Let The Festivities Begin
The August Bank Holiday weekend signals the end of summer and is therefore a great reason to party. Here in the UK, we have ample excuses to let your hair down or bang your head, depending on your preference!
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is the second biggest carnival in the world behind Rio, but it did not always used to be the huge event it is now. In fact, the very first carnival took place indoors, at St Pancras Town Hall in 1959. This was an event to showcase Caribbean culture in the UK, and featured a beauty contest, steel bands and of course lots of calypso dancing.
The event came to Notting Hill almost by accident. In 1966, a ‘hippy’ style free festival was put together to promote cultural diversity in the area. Russell Henderson’s Steel Band were playing a children’s street party and decided to go for a walk. Since their drums were strapped to them, this was not a problem and suddenly there was a carnival procession. Nowadays, the procession is a full-blown two-day affair, with amazing costumes, sound systems and decorated floats to rival any party held in Rio.
Party with us!
Here at NetBet Casino, the party never stops, no matter what time of year. While we don’t yet have a Notting Hill-themed slot game, we do have several carnival-themed games, such as Rio Fever. Watched over by the iconic statue, Cristo Redentor, the party is already in full swing when you join the game. Drums, drinks and dancing girls in dazzling costumes light up the screen, while random fireworks fill the reels with wilds and give you chances to spin the wheel for even bigger prizes.
For a more relaxed pace, but still with its roots in Caribbean culture, why not try a few hands of Caribbean Stud Poker? Invented in Aruba (either at a casino on the island or on a cruise ship sailing toward it – the history is unclear), this is like a cross between Poker and Blackjack. In both games, the dealer’s hand must meet certain conditions before they can play. It’s a much simpler game than regular poker but no less exciting, so you’ll get into the groove in no time at all.
Rocking in Reading
If you’re looking for a party but the calypso beats and dance hall sounds aren’t your thing, then perhaps the Reading and Leeds Festival will suit you better. Previously known as ‘Reading Rock’, the Reading Festival is the oldest music festival in the world, pre-dating even Woodstock and Glastonbury. It was originally a traditional jazz concert, but by 1963, bands like The Rolling Stones were blurring the lines between classic rhythm and blues music and the new style of rock n’ roll. By the 70s, progressive and heavy rock bands had taken over the line-up, and since then, all the biggest names in rock, rap and indie music have taken their place on one of the many stages. In 1999, the festival was so popular that organisers decided to open a second site at Leeds, with most bands playing one night at one venue and then travelling to play the other on the next. This year’s headline acts include Fall Out Boy, Kendrick Lamar and Kings Of Leon.
Legendary Slots
We have slot machines themed around two of the biggest bands in rock, and they’re listed in the order that they played the Reading Festival. For the first, we travel all the way back to 1979 for Motorhead. Legendary frontman Ian “Lemmy” Kilminster led the band through 22 studio albums and a 40-year career that influenced everyone who has ever dreamed of rocking out on stage. The Motorhead Slot Game turns the volume up to 11 and starts with a short video that shows what it must have been like to be in the crowd. We don’t know whether it’s possible to mosh and spin reels at the same time, but we are hoping you give it a go.
Rock megastars Guns N Roses have played at Reading twice, and if Axl Rose’s diva behaviour is part of their appeal, then they did not disappoint. In 2002, they kept fans waiting for 3 hours before eventually turning up. In 2010, it was only one hour, but it meant that their encore was cut short and they vowed never to return. Fortunately, you won’t have that problem on the Guns N Roses Slot Game, as you can choose your own playlist of classic tracks to listen to while you spin.
