Benicassim 2012 - 10 to watch
- By Craig Jones -
- Jul 11, 2012
Sandy beaches, golden skies and legendary bands await revellers making the annual pilgrimage to sun kissed Spain for this year’s Benicassim Festival on the Costa del Azahar, in Valencia. Since the week long event launched in 1995 it has attracted hardcore music fans from across the globe, particularly Brits, seeking a blessed release from washed out festivals back in in blighty giving them an opportunity to top up their tan and enjoy some great artists.
FIB’s previous headliners over the years have included Oasis, Blur, The Strokes, Radiohead, Lou Reed and Arctic Monkeys amongst many more great acts. For this year’s festival it seems to be a case of ‘from Manchester with love’ as some of the city’s most famous exports swap the unrelentless rain for the splendid sun, as well as the odd San Miguel, as they take the Spanish festival bull by the horns.
With over 100 artists performing, here’s to top 10 acts to catch at Beni, this year:
10. Howler
Rising indie rockers Howler, who have earned rave reviews, could prove to be one of Benicassim’s hidden gems performing at the FIB Club on Sunday. The Minneapolis troupe, who have had numerous comparisons to The Strokes, lead by Jordan Gatesmith will be performing tracks from their debut album, ‘America Give Up’, released earlier this year at the festival.
9. David Guetta
Providing a bit of an escape from the guitar heavy line up French DJ Mr Guetta will be helping to bring this year’s festivities to a close with a feel good set on the main stage which is certain to include hits ‘When Love Takes Over’, ‘Getting’ Over You’ and ‘Sexy Chick’ causing a seaside frenzy.
8. Crystal Castles
Alice Glass is sure to be in typical rambunctious mood as the Toronto duo take to the main stage on Saturday. Seeing the electronic band live is always a crazy trip into the unknown with Glass inevitably likely to flirt with controversy which never falls to make some compulsive festival viewing.
7. Ed Sheeran
Everyone’s favourite ginger, other than Mick Hucknall of course, will play a major part in FIB’s huge finale with a chilled out set, on the main stage, further emphasising his meteoric rise over the last 18 months.
6. The Vaccines
Another highlight of Beni’s closing night will be a main stage performance by Londoners The Vaccines. The four piece, who released their top 10 debut album last year, will be hoping to get the crowd into a huge singalong with tracks ‘Norgaard’, ‘If you Wanna’ and ‘Post Break-up Sex’.
5. Florence + The Machine
Everyone’s second, or third, favourite ginger Florence Welch and her pop indie rock troupe will be getting this year’s Benicassim into full swing with a main stage set on Thursday night. Expect to hear hits from their acclaimed album ‘Lungs’ which are certain to cause a riot amongst the still fresh faced festival goers looking to kick this year’s event off in a memorable fashion.
4. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
The Gallagher brother who seems to have come out of the civil war with his credibility still in one piece will be assembling his flock of birds for a Saturday night performance on Beni’s main stage which will include hits from the band’s debut album, released last year. Warm the crowd up, as the Spanish sunsets, preparing them for the imminent arrival of fellow northerners The Stone Roses later in the evening.
3. Bob Dylan
Living legend Bob Dylan will be chilling the crowd out in the sweltering heat of Valencia on Friday evening as he strolls onto to main stage to play classics from his back catalogue spanning a 50 year career. The rebellious veteran, 71, is sure to set a laidback vibe for revellers preparing for a frantic Saturday and Sunday at Benicassim.
2. New Order
Bringing Benicassim 2012 to an emphatic synthesised conclusion is the reformed New Order, the band who continued Joy Division’s legacy after the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, will be in fine form on the main stage on Sunday night. Bernard Sumner and the boys, of course minus legendary bassist Peter Hook, will be hammering out classics ‘True Faith’, ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’, ‘Temptation’ and the iconic ‘Blue Monday’ bringing back memories of Madchester in the 1980s and 1990s.
1. The Stone Roses
Speaking of which, seminal Mancunian band, The Stone Roses will be turning up the air of nostalgia to 11 headlining the festival’s main stage on Saturday evening. Ian Brown and the boys, friends once more, at the time of publication, fingers crossed, are travelling out to Spain following their successful comeback shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park.
Expect to hear legendary tracks from their iconic self-titled debut album including hits ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, ‘She Bangs the Drums’, and ‘I Am the Resurrection’ with the only water fall in sight, under the Spanish sun, being revellers recording the Roses playing the iconic anthem.
By Craig Jones. Tweets at @cjjournalist
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