The Wander Landes Festival Celebrates Its First Year

Performances included Sunset Sons, New Carnival, Nathan Ball, Lee-Ann Curren, Haunt the Woods and Consolers

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Bringing a unique mix of live music, surfing and cuisine to Seignosse, The Wander Landes Festival presented by VISSLA and Heads Beach Brewing Company celebrated its first year under sunshine and blue skies. Curated by Anglo-Aussie quartet Sunset Sons, the highly anticipated surf/sound experience welcomed hundreds of festival-goers to the French surf region between Thursday 21st September – Sunday 24thSeptember 2017.

Popping up at various hotspots throughout Seignosse, the four-day immersion into beach life culminated in one epic live show at the Salle des Bourdaines. Headlined by Hossegor locals Sunset Sons, The Wander Landes Festival showcased a string of musicians from across Europe including New Carnival, Nathan Ball, Lee-Ann Curren, Haunt the Woods and Consolers.

Sunset Sons commented: “We’ve had the pleasure of touring with some fantastic bands and artist over the years. Having a bunch of them join us in Seignosse has been a great experience and we have been overwhelmed by the local support. This town means a lot to us and we wanted to put on something special and it’s safe to say the debut year of The Wander Landes Festival went off more than expected. It looks like we’ll have to keep this puppy alive.”

Embracing the sands of Seignosse, Germany’s Consolers kick-started The Wander Landes Festival in style on Thursday 21st September at Heads Beach Brewing Company. Joined by a selection of local guest DJ’s including Sunset Sons frontman Rory Williams, the opening party made for a killer introduction to this grass roots music festival.

Marking the start of the water action was Friday’s official Foam Froth Surf Event courtesy of Catch Surf and Louvine. Kicking off proceedings with coffee and pastries, participants gathered to select their soft-top weapon of choice. Drawing musicians, pro surfers, industry veterans and fans, the no-rules event encouraged wave stealing and general bad surf etiquette.

Celebrating the street food craze, Friday evening of The Wander Landes Festival pulled in an 800-strong crowd as scores of food trucks set up shop for the widely anticipated street food event. Showcasing an all-star cast of local chefs and ninja home cooks, the Louvine terrace was bursting at the seams with hungry festival goers sampling the countless cuisines. Four-piece band Haunt the Woods added a music element to the culinary affair and this concluded their first performance at The Wander Landes Festival for 2017.

The stage on Saturday 23rd September saw Sunset Sons deliver a long-awaited performance on their adopted home turf. Renowned for their high-energy shows, local residents and devoted fans turned out in their masses to see the band headline festival proceedings. Performing hits such as ‘On the Road’ and ‘Remember,’ from their debut album ‘Very Rarely Say Die,’ all eyes were on the four-piece as they shared a slice of their new material with excited partygoers.

Joining Sunset Sons on stage was indie music’s rising stars New Carnival. Bringing a taste of Bristol to France, the infectious live performance energised partygoers and it was easy to see why this band always sell out headline shows. London-based singer songwriter Nathan Ball captivated the audience with an atmospheric show that swiftly became a talking point among festival guests. Checking in for round two was Hanover born band Consolers. Bringing their colourful chorus-driven sounds, the feel-good performance was the perfect fit for a beachside festival. Trading waves for the stage, Biarritz native and local surf legend Lee-Ann Curren showcased her musical flare with a solo set that impressed friends and fans. Warming up the crowd for the second time was harmonious foursome Haunt the Woods. Often found sharing the stage with Sunset Sons, the up-and-coming rock-folk band charmed The Wander Landes Festival crowd once again.

Festival Director Nicolas Dazet commented: “We really wanted to give the artists playing at the festival and our guests a true taste of Seignosse. It was a special four days and we already have ideas for next year.”

A closing party at Heads Beach Brewing Company marked the end of a successful event packed full of outstanding musical performances, fun and fearless surf sessions plus mouth-watering cuisine.

The Wander Landes Festival is proudly sponsored by VISSLA and Heads Beach Brewing Company.

For further information please visit www.wanderlandesfestival.com