Bloc 2009 was one the best dance festivals of the year. Hands down. Innovative ideas, and an amazing line-up, with the home comforts of the Butlins chalets, everyone who attended was blown away by how good a festival it was. Those who did not attend were most certainly regretting not going to the festival themselves.

Bloc 2010 is looking like a tour-de-force of a festival, much bigger than what some people were expecting, and with some surprising names thrown in the mix. Headliners include Salt 'n' Pepa, Grandmaster Flash, Roots Manuva, Surgeon, Lindstrom, Nathan Fake, Adam Beyer and Skream b2b Benga. And that's just on the main stage.

For those who have not attended before, Bloc is held in Butlins in Minehead, which holds a rather humungous Skyline Pavilion in the centre of the resort. This pavilion holds four separate arenas, which can easily cater for any of the acts. Each arena is then awarded to a clubnight or festival tent of a particular interest, so that they can then put on the best possible line-up.

Therefore, we have also got appearances from FWD, Rinse FM, Overkill, Subloaded, Mulletover, Disco Bloodbath, Braindrop, Man Make Music and Club Autonomic. On top of the main stage line-up. Oh, and sponsors Fenchurch have got their own stage too.

FWD + Rinse FM will be hosting a rather ridiculous grime and dubstep line up featuring the likes of Ms. Dynamite, Wiley, Boy Better Know, Zinc, Geeneus, Marcus Nasty, Youngsta b2b Ntype , and a whole lot more, so you know to expect nothing less than a lyrical attack force on that stage. With added bass.

Overkill are veterans of the festival scene, having brought some of the more aggressive genres of dance to the table. Autechre is headlining the Overkill stage, with appearances from Congo Natty, 16Bit, Luke Vibert and Rob Hall, plus more to be confirmed, Overkill are guaranteed to bring the finest in cutting edge electronica, breakcore and bassweight to Bloc this year.

Subloaded, set up by dubstep legend Pinch, is one of the most respected dubstep nights around. So the line up here is the crème de la crème of the dubstep. The pinnacle. Mark Ernestus, Kode 9, Pinch b2b Distance, Joker, T++, Mary Anne Hobbs, and more, this will be one event which is sure to rattle the ribcage.

On the subject of bassweight, The McMash Clan's Briandrop has brought across some of the more extreme bass acts to the festival, the likes of DJ Hype, MJ Cole, Raffertie b2b Kanji Kinetic and Reso b2b Vent are almost certain to send the place mad.

Others include Joy Orbison, D:Bridge, Instra:mental, Breakage, Ben Pistor and Lee Curtiss but to name a few.

The Fenchurch Dome supplies the techno, electro, and just about anything in between. A fantastic line-up for this stage currently includes the likes of Billy Nasty, Radioactive Man, Debasser, Kelpe, Michael Forshaw, Neil Landstrumm, Luke's Anger, Subeena, DMX Krew, but to name a few of the amazing acts named on this stage. This arena will be very hard to get away from.

The accommodation makes this festival as well, each chalet is comfortable with decent beds, kitchens and showers, equipped with Bloc TV, showing highlights of the festival present and previous, as well as cutting edge documentaries and B-Movies galore. The water park, bowling, pool and snooker, plus plenty of well equipped bars and restaurants means that you never go un-satisfied. Furthermore, Minehead is on the Somerset coastline, and a nice place to escape for a hour or two to relax.

This is without a doubt one of the major highlights of the festival calendar. Not to be missed.

Book your tickets at www.blocweekend.com

Note that the festival has sold out every year, so it is well worth buying tickets in advance, because you do not want to miss out on this line-up.

 

• Bloc

Related Links:

• Ableton At Bloc Weekend Festival
• Fenchurch Bloc Competition
• Detonate Indoor Festival 2011
• Glade Festival Competition
• Parklife Weekender Returns

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