The Big Chill (music festival)

infobox music festival
music_festival_name =


location = Ledbury, Herefordshire, England
years_active= 1994 - present
founders = Pete Lawrence and Katrina Larkin
dates = Early August
genre = Indie, Dance music, World music, Trance, Reggae, Folk music, Dub music, Ambient, Chillout

The Big Chill is an English festival of alternative and chill-out music, started in 1994.

History

Founded in 1994 by Pete Lawrence and Katrina Larkin it began as a series of ambient parties at the Union Chapel in Islington, but developed into an outdoor festival in 1995 with an event in the Black Mountains of Wales. In the early days the most prominent DJs were Matt Black of Coldcut, Tom Middleton of Global Communication and Mixmaster Morris also known as the Irresistible Force.Location map
Herefordshire
label=
lat=52.03006
long=-2.39001
width=180
float=right
caption="Location of Eastnor Castle shown within Herefordshire" (gbmapping|SO711376)

After a false start that nearly bankrupted the fledgling festival, in 1998 a new home for the event (now known as "The Enchanted Garden") was found at Larmer Tree Gardens in England where it was held for 5 years. During this time it slowly developed its hallmarks, such as high quality visuals, an excellent range of food stalls, highly unusual line-ups and a Body & Soul field with many healers, masseurs and alternative therapists. In 2001 a second summer festival was also held at Lulworth Castle in Dorset.

The festival has continued to grow in popularity with attendance and ticket sales generally increasing each year. In 2002 the last festival took place at the Larmer Tree Gardens, and then the event moved to its current home at Eastnor Castle where it now takes place each summer at the beginning of August. Attendance at the first "Enchanted Garden" was only a couple of thousand people, rising to around 6-7000 people towards the end of its time at Larmer Tree Gardens. In 2003 this had increased to 17,500. Additional space at the Eastnor site has permitted the festival to grow further to 27,000 (2004) and 30,000 (2005) people. In 2006 the event was licensed for 35,000 people, and in the 2007 festival was marginally smaller. Nowadays the festival has moved on from the vibes of its small beginnings and has a plethora of corporate sponsors and professionals involved in the production.

Throughout its history, the Big Chill has showcased a variety of music, uptempo as well as ambient. Nowadays DJs like Norman Jay, Mr Scruff and Gilles Peterson are regular performers, and more dance music is heard, but the festival also provides a diverse range of music from folk and jazz to African and dub, as well as art, films, poetry, cabaret and gourmet food. A couple of TV documentaries have helped The Big Chill become a regular fixture of the English summer.

Festival Site

The festival is situated in the grounds of Eastnor Castle near Ledbury in Herefordshire. The grounds are normally used as a reserve for deer. The organisers encourage a "Leave No Trace" policy to dissuade people from littering the site. There are several stages and large tents. These include: The Castle Stage, The Big Chill Stage, The Sanctuary Stage, Media Mix Tent, Club Tent, The Village Green stage, and several sponsored bars which have their own DJs and soundsystems. Away from all the tents and music there is an Art Trail, an exhibition of unusual, avant-garde art installments. There is also a Kids tent and in 2007 a new cabaret tent, Big Chill Nights.

The Big Chill 2008 Line Up

Music
*Camille (singer)
*Bomb the Bass
*Roots Manuva
*DJ Vadim
*DJ MK
*Fujiya & Miyagi
*Jilted John
*Leonard Cohen
*Little Dragon
*Múm
*Nina Nastasia
*Norman Jay
*Orchestra Baobab
*Plaid
*Portico Quartet
*Rachel Unthank & the Winterset
*Svetlana
*Thievery Corporation
*The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
*Sheila Chandra

Comedy

*The Mighty Boosh
*Bill Bailey
*John Shuttleworth
*Robin Ince
*Rob Rouse
*Ida Barr
*Al Pitcher
*Jarred Christmas
*Pete Cain
*Dave Johns
*Ed Petrie
*Howard Read
*Alistair Barrie
*Susan Murray
*Jeff Innocent
*Jonathan Mayor

Spoken Word

*Apples and Snakes
*Ben Goldacre
*John Hegley

For Children

*Ara Malikian Presents - My First Four Seasons
*Claytime
*Comedy Club 4 Kids

Mixed Media / Cabaret

*Club de Fromage present Sports Night
*Exceeda
*Light Surgeons
*Perverse Universe Victorian Freakshow
*Noise of Art

Other attractions Victorian funfairThe Big Warm - bonfire space

Other Projects

The Big Chill has also spread its wings internationally, having created events in Naxos Greece, Cairo in Egypt, Japan, Australia and Prague. With the exception of Naxos, which ran for three consecutive years (2000-2002), all of these have been one-off events. In 2007 they held a two-day event at Aswem Beach in Goa, India.They have also released a series of compilation CDs, and recently started signing acts such as Alucidnation, Tom Middleton, AGK, Chilled By Nature and Eva Abraham to their own label - Big Chill Recordings.

They broadcast two weekly radio shows on Chill (radio station) every Monday at 2000, and every Wednesday at 2200.

There is also a Big Chill Bar in Brick Lane, London. The "Big Chill House" opened in London in August 2006.

Bands and Artists that have played at the festival

*Zero 7
*Adem
*The Memory Band
*Martin Carthy
*Amadou and Mariam
*The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain
*Seasick Steve
*Nouvelle Vague
*Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid
*Coldcut
*Mixmaster Morris
*The Bays
*Goldlix
*Jose Gonzalez
*Nouvelle Vague
*Urban Myth Club
*Bent
*Bill Brewster
*The Egg
*Skylab
*Andrew Cronshaw
*Shur-i-kan
*Mr Scruff
*Rodrigo y Gabriela
*Martha Wainwright
*Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
*Blue Man Group
*Four Tet
*The Cinematic Orchestra
*Lily Allen
*4 Hero
*LTJ Bukem
*Lambchop
*Lemon Jelly
*John Peel
*Ulrich Schnauss
*Rob da Bank
*Norman Jay
*Arrested Development
*Gilles Peterson
*Patrick Forge
*Bugz in the Attic
*Tom Middleton
*Vashti Bunyan
*Jalebee Cartel
*Max Richter
*AGK
*Herbert
*Squarepusher
*Tunng
*Chas & Dave
*DJ Derek
*Kruder & Dorfmeister
*Future Loop Foundation
*Chris Coco
*Tonto's Expanding Head Band
*Transit Kings
*Cymande
*Isaac Hayes

External links

* [http://www.bigchill.net/ The Big Chill website]
* [http://www.warnfestivals.co.uk/bigchill/ Warnfestivals The Big Chill Page]
* [http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/bigchill eFestivals festival coverage]