earplugshop blog > The Healthy Guide to Summer Festivals - Advice from singer and songwriter Victoria Bee Bee

Attending festivals this summer isn’t just about who the headline act is and what to wear. For festival and gig-going pro’s there are a few things they take into consideration to get the best out of the experience and to avoid any nasty side-effects of too much dancing or loud music. One of the UK’s most exciting new singer songwriters Victoria Bee Bee, who has supported the Stereophonics, Sister Sledge, Bill Wyman (from the Rolling Stones), and sung with Paul McCartney and at Glastonbury, offers her experience in to what health essentials people should pack this summer.

Top 5 Health Essentials from singer Victoria Bee Bee:

1. Ear protection – earplugs save your ears from high sound levels without blocking the music. The best come with different filters for different levels of music from pub music, live gigs and for performing DJ’s. They are also essential if you need to sleep at a festival.
2. Plasters – serious dancing leads to serious blisters so don’t let them stop you from dancing away.
3. Disinfectant hand wipes – it’s good to feel clean when you’re dealing with some dirty bathroom facilities and then usually eating with your hands (the number one route to tummy bugs and you don’t want those at a festival!).
4. Paracetamol – so gentle it can be used for most ailments, headaches, tummy aches, and other aches and pains. Read the packaging first and never exceed the stated dose.
5. Sun cream – burnt faces aren’t funny and can seriously ruin your enjoyment. A sun cream with high SPF should be put on before the sun shines as you can get burnt on grey days as well.

Victoria Bee Bee, who’s new single Breathe has just been released, said: ‘The number one item on my list is ear protection. Earplugs are now so discreet and they are a totally accepted part of attending gigs. Most are played at well over 85 decibels, the level that does damage to hearing over time. If people’s ears ring after listening to music, then they’ve done serious damage. I don’t see the point in damaging your ears when you are young, because when you are older you won’t be able to hear the music you love.’

According to the World Health Organisation, exposure to excessive noise is the major avoidable cause of permanent hearing loss worldwide. For more information about protecting hearing when attending music festivals and gigs, visit www.earplugshop.com or join www.dontlosethemusic.com - a campaign to raise awareness about protecting hearing.

Victoria’s single Breathe, co-written by James Johnson, was released on 23rd June 2008 by the record label da Vinci Brothers, distributed by Active / Universal. Visit www.victoriabeebee.com for more information.