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As we enter the final month of summer, we're still counting down the days to a number of festivals before the tents are packed up for another nine months, as well as eyeing up the calendar ahead of some very special gigs. There is truly something for any music fan this month, so strap in and check out what we think you should check out!
First up is the perhaps unexpected entry of the annual Boomtown fair. This wild four day event is far more than just a music festival, with eight deeply immersive areas across the festival grounds that are each home to a different style of music. Whilst we love artists from all walks of music, hardcore punk is of course our home and so we have a particular eye on Area 404, with such acts as Shooting Daggers, Good Cop, ALT BLK ERA, Soft Play, Gen and the Degenerates and plenty more! There's far far more than we can hope to outline, so frankly we simply suggest going to see what all the fuss is about.
Taking a rather different approach is Bloodstock Festival, held across the same weekend but with far fewer stages, a bit more of a niche musically, and some absolutely excellent bands on the bill. Of course we can't not mention Burner and Unpeople, two of the best and brightest live acts in the country right now, but there's also Hatebreed, Xentrix, Sylosis, Opeth, Cauldron, Grove Street, and a whole host of further brilliant live acts to catch.
Our first gig recommendation this month comes as Crypta take to the stage three times in the UK - firstly on August 9th, at the Camden Underworld, then the next day at Bloodstock, and on the 11th they play at Glasgow's Garage Attic. The all-female Brazilian death metal act are seriously heavy hitters with some searing riffs and crushing breakdowns in their arsenal, and are far more than worth the price of admission at any of these shows!
Not to let the second weekend of August go to waste, Korn are also taking advantage of it to play at Scarborough's Open Air Theatre on August 8th, Halifax's Piece Hall on August 9th, and London's Gunnersbury Park on August 11th. The nu-metal icons have a formidable crew in tow as Loathe will be supporting all three shows, WARGASM on the 8th and 11th, and London will also feature performances by Denzel Curry and Spiritbox. Are you ready?
Not to be outdone for amazing London shows, on August 13th 14th and 15th there's going to be something of a unique affair as Frank Carter of the Rattlesnakes and most of the Sex Pistols take to the stage at Bush Hall in order to raise money to keep it around. The venue will no doubt be rocked to its core, as all three shows sold out in seconds, and the opportunity to see a modern punk icon fronting the most iconic punk band ever more than warrants that.
Starting on August 14th is one of the UK metal festival scene's best kept secrets, ArcTanGent. Full to the brim with your favourite artists from the weirder walks of music, there will be such clashes as Unpeople's anthemic mosh anthems colliding with Underdark's despairing black metal, and the triple headline threat of Explosions In The Sky, Meshuggah and Mogwai makes for a mean lineup in anyone's books. Chuck a few other names on like Blood Command, Julie Christmas, Maruja, and Curse These Metal Hands, and you are onto a winner.
Our favourite space beekeeping noise band Wallowing have one hell of a show to put on later this month. August 23rd and 24th will feature two hectic shows from the heaviest band you need to have heard of, in Alton and London respectively. That London show is also the 5th anniversary of their album PLANET LOSS , and they're rumoured to be putting on the show of all shows for it. Only way to know what happens? Be there to see it.
Whilst unofficially a weekend of hedonism after finishing your GCSE's, Reading and Leeds have plenty of great acts on this year. Blink-182 are headlining, The Prodigy are playing (at the same damn time, we've shed innumerable tears over this), Spiritbox are there, Crawlers are on the main stage, and there is far more for any alt lovers or metalheads to dig into, so maybe cast your eyes across those posters and have a little peek before disregarding this one.
Finally, on the last two days of the month there will be a jolly old lineup of acts killing it in Torquay for Burn It Down Festival. On the Friday SeeYouSpaceCowboy will be making their first appearance in the UK for far too long, alongside My Only Solution, Calva Louise, Saint Agnes, Cauldron and more, whereas the Saturday features our first cover stars in Death Goals as well as Lake Malice, BEX, Mouth Culture, Unpeople again, Artio, and Negative Frame. With that many quality acts, maybe it's time for a trip down to Torquay!
Words: Jake Longhurst
Cover Photo: Conrad Newton
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