UK Music Festival Guide 2017: Where to Get Tickets to Reading and Leeds, Lovebox and More.

The UK summer festival scene is hardly wanting when it comes to options. Glastonbury and the Isle of Wight 2017 may be no more than muddy memories, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty more on the music menu, and you might still have a chance to snag tickets for the most popular events if you get your skates on, stay vigilant, and enjoy just a little bit of luck. Here’s a quick roundup of the festivals to come and how you might secure yourself a ticket or two.

Reading and Leeds

The iconic double-act of Reading and Leeds is back yet again to present a searing array of alternative music from the indie, punk, and metal scenes, plus a list of top name draws that includes Bastille, Major Lazer, and Tory Lanez. Headlining acts include Muse, Eminem, and Kasabian. Both are set to run from August 26th to 28th, and you might be able to score a few tickets through either Ticketmaster or viagogo.

Lovebox

Taking place in the beating heart of the capital, this is one of the most affordable festivals in the UK. But don’t think that means missing out on top talent or great times – Lovebox 2017 is set to offer both from July 15th to 16th. You can still pick a few tickets up from Ticketmaster or viagogo if you want to see headliners like Frank Ocean, Solange, Jamie XX, and Chase & Status.

Field Day

Another increasingly popular London-based festival, Field Day will be celebrating its 11th year on June 3rd, so time to get moving if you want tickets. Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus and many more will be there. Again, Ticketmaster or viagogo are your go-to options to take in this cool Victoria Park fest.

V Festival

V-fest is where you go to find the biggest names in pop, and 2017 is not going to disappoint. With Jay- Z, Pink, George Ezra, Jess Glynne, Stormzy, and Craig David just a few of the names confirmed for this year’s event, it’s one you’ll want to consider, especially since the August 20th and 21st dates will give you time to pick up a few tickets from Ticketmaster or viagogo. More than worth a shot for one of the most iconic festivals in the United Kingdom.

 

Festival Review // LoveBox Festival 2016

LoveBox is close to our hearts for so many reasons, so don’t be surprise when we say that it was one of our top festival experiences for 2016.

For starters, let’s get the stellar location out of the way. Going to LoveBox doesn’t mean buying a ferry ticket or slogging into the countryside. Instead, you’ll find the biggest acts right in the middle of London’s East End. If so inclined, you could catch an opera at the Royal Albert Hall and then head to LoveBox after to dance it out with some of the best club tunes across the festival’s numerous stages.

But it’s not just LoveBox’s location in the capital that gets us smiling – it’s the festival’s incredible ability to replicate London’s world-famous clubbing scene within a wildly different environment. Stages for 2016 included the fabric stage, at which we checked out acts such as DJ Barely Legal and Goldlink, the Kopparberg Urban Forest Stage, complete with woodland bar and DJs such as Tom Trago, and the Corona Sunsets Stage, which brought the tunes of the Balearics.

Yup, it’s pretty easy to see how we fell in love with LoveBox. Kicking off on Friday night, we experienced London’s own Little Simz, as well as Katy B. To be honest, though, we really left our hearts with Goldie, Joris Voorn, Preditah, and Big Narstie – those acts really set the bar, and they set it high. We also couldn’t get enough of Kano, who will be headlining o2 Academy Brixton later this year and is perhaps our top pick to turn main-stage for next year’s event. We were still smitten on Saturday thanks to Oh Wonder, ODESZA, Jodie Abacus, Jamie Woon, and SG Lewis.

Of course, anybody who has attended LoveBox in the past is well aware that the musical performers are really only one slice of the fun. When we needed to chill, we headed over to The Voicebox to take in anything from poetry slams to beatboxing. If you need to rest your feet and have a bit of a laugh, we’d definitely recommend it for next year. If you’re more into kicking up the action than taking a breather, we heard great things about the BUMP roller disco.

When it comes right down to it, LoveBox kind of defines exactly what a city festival should be, and we had nothing but love in our hearts after departing this year’s event. Bring on 2017.

LoveBox

You’ll find LoveBox nestled right in the middle of London’s East End.

 

Strongly inspired by the city’s clubbing scene, you’ll get to bask in the offerings of numerous big name acts across the festival’s multiple stages, which include:

  • fabric Stage: One of London’s most famous clubs brings a killer line-up to their stage each year. For 2016, that includes Kano, GoldLink, Big Narstie, and DJ Barely Legal on Friday, then acts such as Ricardo Villalobos, Zip, Jackmaster, and Craig Richards on the Saturday.
  • Kopparberg Urban Forest Stage: A woodland bar serves all manner of beverages, including Kopparberg’s own fruit ciders. You’ll be able to sample some of the most creative artists and DJs on its renowned Urban Forest stage, including Tom Trago, Cinnaman, and Krankbrother.
  • Corona Sunsets Stage: Bringing the sounds of the Balearic Islands to East London, Corona’s energetic stage features acts such as Krystal Klear, Desert Sound Colony, and Norman Jay MBE.

Beyond the stages themselves, LoveBox visitors will find a whole host of intriguing activities and events, such as:

  • elrow Presents Sambodromo do Brasil: A plane of resident DJs came down in the densest jungle, resulting in a party built for fantastic beasts and musical explorers. The vibes of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival awaits, alongside pumping electronic rhythms.
  • The Voicebox: Presented by Apples & Snakes, the United Kingdom’s leading spoken word organisation, the Voicebox plays host to poetry slams, storytelling, hip hop, spoken word music, and beatboxing. There’s even the iconic Hip Hop Karaoke session to finish off each day.
  • BUMP Rollerdisco: Cruise on retro skates to the sounds of LoveBox’s resident DJs, including Blonde Ambition + Joshua James
  • In Your Dreams: Designed to let people unleash the wildest streams of creativity and lose all of their artistic inhibitions, you’ll be able to become a canvas for intricate body and face painters.
  • Mystic Moon: Find talismans, body jewellery, and Amazonian tree resins. Each piece of work will have been hand-crafted using traditional methods from fair trade and natural materials.

LoveBox is a festival that is beloved by those who like to dance into the small hours of the morning and then take the opportunity to express their creative sides once the sun has come up. It might be the last thing that you’d expect to find hidden in East London, but it’s not likely to be an experience that you’d ever care to forget about.