Billboard Magazine – 8th June 2010

CMU Daily – 21st June 2010

•   2nd Annual AIF Survey Reveals That UK Festival Market Remains Strong
•   AIF Festival Goers To Contribute More Than £130M To UK Economy This Year

The continued and vital contribution of UK festivals to the British economy has been demonstrated once again by this year’s survey of more than 4,700 festival goers undertaken by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF). Despite the worst recession in decades the UK Festival market has shown itself to be remarkably buoyant as Britons love affair with partying al fresco shows little sign of abating.

Whilst 44.4% of those surveyed said that the recession has affected how much they spend on festivals this compares favourably to the 59.4% who say the recession has affected how much they spend on all other types of entertainment.

With 24 members ranging from boutique festivals such as Standon Calling through to world famous events such as Creamfields and Bestival, around 350,000 people will attend AIF member festivals this year (up from 340,000 in 2009).  In all they will inject more than £130M into the UK economy with over £12M directly funnelled to local businesses.

This year over 69% of those attending festivals will spend 3 or more days in the local area of the festival, up from 60% last year. Those attending WOMAD will stay the longest with 48.8% prepared to spend 4 or more days in the local area.

The total spend of a festival goer this year totals £346 including ticket, with those attending Camp Bestival the biggest spenders with an average of £532 average per person.

Once again the survey has demonstrated that festivals are much more than just a big outside gig, with over 50% of respondents stating that it is the “General atmosphere and overall vibe, quality and character of the event” which is the main draw. “Music generally” was the second deciding factor in picking a festival with 28.3%, whilst the choice of headliners only polled 11.9%.

Once at the festival 43% of respondents will spend 60 – 79% of time watching music. Reflecting the wide range of entertainment on offer, those attending Secret Garden Party and Camp Bestival spend the least time watching bands with 73.8% and 67.2% of audience spending less than half their time doing so.

The survey also looked at the mode of transportation festival goers use to get to the festival of their choice and once again, ‘By Car’ remains the most popular choice, with 44.5% travelling by car with 3 or more people.

Importantly for those looking to reduce the festival market’s carbon footprint 50.1% said that “a discount on public transport ticket” would encourage them to travel this way.

Claire O’Neill, AIF General Manager - "It is good to see that for another year despite an overall economic downturn independent festival continue to make a great contribution both nationally and locally. Of course, this survey further cements the knowledge that festivals offer a many entertainments and attractions aside from music, and that is the experience as a whole that so many people love.It is a shame that most people are still driving to festivals, however it was interesting to read many suggestions that a "fast track" queue for coach ticket holders would be an incentive to leave the car at home."

Lucy wood, Field day, "Being a one day event in the city, most people coming to Field Day don't need to spend much money on accommodation or travel, so it's still proving a popular option as ever during these financially straightened times."

 A row over the massive escalation in policing costs at festivals is brewing between music promoters and the police after newly available documents reveal the controversial methods forces are using to calculate their bills.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has drawn up guidelines suggesting the cost of policing should be set at £55 per hour, per officer for festivals, which it believes pose a greater risk to the public safety than any other outdoor event, including football matches.

The result is that the majority of summer festivals have seen their policing costs at least double over the past few years – one festival saw its bill rise from £12,500 last year to nearly £30,000 this year – without any breakdown from ACPO as to why the increases have arisen and no right of appeal for the promoters.

Some festivals have even gone under or are struggling: last year’s Big Green Gathering festival was cancelled at the 11th hour after organisers were presented with an unexpectedly large policing bill.

However, it has now been revealed that the controversial ACPO policy means festivals, irrespective of their size, are being charged the maximum overtime rate plus administration fees. The travel time and even pension costs for officers are also being factored into the bill.

One angry promoter suggests if the £55 per hour figure is used as a basis for an annual salary then the “average copper” would earn £100,000. “That patently isn’t the case,” he says. “So it appears that Chief Constables are profiteering on events that many people think they should be policing in the course of their ordinary activities anyway.”

ACPO’s charging policy only came to light after the police chiefs’ body forwarded its 46-pages of draft guidance notes, appropriately entitled Paying The Bill, to the Department for Culture Media and Sport, which in turn asked key stakeholders, including promoters, to provide feedback.

“We are very alarmed at the overarching reach of this document that appears to class all music festivals as one, no matter what their size, location or history,” says Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) chairman Alison Wenham.

“ACPO seem to suggest that football matches represent a much lesser risk to the public than music festivals and that’s just a very blunt assumption as far as we are concerned.”

The ACPO document prompts forces to use a decision matrix – based on a range of issues and how difficult they expect an event will be to police – to calculate scores that help determine how they will be charged (see table above).

Thus, the Pop Concert category notches up a total score of 60 after totting up scores attributed to promoter involvement, a need for a licence, use of stewards, paid performers and other factors.

This is the highest total of any of the nine events listed by ACPO, with football matches scoring just 47 points, 35 points for a local authority event and 25 for a Lord Mayor’s parade.

“It’s hard to see how something like the Eden Sessions or Cornbury, where the under-12s and over-70s get in free, pose the same sort of risk as, say, an all-night dance event or rave, but that’s what ACPO is suggesting and it could really endanger a number of boutique festivals,” says Wenham.

Loud Sound director Jim King, who produces events such as Creamfields, Bestival and Rockness, says although he has “some sympathy” for the police wanting to produce more consistent guidelines on policing costs he believes what they are proposing for festivals is to charge for a police officer under overtime rules. “This is the most expensive way possible,” says King. “If you look at events that have been established for five years or more, then surely the police should incorporate these regular events into their annual planning rather than having officers on overtime rates.”

With no right of appeal on policing charges, some promoters are furious that, while it appears police are commercialising their services, individual forces refuse to negotiate on costs.

Leeds Festival won a high-profile court case against West Yorkshire Police over costs in 2006 and since then every police force now insists that promoters sign a form requesting Special Police Services for their event. One promoter claims if a promoter doesn’t sign, the police will raise fundamental objections to the local authority and they won’t get an event licence.

“But if police force A doesn’t have drugs dogs, why shouldn’t the promoter be able to speak to police force B to negotiate a price with them, rather than the fait accompli where the two forces agree a price behind closed doors,” he says, adding that private firms could be used, as they are by the Home Office firms to run security at prisons, courts and airports. “Why can’t private firms be used for certain aspects at a festival? The £55 an hour rate is approaching four times the cost of a trained security guard, but police simply won’t entertain a conversation about bringing in private sector contractors.”

Promoters are also facing difficulties in budgeting and financial planning because the police are under no obligation to provide a breakdown of their charges to a promoter by any deadline.

King suggests there should be a clear timescale for police to provide both a breakdown of their costs and their staffing plan. He says that would preferably be in the same 60-day period from when the event management plan is submitted to the council until its licence approval.

He explains, “Imposing costs with officer rates this high will become a massive barrier to entry for new events to our industry. A lack of new promoters with new events and ideas will cause the industry serious problems in the medium and long term.”

An ACPO spokesman claims nothing has been decided yet and that individual forces can still set their own cost rates and deal with each event on its own merit. AIF is now calling on ACPO to open discussions with stakeholders so that a more structured policy can be drawn up to ensure fairer methodology for all events.

4th May 2010

Original article Music Week

Spiralling police bills have taken their first summer scalp with Glade forced to cancel its July event after its security costs more than quadrupled.

The policing costs issue, recently highlighted in MW, is now threatening the whole summer festival season, although the boutique festival’s organisers are vowing to come back – probably in a new location – at some point in the future.

Glade promoter Nick Ladd says that last year’s policing costs were £29,000. But this year the opening offer by Hampshire Police was £175,000 for police, £20,000 for security and £10,000 for stewards, plus CCTV throughout the festival site.

After a fight, the bill for the seven-year-old event was finally reduced to £90,000 for the police and £20,000 for security, £10,000 for stewards plus the CCTV – £150,000 in total and more than a 400% increase on what Glade paid last year effectively making the independent event untenable.

Ladd adds, “We are a small event. We sold 11,000 tickets last year, so putting things into context, the policing bill was going to cost us more per head than we spend on music.”

The police’s handling of festival costs emerged last month with the Association of Chief Police Officers recommending that individual forces treat music festivals as a significant risk to the public.

The ACPO report, titled Paying The Bill, also includes guidance on estimating the cost of police time and advocates that officers be paid maximum overtime, plus pension payments, admin costs and travel time, which could amount to more than £55 per hour per constable.

Association of Independent Festival’s chairman Alison Wenham says, “Glade has worked with the police for years and [have just been] notified about the increase, but these guys (the police) don’t have room to negotiate.”

“It is non-negotiable and they don’t have any right for an appeal,” adds Wenham, who is critical that the police now grade festivals as potentially more troublesome than football crowds or other outdoor events.

Crucially, Wenham says the hike in police costs robs the summer circuit of another important festival and worries for the future of the sector.

“My experience of indie festivals is that they are much like indie labels: the rationale is to make great music available. It is not about making vast amounts of money,” adds Wenham.

Ladd says he is not the only one frustrated by the attitude of Hampshire Police, which he accuses of delaying meetings over the planned July 15-18 event. “The local council were with us all the way and were fighting with us against the police because they can see the benefits that Glade brought to the community and local economy,” he says.

Ladd adds there were no council objections and last year the police praised Glade for a well-run festival with low crime figures.

He says, “Including staff, artists and ticket holders, there were 16,000 people on site and we had just 70 reported crimes, 60 of which were caused by a gang targeting Vauxhall Novas in the car park on one night because they knew how to get into that model of car.”

Glade had hoped to see sets by Orbital, Simian Mobile Disco and Tricky this year.

Hampshire Police did not return calls. 

Music Week Online - 11:02 | Monday May 17, 2010

• Campaign Pairs UK Festivals With Likeminded Events From Around The World

• Participating Festivals To Help Promote and Market Their ‘Twin’

• Initiative Follows Successful VisitBritain Partnership In 2009

1^st March 2010: The Association of Independent Festivals has today launched a new initiative, AIF Twin Festivals: A Cultural Exchange, which partners the UK’s leading independent festivals with their counterparts abroad.

Based on the twin towns concept, festivals will be paired with likeminded and similarly structured festivals from countries from around the world. Participating festivals will help promote their twin’s festival locally, be encouraged to take part in artist exchanges and talent discussions to help co-ordinate bookings of international artists and stimulate conversations with local music authorities for investment.

As part of the initiative all festivals involved will be obliged to include links on their website to their twin’s site, include 'xxx is  twinned with xxx' on flyers, marketing materials and in their PR campaigns to local media, and once their own event has sold out help market their international twin through their media channels.

In addition to this each festival will ‘exchange’ a minimum of 10 pairs of tickets with their twin to be given away via competitions and promotions.

Festivals that have already been partnered under the scheme include:

Bestival, Isle Of Wight & Melt, Ferropolis, Germany

Big Session Festival, Leicester & Tønder Festival, Denmark

Field Day, London & Øya Festival, Norway

Glade Festival, Winchester & Symbiosis Gathering, California, USA

Summer Sundae Weekender, Leicester & Bergenfest, Norway

Standon Calling, Hertfordshire & Calvi On The Rocks, Corsica, France

Nozstock Festival, Herefordshire & Italia Wave Love Festival, Livorno, Italy

Eden Sessions, Cornwall & Airwaves, Reykjavík, Iceland

Said Rob Challice, AIF co-founder and director of Summer Sundae Weekender, "Independent festival organisers have often taken inspiration from other events with a similar ethos, creative vision and maverick style. Through this AIF initiative we can formally acknowledge this by "twinning" our events and hope that it leads to many creative partnerships."

This is the second year that The Association of Independent Festivals has looked to build links with non-UK festival goers and follows 2009’s successful partnership with VisitBritain.

Quotes from Participating Festival Promoters:

Stefan Lehmkuhl from Melt, Germany: "I'm enthusiastic about the idea of the cultural exchange between European festivals. Especially when it comes to independent and very individual open-air events it's going to be an exciting and creative process, as I'm convinced we're all on the same page musicwise."

Edouard Rostand, from Calvi On The Rocks, Corsica:  “It is an honour for Calvi On the Rocks to partner up with Standon Calling. We share the same values and artistic views. We are both small festivals and want to keep it innovative and open minded. This twinning will start with cross promotion on our networks this year”.

Nick Ladd from Glade Festival, Winchester: "We are really pleased to be twinned with Symbiosis in California.... the premier electronic music experience stateside. It’s what the San Francisco 60's scene has evolved into, an amazing international gathering created by people with true spirit and it reflects the Glade's commitment to cutting edge music, incredible site art, non-commercialisation and shanty vibes."

Rob Challice from Summer Sundae, Leicester: "Bergenfest is based in the city of Bergen, whilst Summer Sundae is held in the city of Leicester. Two city-based festivals known for showcasing new international talent amongst established names. The organisers, Frank Nes and Co, present their event with pride and show a high level of care for both artists and audience.”

Frank Nes, from Bergenfest, Bergen: “It is an honour for Bergenfest to partner up with Summer Sundae. It is my belief that we share the same core values, such as a strong emphasis on artistic quality and open mindedness towards genres. Over the years a few Norwegian acts have performed at Summer Sundae and I hope we can strenghten the ties in the years to come, including being able to open Norwegian festivalgoers’ eyes to Summer Sundae.”

-End-

Notes for Editors:

2009 AIF / Visit Britain Campaign

In 2009 AIF negotiated to become part of a £1.8 million marketing initiative organised by VisitBritain.  The European Value Campaign, ran across 18 key European countries, and was aimed at the 25-35 age group.

Using the slogan “See More For Less”, VisitBritain focused on the benefits offered by the weak pound and Britain’s relatively compact land area. The campaign included press advertising, direct mail, a web microsite, PR support and as part of the deal AIF members offered overseas visitors a 20% discount on festival tickets purchased through the VisitBritain site.

The inclusion of AIF in the scheme was recognition of the value of Britain’s independent festivals as cultural assets, and as an enticement to tourists who may wish to extend their stay and explore the country further.

For the second year running, Glasgowbury has been nominated in several categories at the Irish Festival Awards.

Last year Glasgowbury picked up the Best Service Award and Family Festival Award, but this year wants to go one better.

After the sell-out success of Glasgowbury 2009, the festival has been nominated in six categories including:

• Best Small Festival
• Best Line-Up
• Best Service
• Best Toilets
• Best Family Festival
• Social Responsibility

So now we need you, the people who make Glasgowbury so special, to vote for us and help us on the road to victory.

Festival Organiser Paddy Glasgow said Glasgowbury’s nominations were testament to the success of the acts and the people who make Glasgowbury so special every year.

“It’s the second year in a row that we’ve been nominated in the Irish Festival Awards and we’re all very proud that Glasgowbury is being recognised on a national scale,” he said.

“It’s because of the people who have stuck with Glasgowbury over the last ten years that the festival continues to go from strength to strength.

“Winning another award from the Irish Festival Awards would be the icing on the cake of a successful year for Glasgowbury so far.

“It’s a great achievement to still be here after 10 years and the group has diversified in many ways over that time.

“With the tenth anniversary of the festival approaching in 2010 plans are already in motion to make it another magical, colourful and fun packed musical extravaganza.

“For now, we’d really appreciate it if the supporters of Glasgowbury could take the time out to vote for us in the Irish Festival Awards and help us be recognised as one of Ireland’s leading music festivals.”

www.irishfestivalawards.ie

 

We are delighted to welcome Danny Newman (Get Loaded in the Park / South West Four) and John Empson (Eden Sessions) to the board of AIF. We look forward to having their experience, input and expertise around the table. Danny and John have been voted in by the existing board. 

We are delighted to welcome Danny Newman (Get Loaded in the Park / South West Four) and John Empson (Eden Sessions) to the board of AIF. We look forward to having their experience, input and expertise around the table. Danny and John have been voted in by the existing board. 

The crime combating initiative, which only launched a few months ago, has already reported good results including several key arrests, which have disrupted serious criminal activity at festivals.

Speaking about the success so far Jim King, director of Loud Sound and AIF board member said: 

“The number of reported crimes per festival capacity has been reduced across all the shows that we manage this year which has been an excellent result. Greater focus on sharing of information between festivals, police forces and security companies does produce results and the work must continue.”

Central to the initiatives success has been the development of a ‘community policing’ strategy whereby security personnel are billeted to specific zones over the course of the weekend allowing them to concentrate on their areas and spot potentially criminal activity.

The scheme was trialled at Rock Ness at the start of the summer and it was an immediate success with reported crime down a staggering 95%. 

Secondary teams were also set up to concentrate on the areas surrounding festival sites to clampdown on crime that was discouraged onsite and it was this move that led to several key actions against criminal elements.
 
Over the summer several counterfeit wristband operations were disrupted outside festival sites and by the end of summer the police, acting in conjunction with security teams, had made several key arrests, in one instance apprehending a gang leaving the area of a festival in possession of stolen property.
 
These early results have proven that not only can different security firms work closely together but that when festival promoters, the police and relevant authorities work together unilaterally it is possible to deal a major blow against this small minority whose sole purpose of attending festivals is to commit serious crimes.
 
It is expected this years results will carry through to next year when promoters will be even better placed to ensure that festival goers are able to relax and enjoy their weekends.

source: www.virtualfestivals.com

• Audience Research Shows Festival Goers Undeterred By Recession

• AIF Festivals Generate Over £135 Million For UK Economy, £16.3 Million For Local Businesses

• More To Festivals Than Youth And Music
  

The huge value and contribution of UK festivals to the British economy has been quantified in an overreaching survey of 3,300 festival goers undertaken by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).

With over 300 festivals having taken place in the UK this summer, the total amount of revenue generated across the whole festival landscape for local businesses is projected to be staggering.

Claire O'Neill, co-founder of A Greener Festival and AIF general manager said: "It is clear that independent festivals make a significant contribution not only culturally, but also to the local and UK economy. It is also good to see the positive steps being taken by events to minimise the environmental impact of events. We adhere to keep stepping in the right direction."

Hugh Phillimore, founder of the Cornbury Festival said "Not only do we fill every B&B, pub and hotel within a 10 mile radius; lots of local shops stay open to benefit from the extra custom. Cornbury not only makes a huge contribution to the local economy but also supports fundraising for local schools, brownies, scouts."

For more information, please contact john@namemusic.co.uk or sam@namemusic.co.uk

AIF FESTIVAL AUDIENCE SURVEY: 2009

3300 Festival goers from the UK and around the world took part in what is believed to be the one of the most detailed surveys of UK festival behaviour.

60% of the respondents said that the general atmosphere and overall “vibe” of the festival is the single most important reason for choosing which festival to attend. For Secret Garden Party this response was 82%. Overall just 25% said music generally and 8% said headliners were their main reason for attending a festival. Although Creamfields, Field Day and Underage were all more popular for the music generally with 44%, 61% and 52% respectively.

42% of festival goers spend 50% or less of their time at a festival watching music; 25% spend 60% of their time watching music; 33% spend 70%+ of their time watching music. Camp Bestival and Secret Garden Party audience spend least time watching music with 60% and 70% spending less than 50% of their time watching music. Creamfields and Underage are most popular for music with 64% and 73% of time spend watching music respectively.

40% spend up to 20% of their time doing non-music entertainment activities, 44% spend 30 – 49% of time doing non-music entertainment activities. 21% of Camp Bestival and 28% of Secret Garden Party audience spend more than 50% of their time doing non-music entertainments.

60% of festival goers spend 3-4 days in the local area of the festival. Of the respondents Glade goers spend most time at the festival with an average 3 days 16hrs.

Respondents spent an average of £408 each per festival, which includes ticket, travel and subsistence.

On average, festival goers spent £48 in the local area surrounding the festival. Big Session and Belladrum attendees spend most in the local area with £62 and £63 respectively.

Just over a third of respondents were from the South East of England. It was found that 60% of audience travel to the festivals by car. 44% travel with three or more people in the car. It is encouraging to see that so many are sharing transport.

Field Day had by far the largest response for people travelling by public transport, with just under 80% of respondents taking the tube or bus to Victoria Park, London.

Outside London, Summer Sundae Weekender and Big Sessions festivals scored highest with more than 50% of their audiences using public transport or walking to the festivals.

Setting an example to us all though were the 250 people from 5 major cities who cycled to Shambala Festival  in Northamptonshire and the 12 brave if foolhardy people who swam across the Solent to Bestival on the Isle of Wight.

79% of festival goers camp on-site overall. Glade, Secret Garden Party and Bloom festival have the highest on site tent campers with 90%, 93% and 94% respectively. 5% go in campervans overall with Camp Bestival and Big Session having most Campervans at 9% and 10% respectively. 11% stay at home overall, although Underage and Summer Sundae Weekender have mainly home stays with 48% and 47%. Just 3% use hotels or B&B’s overall. Creamfields and Field Day have the most hotel users with 11% and 13%.

The official festival website is the most common place for audiences to find out about the festival, with 65% of respondents. Word of mouth was selected by 58%, followed by festival community websites at 49%. 34% use social networking sites to find out about festivals. Highest word of mouth response was for Secret Garden Party and Bloom Festival at 73% and 71%. Creamfields and Bestival have the most popular official websites with 73% and 70% of audience sourcing their information there.

1 - At the Big Chill, 4,026 zombie-costumed fans shuffled and groaned their way into the Guinness Book of Records for  the world’s largest gathering of zombies. Revelers were encouraged to become temporarily undead by Warp Films and Film4, who were shooting scenes for the world’s biggest (and first) audience participation zombie movie, “I Spit on Your Rave”.

2 - Shambala saw 250 people engage in a spontaneous act of synchronised 'krumping', an underground dance craze that originated amongst the youth of LA as a means of keeping them away from gang violence. Hopefully it will have the same effect on the youth of rural Northamptonshire.

3 - 70% of the hits on the official Glade website are from outside of the UK. Judging by the behavior of some of the punters, the remaining 30% are from other planets.

5 - It’s often said that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Creamfields, which took 2 weeks to build and 7 days to come down. Ouch!

4 - More than 50% of the audience for Big Sessions and the Summer Sundae Weekender arrived by public transport, by bicycle, or on foot.

6 - Video coverage of the main stage at Northern Ireland’s Glasgowbury captured an inadvertent world record attempt, as an amorous young couple engaged in what some onlookers described as the longest continuous kissing session in living history. Steadying their weak knees against the crash barrier at the front of the main stage, the sultry snoggers locked tongues just as electro rock outfit The Jane Bradfords took to the stage, and their embrace remained unbroken until well after the group had disembarked - some 40 minutes later. Love was certainly in the air for the lucky couple, who became something of a tourist attraction as hordes of festival-goers lined up to have their picture taken alongside the passionate pair. They will be disappointed to learn that they fell agonizingly short of the official record by a paltry 30 hours and 5 minutes.

8 - Bestival fans spend £600,000 on Ferries every year. Given that the festival lasts five days, that works out at over £100,000 a day. They could have rocked up in Ferraris for that money.

9 - Over 100 DJs and 20 live acts performed at this year’s Creamfields. There were 12 bars at the festival, which works out at less than 1 bar for every 10 performers. Risky business.

10 – Cornbury employs litter picking volunteer teams of scouts and brownies, but to avoid accusations of Dickensianism it pays a contribution towards their organisations, and also lets in over-70s free.

11 – Scotland’s Belladrum Tartan Festival was the UK’s most northerly festival attracting a crowd who ranged in age from four weeks to 90!

12 - Sunrise and One Love used 100% compost toilets including for crew.

- End - 

STOP PRESS: Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival (7^th and 8^th August 2009, Beauly, Inverness-shire) has announced today that all weekend and Saturday tickets to the event have sold out in advance. Consequently there will be no gate sales at the event. 

With people coming from as far away as Canada and Europe to the event, and from all over the UK. Belladrum has cemented its reputation as one of the leading all ages festivals of music and performing arts.

This is the first time in six years that the family festival has sold out its 12,000 capacity since its first year when numbers were limited to 2500 at a one-day event. Also sold out are the 115 tipis available in the boutique camping area.

The message from the festival now is NOT to turn up if you don’t have a ticket. 

“We have just spoken to a family who are driving up from as far away as Cornwall to the event. We have a lovely supportive audience, many of whom have been coming year on year,” said festival co-promoter Joe Gibbs. “Nothing is a better endorsement of an event than personal testimonials from loyal fans, and our growing army of those have sustained this event under what could only be termed very trying economic conditions.”

Award-winning Belladrum has announced music headliners  Editors and Ocean Colour Scene plus a raft of other acts including: Twin Atlantic; Aberfeldy; The Saw Doctors; Shed Seven; British Sea Power; Seth Lakeman; Alabama 3; Sons & Daughters; Glen Tilbrook & The Fluffers; The Peatbog Faeries; Lau; Toploader; Treacherous Orchestra; Transglobal Underground; Tommy Reilly; De Votchka; The Phantom Band; 3 Daft Monkeys; Edward II; The Wallbirds; Kid Carpet; Sam Isaac;  Broken Records; Magistrates; Healthy Minds Collapse; Sparrow & The Workshop; The Lost Brothers; and Scooty & The Skyhooks.

Belladrum 2009 takes place in the beautiful Highland surroundings of Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in Inverness-shire. The independent festival has built a reputation for its eclectic line-ups, its off-beat non-musical entertainments and its all-ages approach. Capacity will remain what it was in 2008 at 12,000. At the UK Festival Awards Ceremony in October – the festival industry’s ‘oscars’ - Bella was awarded the Grassroots Festival Award.

This year the festival is supported by Homecoming Scotland 2009, EventScotland and Highland Council. Marie Christie, Homecoming Scotland Project Director said, “Belladrum is one of Scotland’s leading family-friendly festivals.  Taking place in beautiful surroundings, the fantastic programme and quality experience make it an unmissable festival diary date.  We are excited to be working with the organisers to make sure 2009 hosts the best

For further information, contact:

dougiebrown1000@hotmail.com 

40 years ago Woodstock first conjured people’s emotions and truly captured the essence of the festival spirit. This year The Big Chill Festival is honoured that the creator of Woodstock, Michael Lang, is coming to the festival as The Big Chill celebrates Woodstock’s 40^th birthday this August.

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair is widely regarded as one of the most significant moments in popular music history and was listed one of the “50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll” by Rolling Stone magazine. The brainchild of Michael Lang and Artie Kornfield, with the help of financiers John Roberts and Joel Rosenman, the Woodstock idea was born. It was Lang, who’s laid back approach so typical of the 60’s movement, wanted to build it as a way to get people together. Forty years on, Woodstock is a festival that will never be forgotten. It was 15^th August 1969, when Richie Havens opened up the first ever Woodstock to 500,000 people.

Michael will be appearing at the Words In Motion tent on the opening evening, so that Big Chill revellers will be able to meet the man himself in a special Q&A session. There will also be a chance for chillers to watch a 40th anniversary screening of the film, Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music.

Speaking about Woodstock 1969, Michael Lang had this to say: “Eight months before the event, I had a dream. I was on a stage looking out at a sea of people, and I knew that was coming. I didn't have the specifics of it, but I had the end results. I just followed that.”

Big Chill co-founder Katrina Larkin said on the partnership: “Woodstock is seen as the perfect celebration of the 60's peace and love movement. An ideal which the founders of The Big Chill hold dear and which has helped define the ethos of The Big Chill these past 15 years. It is yet to be seen if the skinny dipping that was so prevalent in the Filippini Pond in ‘69 will happen in the Eastnor pond this year. If it does then it is likely that Michael Lang will be the one leading the charge!”

Idea Generation: +44(0)20 7749 6854

Andrew Soar: andrew.soar@ideageneration.co.uk