Best Kept Secret 2014

[the wonderwhy]

Surprised this one has been started yet, looking like a decent line-up with Pixies, Elbow, Metronomy and Fucked Up. Some cool up & coming bands playing too- in fact it looked like a good place to see newbies play good length slots last year. Its well placed time-wise as well, to grab some acts over for Glasto/Werchter/Roskilde etc.

Anyone go last year & care to share some info? What its like, good camping, how to get there & all that jazz. Personally I'll probably combine it with Interrailing- so is there decent rail links to/from Amsterdam?

Also who would people like to be added to the line-up? They got Arctics in their first year last year so there's some good potential. Would love to see some of Nick Cave, Manics, Beck, Mew, Foals, White Lies, Vampire Weekend, Bombay etc.

[Trufflehound]

Won't be going this time sadly because I've got family commitments that weekend. But I did go to the last one and loved it. And I'll defnitely be returning for the 2015 edition.

Can't comment on the camping as we stayed in a hotel in Tilburg. But I didn't hear anyone moaning, so I'm guessing it must be OK.

You get there via shuttle bus from Tilburg station. Tilburg's about 1h25min from Amsterdam by train with one change (Utrecht or Den Bosch). One minor negative point was the shuttle buses weren't free (€5 return).

Plus point 1: The festival site was lovely. Main Stage and third stage on a sandy beach by a lake; second stage in the forest. Nice atmopsphere, and not too crowded either, as there were only 15,000 tickets sold, although the second stage was a bit too small for the crowds trying to see some acts (Alt-J, Portishead).

Plus point 2: A high point for me was the catering - the best food I've encountered in 35 years of festivals.

Plus point 3: The toilets were properly plumbed in with running water and were flushable.

Plus point 4: There was free drinking water available from taps at various points around the site.

Plus point 5: The almost complete absence of litter. Instead of selling drinks in flimsy plastic that gets chucked everywhere, you pay a deposit to use a sturdier plastic glass that you hold onto all weekend (and you get your money back at the end). So no wading around knee-deep in broken plastic glasses, and they also had a litter team going around picking up all the other rubbish so it stayed clean all weekend (I think it's one of the conditions of them being allowed to use this site).

Oh, and they'll buy back any unused food and drinks tokens from you when you leave, so you don't have to work out how much you need to the nearest half token.

A negative point was the second and third stages were set too low, making it difficult to see for short-arses at the rear. But enough people commented on this (incuding all the press reviews) that I hope they'll address that issue in 2014.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Trufflehound

[the wonderwhy]

Won't be going this time sadly because I've got family commitments that weekend. But I did go to the last one and loved it. And I'll defnitely be returning for the 2015 edition.

Can't comment on the camping as we stayed in a hotel in Tilburg. But I didn't hear anyone moaning, so I'm guessing it must be OK.

You get there via shuttle bus from Tilburg station. Tilburg's about 1h25min from Amsterdam by train with one change (Utrecht or Den Bosch). One minor negative point was the shuttle buses weren't free (€5 return).

Plus point 1: The festival site was lovely. Main Stage and third stage on a sandy beach by a lake; second stage in the forest. Nice atmopsphere, and not too crowded either, as there were only 15,000 tickets sold, although the second stage was a bit too small for the crowds trying to see some acts (Alt-J, Portishead).

Plus point 2: A high point for me was the catering - the best food I've encountered in 35 years of festivals.

Plus point 3: The toilets were properly plumbed in with running water and were flushable.

Plus point 4: There was free drinking water available from taps at various points around the site.

Plus point 5: The almost complete absence of litter. Instead of selling drinks in flimsy plastic that gets chucked everywhere, you pay a deposit to use a sturdier plastic glass that you hold onto all weekend (and you get your money back at the end). So no wading around knee-deep in broken plastic glasses, and they also had a litter team going around picking up all the other rubbish so it stayed clean all weekend (I think it's one of the conditions of them being allowed to use this site).

Oh, and they'll buy back any unused food and drinks tokens from you when you leave, so you don't have to work out how much you need to the nearest half token.

A negative point was the second and third stages were set too low, making it difficult to see for short-arses at the rear. But enough people commented on this (incuding all the press reviews) that I hope they'll address that issue in 2014.

[the wonderwhy]

Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, Babyshambles, Chvrches, Daryll-Ann, George Ezra, Mogwai, Nils Frahm, Childhood, Elephant Stone, Girl Band, Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Larry Gus, Maydien, Oddisee, Pink Mountaintops, Pional (live), Radkey, School Is Cool, The Wytches, TRAAMS and Warm Soda

[Trufflehound]

I've been waiting 10 years to see Interpol. Finally they come to a festival near me - and I can't make it...

*humbug*

[spudling]

Booked tickets yesterday! Could anyone tell me how long it takes on the shuttle bus ,how often does the bus run. Also what time does the festival finish .Cheers

[Trufflehound]

Booked tickets yesterday! Could anyone tell me how long it takes on the shuttle bus ,how often does the bus run. Also what time does the festival finish .Cheers

[spudling]

Thanks for that we will be staying in Tilburg any suggestions where to watch the England world cup game as we will be arriving on the Thursday.?

[Trufflehound]

I haven't checked the scheduling, but assuming it doesn't clash with a Dutch game (in which case all bets are off), then most bars in town will probably have it on (but with Dutch commentating).

There is an Irish bar (http://www.clancystilburg.com/) right in the centre. Never been in there so can't promise anything, but they might have a hook up to Sky with English commentary.

[spudling]

The Dutch don't have a game till the Monday .Thanks for the info.

[spudling]

The line up gets better and better !!!Lykke Li, James Blake, Midlake, The 1975, The Notwist, Wild Beasts, Breton, Broken Twin, Deap Vally, Eaux, Falco Benz, Heavy Times, Lyla Foy, MØ, Moddi, The Preatures, Thumpers, Truckfighters, Tijuana Panthers and Connan Mockasin have been added to the line-up of Best Kept Secret festival 2014.

[spudling]

7 more names We just added another 7 new names to the ‪#‎BKS14‬ line-up: The War On Drugs, Forest Swords, Telegram, Catfish and the Bottlemen, PINS, Samaris and Star Slinger.