Rock Werchter add to the already impressive lineup for 2014 annoucing that Ellie Goulding, Babyshambles, MGMT, Birdy & Crystal Fighters will be performing.
List of names confirmed so far for Rock Werchter 2014:
Thursday 3 July: Metallica, Placebo, Skrillex Friday 4 July: Arctic Monkeys, Ellie Goulding, Major Lazer, Jack Johnson, Crystal Fighters Saturday 5 July: Pearl Jam, The Black Keys, Pixies, Triggerfinger Sunday 6 July: Kings of Leon, Stromae, Franz Ferdinand, Babyshambles, MGMT, Birdy
Keep an eye on the Summer Festival Guide for more Rock Werchter lineup news!
Having spent the last decade as an integral force shaping the South Coast music scene, Junk Department reveal game changing plans for their next chapter. On Saturday 3rd May they pitch up at Hampshire’s Stoneham Park with a bonafide circus big top that will play host to some of electronic music’s hottest talents, unleashing twelve hours of dancefloor pounding sets from the likes of Jamie Jones, Maya Jane Coles, Dyed Soundorom, Laura Jones and Detroit Swindle for the biggest party the South has ever seen.
Topping the bill is Jamie Jones, infamous founder of this decades inescapable house institution, Hot Creations and one quarter of smash-hit live act Hot Natured. From humble beginnings playing after hours sessions in dark basements of London’s underground scene to headlining some of the biggest festivals around the globe including Sonar, Movement Detroit and Eastern Electrics JJ’s meteoric rise to fame is something for the history books. First spinning tunes for Junk back in 2009 it is with immeasurable excitement they welcome the return of the world dominating Jamie Jones to their line up.
Joining the deep house juggernaut is pint-sized producer Maya Jane Coles. The past three years have seen her rising up through the house rankings from underground sensation to global star. Her hotly anticipated debut album ‘Comfort’ was released last summer to rave reviews, yielding two of 2013’s biggest dancefloor anthems ‘Everything’ and ‘Burning Bright’.
Adding his distinctive sound to the mix is one-third Apollonian, one hundred percent underground maestro, Dyed Soundorom. Having carved a fierce reputation for deep, disco tinged productions, his label Apollonia which he runs in partnership with fellow Frenchmen Shonky and Dan Ghenacia has quickly become one of the most relevant outputs in today’s underground music culture.
Laura Jones is another lady not to be messed with. Not even three years strong into her career and already a name that resonates across the globe, her contributions to some of the most exciting labels including Visionquest and Leftroom have, in a matter of months, helped to solidify her position as one of the hottest artists on the scene right now, with regular slots at Circoloco @ DC10 and Fabric.
Joining the hefty programme of house elite are the fresh talents of Detroit Swindle. The honoree Detroiters-via-Amsterdam duo who have already played at some of the world’s most respected venues in the form of Berlin’s Tresor and Panorama Bar with tracks on their own Heist Recordings as well as Tsuba, Freerange and Dirt Crew.
In typical Junk Department style, the 5000 capacity circus big top will feature excellent production, sound and lighting as well as numerous bars and food outlets, professionally managed toilet facilities and a full fun fair making for one hell of a start to the summer!
Junk Departments Big Top marks the start of a new chapter in Junk’s story. One that will see them expand beyond the shores of their beloved Southampton to stage some of 2014’s most exciting events at music meccas around the world including Ibiza, Amsterdam, Berlin and London. Remain vigilant for further details coming in then next few weeks and month…
The Summer Festival Guide can reveal that the Gentlemans Dub Club will be headlining the Main Stage on the Friday for Undercover Festival 2014
Gentleman’s Dub Club is a nine-piece band that formed in Leeds in early 2006. With a style based in dub, ska and roots reggae, GDC have burst onto the UK circuit, rocking gigs and festivals up and down the country with their super high energy show. Combining tight grooves and a heavyweight sound, Gentleman’s Dub Club bring the party to crowds of all ages hungry for a dance floor workout, with their gigs often ending in a frenzied mosh pit reminiscent of a mid 80’s ska night. Live effects and mixing make for a crystal clear sound, and the band’s larger than life stage presence makes for a mesmerising experience.
Having built a reputation on consistently delivering one of the most energetic and exhilarating live shows to emerge from the UK music scene, the Gents’ antics have seen them astound crowds from Goa to Glastonbury, Boomtown, Bestival, V Fest, Secret Garden Party and Poland’s Ostroda Reggae Festival, not to mention the biggest bass-music’ festival in the world – Croatia’s Outlook Festival.
Their records remain securely within the top 40 of the album reggae charts since release, hailing support from some of the UK's most prominent underground representatives including Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1), Rob Da Bank (BBC Radio 1), David Rodigan (BBC 1XTRA ) and Don Letts (BBC Radio 6 music).
SPIZZENERGI
We are pleased to be able to welcome Spizz and the band to Undercover to close Stage II on the Friday!! AND boy are you in for a treat..
Spizzenergi formed in the late 1970s, led by Spizz. The band changed its name every year, subsequent names including Athletico Spizz 80, Spizzoil and The Spizzles. They are notable as the first band to top the newly created UK Indie Chart early in 1980. However, they were perhaps best known for their single "Where's Captain Kirk?" More than two decades after its release, it was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.
2014 marks the 35th anniversary since those heady days where Spizz formed the band, yes there have been numerous changes to the band but what has not changed is the show you will witness at Undercover one that is relentless, pure theatre and great fun.
One of the best showmen on the scene today..
FRIDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER
MAIN STAGE
GENTLEMENS DUB CLUB
Roddy Radiation (from The Specials) and The Ska Billy Rebels
CHAGSTOCK FESTIVAL is one of the Westcountrys best-loved festivals. Set in 70 acres of farmland on the edge of Dartmoor, Chagstock is renowned for its stunning location, diverse line-up of artists and non-corporate, family friendly atmosphere. Chagstock showcases the very best music, food and entertainment that the Westcountry and the UK have to offer.
After selling out the entire allocation of early bird tickets in record time, all tickets, camping options and vehicle passes for this years festival go on sale at 9am on Thursday 16th January.
The first acts confirmed for 2014 are legendary 2-Tone band, The Selecter; Award winning Canadian band The Stanfields, who blend hard rock with traditional atlantic folk; Hotly-tipped English blues-rockers Sam Green & The Midnight Heist; wonderfully chaotic high-energy Balkan folksters Sheelanagig and local Okehampton rockers, Downfall. Chagstocks very own house band, New Crisis also perform their traditional main stage slot.
This years Fancy Dress Theme will be The Wild West!
Last years festival sold out for the second year running, and featured memorable performances from The Boomtown Rats, Billy Bragg and The Mystery Jets amongst many others.
As introduced in 2012 in recognition of the tough economic climate for families, all children under 12 can attend the festival for free (ticket is required). Chagstocks capacity is once again capped at just 5,000 tickets to ensure that its intimate, family-friendly atmosphere is maintained.
Simon Ford Chagstock Festival organiser says, I am delighted that Chagstock has now sold out two years in a row! The whole team is really excited for 2014 and are all working hard to make this years event they best yet. Once again we are sticking to the non-corporate vibe and family friendly atmosphere with loads of great and varied music, food and entertainment
The Summer Festival Guide 2014 can now reveal that Kings of Leon will headline Sunday night at Belgium's Rock Werchter.
They join Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Jack Johnson, Major Lazer, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Pixies, Placebo, Skrillex, Stromae – who said himself on Facebook this week that he’d be there – The Black Keys and Triggerfinger, all already announced for Rock Werchter 2014. Festival tickets have been on sale since early December. Ticket sales for Rock Werchter 2014 are at 60,000 and still counting. The 18,000 day tickets for Saturday 5 July are already sold out. Still on sale: combi-tickets and day tickets for Thursday, Friday or Sunday. More festival news to come soon.
About Kings of Leon: ”There is no festival we’ve played more,” said singer Caleb Followill to the Werchter crowd last year. The pleasure is ours, Caleb. No name has graced the bill as often in such a short space of time: in 2014 it will be the sixth time in eight years. This mutual respect tells a Werchter fairytale: young band makes headliner status through repeat visits. The first time around, in 2007, Kings of Leon were honoured by a visit from Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam). Two years later they topped the bill. By then “Sex On Fire” and “Use Somebody” had brought them world fame and they were heaping up the gold records. The album “Come Around Sundown” (2010) was overshadowed by internal stresses, but that was only a glitch. “Mechanical Bull” (2013) sees them back in good form. More roots than arena rock. Good stuff.
Cape Town and Johannesburg welcome the very first Ultra Music Festival to South Africa. The Summer Festival Guide can present to your the latest added acts and the stage lineups for each city.
CAPE TOWN, 14 FEBRUARY 2014,
OSTRICH FARM, CAPE TOWN
The second stage in Cape Town, entitled ‘Submerged’, will be aptly situated on the side of a stunning, picturesque lake and hosted by none other than local heroes Goldfish. Among others, this floor will feature the very best in house, deep house and techno music, including San Francisco native Claude Vonstroke, Coco Loco, Lady M, Floyd Lavine, Claudia Levisa, Chris Jack and many more.
Lastly, ‘Dansville’ – one of Cape Town’s most loved bass music brands and synonymous with the very best in electro and trap through to drum ‘n bass and dubstep – will be hosting their very own stage featuring homegrown stars such as Das Kapital, Hyphen, Niskerone, Grimehouse, Halfilfe and many more.
JOHANNESBURG, 15 FEBRUARY 2014,
EXPO CENTRE, NASREC
Providing the second stage in Johannesburg in less than a month’s time, Soul Candi will be bringing Ultra South Africa the deep sounds of Black Coffee, Mi Casa, Crazy White Boy, Harael Salkow and many more, on a floor dedicated to showcasing the very best, most forward thinking underground soundscapes around.
Lastly, Nicci Beach refreshes the event with a touch of their signature sounds with up-tempo cracking house and electro music from the likes of Haezer, Rocca & Martini, Mark Stent, Lady Lea, Ryan Dent and many more.
All the floors featured at Ultra South Africa will include dedicated full bar services, express bars for Heineken drinkers, food markets that will have an array of foods from Indian to Mediterranean, assured to tickle taste buds, as well as merchandise for sale. Final line up information for each of the stages can be found below.
The Summer Festival Guide 2014 is excited to reveal the next additions to the Download Festival lineup including Bowling for Soup, Black Label Society, Opeth, Bad Religion and more!
Leading the armada are pop-punk legends Bowling for Soup, who have chosen to celebrate their 20th birthday at Donington, wisely putting faith in Europe’s biggest Rock Festival to bring the party.
Lead singer Jaret Reddick said: We are really stoked to be coming back to Download this year…first and foremost, our little band turns 20 this June, so what better way to celebrate! Music, beer and Portaloos! Also, it's a great opportunity to show our amazing UK fans that, although we don't have plans to tour any time soon, they will still get to see our pretty faces once in a while. Can. Not. Wait!
Celebratory Birthday circle pit, anyone…?
Elsewhere on site, two of this year’s most massively anticipated spring album releases will be followed with huge live performances; Black Label Society, led by notorious shredder Zakk Wylde, and Swedish prog-metal mad scientists Opeth will both bring never-before-seen sets to Download 2014, making the crowds at Donington amongst the first to experience the new material in the flesh.
Forming the L.A. regiment of today’s new Download battalion are Celtic-punk seven piece Flogging Molly and Download Festival virgins Bad Religion – making their Donington debut 35 years after they first started their melodic punk crusade against tyranny and hypocrisy.
Lead singer Greg Graffin was keen to acknowledge the UK, and in particular Donington’s place in music history: Our UK fans are among the most dedicated and appreciative audiences the world over. We consider every trip to the UK a special treat, and the tradition of Donington will make this appearance all the more special. Bad Religion is steeped in tradition, so we greatly look forward to it!
Also joining them will be PHA and the Illegals, the latest project from Pantera and Down Frontman, Phil Anselmo.
Powerman 5000 are another act who will receive their Download Festival baptism in 2014, with lead frontman Spider One joining big bro Rob Zombie at the coalface of Donington’s grizzly industrial underworld.
There will be less pond-crossing and more M1-gridlock-negotiating for the return of home grown Metalcore 5-piece Bury Tomorrow this June, in a set that will feature the likes of massive new single, Watcher and more great tracks yet to be revealed from impending album Runes, which lands on May 26th.
Vocalist Dani Winter-Bates commented: We're absolutely stoked to be invited back to play Download Festival. It was one of the staple points of last year for Bury Tomorrow! So we can't wait to get back to Donington and smash it!
The BossHoss, who have been purging pop songs of their innocence and churning out badass Country Trash Punk Rock for the past decade will also appear at Download 2014. Sascha Vollmer aka Hoss Power from The BossHoss said: We had a blast playing at Download in 2011 and the energy there totally blew our minds!We can always rely on a kick-ass party at our UK shows, so we're more than ready to come back and have another good old riot with you crazy bunch of rock and roll maniacs!
More? Ok, well listen up – today’s announcement also confirms another handful of awesome appearances from classic North American metal caballeros Skid Row, Tesla and Danger Danger as well as Jill Janus’ thrash-influenced Huntress, filthy blues-rockers The Graveltones and newcomers Anti-Mortem.
Huntress-in-chief, Jill Janus said: Huntress is honoured to play Download Festival again! We had a killer show last year, and will bring the fury to UK music fanatics once more. Spread it, shred it, behead it!
Larado Romano of Anti-Mortem said of the announcement: Anti-Mortem is extremely excited and beyond ready to play Download this year, it will be the biggest festival we've played to date and our first as a group in the U.K. Watch out UK, we'll be kicking ass Oklahoma style and our rage is American made!
On his latest recruits, Download promoter Andy Copping said: This is shaping up to be the most diverse Download yet – a real tableau of the past, present and future of rock and metal. You can see that in our headliners; Aerosmith, Linkin Park andAvenged Sevenfold, and in today’s announcement where we combine such renowned acts as Bowling for Soup and Opeth withnewer acts like Bury Tomorrow.
Just So Festival the award winning family music and arts festival has announced its initial programme release for 2014. The festival celebrated as a cultural highlight of the summer for families runs from the 15th to the 18th August at Rode Hall Estate in Cheshire.
Highlights include Long Nose Puppets Arthur’s Dream Boat, Gabby Young and Other Animals, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, Shanty Theatre’s Story Giant and Cheshire Dance presenting The Dancing Games.
The performances and activities on offer span a wide range of high quality arts and this year will include premiers of new commissions as well as works reimagined for the outdoors.
Director Sarah Bird said “We’re phenomenally excited about our 5th Just So Festival, the programming is by far the best we’ve had yet. It is a hugely eclectic line up that celebrates and rewards the curious and imaginative, it’s as much a mix of high quality arts and performances as surprising interventions and intriguing happenings”
The award winning event takes the very best in arts aimed at the whole family and presents them in a variety of outdoor environments from an arboreal amphitheatre to a beautiful lakeside and glorious parkland.
Just So Festival asks you to throw away your inhibitions and immerse yourselves in a world of pillow fights, midnight feasts, campfires, jiving and acrobats. Families who camp for 3 nights on the Cheshire Estate are immersed from dawn til dusk in a magical awe inspiring environment.
The Isle of Wight are offering some lucky festivalgoers the chance to beat the January blues and get their hands on tickets & ticket/travel packages to the iconic weekend at the price they were for the Festival in 1970. That’s just £3 for tickets, £2 for car ferry crossing and 6 shillings or 30p for foot passengers! Once you’ve purchased through our Early Bird offer at www.isleofwightfestival.com running through to January 16th, simply complete the entry form and you could be a winner.
So far, we’ve announced performances from some of the biggest acts the UK has to offer, all at the 2014 Isle of Wight Festival…you won’t want to miss it! Headlining the Main Stage on Friday 13th June is the award winning Biffy Clyro, appearing in an English festival exclusive followed by international superstar Calvin Harris who closes the night. We’ve also got a much-anticipated guest set from Rudimental, plus Passenger, The 1975,
The Waterboys and many more still to be revealed.
Get your tickets now for only £170 with our special Early Bird offer running through to January 16th. There are also amazing ticket and travel packages available and if you want to spread the cost, our popular Isle of Wight Festivalpayment plan returns. To keep up to date with all the action and to enter this exclusive competition, head to www.isleofwightfestival.com.
Sonisphere 2014 is proud to announce the first wave of bands who will be joining headliners The Prodigy, Iron Maiden and Metallica at Knebworth House on the weekend of 4th – 6thJuly, 2014.
Australian rockers Airbourne have amassed a legion of fans over their decade-long existence, with a high-octane live show featuring lead singer and guitarist Joel O’Keefe’s outrageous showmanship. Songs such as ‘Stand Up For Rock N’ Roll’, ‘Runnin’ Wild’, ‘Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast’, and recent single ‘Live It Up’ from Roadrunner Records-released third album ‘Black Dog Barking’, showcase a band that wears its hard-rock heritage proudly on its sleeve channeling the spirit of Thin Lizzy, Def Leppard, Judas Priest and AC/DC into a thrillingly updated version of good time rock & roll.
Joel O’Keefe says, “Us four guys are seriously fired up and chomping at the bit to bring the 'Black Dog Barking' Tour to Knebworth. With monumental metal juggernauts Iron Maiden and Metallica coming to shake Knebworth to the core along with Bruce Dickinson also announcing it will be the last concert of the 'Maiden England' tour this is a rock'n'roll event in time that can't be missed. We are deeply honored to have the green light for an Airbourne/Knebworth assault, to get out there on Knebworth's hallowed ground in front of that sea of heavy metal maniacs and give them every ounce of blood sweat and energy we got… And afterwards we'll grab a case of ice cold Trooper ale's and watch the best heavy metal bands of all time! See ya there!”
Seminal American rock group Alice In Chains were the first of the ‘90s Seattle bands to find a global audience, and their influence on the world of rock and metal is indisputable, with over 25 million albums sold during the course of their career. After a decade-long hiatus they returned in 2009 with the astonishing album ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ and in 2013 their latest album ‘The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here’ was released to huge critical and commercial acclaim around the world and saw them play a major UK tour, including their biggest-ever headline show at Alexandra Palace in London, to rave reviews. Sonisphere 2014 will be their only UK festival appearance.
Lead vocalist and guitarist William DuVall comments, “We're very excited to be playing once again at Sonisphere, particularly as this year has us joining our longtime friends in Metallica. It should be a fun ride for everyone – both on and off the stage.”
Infamous Swedish doom-rockers Ghost are one of the most talked-about bands of recent years, their ghoulish stage presence – led by Papa Emeritus – ensuring their stage shows are ever-memorable affairs. But it is their hauntingly atmospheric, but always melodic, music that has won them a devoted audience and with the release of their second album ‘Infestissumam’ and its follow-up covers EP, ‘If You Have Ghost’, that audience has grown ever-larger still. Ghost’s performance at Sonisphere 2014 will be their only UK festival appearance this year and is sure to be a must-see event.
A Nameless Ghoul announces, “It is an honour to be playing at the unholy ground that is Knebworth, where so many classic rock concerts have taken place throughout the years.”
French progressive-metallers Gojira will also play their sole UK festival of 2014 at Sonisphere. Having toured with the likes of Trivium, Lamb Of God, Machine Head and Metallica over the years, Gojira are a formidable live act, combining brutal death metal with enormous technical skills to create their own unique sound, most recently on their 2012 album ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’, released on Roadrunner Records.
Joe from Gojira states, "We are super excited to return to the UK to play the Sonisphere festival at legendary Knebworth this year. We can't wait to come and kick your British asses!”
Perth-based Australian five-piece Karnivool are at the forefront of modern prog-rock, creating elaborate melodic soundscapes and delivering devastating live shows. Their Sonisphere performance is another UK exclusive for 2014 and will see them performing songs from last year’s critically acclaimed third album, ‘Asymmetry’.
Drew Goddard (guitarist) says "We can't bloody wait to get back to play Sonisphere UK 2014. Sonisphere Knebworth was actually the first European Festival we ever played a few years ago, so it will be nice to come back and kick some grass and have people know who we are!"
The mighty Mastodon return to Sonisphere, following their 2011 performance, as yet another exclusive addition to the 2014 bill. Formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000 Mastodon have released five studio albums to date, culminating with 2011’s ‘The Hunter’ which was voted album of the year by Kerrang, Metal Hammer, Rock Sound, Classic Rock, Terrorizer and Thrash Hits and saw them play a sold-out show at Brixton Academy. Their performance at Sonisphere will be the first chance for British fans to see them play tracks from their forthcoming sixth album, due out in the spring.
“We are super excited to be playing Sonisphere Knebworth again!!!“ they exclaim. “We had such a good time at the last one, this one will be even better!! We look forward to seeing you there!!”
Thrash-metal gods Slayer need no introduction as they bring their ferociously demonic live show back to Sonisphere, following their 2011 performance as part of the Big 4 line-up alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax. With their 11th studio album due for release in 2014, Slayer will be delivering their brand of skull-crushing heaviness louder and heavier than ever before.
As guitar-god Kerry King says, “Great to be back at Sonisphere this year!! Always a giant party!!!”
