shindig – devizine.com

The celebrated Shindig Festival at Malmesbury’s Charton Park announced their headline act for May bank holiday 2026, and being that it’s Bob Vylan, it is bound to open debate….

London based grime rappers Bob Vylan are no strangers to controversy through their criticisms of the establishment and calling out inequalities. Whilst they were one of many acts at last year’s Glastonbury to make statements condemning the genocide in Palestine, they seemed to take the brunt of the rightwing media assault.

Online opinions from Shindig’s announcement are already strongly divided, but mostly positive from the devoted regular attendees of this marvellous festival. Some suggest it will be great to see them live and away from media exposure, others state otherwise. One said it’s an “embarrassing choice. He’ll make it political and a hate filled performance.’ But hey, who wants to party with those in support of such barbarism?

Another suggests there’s plenty of other things they could be doing at the festival, and they need not attend this particular performance if they disagree with the social statements the band make; now there’s an idea!

The Shindig team said they are “very excited to announce one of the most vital, fearless and electrifying live acts in the UK right now. Expect high-energy, sharp lyricism and a reputation for using music as a force for conversation and change. We believe art should challenge as well as unite.”

I find myself wondering what would become of punk if it suddenly stopped campaigning for righteousness, or what these triggered objectors would say if it was the seventies and John Lennon or Bob Marley was booked, for music has always had political or social motivations, and to censor it for the purposes of propaganda or ignorance would be sacrilegious. Well done, Shindig pose, it’s a seriously important booking.

Glamping and other plush extras add to the allure of a modern-day festival, but how far are you willing to go to make your festie experience that bit more luxurious? Established dance festival Shindig, which takes place 26^th-29^th May in the glorious grounds of the Dillington Estate in Somerset, boasts the only festival in the UK with a hotel on site, and I don’t mean slumming in a Travelodge!

“You can either stay in the beautiful main 18th Century Dillington House,” they announced, “or in the incredible contemporary Hyde complex.” The Superior Rooms are the largest and most luxurious, which are mostly found in the Hyde. Many come with their own private decking or balconies with views over the stunning Somerset countryside. Plus, hotel guests have their very own entrance straight into the festival, so you won’t miss any of the action.

And that action is headliners De La Soul and Roy Ayers, with a massive host of live acts and DJs, including Nightmares on Wax, and Don Letts with Terry Hall, its own after-hours nightclub with Goldie playing among others, and a general good vibes atmosphere where the entire family is catered for. There’s the Kids Kingdom, which will be fully programmed with activities to keep them busy during the day, and performance shows and cinema for kids.

Okay, big question, yeah, hotel rooms start from £1,000 for four nights bed & breakfast, but this includes secure parking, room service, bar and restaurant. Other boutique camping options are bell tents, yurts and squirts, airstreams, or bring your own camper with a £70 in advance ticket.

All this wows me, how far the festival scene has come, and Shindig truly is a testament, for the glitzy side of dance music. But in this, it got me reminiscing of the downside to festivals of yore, lying flat in the cheapest prism one-man tent money could buy, with a burnt-out tealight, a little pond of muddy Special Brew and grass blades, telling myself it was all part of the festival experience!

Once, camping halfway up the side of an Andalusian Mountain, graduated to a dome tent, yet having to anchor my feet in the sleeping bag in a bottom corner and fasten myself diagonally across, supported either side by my rucksack and other paraphernalia, in order to prevent waking to find myself, and all my gear too, slumped into the bottom corner like I did on the first morning!

I find myself thinking back to people-watching at a bygone murky Glasto, where within the mud-drenched surrounding akin to an apocalyptic movie, I perchance to spot a glamorous young girl dressed totally in white, white leggings, white top and trainers. She was just standing there, in the midst of it all, spotless and looking horrified at the desolation around her. With frazzled mind I had to ponder how she’d even got that far, I mean, without resembling everyone else, who were covered head-to-toe in mud and shit.

The only conclusion I could muster was teleportation, but I’m now certain of one thing, that chick needed Shindig, possibly more than anyone! Phew, if I were her, or you, I’d get my ticket here, forget the past and relish in the festival indulgence of a new era!