THE BUDDYBOUNCE BLOG

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THORPE PARK FRIGHT NIGHTS RETURNS FOR 2019: THE HOME OF FEAR

That’s right, you read correctly. Fright Nights is BACK at Thorpe Park Resort for 2019 and it’s set to be just as frightening if not more than you’ve ever experienced before. Dubbed ‘The Home of Fear’ the Halloween event will take over the Island from 28TH SEPTEMBER - 3RD NOVEMBER thrilling guests from all over.

Some fan favorite scare experiences return for 2019 such as both mazes dedicated to The Walking Dead, Living Nightmare and Do or Die. Blair Witch, which was revamped last year making it more spooky than ever alongside Containment, Screamplex Cinema and my personal favorite Platform 15.

However, that is not all... this year Fright Nights have 3 NEW scare experiences to give you the most horrifyingly good time you could have this Halloween. Below are three quotes from the Thorpe Park website giving hints as to what these may be, can you figure it out?

“This year, join us for a demonstration of dread in this terrifying, never before seen FRIGHT NIGHTS show.”

“New for 2019, have you got the guts to take on this chilling challenge?“

“Brace yourself and prepare for the gruesome worst as you take on this new for 2019 horror maze.“

Are you as excited as we are? We hope so! This year will be unlike any other and want you all to head down to Thorpe Park resort this Halloween to have the fright of your life.

You can BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE NOW for FRIGHT NIGHTS 2019: https://www.thorpepark.com/fright-nights

Remember if you are an annual pass holder you can check to see if you are entitled to discounted admission.

If you want to look further into Thorpe Park’s clues on their new scare experiences make sure to head to their blog right here: https://www.thorpepark.com/blog

Keep those eyes peeled on @THORPEPARK on Twitter for news and announcements regarding Fright Nights 2019...

Are you ready? Enter the Home of Fear... if you dare.

[buddybounce]

FRIGHT NIGHTS 2018 REVIEW: This Year No Where Is Safe...

We were lucky enough to be invited down to Thorpe Park for the launch of this year’s Fright Nights! With the plan this year being that ‘nowhere is safe…’ Thorpe Park definitely delivered on that in the best way possible. Fright Nights improves with each year it takes place and this year was definitely the best yet with so many new mazes to try and old favourites being remastered.

Stepping off the shuttle bus from the station, from the get go you were immersed in spooky theming. Being greeted by two Amity High vampire cheerleaders we headed into the dome which would later become the Big Top scare zone. On route many Amity High vampire students were there to greet you with a sniff to find out if you were appropriate for their dinner. We loved the amount of scare actors they had roaming the park this year. It seemed like more than previous years and it made such a great addition to the atmosphere of the park in the dark along with the mazes and spooky soundtrack. Felt really immersive and it was so much fun to lark about with the Big Top clowns too. Bring on even more next year, we loved it!

We won’t give too much away as we know you’ll want to come down to Fright Nights yourself and we don’t want to ruin any surprises for you but the mazes this year were so well done! With Blair Witch remastered and new additions to the line-up as long as old favourites such as Saw: Alive there was no shortage of scares.

We had so much fun on Blair Witch that we went on it several times! Taking a different route around the edge of the island this year it included new scenery and elements to fully immerse you into Blair Witch. A new addition at the beginning was really good introducing you to the story of Blair Witch with some scare actors before being released into the woods to make your way around the maze. The rework of this has been so well done and it ended up being one of our favourites of the night. Forget everything you knew about the Blair Witch Fright Nights maze and have fun with this exciting new version and remember… don’t look into her eyes!

Saw: Alive and Platform 15 were just as amazing as they have been in previous years. Platform 15 is one of our favourite mazes and also one of the longest in the resort. It takes you through so many areas with so many elements, it never gets old. The new ending this year was also a great addition, rounding up the story from throughout the maze. Saw: Alive - personally is still one of the most well-done mazes. The longest running and original horror maze at Thorpe Park resort, is so immersive and you really feel like you are in a Saw movie venturing through some of Jigsaw’s most famous games and traps. As someone who can stomach all the Saw films back to back this maze is well loved and will continue to be enjoyed for years to come we hope. We do love Billy on his tricycle!

The Walking Dead was once again a massive part of Fright Nights and we hope it doesn’t disappear anytime soon! With walkers roaming the park and Living Nightmare returning for a second year, there was also a new addition. The Walking Dead: Do or Die. The Walking Dead mazes were others that we did the multiple times as we enjoyed them so much. Living Nightmare was as brilliant as last year with a few tweaks. Once again you meet with Negan and his beloved Lucille before setting off on your adventure to safety. If you are fans of the series you’ll love the maze and even if you’ve never seen it, it will make you want too. Being one of the only inside mazes apart from Saw: Alive it brings an extra bit of fear as you can’t see the outside world around you and you are directly in that moment. The new addition to The Walking Dead attractions is the Do or Die maze. This was a more complex and intense (yet very fun) version of last year’s Sanctum. Starting out on a bus it takes you through a world that we hope to never know. Zombie’s run the land and are feasting on whatever they can, you never know what you may stumble across or what may be hiding behind the laundry. The Walking Dead attractions at Thorpe Park get better and better and we highly recommend you head down to Thorpe Park and experience these two scare experiences.

There were also two other new additions to this years Fright Nights line up. Dead Creek Woods and Vulcan Peak. Dead Creek Woods took place in Blair Witch’s old spot. Now a maze themed around trying to avoid contamination and avoiding the wrath of those who have already been contaminated. This maze was really well enjoyed, and this was the maze that made us fully scream (especially in the middle but we won’t tell you why to keep the surprise.) It is a great addition to the Fright Nights line up and we hope it sticks around and continues to grow like the other mazes. There’s something just extremely creepy about zombie like theming and it’s brilliant to see it being done in the resort with The Walking Dead and this new attraction. We were very excited about it and it lived up to expectation.

Another new attraction was tribal themed scare experience called Vulcan Peak. Described as a sensory themed attraction and also the first hooded maze to come to Fright Nights it was quite an intense concept as being masked through a scare attraction and relying on other senses can be quite daunting. However, it was actually enjoyable, holding onto a rope that guides you through the jungle atmosphere, you can listen out for the tribal sounds and only wonder what is going on in the maze around you. This maze is definitely not for the faint hearted but if you’re up for the challenge and feeling brave we definitely recommend that you don’t miss this unique Fright Nights experience.

The Screamplex cinema is another new addition to this years Halloween festivities. This 4D cinema shows indie horror films throughout the evening and is great for some traditional frights if you fancy a break from the live action scares. Nothing beats a scary movie let’s be honest? The perfect Halloween activity. So having that as part of Fright Nights is a really good added element.

The perfect sign off to the Fright Nights 2018 line up are the new scare zones. Based on well-loved maze The Big Top, replacing the maze this year was a scare zone based on the notorious Figaro brothers and their clowns. Taking place in the dome of the resort a mini show takes place with the clowns and their leaders before they are unleashed into the crowd to give you a fright. We loved having the area themed around The Big Top and the mini show is a fun addition. We would love for the maze to make a return in the future but to keep our love for The Big Top going, the scare zone will be enjoyed by spooky circus fans. These clowns also roam the park making it even more enjoyable as you get to interact with them. The other scare zone created for this year was called Amity High. Picture a prom gone wrong with the prom queen suddenly revealing a set of fangs. A Grease-esque American high school with cheerleaders, football players and students even working part time at the local diner all getting involved with the blood sucking homecoming festivities. We would love to see this grow and get bigger each year and maybe even one day become a fully-fledged maze as that would be so much fun. We know these scare zone will grow bigger and better as the years go on but the idea being implemented this year was really good as we got to see something slightly different that could become the next big scare attraction.

This year is not to be missed. If you are a Halloween lover, an adrenaline lover or just looking for a great time with friends or family get down to Fright Nights at Thorpe Park Resort. The island truly is amazing at this time of year!

For more information about this year’s Fright Nights at Thorpe Park visit: www.thorpepark.com/fright-nights-2018

Also, be sure to keep an eye on @THORPEPARK on Twitter for more Fright Night spooks.

Advance booking is recommended for FRIGHT NIGHTS on: www.thorpepark.com/fright-nights-2018- if you are an annual pass holder also look out for offers such as Fright Nights tickets from just £10. Premium annual pass holders can attend Fright Nights for just £1.

Meet you at the safe zone… now it’s your turn.

[buddybounce]

THORPE PARK FRIGHT NIGHTS 2018: It’s back and scarier than ever.

The most wonderful time of the year is here… that’s right! We’re talking about Halloween season and that only means one thing. The return of Thorpe Park: Fright Nights.

The Walking Dead returns to Thorpe Park: Fright Nights for another year so walkers can roam the island and give you a fright (better make sure they’ve had dinner before going to say hello.) The Walking Dead returning also comes with a BRAND-NEW scare maze. The Walking Dead: Do or Die is just one of FIVE new scare attractions including something new for 2018 which is ‘Scare Zones’. Do or Die is a new live-action outdoor maze which sees Thorpe Park guests trying to survive whilst making their way to safety. Apparently, there’s also an unexplored Del Arno trailer in there but of course, you never quite know what could be lurking inside. This brand-new maze from AMC’s The Walking Dead is not to be missed at this year’s Thorpe Park: Fright Nights. Another The Walking Dead fan favourite “Living Nightmare” will also be returning for 2018 so keep your eye out for Negan and be fully immersed in the AMC show.

In true The Walking Dead fashion, there will also be edible body parts available to buy on select dates throughout Fright Nights!

Also brand new for Fright Nights 2018 includes one of the scariest mazes we think we’ve ever heard of to grace the island. “Vulcan Peak” a new intense tribal scare mazes where it is said that “visitors will need their most primal instincts to survive”. It is also a hooded maze (how terrifying right?) meaning that visitors will be required to rely on other senses to make their escape. “Blair Witch” is back and better than ever. For 2018 Thorpe Park have reworked this classic, urban horror Fright Nights maze to make it even more terrifying being described as a “new and sinister version” and we can’t wait to see what they have in store.

A new factor for 2018 will also be the “Screamplexx 4D” where throughout Fright Nights, short indie horror films will be shown. Make sure to visit for a classic Halloween experience. Nothing beats a scary movie! Well... maybe this next new arrival at Thorpe Park: Fright Nights 2018 might?

Another exciting new feature coming to Fright Nights this year is “Scare Zones.” These are “zones populated by disturbingly real scare actors” and we can’t wait. The themes of these two scare zones truly do take it to another level. “The Big Top” is back and better than ever this time in scare zone format. Reworked as “Big Top Showtime” the clowns will be waiting for you to visit their horrifying circus for them to give you a frightfully good time. It’s showtime once again with the Figaro Brothers. New for this year includes “Terror at Amity High” a homecoming experience gone wrong as the prom queen will be ready and waiting to bite. Will you be able to blend in, in those high school halls or will you be joining the students as a member of the undead?

Fan favourites such as “Platform 15”, “Saw: Alive” and “Containment” will also be returning for this year’s scare fest.

As well as all this, you can also enjoy some of Thorpe Park’s most thrilling rides including: Stealth, Derren Brown’s Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon and the THE SWARM.

For more information about this year’s Fright Nights at Thorpe Park visit: www.thorpepark.com/fright-nights-2018

Also, be sure to keep an eye on @THORPEPARK on Twitter for more Fright Night spooks.

Advance booking is recommended for FRIGHT NIGHTS on: www.thorpepark.com/fright-nights-2018- if you are an annual pass holder also look out for offers such as Fright Nights tickets from just £10. Premium annual pass holders can attend Fright Nights for just £1.

Meet you at the safe zone…

[buddybounce]

The Walking Dead: The Ride - REVIEW

We had the pleasure of going down to Thorpe Park the other day to the opening of The Walking Dead: The Ride. This is the newest attraction to open at Thorpe Park, the first special piece to grace the Island during this years The Walking Dead takeover.

 Despite the rain we trooped on and after being greeted by some of the zombies themselves (one of which definitely enjoyed coming after us throughout the evening) and even being treated to some yummy The Walking Dead themed ice cream courtesy of ‘Creams’ we headed down to the new attraction.

 Based on the AMC TV show the ride’s outside even makes you feel like you’re walking straight into the television series. With props such as Carl's cowboy hat, Daryl’s motorcycle and more popping up throughout the queue along with the famous theme song blaring out, maybe even a zombie or two popping out to say hi, from the get-go you are already fully immersed in the experience. Spot the watch tower entrance as you enter the bunker and that is when your journey truly begins.

We don’t want to give too much away to you all as we want you guys to come and try it for yourselves. The suspense is all a part of the thrill and fun, but we will give you a few ideas as to what this incredible new island addition has in store. Thorpe Park described the attraction as “a relentless and terrifying ride for survival” so we think that speaks for itself. The ride is jam packed with the gruesome scenes like the loved from the start and throughout. With a Fright Night maze style beginning you are thrown into the live action of the show needing to find the safe zone, getting away from the walkers and reaching the start of the ride itself. After being in complete darkness with light highlighting surprises along the track, just when you think it’s all over… you’re very wrong. With jump scares all throughout the ride the last thing you’d expect is another live action section… trying to get out. Guaranteed to leave your heart racing, navigating your way back into daylight of the real world was definitely more an an adventure than we thought, and we can’t wait for others to experience this. Whenever we think of it we get a little rush of adrenaline and want to go back! We think that if you’re a fan of the show you’ll love this ride but even if you aren’t you will still find it so enjoyable as it’s truly an experience throughout. It’s not just your standard theme park ride. If you’ve ever wandered what it would be like to literally be thrust straight into a TV show or a zombie apocalypse, then you won’t be disappointed.

That’s not all! The rollercoaster uses kinetic energy from your own screams as a power source which you can use to charge your phone! The ports are on the front of the carriages but aren’t immediately obvious so make sure to ask the staff if you need a bit of guidance. Make sure you scream extra loud as you whizz round the zombie infested ride, so you can get that extra bit of charge for your device. We like that concept. Why sit around and wait for your phone to charge when you can go on The Walking Dead: The Ride, have fun, scream your head off and end up with more phone charge in the process?! It’s also the first ride in the world to use this technology!

Don’t wait to get down to Thorpe Park to try this out. It’s so much fun and we can’t wait to go back and do it all over again!

Remember: To celebrate The Walking Dead taking over THORPE PARK the resort is offering annual pass holders a special discount! The £49 pay for a day, return for a year offer is active right now and we’re going to tell you a bit more about it. For just £49 (a day ticket) visitors can pay for 12 months entry which allows them to return throughout the year at leisure. This also saves £6 on the adult walk up price on the day of the visit as tickets to enter the resort would normally cost £55. 

Don’t miss out on facing the walkers in The Walking Dead: The Ride, more info below. 

Twitter - @THORPEPARK

Website - www.thorpepark.com

[buddybounce]

NEW ATTRACTION: The Walking Dead: The Ride - The Walking Dead is Taking Over Thorpe Park Resort for 2018

You are never going to believe this… THORPE PARK Resort have announced a world’s first! The resort will soon be opening a rollercoaster themed around the TV phenomenon on everyone’s lips, The Walking Dead.

Testing every part of the rider’s strength and courage this new attraction will feature a replica of the iconic watch tower from The Walking Dead, a fully immersive experience filled with special effects, multi-sensory thrills and it also will be the UK’s first and only multi-part roller coaster!  This attraction can’t be missed! It will feature realistic theming of the most ‘compelling and gruesome’ scenes from all seasons The Walking Dead! As a fan of the show what more could you want? We can’t wait to see how this new ride takes you from the real world into a zombie filled dreamland; every The Walking Dead fans best nightmare scenario. A must – do for any the Walking Dead fan!

 The Walking Dead: The Ride is set to open in Easter 2018 and we can’t wait to see how this incredible new attraction sends screams throughout resort.

“The experience invites thrill seekers to flee The Walking Dead in a relentless and terrifying ride for survival.” – THORPE PARK

Make sure to watch the Thorpe Park social media and website very closely for more The Walking Dead experiences throughout the year that you don’t want to miss! We hope you’re ready to dive head first into the TV series as that is what it will feel like. We’re ready. Are you?

Twitter - @THORPEPARK

Website - www.thorpepark.com

Wait… there’s MORE! To celebrate The Walking Dead taking over THORPE PARK the resort is offering annual pass holders a special discounted deal! The £49 pay for a day, return for a year offer is active right now and we’re going to tell you a bit more about it. For just £49 (a day ticket) visitors can pay for 12 months entry which allows them to return throughout the year at leisure. This also saves £6 on the adult walk up price on the day of the visit as tickets to enter the resort would normally cost £55.

“The pass for £49 however, allows visitors access to the resort for a year from the date of purchase. The 2018 season runs from 23rd March until 31st October.”

 For more information and to book tickets/ purchase annual passes to make sure you don’t miss the incredible The Walking Dead attractions head to the website - www.thorpepark.com

[buddybounce]

THORPE PARK FRIGHT NIGHTS 2017 REVIEW - THE WALKING DEAD TAKEOVER THE ISLAND

A few days ago we were lucky enough to visit Thorpe Park for the preview of Fright Nights 2017. This year’s key theme was The Walking Dead and it didn’t disappoint. With two new mazes ‘The Living Nightmare’ and ‘Sanctum’ as well as live actors around the park fully immersing us into the world of The Walking Dead we were left slowly walking round each corner wondering what may be walking the other way. One thing we can tell you for certain is that this years Fright Nights is scarier than ever before. There’s something incredibly eery about Thorpe Park after dark with very few people around and this just added to the fear factor. Even walking around the Island was filled with suspense.

After some delicious food we headed out into the theme park ready to dive head first into the first maze we found, which happened to be ‘The Big Top’. This returning maze which was one of our favourites last year is based around a horrifying circus which to the clowns delight, all those who dare enter become the main event. We didn’t quite expect to be as terrified as we were. Thorpe Park have definitely given this maze a scary makeover with a few added features this year that tipped us over the edge when it came to fear factor. We will keep those to ourselves though so you can find out for yourself, (aren’t we mean?) We will gladly admit to screaming our entire way round the circus tent, loving every second. Speaking to other guests, most people agreed that ‘The Big Top’ was one of the more hardcore mazes, so… anyone fancy a trip to the circus?

In true Thorpe Park fashion and it being Halloween season we HAD to go on Derren Brown’s Ghost Train. We loved the ‘Rise Of The Demon’ journey that was added earlier on this year so we were ridiculously excited to do it again. For those who don’t know what this ghost train is all about, it is a virtual reality experience that completely redefines everything we know about a ghost train. Derren Brown immerses you into a twisted version of reality to show us the true effect of fear and adrenaline at its finest. In a train carriage suspended in the air by only chains you will embark on a journey to get your heart racing. We won’t tell you too much about this as it’s best you experience this for yourself but Thorpe Park have added a few extra twists to this attraction.

(Enjoy this picture of a zombie photobombing this incredibly lurry photo outside SAW.)

We then ventured across to Saw being met by a few zombies along the way which made even moving around the park feel like you were having the ultimate Walking Dead experience. Saw was as fantastic as it has been in previous years and never disappoints. You dive head first into the horrifying film series in a free flowing scare maze through Jigsaw’s most famous and gruesome traps. Being big fans of the film series we love this maze and we hope this maze continues to return to Fright Nights for more years to come. We especially love getting to come face to face will Billy on his tricycle.

A maze that was definitely up there as one of our favourites this year was ‘Platform 15’. We loved it the year this maze made it’s debut at Fright Nights and we were very excited to take a tour of the abandoned railway once again. To our delight they had made ‘Platform 15’ even better! As you begin your tour with a spooky guide who tells you the stories of the railway village this area once was until the tragic accident that left passengers trapped and left to haunt all those who dare enter. You soon are left to venture on alone in your group to face the souls of the sleepers along the railway line and into the village. This maze being out in the woods, round the edge of the Island gives it such a realistic affect and is a fully immersive experience in its own right. The maze uses pyrotechnics, smoke and even has you crawling through tunnels! This was definitely one of our Fright Nights highlights this year and we hope it is set to return for 2018 already!

Being the centre point of Fright Night this year we were dying to try out the two new additions… The Walking Dead: Living Nightmare and Sanctum. The Walking Dead took over Fright Night in honour of their landmark 100th episode. As you made your way around the Island you were met by many flesh eating friends, eager to give you a scare and this just made the night as you didn’t even need to be in the mazes to get a Fright Night feeling.

The first of The Walking Dead Mazes we tried was ’Sanctum’. This is a free flowing outdoor maze featuring life actors which pays tribute to Terminus. Following in the footsteps of The Walking Dead survivors you make your way through a zombie populated area and figuring out first hand what it takes to stay alive and not become the zombies dinner! This maze was so immersive when it came to the scenery, the actors and more. It was so well done that honestly we wish it would have been longer! Hands down this maze was our favourite of the entire night, being able to interact with The Walking Dead (literally) was so much fun and we loved it so much we went on this maze multiple times and even though after the first time we knew what was coming, each experience was different in it’s own way and we could not recommend this enough. Even if you are slightly more on the nervous end this maze is fantastic. We won’t give too much away as we would love for you to experience this maze yourself but what we will say is that if you have ever dreamed of being in The Walking Dead, you need to experience this.

Our final maze of the night was the second new addition to Fright Nights and that was ‘The Walking Dead: Living Nightmare’. This maze had you experience first hand scenes from the hit TV show such as the hospital from season one and the prison from seasons three and four. As you moved from area to area in this free flowing scare attraction it was as if you had jumped into the television itself and were part of the real thing. Another thing we’d say is that we wish this one was longer too. They were decent length but we enjoyed it so much we just wanted it to keep going! This is the first attraction in the world to feature live action experiences from season 7 of The Walking Dead so don’t miss out on this! Thorpe Park have done so well with The Walking Dead mazes using live actors, fantastic scenery and special effects creating a stellar apocalyptic atmosphere. So… who’s ready to face Negan?

We’d like to thank Thorpe Park so much for inviting us along to experience this years Fright Nights and we have already booked our tickets to return later on this month! If you are looking for something to do to get into the spooky spirit, a good scream, or just for some fun we highly recommend you take a trip to the Island for this years after dark terrors.

Are you brave enough to face The Walking Dead and all else that is waiting for you at Thorpe Park resort? If so information is below!

Fright Nights is running at THORPE PARK Resort until 31st October – to book tickets visit www.thorpepark.com/frightnights “This year’s Fright Nights at Thorpe Park Resort will run between:

Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October Friday 6th October – Sunday 8th October Friday 13th October – Monday 16th October Friday 20th October – Tuesday 31st October. Thorpe Park Resort will be open on these dates between 10am – 10pm. Fright Nights starts from 3pm on most days and half-term mazes will be open from 12 noon. “

[buddybounce]

Are You Ready to Fear the Walking Dead?

Thorpe Park took to the streets of London to launch Fright Nights 2017 with a live action billboard based on the TV series The Walking Dead. This is in fact the theme for this year’s Fright Nights which will coincide with the launch of The Walking Dead season 8 on FOX which premieres this October and will landmark the 100th episode of the programme.

This year’s Fright Nights will be bigger and better than ever with more dates to experience the Island in its darkest form there will also be two new ‘The Walking Dead’ scare mazes in addition to the classic scare mazes from Fright Nights past such as Saw and the Big Top.

 The two new mazes will be named ‘The Walking Dead: Living Nightmare’ and ‘The Walking Dead: Sanctum.’ 

“The Walking Dead: Living Nightmare will see visitors experience terrifying iconic scenes of the global phenomenon, including the world’s first live attraction featuring of season 7.   They will join other survivors on the brink of death at the mercy of the notorious Negan.”– Thorpe Park

“In the Walking Dead: Sanctum, guests will experience a live-action outdoor maze like no other. Following in the footsteps of survivors, they must navigate their way past the roaming walkers or risk being captured. “– Thorpe Park

Make sure you don’t miss out on this incredible Halloween experience! Fright Nights at Thorpe Park Resort will run between:

·      Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October

·      Friday 6th October – Sunday 8th October

·      Friday 13th October – Monday 16th October

·      Friday 20th October – Tuesday 31st October

 As well as the two new scare mazes based on The Walking Dead, SAW Alive, Big Top and Platform 15 will be returning to the Island with the intention to terrify all those who dare to enter.

 For more information and to book tickets head to https://www.thorpepark.com/events/fright-nights and make sure to keep an eye on @THORPEPARK on Twitter for more spooky surprises.

[buddybounce]

Thorpe Park FRIGHT NIGHTS Return For 2017

All you lovers of fear, adrenaline and horror listen up…

 Thorpe Park Fright Nights has returned for 2017 and by the looks of it it’s darker and spookier than EVER!

 The first few teasers have been released and it’s already driving us insane trying to guess this year’s horror invasion! It is known that the Island will be ‘invaded by a global horror phenomenon’… our horror loving minds are frantically spinning. After examining the teaser poster, we have a few ideas as to who or what may be the reason for screams, but we will keep that to ourselves as we want to hear your thoughts.

 The countdown is on to the time where the Island Like No Other is transformed to be best Halloween experience you could have. If you’re a thrill seeker, horror lover, Halloween fanatic or even just looking for something fun to do with friends or family at the spooky time of year look no further. Touching on the best loved horror films such as SAW, The Blair Witch Project and more as well as Thorpe Park’s own scare experiences such as The Big Top (yes… you heard it right, clowns) and Platform 15 a scare experience like no other being the largest scare maze to date. As 2017 is looking to be bigger, better and more terrifying than ever, it seems like Thorpe Park have a few surprises up their sleeve as this year you can expect:

- NEW horror experiences

- MORE scares

- MORE FRIGHT NIGHTS dates than ever before meaning there’s so much more time to enjoy the Island after dark.

And of course, Early Bird tickets are now available! The earlier you book, the cheaper it will be for you so lock in your night of fear now to get the best value for money.

https://www.thorpepark.com/events/fright-nights

Fright Nights will run between the 29th September - 31st October 2017 and tickets start at £32!

For more information head to the website or @THORPEPARK on Twitter.

Face the Island after dark if you dare…

[buddybounce]

DERREN BROWN GHOST TRAIN: RISE OF THE DEMON REVIEW

A few days ago we received a one way ticket for the Derren Brown Ghost Train with no idea what kind of journey lay ahead. 

We were extremely lucky and got to experience the Derren Brown Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon at the end of last week. Since the abandoned Victorian train depot opened its doors in July 2016 the attraction has been wowing park guests bringing a whole new meaning to the ‘Ghost Train’. For 2017 the attraction has had a makeover giving guests the opportunity to experience a whole new journey to a new terrifying destination. 

 ‘Rise of the Demon’ takes place on a underground train and is set with its surroundings being filled with a toxic gas which is infecting all who dare to travel. Those who board will get to experience a Virtual Reality journey like no other. With the help of the headset you will experience a fifteen minute train ride full of live action and incredible visual effects. 

We don’t want to give too much away (we want you to experience the thrill in journey for yourselves) but what we can reveal is that once again Derren Brown and Thorpe Park have out done themselves with this newly updated attraction perfect for thrill seekers. It has the perfect mix of fear and fun with train crew that make the experience truly authentic. After a queuing experience to begin the immersion and coming face to face with Derren Brown himself (in hologram form of course) to explain why we love to be scared and just how he has brought his dream Ghost Train to life, 60 passengers board the Victorian train carriage suspended from the ceiling to begin to fearsome adventure. 

It’s very clear from the screams and shrieks throughout the carriage followed by laughter from everyone including us in the carriage that the journey was loved by all and we can truthfully say we came off slightly sweaty with extremely clammy palms after we reached the end of the line. We loved it so much, we even queued up again and boarded the train for a second time but... we noticed this time each of our experiences were ever so slightly different. So without giving too much away, ask your friends about their journey. Theirs may differ ever so slightly to yours. 

We highly recommend this attraction if and when you are rising Thorpe Park as it’s such a unique experience. We would love to be able to tell you everything that happened to us that made our stomachs flip whilst on the Derren Brown Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon but we feel that would be ruining it for you as we believe you definitely need to take the journey yourselves. What we can say is that its a mix of scary and fun thrills in a fully immersive environment full of live action and intense virtual and physical effects that will get your heart racing. 

So we ask the same question as Thorpe Park.. “Are you brave enough to come face to face with the Demon as it rises from the darkness?” 

Book your tickets right here: https://www.thorpepark.com/rides/derren-browns-ghost-train or head to @THORPEPARK on Twitter for more information! 

[buddybounce]

“DERREN BROWN'S GHOST TRAIN: NEW TERRIFYING DESTINATION ARRIVES 2017″

Thorpe Park are raising the stakes once again for 2017!

Derren Brown’s Ghost train has had a major makeover for 2017. This means guests of the park will get to be a part of a whole new terrifying VR experience. “Derren Brown’s Ghost Train: Rise Of The Demon.”

Those who feel they are brave enough to face the journey will receive a “one way ticket on a horrifying journey into the chilling depths of the unknown.” - Thorpe Park. The newly updated attraction is said to feature intense live action and physical effects.

10 people who claimed to be fearless took on the VR headset to test the new frightening journey and the results were amazing! Make sure to check out the video right here to get an insight into the new attraction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnsOd-W6qJU

“The VR is flawlessly real – you really believe there is a demon in the room with you. This is not a ride for the faint-hearted.” - Test Subject.

We can’t wait to see what the new ghost train has in store for us and Thorpe Park guests! What we can tell you is that we are sure you’ll be in for a horrifyingly fantastic journey!

If you think you are brave enough to face the Rise of The Demon book your Thorpe Park tickets right here: https://www.thorpepark.com/rides/derren-browns-ghost-train-rise-of-the-demon

For more info head to @THORPEPARK on Twitter!

See you at the end of the line...

[buddybounce]

Over Atlantic: Interview

We had the pleasure of meeting up with the new boyband ‘Over Atlantic’. The five boys (left to right) Sean, Liam, Trevor, Gabriel and Charlie, all from different parts of the world such as the United States of America, Sweden and the UK were bought together to form ‘Over Atlantic’. 

We met up with the boys at Borough Market in Central London as we wanted to give the members from the US an Sweden a really British experience. They greeted me with a handshake and a hug each introducing themselves before we set off to explore the food madness. After exploring and being taken aback by the astonishing amount of cheese and people drinking shots of soup we headed to a little coffee shop to sit, chat and answer some of your questions.

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How did you guys come together as you’re from all over the place?

Sean: Mainly through YouTube and our management. We all got an email from management and started doing Skype calls and it was just a lot of us getting to know each other over the internet until June when we finally met.

Charlie: Sean was the first member and then he was just constantly looking for talent on the internet, so he was looking for like, guitar players, drum players, and stuff like that and then we eventually all formed. Apparently he went through loads of people who didn’t make it into the band.

Sean: Yeah!

Charlie: So this is the final kind of piece.

How was the time you guys spent out in LA? What did you all get up too?

Liam: It was really fun! It was a lot of writing sessions and learning how to be a band basically, like we played our first shows there, we jammed for the first time in a garage a lot there …

Charlie: A lot of it was bonding as well!

Liam: Yeah it was so much fun!

Charlie: It was the first time we actually met in person as a band.

Liam: I literally met Charlie and Trevor for the first time when we became a band, we talked on Skype and stuff before that.

Charlie: In person, yeah it was sick! We just had so much fun, the first month was really hard as we were still trying to work out how good we are live and as a band, we were writing our music so it was kind of a slow process then we started getting loads of momentum and we started doing shows, promoting, social media was flowing and by the time we got back to the UK we had a solid fan base going for us.

Obviously you have a show coming up with The Tide! What have you got planned? Anything special?

Charlie: It’s the first time we’re ever doing an acoustic set! That’s going to be kind of cool! Obviously I know New Hope Club and I’ve met The Tide once and they’re really nice guys and I think all of us are really looking forward to playing.

Liam: We’re pumped for the acoustic set, cause we’re trying out some different things like Gabe’s percussion.

Gabe: We want to be creative, we don’t to have the same set up as everyone else doing an acoustic set so it’s going to be a bit different.

Charlie: We like making thing our own!

Liam: Like the Treat You Better cover was like a crazy guitar solo and a break down at the end.

You guys have now got your own headline show, how does that feel?

Sean: I think honestly none of us expected to be doing a headline show in 2016. I don’t think any of thought we’d sell it out in 3 days! Like sell it out at all -- never mind 3 days! The support has just grown constantly ever since we started the band and this tour in the UK has just blown everything up even bigger than we thought it would.

Charlie: Music’s changing. In the past five years like, less people buy tickets, less people download music so it’s kind of hard but it’s nice to see us a band starting from the bottom and working our way up, like the increase is insane. The amount of fans who are buying our tickets.

Sean: People knowing our lyrics! Like that’s just wow!

Charlie: Our headline gig is going to be sick because we have new music for everyone that no one has ever heard and there are some really exciting songs to play.

*Loud bang*

Sean: Someone literally just decked it!

*We all end up having a laugh over the moment.*

You guys have obviously built up a big following already, what’s been quite surprising about it? Have you had anything crazy happen already?

Liam: I dunno, I mean recently after the show we just played in Liverpool it was my first time like, we were in a car and people were against the windows of the car and I felt like I was in that scene from Hannah Montana where Oliver was chasing the car trying to get Hannah Montana! So… that was kinda cool!

Sean: You felt like you were Hannah?

Liam: I felt like I was Hannah Montana!

That’s one of the best comparisons I’ve heard! Is it quite surprising having the following you guys do already?

Sean: Yeah.. just yeah!

Charlie: I mean like it’s weird like especially when a lot of our fans are on social media as well and it’s really hard to translate fans on social media to fans who will come to shows and stuff and we didn’t expect the amount of support we’ve been getting already! I feel like our name is getting out there to everyone. We’re just sitting there like WOW at what we’re doing.

Sean: I didn’t think we’d have that much like, support. When we went to Liverpool I was like oh my I didn’t know this existed. It’s crazy!

Liam: After the LA trip when I went back home, it was weird to hear stories of… I went to the bank and the bank teller recognised me and was like ‘oh are you in Over Atlantic?’ and I was like how is this even in Washington?! This is so cool!

There’s loads of different types of music in the charts at the moment, you do get a lot of dance music currently but you guys have people like Shawn Mendes who are young and dominating the charts, do you guys have anyone who you admire?

Charlie: I think as a band we try and have as much unique aspects to us. Definitely when we’re writing, live and practising we do look at artists and pick out something we like, maybe performance or how good their lyrics are so we do use our idols to help us with what we do.

That’s good though as you don’t always want to be compared to other people but at the same time it’s great to look at things that are already out there!

Charlie: There’s a lot of bands where they’re asked ‘what is your sound?’ and they’re reply is ‘ we’re a bit like The 1975!’ and why would you want to be like someone else, why wouldn’t you want to be known for yourself?

Liam: We’re all so different obviously and we’re from different places as well. That creates us.

You guys are from all over the place! The US, UK, Sweden! How does it all compare?

Liam: I definitely miss free refills!

*all laughs*

Charlie: So funny! I miss free refills!

Liam: I miss American soda!

Charlie: We take Nandos for granted! It’s the only place we have free refills.

Liam: The orange Fanta is so good here though! Fanta is not good in America. But London is so different than anywhere else I’ve ever been, the architecture, the people, it’s just really cool to experience it all and just travelling up and down England playing shows it’s really cool to see how different everything is and where our music is going. Like our music is going to those places, it’s cool!

Charlie: I can’t wait to go to Sweden!

Have you guys not been there yet?

Sean: Well Gabe has!

*Everyone turns to look at Gabe and laughs.*

Charlie: I so want to go! I’ve heard nothing but good things about Sweden!

Wow really!?

Charlie: Yeah!

I’ve got a couple of fan questions now for you!

@talya_xox asks what is the funniest group chat name you guys have seen?

Trevor: I know one!

Sean: I know one but it’s inappropriate.

Liam: A lot of them are inappropriate!

Charlie: Yeah! A lot of the group chat names are… wait! Shall I go through them?

*Charlie gets out his phone and goes onto Twitter and begins scrolling through an astonishing list of Direct Messages chuckling to himself at the names.*

Liam: They are always funny! I find them really creative…

Sean: But inappropriate! *laughs*

Liam: Creative names for the people in the band!

Sean: I’ve got one! We’ve got T-Cash Defense Squad!

Charlie: Trevor Hates Tea!

Sean: OA’s Calvins? OA’s Calvins is a nice one I like that!

Liam: Liam’s Roses or something like that with a rose emoji!

Sean: Oo! Stalking OA! We’re stalking you!

Charlie: There’s loads of group chats here!

Sean: Trevor Hates Tea that’s funny!

Charlie: Trevor Hates Tea is my favourite one.

Trevor: I don’t even hate tea!

So it just came out of no where?!

Trevor: I guess so! *laughs*

Sometimes group chats get based on a word or phrase you guys have said or something!

Charlie: All the time it’s so funny! It’s funny to see what catches on cause it’s not what you’d expect!

Liam: I’m going to set a group name right now!

Charlie: What is it?

Liam: OA Barnacles!

Charlie: Why barnacles?

Liam: Barnacles are like the things in the sea that … you know on Spongebob! If he stubbed his toe he’d be like ‘Oh Barnacles!’.

Charlie: Ok.. he relates everything to either Spongebob or Hannah Montana! Or Princess Bride! I feel like he has an analogy for everything related to Spongebob!

You live life in cartoons?

Liam: Well that reminds me in Princess Bride when … *all laughs*

@mariezammutt asks are you going to do another meet up?

Liam: I think we can plan it now!

Charlie: A lot of the stuff is done in London and we have so many fans up North as well so we’d love to do a meet up in like Newcastle, Manchester or somewhere!

@Iheartbibbyx asks what is your favourite thing to learn about each other?

Charlie: About all our cultures?

Yeah we guess!

Charlie: Oo that’s cool… I think the American’s have learnt how sarcastic we are! 

Liam: The humour over here is very dark! Very different here!

Charlie: The humour is very dark over here actually!

Liam: it’s mean humour!

We moan a lot as well! We complain about everything us Brits!

Sean: What I’ve learnt is just how their lives are so different to the way we’ve been brought up in England.

Charlie: Liam got a £50 fare for putting his feet on the train seats!

Liam: I’m going to try and call them and give them a piece of my mind. *laughs* I’m foreign, I had no idea, I’ve been on some trains but that’s the first time ever putting my feet on the seat!

Charlie: I put my feet on 99% of train seats and then as soon as he does for the first time, BANG! Two police with a camera. So funny!

Liam: I found out that Gabe’s dad is like a straight up rock star!

Charlie: Yeah he is!

Sean: Sven!

Charlie: He’s in like the biggest Scandinavian band to ever touch the earth.

Sean: He’s bigger than Queen! *laughs*

Charlie: Bigger than ABBA!

Gabe: No!

Charlie: They toured the whole world like America and Scandinavia and Russia!

Liam: They’re called Jet Circus!

Charlie: Check them out guys!

Liam: I haven’t really heard them but I’m sure they’re sick!

Charlie: His dad has like long rock star hair and …

Liam: Leather!

Charlie: I can see where Gabe gets it from!

*everyone looks at Gabe and ends up laughing about the image of a Scandinavian rocker!*

Have you guys got any plans to release music yet?

Sean: Yes! We’re going to release our EP early next year.

Charlie: We’ve got some banging songs on there! We’re at the stage of sending through like notes and stuff but I think we’re all very, very happy with how it sounds right now. The fans have really taken to our songs. That’s the most warming thing!

Sean: I’m excited for them to hear the studio versions, right now they only have the idea of the live.

Gabe: Stuff they haven’t heard yet!

Liam: There are just as any songs they haven’t heard!

Charlie: We’re excited, we’re so excited for that!

Do you guys write from your own life or take inspiration from the world around you?

Liam: Sean wrote something that was purely out of his life a while ago but then sometimes we’ll just think of like if we were in this situation, it’s like a story kind of.

Sean: A lot of the time it’s the stories.

Charlie: We’re very young we haven’t really had a lot of life experience. When we’re 40 and been through 4 heartbreaks we’ll be able to write a song a day! Our writing is getting better and I like writing with these guys! That’s something I was worried about because sometimes you get one or two amazing writers and they just don’t work well together, but we gel really well.

What are you guys’ hopes for the future of the group?

Liam: To me there’s not some certain venue that I want to play or something like that or a certain amount of people I want to show music too or anything.

Trevor: I’d be happy to tour really, to lots of places.

Liam: I kinda just want to be able to live comfortably playing and creating music. The whole fame thing isn’t a huge deal to me but if that happens that’s cool, that’s sick.

Charlie: We have every aspect to become a really big band, like we have the songs, like these guys are so talented. I wouldn’t wish for anything else like just the way its going, it’s looking really good for our future. We just want to keep grounded and keep playing to bigger and bigger crowds and see where we end up!

Finally have you got a little message for your fans?

Sean: That we love you so much, we’re so thankful for everything that you guys do for us.

Charlie: Stick around, there’s a lot of cool things coming.

Liam: Thank you for the support you guys are killing it!

Sean: You guys are making us what we are so thank you.

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After continuing to chat about Disney and Pixar films and the boys craving for sushi we left the coffee shop and headed back out into Borough Market to find a nice place to take some pictures of the group. After laughing about the chaos of London roads it was time to say goodbye and let them enjoy the rest of their day and the sushi they had now planned to get for lunch. With goodbye hugs all round they went on their way. 

It was wonderful to chat to Over Atlantic They are such a lovely  group of talented boys and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for them. Make sure to check them out on their social media platforms and keep your eyes peeled for exciting new things! - https://twitter.com/over_atlantic?lang=en-gb 

[buddybounce]

Gorgon City: REVIEW

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4VNQWV2y1E97Eqo2D5UTjx

We had the pleasure of going to see Gorgon City live at their sold out London gig at Brixton Academy at the end of October!

We were incredibly excited as we have seen Gorgon City before and Wildlife Festival and they were a highlight of the entire weekend. When we arrived it was clear from the atmosphere the crowd would be brilliant and everyone was excited for the night that was planned. Once we were inside we discovered ‘SOLD OUT’ had a whole new meaning. You couldn’t see the floor! The venue was full to the brim of people and it was incredible! It’s clear that Gorgon City have potential to fill even bigger venues!

Once Kye and Matt (who make up the DJ duo) took to the stage I don’t recall there being one person stood still. Performing a mixture of tracks from their album ‘Sirens’ including ‘Unmissable’, ‘Imagination’, ‘Here For You’ and more the crowd was honestly electric. It was so fun being in such a diverse crowd who were all having such a good time. There really was a mixed crowd of people younger, older, men, women, teenagers, couples, friends, just about every combination you could imagine. They also performed new tracks from their upcoming album ‘Kingdom’ such as their latest single ‘Saving My Life’. To top the night off they surprised the crowd by welcoming MNEK onto the stage at Brixton Academy to join them in performing ‘Ready For Your Love’ and the noise level went through the roof! Overall it was such a great gig filled with energy and fun. The Gorgon City boys’ stage presence when playing is incredible and we really recommend going to see this duo if you get the chance! 

Check out Kye and Matt known as Gorgon City on social media as they have great tracks, amazing gigs and they are extremely talented! We had an amazing night and thank you so much to Virgin EMI for allowing us to attend and have so much fun.

Twitter -https://twitter.com/GorgonCity

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gorgoncity/

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/4VNQWV2y1E97Eqo2D5UTjx

gorgoncity.com

[buddybounce]

Review: Radio 1′s Teen Awards 2016

Radio 1’s Teen Awards headed to Wembley Arena in London yesterday and consisted of a huge line-up of popstar performers, celebrity winners and inspirational teenage heroes being recognised for their incredible work.

The show kicked off with a surprise performance from One Direction’s Niall Horan who performed his debut single ‘This Town’ to an audience of 10,000 screaming teenagers. This was Niall’s first ever solo gig in front of a crowd and, despite there being a couple of technical difficulties midway through the track, he delivered an amazing performance.

The event itself celebrates teenagers who have done something outstanding which this year included Joe and Toby, 2 young boys who set up a charity called ‘The Smile of Arran Trust’ after their friend Arran sadly passed away from a brain tumour and held events such as The Big Busk to raise money for it. The teens, along with several other incredible young people, were awarded with a Radio 1 Teen Hero trophy on stage at Wembley yesterday.

Little Mix performed 3 tracks including their huge hit ‘Hair’ and their 2015 number 1 single ‘Black Magic’. They also gave an amazing performance of their new single (and this week’s number 1) ‘Shoutout To My Ex’ which they performed on X Factor last weekend. DNCE, The Vamps and Jess Glynne also performed hits from their back catalogues as well as their latest singles.

Other awards on the evening, presented by celebrity guests, included Best TV Show which went to ‘Gogglebox’, Most Entertaining Celebrity which went to Taylor Swift and Best British Group which was awarded to The Vamps.

The show was brought to a close by international star Shawn Mendes who literally had every audience member on their feet. He performed 4 tracks from his album including number 1 single ‘Stitches’ and his latest track ‘Mercy’. Shawn also plays the Rays of Sunshine charity concert at Wembley Arena tonight. It’s safe to say Radio 1 definitely put on an amazing show for their 7th ever Teen Awards. Roll on next year!

[buddybounce]

Thorpe Park Fright Nights 2016: REVIEW

We were lucky enough to be invited down to the preview of Thorpe Park’s Fright Night’s 2016. Being the 15h anniversary they promised to make this years event one to remember and they definitely did!

The night began as soon as we stepped off the train, the shuttle busses had actors ready and waiting to give you a fright before we had even reached the park. The actors were one aspect that really stood out this year. Thorpe Park had a huge amount of actors walking the park freely to creep up on guests and this made the night really good fun. Every corner you turned would have a surprise waiting around it leaving you in suspense when just walking around the park. It was absolutely fantastic!

Thorpe Park brought back the classic Lionsgate horror mazes such as Saw, The Cabin in the Woods, Blair Witch Project as well as last years additions The Big Top and Containment. We were lucky enough to get on all the mazes and its safe to say they were horrifyingly good. With a mixture of outdoor thrills and indoor screams the mazes are really worth doing. The live action is spot on for any fan of thrills and anyone brave enough to face Jigsaws final test. The Big Top was definitely a highlight of the evening, channeling an old fashioned fun house the clown filled maze was so enjoyable and we definitely had a good scream!

In honour of it being Fright Night’s 15 birthday, what better way to celebrate than with a new terrifying maze. PLATFORM 15. The maze was curated by Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy (the man holding the world record for the most tattoos on ones body.) It is set Platform 15 is set out in the woods around the park and is the largest Fright Nights maze as it is around 450 metres. We decided to be brave enough to embark on a trip through an overgrown railway. Whilst walking along the deserted, abandoned railroad you come face to face with séances, ouija boards and this is all while being in pitch black darkness. We also discovered that zombie passengers are hidden amongst the trees ready to give you the fright of your life. 

If you want a hint of what’s to come from the new scare attraction check out this video on behalf of Thorpe Park - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwoBiU2GHbU

We had the most amazing evening celebrating Fright Night’s 15 birthday and we had so much fun we already can’t wait to see what next year’s Fright Night’s have in store for us all! It’s definitely worth a visit so make sure to check out this website https://www.thorpepark.com/events/fright-nights/ to find out more and book your tickets to the best scare attraction around! We would like to thank Thorpe Park again for such a thrilling evening! 

Fore more info on the park and Fright Nights 2016 check out Thorpe Park’s twitter -@ThorpePark

Are you ready to face Fright Nights 2016? We hope you are, because it’s worth every scare!

[buddybounce]

It’s back! Thorpe Park Fright Nights has returned and this time it’s extra special! 

Fright Night’s have turned 15 and to celebrate all the stops are being pulled out to make sure this year’s experience is the most frightening yet!

Are you ready? All aboard! In a BRAND NEW live action scare maze walk the Island’s deserted railroad known as PLATFORM 15. “Don’t lose your tracks and risk disturbing the haunted souls that were once aboard, where you may just experience the same chilling fate.” We wonder where our journey will terminate and we reckon it could be at PLATFORM 15.

We are SUPER excited to see what Thorpe Park have in store this year with this new maze after the success of the Big Top in 2015.

All the favourite live action horror mazes return alongside a selection of the hair raising rides in the dark including THE SWARM, SAW and Stealth.

Mazes including The Big Top, Cabin in the Woods, Blair Witch Project, Saw and more have returned to give guest the full horror experience with live acton around the park throughout the night.

FRIGHT NIGHTS attractions open in the park from 3pm and FRIGHT NIGHTS 2016 are on the following dates:

7th - 9th, 14th - 16th, 21st - 31st October! 

Make sure you don’t miss out so get booking your FRIGHT NIGHT RIGHT NOW! https://www.thorpepark.com/events/fright-nights/

For more information head to Thorpe Park’s twitter @THORPEPARK! 

[buddybounce]

Creamfields 2016: Review

As soon as the HUGE line-up for Creamfields was announced earlier this year, we knew we had to be there. From Skrillex and Diplo to Hardwell to Pete Tong to Knife Party, there was something on the bill for everyone.

One of the biggest dance festivals in the world was back in Liverpool for another year with arguably the best line-up to date. Walking onto the site for the first time is all kinds of amazing - dance music fans everywhere, multiple tents and some of the biggest stage productions we have ever seen.

After setting up our tent in the Gold Camping area on the Thursday afternoon (which obviously had to include posh loos and showers) it was time to paint our faces, whack on some glitter and get ready to enter the main arena for the first round of music which saw Nervo, Knife Party and superstar DJ Alesso take to the main stage. The stage was massive and curved around the crowd allowing the music to carry perfectly. The lights and fireworks topped off the first night perfectly and we knew we were in for a massive weekend.

Friday saw us be introduced to the Steel Yard stage (which you normally only see at big festivals like Coachella in the US) and hosted artists such as Jack U, Jauz and Marshmello on the Friday night. The sound system was incredible and the lighting production was on another mind-blowing kind of level. We’re not gonna lie, this was probably our highlight of the whole weekend and we may have gone slightly nuts when Marshmello dropped his huge hit Alone at about 3.55am.

Other highlights from our weekend included Hardwell’s massive set on the Horizon Stage, the Smile High Club tent hosted by Fatboy Slim and also a set from Lucas & Steve, who we didn’t know much about but completely blew us away while we raved in the rain to their baaaaangin’ tunes. Galantis packed out the Horizon Stage on the Sunday with the crowd singing every word to their hits No Money and Runaway.

We go to a lot of festivals over the course of the Summer but we have to say Creamfields is up there with the best of the best and the production was one of the best we have ever seen. If you’ve never been - we seriously recommend for next year. It really was an amazing, but crazy, 3 days.

The Steel Yard returns to Liverpool in November where Axwell ^ Ingresso headline for a one off show to round off 2016. Tickets sold out already! 

Written by Adam Philpot @thebeanboy23 for @buddybounce  

[buddybounce]

EDC 2016, Milton Keynes: Review

As soon as the line-up for EDC dropped earlier this year, we knew we had to be there. From Martin Garrix to Andy C, from Galantis to Jauz, there really was something to cover everyone’s dance music needs.

Arriving on the day to a display of attendees wearing neon colours, fun costumes and lots of face paint, we could tell immediately that everyone was there to have a good time. It’s hard to explain the feeling you get when walking into the festival site and you witness the main stage (kineticFIELD) for the first time. We’d seen other EDC stages online from across the world but this was something else. A large green owl took central position (who’s eyes we later noticed moving and watching the crowd) with a large ACTUAL water fountain to the left. We kind of stood there for 5 minutes admiring it’s greatness and taking photos before realising that Martin Solveig was on stage and the crowd going mad for him. Ending his set with (his now classic) hit Intoxicated, we knew this was going to be one hell of a day.

With one of the biggest dance festival line-ups in the UK this year and us wanting to see everyone on the bill, it was always going to be hard to avoid set time clashes. Admittedly in the end we did spend most of our time in the Kinetic Field but we did pop over and take a couple of visits to the tents which were situated just outside of the Bowl itself. Jauz had the crowd getting down and going wild in the Neon Garden tent who was followed later in the day by man of the moment, DJ EZ (who literally packed out the tent with festival goers leaving us standing just outside to listen to the garage classics he played). Then it was straight back over to the Kinetic Field where Oliver Heldens, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Martin Garrix, Axwell ^ Ingrosso and Avicii all took to the main stage across the late afternoon/evening. Basically all the headliners you see taking residencies in Ibiza across different nights all crammed into one jam-packed day in Milton Keynes. It was quite unbelievable.

Highlights for us included bumping into Martin Garrix backstage and having a quick chat, Heldens ending his set with 90’s classic ‘Freed From Desire’ (which the crowd inevitably sang ‘Will Griggs On Fire’ over), the incredible firework display which followed Avicii’s closing set and Axwell ^ Ingrosso getting everyone to sing along to classic ‘Don’t You Worry Child’, which took us back to Swedish House Mafia’s final gig in the same venue in Milton Keynes.

We’ve been to a lot of festivals over the years but we have to say this was well up there with the best. Imaginative, impeccable attention to detail and incredible talent.

We now know why EDC have such an incredible reputation around the globe. Until next year.

Written by Adam Philpot @thebeanboy23 for @buddybounce