Norfolk and Norwich Festival Preview

With all the hype over summer festivals such as Bestival and Outlook, many students across the country are forking out nearly £200 a ticket before even considering the cost of crossing the globe (or the English channel) to their dream gigs.

However it never occurred to me that we have something pretty special right on our doorstep: The Norfolk & Norwich Festival. It may not sound quite as exciting as the bright lights of Croatia or the Isle of Wight, however with acts from across the world racking up a whole host of experience, awards and recognition, it is a festival that we must take note of.

On the 9th of May, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra sets the tone for the 17 day extravaganza of music, dance, visual art, theatre and spoken word. Although perhaps not to everyones taste, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra is something to be marvelled at, due to its vast history of international success and its guest cellist for the night, Julian Lloyd Webber (and with a price of just £5 to all under 25s, there is little excuse to miss it.)

Similarly, an event that stood out was the Festival Jazz Boat, taking place on Sunday 13th May and Saturday 26th. The boat sets off from Horning to take you down the Norfolk Broads, surrounded by the beautiful sights of Norfolk and the even more magnificent sounds of Dixiemix Jazz Band (with refreshments available on board the boat!)

As well as Jazz and Classical music, the festival has a whole host of other genres to suit all tastes from the Afro-Caribbean charm of Afrocubism on the 20th to the folk-rock sounds of The Handsome Family, who have been highlighted as country music’s answer to the White Stripes on the 26th. The Handsome Family, along with soft acoustic sounds from acts such as Sam Amidon, are part of the Spiegeltent shows, where dancing and live performances are shown throughout the entirety of the festival.

The festival also has a subsection they have named Speed Up! which boasts a whole range of fantastic international acts, including afro-punk band I.R.O.K on the 11th and the incredibly talented Luke Abbott and Nathan Flake, who are bringing their ethereal soft electronica to Abbott’s home county on the 19th. With ten acts playing under the Speed Up! umbrella, you are spoilt for choice. However an act that is dubbed ‘not to be missed’ is Death Grips.

The Californian hip-hop group focus on pushing the boundaries with dark lyrics and experimental sounds, and the fact that they will be playing as part of Norfolk’s festival is something to get very excited about. May 22nd is a date to keep free!

With acts from across the globe and prices similar to that of a bacon sandwich, there is no excuse to miss out on over a fortnight of music, dancing and comedy that may be literally metres from your front doorstep!