Festivals

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Fightstar, A, Apocalyptica and more added to Download 2015 lineup

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Download 2015 comes a huge step closer today with DAY TICKETS for Europe’s biggest rock and metal music festival set to go on sale at 9am on Friday 27 February and a whopping 38 bands joining the line-up.     

Bands joining the line-up include the mighty Fightstar: a decade on from their debut release, the post hardcore giants came back from a 4 year hiatus at the end of last year for a triumphant run of sold out shows celebrating their 10th anniversary and return to the Donington stage for the first time since their main stage performance in 2008.

Charlie Simpson from Fightstar said: 

We are incredibly excited to be playing our first festival appearance in five years at this year’s Download Festival. Download has always been one of our favourite festivals in the calendar and this year is going to be the best yet! We can't wait to hit the stage again and enjoy the mayhem.

Cult British alt-pop punks, ‘A’, are another act to return after years of rumours and hearsay for their first Donington appearance in a decade.

Speaking on their Download Festival comeback, frontman Adam Perry said: 

We are stoked to be playing Download again, I think the last time we played it was 10 years ago in 2005, so it’s been while! We are excited to announce that Shay (formally of Kids in Glass Houses) will be joining us on bass for the show and it feels great to have “A” back in our lives. Looking forward to seeing some old and new faces down the front!

Alongside them, Apocalyptica, the world’s favourite titans of neoclassical metal return to Download for the first time in seven years to prove that the cello can be as mighty as the axe, while two giants of rock and metal music over the past 20 years, Max and Igor, bring the Cavalera Conspiracy to Donington for the first time in seven years.

Apocalyptica’s Eicca Toppinen said: 

It has been a while since we played Download last. We love the festival and have great memories to play there and to see other bands and friends. Finally we release a new studio album – Shadowmaker – and we are proud we are able to premiere the new touring cycle for England at Download.

Meanwhile neither Cavalera brother pulled their punches when describing what Download fans can expect.

Iggor said: 

I am super excited to be part of this amazing line up for Download 2015, we can't wait to hit the stage and display some brutality from our new record. See you all on the pit!

Max said: 

I am excited to return to Download with Cavalera Conspiracy!  I promise you all the most brutal show ever!

Other exciting acts bound for Donington include Modestep. The rock-dubstep crossover marauders join the line-up for Download 2015 ahead of the release of their hotly anticipated second album, London Road.

Josh from Modestep said:

“We feel privileged to be coming back to Download for a third time, we hope this will be our heaviest show yet. Our first ever show as a band was at Download, so it's always a moment for us to return.”

The Sword are also back, with the Texan stoner-doom-sludge-merchants confirmed for Download just in time to hit the studio in March to record their fifth album, while Sylosis bring their signature mix of thrash and death metal back to Download for the first time since the release of January’s gigantic album Dormant Heart.

Emerging fem-punk rockers The Pink Slips make their Download debut this year, fronted by seventeen year-old Grace McKagen, whose father has dabbled with the bass guitar once or twice at Donington over the years.

Another enfant terrible heading to Download is the UK’s premiere blues rock prodigy, Aaron Keylock, the seventeen year-old Oxford resident who already shreds like a rock heavyweight. 

Among their fellow newcomers are metalcore cum punk powerhouse Beartooth, fronted by former Attack! Attack! frontman Caleb Shomo; and Butcher Babies, the Heavy Metal sirens famed for their confrontational performance style and horror-themed on-stage antics.

The Download faithful will also have a first opportunity to see Donington regular Ginger Wildheart moonlighting as an ass-kicking glam rocker with Hey! Hello!, and a first chance to witness former Ipso Facto singer Rosalie Cunningham’s intensely atmospheric progressive psych-rock project Purson..

Other homegrown talent coming to Download includes the melodic rock of Emp!re, powered along by Joe Green’s astonishing vocals, and London rap/electro/hardcore punk crossover experimentalists The One Hundred, while bands proudly maintaining the Midlands’ tradition of producing top class rock and metal music include Wolverhampton’s eighties-influenced melodic rockers Iconic Eye, their close neighbours, hardcore-grunge maestros God Damn, Telford’s uncompromising alt-grunge predators Hyena and Milton Keynes metallers Heart of a Coward – following the release of brutal new album Severance in November.

Other upcoming British acts setting foot on the iconic stages for the first time are Leeds alt-grungersAllUsOnDrugs, highly rated pop-punk quintet Roam, sludgy stoner rockers Dolomite Minor, Bath post-hardcore upstarts Decade, North East rockers Sirens In The Delta and pop punk tyros Love Zombies andTrash Boat.

Download 2015 will also feature some of the most mind-alteringly awesome new music from across the Atlantic and beyond, including the genetic experiment in post-apocalyptic doom-punk known as Code Orange whose fellow Pennsylvanians Crobot will also be serving up their steel-reinforced, supercharged blues rock to the Donington masses for the first time.

Other newcomers include Southern bluegrass-rock groovesters Blackberry Smoke, Texan Rockers American Fangs, the insane and distinctive melodic hooks of Dead Daisies – the Australian-American revolving door of Rock’s best and brightest – leaders in a genre of one and self-proclaimed “Hauntedmansioncore” proponentsNew Year’s Day, hard rockers Pop Evil and electronic horror-rockers Ghost Town.

In Hearts Wake join the Australian metalcore insurgency gripping Download this year, while highly-rated Finnish doom mongers Insomnium, New Zealand punk-rockers Rival State and Canadian melodic metalcore supremos Counterparts bring up-to-date what is becoming a truly breathtaking line-up.

This deluge of talent flooding Donington Park from June 12-14 will be joined by headliners Slipknot, Muse andKiss, main support Judas Priest, Faith No More and Mötley Crüe, and such rock and metal megastarsBlack Stone Cherry, Enter Shikari, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, A Day To Remember,Slash and Miles Kennedy, Black Veil Brides, Lamb of God, Rise Against, Billy Idol, L7, Andrew W.K, In Flames, Testament, Parkway Drive, Hollywood Undead, Clutch, Body Count, Eagles of Death Metal,Godsmack, Mallory Knox, Motionless in White, Madball, Every Time I Die, Dragonforce, Backyard Babies, Crown the Empire, Northlane and H.E.A.T.

The Libertines will headline Reading and Leeds Festival 2015

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Reading & Leeds Festivals are thrilled to announce The Libertines as the final of this year’s Main Stage headliners!  The indie-rockers will bring the good ship Albion to the Festivals this summer, cementing a Reading & Leeds legacy which dates back to 2002.  

Rising up through the Festivals’ billing, the legendary troubadours Peter Doherty, Carl Barât, Gary Powell and John Hassall made their Main Stage debut in 2003 and returned in 2004. The band blew the crowds away in 2010 when they famously reunited at the Festivals and now, for the first time, they will take their rightful place as Reading & Leeds headliners. With their long awaited new record in the works, their set will undoubtedly be one of the defining moments of Reading & Leeds 2015.

In an exclusive video message, Peter Doherty said: “

I’ve just woken up and I can’t stop thinking about playing at Reading & Leeds.”

John Hassall said: 

"Really excited to be playing Reading and Leeds this year. There is a great vibe in the band and we should be doing some new songs too. So it'll be the best Reading and Leeds ever!”

Gary Powell said: 

"We are all extremely happy to be playing Reading and Leeds this year.  As Reading and Leeds was the festival that graciously allowed us to perform back in 2010 at our first attempt at reforming, and the audience were amazing in their reception of us, it seems only right that we go back to the scene of the crime and do our best to not only replicate what we did back then – but do better, for the fans and friends we have met along the way. Here’s wishing 'us all' luck come R&L. We’ve all got a lot of work to do!!!!I for one am excited for the challenge and looking forward to seeing everybody!"

Festival boss Melvin Benn comments:

“What a band to announce as our third headliner. The Libertines are part of the Reading & Leeds family and I can’t wait for the boys to walk on to our Main Stages in their rightful place at the top of the bill.

“I’m excited to announce over 50 other phenomenally talented acts today who will bring amazing performances for our fans. I really think we’ve got the ultimate line-up this year. Where else can you see Kendrick Lamar on the same day as Deadmau5 and Years & Years, or Marmozets on the same day as Azealia Banks or Metallica, or All Time Low on the same day as Knife Party or Mumford & Sons!

“It’s almost exactly six months to the Festivals and I already can’t wait until August Bank Holiday weekend.

"Having spent some time reviewing the ticket price and talking to people about it I felt that where we had got to with the day price was too high and once I really examined it decided to go the whole hog and reduce it to £59.50. However, anyone thinking it’s a way to get the weekend including camping cheaper will be disappointed. It will not give access to the campsite as I'm creating new entrances for day ticket holders. It’s still great though for those that don't want to camp." 

 Over fifty further names are also revealed today, joining artists already announced for the Festivals including Main Stage headliners Mumford & Sons and Metallica, proving that Reading & Leeds is the Festival for true music fans.

MAIN STAGE

On the Friday at Reading and Saturday at Leeds, pop-punkers All Time Low will return to the Festival for the first time since 2012 with eagerly anticipated new album ‘Future Hearts’ in tow.

Sheffield’s Bring Me The Horizon have established themselves as the UK’s biggest and best metal crossover act, and will follow up their all-conquering sold out Wembley Arena headline show last year with a set immediately before Metallica on the Main Stage on Saturday at Reading / Sunday at Leeds. Their performance at the Festivals this summer is a European exclusive.

Grammy nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar will showcase his unparalleled ability and powerful wordplay in his debut performance at the Festivals, creative indie rock heroes The Maccabees will take the Main Stage and will play some tracks from their forthcoming album, Wakefield rock band and NME Outstanding Contribution to Music Winners The Cribs whose hotly anticipated new album ‘For All My Sisters’ will be released this March.

Panic! At The Disco will bring their incredible grown up pop-rock and infectious hooks back to the Main Stage, along with anthemic rock quintet Lonely The Brave, who return following their hugely successful set in 2014.

Pop Punk’s most exciting new band Neck Deep have set course for Reading & Leeds this summer to demonstrate exactly why they were named ‘Best Newcomer’ at last year’s Kerrang! Awards and West Yorkshire Festival favourites Marmozets will bring their incendiary live set back to Reading & Leeds as they graduate to Main Stage billing.

NME/BBC RADIO 1 STAGE

Following the release of their debut studio album ‘Abandon Ship’ late last year, electronic dance duo Knife Party return to the Festivals this summer for an extra special closing set on the Friday at Reading and Saturday at Leeds.

American rock band Limp Bizkit and rap prodigy Tyler, The Creator also join the bill, along with Birmingham indie poppers Swim Deep, inventive British art rock band Everything Everything, indie rock quartet Peace and North London production duo Gorgon City.Also revealed today are Math rock legends American Football, Liverpudlian band of the moment Circa Waves, beat-maker and prolificproducer Jamie XX, leftfield pop musicians Glass Animals, emotionally charged Pennsylvania four-piece The Districts and Punk duo Slaves.

BBC RADIO 1 DANCE STAGE

Boy Better Know featuring JME, Skepta, Wiley, Shorty, Solo 45, Maximum, Jammer & Frisco will be headlining the BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage on the Sunday at Reading and the Friday at Leeds.  Headed up by JME, brother Skepta and Wiley, they are the leading collective in Grime. 

 Also performing across the weekend are drum & bass duo Camo & Krooked, producer and techno artist Brodinski, Scottish production wizard Hudson Mohawke, mysterious R ’n’ B maestro Ben Kahn and My Nu Leng, who will bring their big bounding beats to the Festival. London based feel-good House duo Toyboy & Robin, New York electric pop duo Cardiknox, geek-step Midlander FTSE, electronic producer Porter Robinson presents his incredible Worlds live show, LA DJ Dillon Francis, and self-proclaimed ‘sad dance’ musician Tourist will also be performing.

THE LOCK UP/PIT STAGE

As one of the most influential pop punk bands of all time, and with a rich history at Reading & Leeds, New Found Glory return to headline The Lock Up on Friday at Reading / Saturday at Leeds. Three-time Grammy nominated titans of metal Mastodon will take top billing on Saturday at Reading / Sunday at Leeds.

Canadian hardcore heavyweights Cancer Bats also join the line-up, along with ex-My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero, who brings his new project FrnkIero Andthe Cellabration. Swedish theatrical metallers Ghost, technical death metal band Gojira and reunited hardcore legends Modern Life Is War will rock the stage across the weekend. Anthemic punkers The Menzingers, Sheffield’s top metal band While She Sleeps, Southampton five piece Bury Tomorrow and rockers Simple Plan are also revealed for the Festival bill.

FESTIVAL REPUBLIC STAGE

All three Festival Republic Stage headliners are revealed in today’s announcement, with a very special set from Django Django closing the stage on Friday at Reading / Saturday at Leeds. Indie rock veterans The Wombats will headline the stage on Saturday at Reading / Sunday at Leeds and fan favourite Frank Turner will bring a special solo set to Reading on Sunday / Leeds on Friday.

Legendary Irish rockers Ash will make a welcome return to Reading & Leeds, building on a rich history with the Festivals dating back to their first performance at Reading in 1995. Having recently announced their new album, their set will be yet another classic performance providing the soundtrack to the summer.

Also performing on the stage will be Canadian indie-pop quintet Alvvays, fast rising rockers Coasts, grunge revivalists Darlia and Australian indie sensation DMA’s. The soaring melodies of Jake Isaac, folky Sydney trio Little May, the socially observant hip-hop/rock of Ratboy, American baroque pop band San Fermin, young South Londoners The Bulletproof Bomb, the soaring rock of We Are The Ocean, irish rock-pop five piece Walking On Cars and Missouri garage punk brothers Radkey make the Festival Republic Stage the one-stop shop for all things on the rise, alongside some of the biggest names in music.

BBC 1XTRA STAGE

Now a well-established feature of Reading & Leeds, the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage will bring the absolute best in urban music across the three days of the Festival. Co-headlining on the Friday at Reading and the Saturday at Leeds are Harlem trap lord A$AP Ferg and hazy Brooklyn hip hop crew Flatbush Zombies, providing an incredible East coast double header of real rap music. Having finally dropped her long awaited debut album ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ late last year, Azealia Banks returns to Reading & Leeds for one of her characteristically high octane live sets to headline the 1Xtra Stage on Saturday at Reading and Sunday at Leeds.

With one final headliner still to be revealed for the stage, the tent will host sets from Miami bass turntablist Craze, South London hip hop duo Krept & Konan, grime hero and UK trailblazer Lethal Bizzle and the fresh sounds of Essex rapper Nick Brewer. The line-up grows even further with the addition of genre-blurring urban DJ Oneman and the unique dream-rap of Pell. New York natives Ratking are one of the purest voices of modern underground rap music and this year marks their debut R&L performance alongside MOBO Award ‘Best Grime Act’ and BBC Sound Of runner up Stormzy. Brotherly hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd are also announced today.

Newly announced today:

The Libertines (Headliner)

 A$AP Ferg

All Time Low

Alvvays

American Football

Ash

Azealia Banks

Ben Kahn

Boy Better Know

Bring Me The Horizon (European Festival Exclusive)

Brodinski

Bury Tomorrow

Camo & Krooked

Cancer Bats

Cardiknox

Circa Waves

Coasts

Craze

Darlia

Dillon Francis

Django Django

DMA’s

Everything Everything

Flatbush Zombies

Frank Turner (solo)

Frnkiero Andthe Cellabration
 

FTSE

Ghost

Glass Animals

Gojira

Gorgon City

Hudson Mohawke

Jake Isaac

Jamie XX

Kendrick Lamar

Knife Party

Krept & Konan

Lethal Bizzle

Limp Bizkit

Little May

Lonely The Brave

Marmozets

Mastodon

Modern Life Is War

My Nu Leng

Neck Deep

New Found Glory

Nick Brewer

Oneman

Panic! At the Disco

Peace

Pell

Porter Robinson

Radkey

Rae Sremmurd

Rat Boy

Ratking

San Fermin

Simple Plan

Slaves

Stormzy

Swim Deep

The Bulletproof Bomb

The Districts

The Maccabees

The Menzingers

The Wombats

Toyboy & Robin

Tourist

Tyler, The Creator

Walking On Cars

We Are The Ocean

While She Sleeps

 

Already announced:

Metallica (Headliner and UK Festival Exclusive)

Mumford & Sons (Headliner and England & Wales Festival Exclusive)

Bastille (England & Wales Festival Exclusive)

Catfish and The Bottlemen

Deadmau5

Hannah Wants

Jack Garratt

Jamie T

Manchester Orchestra

Pierce The Veil

Pretty Vicious

Rebel Sound

Refused

Royal Blood (UK Summer Festival Exclusive)

Run The Jewels

Wilkinson (Live)

Wolf Alice

Years & Years

SW4 2015 Saturday and Sunday lineups announced

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Returning to their spiritual home of Clapham Common on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August, South West Four 2015 will bring you a lineup featuring the biggest, best and most respected names in electronic music.

For the very first time SW4 will showcase ten incredible stages across the Bank Holiday Weekend, including the debut of a second main stage, the biggest indoor structure ever erected on Clapham Common. And with two main stages set to welcome your favourite headline DJs and live electronic acts, their lineup will hit the three figure mark for the first time, as they welcome over one hundred artists to the Capital.

SW4 2015 will be their most ambitious instalment to date and look to top last year’s weekend which was widely regarded as their best ever, resulting in winning the coveted 'Best British Festival' award at the DJ Magazine awards.

SW4 SATURDAY LINEUP ANNOUNCED SO FAR…

FAITHLESS

FATBOY SLIM

ERIC PRYDZ

In alphabetical order:

Anjunabeats Showcase

Bakermat

Black Coffee

Dubfire: Live Hybrid

Fritz Kalkbrenner

Gorgon City vs Pete Tong

Green Velvet vs Patrick Topping

Hannah Wants

Hot Since 82

Kölsch

Luciano

Nic Fanciulli

Secondcity

+ MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED ACROSS 5 STAGES

SW4 SUNDAY LINEUP SO FAR…

SKRILLEX

In alphabetical order:

Adam Beyer

Andy C

Apollonia

John Digweed

Loco Dice

Marco Carola

Maya Jane Coles

Sub Focus

Wilkinson Live

+ MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED ACROSS 5 STAGES

Mark Ronson, Everything Everything and more join T in the Park lineup

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Following last week’s T in the Park line-up announcement, festival organisers DF Concerts and founding partner Tennent’s Lager have today announced some exciting new additions to the 2015 bill, including the unstoppable Mark Ronson (DJ set), Everything Everything, Admiral Fallow, Jack Savoretti, Rae Morris, Marmozets and Saint Raymond. 
 
The hugely in-demand, multi-Grammy Award-winning producer and musician Mark Ronson will make his T in the Park debut this July in what will surely be one of the most hotly anticipated DJ sets of the weekend at Strathallan Castle. Ronson returned with a bang at the end of last year with his record-breaking smash hit single Uptown Funk featuring Bruno Mars. He followed up with his brand new album Uptown Special – his most inventive and vibrant work to date – which became his first-ever number one album in the UK and entered the Top Ten on the Billboard 200 chart in the US when it was released earlier this year.
 
Since they appeared on the longlist of the BBC Sound of 2010 award, genre-defying, Manchester-based indie rock outfit Everything Everything have gone from strength to strength, receiving a prestigious Mercury Prize nomination for their debut album Man Alive. The band return with more unpredictable, infectious pop gems this spring, with the release of their third album Get to Heaven.
 
Glaswegian folk pop five-piece Admiral Fallow first played T in the Park in their former guise, when they headlined the T Break Stage in 2009 as the Brother Louis Collective. Through melding an indie-rock line-up with clarinet, flute, double bass, string section and two jaw-dropping vocals, they deliver beautifully eccentric and finely-crafted songs. Their debut album, Boots Met My Face, was packed with anthemic choruses and stomping Wilco-esque tunes, and its 2012 follow-up, Tree Bursts in Snow was similarly rapturously received by fans and critics alike.
 
When Jack Savoretti released his critically-acclaimed 2011 release Before The Storm, it earned him a well-deserved reputation as one of the most exciting new songwriting talents around. The record’s eagerly anticipated follow-up Written In Scars was released this month, showcasing his gorgeous, gritty, soul-soaked vocals and bringing to the fore his richly diverse influences.
 
Another hotly tipped singer-songwriter, Rae Morris was longlisted in the BBC Sound of 2015 poll, and released her dazzling debut album Unguarded at the beginning of the year. The album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart, and earned major plaudits for its ethereal, atmospheric pop.
 
Marmozets’ debut album, The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets, made a big impression upon its release and won the band major critical acclaim for its huge, ambitious sound. Hailed as “the most exciting young band in Britain" by Kerrang!, they are set to play T in the Park for the first time this summer.
 
Saint Raymond was one of the most talked about acts of last year. His single Young Blood was Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’ on Radio 1, and he secured the sole support slot for Haim’s sold-out UK and European tour. His self-penned, independently released debut Escapade EPshot up the iTunes album chart upon release.
 
With some of the biggest names in music heading for Scotland this summer, T in the Park’s debut outing at Strathallan Castle is already shaping up to be an unmissable weekend:
 
FRIDAY 10th JULY: Kasabian, David Guetta, Sam Smith, Rudimental, Fatboy Slim, Hozier, Mark Ronson (DJ set), Annie Mac, Hot Chip, The Wombats, Gorgon City, Duke Dumont, Jessie Ware, Fuse ODG
  
SATURDAY 11th JULY: Avicii, The Libertines, The Script, Twin Atlantic, alt-J, George Ezra, Jessie J, Courteeners, The Vaccines, Labrinth, The Proclaimers, St. Vincent, Enter Shikari, Seasick Steve, Jungle, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Idlewild, Jess Glynne, Charli XCX, Jack Savoretti, Rae Morris
  
SUNDAY 12th JULY: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Prodigy, Stereophonics, Jamie T, Paloma Faith, Above & Beyond, Alabama Shakes, Kodaline, Catfish & the Bottlemen, Clean Bandit, Oliver Heldens, Ella Henderson, Modest Mouse, James Bay, Years & Years, Peace, Everything Everything, Admiral Fallow, Marmozets, Saint Raymond

New acts added to Field Day 2015 lineup

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We are delighted to reveal the new line up additions that will be joining the likes of Caribou, FKA Twigs,Django Django , Run The Jewels, Hudson Mohawke, Chet Faker and Nina Kraviz on the Field DaySaturday 6th June bill.

We are thrilled to welcome the supremely talented Rae Morris to Field Day 2015. Her stunning and critically acclaimed debut album ‘Unguarded’, released last month, has already garnered huge support across the industry, fans and press, making her one of the most relevant, exciting new artists to come out of the UK right now.
Also on board are Field Day alumni Spector, who will bring the modern pop noir sounds of their highly anticipated upcoming second album to Victoria Park; as well as the adventurous New York hip-hop trioRatking, who mix youthful hardcore energy, pure NY beats and rhymes with Cali punk rock and Detroit techno, whilst staying defiantly underground.

Also confirmed for Field Day Saturday are global electronic collective Future Brown with their time-bending, space shrinking, glossy post-human sound, whose highly anticipated new album is out this week on Warp Records; as well as Soundcloud-famous Worcestershire electro-crooner Astronomyy.

Meanwhile, We Are Shining, the British duo who have been in the studio with Kanye, collaborated with FKA Twigs and specialise in apocalyptic atmosphere with foreboding vocals, big beats and frantic electric guitar solos have also been confirmed, alongside hotly-tipped electronic band Hælos with their breathtaking vocal harmonies, and the brilliant radical funkateer Clarence Clarity, a kind of funky Ariel Pink.

We are thrilled to announce new sensational DJ additions to the Field Day Saturday line up. Joining the likes of Nina Kraviz, Madlib, Ben Klock and Marcel Dettman are Norwegian producer Cashmere Cat; Night Slugs co-founder and ‘rhythm & grime’ producer Bok Bok, sublime bedroom composer-programmerMax Tundra, Swedish beatmaker Yung Gud, as well as London’s wildest new club soundtrackerMssingNo. Plus expect epic sets from DJ Barely Legal, Danny L Harle, AG Cook and Shanti Celeste!

Already a Field Day tradition, we are honoured to welcome back the Farnborough Concert Band, who will be, once again, entertaining the Field Day crowds with their exceptional take on anything from Britney Spears to Adele and our very own Patti Smith! The brilliant Hackney Colliery Band, with their tongue-in-cheek nod to the great tradition of British brass bands, are also on board again, mixing rock, afro-beat, hip hop, Balkan beats and contemporary jazz and soul…we absolutely cannot wait to have these two great brass bands at Field Day again!

 

New confirmations for Field Day Sunday 7th June:

Gaz Coombes/ Eagulls/ Ex Hex/ Pale/ Gulf

 Previously announced:
– LIVE – RIDE/ Patti Smith and her band perform Horses (1975-2015)/ Mac DeMarco/ DIIV/ Savages/ Hookworms/ Viet Cong/ Baxter Dury/ Allah-Las/ Ducktails/ Outfit/ My Brightest Diamond/ Bad Breeding/ Jane Weaver… and many more TBA!
 

After confirming Gaz Coombes, the exuberant frontman of the boundlessly imaginative Brit-pop band Supergrass, last week, we are thrilled to announce more exciting additions to the Field Day Sunday line up, which so far includes newly reformed seminal shoe-gazers RIDE as headliners, as well as the iconicPatti Smith & her band (performing her 1975 groundbreaking album Horses), Savages, Mac DeMarcoand many more.

Leeds punk quintet Eagulls have become synonymous with a discontented, disillusioned kind of anger reflected in their brilliant self-titled critically acclaimed 2014 debut album as well as their chaotic and confrontational live shows, going from early support slots with the likes of Iceage and Fucked up to Jesus and The Mary Chain, Suede, Manic Street Preachers, as well as extensive tours in their own right. We are very excited to have them at Field Day this year!

Also confirmed for Field Day Sunday are Washington DC power trio Ex Hex, who make bold and brash punk meets glam rock, power pop; enigmatic London duo Pale, who have been attracting global attention for their seductive melancholic sound, as well as Liverpudlian band Gulf, creators of a melting pot of pop, psychedelia, disco and anything in between.

Grace Jones to headline Southamptons Common People

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Bringing untold sophistication to Common People’s debut outing, our Sunday night headliner will be the incomparable Grace Jones. A true force of nature, and the consummate pop star, Grace Jones is nothing short of a dazzling live spectacle! The perfect bill-topper for a grand day out from the Bestival team, Grace mixes high art and a deep sense of theatricality with balls-out, booty shaking grooves. Her most recent album, 2008s Hurricane was a timely reminder that she’s still a player, and with last year’s Nightclubbing reissue and a new album imminent, Grace Jones’ effortless panache will be totally unmissbale.

Also adding their own inimitable charms to Common People’s Sunday line-up will be Years & Years. Winners of the BBC Sound of 2015, and firmly fixed at the top of countless tastemakers’ tip lists, the London trio are just about the hottest band on the planet right now, so it’s an honour to have them playing the main stage at our inaugural show.

Answering our all-inclusive clarion call, Common People will also have DJ sets from Secondcity, whose I Wanna Feel topped the charts last year, on Sunday, Serge Santiago and Firas Waez in their chart bothering Waze & Odyssey guise on Saturday in the Big Top, and My Love is Underground founder Jeremy Underground, also on Saturday. We’ll also have a host of delicious street foods, incredible cocktails, craft beers, and out of this world attractions throughout the weekend, so make sure you grab your tickets now and join us for bank holiday treats this23rd & 24th May.

Basement Jaxx, Example and DJ Fresh lead Brownstock Festival 2015 lineup

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Big-beat twosome Basement Jaxx, British rapper Example and Drum n’ Bass producer DJ Fresh are today revealed as headliners for Brownstock, taking place 10-12 July in Essex. Festival fashion will be flaunted to the tune of superstar dance, pop and urban sounds with Sub Focus, Lethal Bizzle and more also featuring across a dazzling line-up. Weekend tickets priced £69 are on sale now from Brownstock.co.uk.

Nestled in the Essex countryside, Morris Farm is limbering up for a party of next-level proportions otherwise known as Brownstock. The boutique-bash won’t let size stop some of the most successful chart topping and dance floor-filling names taking to the stage. The Grammy nominated duo Basement Jaxx will headline the main stage in a set sure to boast many familiar tracks such as ‘Where’s Your Head At’, ‘Romeo’ and ‘Good Luck’. Also crowning the main stage will be Elliot Gleave, better known as Example, returning to Brownstock after his rapturously received set in 2011. The festival’s third headliner is dance producer extraordinaire DJ Fresh; the drum n’ bass major player recently scored a number one in the UK Dance Singles chart with his current track‘Gravity’.
 
The eclectic Sub Focus will be on a hand for a set spanning his drum n’ bass roots, through to his latest genre-busting material and to whip up the crowds in true grime style will be MC and MOBO winner Lethal Bizzle. Back over on the decks Brownstock bows down to a legend of jungle by the name Goldie, furthermore returning to the festival will be one of its veterans Doorly, a firm favourite who has played almost every year of the event. Yet more servings of finest electronic sounds have been confirmed for the festival in the forms of Kove,Dimension and Meridian Dan.

Years & Years meets Future Brown Diplo for Flow Festival

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Additions to Flow Festival's lineup include US-based hip hop acts Tyler, The Creator and iLoveMakonnen, UK-based electro debutant Years & Years and US-based Future Brown. Flow will also feature fresh Swedish pop act Elliphant, established American DJ Diplo as well as Finnish artists Paperi T, Have You Ever Seen The Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS?, French Films, J. Karjalainen's Lännen-Jukka act, Manna and Regina.

Flow Festival adds several new acts to its lineup. Making its debut in Suvilahti in August 2015 is The Odd Future rapper and producer Tyler, the Creator, who is known for his provocative performances. iLoveMakonnen's Tuesday was one of last years biggest anthems, and expectations skyrocketed, when the promising young artist signed to Drake's label. Touted as one of his generation's primary hip hop acts, London-based trio Years & Years recently won the BBC Sound 2015 vote, which focuses on predicting the coming year's breakthrough acts. Each single so far has proven the band is capable of writing timeless pop hits infused with the day's quirky sounds, combining electro-pop to dance to, r'n'b and house. Super group Future Brown formed by Fatima Al Qadiri, J-Cush and Nguzunguzu has also recently made an impact with an exciting combination of hip hop and grime.

Singer and MC Elliphant is one of Sweden's most promising stars with her unique sound that is influenced by dancehall and bass music. Her breakthrough has been supported by top producers such as Dr. Luke and Diplo. The American DJ Diplo will also perform at 2015's Flow both as a member of Major Lazer and djing on his own.

Local acts have also been added to the lineup, such as Paperi T, who has gone solo from rap trio Ruger Hauer and become one of the countries most talked about debutants. Others included are Have You Ever Seen The Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS? who play nostalgic pop-rock, indie rock group French Films who are working on new material, Jukka Karjalainen who plays the only show of the year performing solo as Lännen-Jukka, and Finnish-Algerian singer-songwriter Manna, who takes the Flow stage with a band including strings. Gracing Suvilahti will also be Regina, playing at Flow a few months before the tenth anniversary of its Katso maisemaa debut album and about three years since its previous live show.

Other confirmed acts for the 2015 Flow Festival include e.g. Alt-J (UK), Beck (US), Belle and Sebastian (UK), Florence + The Machine (UK), Flying Lotus (US), Foxygen (US), Future Islands (US), Major Lazer (US), Run The Jewels (US), Todd Terje live (NO) and The War on Drugs (US). For additional information about all the artists: www.flowfestival.com/artists

A new family friendly festival Geronimo comes to Tatton Park

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Brand new to the festival scene for 2015 comes Geronimo, a long weekend of organised mayhem at one of England’s premier visitor attractions, Tatton Park in Cheshire.

Geronimo will make its debut over the May Bank Holiday weekend (Sat 23 – Mon 25 May) and is set to deliver an exciting programme of acts, amazing experiences and wonderful adventures, resulting in a fantastic family day out.

Festival Director Simon Goldman said: “As a father of seven, I know how hard it is to find quality days out that cater for the whole family.  With Geronimo, we’ve created a festival that’s going to keep the kids entertained all day long, and create memories that will last a lot longer.

“The lineup is jam-packed with 100s of things to see and do, and will offer families a rewarding experience through a combination of imagination, creativity and adventure, alongside a number of exciting live performances from some of the best-loved names in children’s entertainment.  It is important to me that Geronimo isn’t just another festival and that families leave feeling like they have experienced an amazing day out that they’ll be talking about for weeks and months afterwards.”

Making the most of the beautiful woodland backdrops at Tatton Park, the Adrenaline Zone will challenge even the bravest adventurers with tree climbing, den making and a thrilling zip line that will reach speeds of up to 60KPH!

For those who like things a little less fast paced there’s also plenty of storytelling and the chance to picnic with characters from Alice in Wonderland. 

Geronimites are also invited to join a host of big names on the Geronostage. Already signed up to appear are Cbeebies favourite Mr. Bloom, who will be performing live twice a day.  CBeebies ‘I Can Cook’ presenter, Katy Ashworth, will also be making three live stage appearances daily, along with daily meet and greets. More live acts to be announced soon.

Creative kids can join in the many craft workshops in the Funky Junk Zone.  From cookie decorating to buggy makeovers, festival-goers are also invited to take part in Geronimo’s live art project throughout the weekend. Be prepared for a glitter overload! 

Gasp in awe at the breathtaking aerial trapeze artists or laugh out loud at the clowns in the Circus Zone with regular shows taking place throughout the day. Fancy learning a skill or two? Head to the circus skills workshop and learn the tricks of the trade or catch the family classic Punch & Judy shows that will be taking place daily – That’s the way to do it! And keep your eyes peeled, you might spot a mini circus act roaming throughout the festival!

Other activity confirmed includes a pop-up petting farm, giant sandpits, camel rides, marvelous bubble shows and a super bouncy inflatable village in the 3ft & Under Zone. 

For kids who love a dance the Groovy Zone offers great activities including zumba workshops, dressing up areas, dance classes with Baby Ballet and even Geronimo’s own disco – playing all the favourite party tunes!

Tatton Park is famous for its beautiful gardens and attractions, including the beautiful deer park, magical woodlands and a working farm. With good motorways links, extensive on site parking and close proximity from Knutsford railway station, Geronimo 2015 is accessible for all.

Geronimo is aimed at families with children aged between 2 and 12 years old.  Geronimo Early Bird tickets go on sale on February 2 priced £16pp, with family passes starting from £75. To purchase tickets and for more information visit geronimofest.com or follow on facebook and Twitter.

More added to Berlin Festival 2015 lineup

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From 29th to 31st May Berlin Festival brings together all the city’s best features of unique music, culture and art. Genre barriers are torn down and redefined as techno flirts with hip hop, Arthouse with cabaret, high fashion with street wear, street food with haute cuisine and classical music with club culture.

Playing the 10th anniversary are top international acts Underworld, James Blake, Róisín Murphy, Seth Troxler, Carl Craig, Robert Hood, Rudimental and Ten Walls alongside key players from Berlin's club scene including Richie Hawtin, Fritz Kalkbrenner, Dixon, Tale Of Us and Âme (live).  

Berlin Festival will transform Arena Park into Berlin's biggest club, taking the electronic heartbeat of the city to the next level for a 48hour party.

Club institution and label Watergate has shaped the sound of techno in Berlin for over a decade and will gather resident DJs, label acts and international club regulars like Pan-Pot, Ellen Allien, Tiefschwarz, La Fleur and Marco Resmann.

Westbam will mark his 50th birthday with a special celebration of three decades of techno history: A Night with Westbam, while debaucherous gay club institution SchwuZ will invite you to join a collision of electro, indie, kitsch and glamour on the SchwuZ Love Boat, spread across Hoppetosse's two floors. splash! Mag, Germany's first address when it comes to world of hip hop, will return with its own stage featuring acts such as Kelela, Shlohmo or Purple at Glashaus. With its Yellow Lounge concept and celebrated classical music stars Valentina Lisitsa and Avi Avital, Deutsche Grammophon blends classical music and club atmosphere.

Berlin's film festival scene will make an appearance at the Festival under the banner of Berlin 'A' Screen: in co-operation with Berlinale, Teddy Awards, Pornfilmfestival and EXPOSED International Queer Film Festival Berlin. Arena Club will turn into a film lounge with Q&A’s and an intriguing cross-section of the film festival's programme. Meanwhile the city’s art scene will once again turn the entire Festival site into a creative Art Village with street art, graffiti, dance, performance art and poetry slam.

Early bird tickets for Berlin Festival are available via www.berlinfestival.de/tickets

All confirmed acts:

Underworld, James Blake, Róisín Murphy, Richie Hawtin, Fritz Kalkbrenner, Seth Troxler, Carl Craig, Robert Hood, Rudimental, Dixon, Tale Of Us, Âme (live), Ten Walls (live), Chet Faker, GusGus, Marek Hemmann (live), Tiga, Twin Shadow, Atari Teenage Riot, Howling, Recondite (live), Kelela, Sylvan Esso, Pan-Pot, Ellen Allien, Westbam, Tiefschwarz (DJ-Set), Zebra Katz, Ratking, Shlohmo, Tourist, Yung Lean, Purple, La Fleur, Valentina Lisitsa, Avi Avital, Marco Resmann, DJ Ipek, Eva Be, Clé (DJ-Set).

More performances across the Festival's ten indoor and outdoor stages to be announced soon!