Jessie Ware, Fink and more for Nova Festival of Arts and Music

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It’s an exciting time for arts at Nova as Rankin and Damien Hirst will be bringing their Myths, Monsters and Legends installations to life at the festival. Featuring model Dani Smith, dreamt-up creatures from classical civilizations, myths, and fairy tales will come to life to culminate in an unmissable experience.

Most famous for filling Trafalgar Square with 30,000 bananas in 2004, Doug Fishbone will be bringing his own brand of Crazy Golf to Nova. Each hole on the course will be designed a different artist with contributions from Jake Chapman, Brian Griffiths, Gary Webb, Zatorski and Zatorski, and Pete Fowler with more to be announced soon. Better still, the entry fee for playing goes straight to Action Aid’s reconstruction efforts in Haiti, so everyone's a winner on this course.
 
Jem Finer’s Still exhibition will make an appearance at Nova alongside Landscape, curated by award winning screen writer Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Red Riding). The exploration into themes of Landscape will feature Jem's installation running in Nova’s Zen Gardens. British film director, writer and artist Andrew Kotting's new film, This Is Our Still Life will be on show, joined by contemporary experimental film maker Ben Rivers' first feature length piece, 2 YEARS AT SEA. The screenings will include an open discussion with Finer, Kotting and Rivers chaired by Tony Grisoni.
 
Nova’s bespoke cinema The Flicker Club are hosting a night a twisted night of Alice in Wonderland surprises. You can forget all your comforting memories of dear old Disney's version, for this is Jan Svankmajer's 1988 film version of Alice in Wonderland. It’ll be complimented by numerous late night screenings to keep you entertained all night long.
 
Theatre sits in prime location at Nova with confirmation of The Pleasance’s programming for the festival. They’ll be showcasing The Pick of the Pleasance – a series of performances including the Late Night Gimp Fight (talk of the town at Edinburgh last year), Abandoman, Doc Browns, Pappy's Max & Ivan, The Beta Males, Ginger & Black, Delete The Banjax and Sheeps. The Battersea Arts Centre will be showcasing Gooseparty, their intense party of sassy pseudo-fiesta funk, electronica gender anthems, dirty agro railway blues, plus a bit of the strummy soft stuff for the lovers of the lonely, in a high octane evening of madcap musical wildness, wilderness and general “gooseyness” which will sure to inspire and thrill the minds of all who are involved.
 
The Pop Up Casino will be in full effect at Nova for those wanting to experience the thrills of Roulette, Blackjack and Poker. At a fraction of the cost of a normal casino (bets start as low as 10p) and with great prizes and all profits going to The Rockinghorse  Appeal – so even if you lose, a local charity wins. They’ll also be hosting the “casino school” for newbies to get a taste of the action before the real games begin.
 
Nova promises a festival of weirdness and wonder and they’re set to deliver just that. John Hegley, the people's Poet Laureate will be spreading joy, humour and wordy wisdom in his inimitable and tuneful way throughout the weekend andGreenandPleasantLand will be bringing their unique blend of physical theatre, live music and folk traditions in an epic adventure for audiences aged 10 upwards.
 
Teatro-Saurus specialise in high-quality mask-theatre for families, who’ll be bringing their original mix of physical theatre and masked fun to Nova. Alongside the stalking poets, prowling postmen and more surprises in the woods, performances at the festival are set to be unrivalled in spontaneity and creativity.
 
Talks at Nova are sure to heighten senses with appearances, readings, debates and lectures from Charley Boorman, Rankin, Clive Arrowsmith, Tony Grisoni, Ben Rivers, Andrew Kotting, Gustav Temple (founder and editor of The Chap),Paul Trynka (David Bowie biographer), Neil Palmer (author of the forthcoming "Rockhunter"), Peter Hancock (aka comedian Jinx Jones), Katy Darby (author of Whores’ Asylum) and many more to be announced.
As well as listening, festival goers are encouraged to create. Nova will host an array of creative salons with London Drawing life drawing, jewellery making, foraging, cooking, burlesque, photography, painting, filmmaking and much more.
 
Alongside the previously announced Nova Arms pub, festival goers are set to be treated to an inventive and unusual dining experience courtesy of Disappear Dining. Referred to as “…the perfect dinner party” by Stylist and “one of London's hottest places to go” by Time Out, they’re some of the most capable dinner party organisers and will be on hand to cater for even the most discerning diners. The Hurly Burly are set to bring their solar powered 'Dining Theatre' for a special appearance and will be stepping up their game for Nova with their unique blend of joyful silliness, live family theatre, puppetry and exquisite food.
 
Throughout the day and into the night, festival goers will be able to come and experience the unique, wild and unscheduled breakout performances that combine physical theatre, dance, gourmet food and live music.
 
For Nova, The Hurly Burly's resident theatre company will be bringing their highly acclaimed, brand new show, Birdy. A haven for families, there will be a rich programme of live family theatre and puppetry, plus live acoustic sessions and juke box songs around the piano.
 
When surrounded by such a massive amount of fun, it’s expected that some may go a little overboard. Nova are fully prepared for those who are in need of festival therapy with their rejuvenation areas. From Soul Pads for Deep Tissue, Aromatherapy, Thai massage, Shiatsu, Acupressure, Reflexology, Indian Head, Reiki, Tui Na, Bliss Domes for sound and light baths plus Yoga, Wild Run and Hot Tubs – they’ll be no shortage of avenues to get your mojo back and geared for all the spectacular experiences that Nova has to offer.
 
Confirmed music acts so far include AFRI-KOKOA Allstars, Anna Phoebe, Ballina Whalers, Bird Radio and live and unplugged surprise guests, Carrie Tree, Cheeba, Chris Coco, City Shanty Band, Crazy P, DJ Food, DJ Shep Dog, Duffstep, Fink, Fionn Regan, Ghostpoet, Hexstatic, Indigo Earth, James Morgan, Jessie Ware, JFB, Joker and the Thief, Jono McCleery, KeepUp, Kinny, Krystal Klear, Magic Lantern, Mick Sands, Mixmaster Morris, Mother Feather, Norman Jay, Pete Lawrence, Psychemagik, Reeps One, Sam Brookes, Seahawks, Solid Steel AV Special, Soul Jazz Sound System, Stumblin' Slims and The Black Kat Boppers, The Do, The Midnight Barbers, The Roundhouse Experimental Choir, The Staves, Tim Cumming, Tim Love Lee, tUnE-yArDs, Vic and Tina Smith and We Were Evergreen.

 

Sven Väth set for Cocoon in the Park 2012

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Set a stone's throw from Leeds city centre, the Cocoon in the Park festival site lies within the grounds of a 450-year-old mansion house surrounded by forests and lakes in a celebrated area of outstanding natural beauty. The historic estate of Temple Newsam once again plays host to an exclusive line-up over one stage led by Cocoon ringmaster Sven Väth with support from Cassy and Visionquest.

The festival site includes various food outlets and bars, a chill-out area and a VIP platform where VIP ticketholders can enjoy views across the site and main stage with access to separate toilets and a bar. The main stage is powered by a Funktion-One PA custom-built by festival sound specialists Audio-Plus and features state of the art pyrotechnics, a live VJ and of course performances from the Cocoon dance troupe. Expect nothing less than the usual breathtaking Cocoon production and top quality soundtrack to one of the most popular and talked about events in the UK.

As for the music, Väth is a ruler of the techno world and has been for decades.  With his revered label and club of the same name, Cocoon, he has brought techno to the masses all over the world and, most famously, at Amnesia, Ibiza, since the turn of the millennium.  His learned vinyl sets included sounds from a vast remit of techno; incorporate plenty of colours, oomph and dancing bait and, all the while, are served up with a loveable élan and unbridled passion.

And so to next headliner, Cassy… a regular in the best Berlin clubs, as well as places like fabric, she is an upstanding member of the deep house community who has mixed it up for Cocoon and Panorama Bar in the past.  Her sets are cultured things, much like her productions on her own labels and others like Perlon, and it’s for that reason that she is so in-demand.

Finally, Visionquest (Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves) will do their unadulterated electronic thing.  Little needs to be said of these current scene darlings: their own label has launched an underground pop revolution, they’ve mixed it up for fabric, taken over at WMC and are generally a crew as lovable as they are sonically inventive.

Join Cocoon, System and thousands of like-minded party-goers, then, for what promises to be the ultimate boutique festival experience.

 

Buy Tickets: http://www.cocooninthepark.com/tickets.html

1st Release £35 **SOLD OUT**
2nd Release £43
VIP £75

 

Another dirty dozen bands added to Download Festival 2012

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Making their Download debut despite a career spanning three decades, Sweden’s most successful rock group EUROPE are confirmed, to bring hits such as ‘The Final Countdown’ and ‘Rock The Night’ to the Donington masses.

Ahead of their second album release, Pennsylvanian quartet HALESTORM, led by the enigmatic Lzzy Hale, will make their second appearance at Download, along with Greek heavy metallers FIREWIND (who last played in 2008).

Norwegian “deathpunk” act TURBONEGRO will be back, alongside platinum selling Roadrunner signings THEORY OF A DEADMAN and their upcoming tour mates STELLAR REVIVAL, long standing Brit punk band ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE, the mixed bag of sound that is Bristol’s TURBOWOLF, acclaimed Cambridge rockers MALLORY KNOX, the Radio 1 championed prog metallers THE SAFETY FIRE, American deathcore act EMMURE and infectious hard rockers BROKEN.

Paul Simon Confirmed to headline Hard Rock Calling 2012

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The evening will include a special performance of ‘Graceland’, featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo, in addition to songs spanning his illustrious career. Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas are also confirmed for Sunday 15 July, while Lady Antebellum and John Fogerty join headliner Bruce Springsteen on Saturday 14 July in what promises to be one of the biggest weekends in the music calendar.

‘Graceland’ is one of the most influential albums of the last three decades, and as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, Paul Simon will be performing the album in its entirety at Hard Rock Calling 2012. He will be joined on stage by Jimmy Cliff on songs including Harder They Come and Too Many Rivers To Cross, before Ladysmith Black Mambazo take to the stage for a Graceland reunion, a UK first since 1987. 

Also announced for Sunday 15 July is Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas. Grammy Award-winning Alison Krauss has sold in excess of 12 million albums, including the smash hit release with Robert Plant, Raising Sand. They will perform songs from new album ‘Paper Airplane’, and her breathtaking live performances should not be missed.

Lady Antebellum, multi-million selling country-pop trio, are now confirmed for Saturday 14 July. Their rich harmonies and impeccable instrumental skills are sure to be a hit with crowds at Hard Rock Calling 2012. They join Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty, who not only penned some of the biggest hits ever written including the unforgettable Proud Mary, but has also enjoyed a chart-topping solo career releasing eight studio albums and two live albums.

“Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’ is considered to be one of the greatest of albums of all time,” said Hamish Dodds, President and CEO of Hard Rock International. “We look forward to welcoming Paul Simon to the Hard Rock Calling 2012 stage and celebrating ‘Graceland’s’ 25th Anniversary.”

Live Nation’s Vice President of Promotions, Toby Leighton-Pope commented: “We have some fantastic additions to the lineup. A full performance of Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’ in Hyde Park is going to be incredible and we can’t wait to see the crowd’s reaction. Hard Rock Calling 2012 is a big one with many stand out moments, this will be a special one.”

Hard Rock Calling takes place 13-15 July 2012. The 2011 shows saw over 150,000 music fans flock to Hyde Park for an unforgettable weekend of live music.

Tatton Park Picnic Concerts return for 2012

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The Hallé Fireworks and Choral Spectacular will be an evening of the most celebrated and exciting pieces of choral music with the famous orchestra and a choir of 100 voices on Saturday 28 July while music icons Tony Hadley, Rick Astley, Roland Gift of the Fine Young Cannibals, Heaven 17 and Altered Images will put on ashow-stopping ‘Back To The 80s’ concert on Sunday 29 July, in association with Francis House Children’s Hospice.  

Held in the picturesque grounds of the historic estate, the Tatton Park Picnic Concerts are a true highlight of the North West’s summer season. The event celebrates the wonderful British tradition of the picnic as ten thousand concertgoers enjoy scrumptious picnics in the spectacular surrounds before experiencing world-class music and breathtaking firework displays.

The Hallé Fireworks and Choral Spectacular will come to the beautiful lakeside setting for a magical evening on Saturday 28 July. The world-class Hallé Orchestra with their choir of 100 voices, conducted by Stephen Bell, will perform renditions of the most dramatic choral masterpieces including Handel’s Zadok the Priest, the Anvil Chorus from Verdi’s Il Travatore and Orf’s formidable O Fortuna from Carmina Burana in the stunning lakeside setting of Tatton Park. This enchanting evening will crescendo with an awe-inspiring fireworks finale, as each impressive explosion is timed perfectly to accompany some of classical music’s most famouscompositions. This is one incredible summer experience not to be missed.

Back To The 80s on Sunday 29 July will feature some of the greatest and most successful artists of the 1980s: Spandau Ballet’s enigmatic frontman Tony Hadley, the soulful voice of Rick Astley, sultan of soul Roland Gift of the Fine Young Cannibals, Heaven 17 and cult Scottish rockers Altered Images.  It’s a welcome return for Heaven 17 who performed at the Tatton Park Picnic Concerts in 2009, they said:

“We're thrilled to be playing this year's Tatton Park Picnic Concerts, we played in 2009 and the audience were incredible.  We can't wait to perform there again; the lakeside setting is absolutely beautiful.”

With anthems amongst them including ‘Gold’, ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, ‘She Drives Me Crazy’, ‘Temptation’ and ‘Happy Birthday’, Back To The 80s is set to be a sensational party night. This outstanding evening is in association with Francis House Children’s Hospice, with a portion of proceeds raised on the night going towards care for children and young adults with life-threatening conditions from all over the North West.

Tatton Park Picnic Concerts stands out in a busy UK summer music programme due to its perfect marriage of the magical outdoor setting and world-class music performances, together with the celebration of one of Britain’s favourite pasttimes. Guests can choose to bring their own picnics or enjoy the delicious pre-prepared picnic hampers provided by Carluccio’s. With the estate’s interesting history of music – the mansion boasts a dedicated music room with a 1789 harpsichord – Tatton Park is the perfect destination for an incredible night of entertainment.

Tickets and pre-booked picnic packages are on sale this Friday 16 March from www.tattonparkconcerts.com or by phone 0844 847 2457

SATURDAY 28 JULY – Hallé Fireworks and Choral Spectacular

Early Bird – £27.50

Adult – £29.50

Family – £112

Groups of 10+ – £27.50 per person

SUNDAY 29 JULY – Backto the 80s

Early Bird – £30.50

Adult – £32.50

Family – £124

Groups of 15+ – £30.50 per person

WEEKEND TICKETS

Entry to both concerts – £56

Roots Manuva, Family Stone and George Clinton to headline Mostly Jazz, Funk, and Soul Festival

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The Friday – 29th June 2012 – curated by Birmingham’s Leftfoot will see the return of Gilles Peterson who will be compering on the day as well as jumping behind the decks of one of his legendary DJ sets.

Roots ManuvaLondon Hip-Hop virtuoso Roots Manuva will be headlining the Friday and will be joined by the genre defying Ghostpoet, cover Maestro’s Introducing who will be taking on DJ Shadow’s ‘Entroducing’ in full, with Leftfoot’s new favourites Bad Bad Not Good completing the main stage line up.

Headlining the second stage will be local tropical dub pioneers Troumaca, electro heroes Free School, the groove driven Maylight as well as a DJ set from Leftfoot’s very own Sam Redmore.

The Friday doesn’t end there… Mr. Scruff will be heading to the park to play on his very own stage – Mr Scruff’s Tennis Hut. He will also be headlining the After Show Party which will be completely exclusive to Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul ticket holders!

On Saturday – 30th June 2012 – we will see the return of Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Club with the man himself curating the line up as well playing a headline DJ Set on the second stage. He will also be taking over the After Show Party on the Saturday night. Again, this will be completely exclusive to Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Ticket holders.

Headlining the Saturday night will be Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and Woodstock legends Family Stone. They will be playing a hit laden set which will include psychedelic groove classics such as Dance To The Music, Family Affair and Everyday People.

They will be joined by the Native New Yorkers Odyssey, Speedometer, The Atlantic Players, The Bongolian, Lack of Afro (DJ Set) & Federation Of The Disco Pimp, Rotunda of Wonder, Electric Swing Circus as well as Introducing coming back to play their second show of the weekend with their take on the music of Mr. Scruff.

On Sunday – 1st July 2012 – We will be joined by the Godfathers of Funk – George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. They will be bringing the party to a rapturous close which what is looking like their only UK date of the summer!

Also performing on the Sunday will be James Brown’s Trombone player and master in his own right Fred Wesley who will be joined by his long time band The New JB’s. Completing the Sunday line up will be Soweto Kinch, Neil Cowley Trio, Zoe Rahman, Abram Wilson, Andy Hamilton & The Bluenotes, Husk, Miles Levin, Steve Ajao & Birmingham Jazz Youth Ensemble.

In 2012…. There will be, once again, two stages side by side at the festival, the second of which will feature up and coming talent. As in 2011, Tony Dudley-Evans’ development agency Jazzlines and Birmingham’s premier jazz & funk parlour The Yardbird will be curating the second stage, whilst Gilles Peterson’s favourite Birmingham promoters Leftfoot will curate both stages on the Friday. Each will showcase some of their top acts so expect to see a wealth of emerging sounds.

Tickets for Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul 2012 are now on sale via www.mostlyjazz.co.uk. To avoid booking fees there will also be the option to send in a postal form which is now available from the website. Alternatively, you can visit one of our outlets listed on our site to pick up the tickets in person.

Bombay Bicycle Club, J Cole and more for T in the Park 2012

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bOMBAY bICYCLE cLUBHaving sold in excess of 350,000 albums since their debut release in 2009, North London’s finest, Bombay Bicycle Club, have already notched up two Top 10 albums, an Ivor Novello nomination and an NME Award for Best New Band (2010). With rave reviews for their third studio album A Different Kind Of Fix, the band have just returned from a sold-out US tour and are sure to thrill fans with a stand-out set at T in the Park 2012.
 
After their massive break-through hit Buck Rogers cemented their much-deserved status as one of the UK’s biggest rock acts, Feeder are back with a revitalised new sound. Having sold over 5million records and wowing audiences around the world with their exhilarating anthemic rock, T in the Park fans are in for a treat.
 
When US rap sensation J Cole released his hugely anticipated debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story last September, it shot straight to the top of the US Billboard chart and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Counting Jay-Z amongst his many fans J Cole is one of the hottest breakthrough acts on the hip hop block right now.
 
Reverend and the Makers’ massive top 10 single Heavyweight Champion of the World announced their arrival as a huge force on the UK indie scene. Their epic anthems secured them a coveted support slot with Oasis on their last ever tour, and they have just supported fellow T in the Park act Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on their recent tour. With their third studio album @Reverend_Makers due this spring, it’s sure to be a stand out set at T in the Park 2012.
 
Californian psych rockers The Brian Jonestown Massacre achieved cult status with their starring role in the notorious 2004 rockumentary Dig! The band won themselves even more fans when their track Straight Up and Down was used as the opening theme to hit TV series Boardwalk Empire. With their legendary psychedelic jams and killer hooks, they’ll no doubt treat the crowd to old hits, as well as new material from the soon to be released Aufheben, their 13th studio album to date.
 
York-born acoustic singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich is hotly tipped for the top.  His first single, Pictures (taken from his EP of the same name), was declared "The Hottest Record in the World Today" by Radio 1’s Zane Lowe, and his majestic debut album Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm is earning him major critical acclaim.
 
London five-piece Zulu Winter are also capturing the eyes and ears of fans and critics alike and the quintet’s catchy and anthemic indie-dance, atmospheric synth-pop went down a storm at their recent NME Awards show.
 
The Milk have been enjoying major airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music courtesy of Huey Morgan and with their influences ranging from classic Motown to the Beastie Boys, their edgy blend of hip-hop, dub, dance and punk is sure to impress on their T in the Park debut.
 
California-based roots rock band Dawes make their big debut this summer. Their rich West Coast harmonies and vintage Americana sound has earned them comparisons to Crosby, Stills and Nash and Neil Young, and they’ll showcase material from their highly acclaimed second album Nothing is Wrong.

Isle of Wight Festival 2012 adds Big Country and more!

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The singer/actress will join the band for their Main Stage performance just after her debut at the Festival with her own group Sadie & The Hotheads on The Garden Stage. Tickets for this years not to be missed Festival are on sale now www.isleofwightfestival.co.uk.

Returning to the Isle of Wight Festival for the second year running, Big Country are in the process of making their first studio album in 13 years with producers Steve Lillywhite & Youth at the helm. Joining the band on stage for a special guest performance is Elizabeth McGovern, who has also starred in 'Once Upon A Time In America', 'Ragtime', 'Ordinary People' and numerous movies.

Elizabeth McGovern said: “I am thrilled to be playing with such a stellar cast of musicians and look forward greatly to performing with Big Country – and of course my band Sadie & The Hotheads.”

Big Country's Tony Butler said: “We had a tradition of working with great female vocalists such as Kate Bush and Eddi Reader in the past, so having the opportunity to have Elizabeth perform with us at the IOW is going to be really cool.”

John Giddings, the Festival’s promoter, said: “I have been a fan since ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA… as soon as I found out that Elizabeth could sing, it was a must to invite her to play at the festival, we will roll out the red carpet for Lady Cora…”

Head to the official Isle of Wight Festival Facebook site Facebook.com/iwfestival for all the latest Festival updates, exclusive news, videos & interviews. And follow us on Twitter @IsleofWightFest to get up to the minute tweets to keep you in the know!

2012 LINE UP:

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS · PEARL JAM · BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND · GROOVE ARMADA PRESENT RED LIGHT · THE DARKNESS · MAGNETIC MAN · ELBOW · BIFFY CLYRO · NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS · EXAMPLE · TINIE TEMPAH · NOAH AND THE WHALE · JESSIE J · THE VACCINES · FEEDER · MADNESS · LABRINTH · KELIS · LANA DEL REY · ENTER SHIKARI · ASH · BAND OF SKULLS · JOAN ARMATRADING · PROFESSOR GREEN · WRETCH 32 · KATY B · BLACK STONE CHERRY · LOICK ESSIEN · STOOSHE · CLEMENT MARFO & THE FRONTLINE · SPECTOR · ZULU WINTER ·THE MILK · SWITCHFOOT · BOYCE AVENUE · BRIT FLOYD · CRYSTAL CASTLES · THE CHARLATANS TELLIN’ STORIES · MILES KANE · PULLED APART BY HORSES · BEST COAST · DRY THE RIVER · CARO EMERALD · PENGUIN PRISON · X · THE VIRGINMARYS · THE CHRISTIANS · CHRISTINA PERRI ·BETH HART ·  TERRY REID · STACKRIDGE · TENSHEDS · THE REAL D’COY

Dell™ Digital Festival Experience comes to Beach Break Live

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The Dell Digital Festival Experience is a chance for festival goers to be involved in every element of the event, from tagging themselves in photos of their crazy antics with Bearded Kitten to watching interviews backstage with headline acts. The Digital Festival Experience will also provide Spotify playlists to download, ensuring that no moment is without the perfect soundtrack; as well as an interactive map tagging artists’ whereabouts when at the festival and lots of other amazing and otherworldly technology treats.

On-site Dell will also be upgrading the festival’s tech presence, providing the now infamous Dell Dome where festival goers can check their all important exam results, Facebook feeds and surf the internet alongside the Welsh sea! Tired from the hundreds of free activities on-site festival goers will be able to relax in the comfy internet zone, catch up with their family over Skype and generally enjoy a bit of time out before they head back to the majestic mayhem! 

Beach Break Live has led the way in the festival landscape as the first ever Student Festival, bringing the hottest new talent from across the globe and now they continue to make waves in the industry as they partner with Dell to enable music fans to use technology and get closer to the artists they love – whenever and wherever they like.

Beach Break Live is the largest student festival in the UK, attracting 20,000 students from 14th to 18th June to celebrate the end of term and the beginning of the summer. Featuring some of the largest music stars on the planet including Dizzee Rascal, Chase and Status and Friendly Fires down to the hottest up and coming acts such as Ben Howard and Delilah. Beach Break Live offers so much more than music, from a beach full of kite surfing, windsurfing and wakeboarding to a forest flourishing with activities for everyone to get involved in. At only £109 for four days of full on fun, Beach Break Live is a bargain; visit www.beachbreaklive.com to find out more.

FRIDAY lINE-UP 

CHASE AND STATUS [live]
CLEMENT MARFO & THE FRONTLINE 
DELILAH
EATS EVERYTHING 
FREE PEACE 
JAKWOB
LABRINTH
MAVERICK SABRE 
MISTAJAM 
NERO 
RANDOM IMPULSE 
RODIGAN 
THE SAVAGE NOMADS 

SATURDAY LINE-UP

BENGA [LIVE] 
BROTHER & BONES 
DIZZEE RASCAL 
DJ FRESH [LIVE] 
DOORLY 
GHOSTPOET
JACK BEATS 
ONEMAN 
RUSKO 
SCROOBIUS PIP 
SKREAM & SGT POKES 
THE WHIP
TODDLA T 
WRETCH 32

SUNDAY LINE-UP

ABANDONMAN
AYAH MARAR
BEN HOWARD 
CAMO & KROOKED 
DANNY BIRD 
DYNAMITE MC 
FRED V & GRAFIX
FRIENDLY FIRES 
HIGH CONTRAST 
JESSY ALLEN 
NETSKY 
THE MILK 
WREC & CARASEL 
YOUTHSTAR

 

New acts announced for Off Festival

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The House of Love
There’s no mistaking the sound of British indie rock from the turn of the 80s and 90s: catchy tunes sprinkled here and there with a touch of noise and psychedelia. The House of Love whetted their fans’ appetites with two years’ worth of excellent EPs before finally coming out with their debut album in the spring of 1988, a release that won them critical acclaim and a cult status among audiences. The group broke up just three records later, but luckily went back on stage and into the studio in 2005, giving us the album Days Run Away. It’s about time we saw this British legend live. King Creosote and Jon Hopkins
What could a folk bard possibly have in common with a musician steeped in experimental electronic music? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Kenny Anderson, a Scottish singer/songwriter who performs under the name King Creosote, and Jon Hopkins, the London-based producer who’s worked with such artists as Imogen Heap, Brian Eno, and Coldplay, came out with a collaborative album titled Diamond Mine on Domino Records in the spring of 2011. The LP is a breathtaking combination of King Creosote’s subtle hymns and Hopkin’s field recordings and minimal beats. Their prestigious Mercury Award nomination and appearances on many of last year’s Top 10 British album lists thus comes as no surprise.

Nerwowe Wakacje
Founded in 2007 by Jacek Szabra?ski (of The Car is on Fire) and Micha? Szturomski (Afro Kolektyw), Nerwowe Wakacje take inspiration from Polish classics such as Skaldowie and Czerwone Gitary, but it’s clear that the artists grew up on British alternative rock. There’s something retro about them, and yet they’re 100% fresh. The debut release by Nerwowe Wakacje, subversively titled Polish Rock, was one of the best albums to come out of the local music scene in 2011. Yet it wasn’t as much about giving us a some new choruses to hum as it was about provoking a debate about the identity of Polish popular music.

Viennese visionary Fennesz will also be curating one day at the Experimental Stage. He’s invited Kim Gordon & Ikue Mori, Henry Rollins, Papa M, Lillevan (performing in a duo with Fennesz himself), Forest Swords, Jacaszek, Mordy, and Pietnastka to perform.

Fennesz and Lillevan
Christian Fennesz: an Austrian musician, composer, and improviser. A guitarist who has pushed the boundaries of guitar rock and broadened the scope of modern electronic music. Critically acclaimed for his 2001 album Endless Summer, Fennesz has been constantly seeking new challenges, performing alongside such artists as Sparklehorse, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Mike Patton. Lillevan is a visual artist who specializes in animation and video art. He first gained recognition as the founder of the music and visual ensemble Rechenzentrum as well has his collaborations with several big names, including Luomo, Tarwater, and Fennesz.

Kim Gordon & Ikue Mori
Kim Gordon needs no introduction: aren’t we all secretly in love with her? Best known for her work as singer and bassist of Sonic Youth, Gordon will be performing at the OFF Festival with the amazing improvising drummer Ikue Mori, who records for Tzadik Records and has collaborated with Ensemble Modern and John Zorn.

Henry Rollins
An American musician, comedian, writer, and actor, Rollins is also active in charity work, which he claims helps him keep a lid on his anger. That anger first erupted in the early 80s, when Rollins took over the mike for the now legendary group Black Flag. He went on start his own act, Rollins Band, which made it onto the charts with the bitter hit “Liar”. Rollins isn’t coming to the OFF Festival to sing. Instead, he’ll have some important things to tell us. His appearances can be as brutally painful as they are hilarious: if you’re sure you can handle the truth, don’t miss this show.

Papa M
The multi-instrumentalist David Pajo, a musician mostly known for his recognizable guitar style and worshiped for the albums he recorded with the legendary group Slint, is among the most active artists on the independent music scene. He basically plays everything: from hardcore to post-rock and folk and everything in between. He racked up over a dozen releases under the Papa M moniker, and twice as many in a variety of other configurations, most notably Millions Now Living Will Never Die and TNT with Tortoise, and It’s Blitz! with Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Forest Swords
Created by Matthew Barnes of Liverpool, Forest Swords is a musical project that blends ambient sounds with echoes of alternative guitar rock. Rave reviews of his EP Rattling Cage and the mini-album Dagger Paths are a clue that we might just be dealing with a phenomenon that is on the brink of breaking out of the British underground. For now, Matthew’s remixing skills are in high demand (he’s released his own versions of tracks by These New Puritans, The Big Pink, and Burial) as are his DJing talents, which he recently debuted on the BBC.

Jacaszek
The Gda?sk-based artist Micha? Jacaszek has managed to grab the attention of the entire world: suffice it to say that his latest album, Glimmer was released with a Ghostly International sticker on the case. We also appreciate him for his melancholy, poetic Treny as well as the church- and echo-steeped Pentral.

Mordy
The band started playing in Sopot in the mid-90s, and their every note resonates with the proud musical legacy of the Tri-City alternative scene. Mordy’s music has a bit of everything: from jazz to rock and electronic sounds, putting all of them on an equal footing. The band’s latest demonstration of this approach was released in 2011 under the title Nobody.

Pietnastka
An instrumental project by Piotr Kurek, who debuted last year with a cassette tape on Sangoplasmo Records, a tiny indie label based in Wroc?aw. The critically-acclaimed album Dalia explores minimalism and psychodelia, but the project’s live incarnation – which features Hubert Zemler on drums, S?awomir Ksi??niak on guitar, and Piotr Kurek on the organ and electronic instruments – could be even less predictable.

Line up so far
Alva Noto, Atari Teenage Riot, Battles, Baxter Dury, Black Face, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires, Colin Stetson, Connan Mockasin, Container, Converge, Death in Vegas, Fennesz & Lillevan, Forest Swords, Henry Rollins, Iceage, Iggy and The Stooges, Jacaszek, Kim Gordon & Ikue Mori, King Creosote I Jon Hopkins, kIRk, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Matthew Herbert, Mordy, Nerwowe Wakacje, Nils Frahm, Other Lives, Papa M, Pietnastka, Retro Stefson, Shabazz Palaces, Sleep Party People, Spectrum, Suicide,  Swans, Swietliki graja Ogród Koncentracyjny, The House of Love, Ty Segall.