| Hello!
It’s just ten weeks until The Big Chill 2009 and here at BCHQ we’re starting to put the finishing touches on our four-day festival celebrating music, comedy, art, film, spoken word and general mischief making, set in a beautiful secluded valley in the Malvern Hills. Our musical line-up embraces all styles, from Orbital’s hands in the air anthems, to the pioneering work of Talking Heads’ David Byrne and a dynamic audio/visual show from seminal director Chris Cunningham. Horse Meat Disco, the Sub Club and other guest promoters will put you through your paces in The Coop, with a programme of innovative, cutting-edge sounds, or lose yourself under the stars to some of the finest DJs in the world. There’s also top-notch comedy in The Coop from Noel Fielding, Dylan Moran and Russell Howard. More laughs from Underbelly with Tim Minchin and Josie Long in Big Chill Nights, as well as circus and cabaret from the NoFit State troupe, late-night vaudeville from the Perverse Universe, and the old world thrills of the Victorian Funfair. Strike a pose for Rankin, pick up a bargain at the Art Car Boot Fair and watch The World Famous’ towering zombie effigy illuminate the finale of the festival. Tune in to super cool road movies with ghostly soundtracks in the Dereliction Drive-in and learn some funky new moves in our Bollywood dance classes. Take a boat ride around a lake before grabbing your ukelele and getting involved on The Crap Stage. Live out your fancy dress fantasies in the Dressing-Up Box. Visit Body and Soul to recharge your batteries and discover Stop The City, our brand new ambient space tucked away in the woods. Lovers of language can indulge themselves in Words in Motion’s lakeside literary programme with a difference, whilst there are fun and games for children of all ages in the Kid’s Zone and the Roundhouse Big Round Tent. We’ll be opening the festival gates at 10am sharp on Thursday 6th August. The Big Chill Radio crew will be riding the airwaves on 87.7fm and online all weekend, and who better to get the campsites grooving than the Chiller’s favourite pie enthusiast, Mr Scruff, who’ll be hosting a very special on-air tea-party. You can also sample Mr Scruff’s new ‘Make Us A Brew! Teas, including his very special ‘Big Chill Tea’ blend. On Thursday evening, the Mercury Award nominated British Sea Power will take to the Open Air Stage to re-score two films. Meanwhile, the dead will walk the earth once more, as Film4 and Warp Films not only take you to, but also give you a chance to be in the movies as they attempt an entry into the Guinness Book of Records, by shooting the world’s first and largest audience participation zombie movie, I Spit On Your Rave. All this and more at The Big Chill 2009… |
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| The Open Air Stage
The Open Air Stage – the centre piece and one of the first things that Chillers see when diving into the valley from the hilltop, will play host to the headliners and emerging artists alike… Thursday British Sea Power Basement Jaxx | Calexico | Rodriguez | The Dennis Bovell Dub Band | Noah & The Whale | Fink | The Leisure Society | Modeste Hugues Orbital | Spiritualized | Lamb | The Invisible | Music from the Penguin Cafe | Hypnotic Brass Ensemble | Pharoah Sanders | Helios David Byrne | Hexstatic | Amadou & Mariam | Max Romeo | Norman Jay | Ludovico Einaudi’s White Tree Project |
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| The Castle Stage
Eastnor’s famous stronghold looming over the Castle Stage adds a certain majesty to the southern part of the valley which is built upon by the genre-defying directors, artists, bands and producers who grace it’s stage… Friday Chris Cunningham | In Flagranti | The Juan Maclean | Wildbirds & Peacedrums | James Yuill | Erik Truffaz and Sly Johnson Quantic & his Combo Barbaro | Bonobo | Emiliana Tourrini | Alice Russell | Mulatu & Heliocentrics | Kim Hiorthroy | To Rococo Rot | Emmy The Great | Kathryn Williams Telepathe | Gong | Getachew Merkuria & The Ex | Andrew Bird | The Gist | Edward II | Gable | Oren Marshall |
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| The Coop
The Coop will be a hotbed for dance music at the festival, from sleaky fizzed up pop to dubbed out disco, it’s a cosy nest where you can get your groove on. Then it transforms on Sunday afternoon to become an uber-comedy club where headliners Russell Howard, Dylan Moran and Noel Fielding will perform to an audience of thousands. Friday Wonky Pop present… Alphabeat (DJ Set) | Magistrates | Dan Black | Boy Crisis | Marina & The Diamonds | Futurecop! Chrome Hoof | Subculture | Optimo | Octave One Favela Chic present… Hypnotic Brass Ensemble | DJ Favela | Ska Cubano | DJ Sandrinho | Joana & The Wolf | Zombie Zombie | Chinese Man Lindstrom | Metro Area | Tim Sweeney & Tim Goldsworthy | Horse Meat Disco DJs Sunday Comedy in The Coop with… Russell Howard | Dylan Moran | Noel Fielding | Stephen Frost Tom Middleton’s One More Tune Summer of Dub present… Dub Syndicate | Congo Natty | Kode9 & MC Spaceape | Jazzsteppa |
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| Big Chill Nights
Comedy is the new punk rock, apparently, and if that’s so then Underbelly is the CBGB’s of The Big Chill Festival with yards and yards of top notch stand ups performing. Not only that, but Big Chill Nights also plays host to some amazing, bizarre and downright outrageous circus and cabaret performances throughout the weekend… Underbelly Tim Minchin | Sean Hughes| Josie Long | Rob Deering | Barry Castagnola | Jeremy O’Donnell | Pierre Hollins | Ray Peacock | Terry Saunders | Ben Norris | Craig Campbell | Ian Stone | Marcus Birdman | Mitch Benn | Trevor Lock | Andy Askins The kooky and strange Perverse Universe requires googles, breeches and an open mind as RedSarah and her band of merry men take you through a journey with the freaks of the new millennium. Circus with all the crap and cruelty taken out. Just awe-inspiring stunts and feats for all ages, as well as an after-hours performance for adults only. The man and the legend that is Jonny Woo. Whether you know him for his Gay Bingo or Hot Breath Karaoke, Jonny’s immortal status in the East End of London is assured. |
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| The Cocktail Bar
Just when you thought a festival couldn’t get any better, there’s also a cocktail bar, so if you like your booze sweet and your music jackin’ then your best propping up this bar with sets from… Annie Nightingale | Greg Wilson | Toddla T | Aldo Vanucci | Bullion & Paul White | Craig Charles | Floating Points | Futureboogie DJs | Krafty Kuts and A.Skillz | MJ Cole | Parker | Ramadanman | Red Rack’em | Smoove & Turrell (Live) | The Nextmen ft. MC Wrec | Tomb Crew Rum, there really is no better spirit. Ask any sailor and he’ll nod in befuddled agreement… DJ Derek | Bristol Hi-Fi ft. Daddy G, Queen Bee, Mr Benn & Souls Liberation | Don Letts Vs. Jet Letts | Bassclef (Live) | Benny Page | DJ DRM | Guy Carlos | Mungo’s Hi-Fi | Nice Up! Soundsystem | Reggae Roast |
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| The Rizla Arena
The Rizla Arena was one of the many stages that always had a bumping throng in front of it last year and the line up they’ve got in store this summer should ensure another bouncing perma-mob. This year’s Rizla Players have been unveiled as… Gruff Rhys |
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| The Film4 Cinema Tent
We are thrilled to announce the new Film4 Cinema Tent for 2009. Our top class film programme will be curated by Film4, The BFI and the ICA, with some gorgeous gems lovingly sourced from the world of independent film by us. Expect a bit of Bollywood dance action too! On Thursday evening, Film4 and Warp Films (with a little help from you) will be attempting to smash the current world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as zombies (a mere 1227) when they start shooting the cinematic zombie-fest, I Spit On Your Rave. If you’d like to be an extra in this film simply come in costume, or get dressed up when you arrive. Following the first day of mass zombie filming on Thursday there will be a dusk till dawn all-nighter of classic zombie flicks. Saturday is Bollywood day, as hot on the heels of Slumdog mania, the Film4 programmers bring you a night of Bollywood and Bollywood-inspired classics, as well as Bollywood dance classes during the day. On Sunday a programme of road movies will compliment Film4′s inspired Dereliction Drive-in installation. Big Chillers may roam, sit and crash on the abandoned and burnt out cars, while screens and car stereos play ghostly re-mixes of classic and imagined road movies. Soundtracks will be specially recorded by guest artists and DJs, while Chillers will have the opportunity to upload their own soundtrack mixes and customise the car paintjobs or just lie back and take in the scenery. On top of bringing you a festival exclusive with British Sea Power’s fabulous live rescore of the seminal film Man Of Aran on Thursday night, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the moon landings The BFI have also put together a stunning programme of lunar related movies and film scores, as well as bringing their Film Funday concept to The Big Chill. This is the BFI’s flagship event for families that love film, showcasing a mix of family classics and treasures from the BFI archive, alongside exclusive must see family previews. Each screening is accompanied by a tailored workshop where kids and their parents can enjoy an array of activities, from filmmaking to storyboarding, model making and animation. The ICA is one of the world’s foremost centres for contemporary arts and their reputation as champions of independent and world cinema remains unrivalled. This year, the ICA programme will demonstrate the breadth of subject matter and quality of treatment of their engagement with film. |
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| The Enchanted Garden
The Enchanted Garden is the festival within a festival (how very Shakespearean). Stages, installations and workshops, massages and car boot sales make this mini-fest set in a beautiful woodland space a very unique experience. Stop The City – Sound Installtions and visuals far from mainstream living. The Crap Stage – Fancy performing? This stage gives you the platform to get involved and get dressed up. Buskers Stage – A SolarAid powered stage for the Busker in us all. Body & Soul – A must-do for many a big chiller, retune your mind and unwind your body with all sorts of workshops and treatments. Art Car Boot Fair – Pick up a bargain all the way from the car parks of East London. All this and The Monkey Shoulder Whiskey Bar, Farmers Market, Somerset Cider Bus and more! |
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| Words In Motion
Poets, spoken wordsmiths, lyricists, MCs, authors, comedians and lovers of language from all over the world assemble in the Words in Motion tent to express, exhume and exalt all that is beautiful about the English Language… James Brown | Lemn Sissay | Tongue Fu | Ursula Rucker | Vince Power | Alex Horne | Brian Appleton (AKA Graham Fellows) | Brian Patten | Anna Maria Murphy | Aoife Mannix | Ben Mellor | Byron Vincent | Charlie Dark | Charlie Jordan | Emma McGordon | Jay Bernard | Joshua Idehen | Malika Booker | Rosemary Harris | Rukus | Salena Godden | Steve Tasane | Under Da Poetree | Jan Blake | Jean Binta Breeze |
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| The Kid’s Zone
We really pride ourselves on laying on some of the most captivating and unique entertainment for kids… Crazy Comic Club | Hang’s Aerial Workshops | Mischief Makers | Scamp Theatre’s Pinocchio | John Hegley & The Popticians | Apples & Snakes |
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| The Roundhouse Big Round Tent
After last year’s huge success, the Roundhouse is returning to Eastnor with a programme jam-packed full of fun things for young Chillers to do. The Roundhouse Big Round Tent will have workshops and activities ranging from photography to graffiti, film making to drumming and even a treasure hunt. There’ll also be gigs and shows on the Friday and Saturday nights, showcasing hot young talent. Visit www.roundhouse.org.uk/studios to find out more. |
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| Art at The Big Chill
Art is a keystone in the foundation of The Big Chill’s ethos and some fantastic installations including Henry Krokatsis’ ‘Helter-Skelter-Lighthouse’, The Blank Canvas Project where 15 artists create a unique piece of art on 15 different tents and the world famous photographer Rankin taking portraits of Big Chillers. Last year’s finale bonfire was an utterly hypnotising and primeval event, so no doubt those who stood in slack jawed awe will be happy to know that The World Famous, the pyrotechnic team behind these magnificent conflagrations are back with a 13 metre high sculpture towering over the lake and illuminating the finale of the festival. |
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| Campsites, car parks and facilities
Our new car park layout will mean shorter walks from car to campsites – all you have to do is look at our map when you book your tickets and select the car park closest to where you’d like to camp. Don’t own a tent, fancy lightening your load, or just want to try something a bit more luxurious at this year’s festival? Then check out our Easy Camping options, where you can find out about hiring a tent, tipi, Podpad, Bellepad, Myhab or yurt. The vast variety of fantastic food stalls at the Big Chill Festival covers cuisine from every corner of the world: fish and chips, sushi, Curried Goat, Goan fish curry, pies, falafels and many many more. The beverage bars are just as many and varied. So whatever your poison, from cocktails to west country cider, all thirst will be quenched. The Association of Independent Festivals, of which The Big Chill is a member, is conducting a survey of all its members’ audiences. Click here to complete the brief survey and you may be the lucky winner of the draw for two adult weekend tickets to The Big Chill. The deadline for this is 2nd June. |
| Tickets for The Big Chill 2009 are available now from Ticketline. Adult: £145 Student: £110 For full-time students only. Valid NUS or ISIC ID required at the box office – no other student ID accepted. JSA: £110 Official documentation proving JSA entitlement must be produced at the box office. Teen* (13 to 17 years old): £60 Kid* (12 and under – this includes babies and toddlers): £4 * Please note that all under 18 year olds must be accompanied to the festival by an adult. An adult cannot be responsible for more than 4 under 18 year olds each. Sunday: £70 National Express are now selling a combined festival & travel ticket: £165
All of the above include camping and are subject to a booking fee The Big Chill/Shop, |
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