Last Call for Boardmasters!

Where: Fistral Beach, Newquay. Cornwall

When: 10th-14th August

Highlights: Catfish and the Bottlemen, Chase & Status, James Bay, Deadmau5

Price:Long Weekend -  £159, Standard weekend - £149, Day Tickets - £47.50

Ahh, Boardmasters. Readers, one of the things we adore about the festival scene - and it’s true, we do love it - is how there’s no better example of how competition breeds variety than our present day festival scene. Years ago, it was only the Glastos and Readings of this world that saw any kind of exposure in these fair green isles which sadly gave us a kind cloying hegemony that could put a niche music fan off that final ticket commitment. Now though, with the cirques and skas, the metal fests and raves, the psychedelic soundscapes and the techno weekends, our festival scene is brimming with variety. Which is why if you ever wanted the oddly specific combo of a long weekend riding the watery tubes of Cornwalls best surfing spots whilst listening to some of the finest musical talent pop has to offer, then today is a good time to be alive. Boardmasters, ladies and gentlemen; the surfing festival. And with it being only a few days away, we thought we’d give you last buyers extra incentives to pick up those last tier 3 tickets. Gnarly.

A surfing festival?

Yeah, a surfing festival. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Though to be fair if boogieboarding is more your jam then you’re still encouraged to take part. Honestly, Boardmasters is something of an ode to Cornwall’s world famous surfing scene. Because if there is one thing Cornwall is known for, aside from pasties and the restaurants of Rick Stein, Newquay’s surfing culture is definitely a contender. It's fair to say in fact that Boardmasters and its humble beginning back in 1981 have grown symbiotically with the size and rep of Britain’s surfing scene. What started as a chilled hangout amongst niche surfing enthusiasts back in the 80’s has swelled to become one of the most prolific surfing music festivals in the West. Whether you are a salt baked, sun bleached surfing vet or you’re looking to ride your first bit of polyurethane fibreglass over a cresting wave then you are welcome to hop in the water at any time during your stay. However, do not be troubled if you’d prefer to just sit back and watch the pros, as some of the finest surfing kahunas in the world will be coming to cut some blue for your enjoyment. And for the Boardmasters crown. That too.

You said something about music, though?

I did, indeed. Now that we’re only a week away from Boardmaster’s 2016, it seems prudent to take a look at the musical cavalcade we can expect to descend on Newquays sandy coastlines. One of the most delicious things about Boardmasters is the variety on the platter; on the one hand you’ll be getting your monster arena acts. Headlining this year are the likes of Drum and Bass magus duo Chase&Status, alongside the seemingly omnipresent Catfish and the Bottlemen - these guys have had a busy season - and Canada’s very own expired murine, Deadmau5. You’ll know all about these guys though - what you may not be familiar with are the Beachside sessions. Every year, Boardmasters run the Beach sessions at Fistral Beach; small, intimate live gigs and DJ sets delivered to a more personal crowd as the sun sets and the sea laps gently at your feet. It’s genuinely one of the less talked about highlights of the fest that actually has quite an impressive musical pedigree with the likes of the 1975, Ben Howard and Newton Faulkner all delivering their own personal sets in the past at one of Fistral Beach’s Beachside Sessions. We highly reccommend you check it out here to sort yourself out with a ticket! The Beachside Sessions are ticketed separately from the rest of the fest so be sure and check out what you’re keen on in advance! If you’re on a budget, you could always check out the Net Loft Stage; these guys have partnered with BBC Introducing to give a platform to the freshest up and coming talent Cornwall has to offer. It’s included in the price of a standard ticket, the gigs will be quieter and, who knows,you may well be sitting in on the next big thing.

Anything else, my man?

Honestly, there’s too much to cover. As well as everything we’ve mentioned, you’ve got gigs at the Keg & Pasty where one can grab a beer, pull up a barrel and sink your teeth into the buttery flaky warmth of legit Cornish pasty whilst listening to some skiffle-pop. We don’t know what that is either, but we’re intrigued! Additionally, we’re looking at after parties galore coming at us from a who’s who of deckmancers from around the world (mega beasts Krept&Konan are on the cards for Friday whilst Sigma is closing us out on the Sunday) though you’ll have to make sure you’ve got tickets in advance for this so check them out here. If you’re wanting in on all this, as well as the Skate&BMX events, because those are going on too, then you last minute buyers better hop on the wagon quick. The final batch of tickets are still available for the above prices, plus you can grab parking passes ahead of time in addition to checking out the VIP options - http://www.boardmasters.co.uk/ whatson/vip. And if you’re still not convinced? The Lords of Lightning are coming to Boardmasters. Neon dudes having a dance battle and throwing lightning at one another. Lightning. Dance Battle. Buy the tickets. Do it.

 

Kyle Cairns