Gibraltar Music Festival
This year on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th September Victoria Stadium will be playing host to the family friendly Gibraltar Music Festival. The event offers an option to catch all of your favourite pop and rock acts from both the past and present in the sun (hopefully). This year GMF are putting together a lineup comprised of world renowned headliners, as well as unsigned acts, plus the addition of a dance stage, an acoustic stage, and a comedy stage.
Headlining will be Welsh outfit Stereophonics, an act whose career has spanned 14 years and seen countless hits reach the top ten of the UK charts, including Dakota and Maybe Tomorrow. Joining them will be Jess Glynne, fresh from releasing several huge tunes in the past year, UK house duo 99 Souls, KT Tunstall and The Second Sons. Off the back of the release of their first new album since 2006, All Saints shall be taking to the stage, as well as Foxes, plus Gibraltar’s own Metro Motel, Spanish artist Rosario Flores, Hollie April and Frontiers. Of course there are still plenty more artists yet to be announced. Given the variety of acts on offer, plus its location, it’s no wonder the event was nominated for the Best Overseas Festival in the 2015 UK Music Festival Awards.
If planning on going to the festival and you’re living in the UK, there are direct flights to Gibraltar from London, Manchester and Birmingham, or it’s possible to fly to Malaga which is only 90 minutes from the venue. If driving, access to Gibraltar from the South of Spain is available 24 hours a day at no cost, however, due to the lack of parking availability, the festival organisers recommend parking on the Spanish side in the neighbouring town of La Linea de la Concepcion, which is only a 3 minute walk from the border. Additionally, GMF will be providing return coach services from 11 different locations in Spain, including Malaga, Torremolinos, Marbella, Cadiz and Seville. The festival doesn’t offer any camping options, but the website lists several hotels and self-catering accommodation options both in Gibraltar and nearby in Spain.
The event is proving to be very popular amongst Gibraltar residents, Spaniards and people flocking from Britain to catch their favourite artists in the sun (rather than in a muddy field in the UK with the very likely prospect of rain). Last year the event sold out with 14,000 people attending the two day festival. Therefore it’s easy to see why 2016 early bird tickets sold out so quickly, but there are still weekend passes available priced at £89 (this price is set to increase by August to £95), while day tickets are £73. Doors open at 2pm both days, while the last acts shall be finishing at midnight.
There’s an option to upgrade to VIP tickets, which entitle attendees to a shaded VIP zone overlooking the main stage and chill out areas, queue jump at the festival via the VIP entrance, as well as free entry to the VIP afterparty at Dusk Nightclub. For those already contemplating the food options, the VIP ticket allows holders to a gourmet buffet, canapés and an open bar serving beer, tinto de verano (a summery red-wine based drink similar to sangria for the uninitiated), spirits and soft drinks. VIP tickets are £287 for a single day or £350 for the weekend. Get your tickets here.
Chris Gill