Buckle your seatbelts: Soulwax and 2 Many DJs will be performing this year at Bestival.
Fact fans may point out that Soulwax and 2 Many DJs are one and the same, but anyone who has seen a live performance from the former or a DJ set from the latter can attest to the differences between the two. In fact, the only thing that binds them together is how easily both rile up a crowd. They'll be doing so, RA can exclusively reveal, at this year's Bestival—the annual event curated by BBC personality Rob Da Bank, who lent his chair to 2 Many DJs earlier this year to memorable effect.
This year's fancy dress theme is outer space, but aside from dressing as the first Russian cosmodog, we're fresh out of ideas, which is why we decided to catch up with RdB to—among other things—get some ideas.After the masterful intros mix from 2 Many DJs recently on the BBC, are you fearing for your job?
Most definitely—those Belgian boys are frigging annoying—amazing DJs, superb live band, lady magnets and now they’ve stolen my thunder with one of the best radio shows ever. If you can’t beat them join them, that’s why I’ve booked them for Bestival—I’m keeping my enemies close!
Who were you most surprised at getting to play at this year's festival?
Well, it's taken me 4 years to land Kraftwerk so when I finally got confirmation after scores of emails and begging phone calls it was a bit of a dream. The fact that Massive Attack chose us as their only UK festival and MGMT as one of only two UK shows is really special too, but I love all the bands and DJs from the top to the bottom. I like to think there’s no hierarchy at Bestival and everyone stands as good a chance of getting a good crowd.
Do you remember when you first heard Kraftwerk?
Yes, it was "Tour De France" when I was a kid and I was obsessed with the whirring gear noises in the track, it still has that real nostalgic feel to me, but is also just a bloody amazing timeless record and still sounds so futuristic. When Tribal Gathering booked them in '97 I was there hours before they came on and was so blown away that I travelled to Coachella a few years back to see them again. Can’t wait to welcome the Robots to Robin Hill!
Was there anyone on your scruffy piece of paper of potential Bestival acts that you weren't able to get?
The usual suspects—The Cure, Dolly Parton, Kate Bush and Jeff Mills is so expensive that I'd have had to take out a second mortgage. Maybe next year!
What can we expect you to be breaking out fancy dress-wise?
Hmm, we’ve been pondering that around the da Bank breakfast table—I do a mean Chewbacca impression, both in terms of hair and voice, and I've always fancied doing the Thunderbirds walk after a few lagers, so we’ll see.