Bestival

Florence and The Machine to headline Friday at Bestival 2012

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Rob da Bank says: “The first time I met Flo she was whirling around like a spinning top to a Paul Simon track at a party I was DJing at. I hadn't even heard her open her mouth but she had this alluring vibe already. Once I heard her scratchy demo I was sold and when she did her first radio session for me at Radio 1 I couldn’t believe this flame-haired eccentric young lady had such a stunning voice. Her shows for us at Bestival and Camp Bestival over the last few years have always been highlights for many and I’m glad we can finally seal the deal with a headline show on the Friday of Bestival and with The xx on before her this promises to go down in the Best of Bestival yearbook!”

Florence & The Machine

A longstanding Bestival buddy, Florence Welch and her trusty Machine have wowed Bestivalites across the years. From her mesmerising performance in the Club Dada tent to a handful of those in the know, to her all-conquering main stage set in 2009, her epic vocals, quirky melodies and self-contained musical world have created some utterly jaw-dropping moments that will live long in Bestival lore. Her second album ‘Ceremonials’, released at the end of last year, has cemented her reputation as one of the biggest stars on the planet and gained her accolades by the bucket-load, so we really are honoured to have her back with us again!

Florence Welch says: “This year we are headlining the one and only Bestival on the main stage on the Friday night after the amazing The xx, we hope we'll find you there in the wilderness with us! Lots of love, Florence + The Machine.”

To celebrate the fact that Florence + the Machine will be headlining on Friday night, they have put together a spectacular video message for us rejoicing in our Wildlife theme, which you can check out on our website, www.bestival.net!

Never ones to do things by halves, we’re also over the moon to announce that Swedish indie-pop doyens Miike Snow will be getting on the ferry across the Solent to join us at Bestival. Lauded for their eponymous debut album that brought them to worldwide attention, the band’s recent sophomore outing, ‘Happy To You’, has upped the infectious factor, as they effortlessly cross genres with their uniquely orchatronic sound. Their live show is a theatrical joy and one not to be missed and we can’t wait to see them!

The band told us: “We of Miike Snow are very happy to be playing Bestival this year, on the fantastical Isle Of Wight. We are looking forward to making sure everyone has a delightful time, and visiting Shanklin Chine. See you all very soon.”

Don’t forget about the recently announced Bestival Blocos either and our, frankly, off the hook carnival-esque Wildlife parade. More info on that can be found here.

We will be announcing our Friday night headliner on Monday 21st May, so keep your eyes peeled for the details and in the meantime make sure you keep on checking in at  www.bestival.net, and our Facebook page and Twitter for all the latest behaviour.

All The Acts Announced So far: 

Live Performances From: Stevie Wonder  / Florence + The Machine / New Order  / The xx  / Sigur Rós / Friendly Fires / Nero / 2manydjs – Live / Soulwax  / Justice  / Two Door Cinema Club / Hot Chip / Miike Snow / Bat For Lashes / Emeli Sandé / Orbital / Frank Ocean / SBTRKT / Warpaint / De La Soul / Roots Manuva / Major Lazer / Sister Sledge / Gary Numan / The Horrors / Spiritualized / Death In Vegas / Doom / Ben Howard / Michael Kiwanuka / Sub Focus / Azealia Banks / Alabama Shakes  / Kevin Saunderson Feat. Inner City Live  / John Foxx And The Maths / Gallows / Rizzle Kicks / Buraka Som Sistema / Sage Francis / Grimes / Bellowhead / Earth Wind & Fire Experience Feat Al Mckay / Django Django / Little Dragon / Gold Panda / Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad And The Lovely Posse / The Cuban Brothers / Top Cat Featuring Sir Coxsone Outernational / Chairlift / Iceage / Ren Harvieu / John Talabot / Lianne La Havas / Delilah / First Aid Kit / Gesaffelstein / Daughter / Zulu Winter / Ane Brun / Friends / Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs / King Khan And The Shrines / The Japanese Popstars / Chas & Dave / Dub Pistols  / Factory Floor  / Charli XCX / Errors  / Lucy Rose / Skepta / Alunageorge / Sunless 97 / Congo Natty / King Krule / Toy / Kindness / Dirty Beaches / Drums Of Death / Jessie Ware / Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard / General Levy / Slagsmålsklubben / Jaipur Kawa Brass Band  / Field Music / Jinja Safari  / Kawa Circus / B.Dolan's Church Of Love & Ruin / 02:54 / Evian Christ / Frankie Rose / Porcelain Raft / Milagres / Three Bonzos & A Piano / Prince Fatty / Liz Green  / Trailer Trash Tracys / Forest Swords / Willis Earl Beal  / Murkage / Alt-J / The Staves / Skinny Lister / Josh Kumra / Ryan Keen  / Stay+ / Jamie N Commons / Nina Nesbitt / Bigkids / Gabrielle Aplin / Kwes / Diagrams  / Fiction  / Turbowolf  / Mary Epworth / Wet Nuns  / Misty's Big Adventure / This Is The Kit  / Stealing Sheep / Clock Opera  / Young British Artists /  Patterns / Ghost Outfit  / L.A. Salami  / To Kill A King / Dingus Khan /  Crowns / Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo / Parma Violets / Gorgeous George / Subgiant / Heath:Ward / Laurel Collective  /Jake Bugg /Ahab / Gecko / Model Society / Tom Williams And The Boat / The Other Tribe / Daytona Lights / Biederbeck / Valentine Gray / Charley Macaulay / Sky Sphere / Blackhouse Crow / The Lovely Eggs /  St Spirit  / Charming / Alonestar / Shepherds / Cherishport / Seán Mcgowan / A Way Of Life / This Way Up / The Widowmaker

DJs Sets From Rob da Bank and Friends: Annie Mac Presents / Skream & Benga / Four Tet B2B Caribou / The 2 Bears / David Rodigan MBE Presents Ram Jam / Jamie xx /  Dirtybird Showcase Feat. Claude Vonstroke, Justin Martin & Eats Everything  / François K / Moodymann / Gilles Peterson / Redlight / DJ Yoda / Maya Jane Coles / Brodinski / Scuba / Kavinsky  / Julio Bashmore  / LTJ Bukem /Shy FX / Plastician / Matador / Greg Wilson / Adamski / Doctor P / The Nextmen / MC Wrec / Pearson Sound / Borgore  / Flux Pavilion / Mark Jones (BTTP) / Max Cooper  / Gemini  / Krystal Klear  / Pangaea / Reggae Roast /  Billy Daniel Bunter / Pariah / Trolley Snatcha / Krafty Kuts / Warm & Electric Minds / Scratch Perverts  / Koan Sound  / Camo & Krooked / Giles Smith & James Priestley (Secretsundaze) / Mosca / Numbers Showcase: Oneman B2B Jackmaster, Deadboy, Spencer, Redinho  / B Traits / Dismantle  / Killaflaw / Gutterslut / Ben UFO / Melé / PBR Streetgang / Jaguar Skills & His Amazing Friends / Drums Of Death / Blawan / Frank Tope / Leo Zero / Evian Christ  / Girl Unit / Zomboy / Luv*Jam / Dr Alex Paterson / Chris Coco / Pete Gooding  / Phil Mison / Duff Disco / Sonnyji Presents Bang Bhang / Danny Whitehead / Mixmaster Morris / Rev Milo Speedwagon  / Graeme Fisher (Balearic)  / DJ Cable / Foamo / Shepdog / The Shellac Collective / Flying White Dots / DJ Charge / Hip Hop Karaoke / DJ@War / Pathaan / Mojo Filter / Fear Of Theydon / Tythe / Sink The Pink / George B / Kaf-Tan / Ben Hoo

Mr Motivator
 
Brainfeeder Presents Thundercat, The Gaslamp Killer, Teebs, Lapalux, Jeremiah Jae, DJ Kutmah
 
Channel One Sound System

Bestival adds Frank Ocean, M Ward & Azealia Banks and more

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Rob da Bank says: “With the Friday headliner coming in a few weeks I thought we'd ramp up the excitement a bit more for Besti-goers with the additions of Frank Ocean and M Ward. Two totally different artists from across the Atlantic, Frank is one of the most requested acts on our messageboards and he's such an incredible performer – like a young Prince! M Ward is a folk and indie legend already and we’re very excited to welcome him for the first time!”

Mega-exiting times at Bestival just got even more mega-exciting as we can confirm that the one and only Frank Ocean will be rocking the party at Robin Hill! One of world renowned hip-hop collective OFWGKTA’s major players, at just 24 Frank is already a well established songwriter to the stars including Beyonce and John Legend and can count the likes of Kayne West and Jay Z amongst his collaborators. Silver medallist in the recent BBC Sound of 2012, the pop-gilded R&B beats of his mixtape ‘Nostalgia, Ultra’ have made him one of the world’s fastest rising stars and with a wealth of new material from his forthcoming debut album in the offing we can’t wait to see him!

We’re also delighted to announce that indie-folk heavyweight M. Ward is set to join us on the Isle of Wight. A stalwart of the American folk scene, who also releases records as part of She & Him with Zooey Deschanel and acclaimed super-group Monsters of Folk with members of My Morning Jacket and Bright Eyes, his seventh and latest solo album, ‘A Wasteland Companion’, has been critically acclaimed for its pastoral Americana. Traversing the sounds of country blues to more upbeat rockabilly vibes, M. Ward deals in timeless tunes that are always nothing short of captivating.

And that’s not all, as we have a lovely bit of good news for you! Following her decision to cancel her summer schedule of shows, we can confirm that Azealia Banks will definitely be appearing at Bestival this September, so get ready to dance when she’s vamped up!

We will be announcing our Friday night headliner on Monday 21st May, so keep your eyes peeled for the details and in the meantime make sure you keep on checking in at  www.bestival.net, and our Facebook page and Twitter for all the latest behaviour.

All The Acts Announced So far: 

LIVE
STEVIE WONDER / NEW ORDER  / THE XX  / SIGUR RÓS / FRIENDLY FIRES / 2MANYDJS – LIVE / SOULWAX  /JUSTICE  / TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / HOT CHIP / BAT FOR LASHES / NERO / EMELI SANDÉ / ORBITAL / SBTRKT / WARPAINT / DE LA SOUL / ROOTS MANUVA / MAJOR LAZER / SISTER SLEDGE / GARY NUMAN / THE HORRORS / SPIRITUALIZED / DEATH IN VEGAS / DOOM / BEN HOWARD / MICHAEL KIWANUKA / SUB FOCUS / ALABAMA SHAKES  /KEVIN SAUNDERSON FEAT. INNER CITY LIVE  / GALLOWS / RIZZLE KICKS / BURAKA SOM SISTEMA / SAGE FRANCIS / GRIMES / BELLOWHEAD / EARTH WIND & FIRE EXPERIENCE FEAT AL MCKAY / DJANGO DJANGO / LITTLE DRAGON / GOLD PANDA / ADAM ANT & THE GOOD, THE MAD AND THE LOVELY POSSE / THE CUBAN BROTHERS / TOP CAT FEATURING SIR COXSONE OUTERNATIONAL / CHAIRLIFT / ICEAGE / REN HARVIEU / JOHN TALABOT / LIANNE LA HAVAS / DELILAH / FIRST AID KIT / GESAFFELSTEIN / DAUGHTER / ZULU WINTER / ANE BRUN / FRIENDS / TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS / KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES / THE JAPANESE POPSTARS / CHAS & DAVE / DUB PISTOLS  / FACTORY FLOOR  / CHARLI XCX / ERRORS  / LUCY ROSE / CONGO NATTY / KING KRULE / TOY / KINDNESS / DISMANTLE / DIRTY BEACHES / DRUMS OF DEATH /JESSE WARE / JEFFREY LEWIS & THE JUNKYARD / GENERAL LEVY / SLAGSMÅLSKLUBBEN/ JAIPUR KAWA BRASS BAND  / FIELD MUSIC / JINJA SAFARI  / KAWA CIRCUS / B.DOLAN'S CHURCH OF LOVE & RUIN / 02:54 / EVIAN CHRIST / FRANKIE ROSE  / PORCELAIN RAFT / MILAGRES / THREE BONZOS & A PIANO / PRINCE FATTY / LIZ GREEN  / TRAILER TRASH TRACYS / FOREST SWORDS / WILLIS EARL BEAL  / MURKAGE / ALT-J / THE STAVES / JAKE BUGG / ALUNAGEORGE / SKINNY LISTER / JOSH KUMRA / RYAN KEEN  / STAY+ / JAMIE N COMMONS / NINA NESBITT / BIGKIDS / GABRIELLE APLIN / KWES / DIAGRAMS  / FICTION  /  TURBOWOLF  /MARY EPWORTH / WET NUNS / OTHER TRIBE / PARMA VIOLETS / GORGEOUS GEORGE / MISTY'S BIG ADVENTURE  / THIS IS THE KIT  / STEALING SHEEP / CLOCK OPERA  / YOUNG BRITISH ARTISTS /  PATTERNS / GHOST OUTFIT  / L.A. SALAMI  / TO KILL A KING / DINGUS KHAN /  CROWNS / EMILY BARKER & THE RED CLAY HALO / SUBGIANT /HEATH:WARD / LAUREL COLLECTIVE  / AHAB / GECKO / MODEL SOCIETY /  / TOM WILLIAMS AND THE BOAT / DAYTONA LIGHTS / VALENTINE GRAY / CHARLEY MACAULAY / SKY SPHERE / BLACKHOUSE CROW / THE LOVELY EGGS /  ST SPIRIT  / CHARMING / ALONESTAR / SHEPHERDS / CHERISHPORT / SEÁN MCGOWAN / A WAY OF LIFE / THIS WAY UP / THE WIDOWMAKER

DJ SETS FROM ROB DA BANK AND FRIENDS: ANNIE MAC PRESENTS / FOUR TET B2B CARIBOU / THE 2 BEARS /DAVID RODIGAN MBE PRESENTS RAM JAM / DIRTYBIRD SHOWCASE FEAT. CLAUDE VONSTROKE, JUSTIN MARTIN & EATS EVERYTHING  / FRANÇOIS K / BRODINSKY /MOODYMANN / GILLES PETERSON / DJ YODA / MAYA JANE COLES / SCUBA / KAVINSKY  / JULIO BASHMORE  / LTJ BUKEM / JAMIE XX /SHY FX / PLASTICIAN / MATADOR / GREG WILSON / DOCTOR P / THE NEXTMEN / PEARSON SOUND / BORGORE  / FLUX PAVILION / MAX COOPER  / GEMINI  / KRYSTAL KLEAR  / PANGAEA / REGGAE ROAST /  BILLY DANIEL BUNTER / PARIAH / TROLLEY SNATCHA / KRAFTY KUTS / WARM & ELECTRIC MINDS / SCRATCH PERVERTS  / KOAN SOUND  / CAMO & KROOKED / GILES SMITH & JAMES PRIESTLEY (SECRETSUNDAZE) / MOSCA / NUMBERS SHOWCASE: ONEMAN B2B JACKMASTER, DEADBOY, SPENCER, REDINHO  / B TRAITS / GUTTERSLUT / BEN UFO / PBR STREETGANG / JAGUAR SKILLS & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS / DRUMS OF DEATH / BLAWAN / FRANK TOPE / LEO ZERO / EVIAN CHRIST  / GIRL UNIT / ZOMBOY / LUV*JAM / DR ALEX PATERSON / CHRIS COCO / PETE GOODING  / PHIL MISON /DUFF DISCO / DONNYJI PRESENTS BANG BHANG / MIXMASTER MORRIS / REV MILO SPEEDWAGON  / GRAEME FISHER (BALEARIC)  / DJ CABLE / FOAMO / DJ SHEPDOG / THE SHELLAC COLLECTIVE /FLYING WHITE DOTS / DJ CHARGE / PATHAAN / MOJO FILTER / FEAR OF THEYDON / TYTHE / SINK THE PINK / GEORGE B / KAF-TAN

PLUS:
MR MOTIVATOR

BRAINFEEDER PRESENTS THUNDERCAT, THE GASLAMP KILLER, TEEBS, LAPALUX, JEREMIAH JAE, DJ KUTMAH

CHANNEL ONE SOUNDSYSTEM

Back to the Phuture returns to Bestival 2012

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Very much a Thursday night institution, Back to the Phuture travels through time joining the musical dots of the past, present and phuture in their own immaculate style. As ever, the line-up is second to none featuring previously announced long time Bestival cohorts Hot Chip, the governor of all things synth Gary Numan, the super-hotly tipped Alabama Shakes, electronic music pioneer and inspiration to a generation John Foxx and the Maths and electro rockers Killaflaw. There will also be floor smashing DJ sets from The 2 Bears, acid legend Adamski and Back to the Phuture’s own Mark Jones.

Hot Chip

Says Back to the Phuture mainman Mark Jones: “It's great to be back at Bestival for a third year with Back to the Phuture and a truly amazing line up of inspiring artists. Tomorrow is Today………Today is Tomorrow….. Bring the Noize!”

Also adding their not inconsiderable talents to our jam-packed bill of live musical cheer are the stunningly soulful Jesse Ware, self-described ‘motivational speaker with harmonious intentions’ Willis Earl Beal, rap-punk-ravers Murkage, super-distinctive microphone champion Skepta, singer song-writer and soon-to-be superstar Jake Bugg, spine-tingling harmonisers Staves, duelling boy-girl vocalists Sunless 97, Brit-electro types The Other Tribe, Mancunians Parma Violets, Eastern European folk flavoured South Londoners Georgeous George, folk-punk four-piece Crowns, live freestyle breaks dons Subgiant and shoestring-popsters Daytona Lights. Plus there will be appearances from Charley Macaulay, Alonestar and the Isle of Wight’s very own A Way Of Life and This Way Up.

Everyone in the Bestival Bunker is well excited about Parisian genius Brodinski coming to Bestival. A man after our own hearts Brodinski’s taste is as wide as our smiles when we’re reaching for the lasers at one of his gigs, covering filthy techno, bass heavy house and minimal vibes. You know you have to be there when he raises the roof! Anyone who knows their onions when it comes to dance music will know that Gilles Peterson is an utter legend on a quest to find the perfect beat and we’re jolly pleased that he’s taking his search to the Isle of Wight to exhibit his impeccable taste for all you lucky Bestivalites. And that’s not all, as Redlight will be navigating the space between house, bass music and beyond, smashing it up with his jet-propelled bangers, jungle pioneer Shy FX will be there in full effect, plus there will be deck wrecking action from Dalston doyens Gutterslut, glitchy Dubstepper Zomboy, cut and scratch monster Krafty Kuts, edit-genius Duff Disco, bhangra chief Sonnyji Presents Bang Bhang, cosmic disco dude Flying White Dots, and local boy done goodKaf-Tan.

We’re also delighted to announce that Bestival will be teaming up with Exit Festival to take part in the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) Twin Festivals initiative. Deriving from the popular ‘twin towns’ concept the scheme aims to create a cultural exchange between the UKs leading independent festivals and their international counterparts and both festivals have plenty of ideas up their sleeves to benefit both artists and festivalgoers from Serbia and the Isle of Wight this summer. 

Says Rob da Bank: “I’m so pleased that we're twinning with Exit – my one visit there has stayed lodged in my festival brain as one of my favourite memories…playing records in an old fort to the most hedonistic party people this side of …well Bestival! So much energy, good vibes and great acts playing – hopefully something that we share with Exit at Bestival. Long may we be brothers and sisters in sound!”

Says EXIT General Manager Bojan Boskovic: “We are so excited to be twinning with Bestival this year as we have watched it bloom from a wonderful ethos into one of the largest and most musically exciting festivals around! Bestival has a great energy, an immense and interesting line up and who can compete with the unique ideas and artwork each year. Exchanging acts and ideas, we also hope some of our followers will make the journey to Bestival and we look forward to welcoming Bestival fans to our crazy fortress”. 

To benefit local artists each festival has put forward acts to swap and play at each others events. The Playground Syndicate will play at EXIT and The Good Guys will play at Bestival. Each act will also blog about their experience playing at the twinned festival.  

Hailing for the Isle of Wight, The Playground Syndicate are made up of 2 DJ’s (Elmo & Beavz) and the visual brilliance of the A.V Circus. These boys are seriously talented individuals and when they come together they are a mega force, twisting your mind with warped visuals, DJing with huge creative energy and reinventing the tunes they play within the mix.

DJ duo The Good Guys aka Bojan Cizmic and Andrija Kovac play a mixture of electronic folk, guitars and samplers with no boundaries and are rising stars in the Serbian underground electronic music scene.  With over 30 productions under their belt covering a range of styles from folk trash to nu rave the pair have broken out of their native Eastern Europe and are now playing gigs all over the world.  

Twinned festivals will be sharing not only artists and expertise but also audiences, as 10 lucky competition winners will be given the chance to experience the twin festival in action.  And one lucky winner from each festival will also get the chance to win a trip to the twin festival with travel and accommodation for them and a mate. Announcements will follow on both festival websites in the coming months with more information and how to enter. 

Now in its third year the AIF scheme has gone from strength to strength with participating festivals successfully building local awareness of their twins through cross press and marketing promotions. As well as sharing links on their websites, twinned festivals also include twinning information on flyers, marketing materials and in their PR campaigns to local media and once their own event has sold out help to market their international twin through their media channels.  Talent discussions have helped to co-ordinate bookings of international artists and further reinforce the fundamental values that unite the festivals.

Taking place from Thursday 12th – Sunday 15th July, in the magical Petrovaradin Fortress overlooking the river Danube, EXIT continues to deliver the most adventurous and value for money festival experience, with a diverse and cutting edge line up, cheap food and drink onsite and the best campsite entertainment whilst bathing in the hot Balkan sunshine.  Tickets are onsale now from only £95 for a 4 day festival pass. For more info and tickets http://eng.exitfest.org/

Sadly we have just heard that Azealia Banks is cancelling all of her summer shows in the UK and that includes Bestival but we have just confirmed an AMAZING new act to announce which we will tell you all about early next week and we still have our Friday night headliner under wraps, news of which will be coming soon, so keep on checking in at www.bestival.net, and our Facebook page and Twitter for all the latest behaviour.

All The Acts Announced So far:

LIVE
STEVIE WONDER / NEW ORDER  / THE XX  / SIGUR RÓS / FRIENDLY FIRES / 2MANYDJS – LIVE / SOULWAX  /JUSTICE  / TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / HOT CHIP / BAT FOR LASHES / NERO / EMELI SANDÉ / ORBITAL / SBTRKT / WARPAINT / DE LA SOUL / ROOTS MANUVA / MAJOR LAZER / SISTER SLEDGE / GARY NUMAN / THE HORRORS / SPIRITUALIZED / DEATH IN VEGAS / DOOM / BEN HOWARD / MICHAEL KIWANUKA / SUB FOCUS / ALABAMA SHAKES  /KEVIN SAUNDERSON FEAT. INNER CITY LIVE  / GALLOWS / RIZZLE KICKS / BURAKA SOM SISTEMA / SAGE FRANCIS / GRIMES / BELLOWHEAD / EARTH WIND & FIRE EXPERIENCE FEAT AL MCKAY / DJANGO DJANGO / LITTLE DRAGON / GOLD PANDA / ADAM ANT & THE GOOD, THE MAD AND THE LOVELY POSSE / THE CUBAN BROTHERS / TOP CAT FEATURING SIR COXSONE OUTERNATIONAL / CHAIRLIFT / ICEAGE / REN HARVIEU / JOHN TALABOT / LIANNE LA HAVAS / DELILAH / FIRST AID KIT / GESAFFELSTEIN / DAUGHTER / ZULU WINTER / ANE BRUN / FRIENDS / TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS / KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES / THE JAPANESE POPSTARS / CHAS & DAVE / DUB PISTOLS  / FACTORY FLOOR  / CHARLI XCX / ERRORS  / LUCY ROSE / CONGO NATTY / KING KRULE / TOY / KINDNESS / DISMANTLE / DIRTY BEACHES / DRUMS OF DEATH /JESSE WARE / JEFFREY LEWIS & THE JUNKYARD / GENERAL LEVY / SLAGSMÅLSKLUBBEN/ JAIPUR KAWA BRASS BAND  / FIELD MUSIC / JINJA SAFARI  / KAWA CIRCUS / B.DOLAN'S CHURCH OF LOVE & RUIN / 02:54 / EVIAN CHRIST / FRANKIE ROSE  / PORCELAIN RAFT / MILAGRES / THREE BONZOS & A PIANO / PRINCE FATTY / LIZ GREEN  / TRAILER TRASH TRACYS / FOREST SWORDS / WILLIS EARL BEAL  / MURKAGE / ALT-J / THE STAVES / JAKE BUGG / ALUNAGEORGE / SKINNY LISTER / JOSH KUMRA / RYAN KEEN  / STAY+ / JAMIE N COMMONS / NINA NESBITT / BIGKIDS / GABRIELLE APLIN / KWES / DIAGRAMS  / FICTION  /  TURBOWOLF  /MARY EPWORTH / WET NUNS / OTHER TRIBE / PARMA VIOLETS / GORGEOUS GEORGE / MISTY'S BIG ADVENTURE  / THIS IS THE KIT  / STEALING SHEEP / CLOCK OPERA  / YOUNG BRITISH ARTISTS /  PATTERNS / GHOST OUTFIT  / L.A. SALAMI  / TO KILL A KING / DINGUS KHAN /  CROWNS / EMILY BARKER & THE RED CLAY HALO / SUBGIANT /HEATH:WARD / LAUREL COLLECTIVE  / AHAB / GECKO / MODEL SOCIETY /  / TOM WILLIAMS AND THE BOAT / DAYTONA LIGHTS / VALENTINE GRAY / CHARLEY MACAULAY / SKY SPHERE / BLACKHOUSE CROW / THE LOVELY EGGS /  ST SPIRIT  / CHARMING / ALONESTAR / SHEPHERDS / CHERISHPORT / SEÁN MCGOWAN / A WAY OF LIFE / THIS WAY UP / THE WIDOWMAKER

DJ SETS FROM ROB DA BANK AND FRIENDS: ANNIE MAC PRESENTS / FOUR TET B2B CARIBOU / THE 2 BEARS /DAVID RODIGAN MBE PRESENTS RAM JAM / DIRTYBIRD SHOWCASE FEAT. CLAUDE VONSTROKE, JUSTIN MARTIN & EATS EVERYTHING  / FRANÇOIS K / BRODINSKY /MOODYMANN / GILLES PETERSON / DJ YODA / MAYA JANE COLES / SCUBA / KAVINSKY  / JULIO BASHMORE  / LTJ BUKEM / JAMIE XX /SHY FX / PLASTICIAN / MATADOR / GREG WILSON / DOCTOR P / THE NEXTMEN / PEARSON SOUND / BORGORE  / FLUX PAVILION / MAX COOPER  / GEMINI  / KRYSTAL KLEAR  / PANGAEA / REGGAE ROAST /  BILLY DANIEL BUNTER / PARIAH / TROLLEY SNATCHA / KRAFTY KUTS / WARM & ELECTRIC MINDS / SCRATCH PERVERTS  / KOAN SOUND  / CAMO & KROOKED / GILES SMITH & JAMES PRIESTLEY (SECRETSUNDAZE) / MOSCA / NUMBERS SHOWCASE: ONEMAN B2B JACKMASTER, DEADBOY, SPENCER, REDINHO  / B TRAITS / GUTTERSLUT / BEN UFO / PBR STREETGANG / JAGUAR SKILLS & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS / DRUMS OF DEATH / BLAWAN / FRANK TOPE / LEO ZERO / EVIAN CHRIST  / GIRL UNIT / ZOMBOY / LUV*JAM / DR ALEX PATERSON / CHRIS COCO / PETE GOODING  / PHIL MISON /DUFF DISCO / DONNYJI PRESENTS BANG BHANG / MIXMASTER MORRIS / REV MILO SPEEDWAGON  / GRAEME FISHER (BALEARIC)  / DJ CABLE / FOAMO / DJ SHEPDOG / THE SHELLAC COLLECTIVE /FLYING WHITE DOTS / DJ CHARGE / PATHAAN / MOJO FILTER / FEAR OF THEYDON / TYTHE / SINK THE PINK / GEORGE B / KAF-TAN

PLUS:
MR MOTIVATOR

BRAINFEEDER PRESENTS THUNDERCAT, THE GASLAMP KILLER, TEEBS, LAPALUX, JEREMIAH JAE, DJ KUTMAH

CHANNEL ONE SOUNDSYSTEM

Stevie Wonder to headline Bestival 2012

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Rob da Bank says: “What can I say? What a day! I see part of my job at Bestival as giving you acts you may never have seen or will get the chance to see again… so, I’m hoping you feel as happy as I do as we announce the legendary Stevie Wonder as Sunday night headliner! A winner of 25 Grammy Awards,  the most ever for a solo artist, this man’s music has always been part of the da Bank home listening experience and also a favourite at our Sunday Best and Bestival parties and this is a very rare chance to see a legend in action. See you there!”

 
A man of unparalleled fame, Stevie Wonder is our musical definition of sunshine. From his first number 1 hit, ‘Fingertips, Part 2’ at the age of 13, to the present day, he is one of the most celebrated and prominent figures in popular music. With a run of 5 classic mid-70s albums that included ‘Talking Book’, ‘Innervisions’ and ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ and platinum selling albums in the 80s, producing a string of hit singles including ‘Superstition’, ‘Higher Ground’, ‘Living for the City’ ‘Masterblaster (Jammin’)’ and ‘Happy Birthday’ which became the rallying song of Stevie’s efforts that helped make Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday in the US, his influence is timeless. And, almost unbelievably, he is coming to the Isle of Wight to close Bestival 2012 in a UK festival exclusive with a live performance tour de force and we are about as excited as we’ve ever been! So, make sure you join us at Robin Hill Country Park this September to witness one of the greatest acts of all time.

 

With over 20 stages of live music from more than 300 bands soundtracking your escape from reality, Bestival is the fans’ favourite festival, with a wealth of hidden treasures peppered across the site. From the old world southern American charms of the Swamp Shack and the magical aura of the Wishing Tree, to the mayhem of the Wall of Death and the rush of the Roller Disco it’s a non-stop party paradise and the greatest show on earth! See you down the front!

Don’t forget, we still have our Friday night headliner to announce as well as lots more amazing escapist action so keep on checking in at the ever expanding www.bestival.net, and our Facebook page and Twitter for all the super-fresh, up to the minute business.

All The Acts Announced So far:

Live:
Stevie Wonder / New Order / The xx / Sigur Rós / Friendly Fires / 2manydjs – live / Soulwax / Justice / Two Door Cinema Club / Hot Chip /  Bat For Lashes / Nero / Emeli Sandé / Orbital / SBTRKT / Warpaint /  De La Soul / Roots Manuva / Major Lazer / Sister Sledge / Gary Numan / The Horrors / Spiritualized / Death In Vegas / Doom / Ben Howard / Michael Kiwanuka / Sub Focus / Azealia Banks / Alabama Shakes / Kevin Saunderson feat. Inner City live  / Gallows / Rizzle Kicks / Buraka Som Sistema / Sage Francis / Grimes / Bellowhead / Earth Wind & Fire Experience feat Al McKay / Django Django / Little Dragon / Gold Panda / Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad and The Lovely Posse / The Cuban Brothers / Top Cat featuring Sir Coxsone Outernational / Chairlift / Iceage / Ren Harvieu / Lianne La Havas / Delilah / First Aid Kit / Gesaffelstein / Daughter / Zulu Winter / Ane Brun / Friends / Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs / King Khan and The Shrines / The Japanese Popstars / Chas & Dave / Dub Pistols / Factory Floor / Charli XCX / Errors / King Krule /  Toy / Kindness / Dismantle / Dirty Beaches / Drums Of Death / Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard / General Levy / Slagsmålsklubben / Jaipur Kawa Brass Band / Field Music / Jinja Safari  /Jaipur Kawa Circus / B.Dolan's Church of Love & Ruin / 2:54 / Frankie Rose / Porcelain Raft / Milagres / 3 Bonzos & a Piano / Prince Fatty / Liz Green / Trailer Trash Tracys / Forest Swords / Alt-J / Skinny Lister / Josh Kumra / Ryan Keen / Stay+ / Nina Nesbitt / BIGkids / Gabrielle Aplin / Fiction / Turbowolf / Misty's Big Adventure / This Is The Kit / Young British Artists / Patterns / Ghost Outfit / L.A. Salami / To Kill A King / Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo / Heathward / Laurel Collective / ahab / Gecko / Model Society / Sky Sphere / Blackhouse Crow / The Lovely Eggs / St Spirit / Charming / Shepherds / Seán McGowan

DJ Sets From Rob da Bank And Friends:
Annie Mac Presents / Four Tet b2b Caribou / The 2 Bears / David Rodigan MBE presents Ram Jam / Dirtybird showcase feat. Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin & Eats Everything / François Kevorkian / Moodymann / DJ Yoda / Maya Jane Coles / Scuba / Kavinsky / LTJ Bukem / Plastician / Greg Wilson / Doctor P / Pearson Sound  / Borgore  / Flux Pavilion / Max Cooper / Gemini / Krystal Klear / Pangaea / Billy Daniel Bunter / Pariah / Trolley Snatcha / Warm & Electric Minds / Scratch Perverts / Koan Sound / Camo & Krooked / Giles Smith & James Priestley (secretsundaze) / Mosca / Numbers showcase: Oneman b2b Jackmaster,  Deadboy, Spencer, Redinho / Ben UFO / PBR Streetgang / Jaguar Skills & His Amazing Friends / Blawan / Girl Unit / Chris Coco / Pete Gooding / Phil Mison / DJ Shepdog / Shellac Collective / DJ Charge

And in the Ambient Forest: Mixmaster Morris, Chris Coco, Pete Gooding, Phil Mison
Plus

Brainfeeder Presents Thundercat, The Gaslamp Killer, Teebs, Lapalux, Jeremiah Jae, DJ Kutmah

Bestival lineup gets even bigger!

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LIVE:
Bat For Lashes / Ben Howard / SBTRKT / Roots Manuva / Alabama Shakes /
Sage Francis (UK Festival Exclusive) / Grimes (UK Festival Exclusive) /
Chairlift / Gesaffelstein / Iceage / Ren Harvieu / Factory Floor /
Porcelain Raft / Toy / Kindness / Dismantle / Dirty Beaches / General Levy /
Top Cat feat. Sir Coxsone Outernational /  Josh Kumra / Errors /
Trailer Trash Tracys / Forest Swords / Stay+ / Skinny Lister /
Misty's Big Adventure / Ryan Keen / Nina Nesbitt / BIGkids /
The Lovely Eggs / Alt-J / St Spirit / Charming /
Shepherds / Seán McGowan

DJs:
Moodymann / Kavinsky / Girl Unit

AND IN THE AMBIENT FOREST:
Mixmaster Morris / Chris Coco / Phil Mison / Pete Gooding

GETTING TO BESTIVAL:
Bike to Bestival / Swim to Bestival / Taxi to Bestival please with Minicabit /
Life’s a journey – share it! – Car sharing

PLUS:
The Cuban Brothers and Fatima Whitbread
Hit The Dancefloor For Let’s Dance For Sport Relief

Rob da Bank says: “Hello my wild and wondrous friends… another raft of fine musical acts to tickle your ears come September. I’m delighted that Natasha Khan is bringing her Bat For Lashes guise back to Bestival, her shows are always otherworldly and plain incredible. Add in electronic soul wunderkind SBTRKT, UK hip-hop legend Roots Manuva (playing on his fortieth birthday no less!), the new king of folk Ben Howard, the incredible Alabama Shakes and American poet Sage Francis doing his only UK show of the year plus a very special Moodymann set playing in the Roller Disco complete with his roller disco crew flown in from the States and I’m ready to roll! Music aside, we are as usual ramping up the level of non-music related activity so if you want to take part in a nighttime ping-pong tournament in the woods, go tree climbing or join the Wildlife tug of war (first round will be Foxes vs Cockroaches) then check www.bestival.net  for loads more fun and games! See you in September”.

Making a very welcome return to Bestival is Bat For Lashes. A firm favourite round our way, the Mercury Prize and Brit nominated chanteuse is currently recording the follow up to her acclaimed second album Two Suns and we really can’t wait to see her again. Singer-songwriter Ben Howard will also be making an appearance with his rootsy folk stylings, which helped his debut album Every Kingdom to a top ten chart position, making him a certainty to captivate the crowds. Masked beat manipulator SBTRKT will be liberating your feet with his tribal post-dubstep melange, plus there will be dub, hip-hop and raga coated in the unique lyrical dexterity of Roots Manuva and the exalted Alabama Shakes, who have been getting everyone from the likes of David Byrne to Adele giddy with glee, will be demonstrating just why they’re so hotly tipped.

There will also be penetrating verse in a UK festival exclusive from much admired emcee Sage Francis, boundary beating pop and yet another UK festival exclusive from Grimes, Brooklyn flavoured electro-pop from Chairlift, dirty throbbing bass from Gesaffelstein, Danish punk action with Iceage, cinematic soul from BBC Sound of 2012 nominee Ren Harvieu, post-industrial, noisenik disco from Factory Floor, dreamy pop from Porcelain Raft, shimmering psychedelia from Toy and lo-fi loveliness from Kindness. And there are plenty more musical charms on offer from Dismantle, Dirty Beaches, General Levy, Top Cat feat. Sir Coxsone Outernational, Josh Kumra, Errors, Trailer Trash Tracys, Forest Swords, Stay+, Skinny Lister, Misty's Big Adventure, Ryan Keen, Nina Nesbitt, BIGkids, The Lovely Eggs, Alt-J, St Spirit, Charming, Shepherds and Seán McGowan.

That’s not all, as the turntable worrying skills of Detroit techno wizard Moodymann, Gallic electro-houser Kavinsky and dubstep jukester Girl Unit are all set to make appearances to hype up the dancefloor. And in the Ambient Forest there will be some suitably soothing sounds from the inimitable Mixmaster Morris, Chris Coco, Phil Mison and Pete Gooding.

New Order to headline Saturday night at Bestival 2012

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BESTIVAL’S SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINER REVEALED
New Order

LIVE:
Friendly Fires
Death In Vegas / Django Django / Daughter / Drums of Death /  Zulu Winter

PLUS:
Brainfeeder presents 
Thundercat / The Gaslamp Killer / Teebs / Lapalux  / Jeremiah Jae /  DJ Kutmah

DJs: 
Doctor P / Pearson Sound / Borgore / Flux Pavilion / Max Cooper /
Gemini / Pangaea / Pariah / Billy Daniel Bunter / Trolley Snatcha / Blawan / KOAN Sound / Warm & Electric Minds

AND:
Amphitheatre Stage:
Max and Ivan are Holmes and Watson / The Unexpected / Four Screws Loose / About a Bench / Soundbites / Lizard Lounge with Scroobius Pip  / Roundhouse Poetry Collective / RSA talks 

Around the Woods: 
David Lynch Foundation Meditation and Yoga / 
Gideon Reeling's Theatrical Wanderings 

The excitement never stops at Bestival HQ! Following our first line-up announcement, which included the amazing Sigur Rós, The xx, Two Door Cinema Club, Justice, Hot Chip, 2manydjs, Annie Mac Presents and loads more, plus the acts that have been announced on Twitter in the last week, we’re beside ourselves with joy to be able to let you know just who our fantastic Saturday night headliner is and we’ve got even more tasty treats to boot!

New Order

Rob da Bank says: “So I've got Blue Monday blaring out of the Bestival HQ office speakers as we unveil our iconic Saturday night headliner New Order. It doesn't get better than that… but it does! True Faith, Bizarre Love Triangle, Fine Time, Regret – so many amazing records i grew up listening to and still listen to now and they still sound immense, pioneering, legendary. See you down the front!”

One of the UKs most enduring bands, we are truly delighted that our Saturday night headliner will be New Order! Since the band’s reformation in August last year, with Gillian Gilbert back among their ranks, interest in the band has been at fever pitch so it’s an absolute coup that they’re coming to Robin Hill to play a headline set at Bestival! With an armoury of anthems stretching back three decades, New Order live is an essential experience and one that we can’t wait to share with you all!

Friendly FiresNot only have we got such a glorious headliner for you but we also have live appearances from Friendly Fires who will be unleashing their trademark live spectacular in their own inimitably vibrant and widescreen way, psychedelic electro-rockersDeath in Vegas, super-hot eclectic art-pop quartet Django Django, the brooding and brilliant Daughter, rave horn aficionado Drums of Death and the anthemic indie-dance of Zulu Winter.

We’re extremely excited to be welcoming superfly LA beats stable Brainfeeder who will be presenting leftfield loops fromThundercat, The Gaslamp Killer, Teebs, Lapalux, Jeremiah Jae and DJ Kutmah. Plus we’ve got plenty more DJs to keep your feet moving long into the night, including a sweet shop smash and grab with Doctor P, breakdown madness fromPearson Sound, Israeli Dubstepper Borgore and one-man orchestra Flux Pavilion. Plus there will be stark techno fromMax Cooper, bass chaos from Gemini, slow burning jams from Krystal Klear, organic electro from Pangaea, soulful sinewave action from Pariah, upfront rave action from Billy Daniel Bunter, woofer-worrying mayhem from Trolley Snatcha, drum magic from Blawan, Zen riddims from KOAN Sound and the twin bliss of Warm & Electric Minds.

We’ve delved even deeper into the Ambient Forest this year and are very excited to be presenting a brand new performance stage: the Amphitheatre. Nestled under a canopy of trees, this beautiful spot will be home to a host of eclectic treats, from live film scores, to comedy sketch shows, to theatre and poetry.

In the daytime we’ll be showcasing a vast array of the very best spoken word maestros in Scroobius Pip’s Lizard Loungesessions. We’ve also got some seriously funny sketch groups unleashing their hilarity for our chortling pleasure. In Max and Ivan are Holmes and Watson, history’s greatest detective tackles Chicago’s mobster underworld in this thrilling escapade! Next up are The Unexpected, the creators of the hugely popular YouTube sensation ‘Gap Yah’. And then there’s Four Screws Loose: officially the tallest (not to mention the sexiest) sketch comedy group on the circuit! 

In the theatrical offerings, we have the delightful Owdyado Theatre, presenting ‘About A Bench’, a funny, surreal and playful show of ten stories taking place on a park bench. Then newcomers Soundbites will be bringing some of the most hotly tipped theatre makers and musicians face to face to create new short plays that feature live music on stage. Kinda like a live music video. But better. And for mind expanding musings, don’t miss our series of talks from the mighty RSA, who will be presenting ideas and thoughts from some of the leading enlightened thinkers of our time.

As night falls, we’ll be turning to the silver screen. In a first for Bestival, we’ll be teaming up leading DJs and musicians with a handpicked selection of your favourite films, to offer some brilliantly unique live score cinematic collaborations. Rob da Bankwill be leading the way with an unmissable rescoring of the 1930s King Kong! 

And that’s not all that’s going on in the Ambient Forest. Back by popular demand, you can start your day in a secluded clearing in the woods, with a very special meditation or yoga session, presented by leading experts, the David Lynch Foundation. And if you are wandering around after dark, look out for the extraordinarily talented interactive theatre company Gideon Reeling, who’ll be popping up along the trails when you least expect it! Already firm favourites at Camp Bestival, prepare to be enchanted, surprised, enlightened and bewildered by your assortment of encounters with this fabulous gang.

If you like the sound of the Ambient forest then you might just like The Wild Copse, since we’ve announced it, tickets have been selling like the proverbial hot cakes, so if you fancy a bit of a luxury Bestival experience, you’re going to have to get in there quick. More info about the Wild Copse can be found here: http://2012.bestival.net/info/camping/the-wild-copse

The XX, Two Door Cinema Club, Justice and more for Bestival 2012

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EXCLUSIVES:
The xx / Sigur Rós

NEW LINE UP ADDITIONS:
LIVE: Justice / Two Door Cinema Club / Hot Chip / Soulwax / Nero / Emeli Sandé / Orbital / Warpaint / De La Soul / Major Lazer / Sister Sledge / The Horrors / Spiritualized /
Kevin Saunderson feat. Inner City Live / Gary Numan / Michael Kiwanuka / Azealia Banks /
Sub Focus / Gallows / Doom / Earth Wind & Fire Experience Feat Al Mckay / Rizzle Kicks /
The Cuban Brothers / Buraka Som Sistema / Bellowhead / Little Dragon / Gold Panda 
Adam Ant & The Good The Mad and The Lovely Posse / Lianne La Havas /
King Khan And The Shrines / Delilah / Friends / Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs / First Aid Kit / King Krule / Ane Brun / Chas & Dave / Dub Pistols / The Japanese Popstars / Charli XCX /
Jaipur Kawa Brass Band / Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard / Slagsmålsklubben / Field Music /
Jaipur Kawa Circus / Jinja Safari / Church of Love & Ruin / Frankie Rose / Milagres /
Three Bonzos and a Piano / Liz Green / Gabrielle Aplin / Prince Fatty / Fiction / 2:54 / Turbowolf / This Is The Kit / Ghost Outfit / Patterns / Young British Artists / Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo / To Kill A King / L.A. Salami / Laurel Collective / ahab / Gecko / Heathward / Model Society /
Sky Sphere / Blackhouse Crow… Plus many more still to be announced

DJ SETS FROM ROB DA BANK AND FRIENDS:
2manydjs / Annie Mac Presents / Four Tet + Caribou (b2b DJ) /
2 Bears / David Rodigan MBE presents RAM JAM /
Dirtybird showcase feat. Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin & Eats Everything / François Kevorkian / DJ Yoda / Maya Jane Coles / Scuba / LTJ Bukem / Plastician / Greg Wilson / Scratch Perverts / Giles Smith & James Priestley (secretsundaze) / Oneman b2b Jackmaster / Camo & Krooked /
Jaguar Skills & His Amazing Friends / Mosca / Ben UFO / PBR Streetgang / DJ Shepdog /
Shellac Collective / DJ Charge… Plus many more still to be announced

PLUS OUR NEW PREMIUM CAMPING AREA:
The Wild Copse

We’ve already announced 12 brand new things that will tickle your fancy, our Wildlife theme, the mighty Orbital as the closing act for the Big Top and Rob da Bank tweeted a few choice tasters but now the time has come to unveil an array of fantastic acts that will be coming to Robin Hill Country Park to rock Bestival 2012. With a pair of electrifying exclusives and a cavalcade of incredible bands and DJs, we really want it to be September already and we still aren’t announcing any of the main stage headliners! You’re going to have to wait at least a week for the first of those!

Rob da Bank says: ‘So, here we are then! Announcing Bestival again – and another bumper selection of acts from across the musical world and styles. The xx at Bestival two years ago is in my top three Besti performances ever so I’m delighted they're hitting the main stage in 2012 and I’ve finally landed Sigur Rós, one of my all-time fave festival acts. From Justice to Azealia Banks, Spiritualized to Sister Sledge, I hope there’s something for everyone and still three headliners to unveil shortly!'’

Jamie XXIn 2010, just after winning the Mercury Prize for their debut album, The xx, played a victory set in our Big Top that has gone down in Bestival lore as one our most beautiful moments ever, so we are exceptionally excited to be welcoming them back for as a UK festival exclusive in 2012. With new material on the horizon we can’t wait to see what ethereal treats they have in store for us.

Icelandic post-rock behemoth Sigur Rós are also set to make a UK festival exclusive appearance with us on the Isle of Wight. Lead singer Jónsi was behind another of Bestival 2010s undoubted highlights but we’ve been waiting a long time to be able to announce that the full band, in all its majesty, will be joining us and we can’t tell you just how excited we are to have them on board.

As well as those tantalising mouth-watering exclusives we’ve got a colossal first wave of acts to tell you about, including Gallic dance dons Justice, who told us: “To tell you the truth, we wanted to kick off the new tour at Bestival last year but we finally thought we wouldn't be ready (and we weren't) and decided to take more time to get prepared. Now we're ready, it's gonna be a big surprise for us, we played there in 2005 and 2006 which we believe were Bestival early years (and ours too, think it's the first time we ever played a festival, actually) and we heard since that Bestival has become THE festival to play in the UK, so we're definitely excited and have no idea what to expect as everything will probably be a bit different from 2006”.

Two Door Cinema ClubWe’re already fit to burst but still there’s so many more brilliant bands to tell you about like Northern Ireland’s finest Two Door Cinema Club, Bestival veterans and firm crowd favourites Hot Chip, sharp suited electro purveyors Soulwax, dubstep duo Nero, Scottish soul siren Emeli Sandé, rave deities Orbital, LA artrockers Warpaint, daisy-age hip-hop kings De La Soul, first ministers of bass Major Lazer, utter legends Sister Sledge, handsome pop chameleons The Horrors, towering wig-out merchants Spiritualized, Detroit techno overlord Kevin Saunderson feat. Inner City Live, electro-rock pioneer Gary Numan, BBC Sound of 2012 winner Michael Kiwanuka, NME Cool List topper Azealia Banks, drum n basser Sub Focus, the adrenalin charged Gallows, mythological rhyme master Doom, disco groove powerhouse Earth Wind & Fire Experience Feat Al Mckay, the irrepressible Rizzle Kicks, the one and only Cuban Brothers, Kuduro dons Buraka Som Sistema, fine folksters Bellowhead, the sublime Little Dragon, laconic looperGold Panda, and 80s pop-god Adam Ant with The Good The Mad and The Lovely Posse.

Other acts getting on the ferry for Bestival 2012 include the hotly tipped Lianne La Havas, wild psychedelic soul sensations King Khan And The Shrines, neo-dubstep songstress Delilah, insouciant Brooklynites Friends, harmonious beatmeister Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, folk troubadours First Aid Kit, darkwaver King Krule acoustic chanteuse Ane Brun, knees-up governors Chas & Dave, DJ Magazine’s Best of British Best Live Act Dub Pistols, Robert Smith collaborators The Japanese Popstars, pop upstart Charli XCX, the magical Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, anti-folk dude Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard , the mesmerising Slagsmålsklubben, madcap mackems Field Music and the Jaipur Kawa Circus.

Plus there will be live performances from Jinja Safari, Church of Love & Ruin, Frankie Rose, Milagres,
Three Bonzos and a Piano, Liz Green, Gabrielle Aplin, Prince Fatty, Fiction, 2:54, Turbowolf, This Is The Kit, Ghost Outfit, Patterns, Young British Artists, Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo, To Kill A King, L.A. Salami, Laurel Collective, ahab, Gecko, Heathward, Model Society Sky Sphere, Blackhouse Crow, plus many more still to be announced.

Jaguar SkillsWith a jam-packed live line-up taking shape, we also have an exquisite litany of turntable botherers that will be Bestival-bound including Soulwax alter-egos 2manydjs, the incredible Annie Mac Presents, the august Four Tet and the exalted Caribou who will be throwing down the platters back to back for your pleasure. There will also be hirsute pursuits from 2 Bears, reggae guru David Rodigan MBEpresenting RAM JAM, the Dirtybird showcase featuring the enviable talents of Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin & Eats Everything, house music forefather François Kevorkian, deck destroyer DJ Yoda, deep and techy up-and-comer Maya Jane Coles , underground techno genius Scuba, DnB original LTJ Bukem, grime superstar Plastician, ertwhile Hacienda resident Greg Wilson, turntable messiahs Scratch Perverts, and secretsundaze top boys Giles Smith & James Priestley. Plus there will be sets from Oneman b2b Jackmaster, Camo & Krooked, Jaguar Skills & His Amazing Friends, Mosca, Ben UFO, PBR Streetgang, DJ Shepdog, Shellac Collective, DJ Charge and many more still to be announced.

Another brand new thing for this year’s Bestival is our new Premium camping area, nestled between a beautiful wooded forest we’re calling the Wild Copse. We know that sometimes festival camping can get busy and maybe a little rambunctious so we thought many of you would like the opportunity for a little more space, and some top-notch facilities.

The Wild Copse will have its own car park when you arrive and then it’s just a short walk to where you can pitch your tent in an area that will be limited to a set number of ticket-holders.

Included in the area for use by those with tickets only will be high-end toilets and showers. Boutique camping is next door and you’ll share great food and seating area, a lovely chill-out bar serving until late, a pampering area and it will be close to the new healing area; the Soul Park and the new expanded and amazing Arcadia Field featuring Mechanical Cabaret.

The Wild Copse is around a 20-minute walk to the main stage with plenty to see on the way. For those who could use a lift to rest and recuperate or get back to their tent to pick up some knitwear for the evening, there’s an option to grab a shuttle service. This will run 24 hours a day. We’ve planned for this to run every five minutes but predict that demand will be high at peak times of course so it may be quicker to walk back and enjoy all the festival has to offer.

With all this 2012 craziness going on it would be easy to forget what an ace time we had in 2011 with The Cure, Bjork, PJ Harvey, Primal Scream and loads more so we’re very pleased indeed that loads of you didn’t forget because we’ve been shortlisted for Best Small Festival at the NME Awards. All we need now is just a bit more support so if you can spare a few minutes to head over tohttp://www.nme.com/awards and vote for us (it’s number 22 out of 26) we’d be most honoured!

We’ve still got all of our main stage headliners to announce, the first one is coming your way in about a week so keep your eyes onwww.bestival.net, our Facebook and Rob da Bank’s Twitter for all the latest action.

Bestival announce theme and first acts for 2012

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OrbitalWith some rather handsome Bestival announcements on the horizon, the mighty Rob da Bank and the Bestival crew are so excited that we just can’t contain ourselves! So, with that in mind, we’re going to ‘leak’ a few choice nuggets of loveliness for your delectation with12 new things for Bestival 2012 including our untamed fancy dress theme and a tantalising touch of live news.

Rob da Bank says: "I’ve never been pestered so much on Twitter and even in clubs and on the street about who’s playing Bestival this year so we thought we'd better start the proceedings. Legendary brothers of rave Paul and Phil Hartnoll aka Orbital are the first act who have self-announced themselves today…and what a classic to kick off on. As ever the theme of Bestival is a hotly debated topic – this year its Wildlife – so maybe you're thinking foxes, badgers or flamingos or go a bit more lateral and think of wild men and women, hedonists and crazy people? It’s an open book as ever. More news very soon!”

So, without further ado, here’s what’s brand new this year!

1) The theme for Bestival 2012 is Wildlife…We want you to unleash the party beast from the hinterlands of your imagination, covering Robin Hill with some properly wild things, from fantastic fauna, kings of the jungle and even organisms aplenty to just the outrageously wild… The sky is far from the limit of what can happen when you get amongst the wildlife….And we will also be launching our very own Insect Museum and Animal Tug of War.

2) Barter for Bestival – can’t afford a ticket? Then barter yourself to us for a few hours to help with an IOW charity legacy project in exchange for a free Bestival ticket! 50 people from far and wide will get the opportunity to help create a community allotment space working with Natural Enterprise.  Applications will open on 20th February when full details are announced so watch this space.?

3) Film is coming to Bestival in 2012 – new for 2012 are the Lost Picture Show – a vintage cinema to take you back to the golden age of movie going, plus Rob da Bank will be rescoring the 1930s original of King Kong at the brand new Amphitheatre performance space in the Woods with more film collaborations to be announced soon.

4) Soul Park – our new and expanded Healing Area will feature unique spaces for yoga, massage, relaxation, hammocks and meditation with the David Lynch Foundation plus wood-burning Scandinavian hot tubs and a sauna area.  Perfectly calm for when you just need to relax a little and refresh to get your positive energy recharged.?

5) Arcadia Mechanical Cabaret – not content with having invented the crazy mechanical spider that spits flames and has scared the living pants off us at the last few Bestis, Arcadia have now trawled the world for brand new structures and insane fire art to wow us with, much of it from Burning Man.

6) Young British Foodies – We’ve got the country’s finest young chefs, street food vendors, bakers and mixologists all under one roof! Winners of the nationwide search for the most talented Young British Foodies will be joined by the YBF all-star foodie judges to create a never-been-done-before, spectacular eating experience.

7) The Bollywood Bar is having a complete Josie da Bank makeover – with an old London bus being transformed into a Bollywood chill out bar in full Indian colours and the inside getting a cinematic Bollywood lick of paint.

8) Grand Palace of Entertainment – roll up roll up, we’ve cranked up the fun factor with this new venue! Expect twisted cabaret, raucous games and quizzes, dancing-lycra-clad-bearded trannies and multicolored, glitter strewn, late night parties. ?

9) More camping space – yes we may not be expanding on capacity onsite cos we know we’re the right size but we will be creating much more space for you… check out this aerial picture showing you all the new land we’ve taken.

10) Create a bloco for the Bestival Carnival – Your chance to unite with other festi-goers and get creative! We are inviting you to form your own bloco and be part of ourcarnival parade on Saturday afternoon. From fabulous costumes, to drumming,dancing and giant puppets, we can’t wait to see what delights you come up with! Details of how to enter coming soon.

11) Cycle To Bestival – emulate mighty Mark Cavendish with a truly Olympic effort to ride almost 100miles from Central London to Bestival…and raise cash for charity. More details will be available at the end of the month but you can get in training now if sounds like fun to you… on yer bike Bestivalites. ?

12) Rob da Bank’s Music Club – Are you a rock star in the making? Head to Rob da Bank’s Music Club to find out! This project, set up in partnership with the Isle of Wight Youth Trust, is coming to Robin Hill to offer up a brilliant selection music and arts workshops. 
  
As well as all the brand spanking fresh stuff there’s going to be a healthy dose of unbridled joy on the dancefloor too, as Bestival are overjoyed to declare that dance music legends Orbital will be crossing the Solent to join us for an epicurean adventure, or as we used to call it a proper rave up, headlining the Big Top on Sunday night! Renowned for their festival annihilating brilliance and a dashing line in torch specs, the brothers Hartnoll are true pioneers of dance music and with a brand new album, ‘Wonky’ currently getting the critics all giddy, you can expect nothing less than a legendary set!

With many more acts to announce for Bestival 2012 and to build just a touch of anticipation for our headline announcements, Rob da Bank will be taking to his trusty Twitter announcing an act a day until mid-February when we’ll be announcing some headliner news. Until then, make sure you check the Twitter feed for news on some of the many acts that will be gracing Bestival 2012 with their presence.

BESTIVAL TICKET INFORMATION:
www.ticketline.co.uk/bestival-tickets / 0844 888 4410

Early Bird Adult Ticket With Entry From Thursday 6th September – £170
Early Bird Adult Ticket With Entry From Friday 7th September – £165
    
Teen Ticket (age 13-17) With Entry From Thursday 6th September- £110 
Teen Ticket (age 13-17) With Entry From Friday 7th September- £105 

Age 12 and Under Weekend Ticket – FREE (but you must obtain a ticket)

Early Bird Campervan Tickets: £65 (per vehicle)
Early Bird Tickets will also be available to buy through our payment plan which lets you pay a sixth of the total ticket cost (plus booking fees) now, with a further five equal payments spread across the following five consecutive months.  

Tickets and coach travel packages also available via Big Green Coach: www.biggreencoach.co.uk/bestival

Bestival 2011 Sold Out!

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With a glint in his eye and a spring in his step Rob da Bank said: “We’re mega proud to have sold out Bestival for the seventh year running. Selling 50,000 tickets for a 100% independent festival in the current climate is no mean feat but its all thanks to our wicked crowd of regulars and new Bestivalites and music lovers who have chosen to join us on the Isle of Wight in 3 weeks… Thanks for the support and see you in the magic meadows of Bestival!”
 
Featuring a colossal 18 stages of live music and DJs, creative mayhem, magical experiences, our Rock Stars, Pop Stars and Divas fancy dress parade, loads of crazy fresh stuff including the Swamp Shack, Roller Disco, Wall of Death, Freesports Park, Crazy Golf, Campsite Hubs, Ambient Forest, Herbert’s Dream and much more, we’re pretty sure it’s going to be our best Bestival yet and we can’t wait!
 
After its success at this year’s Camp Bestival we’re bringing Kerstin Rodgers’ The Underground Restaurant to the Isle of Wight to give Bestival-goers the chance to enjoy an extravagant three-course sit down meal in the heart of the festival. An experience not to be missed! ??

There will be a wonderful set menu, gorgeous waitresses in vintage French pinnies, vintage mismatched crockery, table linen and a chance to sit down for lunch, dinner or a late supper… always welcome at a festival. Plus on Saturday night only there will be a Pyjama Party themed Midnight Feast! Wear jim-jams, nighties, bring teddies, hot water bottles, dressing gowns, comfy slippers, hair rollers, your pet blanket and have a secret feast under the cover of a supper club. Places are limited though so we highly recommend you book yourself and you friends in now. click here to book (NB: sittings do not clash with the main stage headliners).

 
As the countdown gets well and truly under way we’ve joined forces with Rapanui Clothing, a brilliant Isle of Wight based eco-fashion company, to create a limited edition pre-event T-shirt for this year’s Bestival. This Organic Cotton T-shirt is made in a wind-powered, Fair Wear Foundation audited factory and is printed on 100% organic cotton. They were transported by ship, not air, are printed with phthalate-free inks and were hand-finished in the UK. A strictly limited edition run, these T-shirts will ONLY be available to order up until 26th August. They will not be on sale at Bestival itself. You can order yours here
Finally, if you were lucky enough to get yourself a Bestival ticket but your circumstances have changed and you can’t make it down to the Isle of Wight now the ONLY place we recommend to re-sell your ticket is www.thetickettrust.com
 
Likewise, if you would like to purchase a Bestival ticket, the ONLY place we recommend that you go to is www.thetickettrust.com
 
The Ticket Trust has been created by the Association of Independent Festivals and Sandbag to offer a safe and secure ticket exchange to help correct the secondary ticketing problem. Comprising a group of promoters, artists and music industry professionals embarrassed by what they see happening to tickets to their events – the exploitation of fans’ pockets! The Ticket Trust has created a place where music lovers can exchange unwanted tickets at face value, providing a platform for safe, secure and legitimate ticket exchange – without the over inflated mark-ups. This is the promoters’ and artists’ answer to the secondary ticketing market which seeks to make big profits – taking hard earned cash away from the fans, the musicians and the live events we all love.
Remember to keep on checking www.bestival.net for full line up details and all the up to the minute news.

Bestival grows further still with Cocknbullkid, Nero & more added

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Rob da Bank says: “I spend my life thinking about who Bestival-goers would like to see at the show. The latest slew of acts highlights the sheer diversity of what people want to see at Bestival: I’m especially chuffed that The La’s have chosen Bestival to come back to the UK circuit and James Blake DJ-ing before Bjork will be a corker, no doubt. Roll on September!”

Following the announcement that Björk will be filling the final headliner spot at Bestival we are mega pleased to announce that legendary Merseyside beatniks The La’s will be getting the ferry across the Solent to join us at Bestival.  One of the most influential acts of the past 20 years, The La’s majestic eponymous debut album has inspired countless bands including Oasis and The Coral, so it’s an utter joy that they have ended nearly two decades on hiatus to entertain the Besti-crowd with their near mythical melodies in what is an exceptionally rare appearance. 

Other live acts joining the Bestival bill include Danish chanteuse Oh Land, AKA Nanna Øland Fabricius, who is currently taking the United States by storm with her cinematic take on timeless pop, alt hip-hoppers B. Dolan & Buddy Peace and indie rave Islanders Council Estate Super Models. There will also be appearances from Wolf Gang, Cocknbullkid, Tribes, Daughter, Lucky Elephant, Mad Dog, Skinny Lister, The Growlers and The Toy Hearts.

Action on the ones and twos comes courtesy of post-dubstep wunderkind James Blake who will be performing a rare DJ set to get the crowd in the mood for our Icelandic showstopper’s main stage finale on Sunday. Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek will be getting adventurous and eclectic under their Africa Hi-Tech moniker, plus there will be speaker shaking sets from Nero, Toddla T & Serocee, L-Vis 1990, Mike Pickering, Bip Ling, IDC, Fear of Theydon, Low Fro, Omid, Pete Gooding andPhil Mison.

In support of their brilliant new album, ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’, the Beastie Boys have revisited their classic video ‘(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)’, inviting a jaw-dropping who’s who from the film industry, including Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell, Jack Black and more to take part in ‘Fight For Your Right – Revisited’. So, we’re mega excited that we will be showing the new short film in full on the main stage and in the Big Top at Bestival. And that’s not all – the none-more generous Beastie Boys are offering the exclusive chance to win a pair of Bestival Tickets plus a copy of ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’ on double white vinyl (and CD) and selected Beastie Boys back catalogue CDs plus a DVD Anthology. We’ll also select five runners-up who will receive a copy of ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’ CD each. For a chance to win visit here and get involved!

Commenting on the film Beastie Boy Mike D told us: “It takes place in 1986 when the ‘Fight for Your Right (To Party)’ music video finishes shooting — and then the hi-jinks ensue.  In film terms, this is a period piece.”

 

The Beastie Boys

 
Just to get you even more excited about our fast-approaching shindig (September 8-11th, as if you didn¹t know!), we are teaming up with denim gurus Replay to give all you the chance to grab your very own ‘on the house’ pair of jeans which you can customise within the Replay Denim Studio at this year’s Bestival. 400 pairs are being given away to Besti-goers who can then have the unique experience of creating their own pair of jeans with specialised workshop tools. All you have to do is register online at www.replay.it/replayatbestival and then when you arrive at Bestival you can grab your complimentary pair of jeans and a festival-friendly gift bag. Share the love and tell your friends and, what’s more, as day turns to night the Replay Studios tent will be hosting live music and DJ sets.