The warm weather has arrived for another year, just in time for a raft of outdoor concerts and festivals set to take place in the UK during the summer.
But for those still not quite acclimatized to the hot weather, here's five tips how to stay safe while enjoying yourselves during the UK summer festival season - and why you shouldn't just concentrate on the heat beaming from above.
But for those still not quite acclimatized to the hot weather, here's five tips how to stay safe while enjoying yourselves during the UK summer festival season - and why you shouldn't just concentrate on the heat beaming from above.
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00:00Alright you beautiful sun loving humans, if my slightly ahem un-British accent in the
00:06other videos hasn't given it away, I'm not from exactly around your part of town.
00:12Born on the wrong side of the Pennines for some, but raised in the glorious, sometimes
00:17scorching land of New Zealand, Aotearoa.
00:20And trust me, despite what you think, it does get seriously hot down under, especially in
00:26the North Island.
00:27Growing up as a Kiwi kid, later as a music journalist covering countless outdoor gigs,
00:32I learned pretty quickly along with everyone else how to be sun smart, we're talking about
00:37avoiding nasty sunburn, debilitating sunstrokes, and look to be honest for a minute the really
00:43scary stuff like melanomas and skin cancer.
00:47Now these are all things that can absolutely ruin your UK festival experience, whether you're
00:52at Glastonbury, belting out tunes at Transmit, or soaking up the atmosphere at BSD.
00:57Hyde Park.
00:58And honestly, there's nothing worse than waking up the next day after feeling like you've
01:03been baked in an oven, especially when you've got another glorious day of music ahead.
01:07preparing yourself to once again be baked in an oven.
01:11So what did this humble Kiwi, or Bogan as you might like to affectionately call me, learn
01:16from years of surviving sun-drenched festivals like Big Day Out, Lane Way, countless shows
01:22in Western Springs, or Tauranga?
01:25I'm feeling dead nostalgic.
01:27Here are my 5 top tips to stay safe and enjoy the UK's increasingly warm festival season.
01:34Alright, let's start with the basics.
01:37Something ingrained in every Kiwi kid from day one.
01:40Slip.
01:41Slop.
01:42Slap.
01:43Slap.
01:44Slap.
01:45Slap.
01:46Slap.
01:47Slap.
01:48Slap.
01:49Slap.
01:50Slap.
01:51Slap.
01:52Slap.
01:53Slap.
01:54Slap.
01:55Slap.
01:56Slap.
01:57Slap.
01:58Slap.
01:59Slap.
02:00Slap.
02:01Slap.
02:02Slap.
02:03Slap.
02:04Slap.
02:05Slap.
02:06Slap.
02:07Slap.
02:08Slap.
02:09Slap.
02:10Slap.
02:11wife tells me bucket hats are in this year so that's an option. It's tempting
02:15to go shirtless when the guns out, hence the phrase guns out when the sun's out
02:20but trust me a little bit of fabric and some sunscreen goes a long way in
02:25preventing a world of pain later. Next up, keep hydrated bro. Now I'm not saying
02:31don't have a good time and enjoy a few jars, it's a festival after all, but
02:35staying hydrated isn't about downling endless pints or those questionable
02:40festival cocktails. Alcohol is indeed a sneaky devil, it's a diuretic meaning
02:45that it makes you go to the toilet more leading to a rapid loss of fluids or in
02:49other words you break the seal and you got a wee quite a lot. Now combine that
02:54with sweating in the heat and you're on a fast track to dehydration so for every
02:58alcoholic drink make sure you're chugging down plenty of water or a sports
03:03rehydration drink of your choice. Your future non-sunstroke self will thank you.
03:08This next one's a lesson I learned the very hard way at the concrete jungle that
03:14was Auckland's laneway festival. Now we're all so focused on the sun beating
03:19down, we completely ignore the heat radiating from the ground. Unlike grass or
03:24soil, concrete and asphalt soak up the heat all day and then radiate it back
03:29upwards even after the sun starts to dip. At big festival sites with lots of hard
03:35surfaces this can be a ground incredibly hot so while you're thinking about a hat
03:40for the sun above remember to protect yourself from below, wear sturdy shoes
03:45with thick soles that insulate your feet and seek out patches of grass or shaded
03:49areas to give your feet and your whole body for that matter a break from that
03:54radiating heat. Now let's talk fashion or rather in my terms practical fashion.
04:00While that all-black outfit might look edgy with your wallet chain, your hooded top and
04:05your new rock boots, it's gonna absorb a ridiculous amount of heat. Trust me.
04:10Comfort and safety are way way cooler when you're trying to enjoy your favorite band.
04:15Cooler in both senses of the word. Why don't you opt for loose fitting clothes and
04:19light colors? Light colors reflect the sun's rays keeping you cooler. Loose styles
04:24allow for better air circulation helping your sweat evaporate. Think
04:28breathable fabrics like cotton linen or even those fancy moisture wicking sports
04:34fabrics that are all the rage. Ditch the heavy boots if you can. Your feet will
04:38thank you. Health over high fashion my friends. Health unbelievably over high
04:43fashion. And finally and this is crucial for those epic weekend festivals or
04:49Glastonbury. Pace yourself.
04:53You've got a whole glorious weekend of music and good times ahead. Don't go
05:00absolutely wild on the first night and risk completely burning out by day two.
05:05This means pacing your alcohol intake, remembering to alternate with plenty of
05:09water and, yeah this might sound boring but it's essential, do try and get a
05:14decent sleep each night. Your body's gonna thank you for it, you'll have more energy,
05:19you'll stay hydrated more easily and you'll be able to enjoy every single
05:23moment right up until the last encore. It's a marathon of music at the end of
05:28the day, not a sprint. So there you have it, five simple tips from a sun-soaked
05:33kiwi to help you stay safe and have an amazing time at your UK festivals and
05:37outdoor gigs. Now remember a little bit of planning goes a long way in ensuring you
05:42have incredible memories for all the right reasons. Stay safe, stay cool and above
05:49all else, enjoy the music.