens with a big fat rave presided over by Godlike French beats geniuses Justice, followed, on the Saturday, by the endlessly inventive trip-hop of the Unkle crew.
Lounge on the Farm
Merton Farm, off Nackington Lane, London, CT4 7BA11th July 2008 - 13th July 2008
If you're tired of seeing lovely festival landscapes ruined by giant adverts for lager and mobile phones, then check out Lounge on the Farm. The food stalls around the 'village green' sell local produce, while the beer and cider comes from Kentish micro-breweries, and the main stage is set up in a former cowshed. This is the third Lounge on the Farm, and it's started to expand, so this may be one of the last chances to catch it while its charm is still intact. There are no huge names on the line-up (which is a good thing for a laid-back festival like this - it means people are down for the atmosphere, rather than to see some specific act), but there are some good musicians including Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, Art Brut, the Bees, Los Campesinos, the Dub Pistols Soundsystem and Jon Carter.
Rise 2008
Finsbury Park, London, N4 1EE13th July 2008
Last year's Rise Festival in Finsbury Park was truly one of the most magical days of the summer, with 100,000 Londoners of all colours and creeds partying against racism. They tend to finalise the music line-up at the last minute, so keep checking nearer the time for details. Alongside big names, there is usually an entertaining mixture of credible London musicians and hilariously sketchy local acts. Because it's free, safe and friendly, there's an enormously varied crowd taking time to chill in the sun, munch on some jerk chicken and celebrate everything that is best about our multi-cultural capital. Kids are very welcome and will love the costume and dance acts, the funfair and the general carnival atmosphere.
Latitude Festival
Henham Park, London, NR34 8AN17th July 2008 - 20th July 2008
Having cottoned on to the fact that festivals are now attracting as many thirtysomething mediacrats as pill-munching teens, Mean Fiddler have built this charming little Suffolk event where comedy, performance, literature, theatre and poetry get as much attention as the music. The comedy is absolutely scintillating, with Bill Bailey, Ross Noble, Simon Amstell and Omid Djalill leading a line-up perfectly pitched at the mildly stoned middle class crowd. There's theatre from The Royal Court and The Bush, and poetry from Simon Armitage, John Hegley and Carol Ann Duffy, while Iain Banks, Hanif Kureishi, Dave Gorman and AL Kennedy lead out the literary arena. Though all festivals claim to be child-friendly, this is probably Britain's best for families. As usual, the two music stages offer a small but perfect selection of acts, with Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros, Interpol and Amadou & Mariam among the headliners.
The Proms 2008
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP18th July 2008 - 13th September 2008
The most popular season of classical music in England goes from strength-to-strength each year. A varied but accessible programme regularly draws huge audiences, concluding on the last night with seas of Union Jack-waving Brits belting out their national anthem. The aim, for the past 100 years, has been to mix the popular and familiar with the surprising and innovative, so if you go to a concert to hear some favourite piece, you may leave having discovered a whole new composer. Five hundred standing tickets for each concert are available on the door for just five pounds, so top international orchestras and soloists, programmes that mix the adventurous and the accessible, and a real sense of fun can all be had for less than the price of a cinema ticket. There are also chamber music concerts in Cadogan Hall, and brilliant outdoor events in parks throughout the country. You should turn up early for the biggest stars - and queue overnight if you want to get into the Last Night.
Lovebox Weekender
Victoria Park, Old Ford Road, London, E3 5SN19th July 2008 & 20th July 2008
The best of London's festivals is Groove Armada's Glastonbury-inspired multi-genre party in Victoria Park. This is the park party that comes closest to capturing the vibe of a proper festival, with a huge range of musical styles across multiple stages, and a friendly, music-loving crowd. Victoria Park is a great festival venue, with loads of space and a sympathetic council who let them turn the music up really loud. The first day is mostly about traditional bands, while the DJs and new rave acts come out on the Sunday. Manu Chao, Groove Armada, The Human League, The Flaming Lips, Goldfrapp, Alphabeat, Sebastian Tellier, The Go Team and dozens of others are already confirmed.
Motor Show Music Festival
ExCel Exhibition Centre, 1 Western Gateway, London, E16 1XL23rd July 2008 - 2nd August 2008
There's a deep emotional bond between the car stereo and Stadium Rock, which the London Motor Show is tapping into with a series of dockside concerts featuring Alice Cooper (24th July), Status Quo (25th July), Squeeze (26th July), Chicago (31st July), UB40 (23rd July), Deep Purple (30th July) and the mighty Meat Loaf (2nd August). It's the perfect occasion for middle-aged petrolheads to embarrass their children by shouting 'Rock On!', singing along to 'I'm Eighteen' and waving lighters in the air (in spite of not actually having smoked a cigarette since 1989). There are some mum-friendly acts as well, including the Here and Now 80s Tour (featuring Bananarama, Belinda Carlisle, Toyah, and numerous others), and Jools Holland. Concert tickets also give you access to the Motor Show.
The Secret Garden Party
Abbots Rippon, East Anglia, London, PE29 7EG24th July 2008 - 27th July 2008
Though the organisation is still a little sketchy, the South-East's sweetest boutique festival is improving every year, with better sound, better loos, and increasingly impressive line-ups. It's still set in the same gorgeous spot of Cambridgeshire countryside, with a lake, hills and lots of shady trees. The music is a mix of indie oddities, electronic chill-out and hard dance that you'll find on many Londoners' MP3 players. A lot of the crowd are extravagantly posh (the festival is organised by group of former Etonians led by the son of the Baron de Ramsey, who owns the festival site), but it's a laid-back, hippyish poshness that only adds to the atmosphere. Dressing up, playing games and making a fool of yourself are all strongly encouraged, and with only 6000 visitors, you'll end the three days feeling like you know most of the people there.
WOMAD
Charlton Park, Wiltshire, London, SN16 9DG24th July 2008 - 27th July 2008
The World music explosion has turned Peter Gabriel's WOMAD into a massive international event. The crowd, who once consisted largely of ageing prog-rockers with ponytails, are now among the most diverse of any festival, covering all ages, races and backgrounds. Every paying adult is entitled to bring two children free of charge, so the festival site is teeming with face-painted young ones. They won't get bored either, with a huge array of workshops, games and a funfair for them to enjoy. The festival is just as participatory for adults too - get involved in the brilliant workshops aimed at helping you learn to drum, dance and sing. This year's line-up includes Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Shane McGowan, Asif Ali Khan, Eddy Grant, and Kasai All-Stars.
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