ATTN:Magazine | Not from concentrate.

Does dodging half naked 16 year-olds with cans of pisswater Carling still hold any appeal? Did it ever? No? Then read on.

The concept of boutique festivals has surely been around long enough for us to pick some mainstay standouts, right? I’m glad you agree, as that’s what we’re doing now. Here are some of the most interesting boutique/niche events in our green and pleasant land – and others.

Secret Garden Party

22-25th July, Huntingdon – Cambridgeshire

Artists: Crystal Fighters, Fionn Reagan, Goldheart Assembly, I Blame Coco, Marina and the Diamonds, High Rankin.

One of the more enigmatic of the country’s festivals, with more emphasis on having an insane time than being a festival, this is something we’ve always wanted to go to. Fourteen lovingly crafted stages and ‘performance areas’ surround a lovely lake full of swan boats and gondolas, and the activities list stretches from The Fabulous Flirt Factory to The Magical Health Service (or MHS) to S&Mpathy. Christ only knows.

Avast! Secret Garden Party - Photo by Higgot

Indietracks

23-25th July, Swanwick – Derbyshire

Artists: Pulled Apart By Horses, Everyone was in the French Resistance… Now!, Shrag, Foxes!, Slow Club.

Recommended to ATTN:Magazine by top geezer Andy from Das Wanderlust, Indietracks is the UK’s very own “International Pop Underground”, only 25 years later and with a Steam Railway theme. Pop along to see the bands Lammo et al will be ragging on 6Music in a few months time.

Truck

23-25th July, Hill Farm – Steventon

Artists: 65 Days of Static, Esben and the Witch, Fucked Up, Los Campesinos!, Thomas Tantrum, Future of the Left.

Everyone knows about Truck starting out with no released line up, and nothing but the side of a lorry for a stage. Even now, it is proof that being “…free of any sponsorship or corporate agenda” is in no way a hindrance of success, and the DIY ethic still means something to some people. Also, possibly one of the best line-ups this year.

Kendal Calling

30th July-1st August, Lowther Deer Park – Cumbria

Photo by Kendal Calling

Artists: Doves, The Coral, Calvin Harris, British Sea Power, Wild Beasts, Futureheads.

Housed in an unbelievably picturesque Lake District setting, Kendal Calling has pretty much everything you could need from a small festival. A strong line up of Indie mainstays (British Sea Power and Wild Beasts are locals too), a party atmosphere, and a ski slope.

Standon Calling

6-8th August, Standon – Hertfordshire

Artists: Liars, Buena Vista Social Club, Efterklang, Sleepy Sun, Jeffrey Lewis, Metronomy, Fucked Up, British Sea Power.

Now in its tenth year, Standon Calling has hit its stride as one of the premier small festivals in the country (only 2500 attendees). It’s the only festival this year to have New York agit-punks Liars headlining, and it has a swimming pool. A bloody swimming pool. Think about that. This year’s theme is ‘Murder on the Standon Express”, so expect Holmses, Watsons and Flappers a’plenty.

Told you there was a pool. Photo by Standon Calling.

Boomtown Fair

13-15th August, Buckinghamshire

Artists: Babyhead, Zen Hussies, Toots and the Maytals, Dub Pistols, Neville Staple (The Specials).

Boomtown Fair reads like a skankers paradise, with Reggae legends toots and the Maytals, new blood from Bristol Babyhead and Dub Pistols. Bless up yerselves and feel aiiiirrrriiiieeeeee.

Stop Making Sense

3-5th September, The Garden, Petrčane – Croatia

Artists: The Very Best, Django Django, Nathan Fake, Son of Dave, Joana and the Wolf, Friendly

Fires (DJs).

Stop Making Sense Festival - Photo by Turnmaster Tim

I’ll be honest, I knew nothing of this festival at first. Even after checking out the line up, I still know nothing. But look at that picture, dancing on rocks by the sea? who in their right minds does not want to do that?

Offset Festival

4-5th September, Hainault Forrest, London

Artists: Mystery Jets, 80s Matchbox…, Telepathe, Rolo Tomassi, Bo Ningen, Shit and Shine, Lovvers.

A relatively new addition to the festival circuit, Offset looks, well, intimidatingly hip. But don’t let that put you off. It has the kind of line up that wet dreams are made of, with Jap hair-metalers Bo Ningen, hardcore prog wunderkinds Rolo Tomassi, snotty Nottingham punks Lovvers, and more DJ sets than you can shake a copy of Vice at.

End of the Road

10-12th September, Larmer Tree Gardens – Dorset

Artists: Modest Mouse, Wilco, Yo La Tengo, Black Mountain, The Mountain Goats, Edwyn Collins, Errors.

Closing the traditional summer festival period, End of the Road delights with its luscious Larmer Tree Gardens setting, and the usual pleasing mix of Folk and Americana. There can;t be a better way to see out the summer, surely?

Supersonic 2010

22-24th October, Birmingham

Artists: Swans (Original Line Up), Godflesh (Original Line Up) – This is all you need to know.

Those wonderful gals at Capsule present another orgasm-inducing autumn festival with not one, but two incredible reformations. Michael Gira gets (most of) the original Swans line up back together, and Justin Broadrick abandons his Jesu mainstay and many collaborations to bring back brummie industrial kings Godflesh. There is of course a plethora of other amazing bands, but really, just wow.

ATP Nightmare Before Christmas: Curated by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Artists: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Neurosis, Black Dice, Mike Watt (Minutemen), Scout Niblett, Bardo Pond, Tim Hecker.

Canadian mega-legends Godspeed You! Black Emperor make a short lived return by curating and playing All Tomorrow’s Parties this December. their hand picked line up includes ex-Minutemen bassist and sometime Stooges four-stringer Mike Watt, post-metal titans Neurosis, and Tim Hecker. Indulge in the frankly strange surroundings of Butlins and all it has to offer, who knows who you’ll follow down the water slides or overtake go-karting?

ATP Bowlie2: Curated by Belle & Sebastian

Artists: Belle & Sebastian, Foals, Vaselines, Julian Cope, Teenage Fanclub, Crystal Castles, Frightened Rabbit.

If a weekend of doom laden apocalypto doesn’t tickle yr pickles, fear not, for ATP has another weekend planned curated by those who set the blueprint for the festival itself: Belle & Sebastian. The line-up  is significantly more twee (honestly, all it’s missing is a Beat Happening reformation), but with none the less great bands. Ukuleles and tea on the beach, if you can stomach the cold?