GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL.

Glastonbury Festival is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world and a template for all the festivals that have come after it. The difference is that Glastonbury has all the best aspects of being at a Festival in one astonishing bundle.

It's like going to another country, a hip and thrilling Brigadoon that appears every year or so. Coming to Glastonbury involves a fair amount of travel, and probably a queue to get in but, when you get past these impediments, you enter a huge tented city, a mini-state under canvas. British law still applies, but the rules of society are a bit different, a little bit freer. Everyone is here to have a wild time in their own way.

The Festival site has distinct socio-geographic regions. The more commercial aspects are around the Pyramid, Other and Dance stages, which feels as if the West End of London a Saturday night has been removed to a field and thoroughly beautified. Unlike the West End, visitors are on every guest list, from the night time cinemas to the biggest gigs.

But that busy whirl of excitement is not to everyone's taste. To accomodate the more laid-back reveller, more chilled out areas like the Jazzworld and Acoustic areas are in easy walking distance. If that's still not the relaxed state a Glasto-goer is after, there's also family oriented areas like the Kidz Field, the Theatre and Circus fields. And if

you're into the more alternative, less noisy aspects of festival life, you can always head up to the Field of Avalon, the Tipi Field, and the Green Fields. At the top of the site is the Sacred Space - the stone circle is a modern construction, but it has already seen as much celebration and ceremony as some of its forebears. Sun-up on a Sunday morning, with drums and torches and chanting and an astonishing measure of joy from the sleepless revellers at the Stone Circle is a glorious sight to behold.

The Festival takes place in a beautiful location - 900 acres in the Vale of Avalon, an area steeped in symbolism, mythology and religious traditions dating back many hundreds of years. It's where King Arthur may be buried, where Joseph of Arimathea is

said to have walked, where leylines converge. And the site is ENORMOUS - more than a mile and a half across, with a perimeter of about eight and a half miles.

Then there are the people, thousands of them in all their astonishing and splendid diversity! There is only one common characteristic of a Glastonbury-goer - they understand that Glastonbury Festival offers them more opportunity than any other happening to have the best weekend of the year or even of a life-time, and they are determined to have it! You'll meet all kinds of people, of all ages, backgrounds, nationalities, lifestyles, faiths, concepts of fashion (or lack of it) and musical taste. Some will undoubtedly wear silly hats, or buy shirts that they'll never wear again... until next year, that is. The overall vibe of the Festival is consistently mellow and friendly, even in the event of rain and all that comes with rain, a field and thousands upon thousands of tramping feet.

There will be moments when you ask yourself the inevitable: "Why can't life always be like this?" There will be enlightenments, awakenings, surreal happenings, Damascene epiphanies and people doing the strangest things in public. Sometimes the strangest things you'll see happening have been booked well in advance - but often it will be people spontaneously reacting to the spirit of the Festival. No two people's Festival experience will be the same unless they're tied together, in which case they're probably part of a theatre company.

It's best not to come to Glastonbury with a head full of preconceptions and a notebook full of plans of what you want to see. If there are one or two particular bands a day you really want to see, then let your day revolve around them and go with the flow. Hurrying between stages so you can tick off a list of things you feel you must see is not the best way to enjoy Glastonbury. If you can't get a good vantage point, or aren't enjoying a show, move on; there'll be something else in the next field that might just change your way of seeing the world! Often, your best memories of the Festival will be of new things that have startled you with their brilliance.

Have a good look at the Line-up and Areas pages on this site and at the Festival programme when you are on site, or ask at Information points. There are a plethora of wonders to be seen, heard or just caught from the corner of your eye. Glastonbury runs like a huge clock - it is the Big Ben of Festivals after all - and it is best not to stay staring at just one of the huge cogs, however many famous spokes it has. Travel round it clockwise and investigate all the workings of the Festival. All

those other stages and attractions wouldn't be there if they weren't worth taking in - and they are all capable of surprising a visitor.

One last instruction: whilst at Glastonbury Festival forget all instructions (as long as doing so involves hurting no one) and ENJOY!

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/

Funded by tickets For anyone

THURSDAY 24TH FRIDAY 25TH SATURDAY 26TH SUNDAY 27TH Queen's HeadSean RowleyThe Cheek

Local NativesChapel Club

Egyptian Hip HopTwo Door Cinema Club

HowlsMy Luminaries

 WOW!Jaymo & Andy George

Live Hot Natured  Joy Orbison 

Live Wax Tailor Jamie xx  

Live Boy GeorgeLive Beardyman

  

Pussy ParlureAnnie Nightingale’s

Opening Party Dave Seaman  Far Too Loud 

Nero Elite Force  DC Breaks 

A1 Bassline   Live Drumsound &

Bassline Smith Live Professor Green

Doorly   Lewah  

 

Pyramid StageGorillaz

Dizzee RascalVampire Weekend

Snoop DoggWillie Nelson

Corinne Bailey RaeFemi Kuti

Rolf Harris 

Other StageThe Flaming Lips

Hot ChipFlorence and The Machine

La RouxPhoenix

The CourteenersThe StranglersJoshua Radin

The Magic Numbers

John Peel StageGroove ArmadaThe Black Keys

Mumford & SonsEllie Goulding

KeleBombay Bicycle Club

Tegan and SaraTBA

De StaatDetroit Social Club

West Holts (formerly Jazz World Stage)

Mos Def (with full live band)

Pyramid StageMuse

Scissor SistersShakira

The Dead WeatherSeasick Steve

Jackson BrowneThe Lightning Seeds

Tinchy Stryder 

Other StagePet Shop Boys

EditorsThe Cribs

The NationalKate Nash

Imogen HeapCoheed and Cambria

ReefTwo Door Cinema Club

John Peel StageJamie TThe xxFoals

Marina & The DiamondsDelphic

Wild   Beasts Field Music

Cymbals Eat GuitarsSophie Hunger

Let's Buy Happiness

West Holts (formerly Jazz World Stage)George Clinton with

Pyramid StageStevie Wonder

FaithlessJack JohnsonRay Davies

SlashNorah JonesPaloma Faith

Yeovil Town Band 

Other StageOrbital

lcd soundsystemMGMT

We Are ScientistsGrizzly Bear

The Temper TrapThe Hold SteadyFrightened Rabbit

TBA

John Peel StageAsh

Julian CasablancasBroken Social Scene

Gang of FourThe DrumsHoly F***

These New PuritansEverything Everything

Black CherryDan Mangan

  West Holts (formerly

Jazz World Stage)Rodrigo y Gabriela

Croissant NeufKissmet

Curved AirThe Strumpettes

Posh Boy

Magic BubbleMark Vedo

Silver ColumnsSam Taylor &   The

Tight TrousersAstra

Magic Bubbles Residents

Bourbon StreetAynsley Lister Band

DjangonautsKing King

Jacqui Wicks & The Cliff Brown Band

Scott McKeonBen Martin

Bex Marshall BandNicola FarnonDave Arcari

  Glade LoungeSaint Acid The Bang

Face Hard CrewThe DJ ProducerMark II (Altern8

Reincarn8)Remarc

Killa KelaDave Skywalker

Gino Ginelli

Silent Disco (Dance Village)

Silent Disco DJ’sWestern Soul     The Kleptones  

Suisse Tony

The Rabbit Hole  James MunroeGeorge Barker.

Grantly.

Femi KutiNouvelle Vague & GuestsBreakestra with Chali 2na

BonoboMariachi El Bronx

tUnE-yArDsMatthew Herbert Big Band

Acoustic StageBootleg BeatlesAlan Price SetMcIntosh RossTurin Brakes

Brian KennedyDanny and the Champions of

the World Megan Henwood

Cory ChiselJulie Feeney

The Park StageThe xx

Broken BellsSpecial GuestsThe Big PinkLocal NativesSteve Mason

Hypnotic Brass EnsembleBeth Jeans Houghton

LissiePeggy Sue  

Steel Harmony

East DanceDJ Fatboy Slim

Live Chase and StatusDJ Zane Lowe

Live Plan BDJ Rob da BankLive Example

DJ Roger SanchezDJ O Children

Live Bunny ComeLive Inko Dancers

Parliament / FunkadelicJerry Dammers Spatial AKA

OrchestraOs Mutantes

Devendra BanhartBassekou Kouyate & Ngoni

BaThe Phenomenal Handclap

BandBrother Ali

Troy Ellis & The Longshots

Acoustic StageChristy Moore, with Declan

SinnottNick LoweImelda MayAl Stewart

Michael Eavis In Conversation

Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian CircusThe Leisure Society

Ellen & The EscapadesJon Allen & Band

The Park StageMidlake

Laura MarlingCandi Staton

Special GuestsStornoway

Beach HouseStrange Boys

Frankie & The Heart StringsThe Ballad of BritainHere We Go Magic

I Blame Coco

East DanceLive N-Dubz

Live ChipmunkLive Kelis

DJ MistaJamLive Roll Deep

Live Tinie TempahLive Giggs

Toots & the MaytalsQuantic & his Combo Barbaro

Staff Benda BililiDr John &   The Lower 911

TunngThe Bees

Dizraeli and the Small Gods

 

Acoustic StageJackson Browne with David

LindleyRichard Thompson

Loudon Wainwright IIIBlues Band

London Community Gospel ChoirJoel RafaelRobinson

Fisherman's FriendMayhew

The Park StageEmpire Of The Sun

Dirty ProjectorsTony Allen

Archie Bronson OutfitBeak

Portico QuartetFionn ReganAvi Buffalo

VillagersThe Travelling Band

East DanceDJ Above & BeyondLive Crystal Castles

DJ Filthy DukesLive Professor Green

DJ YasminLive Naive New Beaters

Live Crystal Fighters Live We Have Band

Live Primary 1Live Inko Dancers

  Live set from Elvis (the real one)

 

 

West DanceDJ Boys Noize

DJ Simian Mobile DiscoLive Delphic

DJ Fake BloodDJ Rusko

Live ChromeoDJ AeroplaneDJ Boy 8-Bit

DJ Hannah Holland

 

WOW!Futureboogie 

Matt Tolfrey & GeddesJamie Jones  Live Crazy P 

Horsemeat Disco  Live Nneka 

Back to Basics  Adam Shelton & Subb-an

PBR Streetgang El Diablos Social Club 

Christophe

 

CubehengeLive The Orb

DJ Zero 7Will SaulSpooky

Iain Taylor (rEJEKTS)Pete Gooding

Ruth Flowers aka Mamy RockThe Magnet

 

Pussy ParlureDJ Zorro

Jose Luis & Dancers

Live ChiddybangLive McClean

Live BashyLive DonaeoLive Skepta

Live ScorcherDJ   Ras Kwame

Live Inko Dancers

West DanceLive Dubfire

DJ Nick WarrenLive Mix Hell

DJ Sander KleinenbergLive Banco de Gaia

DJ Riva StarrLive Neville Staple

Live Dub PistolsDJ Parker

Live Foreign Beggars

 WOW!

Craig Charles Presents the Fantasy Funk Band   

CrazeHigh Contrast

Redlight & MC Dread L-VIS 1990

BreakageLive Central Spillz

Live Hot D'JourEmalkayJakwob

ShortstuffThe Heatwave

Dub Boy ft Redskin

CubehengeKissy Sell Out

A SkillzBimbo Jones

PathaanPaul Lyman

BaobingaAdam Regan

  

 

  West DanceLive Magnetic Man

DJ JackbeatsLive Stanton Warriors

DJ Adam FLive Blasted Mechanism

DJ Toddla TLive Alex MetricDJ South CentralLive Jaguar SkillsDJ A1 BasslineLive Killaflaw

Live Virus Syndicate

WOW!The RatpackLive Snap!

TayoLive Four Tet

Hyperdub with Kode9, Ikonika, Terror Danjah & Dark Star

Live Hudson MohawkeLive DaM FunK

RoskaUntoldWedge

FunkinevenFalling Up

CubehengeNorman Jay Good Times

‘Carnival King’Ashley Beedle

DJ Craig Charles Funk & SoulKormac

The Bee KeepersSledgeHeadBristol

RSDDJ Flora feat DJ   Skylion

2 Kings

Pussy Parlure

Fletcha & Miguel Salsa Magic

Live Robin Del Castillo & his Latin Band

La bomba - Latin Explosion: Eclectic Ballroom  

Live Andreya Triana Bourbon Warfare DJs 

Live Incredibly Strange Film Band

Take It 2 The Bridge  Live Secret Cinema Band

Feeling Gloomy  Live Sound Of Rum

Lovely Morning with Randy & Earls Old Record Club

Magic BubbleKareem RaihaniKangaroo MoonDansette Junior

PressplayMagic Bubble Residents

Silent Disco (Dance Village)Silent Disco DJ’sThesmokeeatersNovak 3D Disco

Glade StageSasha

QuivverHybrid

Way Out WestAfrobeta

Husky RescueNneka

Charles Hazelwood Allstars

Glade LoungeTom Real (Disco Of Doom)

Ben & LexFar Too Loud

 

Pussy ParlureLive Swaparama

Jalapeno Sound SystemRock Idol (Live Karaoke)

Live Smoove & TurrellDr Rubberfunk 

Live Taylor McFerrin Western Soul 

Live Reverend Sound System

DJ   Burns Randy & Earls Old Record

Club

Magic BubbleStroke '69

Reverend SoundsystemSam Taylor & The Tight

TrousersThe Scribes

Magic Bubble Residents 

Silent Disco (Dance Village)

Silent Disco DJ’sThesmokeeaters

ExceedaNovak 3D Disco

Glade StageSub Focus Live

Freq NastyDreadzoneDon LettsThe Orb

Head ChargeTony Thorpe

ON u Sound/SherwoodNero

Suns of Arqa

MovitsLive Kormac Big Band Live Twilight Players

Live The CorrespondentsTBA

Live MovitsDJ Nick Hollywood

Live Fat 45Danny Danger

DJ   Joe Worricker Broken Hearts

Live Top Shelf JazzLive Trio Manouche

Randy & Earls Old Record Club

Magic BubbleRamses

DubKasmSound of Rum

DougalUnited VIbrations

Magic Bubble Residents

Silent Disco (Dance Village)Silent Disco DJ’s

ExceedaNovak 3D Disco

Glade StageLevellers

Alabama 3Arthur BrownQuintessence

System 7FA-RM (Ans & Allaby)

Cassette Boy feat DJ RubbishInverse Gravity Vehicle

The WidowmakerSomewhere Between Here and

The Stereo

Glade LoungeTristan - Live

LucasFORM

Major Clanger

DJ DieMaxxi P, MC Jonny G

Fred G v GrafixJinx In Dub

LewahUBJ with Mr Woodnote

Pharma

Avalon StageNew Model Army

Transglobal UndergroundNewton FaulknerThe Woodentops

Lou RhodesGoldheart Assembly

Gabby Young & Other Animals

Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs

Croissant NeufMovits6ixtoys

Outdoor & Bandstand entertainment

The Boat BandJulian Tulk Band

Billy The Undercover Hippy Band

Seth LakemanBiggles Wartime Band

The Queen's HeadSean RowleyGood Shoes

The BeesMagic NumbersThe Mystery Jets

FanfarloDetroit Social Club

TubelordTiffany PageFrank TurnerFiction Plane

Statement CodeCity Calls

 Glade LoungeDave SeamanPretty Lights

Charlie May LiveJody WOW

Zodiac CartelCosmonauts

808 State DJSCasanuva

 

Avalon StageThe Lightning SeedsAlabama 3 acoustic

Charlie WinstonSteve Harley & Cockney

RebelThe Unthanks

The Avett BrothersThe WurzelsNick Harper

Tom Williams & The Boat

Croissant NeufThe Beat

MrB. The Gentleman Rhymer

Outdoor & Bandstand entertainment

Hot FeatThe Kevin Brown Trio

The VagabandDizraeli & The Small Gods

The Queen's HeadSean RowleyEarl Brutus

Cherry GhostPhenomenal Handclap Band

Band Of SkullsHoly F***

Blood Red Shoes

Mirror SystemAlijiMervHFB

Alex PatersonNaked Nick

Avalon StageGomez

The Saw DoctorsImelda MayJudy Collins

Special GuestsTeddy Thompson

Adrian Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds

Kirsty AlmeidaEllen & The Escapades

Criossant NeufRSVP

The BaghdaddiesOutdoor & Bandstand

entertainmentZen Elephants

Prof Nohair & the Wig LiftersCorinne Bailey Rae

The StrumpettesThe People's String Foundation

The Queen's HeadSean Rowley

Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius PipAvi Buffalo

The Middle EastChief

I Am KlootField MusicGoldhawksAlessi's Ark

Mountain Man

LeftfieldPaul Heaton

The King Blues

LeftfieldCarl Barat

Reverend &   The Makers Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly

Comedy hourBill's Big Round-up

Debate: Global SolidarityDebate: Climate Change and

the Fight for Green Jobs

The Rabbit HoleBunny Come

TranspersonalsThe Mad Cows

TBA360

The Soap Dodgers.Tin Roots

The TailorsPoppy and Friends

Bryony FryAishlingRory H

Freddie PageBert Miller and other animals

Bourbon StreetThe Dizzy Club

Stephen Dale Petit Kubla KhanOli Brown

Nicola FarnonAynsley Lister Band

Alpha ManouvreWagon Train

Poetry & WordsPenny Ashton

Baba BrinkmanSabrina Mahfouz

Tony WalshAisle 16

Kat FrancoisVentriloquistPaula Varjack

Andreattah Chuma

Here We Go MagicCate Le Bon

LissieShouting At Planes

LeftfieldBilly Bragg

Frank TurnerThea GilmoreComedy hour

Bill's Big Round-upDebate: This is a Banker’s

CrisisDebate: Beating the BNP

The Rabbit HoleThe Eggdj Doorly

2.DreadzoneFreebass

dj Far Too LoudSpace RitualQuintessenceDj Mad MickMarsupilamiDan Mangan

Gabby Young And Other Animals.

Pete LawrieSkinny ListerJamie Burke

Bourbon StreetOli Brown

Wagon TrainMarcus BonfantiThe Dizzy Club

P-A-U-LTop Shelf Jazz

Brigitte DeMeyerCarmen Ghia & The

Hotrods Bex Marshall Band

Poetry & WordsJohn Hegley

Lucky SoulComedy hour

Bill's Big Round-upDebate: Another World Is

PossibleDebate: Stop the Cuts - 6

Music/Asian network

The Rabbit HoleDubble Head

6ix ToysSecret Special GuestElvis(The Real one)The Travelling BandPerhaps Contraption.

Rabbit Foot Spasm BandBabeshadow

Troy Ellis And The Long ShotsSound of Rum.

Lion ChildJosh ThornerHot tin Cat

Georgie Pope 

Bourbon StreetAlpha Manouvre

TBCTop Shelf Jazz

P-A-U-LCarmen Ghia & The Hotrods

Brigitte DeMeyerBen MartinSandi Thom

All Star Gospel Session

Poetry & WordsGlastonbury Festival Poetry Slam

(hosted by Kat Francois)Helen Gregory and Benita

JohnsonPete Hunter

Pete the TempJean Binta Breeze

PoeticatLuke Wright

Jo Bell (Website Poet in Residence)

Bohdan Piasecki

Jonny FluffypunkKate TempestPete the Temp

PoeticatHelen Gregory and Pete

Hunter 

Paula VarjackAndreattah Chuma

Attila the StockbrokerHollie McNishLuke WrightKate Tempest

Murray Lachlan YoungSabrina MahfouzBohdan Piasecki

Open mic. (hosted by Julian Ramsey-Wade)Ventriloquist

Jonny Fluffypunk

Julian Ramsey-WadePenny Ashton

Baba Brinkman Comperes – Dreadlcokalien and

Abbey Oliveira

The Notting Hill Carnival

Held each August Bank Holiday since 1966, the Notting Hill Carnival is the largest festival celebration of its kind in Europe. Every year the streets of West London come alive, with the sounds and smells of Europe’s biggest street festival. Twenty miles of vibrant colourful costumes surround over 40 static sound systems, hundreds of Caribbean food stalls, over 40,000 volunteers and over 1 million Notting Hill carnival revellers.

Starting its life as a local festival set up by the West Indian community of the Notting Hill area, it has now become a full-blooded Caribbean carnival, attracting millions of visitors from all over the globe. With many astonishing floats and the sounds of the traditional steel drum bands, scores of massive sound systems plus not forgetting the hundreds of stalls that line the streets of Notting Hill. The Notting Hill Carnival is arguably London’s most exciting annual event.

The Notting Hill Carnival usually gets under way on the Saturday with the steel band competition. Sunday is Kids’ Day, when the costume prizes are awarded. On Bank Holiday Monday, the main parade takes place. It generally begins on Great Western Road, then winds its way along Chepstow Road, on to Westbourne Grove, and then Ladbroke Grove. In the evening, the floats leave the streets in procession, and people carry continue partying at the many Notting Hill Carnival after parties.

The Notting Hill Carnival dates for 2010 are August 29th and 30th.

If you are looking to have a stall at the Notting Hill Carnival, you will need to apply for a trading licence. Find out more on our links page

The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest street festival in Europe and originated in 1964 as a way for Afro-Caribbean communities to celebrate their own cultures and traditions. Taking place every August Bank Holiday weekend in the streets of

London W11, the Notting Hill Carnival is an amazing array of sounds, colourful sights and social solidarity

At the roots of the Notting Hill Carnival are the Caribbean carnivals of the early 19th century – a particularly strong tradition in Trinidad – which were all about celebrating the abolition of slavery and the slave trade. The very first carnival was an attempt to showcase the steel band musicians who played in the Earls Court of London every Weekend. When the bands paraded through the streets of Notting Hill, they drew black residents out on to the streets, reminding them of the Caribbean homes they had left behind.

In the days of abolition, there was a strong element of parody in the songs and dances Trinidadians performed. Having been forbidden to hold festivals of their own during the period of slavery, they now took full advantage of the relative new freedoms the ending of slavery brought them. Dressing up in costumes that mimicked the European fashions of their former masters, even whitening their faces with flour or wearing white masks, they established a tradition that continues in the costume-making of today’s Notting Hill Carnival. The proper name for this aspect of the Carnival is Mas (derived from Masquerade)

Music is at the heart of Notting Hill Carnival, with traditional and contemporary sounds filling the air for miles around. Historically steel bands, Soca & Calypso Music have been at the heart of Carnival but in recent years these have been overtaken by the static sound systems playing anything from Reggae to R&B, Funk, House, Dub and much more. Live stages also feature local bands, top international artists and sounds from around the world – Eddie Grant, Jamiroquai, Wyclef Jean, Courtney Pine and Burning Spear have been among the eclectic line up in previous years.

Calypso

The Origin of calypso can be traced back to the arrival of the first enslaved Africans brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad. Forbidden to talk to each other, and robbed of all links to family and home, the enslaved Africans began to sing. They used calypso, which can be traced back to West African Kaiso, as a means of communication and to mock the slave masters. These songs, usually led by one individual called a Griot, helped to unite the slaves. Calypso singing competitions, held annually at Carnival time, grew in popularity after the abolition of slavery by the British in the 1830s. The Griot later became known as the Chantuelle and today as the Calypsonian.

Soca

Like calypso, soca was used for both social commentary and risqué humor, though the initial wave of soca acts eschewed the former. Lord Shorty was disillusioned with the genre by the 1980s because soca was being used to express courtships and sexual interests. Like all things related to sexual freedom, it became embraced because of its ability to reflect what people were thinking and their desires in a society that was sexually repressed. Soca music became an expression of sexuality through metaphors in the West Indies. Soon after, Shorty moved to the Piparo forest, converted to the Rastafari movement and changed his name to Ras Shorty I. There, he created a fusion of Reggae and gospel music called jamooin the late 1980s.In the 1990s and now the new century Soca has evolved into a blend of musical styles.

Steel Pan

Steel Bands: also known as ‘Pan’ will be filling the streets of Notting Hill with their wonderful melodic sounds throughout the Bank Holiday weekend. Steelband came from the ‘Tambu Bamboo’ band from Trinidad in the early 1030s. Trinidadians used to beat the bamboo and sing and by using some creative means, began to create different tones. This led to the use of oil drums and in a short space of time the Steelband was born.

Static Sound Systems

Static Sound Systems: over 40 sound systems positioned around the Carnival area provide the perfect setting for DJs to strut their stuff. From Latin jazz, reggae and garage to hip hop and drum ‘n’ bass.

Samba

Samba: Samba is a type of music and dance developed from the musical traditions of the enslaved Africans of Brazil. Samba originated in the north of Brazil and was radically developed in Rio at the turn of the century. Now you can hear the Samba beat in London and throughout the world.

Music is at the heart of Notting Hill Carnival, with traditional and contemporary sounds filling the air for miles around. Historically steel bands, Soca & Calypso Music have been at the heart of Carnival but in recent years these have been overtaken by the static sound systems playing anything from Reggae to R&B, Funk, House, Dub and much more. Live stages also feature local bands, top international artists and sounds from around the world – Eddie Grant, Jamiroquai, Wyclef Jean, Courtney Pine and Burning Spear have been among the eclectic line up in previous years.

Calypso

The Origin of calypso can be traced back to the arrival of the first enslaved

Africans brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad. Forbidden to talk to each other, and robbed of all links to family and home, the enslaved Africans began to sing. They used calypso, which can be traced back to West African Kaiso, as a means of communication and to mock the slave masters. These songs, usually led by one individual called a Griot, helped to unite the slaves. Calypso singing competitions, held annually at Carnival time, grew in popularity after the abolition of slavery by the British in the 1830s. The Griot later became known as the Chantuelle and today as the Calypsonian.

Soca

Like calypso, soca was used for both social commentary and risqué humor, though the initial wave of soca acts eschewed the former. Lord Shorty was disillusioned with the genre by the 1980s because soca was being used to express courtships and sexual interests. Like all things related to sexual freedom, it became embraced because of its ability to reflect what people were thinking and their desires in a society that was sexually repressed. Soca music became an expression of sexuality through metaphors in the West Indies. Soon after, Shorty moved to the Piparo forest, converted to the Rastafari movement and changed his name to Ras Shorty I. There, he created a fusion of Reggae and gospel music called jamooin the late 1980s.In the 1990s and now the new century Soca has evolved into a blend of musical styles.

Steel Pan

Steel Bands: also known as ‘Pan’ will be filling the streets of Notting Hill with their wonderful melodic sounds throughout the Bank Holiday weekend. Steelband came from the ‘Tambu Bamboo’ band from Trinidad in the early 1030s. Trinidadians used to beat the bamboo and sing and by using some creative means, began to create different tones. This led to the use of oil drums and in a short space of time the Steelband was born.

Static Sound Systems

Static Sound Systems: over 40 sound systems positioned around the Carnival area provide the perfect setting for DJs to strut their stuff. From Latin jazz, reggae and garage to hip hop and drum ‘n’ bass.

Samba

Samba: Samba is a type of music and dance developed from the musical traditions of the enslaved Africans of Brazil. Samba originated in the north of Brazil and was radically developed in Rio at the turn of the century. Now you can hear the Samba beat in London and throughout the world

ALL AGES.FUNDED BY GOVERNMENT AND SPONCERS.

Underbelly is a UK based, live entertainment company.

Our events and festivals division operates 15 performance venues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as the festival's busiest bars. In 2009 we sold 180,000 tickets to 130 shows a day for 25 days. 2010 will be our 11th year at the Fringe

We are also presenting our second season of live entertainment at London's Southbank Centre from 14th May, with our touring venue E4 Udderbelly. Previous seasons include Brighton in 2007 and 2008. We are always looking for new projects and events for Udderbelly. 

Our productions division produces shows in Edinburgh and beyond, with a focus towards national and international touring. Previous productions include Joan Rivers, Tom Tom Crew, One Man Star Wars, The Magnets, The Caesar Twins and many more. You can find details of past and present projects on our productions page. 

FUNDING FROM TICKETS, CLOTHING. (MERCHINDICE) PLUS SPONCORS: E4 Scotland on Sunday Grolsch Southbank Centre

FOR ALL AGES. FAMILES, SINGLE, BOYS AND GIRLS