Electric Picnic Top 10 Plec Picks
Hurricane Gaston is as imminent as the festival of the year.
Electric Picnic kicks off this Friday amid severe weather warnings and a seemingly underwhelming line-up. People prayed and prayed for Radiohead in the last announcement - instead they got James Bay and swimming in the lake. Them's the breaks!
There's still plenty to check out across all stages over the weekend - here's who we think you should be watching (even if it is a wash-out!)
Nas
When: Main Stage @ 19:30
What To Expect: Nasty Nas delivers a masterclass in rap, and remains a compelling and dynamic figure in an industry. Fingers crossed he'll be debuting new material!
Highlight: Blistering, unwavering delivery from hip-hop's finest - so, basically, all of it.
What It'll Sound Like:
The Shins
When: Saturday, Electric Arena @ 22:30
What To Expect: Indie-rock sunshine at the dead of night
Highlight: After so many years away, hearing Simple Song live looks set to be pretty triumphant.
What It'll Sound Like:
Oh Wonder
When: Sunday @ Cosby Tent 21:30
What To Expect: Gooey harmonies with pop vocals that melt into one another
Highlight: The swelling chorus of Drive
What It'll Sound Like:
Wild Beasts
When: Their new album, 'Boy King', is their most intense yet, so expect their set to reflect that.
What To Expect: It's safe to assume Wild Beasts' EP set will be as assaulting as 'Boy King' - moments of restraint will be few and far between.
Highlight: 'Wanderlust''s self-titled lead single will have you screaming along, as well as 'Alpha Female's signature lilt.
What It'll Sound Like:
The Chemical Brothers
When: Friday @ Main Stage 22:30
What To Expect: Even if you can't put a name to every song, you'll know every single song, and lose your mind accordingly.
Highlight: Be prepared for a very sweaty performance of Hey Boy Hey Girl
What It'll Sound Like:
Local Natives
When: Sunday @ Main Stage 16:00
What To Expect: It's robust alt-rock at its most unassuming - not the biggest name on the line-up, but sure to be a wild set.
Highlight: Airplanes' twitchy percussion and gentle strumming hidden behind a cascade of piano keys.
What It'll Sound Like:
The 1975
When: Main Stage, Friday @ 21:00
What To Expect: They'll be looking to make up for an exceptionally scrappy set in 2013, and with their recent release now in the running for the Mercury Prize, the lads will be taking to the stage with a lot to prove.
Highlight: The ambitious and giddy rollick that is UGH!
What It'll Sound Like:
Aurora
When: Sunday @ Electric Arena, 15:30
What To Expect: FORGET THE JOHN LEWIS AD - this gal has bucket loads of talent and the sweetest Scandipop sound beyond Christmas covers.
Highlight: Runaway
What It'll Sound Like:
Bat For Lashes
When: Sunday @ Electric Arena 21:15
What To Expect: Moody soulful indie from Natasha Khan
Highlight: The beautifully atmospheric Daniel
What It'll Sound Like:
Broken Social Scene
When: Friday @ Electric Arena 19:30
What To Expect: The idyllic soundtrack to anyone's teenage years - wildly emotional and vivid rock.
Highlight: Watch time seemingly slow down for Lover's Spit
What It'll Sound Like:
Mura Masa
When: Saturday @ Little Big Tent 21:30
What To Expect: One of the most exciting producers to emerge from the fold of 2016, 20-year-old British producer Mura Masa's set will receive a huge reaction.
Highlight: Fingers crossed fellow Electric Picnic attendee NAO joins him for Firefly.
What It'll Sound Like:
Ezra Furman
When: Sunday @ Body & Soul 00:00, Cosby Tent, 20:15
What To Expect: A live show that'll grab you by the collar and shake the change out of your pockets - expect an equally eager audience for this one.
Highlight: My Zero
What It'll Sound Like:
Super Furry Animals
When: Electric Arena, Friday @ 22:45
What To Expect: Anything is possible with these Welsh Wizards, from golden retriever costumes to people dancing on a moving van in the crowd, to the second coming of Jesus or a guest appearance from aliens. But what’s guaranteed is a joyous ride through the most unusual and creative back-catalogue accidental-Brit-pop has to offer.
Highlight: The Man Don't Give A Fuck.
What It'll Sound Like:
Jack Garrett
When: Electric Arena, Saturday @ 19:30
What To Expect: Non-stop energy as this one-man-band, leaps from instrument to instrument building a cascade of loops as he goes.
Highlight: That moment when you can't help but ask: "How the hell is he doing all this by himself?"
What It'll Sound Like:
Whitney
When: Cosby Stage, Saturday @ 17:15
What To Expect: Warm weather rock 'n' roll (you'll smile through the rain, guaranteed)
Highlight: Golden Days
What It'll Sound Like:
Glass Animals
When: Rankins Wood Stage, Saturday @ 18:15
What To Expect: New material has been a bit experimental, (that's industry code for, 'all over the place'), but their first album's trial of seemingly every genre needs to be witnessed in a live setting.
Highlight: Gooey
What It'll Sound Like:
New Order
When: Main Stage, Sunday @ 20:45
What To Expect: The blueprint for modern synthpop delivered by one of the genres founding fathers. However, New Order is much more than a nostalgia act as their latest album ‘Music Complete’ shows.
Highlight: Blue Monday
What It'll Sound Like:
LCD Soundsystem
When: Main Stage, Saturday @ 00:05
What To Expect: James Murphy and Co’s reformation train is rolling into town just as rumours breakout about them cancelling their Asian tour to record a new album. So, this is might be the best time to catch the band as they shift from in it for the money mode to in it to win it mode.
Highlight: Hipsters pondering the irony of having lost all their friends during All My Friends.
What It'll Sound Like:
Wolf Alice
When: Electric Arena, Sunday @ 19:45
What To Expect: Twitchy indie rock with a current running through it
Highlight: High-tempo bangers come in the form of Moaning Lisa Smile, Bros for a mid-tempo tent sway.
What It'll Sound Like:
Lana Del Rey
When: Main Stage, Sunday @ 22:45
What To Expect: Lana Del Rey's stage presence needs to be seen to be believed - a truly captivating figure with a back catalogue to boot.
Highlight: The cinematic, sinister roll of percussion in West Coast
What It'll Sound Like: