The Garden Festival: Three Weeks to go!!
Petrcane, Croatia | Weds 6th – Weds 13th July 2011
www.thegardenfestival.eu
Just three weeks to go until the Garden Festival opens for 2011. This year sees the festival going Back to Our Roots – which takes place across one joyously long weekend, a full seven days and nights of beatific beats in the sun and late night excursions on the stunning site which juts into the invitingly azure Adriatic waters. Set in the 900-year old fishing village of Petrcane, there are bars and restaurants along the promenade offering fine fresh fish caught that morning. Lazing the hours away beneath the sun whilst sipping a cocktail is the only way to start the day; later, as the music tempo increases, perhaps catch the sunset at the Tiki Bar whilst dancing in the water, or maybe it’s one of the live headliners on the fully outdoor main stage.
One of house music’s truly original innovators, Larry Heard, makes his debut at the Garden Festival in July. With a rich history stretching back to the mid-1980s, Larry - aka Mr. Fingers – continues a prodigious output of music and sets across the world, having worked with everyone from Robert Owens – who also sings live and DJs at this year’s Garden Festival - to producing his own iconic track, Can You Feel It. Also making their debut performance at The Garden Festival is Canadian techno luminaries Art Department, Bostonian duo Soul Clap and close friends Wolf & Lamb, the hotly-tipped Tiger and Woods and Germany’s Motor City Drum Ensemble.
The Garden also welcomes back many more old friends to the fore once more; Hamburg’s deep disco sensation Tensnake returns to the Garden for his second year, fresh from an amazing 2010 which was his Coma Cat one of the tunes of the summer; Sir Norman Jay is back after 2010’s simply outrageously good boat party, which Norman himself said was the best one he had ever played at; almost annual resident Greg Wilson bring his famed reel to reel sounds to the sun-kissed peninsular; for anyone wanting a lesson in disco and house, Greg’s Radio 1 Essential Mix is it; Crazy P are also back; Future Disco, one of 2010’s success stories, returns to Croatia, as do Mark E, Dolan Bergin and PBR Streetgang.
A new live addition to the Garden are No Regular Play, aka USA duo Nicholas DeBruyn and Greg Paulus. Their close relationship with Wolf and Lamb has created a captivating sound (they have been releasing on the W+P label too), stylistically touching on a wide range of influences focused around live instrumentation also used in their sets. Such is their range they have been working on a 25 minute piece for improvisation/ electronics music to be performed with the Minnesota Orchestra in 2011! These guys are not to be missed.
Mark Caramelli and Paul Hargreaves have been causing a huge stir under their guise, Death On The Balcony; their unique style fuses a range of influences from Nu Disco, House to Deep Techno and everything in-between. Expect sublime sounds too from Falling Up, who source original soul 7”s, undiscovered funk gems, deep 80s boogie, dutty disco, classic and future hip-hop, broken beat, afro-centric sounds, real house, techno and Detroitisms and forward thinking bass music into their genre-spanning sets. Germany's Gerd Janson brings his deep house and disco sounds to Petrcane too; he's one of the country's hottest DJs, as well as writing about music and working with the Redbull Music Academy too.
There’s also anything goes legend DJ Lenny and Hungarian nu-disco star Holic features too; Katie Barker of Ladybugz brings her soul, disco, funk and house, Leeds promoters Louche and inspired due The Groovers all play too, further swelling the ranks of this summer’s Garden Festival fun.
And don’t forget the Breakfast Boat which leaves 10am on Sunday 10th July. This will be the most chilled Argonaughty voyage of them all with The Phenomenal Handclap Band at the helm DJing with expresso martinis, fresh fruit, croissants and blissed out tunes helping to get the day started.
The Garden Zadar Opening Party – Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May
The Garden Zadar is the beautiful venue in Zadar’s stunning old town which started the whole Croatian odyssey many years ago. Perched on the old battlement walls which look out over the harbour, the open air bar and restaurant is beautiful and enchanting, and the opening party is always one of the best of the year in the city. The musical backdrop will be supplied by Garden Residents Dean Smith - Bobby Beige with special guests TBA. Entrance is free but must be reserved at info@thegardenzadar.com Don’t forget cheap flights on Ryanair for Stansted to Zadar too for a weekend away and the perfect warm-up tonic for the Garden Festival itself in July. Check: www.watchthegardengrow.eu
The Garden Keeps Growing – Site Changes and Developments
It’s one of the last pieces of this summer’s Garden Festival which has slotted perfectly into place. And speaking of boats, there are some important site changes happening too.
First up is the boat itself – the salty sea-dog Argonaughty will be docking for the first time by the festival’s entrance on the left hand side of the bay. This move will help make the Garden more intimate so Gardeners can embark and return right next to the festival. Ahoy me hearties! Tickets for all Argonaughty sessions have been selling faster than ever with most parties sold out; to see what’s left please go to: http://www.thegardenfestival.eu/#/en/take-part/festival-tickets/argonaughty-boat-party-tickets/
Don’t forget too for those who don’t want their night to end the party goes on until dawn in Barbarellas Discotheque, a lovingly resorted club from the 1960s which features Funktion-One, air-con and a host of brilliant DJs and parties. For tickets check: http://www.thegardenfestival.eu/#/en/take-part/festival-tickets/barbarellas-afterparty-tickets/
The site itself is going to look different too; a brand new Buccaneer Bar to the west of the site, the champagne bar moving to the east and a new home for the luxuriating massages too. Keep checking the website and mail-outs for info.
The Garden Petrcane is situated in a stunning area; just 20 minutes from the beautiful and historic city of Zadar, within reaches of beaches, sleepy villages, arts, culture and – of course – lots of sun. There’s lots to see and do for those planning to make a holiday out of their Garden Festival experience, including wine tasting, the Krka National Park with its waterfalls, wildlife and verdant land, gourmet sailing, kayaking on Zrmanje River and much more. Croatia itself is enjoying a renaissance as a travel destination, offering everything from secluded coves and deserted stretches of pristine beach to historic and vibrant cities, succulent sea-food and an enriching culture of old and new. Check http://gb.croatia.hr/Home/ and www.croatia.hr & www.sailing.hr for more info.
** The Garden Festival... Back To Our Roots for 2011 **
The Garden Festival continues not only to capture but truly enrich peoples’ imaginations - a true fusion of relaxing holiday and riotous festival, situated in an area close to the historic city of Zadar. Pristine national parks, secluded beaches and hundreds of islands are close by, with Croatia an easy country to travel around.
Keep checking for flight deals to Croatia from the UK and Europe on airlines including Ryanair, Easyjet, Jet2, Wizz Air, German Wings and Croatia Airlines, as routes have now been released and there are some bargains to be had.
Please note for any accommodation enquiries for the village of Petrcane where the Garden Festival is held, please contact gail@thegardenzadar.com for a variety of apartments, studios and rooms.
** The Garden Festival 2011 – The Story So Far… **
LIVE ACTS: Art Department • Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) • Different Drummer • Electric Wire Hustle • Incarnations • No Regular Play • Odyssey • Ras Tweed • Robert Owens • Tensnake DJ SETS: Adam Regan • Adam Shelton • Aldo Morro • Andy Whittaker • Appleblim • Basement Boogaloo • Benoit & Sergio • Bobby Beige • Christophe (Redux) • Concorde Club • Cosmo • Crackazat • Crazy P • Danny Clark • Dave Jarvis • Dead Rose Music Company • Dean Smith • Deano Ferrino • Death On The Balcony • Discomendments • DJ Lenny • Dolan Bergin • Dom Chung • E.A.R. • El Diablos • Electric Minds • Emma Chibuku • Eric Duncan • Faith • Falling Up • Felix Dickinson • Fila Brazillia • Futureboogie DJ's • Futuredisco • Geddes • Gerd Janson • Greg Wilson • Hang The Dj • Holic • Jacques Renault • James Holroyd • Jogarde • Julio Bashmore • Kon & Amir • Katie Barker of Ladybugz • Larry Heard (AKA Mr Fingers) • Louche • Mark E • Matty J & Ben Terry • Maxxi Soundsystem • Motor City Drum Ensemble • Move D • Mulletover • No Fakin DJ's • Norman Jay • Ole Smokey • Paddy Freeform • PBR Streetgang • Phat Phil Cooper • PHBC • Qool DJ Marv • Quantic • Redux Records • Sam Redmore • Sean Brosnan • Sean Gorham • Sofrito Soundsystem • Soul Clap • Ste Hodge • Straight A's • Stu Patterson • Subb-an • Terry Farley • The Groovers • The Phenomenal Handclap Band • Tirk • Toby Tobias • Tristan Da Cunha • William Collins • Wolf & Lamb • Wolf Music • Yam Who?...to be continued!!
*****
** Garden Festival Tickets **
http://www.thegardenfestival.eu/#/en/take-part/festival-tickets/the-garden-festival-back-to-our-roots/
** Argonaughty Boat and Barbarella Discotheque Parties **
http://www.thegardenfestival.eu/#/en/take-part/festival-tickets/argonaughty-boat-party-tickets/
http://www.thegardenfestival.eu/#/en/take-part/festival-tickets/barbarellas-afterparty-tickets/
*****
Keep checking here for lots more info to come:
www.thegardenfestival.eu / www.watchthegardengrow.eu
*****
The Garden Festival runs from Weds 6th – Weds 13th July 2011
Full 7 day and night tickets cost £90
