Apparently there’s little in the way of clear information out there for exactly what is happening music wise in Kent.  At least I assume this is the case as my Music festivals in Kent 2009 post still gets a ton of traffic.  So in the interests of post whoring, and actually providing useful information, here’s a brief guide to just how pathetic this part of the country is.  There were three major festivals down this way last year.  This year two of them remain.  Why?  Because Sellindge has been cancelled over issues with Paypal.  I shit you not.

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HOP FARM FESTIVAL

When 2-3 July

Where The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood

How much £135 weekend / £45 Friday / £65 Saturday

Lineup (AFoR endorsements in bold)

Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Ray Davies, Blondie, Mumford & Sons, Dr. John and the Lower 911, Seasick Steve, Peter Doherty, Laura Marling, Los Lobos, Johnny Flynn, Imelda May, The Magic Numbers, Damien Dempsey, Foy Vance, Devendra Banhart, Afro Celt Sound System, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Richard Thompson, Tunng, Peter Green & Friends, Villagers, Stornaway, Jim Jones Revue, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Pete Molinari, Sparrow and the Workshop, Alan Pownall, Paris Riots, Jon Allen, Kill It Kid, The Ruskins, Pope Joan, Synth Eastwood, Hoodlums, Empress, Billy Vincent, The Minutes, Eight Legs, Waler, Peter Lawrie, Archie Wars Wars, Liz and the Ligers, East Park Reggae Collective, Brigid Power-Ryce, Joker & the Thief, Aaron Wright & the Aprils, Stefan Galt, Andy Docherty, Al Medley Collective, Red Room, Uncles of Funk.

After the clusterfuck that was last year’s Hop Farm, the Vince Power organised event seems to be trying to desperately reposition itself as a slightly more grown-up festival with more of a folky-acoustic kind of vibe.  Which is fine I suppose, but there’s very little on that lineup that appeals to me.  Hell, I haven’t even heard of the vast majority of the acts.  That won’t stop me going though.  How many other chances will there be to see Dylan play locally?

Website / Myspace / Twitter

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LOUNGE ON THE FARM

When 9-11 July

Where Merton Farm, Canterbury

How much £95 weekend / £40 daily

Lineup (AFoR endorsements in bold)

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Toots & The Maytals, DJ Yoda, Courtney Pine, Fionn Regan, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, These New Puritans, Tunng, Beardyman, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Thomas Gandey (Cagedbaby), Male Bonding, Gaggle, Man Like Me, King Charles, Circulus, Jesca Hoop, Treetop Flyers, Your Twenties, Don Letts, The Glimmers, J*Star, Raf Daddy (Two Bears), Vadoinmessico, Xylaroo, 6 Day Riot, Cats And Cats And Cats, Cocos Lovers, Elephants, Gaolers Daughter, Cha Cha, Polka Party, Two Wounded Birds, Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs, Intensified, Krissy & The Jackdaws, Slap Alice, Natasha Davies, Erland & The Carnival, Quantic & his Combo Bárbaro, These New Puritans, Phenomenal Handclap Band, Beardyman, Hexstatic, Ashley Beedle, Nathan Detroit, Tim Love Lee, Barry Ashworth & MC Sir Real, Led Bib, Sarah Blasko, The Skints, Chief, Danny & the Champions Of The World, Rose Elinor Dougal, United Vibrations, Wolf Gang, The Shimmer, Wild Palms, Slow Club, Wave Pictures, Hot Club De Paris, First Aid Kit, Gold Panda, James Yuill, Silver Columns, Lissy Trullie, Veronica Falls, Dam Mantle, Spectrals, Summer Camp, Matthew P, Yearner Babies, Electric River, CWB, 12 Stone Toddler, Maker, Lucy Kitt, Natalie Evans, Tom Williams & The Boat, The Singing Loins, Awale, Speakers Corner Quartet, Liam Magill, Theo Baird, Elan Tamara, Los Ocelots, The Happy Accidents, School Of Imagination, Jouis, The Mandibles, Zoo For You, Giacomo, Rae, Moulettes, Boot Lagoon, Le Duc, Wolf People, Syd Arthur

Not a great deal for me to get excited about there either.  A few decent bands in a sea of things I’ve never heard of.  I’m actually starting to think I’m even more out of touch than I realise.

Website / Myspace / Twitter

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HEVY MUSIC FESTIVAL

When 6-8 August

Where Port Lympne Animal Park, near Hythe

How much £69 weekend / £33 daily

Lineup (AFoR endorsements in bold)

Gallows, Glassjaw, Comeback Kid, The Subways, Fucked Up, The King, Rolo Tomassi, The King Blues, Madina Lake, Trash Talk, Young Guns, Dead Swans, Canterbury, TRC, Failsafe, Feed the Rhino, Me vs Hero, Dananananaykroyd, Sepultura, Sucioperro, Napalm Death, Hexes, The Black Dahlia Murder, Pulled Apart by Horses, Despised Icon, March of the Raptors, Devil Sold His Soul, Turbowolf, Sylosis, Cerebral, Bury Tomorrow, Ballzy, Chickenhawk, Eaststrikewest, Twin Atlantic, Polar Bear Club, Deaf Havana, The Plight, Outcry Collective, Lower Than Atlantic, Blitz Kids, Throats, Pay No Respect, James Cleaver Quintet, Breaking the Day, Tyrannosaurus Alan, Alaska, Bareface, Still Dreaming, Adelaide, Santa Karla, Lost in colour, Jairus, Pharohs, Take Courage, The Startover, Predicting the Fall, As Worlds Collide

The Hevy Festival seems to keep expanding each year, and while it’s mostly a bit too much on the heavy side for my own tastes, it probably represents the best value festival in Kent at least.

Website / Myspace / Twitter

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And if that wasn’t enough excitement for you, there’s always this year’s Rochester Castle Concerts, which boats Status Quo, Will Young and the Saturdays.  Yeah, Kent is just awesome for music.