With the sunshine making an appearance, Run Riot caught up with Tom Baker, the man behind London's most charming outdoor festival - The Apple Cart - Sunday 3 June. Tom has been a promoter in London for the last 10 years. He started Eat Your Own Ears in 2001 and has promoted shows for a wide variety of acts including Florence + The Machine, The xx, Animal Collective, Caribou, Four Tet, Sleigh Bells, Kate Nash, Battles and many more. He's also the man behind Field Day and the Underage Festival. Here he tells us his personal highlights from The Apple Cart, his music tips to look out for, and why the live music scene is buzzing in London right now! The Apple Cart festival in Victoria Park, Sunday 3 June theapplecartfestival.com For the Run Riot Exclusive Offer - 25% OFF - 'like' our FB page here.

RR: What lead you to launch The Apple Cart?
TB: After 4 years of building Field Day, we as a group wanted to develop a new event that made it more of a great weekend of things to do and see, also one that would appeal to more of a family demographic. Field Day has always very much been about the music and booking a cross section of genre defying artists from those that are up and coming to the established acts. So with The Apple Cart we wanted to put on a day that was more of a relaxed experience to that of Field Day and one that mixed art, comedy, magic, cabaret and of course music, it was key to make sure these areas were done well and not just 'token gesture', we have some amazing partners involved who bring their own creative expertise and knowledge to The Apple Cart, for example we have Turner winning artist Gavin Turk curating and running the interactive art happening for kids under the banner The House of Fairy Tales as they launch an exclusive project Candlelit Matinee and the Art Car Boot Fair  as well, comedy agents, bookers and promoters Off The Kerb curate and book our comedy tent, The Magic Circle books the magic tent and Cabaret collective Rude Grrl curate and book the cabaret tent. It was very important to make sure these elements are of a high standard and deliver a brilliant day of activities.

I think The Apple Cart will grow to become more of a close partner to Field Day in terms of its music booking policy and people will want to go to both days. There's definitely a cross over this year with the likes of Billy Bragg, Beth Jeans Houghton, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, Francois and the Atlas Mountains, Gaz Coombes, Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Josh T Pearson, Martin Creed, Penguin Café, Scritti Politti plus many more - acts I would have thought a typical Field Day fan would be into seeing - I know I am!

RR: What makes The Apple Cart different from other summer festivals?
TB: It's in central London, so it has easy access by public transport; and it's a very reasonable ticket price at £35 (or just £25 with the Run Riot offer here). I am sure no other event in the Capital has Turner prize winners, world class magicians and alt. cabaret stars sitting happily alongside arena-filling comedians and established music legends - all on the same bill, on the same day!

RR: What are your personal highlights for this years The Apple Cart?
TB: When I was in the 6th form at school a close friend of mine had been told a 'famous musician' had moved in next door to him. We both hoped it was Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin or John Squire from The Stone Roses. We used to climb over the wall, sneak into the garden and peep through the window to see who it was. We were convinced - for some crazy reason it was going to be them - and we would see them rehearsing. But then we were told it was infact the original founder of the Penguin Café Orchestra Arthur Jeffes.

"Who's that?'" we thought. Being big music fans we got the album 'Penguin Cafe Orchestra' and really loved it - I've listened to them ever since - so it's an honour to have them play The Apple Cart. This Brian Eno quote really sums them up for me: "Penguin Cafe continues to occupy a unique place in music: nothing else has ever sounded quite like it. Eccentric, charming, accommodating, surprising, seductive, warm, reliable, modest and unforgettable: it's a true friend."

I've always liked Billy Bragg as well, he's a great character and songwriter, so his set is sure to be a highlight; Josie Long's clever told stories are always entertaining and draw you in; and I am certainly very intrigued by Piff The Magic Dragon!

RR: From your perspective, how has the music business changed since you launched EYOE in 2001?
TB: Bands generally don't sell records (well most don't, of course the likes of Adele and Gotye are incredible exceptions) so the festival season is a really key in generating income for bands in order for them to carry on making music and doing what they do. There are more and more -  and more and more - and more and more (you get the idea) festivals starting every year, which is of course exciting and brilliant that the UK has so much to offer, but at the same time can create a very competitive market place if you yourself are booking and running a festival, not only competing for ticket sales but also for the same bands.  

For me it's really important that Field Day and The Apple Cart stand out and the artists that play are special and ideally have not played every other festival. Obviously there are acts that have albums to promote and will play a whole host of festivals across the summer, but I try hard to book as many unique acts as I can - with the likes of Billy Bragg, Gaz Coombes, Josh T Pearson, Penguin Café, Scritti Politti - all acts that are not playing every summer festival. At Field Day we have the likes of R Stevie Moore playing his first ever UK festival, Mazzy Star playing for the first time in the UK in 15 years - and Tortoise, Andrew Bird, Beirut, Afrocubism, Fennesz - all acts that don't play loads of festivals. Plus, of course Franz Ferdinand playing for the first time in the UK in over two years and playing brand new music as well (I'm very excited about that).

I think it's a really exciting time for music, with so many great bands around now than ever before. The internet and social networks have really helped bands get their music heard and enabled them to build fan bases quiet quickly. It's amazing how a brand new unknown band can very quickly get a buzz and sell out the likes of the Shackelwell Arms 250 capacity room just by the likes of a good Facebook and twitter presence and of course strong tunes on soundcloud or similar.

I also think the likes of Spotify provide a really useful tool for everyone to hear and discover new music as well as go back to the classics and listen to a seminal band or an album they may never have heard, but one that has had such an impact on their favourite new band they must hear it! I guess its a matter of working out how bands can get paid fairly from the likes of Spotify, as obviously they are giving their music away for free or very cheaply and that £10 an album they used to get is now lost. So there is definitely a need for quantifying this and making sure bands get the income they deserve as well as promoting their music.

I guess now that people perhaps don't spend so much on buying albums, they can afford to see live music and go to festivals and concerts more often, so obviously that's a good thing for the live music scene. I guess it's just a matter of getting the balance between an over saturation of festivals and the free platforms to hear music with bands earning enough money to continue to make music for us all to enjoy.

RR: How does it feel to be one of London's major promoters?
TB: Wow, thats some kind of compliment so thank you Run Riot! I guess the pressure is on to make sure Eat Your Own Ears continues to find and develop brilliant new music from all genres, and work with artists we are passionate about. And make sure we work with the booking agents and managers to deliver the best shows for the audience and the bands. It's always really amazing to have worked with an artist from an early stage and see them become a huge success, putting on the first headline show for Florence and the machine [read the Run Riot  interview with Florence here, written by Patrick Hussey - from that heady era, days before Kiss With A Fist was released, and when kissing French girls in Paris was all the rage - so said Flo'] at the 150 capacity 229 venue on Great Portland Street in June 2008 to then promote 3 sold out nights at Alexander Palace earlier this year is a fantastic feeling; or selling out Four Tet's forthcoming event at Brixton Academy in under 10 minutes to seeing the Mystery Jets and The Horrors play their first Brixton Academy (The Horrors play Brixton on Friday 25th May) shows is so exciting.

RR: Who's hot right now?
TB: Here are the new bands I am really excited about right now for all different reasons:
Chairlift
Crocodiles
Django Django
Grimes
Here We Go Magic
Julia Holter
Kindness
Outfit
Pond
Spector
Zulu Winter

And also the new Liars album is so good - a lush sound scape thou just can't turn off! All play at Field Day and thats why I booked them. And of course I seriously can not wait for The Stone Roses shows in Manchester, I never thought they would reform, and sort of didn't want them to, but when they announced the shows I feel it's the right time. I believe very much that it's about them wanting to do it for creative reasons and think that's very natural and if they get on now, then why not. I am totally buzzing about them being back and very intrigued to hear new music.

RR: Could you treat our readers to a bite-sized Tom Baker 'Music biz anecdote'?
TB: Not really, I can say however, that after seeing The xx three times this week (in tiny 200 to 700 capacity venues) and hearing 5 of their new tracks played live that new album is going to be incredible. The new songs just feel fuller, more dense and rich and Jamie's production really shines through. I am really excited to hear that when it comes out. Oh! - and of course Lady Gaga is dating George Michael, thats quite mad news!

RR: What's the must-have accessory for any The Apple Cart festival goer?
TB: An open mind to embrace comedy, art, cabaret, music, magic, the village mentality village fete and also you must try the wonderful selection of food at Venn Street Market. Get there early as there is lots on offer.

Stay tuned for the Run Riot and London Fields Radio Podcast, hosted by Rude Grrl Lisa Lee featuring Special Guests from The Apple Cart Cabaret Stage!

Fancy going to The Apple Cart Festival next weekend? Enter the sunshine themed rumble with Lomography! Competition ends on 25 May. lomography.com

The Apple Cart
Sunday 3 June
Victoria Park, London
theapplecartfestival.com
For the Run Riot Exclusive Offer - 25% OFF (£25 + bkg fee) - 'like' our FB page here facebook.com/run.riot.LDN
(Tickets usually £35 + bkg fee)