Green Man Festival is returning to the Brecon Beacons once again this August. Set in the stunning depths of the Black Mountains in a verdant valley, the festival is fast becoming one of the best places to hear the finest music from all over the globe. Green Man bridges the gap between exciting new artists, more established acts, and bona fide legends.
Although the full line-up of this year’s festival hasn’t been released yet, if past incarnations are anything to go by, 2017 should just get better and better. In recent years, Green Man has played host to such luminaries as Slowdive, The Fall, The Atomic Bomb band (all three are some of my most cherished festival moments), the Fat White Family, and Michael Rother. Out of the acts that have been announced, the ones to watch include squat-rockers Shame, the ever-indomitable PJ Harvey and scuzzy Californian psych outfit Sunflower Bean. On top of live acts, there’s always a raft of incredible DJs. In the past, the 2 Bears, Floating Points, Jamie xx, and this old bloke playing jungle music on vinyl in what was basically an eight-man tent have all been highlights.
Like most festivals, Green Man has started expanding beyond the boundaries of just music, and into art, comedy, and family-orientated areas. The words ‘family’ and ‘festival’ are often enough to strike fear into some festivalgoer’s hearts, however this element of Green Man often neutralises any sketchy bits of the festival, and the multitude of events means that those who want to listen to jungle at five in the morning can do so, and those who want to whittle a spoon all afternoon can do so.
Green Man has something that only a few festivals have and that’s a general atmosphere that pervades through the festival, whether you’re sitting by a tent, or watching an act, or sitting on a portaloo (excellent quantity and quality, since you asked). It’s hands-down one of the best festivals Britain has to offer.
Tickets can be found here.
