Yunki, I think you'll find that the Mercury awards go to artists who've been around for some time but who aren't so well known to a wider audience. Those who listen to 6Music on a regular basis, however, are likely to be very familiar with them. I had heard Flo being played by them quite some time ago, Bell and Sebastien had been around for years before being put forward for a Mercury. Hell, Elbow were a successful multi-album act before getting nominated, and there are still people I know who have never heard of them.

count zero that is utter guff..

Another vote for Beautiful Days. Sadly won't be making it this year (although it's the best line up for a few years)…

many happy memories though

countzero… to recount.. I didn't come down in the last rain shower.. my rant wasn't a knee jerk reaction because tom jones and bryan adams weren't nominated..

florence and the machine won last year.. and for precisely one year before that they were on ITV every five mins advertising their album for 5.99 from tescos..
You may be correct.. BBC radio 6 may well have been playing their songs even before that.. I'm really not so sure.. If people were really already very familiar with them before that I shall be pleasantly surprised..

but that does not explain belle and sebastians win of ten years previously.. exactly the same mysterious circumstances but without the existance of bbc radio 6.. and they can't have been around much before their sudden appearance on the scene unless they formed in junior infant school..

marketing nonsense to sell nonsense to people with no sense..

and yes.. every year there are well known and loved bands nominated

Lucky enough to have been backstage with Gang Of Four at Glasto last week – best mate plays bass with them. 😀

two thousand trees festival for me. Been the last two years, great bands, great atmoshpere and its only 10 mins away.

http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/

possibly working at reading as well.

We're taking the kids to Ynot. It's local and has a decent line up. Chilling out high up in the Peaks on a balmy summer night. Perfect!

For anyone with a young family to consider (or just looking for something a bit smaller and easier to get on with) I can recommend summer sundae weekender in leicester. We've been going the past few years, once when mrs was pregnant, last year when jnr was about 8 months and will be there this year with mrs pregnant again. Nice and chilled out, good acts, clean, family campsite seperate from the wild ones etc. Lots to like.

I'll be not recognising the muffinman at the Whatstandwell festival tomorrow night 🙂

and then the main event for us will be http://www.indietracks.co.uk/ , trains and indiepop! we know how to festival 😉

Vintage Festival at Goodwood here.
Vintage Festival

Been to ATP Curated by PAVEMENT already.

Got Truck (Oxfordshire) and End of the Road (Dorset) still to come.

Really wanted to go to Benicassim, but my friends are all skint, married, old or some combo thereof.

I heard my favourite festival quote of all time at Latitude 2008:

'No India, that's daddy's Yakult!'

😆

Just remembered….am going to Field Day too, but that's just an all dayer so doesn't really count.

Reading again for me, would have liked to get to Glastonbury this year too though. Aargh, there's now 4 simultaneous headliners I want to see at Reading, what a mess.

(hey, I just noticed Ash are headlining one day of the T in the Park Futures stage, and Echo and the Bunnymen another. That doesn't seem quite right somehow…)

Went to Download last month. Going to T in the Park next week. May do Belladrum and will do Loopallu. I would be at Sonisphere if I could get away with it but SWMBO holding meat cleaver to my knackers. Seen heaps of live bands in the last 12 months and loving it.

Sonisphere was cool last year, great atmosphere and some nice ideas (running the second stage into the night after the main stage ended to take the pressure off the car parks and exits frinstance, clever, plus it meant Metallica ended up being the warmup act for festival closers Hundred Reasons Not going this year but it was just really nice last time, reminded me of festivals a decade ago basically.

http://www.priddyfolk.org/modx/

went to the hat fair in winchester last night, not a festival as such but good acts, fun, beer in the streets, cathedral grounds and parks, music in the evening with a splash of footy inbetween and no ticket so free.

aaprt from my train home was cancelled and had to pay £30 taxi! worth it though

'No India, that's daddy's Yakult!'

😆
You better believe it…

I'll be not recognising the muffinman at the Whatstandwell festival tomorrow night

Did you go then Boatman!?

We though Some Kinda Mushroom did a cracking set at the end.

There is only one festival – Bingley

James on Sat, Enemy on Sun

Bring it on, its only at bottom t'hill

Greenman in August for me. It's a great family friendly festival also in a great area for mountain biking.

It's a great family friendly festival also in a great area for mountain biking

Like the BBB except the BBB has a beer festival too.

Camp Bestival for me and the tribe again this year, 3rd time and I think it would be easier telling the kids they wont be going on a 2 week summer holiday than telling them their 3 days in Bestival is cancelled!!!

A self indulgent hag tunelessly caterwauling meaningless drivel accompanied by some music.

I agree with this, she was rubbish! Crazy P were good though!

standon calling for me.
great chilled out little festival