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54MASTHEAD
EDITORS LETTER
The last of the
summer rays have died
behind a chilly
November sky and, as
the Coca Cola
advert turns up on our
screens again, we look
forward to the
holidays.
Christmas is all about
the new and this is-
sue of Notion magazine
has plenty of that
to offer. We‘ve been
very busy hunting out
the best new talent,
new music and the new
trends, of 2012. So,
make sure you don’t
miss out on our
intimate photo shoot
with an up and coming,
gorgeous hunk, who
every girl will want
to date and every guy
will want to be.
But we know it’s not
all fun and games when
it comes to
family get-togethers
and expanding
waistlines. So we’ve
also provided a bit of
summer memory to dwell
on through the coming
icy months...
Remember when it was
warm enough to sleep outside for the
weekend? We take a
look at next years top
festivals
to remind us that
winter doesn’t last
forever.
It’ll soon be time to
write to the fat old
man who’ll be coming
down your chimney. Our
list currently
reads- Caggie’s mink
coat from that first
episode and a personal
Ed Sheeran to sing us
to sleep every night...
So put on your woolly
hats and mittens with
a mug of cocoa by the
fire and settle down to
another great issue.
MASTHEADFOUNDER & BRAND LEADER / BILL [email protected]
EDITOR / HAZEL [email protected]
CREATIVE DIRECTOR / HIDDEN [email protected]
FASHION DIRECTOR / ALEXIS [email protected]
STAFF WRITER / SEBASTIAN [email protected]
FILM EDITOR / MATT [email protected]
EDITORIAL INTERNS / STEPH [email protected]
ONLINE EDITOR / SEB [email protected]
INTERACTIVE DIRECTOR / OLLY [email protected]
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR / SALLY [email protected]
ACCOUNTS MANAGER / JEZ [email protected]
NOTION IS PUBLISHED BY MUSIC HQ MEDIA
NOTION
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NOTION IS PUBLISHED BY MUSIC HQ MEDIA LTD, NO PART OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED, STORED IN RETRIEVAL STYSTEM OR RESOLD WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER, NO-TION RECOGNISES ALL COPRIGHTS CONTAINED IN THIS ISSUE.
THANKSTobias Brand / LanaDel Rey / Emily @Urban Outfitters /Kathryn Duncan / Jayne Carmichael / Heather Kidd / James Littleton / Rachael Brown / The lovely Tessa Whitwell / TheBrain Box..
STEPH MORRISWRITER & INTERNMOST LIKELY TO BE CARRYING AN INNOCENT SMOOTHIE, HER BOLD BB OR HER SHINY NEW MULBERRY HANDBAG, THIS ENGLISH GRAD IS NOTIONS FRESHEST TALENT. SHES A PARTY ANIMAL WITH A DRIVE LIKE NO OTHER. HER FAVOURITE HOBBIES ARE PEOPLE WATCHING IN TOWN AND INDEPTH FACEBOOK STALKING. IF SHE COULD HAVE A YEARS SUPPLY OF ANYTHING IT WOULD BE PIZZA EXPRESS DOUGHBALLS BECAUSE HEY ARE “LUSH, NO?”
ANDREW TRIGGSPR & ADVERTISINGKNOWN AS “TRIGGER” - AND A BIT OF A LADIES MAN - THIS PR KING KNOWS HIS STUFF ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY MUSIC INDUSTRY. IF HES NOT STRUMMING HIS GUITAR, HES OUT ON HIS BMX SHOWING UP THE BOYS IN PARK. UNFORTUNATELY HE ALREADY KNOWS HOW COOL HE LOOKS WHEN HE WEARS THAT BARBOUR JACKET AND WOOLY HAT.. OTHERWISE HE WOULD BE FINDING OUT RIGHT ABOUT NOW.
TESSA WHITWELLGRAPHICS WITH THREE DEGREES UNDER HER BELT, THIS LITTLE GRAPHICS GEM FINALLY DECIDED TO SETTLE DOWN IN NOTION’S DESIGN DEPARTMENT. AND EVEN AFTER TWO YEARS, SHE IS STILL LIGHTENING UP OUR DAYS WITH HER ENTHUSIASTIC ATTI-TUDE AND VERY DELICIOUS HOME BAKING. HARRY POTTER OBSESSED TESSA NEVER FAILS TO CHEER PEOPLE UP. WHETHER ITS WITH HER REALISTIC YET EMBARRASSING CHARACTERTURES OR HER NOTORIOUSLY PERFECT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS! EITHER WAY WE THANK HER FOR HER CONTRIBUTION AT NOTION AS THE “MOTHER”.
Rock Stars, Pop Stars and Divas
Gypsies, giant pigs, mermaids and burlesque dancers, swaying in the moonlight to the sounds of The Cure... Sounds a bit like a lightheaded day dream. But this year I accepted this strange reality, and entered the fantasy world of the Isle
of Wight’s greatest festival, Bestival.
Radio 1 DJ, Rob Da Bank had a
vision of how a
contemporary music festival
should be. In September 2004
his vision became reality,
with the beginning of
Bestival. With help from his
wife Josie Da Bank, who is
also Bestival’s creative
director, it has become not
only a celebration of music
and a big party, but also an
adventure which encourages
genuine peace and love to an
audience of all ages.
Consequently, it was voted
the UK’s “Favourite Festival”
of 2011 by the British
public. But what makes it so
superior to the legendary
Glastonbury or Connect
Festival? It is the
surroundings in Robin Hill
Country Park on the Isle of
Wight. It’s the gigantic
tulips that line the paths
making you feel like an
intoxicated ant. But, mostly,
it’s the electrical
atmosphere. And even at £170
a ticket, it was undoubtedly
one the most magical places I
have ever been to.
We reached Lymington - a
place where every house is
your dream house- and the sun
burst from the clouds of a
previously, wintery sky.
Immediately we could feel the
excitement bouncing off the
brightly coloured wellington
boots and ridiculously huge
rucksacks. The cliché
festival crowds surged onto
the ferry with a mutual
eagerness to taste their first
alcoholic beverage of the
day... or in some cases, fifth
or sixth. It is only when you
arrive at Bestival, slightly
pale faced after the jerky
ferry crossing and the sweaty
congested bus, with a chaotic
buzz of people trying
to pitch their tents, that
you remember it’s not all fun
and games. This is real, dirty
camping, with the hideous
possibility of cold nights,
portable toilets and frizzy
hair! Nevertheless camping is
the recommended
festival-goer’s way to sleep
(that is if you choose to
sleep) and also the best
sociable experience. After
four nights sleeping with
your head resting on a bag of
mouldy bread and your feet
in the bottom of your soggy
sleeping bag, everyone stinks,
and no one cares. It’s a
fantastic way to help you
realise the luxuries you take
for granted and enjoy real
freedom from your material
lives. However, for those few
unconvinced, there is also
the option of bringing your
own home comforts in a
campervan or staying in a
hired out ‘Yurt, Squirt, or
Cloudhouse’ – which are
charmingly cosy, fairytale
BESTIVAL
TEXT: Hazel KiddPHOTOGRAPHY: Hazel Kidd
{ }Gigantic tulips that line the paths making
you feel like an intoxicated ant.
structures which sleep 2-9
people. These attractive
residences also can come
furnished, but at a shocking
price which varies from £400
- £1500. Similarly you can
also rent out ‘Eve’s Tipis’
for a slightly cheaper price.
But don’t make the mistake of
thinking bed time is when it
gets dark... When the sun has
gone down behind the Robin
Hill Mountains and the lights
illuminate the sky – the fun
begins. On the first evening
the ‘line up’ is unwritten, so
we ended up in the ‘Bollywood’
tent, dizzily spinning round
in circles in time with the
kaleidoscope ceiling. Beside
us, a woman dressed in tartan
sang along to an unusual mix
of country and techno music on
a fierily lit stage. This is
when we began to realise we
had been entranced. In this
bizarre world - the only way
forward is to relax and let
the creators of Bestival show
you what they’re good at.
Bestival’s 2011 line up
presented a mass of talent:
Bjork, Robyn, Magnetic Man,
Chromeo, Public Enemy, Kelis,
Katy B were a few of the
incredible musicians. There
were so many, in fact, that
the performing times kept
clashing and we were torn
between which acts we would
like to see most. On the
second evening, we climbed up
a slope to reach ‘Tomorrow’s
World’ – an area where you
sit on the grass and listen
to tranquil music played live
from a Bandstand. It was here
that I first heard the voice
of Lucy Rose – a 22 year old
singer/song writer from
Warwickshire. We sat just
metres in front of the stage
and listened to the artist’s
husky voice as if she was
whispering in our ears. It is
the contrast between that
intimacy you feel whilst
relaxing beside the Bandstand,
and the electrifying energy
you get when you’re part of
the crowds at the Main Stage
which makes Bestival so
mind-blowing. There were so
many moments like this during
the weekend- where we realised
where we were and who we were
and that this was reality.
As the weekend progressed it
became more and more
ordinary to walk past a
hung-over Elvis Presley
munching on his mid day
breakfast. Equally, it was
normal to move out of the way
for Alice and the Mad
Hatter as they floated past us
on metre high stilts, just as
we were trying to position
ourselves near the main stage
to watch The Village People.
The ambience around the
festival changed from excited
to chilled, but the mood of
the people stayed the
same- just so happy to be
a part of it. In a crowded
disco tent on the Saturday
night a guy was knocked to
the ground- he was
immediately lifted up by a
dozen dancing Smurfs- boys
who only a moment before I
would have assumed to be too
absorbed in their own good
time. Rob Da Bank has
created what no other
festival has seen before,
thousands of hammered Brits
who actually care.
Following a girl dressed in a
black cat suit and gold
hunter wellies, we entered
the Playstation 3 tent,
‘Cocktails and Dreams’. In
through the gazebo porch,
we reached palm trees, deck
chairs, hanging lanterns,
sparkling parasols and
Abercrombie staff. The
Playstation 3 tent was there
to promote its latest editions
of the Playstation games
Singstar and Dancestar by
encouraging anyone to
exhibit their talents. Under
the bright blue sky (thanks to
the retractable roof) there
was a stage for the
performers and a screen
behind it playing the
Playstation game just as it
would be if you bought it and
played at home. The
concept around the branding
was spot-on. I could have sat
in there for hours sipping
cocktails and listening to
others humiliating themselves
as they destroyed Wonderwall
and Buddy Holly.
Saturday is the day you don
your outrageous wig, smear
on your neon lipstick and
climb into clothing that your
friends will compliment, but
also wonder what on earth
possessed you to wear it in
public. This year’s fancy
dress theme was Rock Stars,
Pop Stars and Divas which,
according to Rob Da Bank
should have “given
everyone enough ideas to
really let rip with some
outrageous, weird and
downright flamboyant
outfits.” Besides, there is a
tent called ‘The Dressing up
Box’ which offers to help you
get dolled up, so there is no
excuse, even for those who
claim to have not been sucked
in by the festival’s
‘no-one-cares’ attitude. In
the early afternoon, Bestival
holds its‘Fancy Dress Parade’
BESTIVAL
{ }We ended up in the ‘Bollywood’ tent,
dizzily spinning round in circles in time with
the kaleidoscope ceiling.
with floats that elegantly
pick up people as they move,
and are tightly followed by a
spectacular Marching Band. On
top of all this, there is a
notorious catwalk beside the
‘Bollywood’ tent with
competitions including ‘most
fantastic individual’, ‘most
fantastic homemade creation’
and ‘most fantastic pants’!
Despite the outlandish nature
of Bestival, it is also very
well respected and known for
its ‘Keep it Green’ beliefs.
For example if you collected
a full(ish) bin bag of
rubbish and handed it in to
your local campsite ‘hub’ you
would be given a free cup of
tea. Similarly, if you
collected the beer cups and
cans that sold in the main
arena and handed them in, you
would receive 10p for each.
It was not unusual to watch
somebody hand in 370 cups,and
collect their generous
reward. ‘Keep it Green’ also
supports an eco friendly
project by offering festival
goers a chance to charge their
phones for free via solar and
pedal power. And, of course,
Bestival involves charities
such as Oxfam, Amnesty
International, Breast Cancer
Campaign and The Eden Project
by helping them raise money
and awareness from a variety
of tents, booths and working
stewards. With tickets sold
out, this year, in record time
and partners including All
Saints, Benefit, Converse and
Replay, Bestival is growing
increasingly popular. The
prospect of a weekend with
giant caterpillars, wishing
trees, an ambient forest, a
roller disco and the
psychedelic worm at your
disposal, might not sound
like your idea of ‘fun’, but
it’s an opportunity far too
extraordinary to miss out on.
Believe me when I say, this
festival is unlike any other.
BESTIVAL
}{ Giant caterpillars, wishing trees, an
ambient forest, a roller disco and a psychedelic worm at your disposal