Avenged Sevenfold, one of the mightiest forces in modern rock, have been announced as the first headliner for Download 2014. Friday 13th June 2014 will mark a momentous occasion in the history of Avenged Sevenfold as they continue their tradition of spectacular Download performances, by becoming headliners for the very first time, not just at Download, but at any UK festival.
Saturday night at this year’s festival will be headlined by the Grammy Award winning Linkin Park, who will be playing their multi-platinum debut album ‘HYBRID THEORY’ in its entirety as part of their set.
The legendary Aerosmith will be closing the festival in 2014, when they headline on Sunday 15th June. Joining them on the main stage as main support will be hard rockers, Alter Bridge.
Aerosmith are one rock’s most infamous and revered bands. Fronted by the iconic partnership of frontman Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry, their generation spanning career has seen them sell in excess of 150 million records, making them the best selling American rock band in history. Despite having been a band for over 40 years, their incredible, ever expanding collection of hits continues to appeal to hoards of fans both old and new. Their headline performance at Download 2014 will be their first on UK soil since 2010, speaking on their return to Donington Park, Joe Perry said
“It’s been too long since we've been to England and we're sincerely f**ing charged to be coming back! See you there"
Joining Aerosmith in ending what is already set to be an incredible weekend, will be the heavy riffing, arena conquering Alter Bridge. The band released their 4th studio album, ‘Fortress’ earlier this year to huge critical acclaim. It’s been the band’s highest charting album in the UK, hitting the #1 spot on the rock charts and saw them sell out arenas across the country on their recent UK tour.
Arcade Fire will be part of the line up at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona with a concert that will be their only performance in Spain next year. The Canadian band has become one of the most popular in the world without ever losing sight of their identity or style.
The band will present their fourth album "Reflektor", a record that has been preceded by an unusual marketing campaign including actions on the streets, cryptic messages and secret concerts under a pseudonym. This new album, produced by James Murphy from both LCD Soundsystem and the influential label DFA, marks a significant change in the sound of the band, that moves away from epic and dark sounds to embrace disco rhythms and a certain dose of new wave in a large part of their tracks.
The name Arcade Fire appeared yesterday Monday on a large format poster on Portal de l’Àngel, a main street in the centre of Barcelona without any warning from the organisation of the festival. This follows the same line that Arcade Fire have used to release the details of their latest album. Throughout the day the mystery was intense and the news spread quickly on the social networks. With the official confirmation of this band a second name joins the programme of the next edition of Primavera Sound, that will also include the American band Neutral milk Hotel.
On another note, for the second year running Heineken will be the main sponsor of the Barcelona festival, which will celebrate its fourteenth edition from the 29th to 31st May on its usual site, the Parc del Fòrum. The full festival ticket is on sale at 160€ and from 8th January the price will be 175€.
BoomTown Fair is once again retuning to its home of the Matterly Estate, Winchester from 7th – 10th August 2014 and the Early Bird tickets are on sale from7pm today!!! The coveted discount Early Bird tickets will be available via the website, starting at £110 (plus booking fee and eco bond). The early bird tickets usually get snapped up in super-fast time, last year all of them were gone in just six minutes! This year, to help eager BoomTown residents get their hands on these prized tickets, BoomTown Fair town council have issued the following helpful ‘buyers guide’: http://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/news/boomtown-fair-2014-ticket-guide-191
There have already been some exciting announcements made for this much celebrated arts, music, performance and theatre festival that explores a whole range of different musical genres; new additions include a brand new huge folk stage, a Wild West zone and with the new Town Mayor, Burria Jose from Barrio Loco district plotting her first move as town mayor, the 2014 event will see some very interesting developments! To keep an eye on allupdates follow the festival on facebook, twitter and sign up to the BoomTown Chronicle via the website.
BoomTown Fair is a 30,000 capacity festival that has been running since 2009. Its home since 2011 is Matterly Estate in Winchester. Expanding over the bowl to incorporate the surrounding woodland, BoomTown Fair is a pop-up city that provides immersive escapism to all that attend. With fully interactive purpose build buildings and outside areas, each and every of the 300 mini venues has secrets lurking inside, just waiting to be discovered! With mysterious telephones scatted across the site providing impromptu treasure hunts, tardis like venues that lead the explorer on a wondrous journey into the depth of the unknown, gargantuan 30ft hidden temple, sun soaked woodland beach parties and a whole host of madness and mystery, BoomTown Fair is a festival unlike any other! In addition to the hundreds of micro venues, the 25 large venues, seven distinct districts and three main stages, the festivals also pays great attention to building upon the narrative each year, exploring storylines in greater detail, adding to the richness of the BoomTown experience!
MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE / ANDREW MAXWELL / CRAIG CAMPBELL
DANIEL SLOSS / ZOE LYONS / ABANDOMAN (MOONROCK BOOMBOX)
ROB BECKETT / LUISA OMELIAN (WHAT WOULD BEYONCE DO?)
BENNY BOOT / ROISIN CONATY / IAN STONE / JOEL DOMMETT
PAUL MCCAFFREY / DAMIAN CLARK / ALEX EDELMAN
LATE NIGHT GIMP FIGHT
AND THE INTERNATIONAL IMPROV ALLSTARS
(STEVE FROST, ANDY SMART, IAN COPPINGER & GUESTS)
ALSO APPEARING THIS YEAR… AUSTRIA’S NO.1 COMEDIAN
ALFRED DORFER
PLUS AN ARENA FILLING HEADLINER THAT CANNOT BE ANNOUNCED YET
AND MORE ACTS STILL TO BE CONFIRMED…
Dig out your Lederhosen and stock up on the strudels because Altitude Comedy Festival is back! Returning to Mayrhofen, Austria once again from March 31st to April 4th2014 there will be a gilt-edged line-up of the comedy world’s top acts and most exciting new stand-ups, all up-close and personal in venues you couldn’t possibly hope to see them at in the UK!
Commenting on this year’s Altitude Comedy Festival, curator Andrew Maxwell said: “I can’t believe it’s come around so quickly again. I’m so excited I want to be there now! We’ve pulled out all the stops to try and compete with last year’s fantastic line-up and we believe we’ve topped it and then some. Can’t wait to see you there!”
Altitude gives you the opportunity to experience arena-filling comedy giants in the fantastically intimate surrounds of its beautiful venues in Mayrhofen, one of Europe’s most picturesque ski resorts. With an array of restaurants, luxurious hotels and enticing spas that are second to none, the picture postcard resort offers easy access to the entire Zillertal super-ski area, with 639km of piste and 167 lifts and gondolas, making it the ideal location to fuse a schnapps and schnitzel-fuelled ski holiday with one of the world’s top international comedy festivals!
It’s slopes all day and laughs all night with the biggest and best comedians around at Altitude and that’s what makes it so very special. With some amazing performers due to be announced very soon, we kick off this year’s line-up with four words, THE BISH IS BACK! Yes folks, John Bishop had such an amazing time last year he asked if he could come back! As anyone who was there will know, John was a total legend at Altitude and we loved having him with us, so we couldn’t possibly say no!
Joining one of the UK’s biggest acts is a performer we have pleaded with to come to Altitude for the past six years and we’re delighted to say that we can finally announce Irelands no.1 funny man Tommy Tiernan, who you may have seen on Father Ted, Live at The Apollo or even The Late Show with David Letterman, will be hitting the slopes with us. Another act we have been trying to book since we started the festival is also onboard for 2014, the incredible ventriloquist Nina Conti who has recently been announced as a host on the 2013 Live at the Apollo series, you may have also seen Nina on Let’s Dance for Comic Relief and Christopher Guest’s new hit show Family Tree.
Talking of TV shows, the next comic we’re announcing is one that you’re currently watching in EastEnders! I know! It’s Terry Alderton, who was rightly crowned the King of the Mountain last year for his barnstorming performances and three standing ovations on the last night. And with form like that, Terry was another act we just had to have back! Adding to these headline acts, long-standing Altitude regular and BBC Radio 4 favourite Marcus Brigstocke returns, of course, Andrew Maxwell himself, who has been all over the telebox this year will be making his feelings known and Scottish starlet Daniel Sloss who was the youngest ever comedian to perform a solo season in London's West End is back too.
Plus there’ll be riesige lacht from Funny Women Awards winner Zoe Lyons who has appeared on Mock the Week, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Dave’s One Night Stand, we’ll have jaw-dropping hip-hop improve duo Abandoman who will be performing their smash hit full hour show ‘Moonrock Boombox’, cheeky chap Rob Beckett who has recently co-hosted I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now! and appeared on 8 out of 10 Cats, Celebrity Juice and Fresh Meat. Independent Woman Luisa Omelian whose bringing her globally renowned ‘What Would Beyonce Do?’ show which has been causing a storm with sell out runs on both sides of the Atlantic and the incredible Benny Boot, who will be performing in Deutsch for the first time ever as we introduce a new après-ski German speaking show that will also see Andrew Maxwell make an appearance speaking in Austria’s mother tongue!
There will be appearances from Edinburgh Festival’s Best Newcomer Award winner 2010, Roisin Conaty who is in ‘Impractical Jokers’ with Paul McCaffrey and Joel Dommett and they are both packing their bags and coming too! Other new additions to the festival are Australian starlet Damian Clark and America’s best new export Alex Edelman. On top of all these we still have one of the safest hands in comedy to announce Ian Stone who is currently a regular on Absolute Radio’s Rock N Rolls Football and has been seen on numerous shows like Mock the Week, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and loads of others.… More?! You want more? What about the consistently hysterical Late Night Gimp Fight or the incredible International Improv All Stars (starring Steve Frost, Andy Smart, Ian Coppinger and guests) or even Austrian celebrity Alfred Dorfer, the country’s number 1 comedian and film star, who presented the hugely popular Dorfers Donnerstalk a mix of stand-up comedy, sketches and social commentary on ORF Austria’s version of the BBC.
Snowbombing is back with an almighty bang. 2014 sees those famous fire-starters The Prodigy engulfing The Forest in flames for a second bite of the Snowbombing sausage.
Selling over 25 million records worldwide and effortlessly withstanding the test of time, the trio will be tearing onto the Forest Stage to treat Snowbombers to a high octane, adrenaline-fueled performance like no other – bring it on!
Hey Girls! Hey Boys! Superstar DJs.. Here we go!
Snowbombing 2014 is shouting from the mountain tops as The Chemical Brothers are finally set to unleash their Block Rockin’ Beats on the ‘Greatest Show on Snow’.
The Chemical Brothers said " We’re very excited to play such a unique festival, and a new one for us. We have been working on new material for a while now, so every DJ show gives us a chance to share music with people…let's have a ball "
With no less than eight studio albums (five of which went to Number 1), countless singles, and even a film under their belts, The Chemical Brothers have become national treasures. Taking lucky Snowbombers along their Golden Path of hits, expect a once in a lifetime DJ set, and a night of snowy shenanigans.
Now in its amazing fifteenth year, Snowbombing is Europe’s largest, longest standing and most unique snow and music festival, taking place between 7th and 12th April 2014 in the snowy alpine town of Mayrhofen, Austria.
With mountains as a perimeter fence and boasting some of the most awe inspiring festival venues in the world, including a sky-high igloo, 2,000 metres above sea level, enchanted forest clearings, cosy alpine lodges and medieval barns, Snowbombing is a festival experience like no other. Wow!
Also making a welcome return to the mountains are the brilliant Chase & Status. After recently releasing their forth studio album ‘Brand New Machine,’ the duo will be entertaining the crowds with an exquisite live set delivering their blend of dubstep-infused breakbeat mixed in with some bassy treats. Huzzah!
Cooler than a yeti in a blizzard, east Londoners (and Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominated) Rudimental will return to the slopes for a second year. The band went down a storm in the forest in 2013 and will continue to ’Feel the Love’ as they treat lucky Snowbombers to an unforgettable DJ set.
Another act to be announced in this extravaganza of Snowbombing goodness is Groove Armada. The duo have been shaking clubs and festivals to the very core for 15 years and certainly know how to whip a crowd into a frenzy. We can’t wait for them to bring their eclectic DJ set to the slopes and join in on the snowy hijinks.
Other tricks up the Snowbombing sleeves include Four Tet who will not only be performing live in the magical forest but alsocurating a special forest line up featuring Daphni, James Zabiela, Nathan Fake (LIVE) and Anthony Naples. Expect this to be a truly magical performance in one of the most incredible settings known to man.
Becoming more successful by the second, Sub Focus also joins the DJ line-up bringing his own blend of high-energy crowd-pleasing beats to the Snowbombing table.
Man of the moment Breach also joins the Bombing bill. After hitting the nation with his single “Jack” and becoming a favourite on every DJs playlist, Breach is a force to be reckoned with and we can’t wait to see him take Mayrhofen by storm.
After packing out the terrace of DC10 all summer long, The Martinez Brothers need cooling off so they have decided to swap the beach for the snow.
The hottest lady in electronic music, Nina Kraviz will play her debut Snowbombing set and Snowbombing favourite Skream will be back to do what he does best!
Hospitality will once again onboard entertaining the masses with their trademark sounds from High Contrast, London Elektricity, S.P.Y, Logistics, Etherwood and MCs Dynamite and Wrec.
Snowbombing stalwarts The Dub Pistols will be back to perform live, there will also be a live performance from Dense & Pika along with DJ sets from A-Skills, Ben & Lex, Breakage, Citizen, Daniel Avery, Hannah Wants, Huxley, Kove, Krafty Kuts, Kyntro, The Martinez Brothers, North Base, Radio Slave, Rattus Rattus, Roska, Route 94, Smash HiFi and The Heatwave.
The new announcements will join Anja Schneider, Antony Naples, B-Traits, Ben Pearce, Bicep, Breakage, Carl Cox B2B Nic Fanciulli, David Rodigan MBE, Dismantle, DJ EZ, Dusky, Gorgon City, George Fitzgerald, Horse Meat Disco, J.G. Wilkes (Optimo), James Zabiela, Kidnap Kid, Midland, MistaJam, Paul Woolford, PBR Streetgang, Phychemagik, Rodriguez JNR (LIVE), Roman Flugel, Scuba, Shy FX, Special Request, Will Saul and Yousef.
Full Line up:
THE PRODIGY / THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS (DJ SET) / CHASE & STATUS (LIVE) / ANJA SCHNEIDER / ANTHONY NAPLES / ARTWORK / B-TRAITS / BEN & LEX / BEN PEARCE / BICEP / BREACH / BREAKAGE / CARL COX B2B NIC FANCIULLI / CITIZEN / DAPHNI / DANIEL AVERY / DAVID RODIGAN MBE / DENSE & PIKA (LIVE) / DISMANTLE / DUB PISTOLS (LIVE) / DUSKY / DJ EZ / FOUR TET (LIVE) / GEORGE FITZGERALD / GORGON CITY / HANNAH WANTS / GROOVE ARMADA (DJ SET) / THE HEATWAVE / HORSE MEAT DISCO / HOSPITALITY PRESENTS HIGH CONTRAST, LONDON ELEKTRICITY, S.P.Y , LOGISTICS , ETHERWOOD, DYNAMITE MC & WREC / HUXLEY / JAMES ZABIELA / J.G. WILKES (OPTIMO) KIDNAP KID / KOVE / KRAFTY KUTS / KYNTRO / THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS / MIDLAND / MISTAJAM / NINA KRAVIZ / NORTH BASE / PAUL WOOLFORD / PBR STREETGANG / PSYCHEMAGIK / RADIO SLAVE / RATTUS RATTUS / REDLIGHT / RODRIGUEZ JR (LIVE) ROMAN FLUGEL / SCUBA / SHY FX / SPECIAL REQUEST / WILL SAUL / YOUSEF
As the warmth of a wonderful summer begins to fade and the afterglow of the Secret Garden Party 2013 is still a visceral memory, we offer you this: a missive of joy, musical memories and hope for the future because……The Secret Garden Party is pleased to announce its Art & Expression Theme for 2014 will be…
"Goodbye Yellowbrick Road"
Sickened by commercial gigolos and the false promise of fame and Fortune achievable only through wearing the right deodorant? Well then,join us in saying "Goodbye (to the) Yellow Brick Road" and its promise of (social/financial) redemption. Within the shelter of the Garden, where the dogs of society's howl is inaudible, we are exploring the more positive visual imagery in our favourite songs – so dust off your old LPs say an oh my and a boo hoo to the 9 to 5… Dance with us beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free; because, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
New official video…..
As a reminder of last summer here is the wonderful brand new official video – hot from the editing room – by our friends at Ju Ju Films. Relive those magical moments and come dance with us again next summer.
First artist announced…..
1930s rave culture? Oh yes, long long before Spiral Tribe (or even Wigan Pier) there were all-nighters that were 'threatening to the very fabric of society'. But these were not taking place in a field somewhere in Hampshire nor on a draughty ballroom over the North Sea; rather they were in the music halls of the Weimar Republic. Suppressed by society, criminalised by the Nazis, yet beloved by the Bright Young Things, the music and style of this time has been painstakingly researched and recreated by Max Raabe & The Palast Orchester.
And after chasing them for almost two years we are proud to announce that they will be bringing you this most original of counter-culture music:
Max Raabe & Palast Orchester:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlUPqR3Cy5c
Arts applications now open…..
For super creative Gardeners, Grant Applications are now open for those who wish to submit their proposals to the Secret Garden Party 2014. Whether it is producing an art installation, running an action camp, curating a parade, building an art boat or a tree house, devising a fire show, hosting a workshop, making an art car …we want to hear from you and help your wildest dreams come true.
Our number one rule is that the party must facilitate participation. To ensure that this principle is upheld, Secret Garden Party gives over half of all programming money back to the gardeners, in the form of arts and expression grants.
For more information on participation or for an application form please visit:
Cradle of Filth (CoF), boasting a career spanning over 20 years, are today confirmed as the latest act for the first ever Alt-Fest, 15th – 17th August 2014 at the Boughton Estate, Kettering. CoF’s latest and tenth studio album, The Manticore and Other Horrors, has been dubbed as their “best album in years” by Metal Hammer. This headline set on the Alt-Fest Metal stage will be a testament to CoF’s status as one of the best extreme metal acts Britain has ever produced, and there is no better time to announce it than at Halloween.
Thrashers and fellow Brits, Malefice have now been added to the Alt-Fest bill as are the reformed Onslaught. The two will be offering up a guitar-shredding slice of fast paced metal.
With a nomination for ‘Best British Newcomer’ in the 2013 Kerrang! Awards, Fearless Vampire Killers are a hotly tipped outfit joining the proceedings at Alt-Fest. Fans of theatrical punk rock are advised to take their stakes and garlic to the front of the stage for this riff-laden show.
Lastly, but by no means least, ‘fuzz monsters’ Truckfighters, Palm Reader and Steak are set to take to the Alt-Fest stage with amp-busting stoner rock, hardcore and punk.
Super early-bird tickets start from £70 for an adult weekend ticket and can be purchased from alt-fest.com.
Alt-Fest has already caught the attention of both the UK alternative scene and the media through a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign. The event, a five-day, multiple stage festival covering Alternative, Industrial, Metal, Goths and Steampunk music, lifestyle and more not only reached its target of £30,000 but went on to double the target, receiving over £61,000 from fans via the Kickstarter UK platform. 130 acts across the metal, rock, goth, industrial, steampunk and more genres are now booked with headliners to be revealed soon. Most importantly Alt-Fest, which is operating a strict policy of ‘run by the fans, for the fans’, is engaging their audience in every aspect of the planning process making Alt-Fest not just crowd-funded but also crowd-led.
One year on and 1000 trees have been planted in the Festival Wood thanks to the generosity of the Festival Community.
The Festival Wood is an initiative set up by A Greener Festival in 2012 in partnership with the highly regarded charity Trees for Life. The project is to reforest the Caledonian highlands for its own sake to provide desperately needed natural habitat to support biodiversity and healthy ecological systems. Trees will not be felled for timber. 100% of the £5 per tree donations go to the project with no admin fees to A Greener Festival.
A Greener Festival recently paid a visit to the Scottish Highlands, where they are planting the "Festival Wood" in Dundreggan.
Claire O'Neill and Helen Innes undertook the long journey north to plant some of the trees kindly donated this season. The most considerable donation this summer came from Electric Hotel, who donated £1 per phone charge at Shambala festival this summer. They were able to contribute 242 Trees which is fantastic!
Other donators this summer so far include Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Kendal Calling, Glastonbury Festival, ID&C, Hadra Trance Festival, Rockstar Services, Festival Mag, Et Voila Events and Peppermint Bars.
A Greener Festival donate one tree per festival that applies to its awards internationally. So far this year that makes over 50 trees.
O’Neill, Co Founder of A Greener Festival, said “Although this is a carbon positive activity, we don’t see it as an “offset scheme”. This is a reforestation project for the festival industry and all of us to give something back, and to have a long term beneficial impact on the ecosystem that our lives depend upon.”
There is still a month left of planting and all festivals, suppliers, organisers and individuals are invited to donate what they can to the commendable cause!
To donate and for more information www.agreenerfestival.com/festival-wood
A month on plans for 2014 Undercover Festival are already gathering a pace.
We are asking people to let us know what they think, what they want for 2014, and we will do our very best to listen to them as this is their festival as well, but as we are a small festival we will do what we can on those requests. We can say that we have listened already a month since the festival many have been driving us nuts about a particular band, and we are finalising booking this band.
Undercover Festival have hit the ground running for 2014 and one of the headliners will be announced just before Christmas, also we have a great Christmas present for people with a limited number of early bird tickets and early bird family tickets available now!! We are pleased that so far these have been selling really well so get in quick before they are gone. Details from the website.
Reflections on our very first festival: “At the time GuilFest was no longer with us and we thought it would be a shame to let the unique atmosphere / buzz that was created in the Vive Le Rock Stage @ Guilfest in 2011 & 2012 go to waste”.
When we set this festival up we looked at what was special about the VLR stage and our primary aim was to recreate and build on that multi genre buzz that was the VLR stage at GuilFest, I hope those of you that were there agree that we not only met this aim we surpassed it.
The thing about this festival more than any other in our opinion is a melting pot of the crew, the bands, the venue but last and not least the varied / fun nature of those there that made this a festival that we think no ever promoter will be able to re-create.
Highlights? far too many to single out really, the main highlight for me was the people there walking around with the biggest smiles on their faces.
We have been asked what bands stood out; that is also a difficult one to answer as all the bands were excellent and it would be unfair to single any out in particular.
We pulled off the event with no trouble and a cracking atmosphere judging from the social media quotes and emails we have received everyone had a good time.
For 2014 we probably will not do any more stages as we think the 2 we had with the bands we had was 110% quality and the synergy between both stages was excellent.
Please note: For the avoidance of any doubt The Undercover Festival is not an open air festival – the festival will be held in 2 rooms plus other areas at the Bisley Pavilion nr Woking Surrey – undercover by nature of the music policy of this festival and undercover – well because it is….
After yet another sell out year, Hideout announces its return for 2014 with a brand new registration system that will give fans the chance to buy their tickets before anyone else. Those who register will have access to an exclusive sale of tickets on November 28th before the festival inevitably sells out for the fourth year running. Next year will see the summer's biggest party return to the island of Pag, Croatia, and fans who want to avoid losing out on a ticket should register now via the Hideout website.
Anticipation is already hotting up for Hideout 2014, which is set to raise the bar once more with another stellar line-up of world class acts and unforgettable boat and pool parties. The new registration system will mean only people who have shown interest will have the opportunity to buy tickets on November 28th and flexible payment options will mean that it will be even easier for revellers to get their hands on the hottest ticket of the year. Registration is easy and can be done by heading to www.hideoutfestival.com, submitting a name and email address and then sharing to Facebook or Twitter. Users will then receive an email confirming they have successfully registered their interest.
2013 saw a myriad of electronic music's finest descend upon the sun soaked Zrce Beach in Croatia, to provide the soundtrack to the hottest event of the summer. With the stunning backdrop of the Adriatic coast, the festival featured unbelievable boat parties hosted by leading labels and curated a lineup that included the likes of Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Four Tet, SBTRKT, Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones, Julio Bashmore, Chase & Status, David Rodigan, Camo & Krooked, Dusky, Joy Orbison and many more.
The line-up for 2014 will be announced soon and organisers are advising fans to register to ensure they don't miss out on what will be another incredible party.
