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FEATURE STORY Music Music What’s on offer? It seems there’s more and more music festivals across the capital every year, from huge pop events with your favourite chart-toppers to smaller, one-day festivals with a more alternative selection of bands. Among the highlights this year is the Barclaycard Wireless Festival (4-5 July), one of the biggest with hip hop megastar Kanye West headlining and Basement Jaxx and The Streets among the support acts. Another big favourite is the London Lovebox Weekender (18-19 July), which this year welcomes 1980s icons Duran Duran, as well as N.E.R.D. and Groove Armada. Meanwhile, jazz fans will relish the fact that legendary saxophonist Ornette Coleman, innovator of the free jazz movement of the 1950s and ’60s, is the choice to curate the acclaimed Meltdown Festival (13-21 June), with Bobby McFerrin and Robert Wyatt already confi rmed. Where? The Barclaycard Wireless Festival takes place in
Hyde Park. Lovebox Weekender is in Victoria Park, Hackney.
The Meltdown Festival is at the South Bank Centre.
Price(s): Barclaycard Wireless Festival — �45 (day ticket),
Lovebox Weekender — �42.50 (day ticket), Meltdown Contact: www.wirelessfestival.co.uk Festivals range from pop events with favourite chart-toppers to smaller, one-day happenings Outdoor Outdoor eating eating drinking anddrinking What’s on offer? The glorious (we hope) weather should tempt some of the country’s most famous chefs out of their kitchens to attend the Taste of London Festival (18-21 June). Gary Rhodes and Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall are among the culinary experts giving demonstrations in this city centre celebration of all things foodie. There are plenty of stalls selling ready-made gourmet treats, too. Tapas Fantasticas (27-28 June) is a new free festival celebrating Spanish food and drink; it will feature live Spanish music, children’s dance activities and a suitably Spanish eating and drinking experience. The Refi nery — a bar and restaurant in Southwark — is setting up a summer petanque league, too, complete with seafood counter, that will be up and running from June. Where? The Taste of London Festival takes place in Regent’s Park. Tapas Fantasticas is at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane. The Refi nery is on the South Bank, near Tate Modern. Price(s): Taste of London Festival — from �21, Tapas Fantasticas — free, The Refi nery — free. Contact: www.tastefestivals.com/london W2L SUMMER 2009 27 |