action bronson

Wireless Festival announce Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, J. Cole, Kygo, Boy Better Know and more!

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Wireless Festival is back for its 11th year, returning to Finsbury Park for the ultimate summer party on the weekend of the 8–10 July.Announcing the first acts for the 2016 line up, Wireless is set to be one of the biggest music events of the year, with more acts still to be announced. Day tickets cost from £59.50 and Multi-day tickets are also available.

Click here to buy tickets on Friday 

Since Wireless began in 2005 it has garnered an undeniable reputation for breaking and nurturing some of the biggest names in entertainment with the festival and its fans undeniably at the cutting edge of modern music. This year’s festival brings the best talent to the capital with artists including the UK’s very own Grammy Award winning Calvin Harris, the return of Chase & Status, platinum-selling rapper J. Cole, grime collective Boy Better Know and a performance by Norwegian superstar Kygo.

Friday’s headliner, Calvin Harris is undeniably one of the most successful artists on the planet. During the past decade, the Scottish DJ/producer was the first musician to score nine top 10 singles from one album (the 2012 LP ‘18 Months’), whilst his fourth album also delivered 3 No.1 singles.

Chase & Status need no introduction as a festival headliner.  Saul Milton and Will Kennard form the recording duo behind the band’s live show. Before the release of their highly anticipated 2016 4th studio album, Chase & Status returned with brand new project: ‘London Bars’, which saw the duo joining forces with some of the biggest rhymers from the UK scene. Last month the band premiered their first new track from their 4th album, ‘Control’ which featured Slaves. 2016 is set to be a massive year for them and Wireless Festival are excited to welcome them home, to celebrate the best in UK music at what’s set to be their first live London show in over 2 years.

Chase & Status said; “We have an epic show lined up for Wireless 2016, which we‘ve been planning in secret for the last couple of months. It’s an honour to be performing in our hometown alongside some of the most exciting names in music and we’re looking forward to dropping one of our best sets yet.”

Grammy nominated and platinum-selling rapper, J. Cole, has taken the hip-hop world by storm in recent years. Cole released his first live album, ‘Forest Hills Drive: Live’ earlier this year – he returns to Wireless Festival following his incredible 2014 performance.

Closing Sunday’s show is UK's favourite grime collective Boy Better Know. Headed up by founders Jme and Skepta, the renowned BBK is best understood as a cultural movement in 2016. Die-hard Wireless fans will share an important moment in British musical history when BBK ‘shutdown’ the festival in July.

Kygo is one of the 25 most played artists in history, having amassed over a billion streams in a single year. Ready to take London by storm, Wireless festival will welcome the Norwegian DJ for his Wireless debut in Finsbury Park this year.

The 2016 line up also champions some of the best emerging and established music talent, includingappearances by international platinum-selling artist Craig David who, fresh from his sold-out European tour brings his TS5 show to Wireless. Also joining the line up are MOBO award winning duo Krept and Konan, and grime royalty Lady Leshurr.

British songstress Jess Glynne is also billed to take the Wireless stage this summer, performing some of her iconic, feel-good anthems to fans. The hit-maker has had an incredible 2015, including 2 No.1 singles, and is set for even bigger things in 2016.

Straight off the release of his debut album, Wireless is pleased to present trapsoul artist Bryson Tiller, who has taken the American music scene by storm with over 36 million plays of his single ‘Don’t’ on SoundCloud.

Tiller will be performing alongside U.S. hip-hop and R&B greats including Miguel, who’s recent album release ‘Wildheart’ was ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the best R&B albums of 2015, and Future, who recently made history in the US by charting 3 albums at No.1 in the last 6 months with ‘Dirty Sprite 2’, ‘What a Time to Be Alive’ and ‘Evol’.

Ranked as one of the top DJ’s in the world, Martin Garrix will be performing his electric mix of EDM and House music to fans at Wireless Festival. One of the youngest and fastest rising stars of EDM music, Martin Garrix has worked with the likes of Usher, Ed Sheeran, Tiësto and is set to get the crowd dancing well into the evening.

Wireless will also play host to US rap sensation, Action Bronson. Known as one of the most raucous live performers hip-hop has today, expect hits from his critically acclaimed album ‘Mr. Wonderful’. Also joining the line up are Yelawolf and singer and rapper Ty Dolla $ignwho has combined hip-hop and contemporary R&B to create a truly unique sound.

With additional performances by duo Sigma and current UK number 1 album holders, The 1975, Wireless looks forward to giving festival goers the ultimate music experience this summer.

Artists announced: Action Bronson, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Anne-Marie, A$AP Ferg, Big Narstie, Bomba Estéreo, Boy Better Know, Bryson Tiller, Bugzy Malone, Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, Craig David's TS5, Dillon Francis, Disciples, DJ Semtex, Future, Geko, Jahkoy, J. Cole, Jeremih, Jess Glynne, Kehlani, Krept & Konan, Kurupt Fm, Kwabs, Kygo, Lady Leshurr, Logan Sama, Martin Garrix, Maverick Sabre, Miguel, Nadia Rose, Newham Generals, Petite Meller, Section Boyz, Sigma Live, The 1975, Ty Dolla $ign, Vic Mensa,Vince Staples, Wilkinson Live, WSTRN, Yelawolf, Young Thug, Yungen

Action Bronson, Pusha T and more added to Fresh Island Festival lineup

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Fresh Island has cemented itself as one of Europe's best Hip-Hop, R&B and urban festivals for the past three years with international acts and thousands of revellers jetting to the isle of Pag for the ultimate celebration of the genres' music and culture. For three days the festival will host a mix of stunning live performances, cutting-edge DJs, MC battles, dance crews and beach, boat and pool parties in the idyllic setting of Zrce beach, with takeovers of Aquarius, Kalypso and Papaya (voted best club in Croatia in DJ Mag's Top 100 Clubs).

Larger than life ex-chef Action Bronson will be cooking up a storm for his Fresh Island debut following the recent release of the appropriately titled Mr Wonderful. Next up Pusha T joins the festival, making it up to fans after sadly being unable to perform at last year's event. Working hard on the followup to his critically acclaimed debut LP My Name Is My Name, expected this Spring, the former Clipse member will no doubt be dropping brand new material for revellers at Fresh Island. Having lived and breathed Hip-Hop culture for most of his life, it's only fitting that LA's Evidence is onboard for the festival. A graffiti artist and skateboarder from an early age, Evidence is one of the founding members of respected Hip-Hop group of the 90s, Dilated Peoples. Breaking out on his own, the rapper/producer has since picked up a Grammy for lending his producer talents to Kanye West on College Dropout as well as a slew of revered underground solo material including The Weatherman LP and Cats & Dogs. 

Just Blaze is arguably one of Hip-Hop's most iconic producers having worked with some of the biggest names in the industry including Jay Z, Kanye West, Jay Electronica, Eminem, Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar. His talents aren't confined to the studio, starting out as a DJ Just Blaze has forged an impressive career touring the world and will be demonstrating his skills behind the ones and twos for the Fresh Island crowds. The original champion of Hip-Hop in the UK and firm Fresh Island favourite, Tim Westwood returns to the festival in 2015. Now hosting a show on Capital Xtra, Westwood has used his radio DJ status to bring Hip-Hop to the masses for nearly 30 years, garnering some big name friends in the game as well as going out on his own with the Tim Westwood brand, selling millions of compilation albums.

2015 sees the first ever grime takeover with VICE's Noisey, as Fresh Island gives a deserved nod to some the UK's best. After appearing at this year's Brit Awards with Kanye West, grime's most promising new talent Stormzy will appear along with NAA founding member, MC and now YouTube sensation Big Narstie and Radio 1/1XTRA DJ DJ Target. 

A truly international festival, Fresh Island celebrates talent from around the world, other names set to grace the Hip-Hop stages include influential French DJ Cut Killer, Slovakia and Czech Republic's best selling hip-hop artist, Rytmus, Austrian MC Big J and a live collaboration between Czechs DJ Wich and Vladimir518. The festival will also welcome Haftbefehl, one of Germany's biggest Hip-Hop stars, respected by genre fans and literary critics alike for his lyrical prowess in German, Turkish, Kurdish and Polish.

Beacons Festival 2014 Preview

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This weekend will see the return of Beacons Festival which takes place in the Yorkshire Dales.

Having started out in 2011 this music festival has gone from strengh to strengh pulling together a top lineup of artists from all around the world and this years lineup is no different.

Topping the bill for 2014 are electronic musican collaborators Darkside, UK indie folk band Daughter, american rapper Action Bronson and English producer Jon Hopkins.

Other acts joining in on the action include the likes of Erol Alkan, Jackmaster, Carli XCX, Joy Orbison, Nightmares on Wax, Neneh Cherry, Dusky and a whole bunch more.

Our picks and must sees for this weekend are:

Action Bronson: This upcoming hip hop artist has been billed as the "next" Ghostface Killa and his legendary stage antics include recently eating someone's burger in front of the audience he was performing for and rapping from a porta-loo mid performance.  This larger than life rapper is bound to put on a show that the Beacons Festival crowd will not want to miss.

Submotion Orchestra: Formed back in 2009 in Leeds, UK, this seven piece band plau a fusion of jazz, soul and dub and have been the favourites of the likes of Trevor Nelson, Jo Whiley and others.  Their live stage shows are full of energy and they are bound to get you bouncing around as they take to the Beacons stage on Friday nite.

Dusky: Saturday at Beacons will see London electronic music duo Dusky hit the crowd with a set of producions so diverse its hard to classify them.  Influnced by many genres, expect a fusion of house and techno and everything in between.

Darkside: Hailing from New York, Darkside are electronic music duo Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington.  Having recently released a remix of Daft Punk's 2013 entire album Random Access Memories to high praise this duo has blown up playing festivals and events all around the world.  Their latest album Psychic delivers a wide range of genre music and their live set is something not to be missed.  Be sure to catch them at Beacons Festival closing out Sunday night.

Action Bronson joins the Beacons Festival 2014 lineup

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The festival news items continue to roll in as the Summer Festival Guide can now announce the special guests for this years Beacons Festival.

Beacons Festival are very pleased to reveal the special guests for 2014. Action Bronson will be joining headliners Darkside, Daughter,Jon Hopkins and The Fall. Other great acts added to the line-up include the slick R&B XXYYXX, Dam-Funk (part of the revered Stones Throw gang and Greg Wilson. Predictability is never a threat.

Outkast lead lineup announcements for Flow Festival

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One of the most successful hip hop groups of all time, OutKast, returns to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and is one of the over 30 artists included as the first additions to Flow Festival 2014. The 3­-day tickets are available through Lippupalvelu and Ticketmaster from March 6th at 10am.

Flow Festival is organised again in Suvilahti, Helsinki on August 8–10 with a broad selection of the moment’s most interesting music. Besides the comeback gig of OutKast, the festival features dark indie rock from The National, hip hop from South Africa's controversial Die Antwoord and R&B soul artist Janelle Monáe.

Others coming to Suvilahti will be Darkside – the joint project of Nicolas Jaar and multi­ instrumentalist Dave Harrington – U.S.­based Blood Orange that rose to prominence with last year’s Cupid Deluxe, and Charlie XCX who is rolling out one hit after another. This year's festival crowd will also witness the return of the shoegazers Slowdive, promising guitar-­driven indie rock from Mac DeMarco, as well as Nina Persson, the former The Cardigans singer, who released her solo debut early this year, and singer-­songwriter Bill Callahan with his warm baritone recently featured on his fourth album Dream River, picked as Mojo Magazine’s album of the year 2013.

Electronic music will be prominently featured with hugely popular German Paul Kalkbrenner and French act Kavinsky, as well as a frontline of Brits including Bonobo, Mercury Award nominee Jon Hopkins, James Holden and Jamie xx – of The xx fame – all joining Flow. There’ll be soulful electro from British duo Jungle, and Little Dragon from Sweden who will release its fourth studio album in May. Meanwhile, Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson andPusha T bring a quality dose of U.S. hip hop to Flow. African rhythms will be served up by Malian Sahara­blues outfit Tinariwen, Senegalese Mark Ernestus presents Jeri­Jeri and Les Ambassadeurs, a Malian super group including Salif Keita, Amadou & Mariam’s Amadou Bagayoko, andCheick Tidiane Seck.

Local acts at Flow include Iisa, Death Hawks, Risto, Noah Kin, Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Eurocrack and Sound & Fury. Tuomo will perform his only Helsinki gig of the summer at Flow, while Magenta Skycode plays its only gig in Finland all year.

Reading & Leeds Festival announce Wretch 32 & 20+ more acts for BBC 1Xtra Stage

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With Wiley and Devlin already announced as headliners for the stage, Wretch 32 is revealed as the final headliner for the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage, plus may more names!

A-Z of Artists announced for Reading & Leeds Festivals 2013 to date (New in bold):
 
Action Bronson
The Family Rain
MS MR
Alex Clare
Fenech-Soler
Murkage
Alkaline Trio
FIDLAR
Nathan Flutebox Lee & The Clinic
Alt-J
Findlay
Night Works
AlunaGeorge
Flux Pavillion
Nine Inch Nails
And So I Watch You From Afar
Foals
Palma Violets
Angel Haze
Frank Turner
Parquet Courts
Arcane Roots
Fred V & Grafix
Peace
A$AP Rocky
Friction
Phoenix
A-Trak
Frightened Rabbit
P Money
Azealia Banks
Funeral For A Friend
Pure Love
Baauer
Gallows
Quicksand
Balthazar
Ghostpoet
Redlight
Bastille
Giggs
Robert Delong
Biffy Clyro
Green Day
RX Bandits
Big Black Delta
Hadouken!
Scrufizzer
The Blackout
Haim
DJ Semtex
Bondax
Half Moon Run
Sick Of It All
Brand New
Heaven's Basement
SKATERS
Bring Me The Horizon
Iggy Azalea
Skindred
British Sea Power
Imagine Dragons
Skrillex
Broke’N'£nglish
Is Tropical
Spector
The Bronx
Jacob Plant feat Majestic
Splashh
Bury Tomorrow
Jagwar Ma
The Strypes
California X
Jake Bugg
Stylo G
Cerebral Ballzy
The Jim Jones Revue
Sub Focus Live
Chapel Club
Johnny Marr
Surfer Blood
Charli XCX
Kate Nash
Swim Deep
Chase and Status
King Prawn
System Of A Down
Chvrches
Knytro
Tame Impala
City & Colour
Kodaline
Temples
Clean Bandit
Knife Party
The 1975
The Computers
Left Boy
Theme Park
Context
The Living End
Tim Burgess
Crossfaith
Lower Than Atlantis
Toddla T Sound
Crystal Fighters
Lucy Rose
To Kill A King
David Rodigan
The Lumineers
Tomahawk
Deap Vally
Lunar C
Tribes
Deftones
Magnetic Man
twenty one pilots
Devlin
Major Lazer
Twin Atlantic
Dillon Francis
Mallory Knox
We Are The In Crowd
Disclosure
Merchandise
While She Sleeps
Drenge
Mic Righteous
White Lies
Editors
Mikill Pane
Wiley
Eminem
MMX
Willy Moon
Enter Shikari Sound System
MØ
Wretch 32
Etta Bond
Modestep
 
Fall Out Boy
Ms Dynamite
 
 
NEW NAMES FOR THE BBC RADIO 1XTRA STAGE
In a major UK festival first, Reading & Leeds will each have a dedicated BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage delivering the best of hip-hop and grime from the UK and farther afield, which will run across all three festival days and showcase the cream of urban artists and music on offer. This is one of the most important additions that Reading & Leeds have witnessed for a long time and Festival Republic are thrilled to announce more names for the stage.
 
READING FRIDAY 23RD / LEEDS SATURDAY 24TH
 
Headlining the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage on this day will be UK grime artist Wiley. After an amazing year in 2012 scoring two UK Top 5 singles, including his first No. 1 with the summer smash ‘Heatwave’ and the more recent No. 3 ‘Can You Hear Me (Ayayaya)’ which featured Skepta, his set at Reading & Leeds will be one to get involved in.
 
A widely respected DJ and producer, Toddla T brings a full out live show to the stage. The Toddla T Sound features both elements of live performance and DJing with live vocalists, including Shola Ama, Serocee and MC DRS. Drawing upon his two albums to date, 'Skanky Skanky' and 'Watch Me Dance' and a heap of custom edits and refixes especially for the project, the show will also be augmented with the bespoke visuals of Sheffield designers, Peter and Paul. Add all these elements together and you have something really special on your hands. 
 
He will be joined on the line-up by Grime heavyweight P Money, whose mix of hardcore grime and dubstep has made him a fixture at club nights and a festival staple. Following the launch of his self-released EP ‘Guns Bitches and Weed’ last year – which quickly became a web phenomenon – NY based rapper, singer and producer Left Boy joins the 1Xtra bill. Also performing is Stylo G, bringing his slick, vicious beats to Reading & Leeds and getting the festival audience skanking with a reggae-tinged masterclass.
 
The BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage also sees the impressive musical talents of Nathan Flutebox Lee & The Clinic, whose ability to simultaneously beatbox and play the flute has earned him a global following. Manchester-based musical collectiveMurkage return to Reading & Leeds and upcoming London MC Scrufizzer, whose supersonic speed-rhymes have earned him acclaim from Radio 1 DJs, MTV and The Guardian, also joins the stage.
 
READING SATURDAY 24TH / LEEDS SUNDAY 25TH
 
Already confirmed to join Wiley as a fellow headliner on the new BBC Radio 1Xtra stage is Devlin.  Dagenham-based rapper Devlin returns to the Festivals with his sideways social commentary and formidable flow. Having scored a Top 10 single with 'Rewind', he's leading the UK's next generation of rap stars.
 
Added to the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage is NY newcomer, Action Bronson, a rapper who has been gaining heat on rap forums, enjoying acclaim on music blogs and has just featured on XXL’s ‘Freshman Top 10’ list of upcoming rap talent this year.
 
Action Bronson
 
Heralded as putting ‘road rap’ on the map, South London rapper Giggs will be returning to the festival armed with new tracks and an impressive following. He’s Peckham’s finest via Jamaica and leading the evolutionary charge of grime in 2013.
 
Mic Righteous is one of the hottest young stars of the UK hip-hop and grime scene. With over seven million YouTube hits and growing, his appearance at Reading & Leeds promises great things.
 
Also added to the bill is the presenter of flagship BBC Radio 1xtra Hip Hop show, renowned DJ and producer DJ Semtex. Expect the freshest tracks, plenty of first plays and a bouncing atmosphere when Semtex blows up at Reading & Leeds.
 
Winning ‘Best Newcomer’ and ‘Performance of the Year’ for his rap battles in Don’t Flop, Lunar C’s no-gimmicks approach has transferred perfectly into the live arena and his set at Reading & Leeds is the perfect place to see him live.
 
Also on the BBC Radio 1Xtra line-up are Manchester's alternative hip-hop faction Broke’N'£nglish, one of the most highly regarded names on the hip-hop scene due to their incendiary live performances and innovative production techniques, which combine electronica, funk, jazz, R&B and hip-hop. Fresh from supporting Devlin this week, self-described “soul with a bit of weird”, Etta Bond prepares to take on the biggest shows of her life at Reading & Leeds.
READING SUNDAY 25TH / LEEDS FRIDAY 23RD
 
Reading & Leeds can now reveal Wretch 32 as the final headliner for the new BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage, following an amazing year for the London MC. After an arena tour supporting Example, he also became the face of some iconic brands at the London Olympics. With his major label debut album ‘Black and White’ amassing over a million sales, Wretch 32 is widely acknowledged by his peers as one of the pioneers of the UK grime scene; be sure to catch his first ever performance  at Reading & Leeds this summer.
 
Wretch 32
 
Joining the bill is American lyricist Angel Haze who sees herself as more of a rock star than a rapper. That said she raps so ferociously, deftly and with real menace, that 'flow' would seem far too mellow a word to describe her delivery.
 
The BBC Radio 1Xtra stage also welcomes the first lady of female MCing, Ms Dymanite. The legendary Brit Award-winner and recipient of the 2002 ‘Mercury Music Prize’ has been thrilling crowds for over a decade and will be playing the best from her hits in a high energy performance.
 
Presenting the best rhythms from the UK to Trenchtown will be iconic 1Xtra DJ, David Rodigan MBE. Heralded as one of the masters of the sound system, his unrivalled vinyl collection and knowledge of reggae culture past and present will ensure that revellers will be enjoy the most thrilling reggae sounds from across the globe.
As well as trading in rap breakbeats and pop hooks, Mikill Pane seamlessly straddles guitar-based sounds, including punk, ska and reggae, making him a firm favourite and collaborator with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Example.
 
Ghostpoet's debut album 'Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam' was a worthy nominee for the 2011 ‘Mercury Music Prize’ and exposed his talent to an eager new audience. His hotly tipped second album is due out soon and promises to provide the perfect soundtrack to this summer’s sultry evenings.
 
Also joining the line-up is MC Context. Winner of the MTV ‘Brand New Unsigned’ competition in 2012, championed by the likes of Mistajam, Huw Stephens and Charlie Sloth, and now gearing up to support Devlin on his upcoming tour, Context's distinctive take on soulful drum n bass, dubstep and hip hop is sure to be well received by the festival crowd.
 
Despite growing up in the States and Jamaica, Knytro has always been obsessed with the knights, folklore and ancestry of England – hence the name. Claiming to be ‘so Hip-Hop it should be illegal’, he’s always on point and his legions of fans will relish the chance to see him grace the stage at Reading & Leeds.  
 
Other artists playing across the Festivals include the Main Stage UK festival exclusive headliners Green Day, Eminem, and Biffy Clyro, plus UK festival exclusive performances from Fall Out Boy, System Of A Down and Deftones. Skrillex,Major Lazer, Azealia Banks take to the NME/Radio 1 Stage and Flux Pavillion, Redlight and Night Works appear on the BBC Radio 1Dance Stage, plus many many more!