What can we say, are there words that exist that we can use to try and describe to you just how much of an event 2010′s Big Chill Festival is going to be? On Wednesday night at Big Chill House we got the full (well half full) lowdown of the festival to come.
From M.I.A, the influential Plan B, Breakestra, to Daniel Wang, Little Dragon & Massive Attack this festival is going to be one of the highlights of the summer by far. But before we go further we wanted to share an exclusive interview we got with the Big Chill Founders Kristina and Malcolm just after the launch:
*Big chill punters love to get stuck in…
N – What to look forward to this year?
BC – So much is going on, Spencer is huge, he just did Sydney opera house etc, big chill is bringing it right down, think it is his 1st private art showing. MIA is a big deal, always been a fan of strong female characters. The idea of spin the bottle at BC, you never know what you might get.
N – If you’ve never been, what would you say to people to entice them?
BC – Lots of variety, relaxed vibe until 1am, then hell on earth. Closest thing to a 24hr party that you will get. such a cool space to be in. If you wanna drink beer and just get wasted, maybe not the place, if you wanna drink beer and champagne and get drunk on ambience, it’s the place to be.
Kenya Bike Ride
BC – Hell on earth for westerners, looking after kids that are abused, amazing experience. What you live for. Trying to look beyond our own community in giving something back.
The rest of this exclusive interview will be up on our site next week. There is loads happening this year and with Spencer Tunick, KOP, and the acts we know this is going to be a festival to remember!
Iconic American artist, Spencer Tunick, is on course to bring a genuine 1st to The Big Chill Festival 2010. Since the mid-1990s Tunick as become one of the seminal photographers who’s work focuses on the nudes. Some of his installations have been groundbreaking and others have simply been genius pieces of art.
This is the first time Tunick has been commissioned by a private organisation, as well as a UK festival and is bound to create a storm at Big Chill 2010.
“A body is a living entity. It represents life, freedom, sensuality, and it is a mechanism to carry out our thoughts. A body is always beautiful to me. It depends on the individual work and what I do with it and what kind of idea lies behind it — if age matters or not. But in my group works, the only difference is how far people can go if it rains, snows etc.” – Spencer Tunick
This is bound to be one of the many incredible features of Big Chill 2010 and is bound to create a genuine buzz at the festival. Some of Tunick’s other installations have been:
2003, 7,000 naked people in Barcelona, 2004 in Cleveland, Ohio, he completed his largest installation in the United States, with 2,754 people posing. 2004, 1,800 nudes in Buffalo’s old central train station. On July 17, 2005 he photographed almost 1,700 nudes on the quaysides at Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead, including the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.
On September 11, 2005, he shot 1,493 nudes in Lyon on the Rhône quaysides and footbridge resp. between containers. On March 19, 2006, Tunick photographed 1,500 nudes in Caracas, having people standing up, lying down, and on their knees beside the main Simon Bolivar statue.
It was bound to happen and we are glad it did! After missing Plan B at Newcastle Academy a few weeks ago we thought we had missed the chance to see him again live…but then last nights Big Chill Launch helped put a big fat smile on our faces!
Who Needs Actions When You’ve Got Words was released in 2006 and set the ball rolling for an artist that people are showing some well deserved respect. In 2009 he collaborate with Chase and Status and released ‘End Credits’, a song featured in a Michael Caine classic ‘Harry Brown’ in which Plan B also co-starred.
2010 has seen Plan B set to 12th April release The Defamation of Strickland Banks, his second album has already been given all the due attention that it should and his second single ‘She Said’ got released this week. We are informed that it is charting at number 2:
Plan B has be able to smash the mould and launch a career that is set to only rise and rise. There is something so wonderful about listening to Plan B and Chillers in 2010 are going to find out why the music press as been all to willing to duff whatever hats they are wearing and admit that 2010 is Plan B’s breakthrough year.
But it’s with a sad heart that his April show on the 11th (day before the release of his new single) at Concorde 2 is SOLD OUT. But as with most things some returns might be available so your luck might be in!
You can keep up to date with Plan B by following him on his myspace.
There are going to be more shows and more chances to see an artist that is going to blow you away and we are going to make sure you hear about every one of them!
Last night in London at Big Chill House the line up and some information was given about this years Big Chill Festival, and for those of you who had gone last year know for sure that the ‘Chill really does know how to throw one heck of a festival.
As well as the normal information about the festival (which we will share with you later in the week) the festival organisers also announced a new charity that they are going to be supporting this year KOP Africa (Kenyan Orphan Project). You can find out more information about the projects that KOP Africa is supporting in 2010 here.
From the first student group in 2002 (Nottingham) students have become a very real and valuable part of KOP Africa and The New Current is going to meeting up with a few of the groups and finding out why this is. And don’t be thinking that this is just another fly in the night student groups, they mean business. Barts alone raised £13,000 for KOP last year!
KOP Africa also has a Student Programme that we think, if you have not already, really should consider A) Talking to KOP Africa about setting up a group at your university, and B) DO IT! Over the next few months we are going to be running features from the student groups who have done that very thing and have already heard back from Leeds and Barts!
