New York and Iceland
Hi, this is Gemma Dempsey and welcome to another edition of The Global Gig Guide. This week we go to New York for the first High Line Festival and to Reykjavik for an update on Iceland Airwaves, as well as a summary of bands currently on tour around the world .
By Gemma Dempsey • • 5m ListenDavid Bowie is set to curate the first High Line Festival in New York in May. Sponsored by the fabby Swedish clothing store H&M, the festival takes its name from the railway that once upon a time served all of Manhattan. Some of the proceeds will go towards the Friends of the High Line, the organization set up to establish a park on the elevated tracks. There is a cool short film about its past history and future plans on the charity’s website with support from Edward Norton, Kevin Bacon and designer Diane von Furstenberg.
High Line Festival itself, its described as a cultural mash up due to the wide variety of artists that David Bowie has pooled together – there’s music from artists such as Arcade Fire, Deerhoof, Air and the Polyphonic Spree, comedy from Ricky Gervais of The UK’s Office fame in his American Stand up debut; performance by Laurie Anderson & Ken Nordine; Australian performance artist Meow Meow; photography by Claude Cahun as well as a selection of Spanish language films selected by David Bowie. The festivities will take place in New York venues such as Hiro, Theatre at Madison Square Garden and the new High Line Ballroom which opens ahead of the festival on April 30th with a special performance by Lou Reed.
Iceland Airwaves music festival in Reykjavik have just been announced and tickets with travel packages are now available – this festival gets bigger each year and it may well sell out with acts such as Bloc Party, Of Montreal , !!! and a host of Icelandic acts such as Gus Gus, AMPOP and DJ Ewok on the bill. As well as the great and varied music on offer, the country has some spectacular natural wonders to behold such as gushing geysers and bubbling thermal waters. So get out the calendar and start planning!
Otherwise check back with us next week for more information on Global Gigging.
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Beltane Fire Festival held on Carlton Hill in the centre of Edinburgh is the largest fire festival in Europe! Held of the night of April 30th
With beats provided by the Beastie Drummers.
Midi Festival, Beijing China May 1 – 4th biggest rock festival in China featuring mainly Chinese acts (bands and DJs) but also some international ones – this year Dave Stewart will debut his environmentally charged ‘Go Green’ song with Nadirah X.
Pinkpop festival, Laandgraaf, Netherlands May 26-28
Europe’s oldest pop festival! Bill includes Smashing Pumpkins, Artic Monkeys, Snow Patrol, Amy Winehouse
Ojai Music Festival, California June 8-10
Program includes - The Los Angeles Master Chorale, Nexus, Peter Eotovos, Bugallo-Williams
Fusion Festival Germany June 28 – July 1st
Line up TBD.