Throw your hands up and bounce! Heavy basslines are coming to Bruton, Somerset for The Shindig Weekender on 26th – 28th May.
Kickstarting summer, bringing a healthy dose of funkativity and a packed programme of entertainment for all ages, Shindig offers relaxation and revelry in equal measures.
Line up
The award winning, boutique festival always boasts a big line up and this year is no different. The world famous headline act are The Heavy, who, not only are a platinum-selling band, Barack Obama had their music played as he walked on stage for his inauguration, don’t you know?! Also on the bill: The Sugarhill Gang Feat: Furious 5’s Melle Mel & Scorpio, Stanton Warriors, Dub Pistols, Laid Blak, Krafty Kuts & Dynamite MC, A.Skillz, Koan Sounds and JFB just to mention a few.
Eight themed areas
Shindig is a glorious mash up of a gig, a house party, a circus show, a series of curious craft workshops, a wellbeing retreat and a kid’s party. No main stages, just a beautiful arrangement of stretch marquees, so you can be in amongst it, or sitting on the grass supping something cold. Each area has been carefully curated to pique its audience’s interest and make it impossible to move on.
New for this year
Having survived the high seas, SS Nautylicious has thrown down its anchor to bring you spectacular circus shows and artists such as Space Cowboy,My Bad Sister and the chart-topping Sam & the Womp.
Stardust Discotheque, the new house and disco area, will see the likes of Todd Terry and Greg Wilson on the wheels of steel.
Father Funk’s Church of Love invites all those souls searching for love into his purpose-built church for some funky breaks, match-making and yes, you guessed it, matrimony.
Fabio & Grooverider will be celebrating 25 Years of Drum & Bass – what’s not to love?
Get your visors and glo sticks at the ready: the 90s Rave Day is going to be a highlight for sure. Where else are you going to see Utah Saints, Slipmatt & Shade Of Rhythm all in one go?
And just when you’re in need of some pampering, head over to the healing field for some realignment, refreshment and revitalising.
Food for your mood
Some seriously sexy, award-winning street food is going to be on offer this year, all of which has been carefully curated by Love Food Festival to help you get the best out of the weekend. For example, you can choose the perfect dancing fuel, an early-morning pick me up, a hangover remedy, not to mention every kind of shake, wrap and roll. All of the food will be sourced as locally as possible (hell, some of it’s coming from Gilcombe farm itself) and will all be a minimum of free range and mostly organic.
A family affair
Part of what makes Shindig special is that it’s the ideal weekend for party people with families. The Kid’s Kingdom is the family-friendly area for babies, children and parents to hang out and play. Think circus skills, space hoppers and sandpits. Older kids can get involved in the hugely popular Graffiti Wall and attend DJ, MCing and Breakdance workshops. Big Fish, Little Fish will be holding a mini rave, the cinema tent will show kids movies, and there are so many arts and crafts activities in preparation for the Sunday Parade, it’s hard to know where to start.
Shindig’s story
Now in its fourth year, Shindig is going from strength to strength. It’s brought to you by the Ghetto Funk team – who, as well as being a multi-award winning record label, are famous for throwing legendary parties in their festival venue: the Ghetto Funk Nightclub. Familiar to many a festivalgoer, the Ghetto Funk Nightclub has been part of Sunrise, Shambala and Glastonbury. Shindig Weekender is the now its official home and only festival.
Shindig Weekender started out as being a party for the friends of the Ghetto Funk record label, and their friends of friends – which is how it’s grown. The festival creators wanted to take all of the parts that they loved about other festivals and mix them together to create something intimate, unique and truly special. This means that there are no VIP areas - no one is a stranger, just fellow funk hunters and supporters.
Will Lardner, festival co-founder says:
“We want everyone to have the same wonderful experience. You can be shoulder to shoulder at the bar with an old friend or a headline act and you’ll see smiles stretching from the stage to the door, all feeling that same groove that makes Shindig truly unique. This year we are so excited about our line up and new areas, it’s going to be the best one yet!”
Keeping the vibe alive
This year’s theme is Vibe Tribe – so assemble your family, your party posse, your soul sisters and brothers and throw caution to the wind. Expect shiny happy, wonderfully psychedelic, funky warriors and their families.
Published on 16 March 2017 by Ben Robinson
