Connect Festival launched onto the Scottish festival circuit and took everyone by storm last year. This year it’s back as the only serious Scottish alternative to T in the Park for real music fans who crave that boutique festival vibe.

Set in the fairytale grounds of Inverary Castle, Connect music festival boasts one of the best festival lineups we’ve seen this year with many Radio Magnetic favourites on stage over the three day event. Not only is the music good but Connect is hands down THE best festival in the UK for food and drink. Now, we know that’s quite a claim but it’s doesn’t go without our previous seal of approval as personally I managed to munch my way through 2 venison burgers, 1 lamb burger, a selection of fine cheese, muscles and half of a friends smoked salmon. This was all washed down with an array of fine Scottish single malt whiskey, some Kopperberg pear cider, some local ale, a wheat beer and half of a different friends Red Bull cocktail. Now I dare anyone to come back at me with tales of a similarly breath taking array of culinary delights from any of Blighty’s festivals.

Getting back to the main attraction of Connect, the music, it has to be said they’ve really got the combination of current indie bands and electronic music balanced perfectly. DF Concerts, who organise Connect, picked out a fine array of artists for the main and second stage including Guillemots, Bloc Party, Grinderman, Spiritualised, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros, Goldfrapp, Santogold, Ladytron, Glasvegas and Black Lips. While all that’s going on the Unknown Pleasures (or dance) Tent will be hosted on each of the three days by Optimo’s Twitch and Wilkes, Soma Records and Slam. Between them they’ve managed to attract performances from Sparks, Crystal Castles, Joakim, Jah Shaka, Findo Gask, The Roots live, Dave Clarke, Andrew Weatherall, Karl Bartos, Neil Landstrumm, Hudson Mowhake, Beardyman, Ivan Smagghe, Radio Slave, Soma’s newest upstart Decimal and Radio Magnetic’s very own Boom Monk Ben as well as Dougal playing under the Kinky Afro banner. Phew! Try saying all that in one breath.

After all that we know you’re gonna be pretty excited about getting to Inverary Castle for a good old knees up. Well, good news! There are still a limited number of tickets still available from connectmusicfestival.com and Ticket Master .

See you in the whiskey tent!!

Hydro Connect Music Festival

Fri 4th to Sun 6th April ‘08
Weekend tickets : £110
Weekend w/ Camping : £140
connectmusicfestival.com
Ticket Master
08444 999 990