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Creamfields 2026 main stage screens and fireworks from crowd
Line-up

Josh Baker, KETTAMA and Prospa to headline Creamfields 2027 ARC Stage

written by Sam Warrenger

Josh Baker, KETTAMA and Prospa will headline the ARC Stage at Creamfields 2027 on Friday 27th August, in a dance festival exclusive billed as a major coup for the Daresbury event.

The trio step up together for a B2B2B headline set during Creamfields’ 30th year. Each has already delivered major moments of their own on the fields of Daresbury, and organisers say the booking unites three of the most exciting forces shaping the sound of a new generation at the UK’s biggest dance festival.

The announcement follows a sell out run of three Finsbury Park shows. Some 200,000 dance music fans signed up for those dates, and all three sold out in record time. Organisers say that demand is why the trio now head to Creamfields.

Creamfields 2027 runs from Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th August, over the August bank holiday weekend, at Daresbury, Cheshire. Friday’s set lands on the ARC Stage, already being talked up as one of the most anticipated performances of the anniversary year. The Prodigy are already locked in to close APEX on Saturday 28th August, the first headliner confirmed for the 30 year celebrations. Tickets are on sale now at creamfields.com.

This follows a Creamfields 2026 that has already been and gone. That edition ran from Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th August at Daresbury, marking 20 years of the festival at its Cheshire home, and sold out to 80,000. KETTAMA was among the names streamed from the site that weekend.

Individually, their rise has been hard to ignore. DJ and producer Josh Baker has become one of the most in demand names in underground house. KETTAMA has built a formidable global following with an unmistakable high energy sound. Electronic duo Prospa have cemented themselves as one of the leading names of a new generation, fusing the nostalgia of rave culture with euphoric, forward facing club music. Together, organisers say, they have created something entirely their own.

On Friday 27th August 2027, that chemistry lands on ARC. The festival sums the booking up simply: three names, one stage, one unmissable performance.

Further event information is at creamfields.com and facebook.com/officialcreamfields, or via @Creamfields.

Image credits: Geoffrey Hubbel
In this article:
Disclosures: TheFestivals is funded through advertising and sometimes earns a commission on purchases made through links on this website, including in this article: None

14th October 2026 0 comments
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Line-up

Muse to headline Rock Werchter 2027

written by Sam Warrenger
RW27 banner register

Muse will headline Rock Werchter on Friday 2 July 2027. Organisers confirmed the booking today, 13 October, with the Teignmouth trio set to bring their live show back to the Festivalpark in Werchter, Belgium.

The British band first played the site in 2000 and have become crowd favourites in the years since. Belgian reports say the 2027 set will be their tenth appearance at the festival. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard will close Friday with the production, visuals and songs that have made a Muse show a fixture of the European festival calendar.

Rock Werchter 2027 runs from Thursday 1 July to Sunday 4 July at the Festivalpark. Ticket sales start on Friday 30 October at 10am. Registration for the Rock Werchter presale, which gives earlier access to tickets, is open now at rockwerchter.be. More names will be announced later.

Tame Impala and SOMBR had already been confirmed for Sunday 4 July. Tame Impala, the project of Kevin Parker, were named as the first headliner on 24 August and will close the festival. SOMBR, New York singer Shane Boose, was added on 6 October for the same day. Muse is the first confirmed name for Friday.

Formed in 1994, Muse have spent more than three decades building a sound that mixes heavy rock with electronic influences, large scale live production and Bellamy’s distinctive voice. The band’s trophy cabinet includes two Grammy Awards, an American Music Award, five MTV Europe Music Awards and two Brit Awards. Across ten studio albums they have sold more than 30 million records worldwide.

Their latest album, The Wow! Signal, arrived in June this year and has taken the band back out on the road. At the Festivalpark, fans can expect a show built around impressive visuals, powerful songs and the energy that has defined Muse live for years. More on the band is at muse.mu.

Rock Werchter bills itself as Belgium’s biggest music festival, with rock as the foundation of a line-up that mixes established acts and newer names. Organisers describe the event as a multi-award-winning international fixture, with world class artists, strong facilities and a festival atmosphere that runs through the weekend. Further details are at rockwerchter.be.

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13th October 2026 0 comments
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COMMONER LEAD Credit Errick Easterday
New Releases

Commoner release new single Passerby ahead of debut album

written by Sam Warrenger

Phoenix emo and alternative band Commoner have released new single Passerby, the latest track from debut album Former Self, which arrives on 13 November 2026 via Pure Noise Records.

The band call Passerby an insistent, urgent rush. Singer Romin Mattison says the song has always had a more literal meaning for the group. “For me, the song is a way to send a personal message to someone I’ll never speak to again, a chance to express everything I once held back.”

Passerby is out now, with a video to watch alongside it. Former Self is available to pre-order now through Pure Noise, including on the label’s Bandcamp, where Cemetery Dogs and Sirens A Block Away are already streaming ahead of the full release.

The album is produced by long-time collaborator Zach Tuch. It looks back at the past while staying just as concerned with moving forward. The band say a former self could be a version of you from a decade ago, or from yesterday, and even in the six months since previous track Breach came out, their style has evolved.

They describe Breach as a stop-gap, an introduction, and a bridge between the past and the present. Former Self, somewhat ironically given its title, is a full-hearted representation of who Commoner are now.

Bassist Matthew Bryant says the record is as much about other people as it is about the band. “The album has a lot of themes of childhood and your own former self, but it also discusses how people around you have changed, and missing somebody else’s former self. We have songs that look back on how you yourself used to be back in the day, but we have songs about how everyone else has changed too.”

Mattison calls the debut a window of reflection. “Former Self is a window of reflection for each of our lives. For what it’s been and how we’ve learned to move forward. People change, situations change, life is full of it. As a band, we have always gravitated towards the works of bands who touch on moments of time as they are your own. Instances in which the experience has felt shared, rather than being preached. Our debut full length was a meditative piece for all of the members, and has allowed us to close a chapter in our writing that we had all felt needed conclusion.”

The ten-track album opens with Cobalt Blue, featuring UK band Split Chain, before Passerby. The full tracklisting is:

  1. Cobalt Blue (feat. Split Chain)
  2. Passerby
  3. In Reserve
  4. Cemetery Dogs
  5. Sparks
  6. Sirens A Block Away
  7. Runner Up
  8. Former Self
  9. As Cold As It Gets
  10. Appendix

A video for Cemetery Dogs is also out. The band previously said that track had to be the focus single for the record, because themes of losing the connection to an individual’s character you used to know are so apparent. “It’s a crushing thing to witness someone struggle so far beyond your ability to aid, and this track embodies that. This track sets the tone for Former Self, and the themes to follow.”

Commoner are vocalist Romin Mattison, bassist Matthew Bryant, guitarist Beto Marroquin and drummer Tyler Casillo. The Phoenix, Arizona band signed to Pure Noise around the release of Breach, which they said crystallised the sound they had been building towards. UK and European booking is handled by Matt Davies-Kreye.

Image credits: Errick Easterday
In this article:
Disclosures: TheFestivals is funded through advertising and sometimes earns a commission on purchases made through links on this website, including in this article: None

13th October 2026 0 comments
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Features

Core habits of a dependable and emotionally grounded boyfriend

written by Taylor Bradshaw

Sustaining a healthy relationship requires consistent intentionality rather than passive cohabitation. In many modern partnerships, men assume that fulfilling basic domestic obligations and avoiding active conflict is sufficient to keep romance thriving. However, genuine companionship demands emotional leadership and attentive care. When a partner observes a decline in thoughtful effort, unspoken resentment often begins to surface. True devotion is demonstrated by curating an environment of security, where emotional well-being is treated with equal priority to external ambitions. Replacing passive coexistence with conscious dedication transforms an ordinary routine into a resilient, mutually fulfilling alliance.

Prioritizing empathy and consistent everyday connection

Developing deeper intimacy requires moving past superficial demonstrations in favor of dependable daily consideration. Take Ryan and Claire, who had been dating for two years. Whenever Claire expressed stress regarding her graduate studies, Ryan previously responded with tactical study schedules, which inadvertently made Claire feel dismissed. Recognizing the issue, Ryan shifted his focus toward active listening, asking empathetic questions and offering simple words of encouragement. Demonstrating reliable devotion involves establishing several key supportive habits:

  • Attentive problem containment: Providing a calm, non-judgmental presence instead of lecturing a partner on how to solve complex challenges.
  • Anticipatory domestic support: Resolving minor logistical demands independently to alleviate unnecessary mental burdens from a partner’s day.
  • Attentive memory for details: Recalling small personal preferences, important dates, and specific topics that matter deeply to a loved one.
  • Lighthearted daily engagement: Introducing spontaneous questions and charming remarks that preserve romance amidst busy schedules.

Cultivating these supportive behaviors ensures that both partners feel appreciated and emotionally grounded. Those seeking tested ideas on balancing serious support with charming, romantic banter can read the full breakdown here, which explores practical techniques for infusing playfulness into established routines without losing genuine emotional depth.

Resolving disagreements through composure and shared respect

The long-term resilience of a partnership depends largely on how arguments are handled under stress. Men who resort to defensive stonewalling or reactionary remarks inevitably damage their partner’s sense of safety. Conversely, approaching conflicts with composed emotional stability allows both individuals to address concerns productively. Separating the immediate logistical issue from character evaluation prevents unnecessary hostility and fosters collaborative solutions. When a partner witnesses steadfast patience and clear personal accountability during difficult moments, mutual respect deepens, forming a durable foundation for enduring partnership.

12th October 2026 0 comments
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Features

Protecting Your Skin and Staying Comfortable During Outdoor Music Festivals

written by Taylor Bradshaw

Outdoor music festivals offer an exciting combination of live performances, social experiences, and memorable moments. Whether attending a weekend event in the countryside or spending an afternoon watching favorite artists perform, festivals provide an opportunity to enjoy entertainment outside familiar surroundings. However, spending long hours outdoors can also introduce challenges involving sun exposure, heat, dust, and skin irritation.

Festival environments often combine changing weather conditions with crowded spaces and limited access to everyday comforts. Without appropriate preparation, these factors can make an enjoyable experience physically uncomfortable.

Fortunately, protecting your skin and maintaining comfort doesn’t require an elaborate routine. Choosing suitable clothing, packing essential products, staying hydrated, and understanding how environmental conditions affect the body can make a significant difference. With a few practical habits, festivalgoers can concentrate on the music while reducing unnecessary discomfort.

Preparing Your Skin Before Spending Hours Outdoors

A comfortable festival experience begins with understanding how your skin responds to environmental exposure. Long periods in direct sunlight, combined with sweat, dust, and changing temperatures, can leave skin feeling dry, irritated, or unusually sensitive.

Before attending an outdoor event, it’s useful to review your existing skincare routine rather than introducing several unfamiliar products at once. Strong exfoliating acids, retinoids, and certain cosmetic treatments can cause irritation, particularly when skin is already sensitive.

Copper peptides are another ingredient attracting interest in contemporary skincare. Educational resources from PLU Laboratories examine the safety considerations surrounding GHK-Cu, a copper-binding peptide studied for its potential cosmetic applications. Understanding ingredient tolerance and the differences between topical formulations and experimental uses can help consumers make more informed skincare decisions.

For festival preparation, however, gentle products and reliable sun protection should remain the priorities. A lightweight moisturizer can help maintain skin comfort, while broad-spectrum sunscreen protects exposed areas from ultraviolet radiation.

Testing unfamiliar skincare products shortly before an event is generally best avoided, since unexpected irritation can be especially inconvenient when spending the day outdoors.

Sun Protection Should Be a Festival Essential

Outdoor festivals frequently involve several hours of exposure to sunlight, especially when performances begin in the afternoon. Even when temperatures feel moderate or clouds are present, ultraviolet radiation can still affect exposed skin.

Broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is a practical starting point. Apply it generously before heading outdoors and reapply approximately every two hours, or more frequently after swimming or heavy sweating according to product instructions.

Areas such as the ears, neck, shoulders, and tops of the feet are easy to overlook, particularly when wearing summer clothing.

Clothing provides another layer of protection. Lightweight long-sleeved garments, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses with ultraviolet protection can help reduce direct exposure.

Seeking shade between performances also offers an opportunity to cool down and take a break from crowded viewing areas.

Sun protection shouldn’t depend entirely on sunscreen. Combining protective clothing, shade, and appropriate application habits provides a more reliable approach during extended outdoor events.

Choosing Clothing That Supports Comfort and Movement

Festival clothing often reflects personal style, music preferences, and the atmosphere of the event. However, practical considerations are just as important as appearance when spending several hours standing, walking, and moving through crowds.

Breathable materials can help manage heat and perspiration. Loose-fitting clothing may feel more comfortable in warm conditions, especially when combined with lightweight layers that can be adjusted as temperatures change.

Footwear deserves particular attention. Music festivals often involve uneven ground, long walking distances, and extended periods of standing.

Supportive shoes that have already been worn comfortably are generally a better choice than unfamiliar footwear purchased specifically for the event.

Socks made from suitable moisture-managing materials can also help reduce friction and discomfort.

Weather conditions should influence clothing decisions. A compact waterproof jacket may be useful during unpredictable weather, while an additional layer can provide warmth after sunset.

The best festival outfit allows freedom of movement while supporting comfort throughout the day.

Managing Hydration and Heat During Long Performances

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Heat exposure is one of the most important considerations at outdoor music events. Crowded areas, physical activity, and direct sunlight can increase body temperature and fluid loss.

Drinking water regularly helps replace fluids lost through perspiration. Many festivals provide refill stations, making a reusable bottle a practical accessory when permitted by event rules.

Waiting until intense thirst develops isn’t always the best approach, especially during hot weather or prolonged activity.

Eating regular meals and taking breaks also support comfort. Extended periods without food, particularly when combined with heat and physical exertion, may contribute to fatigue.

Festivalgoers should recognize warning signs of heat-related illness, including dizziness, headache, nausea, unusual weakness, and confusion.

Moving to a cooler area, reducing physical activity, and seeking assistance when symptoms develop are important precautions. Severe symptoms require urgent medical attention.

Alcohol consumption can further complicate hydration and judgment, making moderation and awareness especially important during hot outdoor events.

Keeping Skin Clean in Dusty and Crowded Environments

Outdoor festivals can expose attendees to dust, sweat, and environmental particles that accumulate on the skin throughout the day.

This is particularly noticeable at events held on dry fields or unpaved grounds, where movement through crowds can increase airborne dust.

A simple hygiene routine can help maintain comfort without requiring extensive skincare products.

Hand sanitizer is useful when handwashing facilities aren’t immediately available, although soap and water are preferable when hands are visibly dirty.

Gentle cleansing wipes may help remove surface dirt during the day, but heavily fragranced products can irritate sensitive skin.

Avoid touching the face unnecessarily, especially after handling shared equipment or contacting dusty surfaces.

After returning home, washing away sweat, sunscreen, and accumulated dirt with a suitable cleanser can help restore comfort.

A moisturizer may also be useful if skin feels dry following prolonged exposure to outdoor conditions.

Planning for Changing Weather and Personal Needs

Festival weather can change quickly, particularly during events lasting several days. Bright sunshine may be followed by rain, wind, or unexpectedly cool evening temperatures.

Checking the forecast before leaving helps determine which protective items are worth carrying.

A small festival bag can hold sunscreen, water, essential medication, a compact rain layer, and basic hygiene supplies.

People with sensitive skin, allergies, or existing medical conditions may need additional preparation. Keeping necessary medication accessible and identifying onsite medical facilities can reduce uncertainty.

Rest is equally important. Trying to attend every performance without breaks can increase fatigue and make the experience less enjoyable.

Choosing a comfortable place to sit between sets allows time to recover while still enjoying the festival atmosphere.

Enjoying Festivals Without Overcomplicating Your Routine

Preparing for an outdoor music festival doesn’t mean carrying an excessive collection of products or following a strict schedule. A few well-chosen essentials can address the most common sources of discomfort.

Reliable sunscreen, comfortable clothing, supportive footwear, regular hydration, and appropriate hygiene habits provide a practical foundation.

It’s also important to remain flexible. Changing weather, unexpected crowds, and long waiting periods may require adjustments throughout the day.

Ultimately, outdoor festivals should be remembered for their performances, friendships, and shared experiences rather than preventable discomfort.

By preparing for environmental conditions and paying attention to personal needs, festivalgoers can protect their skin, maintain comfort, and make the most of the music and atmosphere around them.

12th October 2026 0 comments
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Features

How Festivals Are Giving People More Ways to Recharge Between Sets

written by Taylor Bradshaw

Festivals are no longer built entirely around the idea that people should move from one stage to another without stopping. As events have become longer and more immersive, organisers have started paying more attention to what happens between performances.

That has created more space for shaded seating, quieter areas, wellness activities, food zones and places where people can simply sit down for a while. These additions may not be as visible as the headline acts, but they can make a major difference during a long day.

The shift reflects something simple: people enjoy festivals more when they are not exhausted by the middle of the afternoon. Giving visitors ways to pause, cool down and reset can help them stay longer and enjoy more of the programme.

Recovery Spaces Are Becoming Part of the Experience

One of the most noticeable changes is the rise of designated areas built around rest rather than entertainment.

Some events now include wellness tents, stretching areas, shaded lounges or spaces inspired by spa and recovery culture. That wider interest in heat-based relaxation can lead people to explore home options such as a finnmark sauna for sale after encountering similar ideas in other settings, but at festivals the broader appeal is simply having somewhere to slow down between intense periods of music and activity.

These areas work because they offer contrast. After an hour in a crowded stage area, even a quieter seat and some shade can feel valuable.

Shade Has Become More Important

Heat can change the entire festival experience.

Open fields, large crowds and long periods in direct sun can make even a relatively mild day feel demanding. That is why shade is becoming a more important part of event design.

Covered seating, tents and naturally shaded areas give people somewhere to recover without leaving the site.

They also encourage visitors to pace themselves rather than trying to stay in the busiest areas all day.

A short break out of the sun can make the next set feel much more enjoyable, especially during events that run from early afternoon until late at night.

Food Areas Are Becoming Places to Stay

Festival food zones used to be mainly functional: buy something, eat it quickly and return to the music.

That is changing.

Many events now create larger dining areas with seating, lighting and enough space for people to remain there for a while. This turns a meal into a genuine break rather than another rushed part of the day.

It also helps distribute crowds.

If everyone is moving directly between major stages, congestion becomes worse. Comfortable food areas give visitors another reason to spread across the site.

That benefits both the audience and the overall flow of the event.

Quiet Zones Offer a Break From Constant Stimulation

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Festivals are exciting partly because so much is happening at once, but that same intensity can become tiring.

Music, crowds, screens, lights and conversations create almost continuous stimulation.

Quiet zones provide a different type of break.

They may include softer seating, lower sound levels or simply enough distance from the main stages to let people reset.

This can be particularly useful at multi-day festivals, where the challenge is not only surviving one long afternoon but maintaining energy across several days.

A calmer area gives people the opportunity to return to the music feeling refreshed rather than overwhelmed.

Movement and Stretching Are Becoming More Common

Standing and walking for hours can create its own kind of fatigue.

Some festivals now include yoga sessions, mobility classes or informal stretching areas, especially earlier in the day.

These activities are not necessarily aimed at serious fitness.

Their value is in helping people move differently after long periods of standing, sitting on the ground or carrying bags around the site.

Even a few minutes of stretching can make the rest of the day feel easier.

The popularity of these sessions also shows how festivals are expanding beyond a simple performance schedule into a broader lifestyle experience.

Better Hydration Makes Pacing Easier

Water access may be one of the least glamorous parts of festival planning, but it has a major impact on how people feel.

More events now provide refill stations, clearer signage and easier access to drinking water throughout the site.

That encourages visitors to hydrate before they feel exhausted or overheated.

It also supports the broader idea of pacing the day.

People are more likely to take regular breaks when water stations, seating and shaded areas are located conveniently rather than hidden at the edge of the venue.

Small infrastructure decisions can therefore influence how comfortably visitors manage the entire event.

Festivals Are Becoming More About the Whole Day

The traditional model of a festival focused almost entirely on the stages.

That is changing as organisers recognise that visitors experience the entire site, not just the performances.

Where people sit, eat, cool down and recover all affect how they remember the event.

Providing more ways to recharge does not make festivals less energetic. It often allows people to enjoy the energetic parts for longer.

A good festival day now includes natural pauses alongside the big moments.

That balance is especially valuable at multi-day events, where conserving energy can matter just as much as choosing which sets to see.

The result is a festival experience that feels less like an endurance test and more like a full day people can enjoy at their own pace.

9th October 2026 0 comments
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Features

What Actually Helps You Pace Yourself at a Multi-Day Festival

written by Taylor Bradshaw

Multi-day festivals can be some of the most memorable events of the year, but they are also surprisingly demanding. Long hours on your feet, irregular meals, heat, late nights and constant stimulation can quickly catch up with you.

The biggest mistake is treating the first day as though it is the only one that matters. It is easy to arrive excited, stay out too late and use up most of your energy before the festival has properly begun. By the second or third day, even walking between stages can start to feel like work.

Pacing yourself does not mean taking the fun out of the experience. It means making a few practical choices that allow you to enjoy more of it. Sleep, food, hydration, downtime and realistic planning all matter. The aim is to finish the weekend with good memories rather than feeling as though you simply survived it.

Avoid Turning the First Night Into a Test of Endurance

The first evening often creates the strongest temptation to overdo everything.

Everyone has just arrived, the atmosphere feels new and there is a natural urge to stay out as long as possible. For adults who want to understand different cannabis consumption methods before a trip or event, comparisons such as bong vs blunt can explain how the two approaches differ and what each involves. That kind of information is better considered in advance than in the middle of a crowded festival.

A much better strategy is to keep the first night relatively controlled.

See the acts you care about, enjoy the atmosphere and leave enough energy for the following morning.

Multi-day events reward people who think beyond the next few hours.

Support Focus With Basic Routines First

By day two or three, mental tiredness can become almost as noticeable as sore legs.

Late nights, constant noise and disrupted sleep can make concentration feel slower. For people who are already exploring nutrition and mushroom-based products to support focus, resources on mushrooms for brain fog can provide useful context on how certain mushroom varieties are commonly discussed in relation to mental clarity.

Sleep when you realistically can. Eat something substantial before relying on snacks. Drink water regularly and give yourself short periods away from crowds and loud music.

No single drink, food or supplement can compensate for three nights of very little rest.

Treat anything additional as a supporting choice rather than a substitute for the basics.

Plan Around Your Must-See Acts

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Trying to see everything is one of the fastest ways to exhaust yourself.

Most festival schedules contain clashes anyway, so decide which performances genuinely matter before the day begins.

Build the rest of the plan around those.

If your most important artist is playing late at night, there is little benefit in spending the entire afternoon crossing the site repeatedly just because other stages are active.

Leaving open periods in the schedule gives you time to eat, sit down or discover something unexpected without constantly watching the clock.

A festival should still feel spontaneous.

A few priorities provide structure without turning the weekend into a military operation.

Eat Before You Become Desperately Hungry

Festival food can be expensive, queues can be long and meal times rarely follow a normal schedule.

Waiting until you are completely hungry usually leads to whatever option is closest rather than what will actually keep you going.

Eat when there is a reasonable opportunity.

A proper breakfast or early meal can make the first half of the day much easier, while portable snacks can fill the gaps between larger meals.

Try to include food with enough substance to last for several hours rather than relying entirely on sweets or highly processed snacks.

It is also worth learning where quieter food areas are located so every meal does not involve standing in the longest queue on the site.

Treat Water and Shade as Part of the Schedule

Hydration is easy to forget when music, crowds and travel between stages are competing for attention.

Do not wait until you feel extremely thirsty.

If the venue provides water refill points, learn where they are early and use them whenever you pass one rather than making a separate trip later.

Hot weather makes shade just as important.

Ten or fifteen minutes sitting somewhere cooler can make the rest of the afternoon much more manageable. Hats, sunscreen and light clothing can also reduce how quickly the heat becomes exhausting.

These choices are not glamorous, but they are often what determine whether the third day still feels enjoyable.

Build in Real Downtime

A festival creates constant stimulation.

Music, crowds, conversation, lights and movement continue for hours, and even people who love that atmosphere can eventually feel overloaded.

Find small moments where nothing is happening.

Sit somewhere quieter, return to accommodation for an hour if practical or simply step away from the busiest areas.

Downtime should not be treated as wasted festival time.

It is often what allows the next part of the day to feel exciting again rather than exhausting.

The best multi-day festival experience is rarely the one where every available minute is filled.

It is the one where energy lasts.

Pacing the first night, eating before hunger becomes a problem, staying hydrated and accepting that you cannot see everything all help protect the rest of the weekend.

A festival is a marathon disguised as a party. The people who enjoy the whole thing are usually the ones who remember that from the start.

9th October 2026 0 comments
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Features

A Guide to Combining Music, Food, and Nightlife in Shoreditch

written by Taylor Bradshaw

Shoreditch is not the kind of place you visit for just one thing, and most people figure that out on their first night here. You come for a gig. You stay for dinner, then a drink, then another drink somewhere you hadn’t planned on at all.

It happens to almost everyone. You tell yourself you’ll just buy concert tickets, catch the band and head straight home. But the streets have other ideas. So it helps to think about the whole evening in advance, not rigidly, but just enough to know where you’ll eat and roughly where you might end up afterwards.

Pick Your Venue First

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The music usually decides everything else. A 7 p.m. show at a record shop and a club night that doesn’t kick off until midnight are two completely different evenings, and they need different plans.

Village Underground

As soon as you step onto Holywell Lane, look up. Tube carriages, which are nowadays rented out to bands as studios, are sitting on top of Village Underground. The building itself is an old Victorian warehouse. It has been running as a concert venue for almost 20 years. 

Inside, it’s all bare brick and high arches. Every week, you can catch a live band, a club night, or an art show. While it may feel strange the first time you walk in, it all adds to the local atmosphere.

XOYO

Up near Old Street, XOYO on Cowper Street has been going since 2010 and is best known for its residencies, where a single DJ takes over for several weeks running. That setup is actually useful when you are planning ahead, since if your first-choice show sells out, there is a good chance the same artist will be back the following weekend.

Rough Trade East

Some nights you do not want to be out until 3 a.m., and that is perfectly fine. Rough Trade East, inside the Old Truman Brewery on Dray Walk, is one of London’s best independent record shops and puts on free in-store sets and signings fairly regularly. Check the listings before you go, because an afternoon of flicking through vinyl here has a way of turning into a small, oddly intimate gig before you even notice.

Eating Well Before the Gig

How much time you have matters more than what kind of food you are after. If doors open early, you want somewhere quick and reliable. If you have got a couple of hours to spare, you can take your time and probably order more than you should.

Dishoom

Ask almost anyone where to eat a proper meal in this part of London and Dishoom on Boundary Street will come up. It draws on the old Irani cafés of Bombay and has been doing it well since 2012. 

Order the black daal. It is cooked for hours and is the kind of thing people still mention afterwards. On a Friday or Saturday you will probably queue, but it moves faster than it looks, and there is a bar where you can wait with a drink in hand.

Brick Lane on a Budget

Short on time or cash, walk over to Brick Lane. Beigel Bake is open around the clock and a salt beef bagel with mustard costs almost nothing. The street also has a solid run of curry houses, and Boxpark Shoreditch, built from repurposed shipping containers right next to the station, has a handful of street food stalls if you need to make a quick decision.

Drinks, Hidden Doors, and Late Finishes

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Callooh Callay

If you have time for only one cocktail bar, go to Callooh Callay on Rivington Street. The front bar is easy to settle into, relaxed and never trying too hard. What most people remember, though, is the wardrobe at the back. Step through it, and you find a smaller, quieter room that many first-time visitors walk right past without noticing.

The menu changes sometimes, but the focus always stays on well-made drinks. Once you have had your fill, Hoxton Square and Great Eastern Street are both close, and something is always still open.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

Getting here is straightforward. Shoreditch High Street is on the London Overground and Old Street is on the Northern line, both within easy walking distance of everything mentioned above. On Friday and Saturday nights the Overground now runs through the night, so getting home has become far less of a problem than it used to be.

Weekends fill up fast, so book what you can, gigs especially, and do not write off weeknights, which tend to be cheaper and noticeably calmer. If you are still around on Sunday morning, Columbia Road Flower Market and the Sunday UpMarket at the Old Truman Brewery are both close by, best done slowly with a coffee and no particular hurry.

9th October 2026 0 comments
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Festival News

Bananarama to headline Live at Lincoln Castle

written by Sam Warrenger
Bananarama Lincoln Castle banner

Bananarama will headline Live at Lincoln Castle on Saturday 19 June 2027, with special guests Tony Hadley and Altered Images. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday via lincolncastle.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

The date is part of the band’s Too Hot To Handle Greatest Hits Summer Tour, a run of headline shows that also includes dates announced today at Llangollen Pavilion and Cardiff Castle. Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward will bring a career spanning set of 80s hits to the castle grounds, with Tony Hadley and Altered Images completing the bill.

Announcing the shows, Sara Dallin said: “Summer 2027 we are so ready for you! We can’t wait to perform all of our biggest hit singles and bring the Bananarama party to some of the UK’s most brilliant outdoor venues!”

Keren Woodward added: “We promise a night of real 80s nostalgia and along with our special guests, guarantee an evening that will have everyone dancing and singing along!”

Bananarama are the latest artists announced for Live at Lincoln Castle 2027, which will also include headline shows from Kaiser Chiefs, Jack Savoretti and James Morrison, Ronan Keating, Holly Johnson, and Alfie Boe. More dates and artists are still to be confirmed.

The concerts are presented through an ongoing partnership between Lincolnshire County Council and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor. Cuffe and Taylor promoter Mark Harrison said the bill “really does have something for everyone”, adding that it will be “another brilliant summer night of live music, with plenty of big songs and, no doubt, plenty of dancing too.”

TONY HADLEY
Tony Hadley

Lincoln Castle manager Kimberley Vickers called the show “a fantastic addition to next summer’s line-up” and promised “more amazing announcements are on the way”. “Take some of the biggest floor-filling anthems of the past four decades and add one of the most incredible historic venues in the country, and it’s sure to be Love In The First Degree,” she said.

This summer Bananarama marked 40 years since the release of their studio album True Confessions, with a special anniversary edition reaching number six in the UK album chart. The band hold the Guinness World Record for the highest number of chart entries by an all-female group, have sold more than 30 million records, and have scored 10 UK top 10 hits, including Cruel Summer, Venus, Love In The First Degree, Nathan Jones, Robert De Niro’s Waiting and I Heard A Rumour.

The 2024 release of Glorious: The Ultimate Collection marked more than 40 years of chart success for lifelong friends Dallin and Woodward. This summer they are also due to join Scissor Sisters as special guests at Heritage Live at Audley End on Thursday 6 August 2026.

CLARE GROGAN
Clare Grocan

Joining them in Lincoln is Tony Hadley, whose voice helped define Spandau Ballet hits including True, Gold, Only When You Leave and Through the Barricades. Opening the night are Scottish new wave favourites Altered Images, fronted by Clare Grogan, with hits including Happy Birthday, I Could Be Happy and Don’t Talk to Me About Love.

Built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Lincoln Castle is owned and operated by Lincolnshire County Council. More information is at lincolncastle.com.

Live at Lincoln Castle 2027

  • Saturday 12 June: Kaiser Chiefs + White Lies
  • Sunday 13 June: Jack Savoretti and James Morrison
  • Thursday 17 June: Ronan Keating + Blue + Germein Sisters
  • Saturday 19 June: Bananarama + Tony Hadley + Altered Images
  • Saturday 26 June: Holly Johnson + Haircut 100 + Toyah
  • Sunday 27 June: Alfie Boe + Gravity

More dates and artists are to be confirmed.

5th October 2026 0 comments
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Line-up

Bananarama to headline Llangollen and Cardiff Castle

written by Sam Warrenger
BANANARAMA
Bananarama

Bananarama will bring their Too Hot To Handle Greatest Hits Summer Tour to Wales next summer, headlining Live at Llangollen Pavilion on Sunday 4 July before a Depot Live date at Cardiff Castle on Saturday 10 July. Special guests Tony Hadley and Altered Images will join them on both nights.

The shows are part of a run of UK headline dates for the duo, Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward. Tickets go on sale at 10am this Friday via llangollen.net, depotlive.co.uk/bananarama and Ticketmaster.

Sara Dallin said: “Summer 2027 we are so ready for you! We can’t wait to perform all of our biggest hit singles and bring the Bananarama party to some of the UK’s most brilliant outdoor venues!”

Keren Woodward added: “We promise a night of real 80s nostalgia and along with our special guests, guarantee an evening that will have everyone dancing and singing along!”

The Welsh dates follow a summer in which Bananarama marked 40 years since the release of their landmark album True Confessions, with a special anniversary edition reaching number six in the UK album chart. The group hold the Guinness World Record for the highest number of chart entries by an all-female group, a record also noted when they were confirmed as special guests for Scissor Sisters at Audley End this August.

With more than 30 million records sold and 10 UK Top 10 hits, the set is expected to draw on a catalogue that includes Cruel Summer, Venus, Love In The First Degree, Nathan Jones, Robert De Niro’s Waiting and I Heard A Rumour. Their 2024 release Glorious: The Ultimate Collection marked more than 40 years of chart success for the lifelong friends, who have continued as a duo since the early 1990s.

TONY HADLEY
Tony Hadley

Tony Hadley, frontman of New Romantic pioneers Spandau Ballet, will join both bills. His hits with the band include True, Gold, Only When You Leave and Through the Barricades, alongside a long solo career. Opening the nights will be Scottish new wave favourites Altered Images, fronted by Clare Grogan, whose hits include Happy Birthday, I Could Be Happy and Don’t Talk to Me About Love.

The Llangollen show is part of an ongoing partnership between the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor. Artistic Director Dave Danford said the booking “adds another very different flavour for 2027” and that bringing the three acts together “adds even more variety to an already wide-ranging programme”. The Pavilion bill already includes Holly Johnson at Llangollen on Sunday 27 June, with Haircut 100 and Toyah.

The Cardiff Castle date is presented by DEPOT Live and Cuffe and Taylor. DEPOT Live founder Nick Saunders said: “Where better than the magnificent setting of Cardiff Castle than to enjoy a night with three legends of the 80s and beyond. This will be a brilliant night of music and nostalgia creating the perfect party atmosphere, and Cardiff certainly knows how to party!”

Over in England, Bananarama, Tony Hadley and Altered Images have today been announced for a show at Lincoln Castle on Saturday 19th June.

CLARE GROGAN
Clare Grogan

Live at Llangollen Pavilion 2027 so far

  • Friday 25 June: James Morrison and Jack Savoretti
  • Saturday 26 June: Alfie Boe + Gravity
  • Sunday 27 June: Holly Johnson + Haircut 100 + Toyah
  • Thursday 1 July: Ronan Keating + Blue + Germein Sisters
  • Sunday 4 July: Bananarama + Tony Hadley + Altered Images

The Eisteddfod’s own programme then includes Llangollen 80: Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra on Thursday 8 July, and the Llangollen 80 Anniversary Gala Concert on Saturday 10 July. More dates are still to be confirmed. Since 1947 the Eisteddfod has welcomed more than 4,000 performers a year to the Dee Valley, and since 2025 the team has also run Llangollen Pavilion year-round. Past names on the stage include Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras and Dame Shirley Bassey.

Depot Live at Cardiff Castle 2027 so far

  • Thursday 24 June: Jack Savoretti and James Morrison
  • Saturday 10 July: Bananarama + Tony Hadley + Altered Images

Ronan Keating, Blue and the Germein Sisters are also booked for Depot Live at Cardiff Castle on Friday 9 July, with further dates still to be confirmed. More information is at llangollen.net, depotlive.co.uk and Ticketmaster.

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5th October 2026 0 comments
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