Another summer, another downpour. After all the hype, the festival season inevitably turns into a quagmire of trench-foot and musty dampness brought on by British bad weather. Oh, the things we do for the music. Here is a list of our top bands that remain stylish despite the mud.
The Kooks
Great shaggy sheepskin in the latest video, they know the fine line between unkempt and looking cool. A French Beatnik vibe of stripes and fine loosely tied neck scarves, we’d like a workshop in how to get our hair so beautiful tousled.
Catch them at: T in the Park (11-13 July), V Festival (16-17 August), Festibelly (30 August)
Find out more about The Kooks here
Get the look here
Beirut
The understated indie-folky band from America, Beirut are working that Williamsberg thrift-store-chic. The lead singer Zach Condon's young awkwardness and floppy hair only adds to the air of retro vulnerability.
Catch them at: The Green Man (15-17 August)
Find out more about Beirut here
Get the look here
Hercules and Love Affair
Get that disco ball out - Hercules and Love Affair are taking you back to the sexed-up beat of the seventies via Studio 54 and all that magical angel dust. Individuality rocks for the dance floor, think frou-frou fabulous and anything that will get you noticed.
Catch them at: Wireless Festival (3-6 July), Wild in the Country (5 July), Camp Bestival (18-20 July)
Find out more about Hercules and Love Affair here
Get the look here
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are a mixed bunch. The eclectic look of a charity shop with highlights of brightly coloured, electro-neons. Their disco nerd look of quirky, printed t-shirts and heavy framed glasses is usually found entrenched behind a fort of synthesisers.
Catch them at: Wireless Festival (3-6 July)
Find out more about Hot Chip here
Get the look here
The Verve
The original, ultra skinny, indie boy, Richard Ashcroft is back doing what he does best. A former muse for Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme, his look is pale and interesting. Team with dark brooding sunglasses and zipped up black leather biker jacket and the look is all yours.
Catch them at: T in the Park (11-13 July), V Festival (16-17 August)
Find out more about The Verve here
Get the look here
MGMT
Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser describe themselves as ‘pyschadelic pilgrims’ championing the electro-nu-rav sound of summer. Think tribal brights, a pirate hat and a feathered necklace and you’d pretty much be there. Not so different from the rest of the festival crowd then…
Catch them at: Roskilde (3 July), Werchter Festival (5 July), Alive 08 Festival (10 July), T in the Park (12 July), Leeds & Reading festival (22-13 August)
Find out more about MGMT here
Get the look here
Late of the Pier
Described by Dazed as the “rock-rave outsiders creating twisted sounds for the chemical generation”, Late of the Pier were born ready to rock the festivals. The grungy-graphic vibe is so post punk it hurts and - neatly - is the theme of the Lost Summer trend currently rocking the floors at Topman.
Catch them at: Wild in the Country (5 Jul), ZOO8 FESTIVAL (6 Jul), Melt Festival (18 Jul), Secret Garden Party (27 Jul), Summer Sonic (9 Aug), Reading & Leeds (22-23 Aug), Creamfields (24 Aug), Bestival (6 Sep)
Find out more about Late of the Pier here
Get the look here
Lightspeed Champion
Ex-Test Icicle Devonte Hynes latest venture is best described as a commune of the new wave good and great. Just like his sound, his style sits in the golden triangle between country, seattle grunge and anti-folk-folk. Checks, self-knitted beanies and the obligatory Nirvana-tee never falls from band fashion grace.
Check them out at: Pretty much everywhere
Find out more about Lightspeed Champion here
Get the look here