Summer Festival Guide

Bon Jovi announced as first headliner for Barclaycard British Summer Time

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In what heralds a totally unique event offer for London, each live music-packed weekend will be linked by a midweek programme of diverse entertainment, accessible for all to enjoy. From Monday to Thursday, the entire Barclaycard British Summer Time site, saved for the main stage, will give visitors the chance to get involved with smaller, more intimate events offering film, music, literature, sport and a specific family day that will expand the Barclaycard British Summer Time experience to genuinely appeal to the whole family.

Jim King of AEG Live and Event Director said:

"After a great deal of planning and hard work, we are so proud to announce what will no doubt be an incredible event for London. Barclaycard British Summer Time takes everything we have learned indoors at our other venues – in creating the amazing experiences at The O2 – and shares it within the world’s greatest outdoor venue, Hyde Park. We literally started with a blank canvas and in Barclaycard British Summer Time, we have created what we believe to be the ultimate in Summer events – fantastic music, great food, drinks, farmers markets, theatre, film – and much more incredible entertainment across a full 10 days. The list is endless!”

Across Hyde Park, there will be four themed zones within the Barclaycard British Summer Time site, each with its own specially designed installations and entertainment, high quality restaurants, bespoke salons, pubs, cocktail bars, cafes, bistros and independent food stalls. AEG Live has made a multi-million pound investment and a five year commitment to ensure this is a truly unforgettable experience and the attention to detail in the design of these areas stops at nothing short of excellence. AEG is also committed to working with the natural surroundings of Hyde Park to ensure an environmentally-friendly footprint and has commissioned an internationally respected team of ecologists to advise on the planning and construction of Barclaycard British Summer Time.

Bon Jovi

James Russell, The Royal Parks, Head of Events said:

“This is a new era for entertainment in Hyde Park. Hyde Park has such a wonderful heritage in hosting world class concerts in the heart of London, dating back to 1969. Today, we are looking forward, and along with AEG Live, we are very excited to be bringing the Barclaycard British Summer Time event to this iconic location that is recognised around the world.”

As one of the main headlining artists, Bon Jovi will bring their worldwide smash hits to their set, as well as new songs from their forthcoming What About Now? album, released March 25th.  Part of their Because We Can world tour, it will be the highlight of 7 UK summer dates.

Rob Hallett, President, International Touring, AEG Live comments:

“It is fabulous that, as we begin to celebrate a decade of working together with Bon Jovi, we come together again to launch a reimagined series of shows at the iconic Hyde Park.”

AEG was awarded the 5 year contract to create this event in Hyde Park towards the end of last year. Earlier this week, it was announced that Barclaycard, the leading global payment business, has signed a full 5-year exclusive partnership with AEG and The Royal Parks to be the headline sponsor for Barclaycard British Summer Time from 2013.

Dan Mathieson, Head of Sponsorship, Barclaycard commented:

“We’re excited to have partnered with AEG and to be the official partner for Barclaycard British Summer Time. Working with AEG and The Royal Parks places the Barclaycard brand at the forefront of some of the most exciting entertainment events the UK will see for the next five years.

Barclaycard British Summer Time will give Barclaycard Unwind customers further opportunities to access a fantastic world of music, advance ticket sales and become part of Barclaycards newest technology initiatives; including, fast track entry and speedy contactless payments.”

 

Sziget reveals new names for Arena and A38

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The newly confirmed names are mainly related to the line-up of the A38 and Arena venues. Among the acts of the huge Arena tent we can find Boys Noize, who plays fresh and energetic electro with a touch of techno. He is not only an internationally well-known producer and boss of his own label but also considered to be amongst the top 10 DJs by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Nicky Romero is known for his bombastic tracks and outlandish remixes. Even though he has a short but busy carrier, he has performed at the world’s leading concert venues and most visited electronic festivals. Now he is preparing for Sziget.

German electronic hip-hop combo Deichkind also accepted the invitation of the organizers. Beloved for crazy and wild live shows including rubbish bag-outfits, trampolines, vodka, and pillow fights among other things, their Sziget gig will surely be an unforgettable one.

Austria’s finest Parov Stelar Band – founders of the electro swing genre and one of the most beloved party bands at big festivals – will return to Hungary after their gig at VOLT Festival in the beginning of July. And adding to the party atmosphere of Sziget, Spanish techno icon Oscar Mulero will perform as well. Still considered as the biggest DJ of Spain he always follows current trends with a sense of tradition and innovation.

With its sweeping craziness, the success grimcore band among the youngest electronic music fans, Hadouken, will play at the A38 stage debuting with their new album ‘Every Weekend’, set to be released this February. The huge A38 tent will also host Belgian rockers Triggerfinger, known for both their traditional rock music of dynamism and tense pace combined with an emotional side. Another A38 stage performer, The Bots, will provide a pure and fresh sound without any artificial substances but an amazing rough background energy coming from their true guitar rock.

Of course the line-up of the Main Stage is also developing. Performing in a late-afternoon slot, Sziget welcomes German giants Die Arzte again. Their music is on the edge of punk and rock with matching satirical lyrics, so surely a great basis to start up a night of fun. Another late afternoon German addition to the line-up of the big venue will be Seeed, the reggae-dancehall formation which is undoubtedly the most well-known representative of their genre in the region.

Azelia Banks

Last but not least, the organizing team is happy to announce the Sziget debut of Azealia Banks, a young talent from Harlem, performing a daytime gig at the Main Stage. Some of the most important facts about her: at the “BBC Sound of 2012” contest she got the third place and also received the Philip Hall Radar Award at the NME Awards, together with the New Style Icon prize at the Billboards Awards.

The Human League set to headline Wychwood Festival 2013

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In addition to this, the festival is thrilled to welcome a wealth of musical talent from the likes of Mercury Prize nominee Sam Lee, audio visual wizards Public Service Broadcasting and legendary ska, pop and reggae band The Beat, who will return to Wychwood for the second time having last appeared on the mainstage back in 2009. Wychwood Festival will also be inviting esteemed London promoters SMASHING BLOUSE to programme the Big Top’s evening line-up with a veritable who's who of the most up and coming bands from the past year. The promoters will be celebrating their first anniversary in February at an exclusive event at Bar Music Hall in Hoxton, London. Taking place at Cheltenham Race Course from 31st May – 2nd June, Wychwood Festival organisers are pleased to announce that day tickets are now on sale and that the age limit for children attending for free has been raised from under five year's old to under ten in these time's of austerity.  Full tickets details and much more information is available via the official Wychwood website.

The Human League boast nine studio albums, four EPs and thirty singles selling over 20 million records across the last 30 years. A phenomenal back catalogue with big electro pop hits Don’t You Want Me, Mirror Man and Love Action, they are the ultimate Saturday headline act guaranteed to rouse the festival field into a musical frenzy. Caravan Palace join Saturday’s Mainstage line-up with their French electro swing and Gypsy Jazz whilst the English Indie folk band, Moulettes, who formed in 2002 in Glastonbury with their five strong ensemble that includes Ted Dwane of Mumford and Sons, bringing a charismatic, idiosyncratic brand of modern folk music set to enthrall audiences. The final act announced for Saturday’s Mainstage is 70s band Eddie & The Hot Rods for a real taste of good time rock-n-roll.

Human League

Saturday’s Big Top will welcome London electronic duo Public Service Broadcasting for the first time who will be showcasing their exciting, audio visual instrumental experience currently enjoying the seal of approval of BBC 6Music. Taking samples from old public information files, archive footage and propaganda material, their attempts to "teach the lessons of the past through the music of the future" are proving to be entertaining, fascinating and a must-see this summer. Returning to Wychwood Festival, John Otway will perform in the Big Top with his surreal sense of humour and a self-deprecating underdog persona that has earned him a sizeable cult following.

 
Festival organisers are thrilled to welcome The Beat back to the festival to perform on the Friday mainstage with their fusion of ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock. Bringing infectious and powerful tracks to the stage, including Mirror in the Bathroom, Hand’s Off She’s Mine and Tears of a Clown they have become a firm festival favourite. 2012 Mercury Prize nominee Sam Lee also joins Friday’s mainstage line-up with his naturally gifted homegrown talent earning him the widely accepted title of pioneer within the folk world.
 
Sunday’s line-up welcomes The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain that has been described as funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, foot-stomping obituary of rock-n-roll – an astonishing revelation of the rich palette and have a huge international following. Formed in 1985, the formidable Ukulele Orchestra has gone on to sell out the Sydney Opera House, The Royal Albert Hall on more than one occasion and collaborations have included Madness, David Arnold, The British Film Institute, The Ministry of Sound, Yusef Islam (Cat Stevens) and the Kaiser Chiefs. Their performance is one not to be missed.
 
SMASHING BLOUSE SESSIONS
 
For the first time in the festival’s history, Wychwood Festival organisers will invite esteemed London promoters SMASHING BLOUSE to programme the Big Top’s evening programme across the weekend. Run by Jesse Woods, Alex Mitchell and Sam Cunningham and drawing on a lifetime surrounded by musical influencers such as Jesse’s father Ronnie Wood and partner Fearne Cotton, they have hosted hugely successful music events across the capital. Over the past twelve months they have been collectively responsible for showcasing an enviable list of new talent that includes the most exciting music to emerge onto the scene in recent years.
 
Friday sees vintage synchs and distant disco vibes from indefinable Bristol mob The Other Sidewho are already en-route to injecting British dance music with a distinctly different shade of nostalgic floor fuel. Polarsets will also perform their tropical indie sound with euphoric dance beats and an undercurrent of energetic indie.
 
Saturday sees Brighton five-piece Cave Painting with their wealth of music that glows with beauty and vision, East London’s unsentimental nostalgia guitar band History of Apple Pie with their hard hitting anthems, four piece Mt. Wolf who are gathering huge attention from all quarters with their ‘Dreamfolk’ described sound of cinematic folk and electronica that has been likened to Sigur Rós (Clash).Last but by no means least in the first batch of bookings for Saturday's Smashing Blouse Big Top billing is Dems, the talented trio that are making waves with their captivating collection of tracks.
 
Lloyd Yates will perform on Sunday’s Smashing Blouse Sessions with his unique, consistent and emotional sound and beautifully crafted live performance. A perfect Sunday addition to the Wychwood Festival line-up.
 
Wychwood Festival boasts an eclectic programme that includes indie, folk, rock and world music with some of the most talented emerging artists on the UK’s music scene at the moment appearing alongside industry veterans and cult classics across an exceptional weekend of entertainment. This year’s ninth successive year will see revellers flock to the stunning Gloucestershire countryside to experience an utterly delightful atmosphere enjoyed by all who choose to place it in their summer calendar. Today Wychwood announces new acts to ensure festival lovers make Wychwood their number one stop this summer. Day tickets now on sale.
 
TICKET INFORMATION:
Day Festival Tickets
Friday Adult: £37
Friday Youth/Concession: £24
Friday 10 -15 Year Old: £20
Under 10: FREE 
 
Saturday Adult: £53
Saturday Youth/Concession: £40
Saturday 10 -15 Year Old: £20
Under 10: FREE
 
Sunday Adult: £43
Sunday Youth/Concession: £30
Sunday 10 -15 Year Old: £20
Under 10: FREE 
 
Booking Fees
Credit/Debit Card (per paid ticket): £2             
Cheque/PO: FREE         
Postage & Recorded Delivery: £3              

Camping Passes (Day)
Adult Day: £10
Adult Day in Live in Vehicle: £15
Youth/Concession Day: £5
 Under 16 Day: FREE

Please Note: Customers should indicate if they intend to bring under 10s as they will need to be issued with a wristband.

First acts announced for Flow Festival

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The first line up announcement for the festival weekend includes legends and topical newcomers alike. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are set to return to the live circuit and will make Flow Festival a part of their tour schedule. Blixa Bargeld, a previous long-time member the Bad Seeds and the german industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten, will perform solo at the festival, showcasing his experimental sound excursions. The queen of unorthodox hiphop, Azealia Banks and the hotly-tipped R&B act Solange are new additions with strong contemporary resonance. Both of them will release their debut album soon. Other newly-emerged acts on the rise are a punk-influenced queer rapper Mykki Blanco, Iceland's Of Monsters and Men, forging their multi-layered brand of folk-tinged indie-pop, and Sweden's Goat, showcasing their personal sound with influences from various musical cultures. The British techno producer duo Karenn will keep the clubbers happy.

African rhythms continue to be a strong part of the Flow Festival experience, as the traditional-meets-modern sounds of Jupiter & Okwess International from Congo and the afro beat stylings  of the key Ghanaian highlife artist Ebo Taylor will be heard in Suvilahti. The first Finnish artists announced for this year are the moody electronic combo Sarah Kivi & Non Orchestra and the crowd favorite and one of the recent success stories on the local scene, the R&B artist Karri Koira.

As previously, Flow will again feature a wide variety of visual arts and film on its program, which will take its shape during the spring. The tickets for Flow Festival 2013 will go on sale on Monday January 28 at Tiketti. The first tickets to go on sale are the three and four-day festival passes and the Wednesday Opening Concert tickets.

Flow Festival 2013 is organized in co-operation with:
Main partner: Nokia

Partners:  Brand Factory, Clear Channel, Heineken, Helsingin Sanomat/NYT, Radio Helsinki, Red Bull Music Academy, RGB, Sun Effects, Yellow Tail

Supported by: City of Helsinki Cultural Office, Ministry of Education
 
Tickets: Tiketti www.tiketti.fi, p. +358 600-1-1616
4 days: FRI–SUN + Opening Concert / 180 €
3 days: FRI–SUN / 150 €
Opening Concert WED 7 AUG / 54 €

+ additional seller fees.

The Baltic Sea ticket is available for all types by adding 2 € to the sale price.

 

The Modfather Paul weller joins the Isle of Wight Festival lineup

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What’s more I Am Kloot, Ke$ha, Kodaline, Devlin, Little Angels, Willy Mason, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Lawson, Ian Hunter and The Gypsy Queens will also be making an appearance across the weekend at the much loved Festival. Don’t miss out on your chance to be there, head to www.isleofwightfestival.com for tickets NOW!

Gracing the Main Stage on Friday 14th June before a headline performance from The Stone Roses will be the British institution that is Paul Weller. A pre-eminent songwriter of his generation, Paul Weller has attracted international success as frontman of The Jam and The Style Council, as well as his critically acclaimed solo career. Now the man himself will be making a special guest appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival 2013.

Paul Weller says: “It’s been a while since I've played the Isle of Wight Festival and I’m excited to be playing it this year, it’s a great way to kick off the summer."

Paul weller

John Giddings, the Festival’s promoter, says: “If you like music, you like Paul Weller – he is one of the greatest singer songwriters this country has produced and we are proud to bring him to our small island off the south coast – we have plenty of pebbles on a beach for him!!”

Making their Isle of Wight Festival debuts under the Big Top on Saturday 15th June, are electro-pop star Ke$ha and grime-mastermind Devlin. Manchester trio I Am Kloot and hot new-comers Kodaline will also be appearing on the Big Top stage on Sunday 16th June, whilst London-based & four-piece Lawson will be stopping by for a slot on Saturday 15th June.

Over on the Main Stage, American singer songwriter Willy Mason and British rock legend Ian Hunter will be appearing on Saturday 15th June.  Plus, one of the UK’s best rock bands Little Angels and Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel will be wowing the crowds on Sunday 16th June.  Also keep an eye and an ear out for The Gypsy Queens who will be roaming the Festival site.

As the first major music Festival of the year, the multi award winning Isle of Wight Festival is steeped in history and is famed for its eclectic & electric line-up, mixing iconic legendary artists with the hottest up and coming acts. This year the Isle of Wight Festival features two highly anticipated Festival exclusive performances from The Stone Roses and Bon Jovi, plus Saturday Main Stage headliners The Killers.  Also joining the ranks will be Jake Bugg, The Script, Bloc Party, Paloma Faith, The Maccabees, Emeli Sande, Ben Howard, Ellie Goulding, Blondie and many more spectacular acts still to be announced.

For tickets and more details, log on to www.isleofwightfestival.com where you’ll find money saving ticket and travel packages plus, the Isle of Wight Festival payment plan. With so many top acts and excitement all packed into one weekend, the Isle of Wight Festival 2013 is an unmissable date for the diary!

THE STONE ROSES – THE KILLERS – BON JOVI – PAUL WELLER

EMELI SANDE – I AM KLOOT – KE$HA – BEN HOWARD – JAKE BUGG – THE SCRIPT BLOC PARTY PALOMA FAITH – THE MACCABEES – KODALINE – PALMA VIOLETS – LEVELLERS LAURA MVULA – LIANNE LA HAVAS – ELLIE GOULDING – HAPPY MONDAYS – FUN – YOUNG GUNS – KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES – TRACER – IMPERIAL TEEN – NEWTON FAULKNER

WILLY MOON – STEVE FORBERT – THE FARM – STACKRIDGE – BLONDIE

DEVLIN – LITTLE ANGLES – LAWSON – IMAGINE DRAGONS – DEVLIN

WILLY MASON – IAN HUNTER – THE GYPSY QUEENS

STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL – THE BLOCKHEADS

BONNIE RAITT – REPUBLICA – LEZ ZEPPELIN

Chagstock Festival announces 2013 Ticket Details & First lineup additions

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FRIDAY 19th – SATURDAY 20th JULY 2013

First acts to be announced include: 
Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman | Wille & The Bandits | Marc O'Reilly 
Brother & Bones | Ferocious Dog | The Aurora Skies | Crazy Arm | New Crisis
Many more acts, including all headliners, still to be announced

Returning after the stunning sell-out success of last year's event which featured memorable performances from KT Tunstall, Fun Lovin Criminals, Seth Lakeman and Alabama 3 amongst many others, Chagstock retains its traditional 2-day format in 2013. 

The limited number of 2013 Early Bird tickets sold out in record time, so standard tickets (still held at 2012 prices!) are now on sale, a month earlier than anticipated. Full ticket details are below.

Details of a number of exciting changes for Chagstock's seventh consecutive year have also been released by the Festival Organisers. 
For the first year, both the Main and Second stages will run throughout both days. The Acoustic Second stage has been re-branded the Marquee stage. Furthermore, the on-site Bar is being upgraded, with a major expansion to the bar size and staffing levels. Parking arrangements have also been reviewed and improved. Other exciting changes to the festival will be announced as we get closer to the event.

As introduced last year in recognition of the tough economic climate for families, all children under 12 can attend for free (ticket is required). 

Chagstock's capacity is once again capped at just 5,000 tickets to ensure that its intimate, family-friendly atmosphere is maintained. 

Simon Ford from Chagstock Festival says, "After last year's sell out success – our first ever – everyone involved in Chagstock Festival is committed to making 2013 our best year yet. We have some fabulous headline bands in the pipeline and we can't wait to share the details of who will be performing at Chagstock 2013 with you in due course. We know times are tough for people so we are keeping our prices at last year's levels, meaning a whole family can spend the weekend at Chagstock for less than the price of a single adult ticket to some of the corporate music festivals. We look forward to seeing first-timers and regulars alike at Chagstock 2013"

This year's fancy dress theme will be 'Circus'

Weekend Camping Tickets are priced at £65 (Adults), £40 (Under 18's), 
Under 12's are free (ticket is still required). A Family Ticket for 2 Adults & 2 Under 18s is £170.
Camper / Caravans / Live-ins Vehicles just £10 per vehicle
All weekend tickets include 2 nights of camping, access to all music & on-site events, and car parking. 
Day tickets are also available, Booking fees apply.

Huge lineup additions to Sónar Barcelona

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New additions to Sónar Barcelona

Darkstar (UK)
Liars (US)
Paul Kalkbrenner (DE)
Sherwood + Pinch (UK)
Nicolas Jaar (US)
Delorean (ES)
Foreign Beggars (UK)
Maceo Plex (US)
Mykki Blanco (US)
Karenn (Blawan + Pariah) (UK)
Baauer (US)
Gold Panda (UK)
La Bien Querida (ES)
Christeene (US)
Sound Pellegrino presents Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team + Matthias Zimmermann (FR)

Sónar continues to add new artists to its 20th anniversary event, which will take place in Barcelona on 13, 14 and 15 June. The scheduled shows by Kraftwerk (3D show), Pet Shop Boys, Two Door Cinema Club, Lindstrøm & Todd Terje, Vatican Shadow,Bradien + Eduard Escoffet, Hot Natured and Fantastic Mr. Foxare joined by various heavyweight additions. 

These new names include outfits whose appeal is tried and tested, like the British trio Darkstar, one of the most interesting projects to emerge from low-rev dubstep, who are about to release their new LP, "News From Nowhere", on the prestigious London label Warp; and the American trio Liars, presenting their excellent new LP "WIXIW," which is much more synth-based and oriented towards electronica than their previous albums.

Among the latest names to be added to Sónar Barcelona is the new artistic duo Karenn, which brings together two masters of today's rawest techno: Blawan – who astonished us at Sónar by Night last year – and the talented Pariah; the New York trap producer Baauer, who has hit the mark this year with his formula of powerful basses and rhythmic forcefulness; the British beatmaker Gold Panda, the main man at the Ghostly International label; and the haute école funk-based tech-house by the popular American dj Maceo Plex.

Sónar 2013 also presents the performance by a unique and very special duo: consisting of Adrian Sherwood, a cult name in dub in the British Isles and the founder of the influential On-U-Sound label, and Pinch, an eminent personality on the Bristol dubstep (and post-dubstep) scene.

Two international electronica benchmarks return, in the shape of Germany's Paul Kalkbrenner, now consolidated as one of today's most popular names, who will be bringing his new album 'Guten Tag' under his arm; and the Chilean-American Nicolas Jaar, who returns to Sónar for the third consecutive year entirely on merit.

Two of the biggest names on the Spanish scene, Delorean and La Bien Querida, will also be present at Sónar Barcelona. The Basque outfit are releasing a new album in 2013, two years after the international success of "Subiza," while the project by Ana Fernández Villaverde and David Rodríguez has given their songs a considerable twist, dressing them up in dazzling techno-pop costumes for their latest album, "Ceremonia." 

Two unique and irreverent artists will be visiting from the United States underground scene: Mykki Blanco, the standard bearer of the movement known as "queer rap" (a mixture of hip-hop rhyming and powerful techno basses); and Christeene, a man-woman who takes the extravagance and perversion of electronic pop one step beyond mischief by means of a highly individual sense of humour. 

This batch of additions is rounded off by the showcase from the French label Sound Pellegrino, in association with the historic rap group TTC and a platform for some of today's most cutting-edge and freshest dance beats, headed by Matthias Zimmermann and the Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team; and the highly respected British hip hop and grime collective Foreign Beggars, presenting their powerful new album, "The Uprising".

Sónar Barcelona tickets on sale

Sónar 2013 Passes and 2 Night Tickets for Sónar 2013 are available now.

Professional accreditation for SonarPro 2013 is available at a special price of 190 €, until 1 April only.

Sigur Rós confirmed to headline Live from Jodrell Bank

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Previous Live From Jodrell Bank shows with Elbow and The Flaming Lips have sold out and the events have been euphoric affairs, marrying science and music in this stunning location.

Elbow's Guy Garvey and The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne have cited the shows as among the most amazing they have ever played. Elbow will release a full length version as their first ever live DVD later this year.

Sigur Rós follow in their footsteps and the much celebrated ambient / post rock band from Reykjavík are a pioneering force in a creative and vibrant Icelandic music scene.  Their immensely beautiful songs are pure, honest and timeless and their live shows have received international critical acclaim.  The band has released 6 studio albums and with an expansive sound and gargantuan visual light show they are the perfect band to immerse the audience and venue in their cinematic soundscapes.

The Live From Jodrell Bank series sees some of the most innovative artists performing in this unique and dramatic setting, marrying science and music and bringing the audience superlative sounds from earth and beyond.  The bands will even project visuals onto the 76 metre Lovell telescope.

Before the spectacular evening concerts and throughout each day, attendees will be able to participate in a fantastic range of hands-on experiments and workshops on site at Jodrell Bank.  With full access to the magnificent Discovery Centre included in every ticket, this is a great chance to find out more about the mind-blowing research happening at Jodrell Bank and beyond.  Explore the wonders of the universe and find out for yourself why stargazing has enjoyed a massive resurgence in the past few years.

For over five decades, the giant Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank has been part of the Cheshire landscape and an internationally renowned landmark for astronomers.  Since the summer of 1957 it has been exploring the depths of outer space in a quest for knowledge.  It remains one of the biggest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world, spending most of its time investigating cosmic phenomena that were undreamed of when it was first conceived.

Further transmissions to be announced…

 

Off Festival announce first acts and earlybird tickets

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Just like you did last year and the years before that, mark your calendars for the first weekend of August. We?ll kick things off on Thursday 1st August, with a Before Party (more details to come), with three days of madness at Three Ponds Valley starting the following day, 2nd August.

Tickets go on sale at the OFF Shop on our official website starting on Tuesday 15th January. The first 300 people to order their tickets will get a free designer OFF Notes notepad (the final batch of last year's limited edition of 1,000, designed by Marta Ignerska).

Passes will be available at the OFF Shop at these promotional prices:

Three Day Pass: 140 zloty / 35 Euro (180 zloty / 45 Euro with campsite access)
Four Day Pass: 150 zloty / 37 Euro  (190 zloty / 47 Euro with campsite access)

Prices are valid until 5th March, after which passes will be available at other outlets at slightly higher prices.  

Buy tickets here http://offsklep.pl/public_html/settings/lang/en

Deerhunter
We know how long you've been waiting for this one, so we?re glad to announce that Deerhunter will be performing at this year's OFF Festival! New psychedelic rock, ambient punk, garage pop? it?s hard to find a label that?ll stick to this Atlanta quartet, but there?s one thing everyone can agree on: they're one of this century?s best American guitar bands. It?s been a while since the release of Halcyon Digest (2010), so it's safe to assume that Deerhunter will be bringing some new material along to Katowice. Bradford Cox recently revealed that the songs he?s been writing are very weird? well, why don't we let that be a secret.

Laurel Halo
This American artist is said to have taken up the piano at the age of six, and soon moved on the violin and the guitar, so it?s no wonder she?s grown sick of them after all those years. Lauren Halo translates her classical music education into broken, futuristic electronic sounds and bold, intriguing vocal melodies. It comes as no surprise that her full-length debut, Quarantine, came out on Hyperdub, one of the most respected labels in the industry. Laurel Halo?s music is dense and multi-layered, but at once subtle and elusive. Unlike many of her fellow Hyperdub artists, who like to crush, terrify, and deafen their audiences with heavy basslines, her output is much more positive, yet no less demanding. One Guardian critic likened these sounds to 'Oxygene? for Brooklyn hipsters.'  No offense to hipsters ? it really is that good!

Metz
Polish audiences might expect this to be a stand-up comedy performance by the popular local music journalist Piotr Metz, but we?re going to have to burst their bubbles: the Metz we're talking about here is a Canadian trio whose eponymous 2012 debut album proved that Sub Pop still has a knack for no-nonsense guitar noise, continuing in the American rock vein of the Pixies and Shellac. They say that before Metz went in to lay down the tracks for this record, a few sharp minds got together to figure out how to capture the trio's live energy in the studio. Whatever they did, it was a success: the album ended up on most year-end lists of guitar music. But none of that matters to us now: we?re going to see them live at the OFF Festival. Hold on tight!

Merchandise
Next up in the category of three-man noise machines: Merchandise. This Florida band?s post-punk wall of noise has slammed down on reviewers at Pitchfork and the New Musical Express, both of whom gave them rave reviews for their mid-2012 album Children of Desire. This year the band is planning a new mini-album as well as more live performances, including a first-time appearance in Poland.

Jens Lekman
You know what I Know What Love Isn?t is? It's a heart-rending and unbelievably beautiful work of consolation. Here?s what Jens Lekman had to say about his third album, released last fall: "I just want people to get some kind of comfort from it. Especially the people who have gone through some kind of break-up. When I went through the break-up, I really looked for some kind of music, or art or literature that could say, 'I've been in the same situation.' I couldn?t find anything the moment, and that made me really sad."

Naturally, we hope that none of us will be going through a breakup at the OFF Festival, but don't we all like to shed a tear while reminiscing about past relationships both failed and happy to the sounds of charmingly delicate melodies?

Travel and Accommodation
There are regular cheap flights to from the UK and Europe to Katowice with Wizz Air, Ryan Air, Lufthansa and KLM.

Katowice has a broad range of accommodation, from cheap hostels to luxury hotels, but you can also live the festival life 24 hours a day at the OFF Festival Village, providing you with a place to stay, take care of sanitary needs, and grab a bite to eat.

Croatia hosts Love System Festival 2013

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Love System takes place in the never-before-used Punta Radman wood. The shaded, intimate site contains a maze of bars, stages and chill-out areas nestled in between the trees. Venture further into the wood and, without a building in sight, punters spill out onto the coast where the main stage lies floating over the Adriatic. Here, festival-goers will have the opportunity to dance the day and night away to the beat of electronic music’s elite, caressed by the afternoon summer sun or the blissful Croatian night-time. Shonky, Ralph Lawson, Mario Basanov and Finnebassen are just some of the names to grace the floating stage. 

In true Croatian style, Love System wouldn’t be complete without a boat party, so we have decided to bring you eight. Hosted by some of the most esteemed labels and party brands in the UK, including Jaunt, Underground, Kumasi and Bad Apple, the Love System fleet sets sail twice daily. Catch George Fitzgerald representing his ManMakeMusic label, roll up for the Tom Demac Live show with Micron, indulge yourself with French house groover Shonky on the 2020Vision cruise, or see UK funky don Ossie smash up the Flux boat. 

Further additions to the lineup include:

First up, No Artificial Colours make the trip to the Adriatic, bringing their signature hypnotic melodies and growling basslines. Their recent Boiler Room takeover has continued the duo’s sharp rise in the house music canon, having released on Nurvous and Resonance Records of late.

Scottish/American/London trio WildKats will accompany them, also fresh off a Boiler Room takeover, where they exhibited their Midas touch for house and disco edits. Releases on Hot Creations and OFF Recordings capped off an excellent 2012 for the three producers.

Exploited Records, meanwhile, are sending the all-conquering Adana Twins and Claptone, comfortably the biggest selling deep house acts of 2013. Adana Twins have recently been honoured with a guest mix on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show, off the back of their exemplary “Everyday” EP. Claptone’s gorgeous reworking of an iconic Charmel’s sample meant his absolute bomb “Cream” tore through Europe’s dancefloors in 2012, whilst recent release “Wrong” suggests a producer in the time of his life. Supporting Ben Pearce on his Purp & Soul takeover will be Harry Wolfman and Jouhl.

Boat Parties

Love System will put on no less than eight boat parties.  Hosted by some of the most esteemed labels and party brands in the UK, including Troupe, Jaunt, Underground, Kumasi and Bad Apple, the Love System fleet sets sail twice daily. Catch George Fitzgerald representing his ManMakeMusic label, roll up for the Ben Pearce and Tom Demac Live show with Micron, indulge yourself with French house groover Shonky on the 2020Vision cruise, or see 2013 man-of-the-moment Ejeca smash up the Troupe boat.

Afterparties

There will be a series of afterparties running at the weekend in addition to the main stages and also once they have closed. These will take place in the local Shark club, and be hosted by three esteemed UK party brands, including Magna Carta, with No Artificial Colours, Wildkats, Kreature and more all playing.

Woodland

As a shady counterpoint to the larger, sun-kissed main stage, the Woodland Arena promises to be a more intimate experience. The sound will be intense, the environment unique, the vibes absolutely spot on. Over the weekend, the woodland arena is taken over by some of Europe's most trailblazing house brands – Milan's Take It Easy crew, East London tastemakers Costa Del Wallop, Manchester outfit Purp & Soul and Leeds upstarts Flux.

LINE UP

Shonky | Bicep | Mario Basanov | Finnebassen | Ralph Lawson| Tom Demac (live) | Jay Shepheard | Ben Pearce | wAFF | Ejeca | Lovebirds | HNQO | Midland | George FitzGerald | Adana Twins | Claptone | No Artificial Colours | Shir Khan | WildKats | Sven Weisemann | Paleman | Ossie | Trikk | Kolombo | Dirty Channels | Climbers | JOBE | Klose One | Matt Fear | Kreature | Squarehead | SION | Mike Gill | Markas | Jonny Cade | Lauren Lo Sung | Harry Wolfman | Jouhl | Bugsy | Fabio Alampi

Love System is more than just a festival; it is a holiday as well. There is a range of beautiful apartments and villas just minutes from the site, allowing revellers all the comforts and luxuries they could want. Alternatively, camping is available next to the site for those looking to enjoy the Croatian summer. Travel packages including transfers from Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle to London airports, and coaches to the site, are available to make booking your time at Love System as easy as possible. 

Love System is the connoisseur’s festival: forward-thinking music, mindblowing Adriatic coastline setting, bespoke boat parties, branded after parties, luxury accommodation, and the Croatian summer. With tickets limited to just 800, make sure you bag yours now to avoid any disappointment. Early Bird tickets are on sale now priced at only £59. Roll on the Summer of Love!