There are more festivals than you can shake a big spiky stick at going on throughout the UK and Europe over the summer months. We’re hitting a couple of our usuals, as well as some others this year. In the “We’ll Be There” series, we’re going to keep you up to date with the ones where someone from Moshville Times will be around, soaking up the rock and metal (and beer and pizza…)!
A long-standing favourite of ours is one of our local efforts, Wildfire. Kicking off as LesFest (because it was in Lesmahagow, not because of its target audience…) it outgrew one venue and moved to new lodgings a couple of years back, expanding to fill three whole days. Do check out our coverage of the last few years to read why we like it so much! Annoyingly, due to my work having me finish a week later in June than I have in the last five years I won’t be able to make the Friday, but we’ll still have Gary and Ross (and more) there for the duration.
Set in the grounds of Wiston Lodge, it’s a very pleasant setting with a lake that often spews forth baby froglets during the festival. Amazingly, they don’t seem too perturbed by the nice noises belting forth from the 2-3 stages (this year there should be three again) between 11-ish in the morning and 11 at night.
With more of a rock than a metal edge – although some heavier bands make it onto the bill – the headliners this year are Thunder Mother, Lionheart and Massive Wagons. Backing them up are Vega, Mason Hill, Buffalo Summer and Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics and Devilfire with supporting cast of dozens.
Several (other) Moshville Times favourites are on there, including Black King Cobra, Joanovarc, Tysondog, Witch Tripper, Winter Storm, Ryders Creed… so many! The bill’s not even been fully announced yet so there’s plenty more to come. How they always fit so much into three days is beyond me.
More details can be found on the festival’s website, and you can pick up your tickets there as well. Adults are only £85 including camping for the three days, with 13-17 year olds only £25, and those under 13 a bargain tenner. Day tickets are also available.
