Take a long British summer, add heaps of amazing live music and entertainment, and then mix in some quality time to socialise with friends.  And hey presto!  There you have the perfect recipe for a festival-packed season. 

Over the past decade or so, there has been something of a festival revolution, as we Brits have witnessed the introduction of more and more music and arts events into the social calendar.  No longer is Glastonbury the only name on everyone’s lips, as we are now spoilt for choice, with every weekend from June to September jam-packed and fun-filled fiestas. 

Festivals have become a landmark on the British summer horizon and they are now so popular that they have been rated as Britain’s 14^th best leisure activity, according to the UK’s official tourism guide, Visit Britain.  And it is those aged between 18 and 26 that are the biggest fans.    

Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic, the UK’s leading festival and events promoter, believes that the progressive growth in the amount and variety of festivals over recent years is due to their amazing value for money.  He said: “If you think about it, you’re getting four or five days of quality entertainment and music.  And the professionalism surrounding British festivals means that people know they will be well organised.”

The global recession has no doubt played a part in the increasing popularity of festivals over the last few years.  Across the nation, people have had to curb their spending, and with holidays an obvious expense to cut out, many people have turned to festivals for enjoyment at weekends.

According to Lucy Andrews, online and student press officer for Creamfields Festival, “Since the recession kicked in people simply can’t afford to take holidays so going away to a festival for a few days provides the partying, socialising elements of a holiday, just not always the sun!  It also breaks up the summer for people to have a good old blow out.”

The proliferation of festivals is good news for British tourism, and the wider economy, and festivals have also generated endless opportunities for local communities.  When a 170,000-strong audience descends on a small west-country village called Glastonbury, the local economy benefits hugely with increased sales and bookings, from local pubs and restaurants to shops and hotels. 

Not only has the number of festivals grown, but so has the variety.  While music continues to attract most revellers, there is now an abundance of alternative entertainment and activities on offer.  Smaller and quirkier events are being established, meaning that festival-lovers have a wider range to choose from.    

Crispin Aubrey, Glastonbury press officer said: “It is great that there is now such a range, from the very small, around 1000 people, to the larger ones like Glastonbury.  Many of the smaller festivals have picked up on the idea of holding them in beautiful countryside areas, and it is not just about the music, but also theatre, comedy and art.”

With tickets selling out in a matter of minutes, Glastonbury remains the king of the festival season.  However, there are numerous other smaller, boutique-styled festivals that provide an eclectic mix of weekend entertainment for their audience.  This wide range of festivals has meant that competition between them is growing, and organisers need to up their game each year to ensure they continue to sell tickets.

2000trees is a new addition to the festival scene, having started in 2007.  Organiser, Andy Rea said: “I think it's fair to say that festival fans vote with their feet, so organisers must ensure they provide for their customers better, or face losing ticket sales.”  

Each festival strives to offer a unique experience, and one that is relevant to their particular audience.  Attendees at Reading and Leeds festivals go there to hear rock music, while Latitude Festival offers arts and literary entertainment, alongside musical performances. 

There is even a cheese-rolling festival in Gloucestershire, where thousands of enthusiasts gather each year to watch or take part in the ancient tradition of chasing a seven pound double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill in a series of races.

There is something for everyone, with festivals that cater for all ages, genres and locations.  Ticket prices have continued to rise year-on-year, with a weekend pass for some of the larger festivals fast-approaching £200.  But when considering what you get for that price, about four days of quality live music and endless hours of fun with friends, there is no doubt that the festival boom will continue well into the future.

The music society celebrated the end of term with a Big Easter Gig at a packed Hannafords bar last night.

The three emerging acts, Rosie Hopkins, Papa Frank and the Quebec Ensemble and Black Rosette performed for students at the SU bar in Kingston Hill campus.

Singer songwriter Rosie Hopkins, a second year Drama student at Kingston universtiy kicked of the night accompanying herself on guitar and persuaded Ollie Futcher, the drummer from Papa Frank and the Quebec Ensemble to join her for an impromptu jam at the end of her set. 

She has been playing in and around London for a couple of years but this was her first gig after a broken wrist forced her to take a seven week break and said:  “Playing live is a massive buzz and there’s been a really nice response from the audience.”

If the next band looked like a bunch of nervous school children that’s because they were, all be it an extremely talented bunch of sixth formers from Hollyfield High School who wowed the audience with their covers of classic funk as well as some original material.

It was definitely not what you expect from a group of teenage boys.  Sam Hannaford from the band said:  “We started playing this type of music because we wanted to fit all the instruments into one band.”

Papa Frank and the Quebec Ensemble are a seven piece funk band that includes a saxaphone, trombone and trumpet player as drums, guittar and bass.  They were spotted at an open mic night in Kingston the event organiser James Farrimond.

The night was rounded off by Black Rosette a blues/soul and rock and roll band made up of Kingston University students who appeared on stage armed with free shots for enthusiastic members of the crowd.

James Farrimond was delighted with how the evening went:  “Everyone’s been great and there’s been an amazing turnout.”

May 1 1997, Channel 5 begins broadcasting and R Kelly is top of the singles chart with I Believe I Can Fly.  The election results are in.  Tony Blair and New Labour have ousted the Conservative party as the country’s leaders after 18 years. 

Four years on and Labour’s reign over British politics continues as they cruise through another election with a majority of 167 in Parliament.  R.E.M. sit triumphantly at the number one spot in the album chart with Reveal and low slung jeans with thongs as ‘decoration’ are all the rage. 

After the Thatcher years, bringing down the Tories was politically significant but what had secured Blair’s success?  Campaign songs that demonstrated that he understood the importance of music and celebrity for the youth of Britain. 

With an election looming, what are Gordon Brown’s chances of capturing the country’s spirit and emulating the success of ‘Cool Britannia’ in time to secure student votes?  Or does David Cameron have the upper hand?

Conor O’Dowda, a 2^nd year Aerospace Engineering and Astronautics with Space Technology student, offered: “Of the two of them [Brown and Cameron], Cameron seems the more media savvy.  They will just do as they are told by their advisors, though, with every effort to put themselves in the headlines.”

The arts saw a resurgence in the lead up to the ’97 election.  Kings of Britpop, Oasis, released the album Definitely Maybe in 1994 becoming the fastest selling first release by a band.  The album encapsulated Britain’s frustrations after the 90-92 recession with songs titled Live Forever and Cigarettes and Alcohol.  Reckless abandon and invincibility were the order of the day.   

Tony Blair capitalised on Oasis’ popularity and, invited them along with other cool kids of the arts boom, Vivienne Westwood and Simon Mayo, to a celebrity packed party at Number 10 just months after booting out John Major.  Caught on camera shaking Noel Gallagher’s hand, Blair was celebrated as the most ‘down with the kids’ Prime Minister the country had ever seen.      

Fastforward 13 years and Oasis are no more, despite winning Brits Album of 30 Years last month for (What’s The Story) Morning Glory.  Noel was left out of the acceptance speech mumbled by brother Liam who has since entered into a slanging match with national treasure, Pete Kay.  Current PM, Gordon Brown, has no musical hand to cling on to.

Joe Gardner, a 1^st year Creative Writing and Journalism student, adds: “It looks like Gordon’s given up on the whole smiling thing.  I think he’s better off just being his miserable stoic self.  At least you know what you’re getting.”    

Now that we’re in the Age of the X, perhaps Brown could befriend JLS or Cheryl Cole to boost his media persona. But after crowd crushes at the former’s early gigs and Cole’s marriage breakdown, these may not be the wisest choices of celebrity friends.

Olivia Edwards, a 3^rd year Drama student, thought Brown or Cameron might appear on Eastenders after Boris Johnson’s starring role.  “Or maybe there will be a special Jeremy Kyle show”, she added. 

Instead, Brown opted for tearful telly interview with media mogul supreme, Piers Morgan – which may have lost more fans than it won.

Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron, has set up “Webcameron” so his fans can follow his every move – surely the mark of a man who understands a generation used to having information at the touch of a button.

“No doubt Cameron has got more tricks up his sleeve.  Personally I think he comes across a bit slimey.  You wonder if he’ll really still be tying his bike to the railings of Downing Street if he wins or if he will go back to the Chelsea tractor?” comments Joe. 

The winner of the next election will be the politician that takes part in and understands the British media.  Wives attending fashion events and a little webcam will not be enough.  Pictures of Gordon Brown and Dizzee Rascal grabbing a coffee or David Cameron and Jordan falling out a nightclub may never happen but it would boost their rating in the celebrity hierarchy. 

Conor, 21, would like to see Cameron out on the town with Russell Brand while Joe, 20, thought Stephen Fry would make the perfect politician’s companion “because I think he’d make them see sense.”   

One thing is certain, after Blair’s choice of campaign song in ’97 insisting that Things Can Only Get Better, both Brown and Cameron should definitely choose their songs wisely. 

Have you ever been to watch your mates play in a band and cringed the whole way through?  No?  Ever been dragged by your parents to hear a younger sibling in a school choir and thought, ‘it’s cute that they’re trying but please remove my ears!’? 

New play Pub Rock at the Lyric Hammersmith encompasses all of these feelings and this is the sheer beauty of it.  Not only do you feel uneasy because these people seriously think they are great at their job but they are doing their best to get the crowd going with their mediocre musicality.

The actors belt out rock and pop covers during a play that reveals the characters and their relationships while you pop to and fro from the bar whenever you feel like it.  Sounds too good to be true?  Well, it’s staged in a pub.  That’s right, an actual pub. 

For students struggling on a shoestring budget, the £10 ticket price plus travel and drinks might be a stretch too far.  This is the only downside however. 

Got a spare evening with nothing but watching reruns on Dave to do?  Splash out and treat yourself. Feel better because you went and got all cultured up. 

No-one ever needs to know you were tossing your hair around and singing your heart out in the process.

The Lyric takes part in the Free Theatre Tickets For Under 26s scheme so the £10 ticket cost could be blown out of the water.  Call the theatre on 0871 22 117 29 for more details.

Pub Rock runs until February 20.

Kingston students will be forced to keep the noise down when the EU sets a maximum volume limit on all MP3 players next spring.

However, many students believe that such legislation would unfairly restrict their freedom to listen to the music they enjoy.

Ahmed Khan, a civil engineering student, said: “I don’t believe in boxing people off and limiting behaviour - I think we’re educated enough to know what’s harmful.”

Brussels is acting after mounting evidence that more and more young people are permanently damaging their hearing by regularly exposing themselves to loud music.

Experts hope to set a default maximum setting of 85 decibels on all MP3 players, about the same level of noise as a busy city street, though users would be able to override this to reach a top limit of 100 decibels - equivalent to a bulldozer groaning by. Many devices can currently reach up to 120 decibels, a volume comparable to a jumbo jet taking off, and there is currently no default limit.

The legislation might however help to protect some KU students who are already aware of the dangers posed by their listening habits pose yet find it hard to remember to change their ways.  

Chris Fernandez, a second year Music, Technology and Film student, approves of the planned limits: "I listen to my music pretty loud - my mum always complains. It's not good for my ears."

Many young people are unaware that the ringing they hear in their ears after a bit night out can herald a long-term problem.

Dr Robin Yeoh, a consultant at the Portland Hospital, told the BBC Politics Show: “Once you damage the nerves of your inner ear that’s permanent, there’s no medication, no surgery, no therapies that’s going to reverse it.”

Though most students are reluctant to wear earplugs when out at gigs or clubbing, frequent exposure to loud noise at such events can damage hearing irrevocably.

A spokesperson for The Royal National Institute for Deaf People told RiverOnline: “The danger lies in sustained exposure over a long period of time.”