Australia the British Isles

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Global Gig Guide goes to Australia the British Isles!

Hi this is Gemma Dempsey and this week The Global Gig Guide goes to Australia for its first ever VFestival and to the British Isles for Bloc Party in Norfolk and The Green Man Rite of Spring Festival in Wales.

If you are a frequent listener to this spot, you may recall that during the Global Gig Guide’s maiden voyage, I landed at the first ever VFestival to be held in the US on the Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore. That must  have gone well, for the franchise is now headed to the antipodes, touching down in Australia during late March, first of all in Sydney, then the  Gold Coast on April 1st and finally a Mini V taking place in Melbourne.

The line up is impressive – The Pixies, Phoenix, Pet Shop Boys, 2ManyDJs, Groove Armada, with some unique or debut appearances; golden boy Beck will make this his only Australian date, while The New York Dolls will make their debut in the land down under. There will also be a number of stars on the rise such as the much talked about Aussie natives The Ghosts and the UK’s groovy electronia troupe New Young Pony Club.

And for the stars of tomorrow, Virgin Mobile has set up a competition for new bands, the winner of which will get to perform on stage during the main event! If you prefer Electronica to rock , your wish will be fulfilled in the dance tent with DJs from the Kitsune label and Australian turntablists The Bang Gang.

If you are in the UK and want to kick out the winter blues, head to the holiday campsite of Pontins in Norfolk where you and 2,200 other electronic music fans can have a bender of a weekend at BlocWeekend. Curated by Brighton’s record label BaseLogic and Norwich’s Analogue:Digital this is for the hard core dance fans. And when you want to take a break from the tunes, you can enjoy a drink in any one of the 24- hour pub price bars, have a splash in the swimming pool or whiz around on the go karts. Artists and DJs on the bill include Andrea Parker, , Kool Keith, Alex Smoke , Wevie Stonder and Silicon Scally amongst many others. 


Keeping to the British Isles, and its well-known love of eccentric behaviour, we have the Green Man’s Rite of Spring Festival, describing itself as ‘two days of weirdness in The Black Mountains’ of Wales, the Rite of Spring Festival takes place late March from sundown to sunrise each day.

The venue is none other than Baskerville Hall, made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle who learnt about the legend of the Hounds of the Baskervilles during one of his frequent sojourns there. Fearless attendees of the festival can stay in the stately home and listen out for deranged howls from creatures of both bipedal and the four legged variety!

Entertainment will come in the form of guest DJs such as Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, the Earlies and Andy Votel, as well as psych folk cinema and silent films with live music accompaniment. According to the website Witches and Druids will also be on hand with pagan puppet shows and holistic therapies – so if the hounds don’t get you, the witches will!

That’s it for this week– for more  information about these events, go to KCRW.com/globalgigguide…and if you want to tell me about musical happenings in your part of the world,  send me an email Gemma.Dempsey@kcrw.org

Otherwise check back with us next week for more information on Global Gigging.

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