Festival Preview: Beat-herder

Glastonbury Image credit: bobaliciouslondon

I admit it: I’m gutted to have missed Glastonbury. I can’t check Facebook without being bombarded by cleverly captioned Holga snaps and smug Glasto-goers debating whether Mick looks more like a sparkly tortoise or Mrs Doubtfire… But as this year’s offerings become a distant memory, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon for those of us who were only there in slipper-clad spirit with a little help from our tellyboxes.

Returning to the remote Ribble Valley for its seventh year, Beat-herder boasts another bountiful three days of beats and barminess with a refreshingly independent ethos this weekend (5^th-7^th July). Born from the simple objective of bringing good people together for a good time, Beatherder has come along since its early days of selling tickets to villagers on the side of the road, but still keeps at its heart it’s mission to provide a great time without charging extortionate prices. Sadly the same cannot be said for Glastonbury. As the number of festival-goers increase so too does to cost of a ticket. The hundreds of pounds we’re now expected to pay are a far cry from a modest £1 entry at the first ever Glastonbury festival in 1970. Why part with £6 for a pint to aid the reign of terror of the corporate companies that sponsor festivals like Glastonbury when you can celebrate a true home grown festival that favours local produce and reasonable prices while still hosting an impressive, eclectic line up?

Both headliner Nile Rodgers and up-and-coming singer/songwriter George Ezra are fresh from Glastonbury. Other lineup favourites are Random Hand, promising some proper northern ska-punk, Jimmy “The-older-they-come” Cliff, Clean Bandit and Mr Scruff. But what Beat-herder really does best is showcase artists you’ve heard of but haven’t really listened to, like trippy neo-psych quartet Temples, and Jaguar Skills, who took us by storm at SSB 2012.

Of course, all this musical mayhem takes place in an idyllic setting scattered with intimate venues waiting to be discovered. Among many returning this year is Toiltrees, hosting a massive sound system deep in the woodland, and the North West’s original reggae tent, the Bushrocker Hi Fi, operating a strictly vinyl only policy. New additions include The Fortress, a 60 foot long steel rave stronghold, and the intimate French themed stage Maison D’Etre.

So, whether you’ve got Glasto withdrawal symptoms and are desperate to get back in your wellies, or you’re still yet to tread the field this year, Beat-herder is definitely the place to go. With its enchanting atmosphere and brilliant mix of dub/reggae/dance/folk artists, you’re guaranteed a great time that wont break the bank.

Grab a pair of tickets here.

Magda Cassidy, Music Editor

 

The case for Campus Cinema

 

Image credit: Campus Cinema Society

For all the complaining students do about the high cost of living in Exeter, they sure do go to the cinema a lot. How can you bewail a £3.50 sandwich when you’re spending £7.50 on popcorn? It’s just popped corn. Not to mention being charged for 3D glasses; I remember the bygone days where you got the snazzy cardboard ones for free, and now instead you’re forced to shell out your hard-earned, grubby little pounds for glasses that make you look like a blind hipster.

Rant over. For now.

What I really want to talk about is Campus Cinema. It’s one of the best and most well-executed ideas we have on this campus – £1.80 for a film? 59p for popcorn? And it has a decent screen?! Really, kids, there’s nothing to lose here.

But for some reason, every time I go to see a film at the glorious establishment that is the M&D room, the seats are less than half-full. Even for fan-favourites like Twilight. Why on earth are people not coming?

Last week alone, I’ve seen Silver Linings Playbook (amazing), Seven Psychopaths (incredible) and a German film called Barbara (…slightly weird). Even better, I got to see them with my friends because we were all on campus anyway, I spent less than a fiver each time including food, and I could laugh as loud as I wanted because, quite frankly, I’m not as fussed about offending all of 15 students as I am about offending an entire 300-seat cinema.

There really is no better place to find out about films you might not have otherwise seen, for less than a cost of the Lunchables they inexplicably sell in the Marketplace. The best thing to do, I find, is to turn up to whatever’s on, on any night you’re free with an open mind, a couple of friends and maybe some cake to bribe the bouncers with (I’ve heard they’re vicious).

But in all seriousness, the Campus Cinema committee are among the friendliest people you’ll meet at this university, always ready to discuss what you’ve all just seen, and probably willing to give you a hug if it was particularly emotional – just don’t tell them it was me that told you.

I can’t think of a decent reason why anyone wouldn’t take advantage of such an awesome, friendly, and best of all, cheap society. There’s never a better time than the present to try out something new – and think of all the money you’ll save. That’s a lot of Jungbombs.

Kate Gray