|
 |
|
|
|
|
Top 10 November 2012 Festivals
RA presents its guide to the best events around the world.
10. Creamfields Chile
November 9
Espacio Riesco Expo Centre
Santiago, Chile
What do you get when you combine one of the biggest clubbing brands in the world with the capital of Chile? Creamfields Chile. Once again the enormous festival comes to South America to entertain more than 20,000 fans at the Espacio Riesco Expo Centre. David Guetta and Calvin Harris head up the big room contingent, while Jamie Jones, Steve Lawler, Solomun and more will likely try to square their more underground sound with the event's large stages.
RA pick: Look for Guti to play up the South American side of his music during his live set.
09. Mayday Poland
November 10
Spodek
Katowice, Poland
The very first Mayday took place in Berlin over 20 years ago, eventually cementing its place as one of Europe's most renowned electronic music festivals. Since then, satellite events have popped up in numerous other locations, the southern Polish city of Katowice among them. Taking place over one day in mid-October, this year's Katowice leg features a lineup thick with big room techno acts, with Drumcode boss Adam Beyer, Chicago veteran DJ Rush and Detroit original Kevin Saunderson leading the charge. Production-wise, Mayday has become well-known for its emphasis on extravagance, so expect the very best sound and lighting when it takes over the Spodek stadium.
RA pick: Kevin Saunderson's high-tech sound should complement Mayday's massive light show nicely.
08. Strawberry Fields
November 23 - November 25
Victorian Wildlands
Melbourne, Australia
Now gearing up for its fourth year, Strawberry Fields has again rustled up one of the finest festival lineups in Australia. The three-day Victorian camping festival is a concoction of kaleidoscopic colours and quality electronic music which ranges from psytrance and dub to house and techno. This year's edition will see the likes of James Holden, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Tycho, Stephan Bodzin and Prefuse 73 playing to an eclectic crowd amongst a bushland setting which will be transformed by elaborate art installations and psychedelic stage setups.
RA Pick: This will only be the second time Kollektiv Turmstrasse have played in Australia, so we say take the opportunity while it's there.
07. Le Guess Who?
November 29 - December 2
Utrecht City Centre
Utrecht, Netherlands
Indie and electronic and some other things besides are what you'll find at the wonderfully eclectic Le Guess Who? festival in Utrecht. Now in its sixth year, the event has gotten bigger with each passing year, and 2012 will feature bands like Fuck Buttons, Dirty Three, Destroyer, Deerhof and Clinic. More danceable fare will no doubt be provided by Machinedrum and Koreless. And we'd be remiss if we didn't mention some of their more experimental offerings: Tim Hecker, Grouper, and Julianna Barwick among them. Utrecht isn't the cheapest of cities, so the festival is promoting couchsurfing through its website. Be sure to check it out if you're interested in going.
RA pick: Grimes' energetic songs make for one heck of a live show.
06. Eclipse Festival
November 10 - November 16
Far North Queensland
Cairns, Australia
Eclipse Fesitval is the brainchild of five promoters from around the globe, including the UK's Glade Festival and Aussie staple Rainbow Serpent. The one-off, week-long event will be centred around November 14th's total solar eclipse, where the festival site in the far north of Queensland will be directly underneath the narrow path of complete darkness. The celebrations for this rare occurrence will be scattered across a large area which comprises five music stages as well as areas for workshops, theatre and dance, and artistic works. The broad music policy includes psytrance, techno, dub, house and breaks, with acts like Secret Cinema, Tornado Wallace and Fat Freddy's Drop joining a staggeringly large lineup of around 350 local and international artists.
RA Pick: Expert techno from Dutch vet Secret Cinema.
05. I Love Techno
November 10
Flanders Expo Centre
Ghent, Belgium
I scream, you scream, we all scream for techno. At least that's the idea when Flanders Expo Centre is taken over by some of the biggest names in electronic music in November. As everyone loves to note, things aren't strictly techno (or anywhere close, to be honest), but they haven't been for years. It's all about variety at I Love Techno, so you'll get Nero, A-Trak and Major Lazer in the Blue Room; Benga, Jamie XX and Flying Lotus in the Green Room; and Dave Clarke, Joris Voorn and Chris Liebing heading up the Red Room.
RA pick: Karenn (Blawan and Pariah) presenting their new live set.
04. La Petite Invites: Worldwide
October 31 - November 4
Various Venues
Toulouse, France
"The unique festival which invites festivals" is the tagline for La Petite Invite. Last year saw the event ask down Lyon's Nuits Sonores, while 2012 sees Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Festival get the nod. Befitting a small festival like this, it's merely a taste of the real thing, with a single event taking place over the course of five nights. Highlights include Agoria, Pearson Sound and Joy Orbison headlining on November 1st, and Peterson and friends taking over on the 2nd.
RA pick: LV and Alex Barck on the 3rd will undoubtedly be a wide-ranging night.
03. Electraglide 2012
November 23
Makuhari Messe
Tokyo, Japan
Held in Makuhari Messe convention center, Electraglide has become one of Tokyo's biggest electronic music events since its first edition in 2000. The space can hold more than 40,000 people—a suitably enormous one that seems perfect for past headliners Kraftwerk, Aphex Twin and Underworld. The festival continues its forward-thinking streak in 2012 by having Brainfeeder head Flying Lotus take to the stage as the top billed artist. Four Tet, Squarepusher, Andrew Weatherall and Kode9 will provide support.
RA pick: The second iteration of Amon Tobin's celebrated ISAM live show.
02. Bermuda Festival
November 3
Templehof Airport
Berlin, Germany
Berlin has no shortage of electronic music events, but for a few years after the Love Parade left town it lacked a large-scale festival-sized rave. That has changed with the emergence of Fly Bermuda, the capstone to the week of BerMuDa (Berlin Music Days) events. Sven Vath takes the headlining spot this year, and he'll be joined by Luciano, Maceo Plex and Chris Liebing on the main stage. Beatport, meanwhile, welcomes a slightly more eclectic bunch to their area, with Photek, Hrdvsion and Pinch set to perform.
RA pick: The Henrik Schwarz live experience never disappoints.
01. Club To Club
November 8 - November 11
Various Venues
Torino, Italy
Quite simply, Club to Club is one of Italy's finest festivals. Forward-thinking without leaving fun to the side, it's consistently shown that there is an appetite for new music in Torino. As such, they'll be presenting a host of Italian premieres throughout the event's duration. UK acts seem to be a focus in 2012, with garage duo Disclosure, Tri Angle jukester Evian Christ, Vessel and SBTRKT all making their debut. Jeff Mills will present the world premiere of yet another a/v spectacular, and Nina Kraviz is also set to perform live as well as Jam City, Marcel Dettmann, Regis, Kode 9 and many, many more.
RA pick: The underrated Italian techno godfather Lory D's live set will no doubt be chock full of acid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Published / Tuesday, 02 October 2012
 4 Comments
Photo credits /
Le Guess Who? - Tim Van Veen
I Love Techno - SureShot
La Petite Invites: Worldwide - Framboise Estéban
FlyBermuda - Katrina James
Club to Club - Sophia Spring
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Features
|
|
|
