Festival Tips: Above & Beyond, Elite Force, Riva Starr & more

Festival Tips: Above & Beyond, Elite Force, Riva Starr & more

24 June, 2010 | 3.08AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: above & beyond, elite force, festival tips, festivals, geddes, hannah holland, matt tolfrey, riva starr

One of the awesome things about summer festivals is that the artists are often as excited about them as the crowd is.

With festival season heating up, we’ve asked a handful of artists to tell us what they’ve got planned, who they’re psyched to see, and how they plan to make it through the madness in one piece. Read on to get the low-down from Above & Beyond, Hannah Holland, Elite Force, Riva Starr, Matt Tolfrey, and Geddes, all of whom will be rolling around in the mud at Glastonbury this weekend.

Above & Beyond

Have you played Glastonbury Festival before?

No and I’m VERY excited. I’ve been to Glastonbury as a spectator a few times and always loved it, and to be headlining a stage at what is the world’s most important festival is a real honour. We’ve done most of the others, including Coachella—but Glastonbury is the daddy.


How long do you plan to spend there, and which other artists are you excited to see?

We’re arriving sometime Friday so we’ll be there all weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing so many bands I probably won’t be able to manage it, but Ellie Goulding, Muse, Stevie Wonder, Turin Brakes, Temper Trap, and Groove Armada are high on the list.


What have you planned for your set?

A very Glastonbury set, hopefully full of things that people will want to dance and sing along to. This is probably the broadest audience we’ll ever get to play to so there’s no point in getting too trainspotterish.


What festival survival tips do you have?

Festival survival is a bit of a non sequitur for me, like “sex survival”. What’s not to love about it? Apart from maybe holding your nose in the loo, everything else is gorgeous if you just chillax!

Hannah Holland

Have you played Glastonbury Festival before?

Once, two years ago at an after hours tent!

How long do you plan to spend there, and which other artists are you excited to see?

I’m spending the whole weekend there, lots of my friends are performing at NYC Downlow, which is where i’ll be for a lot of the weekend. I wanna see Stevie Wonder and Pet Shop Boys!

What have you planned for your set?

I’m playing fairly early in the day, so warm, happy, sunny, bassy beats from me!!

What festival survival tips do you have?

Have a shower while you’re there, if you can. It sorts you right out from whatever state you’re in!

Elite Force

Have you played Glastonbury Festival before?

Yeah, have played there several times before ... I’m guessing three or so, but it’s all a little hazy!

How long do you plan to spend there, and which other artists are you excited to see?

I’ll be there for at least two nights as I’m playing Thursday in the Pussy Parlour and again on Saturday in the Glade Lounge (well, I’ll be chaperoning the elusive Zodiac Cartel and making sure he doesn’t get into too much trouble at that one). I’ve been so busy recently I haven’t really had the time to think that far ahead, so I’m looking forward to arriving on site, locating the very civilized “chilled white wine” vendor and finding a nice spot in the dust to acquaint myself with this year’s line-up.

What have you planned for your set?

It will be pretty much a series of unreleased exclusives that I’ve done specifically for my summer festival sets. Good to keep things fresh and keep people guessing. Thursday night’s being recorded for Radio One so I’m just going through some tracks now & getting rid of the sweary bits!

What festival survival tips do you have?

Let’s face it, most people do survive festivals one way or another so it’s never too much of a drama getting through to the other side… just make sure you take plenty of sunblock this year, a hat, some wellies, something warm, a decent tent, some ziplock bags, a wodge of cash and of course the ubiquitous toilet roll—anything else is just window-dressing!

Matt Tolfrey

Have you played Glastonbury Festival before?

This is not only the first time I have ever played Glasto, but actually the first time I have ever been.  For some reason I always just missed out on tickets or had something else really important to do the same weekend.

How long do you plan to spend there, and which other artists are you excited to see?

I arrive Friday morning and leave Monday morning. I haven’t got too much of a plan yet, there is a big group of close friends going so I am going to leave it up to them mainly. I am sure once I get into the flow of things there will be things I want to specifically check out. Obviously I wanna see Stevie Wonder, that is going to be the highlight for sure.  I’ll need to get somewhere to stand quickly for that coz EVERYONE is going to want to be there…

What have you planned for your set or performance?

I think Geddes and I are going to be playing a lot more party time than usual.  Some cool bootlegs, some old school house bits and some bog current tracks in our bag. We are going to have a small plan for the first few records then take it from there. We’re just gonna have some fun and make sure everyone else does too.

What festival survival tips do you have?

Drink loads of water, try and sleep every night, make sure you put sun cream on when needed, and always have your wellies at the ready!!!

Riva Starr

Have you played Glastonbury Festival before?

Yes two years ago, opening the west stage. Started with 20 people, finished with a packed up tent. Unbelievably good!



How long do you plan to spend there, and which other artists are you excited to see?

I’m actually gonna be there just for my set as I’ll be playing Yello party in Belfast on Saturday night. Lot of exciting acts to be seen though!

What have you planned for your set?

Gonna play a LOT of my SNATCH! label future releases so watch out!

What festival survival tips do you have?


Bring WELLIES :)

Geddes

Have you played Glastonbury Festival before?

I’ve been to Glastonbury Festival before but never played. This year I was already going but to be asked to play was a bonus. Really looking forward to playing with Matt Tolfrey, we always have so much fun.

How long do you plan to spend there, and which other artists are you excited to see?

Definitely staying the duration of the festival, was offered other gigs on the same weekend which I turned down so I could enjoy myself. For me it’s all about Stevie Wonder on Sunday evening.

What have you planned for your set?

I have thought about my set a little, one because Matt and I are playing together and secondly it’s quite a big tent.  Anyhow I think Matt and I have worked something out quite special, hopefully we’ll leave some memories.

What festival survival tips do you have?

Festival tips for this year, errrrr… some sun tan lotion and lots of water.

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