Best London Festivals Part II

Best London Festivals Part II

21 July, 2008
by: Robin

O2 Wireless
Hyde Park
Thu 3 July – Sun 6 July
Thu £40; all other days £45
Now in its fourth year, O2 Wireless boasts the pull of no other London festival, shown this year by the snaffling of rap A-lister Jay Z, also confirmed for the top spot at Glastonbury. This year's line-up is their most eclectic yet, so you are guaranteed to find something to whet your appetite. This is fast emerging as one of the highlights of the summer season, nationally as well as for Londoners.
Headliners: Jay Z, Morrissey, Fatboy Slim, Counting Crows, Ben Harper, Mark Ronson, Underworld, Beck
Spoonfed recommends: Saul Williams, Beck, The National, Lightspeed Champion, The Whip, The Hold Steady, Hot Chip
Best for: Corporate-sponsored fun

Lovebox Weekender
Victoria Park
Sat 19 July – Sun 20 July
Daily £38.50; weekend £65
Less corporate than most London festivals and with a consistently cracking line up that brilliantly mixes the established with the promising, Lovebox returns for its sixth year. While last year's emphasis on yesteryear's stars (Blondie, Sly & The Family Stone) made for a retrospective main stage, the appearance of live favourites The Flaming Lips and international megastar Manu Chao should spice things up this time around. With seven stages, a village fete-style food-and-drink area and all manner of alternative activities, you won’t be bored here.
Headliners: Manu Chao, The Flaming Lips, Groove Armada, Goldfrapp, Jack Penate, The Human League
Spoonfed recommends: Lightspeed Champion, Alphabeat, Cage The Elephant, The Young Knives, Glimmers, Midnight Juggernauts, Buraka Som Sistema, Padded Cell, Toddla T, Various Production
Best for: Indie kids who don’t mind sharing a field with dance heads, and vice versa

Underage Festival
Victoria Park
Fri 8 August
£23
Victoria Park hosts the second annual Underage Festival, giving the kids their chance to party out in a big field without some squares telling them to move on. With the likes of Foals and Wild Beasts on stage, the little bastards have ended up with one of the better days out in London this year.
Headliners: Foals, The Maccabees, Four Tet, Mystery Jets, The Horrors, Sons and Daughters, The Rifles
Spoonfed recommends: Wild Beasts, Bondo de Role, XX Teens, Poppy & The Jezebels
Best for: The Kids; anyone who can blag a half-fare on the bus

Field Day
Victoria Park
Sat 9 August
£26.50
Field Day returns to Victoria Park for another day of awesome music in the heart of the East End, and this time they've got last year’s dodgy bar situation sorted. We’re most excited about Les Savy Fav, but look out for more artists to be added to the line-up.
Headliners: Mystery Jets, Foals, Les Savy Fav, Richie Hawtin, Simian Mobile Disco, James Holden, Filthy Dukes
Spoonfed recommends: Dirty Projectors, Dan Deacon, The Field, Lindstrøm, Modeselektor
Best for: Sober people, blaggers

Get Loaded In The Park
Clapham Common
Sun 24 August
£35
Get Loaded returns on the bank holiday weekend for its fifth year bringing the best indie, rock and electro acts to Clapham Common across four stages. The big news this time around is the only UK show of 2008 from Iggy and The Stooges. Elsewhere, Kate Nash, The Maccabees and Reverend & The Makers represent the new batch of British indie.
Headliners: Iggy and The Stooges, Supergrass, Kate Nash, The Gossip
Spoonfed recommends: The Hives, The Maccabees, Gogol Bordello, Ipso Facto, The Presets, Soulwax
Best for: Those who couldn’t be bothered to go to Reading.

Click here to view all London Live Music

Robin