Summer Festival Guide

Melt Festival lineup additions

June 9, 2020April 13, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

More acts for Melt!

We are particularly looking forward to José González’ acoustic performance this year. Besides his gig with Junip, the Swedish singer-songwriter is about to be the first to climb the Gemini Stage on Sunday. After Kings of Convenience’s wonderful acoustic concert in 2010, González is about to ring in the last festival day with delightful feel good atmosphere in 2011 – continuing the tradition.

Patrick Wolf also found his way into this year’s line-up. In 2009, he made the clouds disappear with his extraordinary performance, and in 2011, he will make everyone jump for joy with his new album. The Californian Cold War Kids and the British Noah & The Whale will also perform songs off their 2011 albums. We Have Band, on the other hand, keep on proving that they are true pros on stage with their debut WHB.

In terms of electronic music, we have also something to offer: Richie Hawtin is now part of our line-up, joined by Chase & Status and Fake Blood, who will perform live for the first time at Melt!. Also performing live: Azari & III as well as Nôze, who will arrive with his band. Addison Groove completes the Melt! Selektor Stage’s line-up.

With Matt And Kim as well as The Hundred In The Hands, we welcome two duos from New York that will definitely score with their energetic live shows. These New Puritans rather dedicate themselves to experimental soundscapes. With the Danish When Saints Go Machine, we also have fantastic newcomers on board, The Sound Of Arrows present us with fairy tale synth pop, and Crocodiles conquer the stage with a rough version of Dandyism. Dirty guitar sounds are the legendary Berlin band Mutter as well as Duchess Says’ forte.

Melt! Anthem
You should also mark the 18th of April in your calendar. At noon, we will upload this year’s Melt! anthem to our website (http://www.meltfestival.de/hymne), which will be available for free. We won’t tell you who wrote it, but we go way back. Another clue might be our slogan “U Melt! My Heart”.

Groove Presents
This year, we are also looking forward to a fantastic premiere: our media partner, Groove, curates 24 straight hours at Sleepless Floor for the first time. Under the banner of Groove Presents, the German magazine for electronic music and club culture brings us established and upcoming labels and their artists. Uncanny Valley are the first to arrive with Jacob Korn (live), The Moroders, and Albrecht Wasserleben. Wolf + Lamb send Gadi Mizrahi, No Regulars, Maayan Nidam and Miss Fitz. The Smallville delegation is comprised of Christopher Rau, Smallpeople aka Dionne & Julius Steinhoff. Last but not least, Stroboscopic Artefacts is represented by Lucy, Edit Select, and Dadub (live).

Melt! Pre-Party
The Audiolith crew’s parking lot raves have been an integral part of the Melt! cosmos since always. They had always been the perfect but unofficial opening party of Melt! Festival till last year. Then the boys officially came on board. Since the pre-party got bigger and bigger, we simply moved the debauchery from the parking lot to the Intro Zelt so we wouldn’t disturb the neighbours too much. In 2011, the pre-party will once again be held on Thursday night (14th July) with an obvious Audiolith presence. Frittenbude will conquer the stage together with Egotronic, Mediengruppe Telekommander are about to perform songs off their new album (a Audiolith/Staatsakt collaboration), various Audiolith DJs will fuel Melt! madness among the crowd and a secret special guest is also going to show up. Once again, the pre-party’s capacity is limited. Like last year, you have to pay a EUR 5 cover charge (incl. fees), which will be partially donated to charity. Tickets for our pre-party are only available as etickets here (www.meltfestival.de/tickets) in combination with a festival ticket only.

By the way: last year’s pre-party was sold out. So if you want make sure that you actually get in, we urge you to buy your ticket in advance.

Melt! Train
Our hotel train rides again! Last year, our beds on wheels option for Melt! premiered. In 2011, a train will ride once more to the festival site in Ferropolis as part of our environmental project M!Eco.

In collaboration with Cool-Tours ( http://www.cool-tours.de/) and MixeryFunTravel (http://www.mixery-fun-travel.de/), we charter a Euro Express train, which will depart from Cologne. The train is stopping directly in front of the festival grounds. The best thing about it: every passenger will have his or her own private bed on Melt! Train including sanitary arrangements for four days. To assure that only Hotel Train passengers have access to their departments, special wristbands will be handed out.

One compartment of the train is also equipped with its own DJ and a bar run by Cool-Tours. The bar will be open during the journey as well as during the day on location. New this year: Cool-Tours offers daily breakfast for EUR 19, which can be ordered in advance or on arrival. Train attendants will care for your needs the entire journey.

Return journey plus four overnight stays will cost you EUR 99 (per person, festival ticket not included). To guarantee that you will be booked in a compartment with all your friends (up to six), one of you has to book single tickets for all the others. So if you book a compartment with six beds this will cost you EUR 594.

Book your ticket via Cool-Tours here ( http://www.festivalreisen.de/index.php?cat=c16_Melt%21.html). Further info on eco-friendly travel options to Melt! will be posted here (http://www.meltfestival.de/de/melt_reise) soon.

Tickets
3-day ticket valid for Friday, Saturday and Sunday: EUR 104 plus booking fee and EUR 5 garbage deposit
There will be no 1- or 2-day tickets availabe for Melt! 2011. In the price included are camping and parking (from Thursday 15.07. 01:00pm until Monday, 19.07. 03:00pm).
Tickets and Infos available under www.meltfestival.de/ tickets only.

Patrick Wolf, Yelle and more for Get Loaded in the Park

November 18, 2018April 13, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

Described by the Observer as ‘Britain’s most innovative, radical and creative pop star’, Get Loaded in the Park is delighted to welcome Patrick Wolf to the main stage line-up. Joining him will also be eight piece cult indie heroes Los Campesinos!

The Gigwise stage promises something for everyone this year; joining Darwin Deez to get everyone in the summer mood will be Babeshadow,who recently toured with Florence and the Machine and electro-pop French artist Yelle, who is currently on tour with Katy Perry. Proceedings will take a darker turn when Goth rockers O.Children and South West London synth duo Alpines hit the stage.

The Last.FM stage hosted by The Flower Pot will be headlined by Johnny Flynn, described by The Times as ‘the next poster boy for the nu-folk scene’. He will be joined by the sweet harmonious hooks and rockabilly beats of Slow Club, hotly tipped spoken word hip hop act Sound of Rum which features the lyrical genius of Kate Tempest, The Agitator, aka Derek Meins, whose songs, according to the Guardian ‘sound like Billy Bragg barking over Public Enemy beats’, Beans on Toast, who blends a dark wit with serious social and political satire, and newcomers Dark Moon (Joe Strummer’s daughter’s band) and The Joker and the Thief.

Having aligned itself with London’s leading inner-city festivals, Get Loaded in the Park has garnered a reputation for showcasing heavy hitters within the alternative music scene. With the main stage line-up already boasting names such as Razorlight, The Cribs, Noisettes, British Sea Power and Patrick Wolf this year looks set to be one of the best yet.

Open from 12.00pm – 9.00pm
Limited early bird tickets: £35 + Booking Fee

Fully licensed bar until close

TICKET OUTLETS:

www.ticketmaster.co.uk / 24hr tel: 0844 847 1706

www.hmvtickets.com

www.seetickets.com

www.skiddle.com

www.ticketweb.co.uk

www.viewlondon.co.uk

Chipmunk, Alexis Jordan, J. Cole and more for Wireless 2011

November 18, 2018April 13, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

Chipmunk, Alexis Jordan, Jodie Connor and Dot Rotten join an already sensational line up on Friday 1 July, with Black Eyed Peas headlining and other acts so far confirmed including Plan B, Tine Tempah and David Guetta. Widely considered as one of the best UK grime acts around Chipmunk burst onto the scene in 2009 with his platinum selling debut album ‘I Am Chipmunk…’. He has amassed five top-ten hits on the UK Singles Chart, including the chart topping ‘Oopsy Daisy’, and his highly anticipated second album ‘Transition’ is out soon. One of 2011’s explosive new arrivals, Alexis Jordan, is an 18-year-old pop powerhouse currently tearing up the club & airplay charts in the UK. The former America’s Got Talent finalist, who has the backing of hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, has already scored two top ten UK singles with her insanely catchy pop hits ‘Happiness’ and ‘Good Girl’. Mancunian singer songwriter Jodie Connor and hotly tipped South London MC Dot Rotten are also set to join Friday’s fantastic line-up.

J.Cole is now confirmed to join headliners The Chemical Brothers on Saturday 2 July, a day which already boasts Chase & Status, Aphex Twin and Janelle Monae amongst others. The first ever artist signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, North Carolina born and bred J. Cole made himself notable when he dropped his recent mixtape The Warm Up, as well as a coveted guest verse on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 with ‘A Star Is Born’. New Orleans rapper Jay Electronica will also hit the stage, a fellow Roc Nation recruit, he has gained widespread critical praise for his lyrically dense performances and soulful tunes. Michael Franti and Spearhead also join the bill, well known for their moving politically charged tunes, they were at the forefront of hip-hop’s renaissance, mixing hip-hop with a unique blend of funk, reggae, jazz, and rock. Also added to Saturday’s enviable line-up is North London’s Modestep, electronic dance act Her Majesty and the Wolves featuring former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, Maverick Sabre, who appeared on Professor Green’s latest single, and acclaimed DJ James Holroyd.

Having recently announced Grace Jones as support for Pulp on 3 July, Wireless with Barclaycard have announced a string of new acts bursting with talent to join the Sunday line up. The Pretty Reckless have already netted a top ten album here in the UK (for 2010’s Light Me Up), featuring Gossip Girl Taylor Momsen they are set to give an amazing performance. Utah rockers Neon Trees will blast out their hard-hitting anthems of adolescent angst with heart-on-the-sleeve passion. Hotly-tipped Nottingham singer songwriter Liam Bailey, who recently hooked up with fellow Wireless with Barclaycard performers Chase & Status on their hit single Blind Faith also joins the bill, along with Californian trio Funeral Party who will deliver their dance inducing spirit. Irish synth-pop rockers Fight Like Apes, London’s electro-pop maestros Clock Opera and Belfast based Cashier No.9 also join Sunday’s storming line-up.

Lykke Li added to Latitude 2011 lineup

November 18, 2018April 12, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

Swedish pop maestro Lykke Li has been a maverick musical presence since her 2007 EP ‘Little Bit’. Squeezing dramatic percussion, haunting organs and infectious soul-pop refrains into her music, her eloquent vocals fill the spacious arrangements. Her second album ‘Wounded Rhymes’, produced by one third of Peter, Bjorn & John, brings this intoxicating concoction to an even headier listen. Having hit the Top 40 album charts in 11 countries, including Number Two in her home country, Lykke Li’s latest is proving to be a bigger hit than the critically lauded debut ‘Youth Novels’. She’s currently playing sold out venues across Europe, including Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London and with a date at the prestigious Roundhouse booked for November her popularity shows no sign of abating. She will be performing penultimately in The Word Arena before headliners Eels on the Sunday night at Latitude 2011 which will be another eclectic triumph for the young rising star.

Latitude’s music arena line-up to date:
– OBELISK ARENA –

FRIDAY
~ The National ~
~ Paloma Faith ~ Bright Eyes ~ KT Tunstall ~

SATURDAY
– Paolo Nutini –
~ My Morning Jacket ~ The Cribs ~ Seasick Steve ~ Rumer ~

SUNDAY
– Suede –
~ Hurts ~ Glasvegas ~ Iron & Wine ~ The Waterboys ~

– THE WORD ARENA –

FRIDAY
~ Bombay Bicycle Club ~
~ The Vaccines ~ Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group ~
~ Caribou ~

SATURDAY
~ Foals ~
~ Echo and The Bunnymen ~ I Am Kloot ~

SUNDAY
~ Eels ~
~ Lykke Li ~ OMD ~

Playing across all the music arenas over the course of the weekend are:

FRIDAY
~ Avi Buffalo ~ Crocodiles ~
~ Glasser ~ Jenny and Johnny ~

SATURDAY
~ Bellowhead ~ Villagers ~

SUNDAY
~ Anna Calvi ~ Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros ~
~ Foster The People ~ Gold Panda ~ Kele ~ The Leisure Society ~
~ Marques Toliver ~ The Naked and Famous ~

Also appearing

~ The Bees ~ British Sea Power ~ Caitlin Rose ~ Chapel Club ~
~ Crystal Fighters ~ C.W. Stoneking ~ Deerhunter ~
~ Dog Is Dead ~ The Duke And The King ~
~ Edwyn Collins ~ Esben and the Witch ~
~ Everything Everything ~ Fight Like Apes ~ Graffiti 6 ~
~ Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan ~
~ The Lloyd Cole Small Ensemble ~ Phildel ~
~ The Raghu Dixit Project ~ Thea Gilmore ~ Tripwires ~
~ Trophy Wife ~ Violens ~ Wanda Jackson ~ Yann Tiersen ~

Elsewhere throughout the weekend, festival goers can enjoy readings from leading poets and authors including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Esther Freud, Jo Shapcott, Simon Armitage, Sarah Dunant, Dave Gorman and Alexei Sayle; top comics Alan Carr, Omid Djalili, Jason Byrne and a festival debut of Never Mind The Buzzcocks; exciting theatre and dance productions presented by The Gate, Bush Theatre, Sadler’s Wells and English National Ballet to name but a few, cabaret performances from David Schneider & Friends, Will Adamsdale, Bourgeois and Maurice; and BAFTA return to the Film & Music Arena with a fantastic programme of Q&A’s, discussions and workshops including comedy stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon discussing their hilarious work on Michael Winterbottom’s ‘The Trip’.

With DJ’s, The Winter’s Ball and late night parties found throughout the site, it is a unique and special weekend of fun, culture and entertainment. An intimate world away from reality waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

Iron & Wine to headline Green Man Festival Sunday night

June 9, 2020April 12, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

Backed by a superb live band, acclaimed Texas-based singer songwriter Sam Beam will bring the curtain down on our ninth annual summer shindig in the Brecon Beacons on Sunday August 21st.

Iron & Wine’s brilliant fourth album Kiss Each Other Clean was released to rave reviews at the start of year, drawing comparisons with the likes of Mercury Rev, Simon & Garfunkel and even Stevie Wonder.

It is Beam’s most ambitious and accessible record to date, adding increasingly adventurous instrumentation and a healthy dose of funk to the dusty American of Iron & Wine’s achingly beautiful 2007 breakthrough The Shepherd’s Dog – we can’t imagine a more atmospheric climax to Green Man 2011.

The list of exciting new additions to our amazing 2011 line-up goes on and on!

Gruff Rhys, a bona fide Welsh music legend, has good Green Man form. He headlined the main stage with Super Furry Animals in 2008 and, in typically off-kilter fashion, played a secret solo acoustic set in a nearby cave in 2007. One of the most prolific and consistently original songwriters of his generation makes a welcome return when he headlines the Far Out Tent on Sunday. Gruff will be joined by ace Welsh surf band Y Niwl as he performs tracks from new album Hotel Shampoo, along with melodic gems from his solo back catalogue.

Noah and the Whale have matured beyond their origins on the West London folk scene alongside contemporaries Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling to morph into one of Britain’s most vital and life-affirming pop bands. Main man Charlie Fink describes new album Last Night On Earth as his “coming of age record” – witness the rise of a compelling band hitting brave new creative heights.

James Blake makes music that melts hearts and moves bodies in equal measure – not so much breaking down musical barriers as leaping over them. It is fair to say that the 22-year-old composer and producer is hot property right now, and for once the hype is justified – here’s your chance to find out what all the fuss is about.

James Yorkston has been holding Green Man audiences spellbound since our very first festival in 2003. As warm and comforting as a well-aged whisky, James will combine timeless folk song-craft with readings from his wry and witty tour diaries It’s Lovely To Be Here – the first ever book from Domino Records’ new publishing imprint.

Suuns are the latest in a long line of great bands to emerge from the musical hotbed of Montreal. The Canadian four-piece fuse post punk, electronica and Krautrock as crashing drums and nose-diving guitar riffs punctuate tautly-weaved beats.

PLUS we’ve got sets from The Antlers, The Cave Singers, Thomas Dybdahl, James Vincent McMorrow, Ben Howard, Treefight For Sunlight, Moddi, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Marcus Foster, John Mouse, Chialo Sim, No Thee No Ess, Neverest Songs, The Sleeping Years and The Bleedin’ Noses to name but a few.

We’ve been keeping you on tenterhooks, but now our final main stage headliner is revealed at last! The good news is that our 2011 line-up doesn’t end there. Ever the tease, Green Man still has some big names hidden up his sleeve. The bad news is that tickets are selling fast, and it just wouldn’t be the same without you…

*Line-up so far:*
2:54 / Admiral Fallow / Bellowhead / Ben Howard / Benjamin Francis Leftwich / Bleeding Heart Narrative / Chialo Sim / Driver Drive Faster / Duotone / Ellen & The Escapades / Emily Barker / Explosions In The Sky / Fleet Foxes / Gruff Rhys / Hannah Peel / Holy Fu ck / Iron & Wine / James Blake / James Vincent McMorrow / James Yorkston / John Mouse / Lia Ices / Marcus Foster / Moddi / Neverest Songs / No Thee No Ess / Noah and the Whale / Oh Ruin / Our Broken Garden / Polar Bear / Robyn Hitchcock / Suuns / The Antlers / The Bleedin’ Noses / The Burns Unit / The Cave Singers / The Doozer / The Gentle Good / The Leisure Society / The Low Anthem / The Ramshackle Union Band / The Sleeping Years / The Travelling Band / Thomas Dybdahl / Treecreeper / Treefight For Sunlight / Ute / Villagers / Wild Nothing… with more to be confirmed in the coming months

*The Festival Site:*
The Green Man Festival site is situated in the Brecon Beacons, crossed by the River Usk and enveloped by rolling countryside and breathtaking mountains and hills. It is, in a word, idyllic. We encourage everyone to explore this wonderful site, and make the most of the surroundings. Wide open spaces contrast with intimate moments. Natural beauty blends with community spirit. Camping is limited to one week of the year – Green Man festival. It’s a unique opportunity to camp in surroundings unlikely to be found at a commercial campsite.
The Main Stage is located in a natural grassy amphitheatre. Sprawl out on lush green slopes while watching world-class artists perform against the mystical backdrop of Sugar Loaf Mountain. The formal gardens are used for Einstein’s Garden where art installations, stalls and entertainment are positioned between rose arbours and flowerbeds.
The Courtyard Bar is situated in a Gothic Victorian Stables (keep your eyes peeled for the bats at night) and makes for an ideal halfway meet-up point for the festival. From the Stables you can follow an avenue of ancient trees decorated with garland lights where stalls sell delicious global food and quality crafts. From the avenue, you can enter the walled garden where the Green Man Pub hums until the wee hours. The Green Man Pub is an intimate space where you can drink a superb selection of ales, beers, cider and cocktails while relaxing at sturdy wooden tables and chairs as glorious music wafts across from the Pub Stage. After the avenue of trees, the space opens up to the Science and Literature tents. Near here is the bonfire area, a focal point for late-night jamming from dusk till dawn. The Far Out big top is also nearby, and when the sun goes down the Far Out After Dark keeps the fun alive long past the witching hour, fuelled by the nearby End Up Bar which is open very, very late indeed.
And once you’ve got your bearings, why not pay a visit the all-seeing, all-knowing Green Man himself? He might just make you wish come true…

*
Green Man pub-quiz facts:*
* Green Man is the leading contemporary music and arts festival in Wales.
* Independent festival founded 2003 – this is our ninth year
* Only UK festival with a 24hour drinks licence
* Only UK festival offering a holiday ticket for festival-goers to camp on site for a week and enjoy the local tourist sites and outstanding countryside before the festival happens. At just £40 more, this initiative adds quality to the ticket and also generates more income for the local economy.
* Kites, buzzards, dippers and swallows have been spotted on our breathtakingly beautiful site during previous Green Man festivals

*
Ticket Details:*
– Adult weekend pass £135.00 (18 and over)
– Student £115 – can only be purchased with proof of an NUS card or ISIC card.
– Teenage ticket (13 – 17) SOLD OUT
– Holiday ticket (£40.00) can only be purchased with a weekend adult pass. It enables people to arrive four days early, camp in the Green Man’s spectacular site in the Brecon Beacons National Park, and combine the festival with a holiday in magical Wales.
– Children 12 and under go free but must be accompanied by an adult (18 and over)
– Camper Van SOLD OUT
– Car park £5.00

Tickets available via http://www.ticketline.co.uk/green-man-festival-tickets

28 Acts added to Sonisphere 2011 Lineup

June 10, 2020April 12, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

SONISPHERE FESTIVAL KNEBWORTH has revealed another 28 names for its 2011 line up.

BAD RELIGION come to KNEBWORTH for a rare major outdoor UK festival appearance. The punk rock revivalists have been a huge inspiration to countless bands with their catchy, politically charged songs, not to mention guitarist Brett Gurewitz giving birth to the hugely prolific Epitaph record label. With over 5 million albums sold worldwide, BAD RELIGION are one of the most successful independent punk bands around, and it’s not hard to see why. With songs such as “21st Century Digital Boy”, “Punk Rock Song”, “American Jesus” and “Los Angeles Is Burning” to treat audiences with, their set at SONISPHERE is not to be missed.

The legendary duo of MAX and IGGOR bring their CAVALERA CONSPIRACY to SONISPHERE’s APOLLO ARENA stage to dish out a healthy dose of high-speed, aggressively powerful and intense metal in the way that they know best. Formed after a decade long silence between Max and Iggor, the two brothers who created the legendry trailblazing heavy metal band Sepultura as teenagers together, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY is a punishing reminder of just what a magical chemistry these two have. Max promises a show mixed with favourites both old and new at their only UK festival appearance this summer:

“I’m fucking super excited to be part of the Sonisphere Festival in the UK with Cavalera Conspiracy. We have a new album out, Blunt Force Trauma, and me and Iggor are on fire. We are gonna play stuff from the first CD, Inflikted, new stuff, some Sepultura and Nailbomb classics, so it should be a storm of metal coming to Sonisphere UK. I can’t wait!”

One of the hottest bands on the UK metal scene right now, Reading thrashers SYLOSIS return to SONISPHERE to open the APOLLO ARENA STAGE. Having recently sold out venues up and down the country on the Metal Hammer Razor Tour, the band look forward to stepping up and showing the world why they deserve the honour of kicking off proceedings on SONISPHERE 2011’s second day:

“We are beyond thrilled to be back at Sonisphere again this year.” States frontman JOSH MIDDLETON. “To be on the main stage is an absolute dream come true for all of us and will be our biggest show to date. Knowing that we will be the first band on that stage after Metallica the night before kind of blows my mind. It’s an honour to play on the same stage as so many influential bands.”

On the SATURN ARENA stage, America’s loudest lounge singer RICHARD CHEESE will perform swingin’ Vegas versions of rock, rap, and metal hits, “swankifying” contemporary songs into traditional pop vocal standards, in a way that can only be described as genius. Having sold more than 175,000 CDs since 2000, CHEESE is one of the most successful covers artists out there and a listen to albums like “Lounge Against The Machine”, “Tuxicity”, “I’d Like A Virgin”, “Aperitif For Destruction” and “The Sunny Side Of The Moon”, leaves you in no doubt as to why. The perfect mix of music, martini, and madcap, SONISPHERE is in for a treat as RICHARD and his band,LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, dish out their own take on popular chart toppers.

Over on BOHEMIA, another eight fantastic acts will join the already impressive line up. Northern Irish rockers THE ANSWER, who release their ‘412 DAYS OF ROCK‘n’ROLL’ DVD next month – which includes an hour long rockumentary of their time on the road with AC/DC – look forward to showcasing some new songs especially for the KNEBWORTH crowd. Says frontman CORMAC NEESON:

“It’s a great feeling to be asked to play at Sonisphere where we will be rubbing shoulders with the elite of the rock and metal world. This will be our first real opportunity to road test some of our brand new songs. The Answer are looking forward to getting up there and shaking our rock n roll asses with the best of them. Bring it on!!!”

Joining them will be Canadian hardcore heroes CANCER BATS, York metal-mob GLAMOUR OF THE KILL, bluegrass mentalists HAYSEED DIXIE, sludge metallers KYLESA, dance-punk rockers MY PASSION, alt-rockersPULLED APART BY HORSES, and Britain’s gloomiest goth-metallers PARADISE LOST, all of whom are very much looking forward to what is undoubtedly the hottest weekend in the UK rock calendar:

“We’re all majorly looking forward to being part of Sonisphere 2011.” Says GOTK’s Chris Gomerson “Just by looking at the line-up you can tell Sonisphere is going from strength to strength bringing more and more great bands into the UK music scene. It’s a good time to be a British band when we have festivals like this on our home turf!”

His sentiments are echoed by MY PASSION’s LAURENCE RENÉ, who reckons, “Sonisphere is a festival made for My Passion to perform. Not only is it on our doorstep being Hertfordshire men but we are also ready to follow the footsteps of our new label mates Rammstein who played one of the most phenomenal shows my senses have ever witnessed in 2010. This one will be a huge homecoming for us with our new line up, & we are ready to entertain and exhilarate Sonisphere and then join the party for the rest of the weekend. Slipknot and Biffy are hugely influential and just a taste of the diversity!”

“It’s really great to be added to the Sonisphere bill.” Agrees PARADISE LOST frontman NICK HOLMES. “It’s a top line up this year and I intended to go along anyway, only now I don’t have to blag my way in ;) Look forward to seeing you all there for a monster weekend of metal!”

“Bad things happen when Hayseed Dixie plays Sonisphere” warns frontman BARLEY SCOTCH ”Our bodies are Rock & Roll temples, and we will sacrifice them on the altar of Sonisphere.”

The RED BULL BEDROOM JAM stage returns to SONISPHERE again this year, and has another six acts to add to this year’s line up. Sheffield noisemakers ROLO TOMASSI will perform on the Friday, followed by electronica duo TEK-ONE - who return after performing in BOHEMIA last year – and Djent metallers TESSERACT on the Saturday, who reckon “Sonisphere is without a doubt one of the coolest festivals on the planet, and this year’s lineup looks incredible. We feel privileged to be representing the new sound emerging on the scene and be playing the same festival alongside the legends.”

The RBBJ stage line up is completed by alt-rockers ARCANE ROOTS, and Preston Pop-Punks ME VS HERO who perform on the Sunday, fresh from their upcoming tour with Skindred. Vocalist Sam Thomson says:

“Knebworth is like our second home and Sonisphere a mecca for all things rock and punk. We are honoured to be back and playing with many of our favourite bands and friends such as Four Year Strong, All Time Low, and You Me At Six”.

Since its inception, the JAGERMEISTER stage has showcased some of the coolest bands on the scene, both up and coming future stars and cult faves and this year is no exception if these ten additions are anything to go by.

After winning the SONISPHERE sponsored “Global Metal” award at last year’s Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, DEMONIC RESURRECTION make their UK debut at KNEBWORTH on Sunday, which the Mumbai five piece are more than a little excited about:

“We are at a loss for words to describe how we feel confirming to play Sonisphere, just the thought of watching the Big 4 let alone be playing the same festival as them is enough to give us goosebumps. Not to mention the insane lineup of bands like Opeth (who we’ve opened for in India), Arch Enemy, Periphery and many others who we can’t wait to see. DR fans can expect a blistering performance from us, it is our first gig in the UK and we intend to make it a memorable one.”

Also appearing on the JAGERMEISTER stage across the weekend will be Essex rockers HOUNDS who perform on the Friday, with the Saturday boasting appearances from hotly tipped blues-rock future superstars SAINT JUDE, rock’n’rollers THE VIRGIN MARYS, plus UK rockers THE CRAVE and JETTBLACK, who both look forward to the weekend:

“We were lucky enough to play Sonisphere in its very first year here in the UK in 2009” says THE CRAVE’s frontman/guitarist RYAN BURNETT. “It was a great atmosphere and a great show from what we can remember, but it was the Jager stage, so we don’t remember that much. We look forward to not remembering much from this year’s great performance too. Be there to remind us.”

JETTBLACK bassist TOM WRIGHT enthuses “To be playing one of the biggest metal festivals is one thing, but to be on the same bill as four of the biggest metal bands of all time is fucking amazing!”

On the Sunday, in addition to DEMONIC RESURRECTION, Manchester power trio AMPLIFIER, Welsh thrashers ANTERIOR, and FLETCHER will perform alongside the mighty ORANGE GOBLIN. Frontman BEN WARD (who was recently spotted guesting with Kyuss Lives at their recent London Shows) reckons:

“Orange Goblin are delighted and honoured to be a part of Sonisphere 2011. This festival marks the first ever ‘Big 4’ shows on British soil so the weekend will go down in the annuls of metal history! Although, now Orange Goblin are playing I guess it should be re-named the Big 5!!!”

SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH takes place 8th – 10th July 2011 at KNEBWORTH HOUSE. For tickets and more info go to www.sonispherefestivals.com <http://www.sonispherefestivals.com>

Line Up So Far

THE BIG 4 – METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX
BIFFY CLYRO
SLIPKNOT

BAD RELIGION
AIRBOURNE
ALESTORM
ALL TIME LOW
AMPLIFIER
THE ANSWER
ANTERIOR
ARCANE ROOTS
ARCH ENEMY
ARCHITECTS
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
BLACK TIDE
CANCER BATS
CAVALERA CONSPIRACY
THE CRAVE
DEMONIC RESURRECTION
DIAMOND HEAD
FIREWIND
FLETCHER
FOUR YEAR STRONG
FOZZY
GALLOWS
GLAMOUR OF THE KILL
GOJIRA
GRINSPOON
HAYSEED DIXIE
HOUNDS
HOUSE OF PAIN
IN FLAMES
INME
JETTBLACK
KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES
KILLING JOKE
KYLESA
LIMP BIZKIT
THE MARS VOLTA
MASTODON
ME VS HERO
MOTÖRHEAD
MY PASSION
ONE MINUTE SILENCE
OPETH
ORANGE GOBLIN
PARADISE LOST
PARKWAY DRIVE
PERIPHERY
PROTEST THE HERO
PULLED APART BY HORSES
RICHARD CHEESE
RISE TO REMAIN
ROLO TOMASSI
SAINT JUDE
SIX HOUR SUNDOWN
SUM 41
SYLOSIS
TEK-ONE
TESSERACT
THE SISTERS OF MERCY
THE TREATMENT
TITLE FIGHT
THE VIRGIN MARYS
VOLBEAT
WATAIN
WEEZER
YOU ME AT SIX

27 new additions to Sónar 2011

November 18, 2018April 12, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

The other inclusions in the line-up are music star Dizzee Rascal, the rising crooner Ghostpoet, North American MC YelaWolf, backed by Eminem, Tiga (in charge of closing SonarLab on Friday night), oOoOO (the third cornerstone of the Brooklyn label Tri Angle showcase) and the showcase by the Italian label Stroboscopic Artefacts, among others.

Sónar continues to seek out the most interesting artists working in Spain right now and this year has selected 10 more names for inclusion in the Barcelona festival line-up.

Sónar Galicia adds 5 top level shows to the line-up: James Murphy, Four Tet, the techno-dubstep producer Martyn, the tech-house maestro Radio Slave and the French house duo DJ Mehdi Vs. Brodinski.

In anticipation of further confirmations, Sónar, the 18th International Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art – which will be held in Barcelona days 16, 17 and 18 June – now features a total of 125 shows with these 22 new additions.

New international additions to Sónar Barcelona 2011

James Murphy, one of the most important characters in music so far this century, comes to Sónar after his tremendous recent farewell concert for his band LCD Soundsystem, to give us two sets of exquisite disco-funk-house: one at Sónar Barcelona and the other at Sónar Galicia.

Four Tet is one of the essential names in contemporary music working today. A top drawer producer, a maestro of meticulous electronica and a dj with unquestionable taste, this English artist will be presenting tracks from his most recent album, “There Is Love In You”, and his recent collaborations with Burial, Thom Yorke and Caribou both at Sónar Galicia and Sónar Barcelona.

Dizzee Rascal, probably the best MC to come out of the United Kingdom in the last decade and one of the cornerstones of the British urban sound, returns to Sónar by popular demand after his excellent show last year.

As well as Dizzee Rascal, the festival also presents his fellow British artist Ghostpoet whose debut “Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam” – a treatise of modern hip-hop, tending towards blues and the dark side of trio hop – is one of the most pleasant surprises of this year.

As is the music by the enigmatic oOoOO, one of the cornerstones of Tri Angle who joins the showcase by the Brooklyn label to provide a set for horizontal listening halfway between a live show and a dj session.

Sónar also presents the showcase by the Italian label Stroboscopic Artefacts (dark and penetrating IDM with the brand new names of Lucy and Dadub); the renowned Canadian dj Tiga, who will be responsible for bringing Friday to a close on the SonarLab stage; and one of today’s most interesting MCs, America’s YelaWolf, an Eminem protegé with a powerful personality able to rap at truly devilish speeds. The international additions are rounded off by the Canadian Marc Messier’s unusual Sewing Machine Orchestra, whose name says it all: it is an orchestra consisting of amplified computer-controlled sewing machines.

New Spanish additions to Sónar Barcelona 2011

In its global tracking of the most stimulating talent working today, Sónar looks particularly carefully within Spain’s borders to select the best of the country’s electronica and advanced music.

There are ten new additions to the Sónar Barcelona line-up, all of which are outstanding in terms of their contemporary sensitivity and their commitment to quality: the Barcelona darkwave duo Stendhal Syndrome (with visuals by Alba G. Corral); the disco-house-pop magic of Pffff; the amalgam of styles of Shelby Grey (the new project by Barcelona’s Vicknoise); Aster, the outstanding new duo of djs on the Hivern label; the fascinating world of the electronic luthiers of the Barcelona Laptops Orchestra; the tender and intimate IDM of Ragul; the Aragonese dj Chelis, one of the most creative djs in Spain; the mixture of jazzy grooves and beatboxing of Beat’A’Boom; and selectors from Spain’s two leading music publications: Half Nelson and Vidal Romero (Go-Mag djs) and Joan S. Luna (MondoSonoro), as well as the showcase by Natura Sonoris, one of the country’s leading techno labels, with its main man Henry Saiz and the dark and profound Sistema.

Latest international additions to Sónar Galicia 2011

With these 5 new additions, Sónar Galicia 2011, the 2nd Festival of Advanced Music which will be held in A Coruña on 17 and 18 June now has a total of 27 confirmed shows.

As well as the star turns by James Murphy and Four Tet, Sónar Galicia includes four of the most consolidated and renowned names in modern European electronica in its line-up.

Holland’s Martyn, a key figure in the new school where dubstep and electronica converge, will be presenting tracks from his forthcoming album on Brainfeeder – Flying Lotus’ label – with his new live show.

Matt Edwards, the man behind Radio Slave, has been giving us remixes and his own tunes in the best European tech-house tradition for more than decade, while always keeping the quality threshold high.

Finally, the French duo consisting of DJ Mehdi + Brodinski (sharpshooters of carefully woven house and techno on a party tip on Ed Banger and Turbo respectively) promises to provide some of the highlights on the SonarHall stage at Sónar Galicia.

List of new confirmed additions

Sónar Barcelona 2011

James Murphy (DFA/US)
Four Tet (Text/UK)
Dizzee Rascal (Dirtee Stank/UK)
Ghostpoet (Brownswood Recordings/UK)
Tiga (Turbo/CA)
Yelawolf (Shady Records/US)
oOoOO (Tri Angle/US)
Sewing Machine Orchestra (CA)
Chelis (Lo-Fi Funk/ES)
Stendhal Syndrome (ES)
PFFFF (New York Club/ES)
Shelby Grey (Holographic People/ES)
Barcelona Laptop Orchestra (Esmuc/ES)
Ragul (Discontinu/ES)
Beat’A’Boom (Col·lectiu Cazique/ES)
Aster (Hivern/ES)
Half Nelson + Vidal Romero (Go Mag/ES)
Joan S. Luna (ES)
Showcase Stroboscopic Artefacts :: Lucy + Dadub (IT)
Showcase Natura Sonoris :: Henry Saiz + Sistema (ES)

Sónar Galicia 2011

James Murphy (DFA/US)
Four Tet (Text/UK)
Martyn (3024/NL)
Radio Slave (Rekids/UK)
DJ Mehdi vs Brodinski (Ed Banger-Turbo/FR)

Adam Ant, Rumer and more added to Hard Rock Calling lineup

November 18, 2018April 11, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

Adam Ant is one of the most instantly recognisable and iconic artists of the twentieth century. As a solo solo artist, he scored ten UK top ten hits, including three Number One singles. Ant was also a star in America where he not only scored a string of hit singles and albums, but was once voted sexiest man in America by the viewers of MTV. Joined by a new band‘ The Good, The Mad and The Lovely Posse‘, Adam Ant is confirmed to perform for crowds in Hyde Park as part of his first tour for 15 years.

On playing the Hyde Park event, Adam Ant commented: “It’s been 15 years, I can’t wait to get out on the road again, and to play in Hyde Park is a real honour for me. I have a great band, and I have the songs and I’m ready to Rock n’ Roll”

Also shaping up Sunday 26 June at Hard Rock Calling is critically acclaimed BRIT-nominated singer Rumer, whose Platinum-selling debut album ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ shot to Number Three in the UK charts. With comparisons to the legendary Karen Carpenter and Carole King, and fans including Elton John, Jools Holland andBurt Bacharach, Rumer’s soulful tones bring a highly anticipated addition to this year’s Hard Rock Calling.
The multi-million selling Lighthouse Family return on fine form to perform for crowds at Hyde Park. The band amassed four Top Ten albums generating eight Top Twenty singles including Ocean Drive, Raincloud, Lifted and High. Fresh from their US tour the fantastic Grammy Award-nominated Barenaked Ladies also join the bill, performing their huge hits including the TopFive smash One Week, It’s All Been Done and Call And Answer

Further additions to Sunday 26 June include American Grammy-Award winning rockers Train, who had big hits with the Top Ten smash Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me), as well as Hey, Soul Sister. An all-new Mike + The Mechanics will also take to the stage, featuring a brand new line up of Mike Rutherford, Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar. They’re joined by former Starsailor frontman James Walsh who will perform an acoustic set for crowds.

In an addition to the Saturday 25 Juneline up, folk-rock singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham is also confirmed, as well as Russian-rockers Everline. Grammy-Award winning rockers Bon Jovi will headline in what promises to be one of the hottest events of the summer.

Tickets are on sale now and available at www.hardrockcalling.co.uk.

First acts announced for OFF Festival

June 9, 2020April 8, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

OFF Festival is a way of life, one that flies in the face of current trends and stays true to itself, and the ethos of organiser Artur Rojek is firmly aimed at supporting art and music with the festival bringing many acts to Poland for the first time.

Growing in prominence year on year with this years event promising one of the strongest line-ups to date in line with Rojek’s forward-thinking, eclectic music policy. From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance. This year’s edition will showcase over one hundred acts across four stages.

Amongst the first acts to be announced are; Primal Scream playing “Screamadelica”, Gang Of Four, Mogwai, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Deerhoof, Low, Liars, Actress, Meshuggah, Kury playing “P.O.L.O.V.I.R.U.S.”, Czeslaw Spiewa Tesco Value, Abradab plays Kaliber 44, Lech Janerka, Bielizna plays Taniec lekkich goryli, L.Stadt, Omar Souleyman, Junior Boys, Kode9 & The Spaceape, Warpaint, Glasser, Xiu Xiu, Destroyer, Neon Indian, Ringo Deathstarr, Oneohtrix Point Never, Factory Floor, Twin Shadow, Matthew Dear, Male Bonding, Igor Boxx, Olivia Anna Livki, DVA, Liturgy, GaBLé and Barn Owl. Plus a special opening show with Current 93 + guest.

Artur Rojek likes to share his music.
Back in the day, before he became a celebrated music star of his own right, he would simply play his favourite records for his friends, or make them tapes, forcing them to listen to his latest discoveries. He went on to become one of the best-selling Polish artists of all time, regularly playing tracks that he found fascinating or had caught his attention on the radio. And he still does actually… But back in 2005 Rojek found a new, all-encompassing way to share good music with others. The perfect way to experience this music together with others and to share the emotions carried by the sound. And so it was that OFF Festival was created.

A true paradise for fans of great music.
Last year marked the 5th anniversary of Artur Rojek’s loud brainchild and an exciting development for the festival as it moved from it’s former home, the Skupna Water Park in Myslowice to a brand new location at Dolina Trzech Stawow, which translates to ‘Three Lake Valley’, in Katowice – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia.

Over the years, the OFF Festival has amassed its own demanding yet appreciative audience as well as a well deserved reputation in Poland and abroad. Not without reason has it been said and written that OFF is the best alternative festival in this part of Europe and the only place east of Berlin where one can catch a glimpse of the boldest and electic acts on stages worldwide. This year, over 15,000 music fans are expected to flock to Three Lake Valley to witness Artur Rojek’s musical vision come to fruition once again.

More than just music
OFF Festival is about more than just music. It also features a number of accompanying events: film, art, performance and poetry. It’s also an event which keeps the environment in mind – all food and drinks come in environmentally-friendly packaging and there is a big emphasis on recycling. It’s a completely safe place, an event where diverse tastes and appearances are welcomed and where everyone is the same because everyone is different.

Tickets
3-DAY PASS*
* Allows entrance to all concerts taking place between the 5th and 7th of August in the area of Dolina Trzech Stawów (gate opens at 13:00)

35 EUR (45 EUR with camping included) – until April 30th
40 EUR (50 EUR with camping included) – May 1st until June 30th
45 EUR (55 EUR with camping included) – July 1st until August 4th
50 EUR – August 5th, on location

ONE DAY TICKET*?
*Allows entry to the concerts taking place in one chosen day of the festival
August 4th – Special opening show with Current 93 + guest (gate opens at 18:00)?22 EUR – pre-sale until August 3rd ?27 EUR – August 4th, on location
August 5th or 6th or 7th – Three Ponds Valley (gate opens at 13:00)?25 EUR – pre sale until August 4th?35 EUR– during the festival

CAMPING TICKETS?
Please note that camping (Festival Village) will not be sold this year separately – unless there is space available when the festival starts.?17 EUR – August 5th or 6th or 7th
buy tickets from:
http://www.seetickets.com/Event/OFF-FESTIVAL/Dolina-Trzech-Stawow/553022
www.ticketpro.pl
?www.eventim.pl
?www.ticketportal.pl

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

Arriving at Katowice/Pyrzowice airport – take the bus marked “Lotnisko” to the Katowice train station (Dworzec PKP) and then transfer to one of the below lines.

Buses from Katowice train station (Dworzec PKP):
– to the Muchowiec airport (OFF Festival grounds) – lines 0 and 50.
– to the Trzy Stawy bus stop (shopping center, 500 meters from the
festival grounds) – lines 10, 110, 672, 674, and 910.

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. The Festival Village at OFF Festival Katowice 2010 will open August 5 at noon, and close on August 9 at 3:00 pm. A stay at the Festival Village costs 4 € (16 PLN) per person, per day.
More information on all the travel and accommodation is available on the festival website

OFF Festival online
http://www.off-festival.pl

Rockness 2011 Lineup additions

November 18, 2018April 7, 2011 by Summer Festival Guide

Rocketing onto the MAINSTAGE is the Midas of house music LAIDBACK LUKE! Supercharged with all the big blockbuster beats he can lay his super hero hands on, LUKE will be tearing things up at this year’s festival where he will be joined by Road to RockNess Headliners, THE JAPANESE POPSTARS.

Also joining the Main Stage over the weekend will be THE BOXER REBELLION, MORNING PARADE and the sonically adventurous outfit hailing from Kilsyth, TWILIGHT SAD.

Exciting new additions to the ARENA line up include the hottest Dubstep duo of the moment and Beatport heroes NERO, and ready to shake the loch to its core with his bass bin crushing dance floor beats is the revolutionary SKRILLEX!

Get ready for a hilarious and screw-face inducing roller-coaster ride through the twisted mind of BEARDYMAN and then get stunned by Drum & Bass debonair SUB FOCUS whose adrenalin-fuelled-audacious LIVE performance is going to get the crowds jumping.

The ARENA also welcomes Glasgow rock outfit SONS AND DAUGHTERS, and Edinburgh’s finest, BROKEN RECORDS, bringing their gargantuan joyous Scottish 7 piece sound to astound the masses. As well as London’s alt-indie quintet CHAPEL CLUB, the unconventional and genre defying JIM JONES REVUE, DOG IS DEAD and SOUND OF GUNS.

AND ON TOP OF THIS…..

ROCKNESS is thrilled to introduce an electrifying new addition to the festival, the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS. This brand new structure for 2011 is set to take you on an all encompassing musical journey that will enlighten and excite any true music fan. The arena will open by showcasing cutting edge emerging artists and truly magnificent talents in the music scene right now and as the sun sets it will be transformed into a full on-unadulterated hedonistic RockNess club experience taking you into the early hours!

So on entering the festival make your first stop across the weekend the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS, where you will get sucked in by a band described by ‘Popjustice’ as a “Delicately swooshy fairytale electropop with a glittercanon where its heart should be” – SOUND OF ARROWS and we introduce a prolific songwriter with an extraordinary vocal talent, SAINT SAVIOUR, a lady who has already toured with ROCKNESS favourites, GROOVE ARMADA!

Also adorning the arena is WORSHIP showcasing their moody, haunting music, soaring vocals and tense, synth-laden atmosphere to the new arena.

As night time rolls in the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS will then be transformed into a festival CLUBBINGexperience like no other by indie club phenomenon PROPOGANDA who take their show to over 20,000 people every week in the UK, Ireland and Australia. DJ DAN, Propaganda creator and Oasis after show DJ, is guaranteed to keep you dancing and singing along to the best new and classic indie music. Be a part of the biggest guilt-free arms-in-the-air FRIDAY night opening party ROCKNESS has ever seen!

After the Friday night debauchery the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS will be the perfect setting to ease yourself back into the SATURDAY with incredible music from one of the ‘must see’ acts of 2011, JAMIE WOON,who has received huge critical acclaim for his music and is already set for big things in the coming year. And if you haven’t heard of one of the UKs most in demand enigmatic artists WOLF GANG, we highly recommend getting him on your ROCKNESS ‘ones to watch list’.

Next up and representing SCOTTISH ladies is an urban singer who hit the spotlight by collaborating with Chipmunk on his “Diamond Rings”, EMELI SANDE. Then like a breath of fresh air the glorious and undeniable complex and compelling sound and lyrics of THE GOOD NATURED will be filling the arena to the rafters. SATURDAY also welcomes the YAAKS a Brighton 5-piece who have been making a real stir of late, finding their way onto the BBC Radio 1 up-front playlist.

And as the sun goes down and you feel re-energized to party hard, SNAFU seize the reigns and pull in the help of two of their favourite DJs and producers to ensure their first year of the ROCK N ROLL CIRCUSgoes off with a bang. Headlining the SNAFU stage is France’s most wanted radio host and selector - IVAN SMAGGHE - who stands at the crossroads between glamorous Parisian hype and musical integrity, best known for his techno, electrohouse, minimal sounds and past projects with BLACK STROBE… perfect festival fodder! The Fidget King JESSE ROSE is on board, and he’s guaranteed to be dropping his MADE TO PLAY big tunes to truly get the party bouncing. Completing the Snafu sound are Glasgow’s BIGFOOT’S TEA PARTY with CHRISTOPHER KELLY and REDUX, and Snafu’s MOTHERSHIP with resident ADAM ACKERS. SNAFU is a full creative spectrum who has a long history of championing and showcasing the local talent and booking big name guests so watch this space as they welcome their superb residents and the sound of SNAFU.

The SUNDAY ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS has been specifically programmed for you to enjoy and expand your musical passage across the festival site and recharge your batteries whilst experiencing the finest in new music. Described by Mojo magazine as ‘dark, lustful blues-folk’, SMOKE FAIRES will be a sublime performance to put on your weekends agenda and BOY & BEAR a band, rich in folk harmonies, startling elegance and living breathing rock influenced form will also be making their debut.

Then indulge in the stunning sounds and musical purity of singer songwriter LUCY ROSE, the truly talentedFolk singer/songwriter PETE ROE and bringing their stunning lyrical genius STORY BOOKS.

SUNDAY NIGHT will take a turn in to insanity as we close the festival by cordially inviting you to ‘AN AUDIENCE WITH THE CUBAN BROTHERS’ . The Rock Ness Legends will be bringing a whole host of famous friends to create their hilarious mix of havoc, mischief and mayhem. Watch this space for an announcement on possibly the funniest 2 hours the festival has ever seen.

AND FINALLY…

Get ready for the BIGGEST BIRTHDAY PARTY ROCKNESS has ever hosted as we help SOMA RECORDS celebrate 20 YEARS of releasing stunning and eclectic electronic dance music from across spectrum.

The Scottish party will last for 3 days (of course) and is taking place on the ARCADIA AFTERBURNER, who will once again be bringing their unique collaboration of artists, technicians and engineers, showcasing new innovative ideas through installations and productions, full on pyrotechnics and futuristic circus acts.

Joining EROL ALKAN on the FRIDAY night will be Parisian techno minimalist PAUL RITCH who will be bringing his LIVE show! Continuing the party vibes and getting your arses shaking on the dance floor will be a lady who requires no introduction, HEIDI, and completing the SOMA FRIDAY line up is one of the most in demand and highly respected DJs of our time EWAN PEARSON.

To make the SATURDAY party last even longer, ROCKNESS have EXTENDED THE AFTERBURNER TILL 3AM guaranteeing the SOMA party is bouncing well and truly into the early hours of the morning!

Taking you deep into the infamous SOMA AFTERBURNER experience is a duo whose mastery of audio principles allows them to turn conventions on their heads, casting functionality aside as they plumb the deep, uncharted depths of pitch-black techno, PAN-POT. SOMA have then called on a friend of the family and guy who will be home from home, Scottish global electronic legend FUNK D’VOID.

Then bringing a collage of electronic influence ALEX UNDER will be commanding the afterburner decks, joined by GARY BECK renowned for his unique sound, SOMA producer MASTER H & Glasgow’s HARVEY MCKAY.

To close out the weekends celebrations on SUNDAY, SOMA have enlisted one of techno’s rising stars,JAMIE JONES, Glasgow’s SUNDAY CIRCUS, and a man who continues to mould the techno landscape and will be shaping your Sunday night into one of big electronic beats and dance till you drop sounds isANDREW WEATHERALL.

But they have called upon a true electronic messiah and king of the decks DERRICK CARTER, to guarantee that ROCKNESS 2011 comes to an unforgettable euphoric clubbing climax!

Festival Director, Jim King said, ‘We think this is a great announcement and shows the strength in depth of this year’s line up. Laid Back Luke is one of the most exciting Djs of the last 2 years and its great to welcome him, Nero, Skrillex and Sub Focus to the festival for the first time. Im also particularly excited about some of the new emerging acts like Jamie Woon, Wolfgang and Smoke Fairies who will make the new Rock and Roll Circus a really great addition to the festival.

Finally, Happy Birthday Soma. Electronic Legends. We salute you.’

RockNess 2011 takes place 10-12 June, 2011 in the village of Dores, close to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

Exclusive coverage of this year’s festival will be available on BBC ALBA and the BBC iPlayer

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Student offer - £145 weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points.
General offer – £149 weekend camping/non camping
General offer – £159 weekend camping/non camping weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points.