Saturday
The Parklife Weekender throws open its gates this coming June to officially start the summer. Saturday 11th June at Platt Fields park welcomes pop chameleon Kelis to The Parklife Weekender main stage. Having successfully turned her hand to pop tinged with everything from hip hop to rock, Kelis’ latest offerings have been produced by dance king pin David Guetta and spurred the top five hit Acapella. With the ever expanding popularity of the dubstep scene Katy B has been well know for her collaborations with the likes of Magnetic Man, her appearance on The Parklife Weekender’s main stage is part of her rapidly rising profile as an artist within her own right. Laying on a set of glittering soulful electro will be Fenech Soler, preceded by up and coming Manchester locals Dutch Uncles. 
The very much in demand DJs and Moda promoters, Jaymo & Andy George and Warehouse Project resident DJ Krysko also perform. Saturday’s main stage headliner will be announced very soon.
The first of seven arenas, each hosted by Parklife’s many club land friends over the weekend will be ‘Chibuku presents’. Headlined by Berlin’s Electro DJ extraordinaire and label boss; Boys Noize, the arena also sees a live set from Fake Blood who returns to Manchester following a standout set at last year’s event. Experimental glitch outfit Modeselektor join forces with internationally renowned design collective Pfadfinderei for what promises to be a truly unique offering. Expect extra sass and attitude from electro duo Spank Rock and Amanda Blank. DJ Medhi and Riton’s Chicago House loving double act; Carte Blanche, DJs Doorly and James Rand complete the Chibuku offerings.
In an all-new 1,500 capacity arena, Simian Mobile Disco’s Delicatessen in association with Resident Advisor sets up shop in Platt Fields. The arena plays host to a headline set by Swedish techno frontrunner Adam Beyer and naturally the SMD boys take to the decks too, for what will no doubt be a typically pleasingly diverse set. Also on the Delicatessen counter will be acclaimed minimal techno DJ James Holden and old school tinged house/jazz hybrid producer Moodymann. Completing the SMD lead arena will be a live set of minimal techno, this time on a very new school trip courtesy of Irish duo; Psycatron and original Simian member Alex Mac’s Magnets.
Crosstown & Friends will enjoy an increased capacity arena for 2011’s festival. The electronic music empire brings three of its own artists to the table in Jamie Jones, Damian Lazarus and Art Department, representing some of the finest house and minimal techno around. Crosstown invite friends Seth Troxler, Robert James and Clive Henry to the decks for more of the best sub genres of house and techno be it deep, tribal or underground.
Now Wave also have the benefit of a roomier arena for 2011. Headlined by NYC’s masked rapper DOOM the arena sees a set by disco troupe Hercules & Love Affair. Following a number of appearances as a Warehouse Project resident DJ in 2010, Jamie xx is one of the most recognised remixing artists of the moment and joins The Parklife Weekender line up. Offering up a slice of ambient and downbeat dubstep for the Now Wave arena will be duo Mount Kimbie, plus one of independent music’s most supportive DJs, Rob Da Bank. More dupstep will be on offer from DJ and label boss Kode 9 alongside vocalist Spaceape and Matthew Dear who will present a glittering live set of electro with hints of his glitchy techno roots. Now Wave’s line up is completed by Space Dimension Controller and Chad Valley as well as a DJ set from the Now Wave boys themselves.
Offering the best in hip hop, old skool, breaks and drum ‘n’ bass, Ape x Metropolis join forces for what could be Saturday’s most banging arena. Having remixed The Prodigy, Dizzie Rascal and Pendulum, Sub Focus headline with a live set. Joining them will be dubstep duo Nero, fresh from their nomination for the BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll. Ape x Metropolis also welcomes one of the underground’s finest DJs, Caspa & Rod Azlan, Breakage live featuring Jess Mills and the dancehall addicted Toddla T with MC DRS. Full to bursting, Ape x Metropolis also lays on Digital Soundboy Soundsystem featuring Shy FX, Donnaeo, Roses Gabor and Btraits. The arena is completed by 1Xtra’s Mista Jam, Jackwob, Riot Jazz, Silver & Prophecy plus Rich Reason.
Last but by no mean least for The Parklife Weekener’s Saturday, Hospital records’ ‘Hospitality’ arena will be headlined by RAM Recording Studio co-founder Andy C alongside MC GQ. Hospital’s own High Contrast brings his liquid funk sound into the fold followed closely by label mates London Elektricity. DJ Fresh goes back to back with The Brookes Brothers and also taking to the decks will be Belgian DnB producer Netsky. The Hospitality arena also features their very own Danny Byrd whose track ‘Ill Behaviour’ was on heavy rotation on Radio 1 towards the end of 2010. Completing Hospitality are Alix Perez, Nu:Tone featuring Natalie Williams, duo Camo & Krooked and MCs Wrec and Tonn Piper.
Saturday will also feature Adandon Silence, Gold Teeth, Belly Of The Beast, Bigger Than Barry, Dawn Raid, Good Vibrations, Knee Deep, Missionary DJs, Murkage DJs, Revolver, Selectivehearing, Zutekh and many more.
Sunday
The Parklife Weekender’s main stage headliners on Sunday 12th June are Chase & Status; one of 2010’s most successful dance to mainstream cross over stories. Tracks from the drum ‘n’ bass duo’s album, featuring the likes of Plan B, are now staples of daytime radio. Their live set is sure to get Platt Fields park moving. Similarly enjoying cross over success, Skream and Benga, the latest additions to the BBC’s In New Music We Trust output, take to the main stage for a set of the finest dubstep. With a gig history that includes some of the most exclusive celebrity parties and fashion launches, as well as two critically acclaimed albums under his belt, Mark Ronson returns to Manchester following his Warehouse Project NYE set. Annie Mac, the maestro of all things mash-up has championed many of the Parklife Weekender’s line up through her radio show, tours and mix CDs. Her party starting set is not one to be missed. Also up on the main stage will be Labrinth, recently honoured with a BRIT award via his production work on Tinnie Tempah’s ‘Pass Out’, and hip hop loving DJ and singer Yasmin.
The Big Top arena on Sunday is crowned by a DJ set from mash-up kings David and Stephen Dewaele otherwise known as 2manydjs and the figureheads of Soulwax, a duo who have shaped the sound of electronic and cross-over music throughout the noughties. Also taking to the Big Top decks will be Erol Alkan, the force behind the much loved Trash club night Alkan’s career has exploded since the Trash days seeing his electro sets play out internationally alongside dance music’s biggest names. Next up straddling the decks, as well as a menagerie of other DJ trickery, James Zabiela will spin a set of breaks and tech house preceded by tech house DJ and rising fixture on the dance music scene; Riva Starr. Jack Beats, one part Beni G (Mixologists) and one part Plus One (Scratch Perverts), are a duo at the forefront of the wobble centric British House new wave. They complete Sunday’s Big Top along with italio duo Retro/Grade and DJ Greg Lord.
A key figure in the experimental hip hop sounds of the nineties, DJ Shadow’s live set headlines Sunday’s Thrasher arena in association with DataTransmission. Next up will be Warp Record’s young face of turntablism Hudson Mohawke and Bristolian grime merchant Joker. RinseFM’s Roska and grime/garage expert Emalkay also step up to the Thrasher stage. Bass heavy sounds come courtesy of L-vis1990 whilst ex-UK Garage MC Roska arrives at The Parklife Weekender with his afro-beat inspired record box. Also joining line up will be a collaboration between dubstep’s SBTRKT and Sampha as well as Ikonika & Optimum. Machester’s own ‘out there’ producer Illum:Sphere and Hoya:Hoya co-promoter Jonny Dub take to the decks to complete the Thrasher arena.
Also back for seconds on Sunday is the Now Wave arena presenting a headline set from indie’s cheeriest outfit, Mystery Jets. Angular electropop four piece Metronomy, indie art rock NYC residents Darwin Deez, and spacey organic club producers D/R/U/G/S make up more of the exciting offerings. Playing their synth lead indie on home turf will be Egyptian Hip Hop whilst Star Slinger blends fragile electronic sounds over vintage RnB samples. Imaginatively names boy/girl duo Keep Shelly in Athens, Warehouse Project resident DJ, Will Tramp completes the Now Wave arena to make up a hugely exciting bill of genre boundary blurring offerings.
Returning for second helping and teaming up with DJ E.A.S.E’s label (Nightmares on Wax), Metropolis x Ape arena offers up rising dubstep trio Nero, LA’s fidget house DJ Skrillex as well as Brazilian drum ‘n’ bass innovator DJ Marky. Similarly highly regarded in drum ‘n’ bass circles DJ Hype joins the bill as will hotly tipped DnB duo Loadstar will play alongside DnB figurehead Friction and take to the decks. The arena’s line up is rounded off by resident DJs Citizen and Mak.
They’ve hosted some of the most popular stages at Glastonbury and Lovebox so Horse Meat Disco are a welcome addition to The Parklife Weekender 2011. Tensnake, a DJ currently enjoying mainstream success with his take on 80s Italo disco boogie headlines the arena with a live set. Birmingham based Mark E brings his distinctive take on house to the table and Cutloose DJs leave The Roadhouse home armed with their well respected party throwing credentials. Naturally the HMD boys also take to the deck as will Warehouse Project resident DJ, Krysko.
Manchester’s weekly hip hop bash set up a temporary home in Platt Fields on Sunday in the Juicy & Friends arena. Headlined by pioneer and indeed legend Grandmaster Flash the Juicy arena also plays host to the energetic collective Riot Jazz and Manchester’s own alternative hip-hop crew Broke n English. Juicy DJs preside over the arena which features Jonny Dub’s second set of the weekend alongside sets from fellow promoters Taste the Diff’rence and Hot Milk.
Sunday will also feature Audio Farm, Content, Drop The Mustard, Dub Smugglers, Eat My Beat, Heavy Rain, Low Down and Dirty, Miami, Micron Pogo, Take The Whole Cake, Total Garage and many more.