Boardmasters 2013 Stages Announced

Boardmasters has already announced a host of incredible acts for the August 2013 line up, but the fun doesn’t stop there with house, electro, dubstep and drum n bass on the cards at the recently revealed Unleashed and Marley Point stages.

If Basement Jaxx and The Vaccines aren’t enough for festival-goers to get crazy to then the newly named Unleashed stage ought to do the job.

At the helm, dubstep innovator, producer and legend Benga will be delivering a hedonistic cocktail of dubstep and drum & bass to all those partying in this epic arena. With two successful albums under his belt, producing for Katy B, working on a new Magnetic Man album and a BBC Radio 1 show with partner Skream, you don’t get much bigger than Benga.

Joining the madness on the Unleashed stage, producer extraordinaire Redlight will be smashing up the dance floor with summer vibes, heavy beats and hyped club tracks. Having previously toured with the likes of Disclosure, Rudimental and Magnetic man, Redlight will once again be in good company on this bass warrior stage.

The tasty line up doesn’t stop there with BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra presenter MistaJam and his special project “MistaJam presents Speakerbox” and electronic pioneers Simian Mobile Disco joining the list of awesome acts raising the roof on the Unleashed stage.

Next up in this already immense billing is bona fide legend, American hip-hop musician and DJ Grandmaster Flash. One of the pioneers of hip-hop and the inventor of the cross fader and the Quick Mix Theory, his Boardmasters performance is guaranteed to be like no other.

Over on the cliff edge, the House of Marley returns for 2013 with what was one of the most popular areas at Boardmasters 2012. With a whole host of ferocious acts on the line up, The Marley Point will once again pull in the crowds with relaxing and subtle beats during the day, smashing out some of the best music and entertainment by night.

Kicking off the Marley Point party is one of the UK’s most buzzed-about house acts Dusky with tracks from their fresh new EP Nobody Else and dropping tracks from last year’s massive Flo Jam.

Keeping the party vibing, electronic duo Bondax will also be taking to the Marley stage with their upbeat melodies and 90’s house style tunes including the phenomenal Gold and It’s You guaranteeing hands-in-the-air moments throughout the night. 

Another Marley highlight includes Rinse FM’s garage and house whizz kid T.Williams. One of the driving forces behind UK house label Deep Teknologi, T.Williams continues to rise through the UK house and bass ranks and will be stepping up to the plate at Boardmasters with some seriously deep tracks.

Watch these house, drum n bass and dubstep marvel's smash it whilst taking in the jaw dropping views on offer at the Marley Point stage.

CORNWALL   *  7th– 11th August 2013

 

EIGHT FURTHER ADDITIONS FOR THE HARD ROCK CALLING LINEUP

Hard Rock Calling today announced a further eight additions to this years lineup including Twin Atlantic, The Twang and Gaz Coombes. They join headliners Kasabian and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band plus a host of other top acts. Hard Rock Calling takes place at a brand new home, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 June. Tickets are available but selling fast – get yours now by visiting www.hardrockcalling.co.uk.

Hard Rock Rising winners, The Carnaby’s, are also added to the lineup. The band fought their way to the top spot of the festival’s global search for the next big thing and won the chance to support Bruce Springsteen on the main stage.

Hard Rock Calling will kick off what will be the first show at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since the London 2012 Games. The brand new venue offers festival goers a chance to see some of the world’s biggest names on stage at one of London’s iconic locations.

 

HARD ROCK CALLING FESTIVAL LINEUP SO FAR:

 

SATURDAY 29 JUNE 2013:

KASABIAN, PAUL WELLER, MILES KANE, TWIN ATLANTIC, KODALINE, THE WEEKS, THE CRIBS, KLAXONS, TRIBES, THE VIEW, THE TWANG, TWIN FORKS, DARK HORSES, NO, VUVU VOLTURES, GAZ COOMBES, ELIZA AND THE BEAR, SYD ARTHUR, MY PRESERVER, STEVE CRADDOCK, YELLOWIRE, CHINA RATS

 

SUNDAY 30 JUNE 2013:  

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND, THE BLACK CROWES, ALABAMA SHAKES, DEAF HAVANA, THE CARNABY’S, LISSIE, LAWSON, FLAMIN GROOVIES, MAYER HAWTORNE, TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT, LONELY THE BRAVE, NEGRAMARO, JOSH DOYLE, CODY CHESNUTT, JOSH RECORD, BRUNO MAJOR, CROWNS

 

Many more acts and details still to be unveiled. For further information please visit www.hardrockcalling.co.uk.

NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS JOIN THE EXIT FESTIVAL LINE UP

The undisputed king of alternative rock, Nick Cave, checks in again at EXIT Festival to the sheer joy of his fan army who witnessed the glorious return of the Bad Seeds with their 2013 comeback album "Push The Sky Away"!  Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds are one of the most important pillars of the rock scene over the past 30 years.

Nick's performance with Grinderman (Cave, Casey, Ellis & Sclavunos) at EXIT 2011 remains legendary as one of the most explosive performances on the Main Stage of all time. 

At EXIT 2013, they will be performing songs from their wealthy opus, including the new album which has already been tagged by the critics as one of the best releases of this year!

For more info check  www.exitfest.org/en

LINE UP SO FAR:
Atoms For Peace, Bloc Party, CeeLo Green, David Guetta, Fatboy Slim, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion, The Prodigy Chase & Status DJ set & Rage, Diplo, DJ Fresh live, Dubfire, Eric Prydz, Jeff Mills, Pan-Pot, Rudimental live, SBTRKT (DJ Set), Seth Troxler, Steve Angello Ana Popovic, Apollonia, Bad Copy, Broke'n'£Nglish, Brookes Brothers, Camo & Krooked (DJ Set) & Dynamite MC, Delilah, Deniz Kurtel, Dismantle & LX One, Dixon b2b Âme, Dubioza Kolektiv, Dub Phizix & Strategy, Eyesburn, Feed Me (DJ Set), Friction & Linguistics, Gregor Tresher live, Hex, Inspector Dubplate, Kate Boy live, Kiril Djaikovski, Mark Knight, Matador live, Mathew Jonson live, Prong, Redlight, Scuba live, SKisM, South Central, Subb An b2b Adam Shelton, The Prototypes, Tom Staar, Urban & 4, Velahavle, Wilkinson & VisionObi + Many more to be announced

Summercamp, a festival of music, art, food & more

The inaugural Summercamp, part of Liverpool International Music Festival, is set to take place over August bank holiday 2013. Set within Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle early Bird and kids tickets start from as little as £20 and are available from www.summercampfestival.co.uk. Summercamp is a small festival with big talent up close, boasting top acts such as Mount Kimbie, Martha Wainwright and Ghostpoet, world-class art courtesy of Liverpool Biennial and mouth-watering flavours curated by Sunday Brunch’s Simon Rimmer, plus much more. A village fete meets a bloc party, the event will feature both outdoor and indoor stages woven throughout and around the unique host warehouse venue, Camp and Furnace. Family-friendly and catering for every type of culture-vulture Summercamp is a new jewel in the North West summer calendar. Full line-up and further information are available on the website.
 

FOOD

 
Summercamp is offering a feast of proportions suitable for a bank holiday, curated by Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch co-host and restaurateur Simon Rimmer alongside host venue Camp and Furnace’s own head chef Steven Burgess. The pair have enlisted Michelin Starred chef and Great British Menu finalist Glynn Purnell, who will create two gourmet menus that will be served during Summercamp as part of a programme of bespoke banquets. Tickets to sittings of these menus will be very limited and are due to go on sale to Summercamp wristband holders in the next month. Can Cook, in partnership with Guerilla Eats, are assembling the best of the North West’s street food. 15 traders will be cooking up an array of international cuisine in the street food style, the UK’s hottest dining trend of the moment.
 

MUSIC

Ghostpoet is amongst the first artists confirmed for Summercamp’s music strand. His addition follows the release of ‘Some Say I So I Say Light’, the follow-up to a Mercury-nominated debut album, which was has received glowing reviews. The singer and producer, aka Obaro Ejimiwe, will bring charmingly downbeat electronic sounds to Summercamp’s stage this summer. Warp records’ electronic duo, Mount Kimbie will also take to the stage for a set of their much-loved post-dubstep sounds. In addition, Summercamp will welcome Canadian-American singer songwriter Martha Wainwright, sure to deliver a vocally standout set adorned with her legendary turn of phrase. Last but by no means least heading to Liverpool will be folk trio The Staves and the gritty sounds of US rock outfit, Merchandise.

ART

 
Liverpool Biennial lend their art expertise to Summercamp via The Experimental Music School, a mind-expanding, family programme for all ages taking the form of workshops, games, experiments and performances. The first artist to be revealed is the Dutch luthier and musician Yuri Landman. His workshop will involve the building of bespoke instruments, Landman’s previous creations have been used by Sonic Youth amongst many others meaning the audience are in truly expert hands. Following the workshop there will be a performance of a new work using these newly created instruments with critically acclaimed Liverpool trio Ex-Easter Island Head. Summercamp will soon be announcing the details of its film programme in collaboration with the award-winning media arts centre FACT.
 

FAMILY

 
From urban fox hunts to teddy bear’s picnics and cardboard tree houses, the family programme, delivered jointly by Summercamp, Liverpool Biennial and Just So Festival (the boutique festival of creativity aimed at children, young people and their families), will include food, film, music, making and dressing up running from 11am to 7pm.

 
Summercamp Director Miles Falkingham comments: “We are thrilled to be bringing an event encompassing such a breadth of art and entertainment to the Baltic Triangle. The area is home to Liverpool’s brightest creativity and the city’s best, up and coming, homegrown entrepreneurial talent. Summercamp is all about reflecting and celebrating that brilliance, with something for everyone we’re hoping to make the August bank holiday a weekend to remember”.

Just So Festival News – Pirates, laughing and Flying Machines‏

The last few additions for Just So Festival have been announced, and you can now see the whole programme over at www.justsofestival.org.uk

Laughing Yoga master and guru of giggles Robin Graham invites all comers to a laugh off competition. In keeping with the sock theme contestants will need to enter a pair. Warning: Laughter is infectious and there will be no antidotes available on the day. This is just a tantalising slice of programming from a brand new area at Just So. Watch this space for all the details of ‘All over the place’.

Avast! And welcome to the world of the Mirth, a group of debauched and maniacal buccaneers that have been plundering the British Isles far and wide for the last several years. Combining hilarious live shows with pounding dance music, Seas of Mirth are a band unlike any other around. With high speed gypsy beats, a thrashy folk influence and some majestic bellowing, they even manage to throw in a bit of old- school hip-hop for good measure. They’ll be whipping up a frenzy of excitement at the grand finale of the Tribal Tournament, and following it up with the most piratanical performance.

Making sure that the Just So Tea Dance goes with a swing, Dixie, Tallulah and Scarlet are the glamorous members of the close-part harmony swing group The Polka Dot Dolls.  With seamed stockings and victory rolls in place, The Polka Dot Dolls will be on hand with toe-tapping swing numbers and romantic love songs of the 1930′s and 1940′s.

They’re back, they’re back, of course they’re back. The marvellous Pif Paf theatre will be hitting the High seas in 2013 in their fantastical flycycle… Come away with us on a journey of your wildest dreams, aboard our famous traveling machine, The Flycycle! Choose a traveling companion, find the Departure Lounge and we’ll take care of the rest. We take two at a time and dress you in hats so sublime. With Captain Bigshot, you’ll fly up up and away, crossing continents in turbulent adventures.Together we’ll weave unforgettable stories.

2013 Festival Tickets…

…are, of course, on sale nowWeekend tickets are selling more quickly than ever before. Don’t leave it too late this year or they will all be gone!

Wychwood, Beer, Cheer and Bubbles.

This is the 9th Wychwood festival to take place, which is a tragedy for me as it means I have missed 8 years of this fun filled, family friendly, yet modest event, that gently launches you into the summer festival period.  Set in the grounds of Cheltenham race course and overlooked by the Cotswold Hills, this venue is used to horseplay of a four-legged nature, but with neigh a nag in sight, Prestbury Park comes alive with a wide spectrum of characters.

The first days sound track set the pace for what would shape up to be quite the eclectic mix.  Early evening The Beat proved how they secured their rightful place high up the Ska tree. With Rankin Roger & Son getting the crowd stomping to the ever popular Ska beats. Toploader followed with their breezy, sing a long songs, that keep the crowd on a high.  Friday night headliners Soul II Soul with their blend of R&B, Soul and Electronica, surprised many who thought them a one song band (Back to life). With each song played you couldn’t help regret not paying more attention 25 years ago. But better late than never!! They exit the stage, leaving the crowd craving for more.

Saturday sees the music shift to a broader range. Unfortunately the delectable Kate Nash pulls out poorly. The Wedding Present are a crowd pleaser as they work through some of their phenomenal body of work. A French twist next from festival favourites The Caravan Palace, who’s zany Gypsy Jazz, Electro swing, is a sight and sound to behold, a big band wall of music fronted by the mesmerising stage presence that is Zoé Colotis a must see. The night’s headliners are 80’s Electro New Wave sensation The Human League and with a catalogue of hits, the crowd were on their feet from the opening “Mirror Man” to the ever popular “Don’t You Want Me” ending another great night with “Together in Electric Dreams”. The set and backdrop pay homage to the futuristic approach of the 80’s, that seem just as futuristic and relevant today, Little wonder so many artists since, have voiced this Flamboyant and eccentric group as an influence.

Sunday becomes a field of laughter with the humorous yet skilful take on classical and popular songs by the Ukele Orchestra of Great Britain.  Smiles a plenty but with admiration from this musically talented troop.  The laughter continues as Bill Bailey and his side splitting comedy take over.  Nobody being prepared for the music, jokes and insanity of this middle-aged madman. This massive force could have easily have been the finale for the main stage, but the organisers decided to bring the evening to a close by treating an appreciative crowd to the Dub Powerhouse that is Dreadzone.  This reggae tinged set was the perfect end to a fabulous weekend, having the crowd bounce and groove out the evening.

 A couple of standout performances on the smaller but no lesser stages included Becky Rose, with her one gal, synth based beats and Craig Charles funk and soul show, where the crowd were whipped up in to a frenzy to match that of the energetic, multi-talented showman.

When the main attractions have finished and the majority of the crowd have turned in for the night, one stage is determined to party on regardless. As I approach the big top tent with strobes escaping from the entrance I can’t help but think that there is something missing?   Upon entry I am handed a pair of wireless headphones and as I walk on through to a sea of crazy revellers it is apparent that I have entered a nut house.  This is the silent disco, a room full of clubbers and two DJ’s but no music through the loud speakers.  I put the headphones on and find myself instantly condemned to the madhouse as I flick between the two DJ’s and adjust my dancing style accordingly.

Music for all genres means that young or old you will at some point find your dancing shoes and at the very least discover new and exciting sounds.  There are over 100 workshops to choose from, complimented with cuisine from the four corners of the world.

A lasting memory of the festival will be that of a  man releasing  another wave of bubbles they glisten like the northern lights as they pass over the light filled stage.  Wychwood really captures the essence of what a festival is about with a great energy and atmosphere.

 

Evolution Festival 26 & 27 May 2013

Since 2002 Evolution Festival, known locally as “Evo” has changed format several times starting as a multi venue event and moving locations around the Quayside.

Evolution is now a two stage event based around the Spillers Wharf area of the Quayside next to the River Tyne.  This means everything is closer together and there is less walking time between the Spillers Wharf stage and the Ballast Hills stage which is great when there are so many acts to enjoy!

Arriving in Newcastle on Sunday, the festival location was easy to find as there were large groups of people wearing UV paint to follow!  The weather set the scene for a beautiful and rare sunny Bank holiday Sunday in the UK and helped make a brilliant atmosphere even better!

After walking through the main entrance, the first thing I noticed was the lively atmosphere, the fun vibe and smiling faces.  There were plenty of places to eat and drink, we headed straight for the pork and stuffing batches and then found an area amongst the revellers to enjoy our food and check out what was going on around us before deciding it was time for the bar.  The main bar served a selection of wine, beer and cider and the Keglevich Cocktail tent was next door if you fancied a fruity alternative.  The bar service was excellent and there were no large queues like you would normally experience, this remained the same whenever I went to get a drink during the two day festival.   

Opposite these, was the Red Bull tent where DJ’s spinning some great sets in between bands stopped people in their tracks and created an impromptu dance floor!

We then made our way to the Ballast Hill stage to enjoy Loadstar, the atmosphere at this stage was really lively with dancing and moshing, everyone was there to enjoy themselves and make the most of the music.  Other acts we enjoyed at the Ballast Hills stage on Sunday were Lethal Bizzle and Modestep who if possible, got the crowd going even more!  I couldn’t help but smile being around all these people having such a good time.

As we moved to the Spillers Wharf stage, the crowd were slightly older and there was no moshing but still an amazing atmosphere.  We enjoyed Rudimental who played all of the best songs from their album and surprised the crowd with a brilliant cover of the Fugees “Ready Or Not” halfway through their set.

Next up was Ellie Goulding who, playing at the festival for the second time opened her set with 'Figure 8' and sang her rendition of Elton John’s 'Your Song'.  Ellie finished her set with some more of her well known songs: Lights, Starry Eyed and I Need Your Love accompanied by the majority of the crowd singing every word with her.

Headliners The Vaccines who recently performed to a sell-out crowd at Newcastle’s O2 Academy were extremely popular, it seemed as though the majority of people who sang along and danced throughout had come specifically to see them.

When we left the festival at around 11pm the atmosphere was still buzzing with everyone still wanting to dance, probably heading to Digital in Times Square where the official after party was held.

The weather not quite as sunny on the Monday but that didn’t dampen anyone’s sprits as we enjoyed a breakfast on the Quayside and watched the UV painted crowds of people heading towards the festival site. 

We arrived in time to see Gorgon City on the Ballast Hills stage and the atmosphere today seemed to be even crazier than it was on Sunday!

We switched between the Spillers Wharf and Ballast Hills stages a lot on Monday as there were so many acts we wanted to see, this was made possible due to the great layout and organisation of the festival.

Considering I hadn’t heard of Lulu James, I thought she was one of the best acts at the festival.  She enjoyed a great reception from the crowd and looked amazing in a legless black leather body suit and an enormous collar.

AlunaGeorge, made up of Aluna Francis on vocals and George Reid on the decs were probably less well known than other acts on the Spillers Wharf stage but they still played to a good sized crowd who really came to life when they performed White Noise, recognising their most well-known track.

Zinc and Mista Jam were both brilliant acts to have on the Ballast Hills stage as they played exactly what the crowd had come to enjoy with almost everyone singing along to all the tracks they played.  Mista Jam filmed the crowd doing the Newcastle version of the Harlem Shake, even getting an eager young lad on stage to dance alone until the beat dropped.  It was great to be part of the crowd for this one and I will be watching it back on You Tube.

Bastille drew a large crowd and finished their enjoyable set with a cover of 90s dance classic 'Rhythm is a Dancer'.

Jake Bugg followed, playing almost everything from his debut album. Jake really knew how to work the crowd alternating his slow and lively songs.

We just made it in to the Ballast Hills area for Sub Focus just before it reached capacity, their set was energetic and despite the fact most of this crowd had been dancing all day they still went crazy

Paloma Faith’s headline performance on the Spillers Wharf stage was a delight to watch and listen to.  She had great stage presence and chatted easily between songs, at one point stopping for a cuppa, commenting on the cold and the amount of denim knicker wearers in the crowd!  Also performing a cover, Paloma sang her version of INXS 'Never Tear us Apart'.

Overall, Evolution Festival was well organised with good security and police presence.  Despite the festival attracting a slightly younger audience than others I’ve been to, it is still an enjoyable place to be with a friendly vibe, plenty of big names to watch and brilliant music to dance to!

Slamdunk Slam-dunks!

With so many festivals spread over whole weekends, Slamdunk offers something a little different. With seven stages, both indoor and out, and bands playing throughout the day, Slamdunk Wolverhampton offers the younger generation a chance to experience the excitement of a punk rock festival without the hassle of camping.

The crowd immediately gravitated towards the Monster Energy stage at the far end of the arena, a­s it boasted the first act of the day, Heart in Hand. The British hardcore act kicked off the festival with a bang, exhibiting the spirit that set the precedence for all the bands that followed them.

After exploring outside through all the assorted merchandise tents, the flow of the crowd swept me inside in time to see what the main stage had to offer. With bands such as Tonight Alive and Sleeping with Sirens on throughout the day, there was constantly a lively crowd leading up to the big headliners, the fantastic All Time Low. I don’t think I’ve ever heard screams like those leading up to the entrance of the US four piece. As the lights went out after the final sound checks, the screams were beyond deafening and many of those ladies had their bras at the ready to throw. And throw them they did! Lead guitarist, Jack Barakat, had quite the extensive collection hanging from his mic stand by the time the first song peaked. And with their bright, energetic performance, they didn’t disappoint, with crowds spilling into the hallways straining to get a glimpse of the famous foursome.

If you preferred a closer encounter with your favourite bands and were willing to explore the more hidden stages, you were rewarded with two more stages, each offering their own unique take of the festival experience. The Tiger stage alone offered a more intimate setting, giving bands like Yashin and Cancer Bats, a chance of a far more personal performance. In fact Harry Redford, one of the two lead singers of Yashin, couldn’t keep himself away from the crowd.

It wasn’t exclusively for the younger generation of punk rockers though. Heading back outside to the Vans stage, there was an impressive  line-up of 90s punk bands to greet the more old school punk in the crowd. Throughout the day there was a gathering of brightly coloured mohawks to be seen, and as soon as the bands announced their arrival the ‘hawks made their way forward, like shark fins heading towards their next victim.

With the likes of [Spunge] proclaiming “We are not dead!” and MC Lars stating out loud to the crowd that skanking is still cool, with his post-punk laptop rap inviting members of the crowd onto the stage to get down and dance.  There were even brass instruments, some more steampunk than others, making an appearance with the likes of Streetlight Manifesto and the recently reformed King Prawn.

All in all, beers, bands, bras and some bloody scary 10ft aliens walking around. This bank holiday Monday, Slamdunk Wolverhampton was the place to be!

Check out the photos here

Sam Smith announced for Latitude 2013

Latitude is delighted to announce one of the UK’s current hottest talents Sam Smith will be performing as a special guest on The Lake Stage at this year’s festival, taking place at Henham Park, Suffolk from 18th – 21st July. Smith’s amazing vocals featured on one of 2012’s biggest tracks, Disclosure’s Latch and he’s back at the top of the charts again featuring on hot producer, Naughty Boy’s smash Number One single La La La, currently the fastest selling single of the year. Curated by Huw Stephens, The Lake Stage has played host to countless ‘next big things’ including Alt-J, The xx and Everything Everything and as one of 2013’s most exciting artists at just 21-years-old, Sam Smith is no exception.

Also on The Lake Stage this year will be the master of beautiful folk balladry  Benjamin Francis Leftwich, London indie-pop quartet Veronica Falls and hotly tipped Manchester foursome The 1975. Other must see sets include art-noise masters Bo Ningen, UK folk and grunge blend Wolf Alice, Australian rave revivalists Jagwar Ma and tropical pop reggae artist Hollie Cook.

 

 

OBELISK ARENA

Friday
Bloc Party
The Maccabees
Cat Power
Yo La Tengo
I Am Kloot
Stornoway
Tim Burgess

Saturday
Kraftwerk (3D Show)
Hot Chip
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Jessie Ware
Steve Mason
Efterklang
Charles Bradley And His Extraordinaires 

Sunday
Foals
Grizzly Bear
James Blake
Local Natives
The Tallest Man On Earth
Junip

BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC STAGE

Friday
Modest Mouse
Calexico
Villagers
Richard Thompson Electric Trio
Beth Orton
Akron/Family
Willy Mason
James Skelly & The Intenders 

Saturday
Alt-J
Mark Lanegan Band
Everything Everything
Daughter
White Denim
Duane Eddy 
Matthew E. White

Sunday
Beach House
Disclosure
Cocorosie
Rudimental 
MÚM
IamamIwhoamI
Austra
Laura Mvula

New acts for V Festival 2013 – Steve Angello, 5ive, The Saturdays

V Festival 2013, sponsored by Virgin Media, has announced a host of amazing new acts set to join the weekend line-up. Former Swedish House Mafia star Steve Angello is confirmed to headline the Arena stage whilst The Saturdays, Katy B, Mark Owen, Lissie, Conor Maynard, The Pigeon Detectives, Jaguar Skills, McFly, Everything Everything, 5ive, The Eels, The Heavy, Netsky Live!, The Original Rudeboys, Nina Nesbit and K-Koke have also been confirmed to play across the weekend.  V Festival have also announced The Futures stage, headlined by Jamie Cullum and Benjamin Francis Leftwich, V Festival takes place across the weekend of August 17 & 18 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire.

 
The Futures stage will showcase the very best in upcoming talent alongside a very special performance by Jamie Cullum, other acts confirmed to play the stage across the weekend are as follows:
Benjamin Francis Leftwich – The singer songwriter from York released his critically acclaimed debut album in 2011, he is currently working on his eagerly awaited follow up.
Monsta – Described as having the melodic synth of Flux Pavilion, the tech-soul vocal drops of Moby and the reverberant snares of trip hop act U.N.K.L.E, Monsta have become a popular regular on the club and festival circuit.
James Skelly & The Intenders – Having just finished writing with Paul Weller, James Skelly, former front man for The Coral, is back with his debut album ‘Love Undercover’.
Lewis Watson – Oxford’s twenty-year-old singer songwriter, will be bringing his guitar folk rock to the festival after successfully topping the iTunes singer songwriter chart with his EP ‘It’s Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW’.
 
Misha B – Her debut album will be out in July and features the recent hit singles ‘Home Run’ and ‘Do You Think of Me’.
Hoffmaestro – The Swedish electronic act have built up a fantastic reputation for their sensational live shows.
Sam Smith – The British singer-songwriter recently featured on Naughty Boy’s massive UK number one single ‘La La La’.
A*M*E – Nominated for the BBC Sound of 2013 poll in January A*M*E has already had an amazing year, she featured on the recent number one single ‘Need U (100%)’ by DJ Duke Dumont and will release her debut album later this year.
Goldie Lookin Chain – The Welsh rappers have been creating sensational comedic rap since 2004.
The Skints – Fresh off their UK tour, The Skints will be showcasing their unique mix of reggae, ska, dub, punk & hip-hop to the stage, along with a little of their self dubbed ‘East London Reggae’ sounds.
Lucy Spraggan – Her debut album which mixes acoustic, folk and hip hop will be out later this year, she recently confirmed that her first single will be ‘Lighthouse’.
Nell Bryden – US singer-songwriter Nell Bryden has received high praise in the UK for her latest album ‘Shake The Tree’, lead single ‘Buildings and Treetops’ was A –listed at Radio 2.
Ed Drewett – Best known for his collaboration with Professor Green on ‘I Need You Tonight’ Ed is currently preparing to unleash his debut album.
Diana Vickers – Her debut album ‘Songs From the Tainted Cherry Tree’ was out in 2010 and reached the number one spot on the UK album charts.  Follow up album ‘Music to Make Boys Cry’ will be out in July.
Moya – The London based singer songwriter has recently toured with Rod Stewart, Andy Burrows and Mick Hucknall.
John Newman – The British soul singer is best known as being a featured artist for Rudimental's number one single "Feel the Love" and top 20 single "Not Giving In", his debut single ‘Not Giving In’ will be out in June.
Exit Calm – The south Yorkshire four piece are renowned for their epic indie-rock.
Silouette – They will be bringing their high energy alternative pop laced with flavours of darkness, hope and desire to the stage.
 
V Festival, prides itself on the quality of artists that perform each year, aside from headliners Beyonce and Kings of Leon other incredible acts already on the line-up include Stereophonics, The Script, Emeli Sandé, Calvin Harris, Beady Eye, Jessie J, Two Door Cinema Club, The Vaccines, Basement Jaxx, Olly Murs, Paloma Faith, Jesse Ware, James, Rita Ora, The Courteeners, FUN., Labrinth, Ellie Goulding, Rudimental, James Arthur, Little Mix, and Laura Mvula.  More acts will be announced in the coming weeks across the stages at the two festival sites.

V Festival is now in its 18th year and is renowned for bringing the very best in popular music together for one epic summer weekend. It is now established as the biggest festival in the UK with over 170,000 fans attending across the two sites and was the first festival to establish rotating acts across two sites.
 
V Festival is one of the hottest dates on the UK cultural calendar.  From the moment the gates open each area of the festival comes alive and a truly remarkable weekend of music and enjoyment ensues. V Style camping is set to return this year giving festival fans the chance to get the best of both worlds. They can dance the days away with their favourite artists and then chill out in luxury in ready built Pod Pads, Cloud Yurts, Hearthworks Tipis and pop-up hotel rooms.

2013 once again sees a wide spectrum of acts playing across the stages, guaranteeing yet another year of unforgettable appearances.  The popular Glee Club Comedy Tent will also makes a return this year, with side-splitting performers to be announced in the coming weeks.  With many more great artists to be announced, there is something for everyone at V Festival.

Keep up to date with all the latest news and ticket outlet information at www.vfestival.com