In the new Hot Press: Festival Special

The sun poking out from behind the clouds signals that festival season can’t be too far away, and this fortnight Hot Press is bringing you the ultimate guide to the very best the summer has to offer.

From the boutique gatherings of KnockanStockan and Vantastival to the epic extravaganzas of Longitude and Electric Picnic, we build up to the biggest dates of the summer. We also check in with Gavin James, Wallis Bird and Jerry Fish, to see how they’re preparing for a summer of action.

Elsewhere, Stuart Clark is seeing double when he meets Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe of New York indie-pop sensations Lucius, we get acquainted with the comeback queens of All Saints, Colm O’Regan catches up with homegrown hopefuls The Shoos, and Damien Dempsey discusses history and the state of the nation with Olaf Tyaransen.

The Hot Press interview is with Nicolas Roche, as the second-generation cycling star talks dreams, his Dad – and, of course, doping.

We talk with Underworld, who are readying themselves for Forbidden Fruit, as well as Willy Vlautin, frontman of the alt-country outfit Richmond Fontaine, who are finally calling it a day. Northern Irish duo exmagician spill the beans on what’s new (and what isn’t) since the Cashier No. 9 days, while The Kooks discuss the highs and lows of their time on the indie frontline.

We catch up with David Beattie, the author of Who Cares? Life For An Irish Transgender Teen, and The Undertones’ Michael Bradley, who’s also dipping his toes into the world of writing with a memoir of his life in rock’n’roll. Walter Iuzzolino, the man bringing the finest international telly to our screens also chats, while director Gavin Hood discusses his controversial new film Eye In The Sky.

We run the rule over new records from the likes of Azealia Banks and The Frank And Walters, live efforts from Muse and Jess Glynne, and – as always – bring you all the news, views, reviews and previews that you’ve come to expect.

Of course, we’re merely scraping the tip of the iceberg; the jam-packed new issue of Hot Press is out tomorrow!

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