Head south for head trip

Looming big wheel aside, the South Bank isn't the first location you'd think of for a 'sonic trip'. But it is the setting for Mind Your Head, a festival exploring altered states in music between the 1960s hippy era and the present day.

The trip commences on Wednesday, with headliners The Orb demonstrating the blunted ambient house that defined post-rave and which continues to inspire accolades from the chill-out set. Judging by their tour earlier this year, Alex Patterson and Co remain on fine form live, with a dreamy visual backdrop and probably a neverending rendition of their 1992 smash, The Blue Room. They're supported by somewhat hoary cosmic rockers Gong and Japanese 'new earth worshippers' Acid Mother Temple. Mind Your Head also expands to prog-rock legends Hawkwind with mental contemporary electronic combo Add N To (X) (Oct 10), satisfyingly terrifying krautrockers Faust (Oct 12) - hopefully they'll keep their clothes on this time - culminating with Pretty Things and The Soft Boys (Oct 19). The venue promises excellent acoustics and there's a healthy sense of humour. However, it's a shame the bill concentrates so heavily on flashbacks and throwbacks; more modern perspectives could've been fascinating. Perhaps the drugs really don't work like they used to.

Mind Your Head. Until Oct 22, Royal Festival Hall, South Bank SE1, The Orb, Wed, 7pm, £12.50 to £17.50.
Tel: 020 7960 4242
www.rfh.org.uk
Tube: Waterloo/Embankment