The El Dorado Festival is back for its sixth edition and after such a long hiatus, it’s bigger and better than ever!
This year, the festival will be taking place from Thursday 30th June to Sunday 3rd July and there really is something for everyone: whether you’re a fan of theatre, music, dance, or just having a good time, El Dorado has you covered.
Here are five things we’re looking forward to at this year’s festival!
Vice City
This year, along with several fantastic main stages, El Dorado will be introducing Vice City, a brand new immersive theatrical area. Vice City consist of one street with 6 different stage areas; Blue Tit Salon; Good Life Hotel; Motel Dorado; The Diner; Sue Veneers; and The Boudoir. The concepts for each of these stages are all unique and new for 2022.
It’s nearly too hard to work out which is the most exciting as they’re all so full of character, but my personal favourite is the Sue Veneers stage, which is described as “El Dorado’s brand new queer dancing hotspot” and a “Steamy laser-pit discotheque”.
But check out the descriptions for each one on the El Dorado website and decide which one you’re most looking forward to for yourself.
With live music, art installations and plenty of photo opportunities, this is definitely one to look out for! And it’s not just the six stages of Vice City, this year’s El Dorado will be packed with multiple themed arenas and dozens of immersive stages, hide-outs and side shows!
The Earth Wind & Fire Experience
Earth Wind & Fire are one of the most iconic bands of all time. Having split from the group after being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, their legendary guitarist Al McKay now tours with The Earth Wind & Fire Experience.
With a back catalogue comprising massive hits such as ‘September’ and ‘Boogie Wonderland’, they’re sure to get everyone up on their feet and dancing along.
Fancy Dress
Another exciting aspect of El Dorado’s Festival is the fancy dress theme! At this festival, you’ll be able to let your creativity flow with a “superstyling” superhero theme on Saturday. Participants are actively encouraged to put their own twist on the classic superhero theme, make the costumes as unique and outlandish as possible and think of their own superpowers to fit their personalities. The possibilities are endless.
The theme on Sunday is Gold, in an attempt to embrace the legacy of the festival, as El Dorado translates directly to “The golden one” in Spanish. This is a sure way to bring the shine and sparkle out of even the most hungover festival goer on the last day of the festival.
So get your costumes ready and join in the fun!
Riot Jazz Brass Band
Make sure to check out Riot Jazz Brass Band, playing at the garden stage on Sunday. I saw these guys in Bristol earlier this year and they really bought the house down. They’re an 11-piece brass band from Manchester that mixes hip hop, grime and jazz to create a truly unique sound
With a fantastic repertoire of their own songs, and covers such as Britney’s infamous “Toxic” we thought we’d add these guys as ones to watch out for if you’re looking for skilled musicians, funky tunes and good vibes.
Björn Again
Last but not least, we have Björn Again! They’re an ABBA tribute band who are sure to get everyone singing along to classics such as ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Waterloo’. In fact, Benny Andersson of the original ABBA once said: “Björn Again are the closest you can get to seeing ABBA. ABBA will never reform!”
We caught these guys at Glastonbury 2019 opening the pyramid stage and the energy that they bought to the stage was insane and enough to sustain us throughout the day. We are sure that after two years of limited gig opportunities, and in a more intimate venue, they are likely to be just as electric if not more so. Another reason to check out the garden stage on Sunday (as if you need one).
These are just a few of the highlights, there are so many more amazing artists and elements to this gem of a festival that mean that we can’t wait to go out and experience all the hard work that’s gone into this year’s El Dorado. See you there! :)
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