Northwest Festival Watch – September 2015
Festival season is nearly over, but it’s going out with a bang rather than a whimper
Across in Sheffield, Sensoria (25 Sep-3 Oct) returns for its eighth edition with a genre-spanning programme of music, film and digital happenings. The fest opens with a party soundtracked by DJ Yoda and his audio-visual feast ‘A History of Hip Hop’, while other highlights include a show featuring Factory Floor and Lonelady, and Tim Burgess serving up “dam fine coffee” at his Tim Peaks Diner. This live event sees Burgess inviting the likes of Paddy Considine, who’ll be performing with his band Riding the Low, to the stage as well as author and DJ Dave Haslam. Sensoria also offers the perfect opportunity to check out Steel City’s new blood, with Faerground Accidents, Baba Naga, Blood Sport, Carmen Ghia and the Hotrods all popping up during the festival.
The magical coastal village of Portmeirion opens its gates once more for Festival No. 6 (3-6 Sep), three days of arts, music and spoken word. Music highlights include Glasgow janglers Belle & Sebastian and the iconic enigma that is Grace Jones, as well as the likes of Young Fathers, Hookworms, Metronomy and Everything Everything. Dutch Uncles, meanwhile, are curating a woodland spectacular, and DJ Harvey (yes, we said dee jay), Optimo and Andrew Weatherall are among those manning the decks. There’s also an impressive range of food, markets, comedy and book/poetry readings too. Plus there's that truly spectacular setting.
You’ll get a similarly fun and friendly atmosphere at Ramsbottom Festival (18-20 Sep). Saturday night is the pick of the weekend, with indie-punk stalwarts Idlewild and experimental pop outfit The Go! Team headlining, while sunday ends with the perfect festival sing-along band, The Proclaimers. All together now, “And I would walk…”
If you’re after something a bit more banging, Mint Festival (19-20 Sep) has you covered. The lineup includes house pioneer Jamie Jones, the ‘producer’s producer’ Duke Dumont, British-Japanese DJ Maya Jane Coles, and the man recently proclaimed as “the world's number one DJ”, Seth Troxler. If you can’t have a party with those lot supplying the soundtrack, you’re beyond help.
Bringing the month – and the summer season – to a close in strung-out style is Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia (25-26 Sep). Taking place in Camp and Furnace, Blade Factory and District, revitalised warehouses of Liverpool’s once-decaying Baltic Triangle, the globe-trotting lineup includes Dutch wizard Jacco Gardner, Chilean duo The Holydrug Couple, Arizonan noise addicts Destruction Unit, Finnish electronic trio K-X-P, and Los Angeles six-piece Dengue Fever, as well those from nearer to home, like Bristol face-melters The Heads, Nottingham’s DIY sonic alchemists The Cult of Dom Keller, and Skinny faves Hookworms. Get ready to leave earth behind and launch into space.