Blissfields
Encyclopedia
Blissfields is an annual music festival in Hampshire
, England
run by Paul and Mel Bliss who also run Blissfields Records. Founded in 2001 at Bradley Farm, Bradley, near Alresford
, the festival took a break in 2008. In 2011 the festival moved to a new site in Vicarage Farm, Woodmancott near Winchester.
. Starting with just approximately 70 attendees, Blissfields was held again in subsequent years, slowly increasing in size. In 2005, with increased health and safety concerns and license demands, there was a charge to camp. In 2007, Scouting for Girls headlined and a second stage called the Stage Bus was added. In the same year, Blissfields was named the Best Small Festival in the UK Festival Awards.http://www.festivalawards.com/index.cfm?section=awards.category&year=2007&id=59 Restrictions at Bradley Farm meant that no more than 1,000 people could attend.
in 2008, resulting in an increase in the capacity of the festival to 4,000. On June 2 it was announced that the festival would be cancelled due to poor ticket sales. There were going to be four stages, with The Wonder Stuff
, The Whip and Roni Size
/Reprazent
headlining the Punch Bowl, the open air main stage, between July 4 and 6.
, Laura Marling
and Mumford and Sons. Other acts included Cherbourg, Life in Film and The Ashbies. The hidden hedge a concealed dance and DJ area made its first appearance.
, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
, and Dub Pistols
. Festival goers can also expect to hear music from James Yuill
, Kill It Kid
and Ryan O'Reilly.
, Tricky
and Subgiant (band)
.
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
run by Paul and Mel Bliss who also run Blissfields Records. Founded in 2001 at Bradley Farm, Bradley, near Alresford
New Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford is a small town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is situated some 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton...
, the festival took a break in 2008. In 2011 the festival moved to a new site in Vicarage Farm, Woodmancott near Winchester.
History
The first Blissfields event was in 2001 when Paul and Mel Bliss invited a few bands to play at Bradley Farm, near AlresfordNew Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford is a small town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is situated some 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton...
. Starting with just approximately 70 attendees, Blissfields was held again in subsequent years, slowly increasing in size. In 2005, with increased health and safety concerns and license demands, there was a charge to camp. In 2007, Scouting for Girls headlined and a second stage called the Stage Bus was added. In the same year, Blissfields was named the Best Small Festival in the UK Festival Awards.http://www.festivalawards.com/index.cfm?section=awards.category&year=2007&id=59 Restrictions at Bradley Farm meant that no more than 1,000 people could attend.
2008
Blissfields was to move to the Matterley Bowl near WinchesterWinchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
in 2008, resulting in an increase in the capacity of the festival to 4,000. On June 2 it was announced that the festival would be cancelled due to poor ticket sales. There were going to be four stages, with The Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band, originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country, England.-Origins:...
, The Whip and Roni Size
Roni Size
Roni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
/Reprazent
Reprazent
Reprazent is a British drum and bass act formed by Roni Size. Their debut album New Forms won the Mercury Music Prize in 1997. Their follow-up album In The Mode featured artists including Rahzel, Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine and Method Man.Roni Size resurrected Reprazent in 2008...
headlining the Punch Bowl, the open air main stage, between July 4 and 6.
2009
Headliners in 2009, the festival's most successful year were Super Furry AnimalsSuper Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
, Laura Marling
Laura Marling
Laura Beatrice Marling is an English folk musician from Eversley, Hampshire.Initially prominent within the London folk scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim and her second album I Speak Because I Can were nominated for...
and Mumford and Sons. Other acts included Cherbourg, Life in Film and The Ashbies. The hidden hedge a concealed dance and DJ area made its first appearance.
2010
The event celebrated its 10th birthday. Although the main headliner has yet to be confirmed, other headliners playing this year include Band of SkullsBand of Skulls
Band of Skulls is an alternative rock band from Southampton, England, consisting of Russell Marsden , Emma Richardson , and Matt Hayward...
, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool were an English synthpop group from Camden, London, made up of Charles Haddon, Joe Hutchinson and Caan Capan. The band name is an amalgamation of French and English , and is inspired by a line from French teacher Mrs Crabbe in the television series Hardwicke House...
, and Dub Pistols
Dub Pistols
Dub Pistols are a London based dub music and big beat band, founded by ex-club promoter, Barry Ashworth, in 1996. The other members of the band were record producer and bassist Jason O'Bryan, Brooklyn producer and lyricist, T. K. Lawrence on vocals, Jap Slut guitarist John King, and turntablist DJ...
. Festival goers can also expect to hear music from James Yuill
James Yuill
James Yuill is an English folktronica musician from London, currently signed to the Moshi Moshi record label.-Biography:Yuill released his first album, The Vanilla Disc, on his own Happy Biscuit Club label in 2005...
, Kill It Kid
Kill It Kid
Kill It Kid are a four piece British band from Bath who formed in 2008. They are signed to London Indie label One Little Indian Records whose roster includes Bjork and Skunk Anansie. The genre has been described as Americana/Blues/Rock. The band have a unique sound, their line-up including slide...
and Ryan O'Reilly.
2011
The festival moved to a new site with a larger capacity at the Vicarage Farm, Woodmancott near Winchester. Main acts included Frank TurnerFrank Turner
Frank Turner is an English folk/punk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Winchester. Initially the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, Turner embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. To date, Turner has released four solo albums, two rarities...
, Tricky
Tricky
Tricky is an English musician and actor. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style. Culturally, Tricky encourages an intertwining of societies, particularly in his musical fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop...
and Subgiant (band)
Subgiant (band)
Subgiant are Olly Maw, Dan Hayes, and Tushar Joshi, a live dance music band from the UK, formed in 2000.-History:Olly Maw and Dan Hayes met as bassist and DJ in 2000, and formed what, in its early days, was a dub act with two further members, Steve Barnes and Bren O'Donnell...
.