A Night with Nessie – A Beginners Guide to Groove Festival
Right, so I know what you’re thinking. Loch Ness was made famous for one thing (and it wasn’t Groove Festival, sorry guys) The Loch Ness monster. That frickin’ great dinosaur creature thing seen swimming around the murky depths of the Loch. It’s the stuff of legend. And now the bonkers curators at Groove Festival are giving you all the chance to party at this mythical mecca. Ever wanted to rave with Nessie? Well now’s your chance. Oh, and don’t listen to the people who say the Loch Ness monster isn’t real, they probably think that Father Christmas isn’t real as well (idiots!) Anyway, the Loch Ness lovin’ peeps at Licklist are here to guide you through what Groove has to offer. And oh boy are we excited about it!
Monsters aside, the thing that we’re most hyped about is the line-up, and for good reason. The peeps at Groove have put together an absolutely stupendous line-up. Like, I’ve been doing these articles for a while now and I don’t think I’ve seen a line-up like this at a supposedly ‘smaller’ festival. I mean, I’m broke and I’m considering taking out a loan from Wonga to get myself to this one (Yep, I know what you’re thinking. How is such an eloquent and funny music journalist not raking it in? Ask my bosses *ahem*) Anyway, getting back to the line-up before I get myself fired, allow me to take you through this veritable treasure trove of talent.
First and foremost, it’s The Giver himself, Duke Dumont. Head honcho at Blasé Boys Club, and the talent behind such bangers as ‘Need U (100%)’, ‘I Got U’, and ‘Won’t Look Back’, be prepared to have your pop-house sensors frazzled. Next up, a special guest who needs no introduction. None other than Mark Knight. The peeps at Groove have really pulled this one out the bag. Mr Knight is a bona fide electronic music legend, who’s been at the top of the electro scene for over a decade now. This is the kinda set that people will be raving about for years, so don’t miss out. Moving on, we’ve got Leon Vynehall. Not as much a household name as the previous two, but still making massive waves in the electronic circuit, again, I can’t believe they’ve got him in. Expect thumping tech intertwined with smooth samples all night long; check out his track ‘It’s Just (House of Dupree)’ for a little taster. But be careful; it’s bloody addictive. And to round up my musical mentions, it’s Dan Shake. Now, I’m gonna let you know from the outset that I’m a huge Dan Shake fan so I may be a little biased, but, like, if someone’s a huge fan then he’s got to be good, right? I’m gonna put it simply. He’s f*cking incredible. Do yourselves a favour and just type his name into youtube and settle in for a while, and you’ll see where I’m coming from. Excited? You damn well should be. Oh and there’s a whole host of other awesome acts including Boys Noize, Camelphat, and Leftfield. Not bad, eh?
So that’s the tunes, and they aren’t half bad. But if you’re still not convinced, you need to take a long hard look at yourself and ask what the hell is wrong with you. Wait, no, that was a little harsh. If you’re not convinced, how about some free tickets? Yes, really. You can go. For free. Zero skrill. Nada dinero. Think I’m taking the piss? Well let me explain. So, the wonderful team at Groove have set up a little ‘ambassador’ program. It’s simple. Sign up to the program and every 6 tickets you sell, you get a free one. Not bad, right? I mean, surely you’ve got 6 mates? (If not, I’m so sorry. I’m sure it’ll work out soon) It’s as easy as that. What are you waiting for?!
So that’s Groove in a nutshell, ladies and gents, and I assume you’re all as excited as we are over here at Licklist towers, so here’s a few more practical deets for ya to make getting there as smooth as possible. The festival is taking place on 20th August at Clune Farm, Inverness, and tickets start from just 55 quid (peanuts!) Cop ‘em here: http://www.groovefestival.co.u k/buy-tickets . In terms of getting there, the Groove team have organised shuttle buses to and from Inverness bus station, and if you’re travelling from another part of Scotland, you can get a direct bus straight there (check the website for details). Got all that then team? Well, we look forward to seeing you all there! And who knows, we might even catch sight of a very special, mythical guest… see you soon, Nessie!
Nick Cooke