Houghton Festival Returns To North Norfolk Countryside 10th - 13th August 2023
In 2022 Houghton’s celebration of cutting-edge music, art and food made a triumphant comeback. This August, Craig Richard's vision of the perfect celebration of art and music on the grounds of the Pallardian neoclassical mansion of Houghton Hall returns. Set amongst the sycamore trees, deers, a restaurant on the lake and one of the world’s great sculpture parks replete with a Turrell and a Kapoor, all musical artists are booked for Houghton at Richard’s personal invitation. This summer sees the Godfather of Acid Jazz Roy Ayer’s final EU tour, Notting Hill soundsystem legend Aba Shanti-I and buzzed about newcomers Animistic Beliefs. Richard’s longstanding friendship with Ricardo Villalobos encouraged the German-Chilean icon to play an unprecedented jazz set. A dip into the line up at random reveals quality running through the whole 200 + name program; Helena Hauff, GiGi FM, Gigi Masin, Peach, Powder, Mark Ernestus.
Everything down to the mixers has been selected and curated by Richards. As musical director and resident at fabric london since its inception, it's hard to underestimate his influence on underground dance music over the last twenty years. Houghton changed what a dance music festival could be too, creating a deeper, more transportative experience for a globally networked clubbing community. 12,000 attendees experience 4 nights of expert programming under the big skies and coastal air of Norfolk. Fans of underground arts and music travel from South America, Japan and Australia to what has become one of the world’s most acclaimed and remarkable festival experiences. Rounding out the delights of the music are Turntable & Napkin - the alfresco floating restaurant on the estate lake - and wellness tent The Orchard, with complimentary yoga and a 15 person sauna.
It’s the details that separate Houghton; the bespoke d&b Audiotechnik sound systems throughout, letting DJs play out the deeper, more detailed parts of their box with confidence.The rare 24 hour licence that encourages longer exploratory sets into the small hours, artists often playing exclusive back to back or multiple sets. The booths are at ground level, each set up equally with the highest spec allowing vinyl to be played worry free. Richard’s network attracts bookings that are personal and truly curated. There’s no VIP section, no corporate name sponsors. The serendipitous rural magic touch; no phone signal. This is a place where you watch a sunrise old-growth forest set at the Terminus stage and behold Anish Kapoor’s otherworldly Untitled sculpture of monolithic limestone, after breakfast.
Richards attention to detail extends beyond the music programme, to the creative direction of the Houghton brand, stage design and art. In the late 80s and 90s, he studied at St.Martins School of Art and did a masters at the Royal College Art. Houghton Festival has a growing artists offering working with up and coming artists, to more renowned artists each year, while Richards also presents work which resonates with the celebration's aesthetic. In addition, Houghton Hall’s sculpture park is open to the festival exclusively for the duration, reached on a cream coloured miniature railway. The collection features work by greats like James Turrell, Rachel Whiteread, Richard Long, Stephen Cox and Anya Gallacio. The House’s 2023 artist in residence is Sean Scully - with the festival due to announce its own artist in residence later this summer.
Read more about all 13 stages here
Read more about the Turntable & Napkin alfresco floating restaurant here
Read about The Orchard wellness tent here
Read about the TREVINOS onsite record store here
HOUGHTON FESTIVAL 2023 LINE UP (ALPHABETICAL)
Aba Shanti-I / Adam Shelton / Alex Downey / ALFOS (Sean Johnston) / Andre King / Angie Dixon / Animistic Beliefs (Live & DJ) / Awkward Moments (Live) / Baby Vulture / Batu / begin / Ben UFO / Bill Brewster / Billy Nasty / Binh / Bjarki (Live AV & DJ) / Bobby. / Burnt Friedman & João Pais Filipe (Live) / C.A.R. (Live & DJ) / Calibre / Call Super / Carl Finlow (Live) / Chez de Milo / Chris Farrell / Chris Korda (Live) / Chris Sullivan / Closer Kyiv - Shakolin, Karine, Timur Basha / Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy / Conforce (Live) / Convextion aka E.R.P. (Live) / D-Bridge (Live & DJ) / D. Tiffany / Dan Beaumont / Danielle / Dave Harvey / Deadbeat feat Tikiman (Live) / DeepChord (Live) / DJ Koolt / DJ Masda / DJ Nobu / DJ Stingray 313 / DMX Krew (Live) / Donato Dozzy / Double Agent 7 / DOTT & Elaheh / Dr Banana
Dr. Horn / e/tape / Electro Elvis / Eliza (Live) / Ellie Stokes / EOD (Live) / Erol Alkan / Etcher (Live) / Evan Baggs / Felix Dickinson / Francesco Del Garda / FREAKENSTEIN / Freedom Engine (Live) / Fumiya Tanaka / Gene On Earth / Gerd Janson / GiGi FM / Gigi Masin (Live) / Greg Paulus (Live) / Hamish & Toby / Hammer / Hannah Holland / Harri Pepper / Helena Hauff / Higher Intelligence Agency (Live) / Hiroto / Horse Meat Disco / Howie B (Live) / Isolee (Live) / iaṭṭai (e/tape & Baby Vulture) / Ivan Smagghe / Jade Seatle / Jake Manders / Jake Mehew (Live) / James Ruskin / Jamie Tiller / Jane Fitz / Jayson Wynters / Jenny Jen / John Talabot /Jonny Nash (Live) / Jonny Rock / Johnny Russell / Josey Rebelle / Josh Caffe
Junki Inoue / Justin Robertson / Kem / Kinetic (2) / KINO (UY) / Lena Willikens / Lukas Wigflex / Malphino (Live) / Manasseh / Manfredas / Margaret Dygas / Mariiin / Mark Ernestus / Mark Seven / Matekoi (Live) / Mathew Jonson (Live) / Maybe Laura / Melina Serser / Michal Turtle (Live) / Michelle (Live) / Midland / Mike Servito / Mimi Xu / MiNNA (2) / Miss Kittin & The Hacker (Live) / Monolake (Live) / Move D / Moxie / Mr Price / Mr Shiver / Nathan Gregory Wilkins / Nick The Record / Nicolas Lutz / Nik Bärtsch presents Ronin (Live) / Not An Animal / Obergman (Live) / object blue (Live) / Oli Silva / OMAR (UY) / Optimo (Espacio) / Osibisa (Live) / Pam Hogg / Pangaea / Paranoid London feat Josh Caffe (Live) / Parris / Partok / Peach / Pearson Sound / Peter Adjaye / Peverelist / Pleasure Pool (Live) / Powder / Prosumer / Radioactive Man (Live) / Ralph Lawson / Raresh / Red Axes / Reggie Watts (Live) / Remi Mazet (Live) / Renata / Ricardo Romaneiro (Live) / Ricardo Villalobos / Rob Mello / Rolando Simmons (Live) / Roman Flügel (Live and DJ) / Romeo Poirier (Live) / Roy Ayers (Live) / Ruf Dug / S.O.N.S / Saoirse / Shackleton (Live) / Shanti Celeste / Shy One / Silverlining / Sofay / Sonja Moonear / Steevio and Suzybee (Live) / Steve Rice / Sugar Free / Tama Sumo & Lakuti/ The Ghost / Tristan da Cunha / Truth & Lies / Unai Trotti / Vera / Vernon Felicity (Live) / Vlada / Vladimir Ivkovic / Voigtmann / Wayne Holland / Wes Baggaley / Willow / XDB
Yu Su / Z@p / Zip - and Craig Richards
Plus Giant Steps
Amit / Aneesh / Belle Bete / Carlos Boix / Cedric Woo / Claude Dousset / Donna Leake / Eliphino / Fabien Lassonde / Pol Valls / Reda / Scott Pelloux / Sofia Kuster
Information:
Festival dates: 10th - 13th August 2023, Houghton Hall, Kings Lynn, Norfolk
Website - https://www.houghtonfestival.co.uk/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/houghtonfestival/
Tickets are £250 via Resident Advisor