The Selecter

Shambala Line-Up: 80 new names including Paranoid London, CERN and Zack Polanski

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Fresh from its landmark transition to become the UK’s first employee-owned festival, Shambala Festival has shared a significant new wave of programming for its 2026 edition, featuring over 80 new artists including Paranoid London, Luke Vibert, K-Lone and Om Unit, plus blockbuster speakers such as Zack Polanski and a UK exclusive from world-leading laboratory, Cern Festival Programme & Big Bang Collective.

The newly announced artists blend festival stalwarts with emerging underground talent, global roots voices and cutting-edge names from the worlds of dance and electronic music. They join an already expansive music billing – featuring the likes of Bob Vylan, Goat, BCUC, Los Bitchos, Hollie Cook, The Selecter and Orchestra Baobab.

Stylistically diverse new additions include acid house heroes Paranoid London, acclaimed Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, London up-and-comer Summer Pearl, Egyptian-Australian multi-instrumentalist Joseph Tawadros, UK-Ghanaian duo Mina & Bryte, Birmingham’s “post-apocalyptic party band” Diddy Sweg, and vintage-tinged festival favourites Electric Swing Circus. 

A renowned late-night haunt, Shambala’s Enchanted Woods are set to rumble with DJ sets from genre-defying collective Ishmael Ensemble, afro-latin bass DJ Cal Jader, K-LONE (Wisdom Teeth), techno pioneer Luke Vibert and Bristol-based electronic legend Om Unit.

The 2026 edition also places a spotlight on co-curation and community, featuring a Decolonise Festival takeover with Bona Rays and steel. at the Rebel Soul venue, as well as the Ladies Bathroom Songwriters Takeover at the Hertz So Good youth-led venue. 

Other ones to watch include Drag Syndrome – an internationally acclaimed drag collective, featuring fierce and brilliant artists with Down syndrome – and Vespa Cougourdon Ourchestra, who promise a wild, anarchic and intoxicating show – complete with homemade gourd instruments.

True to Shambala’s radical roots, its 2026 Talks & Speakers offering is designed to fire up hearts, minds and spirits – with much of this year’s programme taking a close look at the current political landscape through a decidedly hopeful lens. Transition movement co-founder Rob Hopkins explores How To Fall in Love With the Future, while Green Party leader Zack Polanski hosts a live edition of his Bold Politics podcast.

Other highlights include a call to resistance from Led by Donkeys, who return after a packed-out talk in 2025, and a provocative look at sustainable eating in Deer Oh Deer Now What? – which picks up where the meat-free festival’s recent audience debate about introducing wild venison left off. 

In a major coup for 2026, the CERN Festival Programme and the Big Bang Collective also arrive at Shambala for a UK festival exclusive. This residency from the world-leading laboratory brings of-the-moment science and tech topics to the heart of the festival with four sessions across the weekend. 

Following last year’s sell-out show, tickets for 2026 are moving fast. Tier 1 and 2 tickets are now completely sold out across Adult, Elders and Young Adult ticket types, with limited Tier 3 Adult, Young Adult and Green Traveller tickets remaining.

To widen accessibility, Shambala has recently introduced new payment plans, allowing fans to secure tickets for an initial payment of under £30, with the remaining balance spread across weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments until the summer. 

With its genre-defying line-up, commitment to inspiring positive change and deep-rooted community, 2026 is shaping up to be another unforgettable chapter in Shambala’s story.

For tickets, full line-up details and information, visit: https://www.shambalafestival.org/buy-tickets/ 

Chagstock announce headliner The Waterboys for 2014

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Formed 30 years ago by Mike Scott, The Waterboys became famous for their powerful live performances and majestic albums such as A Pagan Place and This Is The Sea, which included their biggest hit The Whole Of The Moon. 

After the recruitment of Irish fiddle maestro Steve Wickham, the band created their million-selling Fisherman's Blues album, on which Scott's original and unusual songwriting was merged with older musics – country, trad, blues and gospel – to electrifying effect. Since then The Waterboys have continued to make genre-busting records and have matured into one of the world's finest live acts. 

Chagstock is one of the Westcountry’s 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 year’s festival are now on sale at www.chagstock.info 

The first acts confirmed for 2014 are Saturday headliners, The Waterboys, legendary 2-Tone band, The Selecter; Award winning Canadian bandThe 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. Chagstock’s house band, New Crisis also perform their traditional main stage slot.

This year’s Fancy Dress Theme will be ‘The Wild West!’ 

The Selecter and more announced for Chagstock Festival 2014

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CHAGSTOCK FESTIVAL is one of the Westcountry’s 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 year’s 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. Chagstock’s very own house band, New Crisis also perform their traditional main stage slot.

This year’s Fancy Dress Theme will be ‘The Wild West!’ 

Last year’s 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). Chagstock’s 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 year’s 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”

 

UB40 to headline Wowfest and more acts added to lineup

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With a string of top ten hits to their name, UB40 head up a quite outstanding reggae line-up of living legends that already includes the likes of Finley Quaye, The Wailers, Aswad, Maxi Priest and Misty in Roots alongside another dozen acts in what promises to be the finest collection of reggae artistes anywhere in the UK this year.

UB40

And there was further excitement from the Wow camp with news of the exclusive UK appearance of Madeleine Peyroux, from USA, on Sunday on the Blue Angel Stage, for what is to be a great treat for fans of her jazz/folk bohemian style, once discovered busking in the streets of Paris with her soul shaking songs and haunting voice likened to Billie Holliday. This follows the Saturday headline appearance of The Overtones – 5 Irish/English boys updating the swing and fun of be-bop and dee-wop and bringing some good old style back into the modern UK jazz scene. The Blue Angel Stage features some exquisite Jazz acts including the recognisably Jamaican inspired lilts of jazz party trombonist Dennis Rollins in the Velocity Trio and Dominican Cameron Pierre, Dixie chicks Larkin Poe, plus The London Community Gospel Choir, with some more outstanding live appearances still to be announced, ensuring the most impressive selection of Jazz acts in the UK for 2012

And the global party that is Wowfest continues to gathers pace in the afterhours Club Nights with the addition of Roni Size alongside Smith and Mighty for superlative jungle/dubstep/drum and bass night on Friday, whilst Peter Hook, until recently of New Order fame, joins Marshall Jefferson on the ones and twos in a closing Madchester Hacienda themed after hours party on Sunday.

And with the addition of the Alabama 3, Heaven 17, 808 State, Kitten and the Hip, The Pretty Things, and The Blockheads to the Main and Global Stages, with plenty more support acts as well as headliners still to be announced, Wowfest is already shaping up to be an iconic event, with an eclectic mix of House, Reggae, Ska, Jazz, Global and Dance that is already seeing a few envious eyes cast by established festival organisers – with the emphasis firmly on quality rather than excessive quantity of fillers that can sometimes blight other festival line-ups

Tickets are on sale from the event website for a bargain early bird weekend £99 (including free travel on Southern Vectis buses) for limited period only, and many have already snapped up since the announcement of  Paul Oakenfold, Soul 11 Soul, The Beat, Norman Jay, Danny Rampling, The Selecter, Bad Manners, Neville Staple of the Specials, Bez from the Happy Mondays' acid house night, Manos De Dios, Black Roots, Talisman and host of other top names all appearing at Wowfest over the weekend – and with a lot more to come yet.

Wowfest also sees a very promising stage for newer acts evolving – The Shaved Fish stage highlights global and local up and coming bands ensuring that plenty of young unsigned and Isle of Wight talent gets to share the event with some of the classiest live performers alive today. Local and unsigned acts are invited to contact Wowfest HQ to apply for an opportunity to play – see the event website www.wowfest.co.uk for more info about opportunities to perform and get involved with Wowfest – including catering and trading concessions, volunteer stewards and other opportunities to join the festival.

And with a strong green ethos, an emphasis on veggie, locally sourced and organic food, and a tantalizing looking selection of workshops and activities for kids and families in the African Village, plus some fabulous comedy, cabaret, theatre, performance, circus and walkabout, there's plenty more going on than just the superb musical line-up to ensure a truly memorable weekend at what promises to be one of the friendliest and enjoyable weekends this summer

WOWfest is also proud to partner the following charities: Oxfam, Solar Aid, Building Schools for Africa, Sustrans, Vegfam and the IW NHS Juba project.

Tickets are available from www.wowfest.co.uk.