Field Day – first acts announced

With Wild Beasts confirmed, steely art-funk is the order of the day, enthralling festival goers with their erotic, suggestive and abstract music and sense of theatre. Front man Haydon Thorpe’s performances are pure liquid energy and the band will be performing tracks from their mercury nominated album ‘Two Dancers’ as well as premiering tracks from an eagerly anticipated new record.
 
Reverence is guaranteed for iconic statesman John Cale, founder of the Velvet Underground and all round music trailblazer combing rock, classical and drone in various measures for a rare festival performance. Rarer still of late have been Electrelane who have been on a self imposed musical hiatus since 2007 and return to bring their high density, hypnotic, prog rock for an exclusive festival performance. Starting with giddy synth pop and ending in crackling Krautrock this band venture into music places that few others dare and it’s set to be one of the highlights of the summer festivals to have them on stage at Field Day.
 
No strangers to these parts of London, Field Day are thrilled to welcome back The Horrors with Farris and his band returning for another incendiary live performance of sophisticated and beautiful, psychedelic darkness. The promise of new music from their highly anticipated third album, released this summer, suggests this is the moment that The Horrors go supernova. Masterful, country tinged psychadelia and wild vintage sounds come courtesy of The Coral whose wit, mercurial charm and extensive back catalogue of classic folk rock will be a big festival highlight.  Irrepressible Super Furries front man Gruff Rhys also returns to Victoria Park for a solo show having premiered his musically unorthodox Gruff Rhys vs. Tony Gattorra side project to glittering reviews at Field Day last year. Expect gentle, heartfelt musings this time around from a true music pioneer.
 
World music has always has a significant presence at Field Day and this year is no exception with performances Omar Souleyman, the prolific Syrian musician who has released over 500 live and studio recordings. His vocals veer from impassioned chanting to a tender croon and they sit over a folk infused dance music which has been modernised with distorted guitars, keyboards and four-to-the-floor drums. A truly remarkable performer Omar Souleyman’s performance will be one of the must-see moments of this year’s festival. From the Democratic Republic of Congo, Konono No.1’s percussion and chanting vocals echo traditional trance songs driven by national instrument, the Likembe. This group achieved international recognition with a Grammy nomination and their DIY aesthetic appeals to many international fans of rock and electronic music.
 
 
Almost speaking from the heavens will be the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra whose live performance encompasses almost the entire history of jazz from ragtime to swing music, from bebop to free jazz. They will be spreading their cosmic message of love across East London whilst Tortoise’s brawny and visceral post rock is a sure fire destination for those of a more intense music bent looking to check out one of the most influential acts of their generation, inspiring many bands that have formed in their wake
 
Beats to the fore with Mount Kimbie who never forget to tweak the bass bins live, for that euphoric head rush with their breathtaking widescreen sweep of sound and Factory Floor whose sound is that of an underworld disco, all nihilistic industrial, beats pulsating through a compelling live set. Roska’s unique take on UK Funky, Pearson Sound’s game changing bass music, enigmatic and elusive art terrorists Hype Williams and Oneohtrix Point Never’s drone heavy psychadelia keep the beats fresh and sculpt music into impossible shapes right in the air between the speakers. Matthew Dear takes to the decks for some prolific techno, Trophy Wife showcase their office disco / commuter pop and Ducktails play dirty garage, psychedelic rock.
 
Stripping everything back to basics will be Willy Mason whose introspective folk, rich voice and charming ramshackle musicianship are underpinned by a dour humour. Ariel Pink was the undisputed god father of the 2010 lo-fi scene and he will be playing tracks from his critically acclaimed, frazzled oddity of a debut album ‘Haunted Graffiti’. Twin Shadow will be performing a set full of world beating, danceable hooks with a surfeit of style while Actress bring their glammy electro disco fever all the way from sun kissed L.A.
 
Bright, breezy colourful pop songs are the staple of CocknBullKid as her band raise merry funk hell whilst spiritual traveller in soulful sound, Jamie Woon’s delicate post dubstep soulful sound takes the maligned pop soul genre somewhere special. Front man of Sun Kil Moon and Red House Painters, Mark Kozelk offers up his revered brand of folk rock.
 
Promoter Tom Baker of Eat Your Own Ears comments, ‘I’m so excited by the line up for Field Day 2011. I know that everyone says each year that their line up is the best yet…! but I really think that this one is! With the likes of Jon Cale, Tortoise (who I’ve been trying to book since year one) Konono No. 1, alongside Jamie Woon, Electrelane’s come back show and Wild Beasts it makes for a colourful and must see event.”
 

With many more acts to be announced over the forthcoming months as well as details of the celebrated Village Mentality area, Field Day confirms it position as the capitals coolest one day’s knees up.

Ticket Information

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