Holiday Gig Guide
Its December and for many of us that means Christmas, so I’ve got a Californian festival that combines both music and eco friendly gifts; for those bah humbugs amongst we’ll check out the Nightmare Before Christmas in the UK; Estrella Damm’s Primavera Club in Spain, to Norway for the annual Nobel Peace Prize event and finally down under for the Woodford Folk Festival.
By Gemma Dempsey • • 5m ListenThe Eco Gift Festival in Santa Monica combines socially conscious shopping with a food and music. Proceeds go to benefit a number of organizations such as Global Green USA and Whole Planet Foundation. The music sessions take place between 4 and 7pm each day – artists include Tom Freund, Chris Pierce and Shannon Moore.
From sunny California we head to the UK for All Tomorrow’s Parties event called The Nightmare Before Christmas. Its curated by Melvins and Mike Patton and the venue is Butlins resort in Minehead on the sandy Somerset coast of England. Artists on the bill include Martina Topley-Bird, Squarepusher and Butthole Surfers.
Primavera Club 08 sponsored by the Spanish beer Estrella Damm. Which will take place in both Madrid and Barcelona this year. Artists on the bill include Deerhoof, Giant Sand. The Wave Pictures and Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan.
Norway for the annual Nobel Peace Prize concert. The concert that is held to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari is quite an affair- hosted by Scarlett Johansson and Michael Caine the music element will be provided by Diana Ross, Robyn, Julieta Venegas, Marit Larsen and Seun Kuti amongst others.
And lastly to Australia for Woodford Folk Festival –this unique event has been going for over 20 years from December 27 to January 1 just north of Brisbane. Woodford attracts over 120,000 people to hear and watch over 500 artists and performers celebrating the cultural diversity of Australia. It culminates on January 1st with a spectacular fire event. Its folk but not as we know it!