Having performed to sold out crowds all over Europe, Melt! goers will have yet another chance to see Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington a.k.a. Darkside live. Four Tet will make a welcome return to the City of Iron to bring us the latest tunes from his 2013 release, ‘Beautiful Rewind’ and the UK band, Bombay Bicycle Club, will celebrate their Melt! debut raising the indie quota with their guitar-laden sound. In 2013, SBTRKT got behind the decks in Ferropolis. This year, festivalgoers can see him live on stage with brand-new material. Clean Bandit, who have been topping charts all over since the release of their hit single, ‘Rather Be’, will also be on hand get party revellers in the mood with their charismatic electro pop tunes.
Performances and sets by DVS1, George Fitzgerald, John Grant, Ja, Panik, John Talabot (DJ-Set), Jungle, Markus Kavka, Kid Simius (live), Of Montreal, Pantha du Prince (live), Planningtorock, Pretty Lights, S O H N, Son Lux, Tale of Us, Tourist, WhoMadeWho and Wolf Alice have also been confirmed.
With tickets going on sale at 9am tomorrow morning for this years Longitiude, we have another lineup announcement to give you folks!
Bombay Bicycle Club, First Aid Kit, Icona Pop, George Ezra and Koreless will join the already announcedBastille, Haim, Chvrches, Sam Smith, Bonobo and more!
TICKET INFORMATION
Weekend tickets €149.50 / Day tickets €59.50 inclusive of booking fee.
Subject to licence
Tickets are on sale from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and online at www.ticketmaster.ie
Sónar’s 20th anniversary reads like a who’s who of electronic music new and, well, more new. From Jurassic 5’s old school hip-hop and the eternally synth-pop Pet Shop Boys, to dance anthem pedlars like 2manydjs and the impossible grace of Natasha Khan aka Bat for Lashes, this was always going to be a big weekend.
The three day festival kicks off Thursday, leaving you Sunday to recover – or carry on the party. We catch Oddisee under the SonarDôme, slick rap between brassy jazz, while outside SónarVillage has exploded with the cheesy 70s hit ‘Love is in the air’. Fun is the aim of the game.
Gold Panda is another of those non-DJ DJs. In black denim and t-shirt, I picture him nursing a book alone in a café somewhere. Today, though, he hits us with playful and animalistic beats, eyes fixed on his fingertips as he bops along to perfectly haphazard breaks. The sound is of a runaway music box, and oddly relaxing.
Beer vendors wind through the crowd under a heavy Spanish sun. I worry for all the hipsters getting hot beneath their beards – at least they have their Wayfarers on. One such beardy man holds a kaleidoscope to his mobile phone to film the set (not the Beardyman, though he plays on Saturday). Lindstroøm and Todd Terje get us to nightfall. It’s the first time I’ve heard Terje’s ‘Inspector Norse’ and I understand immediately why it’s so popular. Have a listen.
There’s action aplenty with ‘off Sónar’ events across the city, but we save our feet for the first Sónar de Noche, held in a series of warehouses at the edge of town. Of course Bat for Lashes is wonderful, but we knew she would be. Bristolian DJ Eats Everything plays ahead of Two Door Cinema Club, a sentimental favourite who move seamlessly through their repertoire. “Maybe someday, you’ll be somewhere, talking to me, as if you knew me.”
It’s worth the rush to the outdoor SónarLab to see French DJs C2C perform ’Down the Road‘. They do a Run-DMC cover and manage to hold a sound-off in the crowd, a winner-by-applause deal without spoiling the mood. The 3D Kraftwerk set is all hype and Skrillex becomes the night’s surprise win (although I’d like my ears back, badly). I’m distracted by someone so famous wearing a shirt with his name on the back, but he’s forgiven with Benny Benassi’s ‘Cinema’. I don’t like dubstep; I just love that he’s got us all dancing.
Three hours sleep gets us by, and we’re back at Sónar de Dia for some synth-disco courtesy of US act Chromatics. I warm to their 80s edge and a convincing take on the Kate Bush classic ‘Running up that hill’. We watch AlunaGeorge from faux-grass decking, and catch TNGHT open with a cinematic rendition of Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’. The stop-start set isn’t my thing, and I leave early to give my eardrums a break.
The closing night of Sónar is marked with a three-hour Ed Banger tribute. Justice scores easy points with his Simian Mobile Disco mashup ‘We are your friends’, and it’s good-time fare ‘til Laurent Garnier heralds the Sunday dawn. Even with a huge turnout, the warehouses have space to sit and take stock when needed. Revellers don’t seem to overdo it as much as back on the British Isles, and the international crowd adds to Sónar’s world-class festival credentials.
In 2014 Sónar hits five cities, so the next question is Barcelona, Tokyo or Mexico? Life’s tough.
RockNess 2013 launches today with an announcement of quality and depth, and in keeping with the eclectic signature synonymous with the festival, a tantalising flavour of 2013’s hottest rising stars.
First up, with a knack for dispensing ridiculously catchy chart toppers, EXAMPLE’s live shows, complete with full band, are back-to-back, energy packed affairs. Drawing on a four album strong catalogue, including multiple number one successes, it’ll be a hits-a-thon come June with the likes of ‘Kickstarts,‘Changed the Way You Kissed Me’, ‘Won’t Go Quietly’ and ’Stay Awake’. EXAMPLE’s brand of dance-rap, flavoured with input from the likes of Benga, Calvin, Skream, Zane Lowe and Blur’s Graham Coxon, will be the RockNess soundtrack impossible not to bounce to with reckless abandon.
Few live acts shout “party” more than chief shindig instigators BASEMENT JAXX, and we are delighted to announce the ringleaders are back and heading to Dores this June. Last time the unstoppable duo and their merry band of singers, dancers and MCs landed at Dores, the brilliantly wild, main stage pandemonium never moved below fourth gear. Now the JAXX experience is returning, and with new material recently being teased across airwaves, igniting strong rumours of a new album, it’ll soon be party time again.
Having now attained national treasure status, MADNESS bring their inimitable nutty magic to The Highlands. ‘One Step Beyond’, ‘House of Fun’, ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘Our House’, ‘It Must Be Love’… in now signature RockNess style, this promises to be the festival’s mass sing-along moment of 2013.
Predicted to “help usher in a new era for guitar music” with a sound described as “fantastic, exhilarating and exciting”, THE VACCINES are fast track sealing their status as rock ‘n’ roll icons. Debut demo “If You Wanna” exploded as Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’ in 2010, and an instant sell out UK tour played to rapturous media acclaim, and audiences including Alex Kapranos, Marcus Mumford and members of White Lies and The Maccabees. Second album ‘Come of Age’ rocketed straight into number one in September 2012, certifying gold status less than 3 weeks after release, and this summer, in what will be an electrifying assault, THE VACCINES will play RockNess.
Winners of the Best New Band award at 2010’s NME Awards, and Ivor Novello-nominated for second album ‘Flaws’ in 2011, BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB have arrived proper style with third album ‘A Different Kind of Fix’, a lesson in how to work a groove to glorious genre slicing effect. Witness the remarkable evolution this June,
Extolling the finest virtues of a modern day troubadour, singer songwriter BEN HOWARD is one of the brightest talents to emerge in recent times. The lush musicianship of debut album ‘Every Kingdom’ oozes quality, earning him a Mercury Prize nomination in 2012, and recent follow up EP ‘The Burgh Island’ continues his ascent. Relentless gigging has honed BEN HOWARD’s live shows like few others. Soulful, emotive and one of many unmissables set for RockNess 2013.
Since bagging the BRIT Awards’ Critics Choice in 2010, ELLIE GOULDING has shape shifted from the sparkly pop of debut album ‘Lights’ to the more bombastic but equally magical follow up of ‘Halycon’, released late 2012. Live, her sound, and especially her voice – folky, primal, soaring when it needs to – stands GOULDING apart as an original. Pop music in sublime effect.
THE MACCABEES posses the kind of heroic force that heavy touring has beefed them up for. Gutsy and honest, the band’s latest album ‘Given to the Wild’ was Mercury nominated in 2012. Check them out and see why for yourself.
Next up, RockNess is absolutely delighted to announce the stunning sound of JESSIE WARE will be gracing Dores. Since emerging on to the scene in 2010, the London songstress has been laying impressive foundations with a sound that oozes soulful quality, reminiscent of the 80’s most seductive divas. Guest production duties assumed by the likes of Julio Bashmore, SBTRKT and Joker edge her gorgeous sound on the credibility stakes too. JESSIE WARE. Here, now, and utterly authentic.
CAMERA OBSCURA epitomise the spirit of indie. Coming on to the scene around the same time as the likes of Belle & Sebastian (debut album ‘Biggest Bluest Hi Fi’ was produced by Stuart Murdoch), the Glaswegian band’s output has never strayed far from their intoxicating brand of golden pop, building up a loyal cult following in the process.
Last but by no means least, as one of the original torchbearers to break through for the nu folk / acoustic movement of the noughties, NEWTON FAUKLNER’s distinct sound was prophetically ahead of its time. Since then the dreadlocked one has refused the temptation to kowtow to any fleeting trends, sticking to what he does best – essentially tight, rhythmic guitars, nimble finger picking, uncommon tunings and inventive chord changes. NEWTON FAULKNER is not just an artist but an entertainer definitely worth checking out live.
With heaps more exciting announcements and arena details coming soon, including line ups for the mighty SUB CLUB SOUND SYSTEM and SOMA RECORDS, the countdown has officially commenced!
Speaking about this year’s launch announcement, Festival Director Jim King said ”I'm delighted to announce the first names we're bringing to the party at Loch Ness this summer. We've been working hard behind the scenes to bring you an eclectic line up of the highest calibre acts for which RockNess is synonymous. To top it all, we’ve reduced the price of our Weekend Camping tickets by £20 so you can join us at RockNess for less than most other major UK festivals at an amazing value price of £139. We’ve introduced a new Inverness Discount ticket, which is inclusive of all fees to support local businesses in Inverness if you buy over the counter; more details can be found on our website.
If you haven't joined us at RockNess before, I promise you it is the best way to kickstart your summer, a completely electric atmosphere, partying in what is probably the most beautiful festival site in the world. If you have been to RockNess before then as always I’d like to thank you for your continued support in making it the best festival in Scotland. We've got many more bands and DJ's still to announce, plus another very special headliner, so stay tuned…!”
Want to see how much fun RockNess really is? Check out the video from last year!
Commenting on his Sunday night Bestival Headlining set, Elton John said: “I haven’t played any of the major festivals in the UK in recent years, so when the opportunity to play Bestival came up I was very interested. I’ve heard that the Bestival audience comes in fancy dress and I can’t wait to see that, they must all look amazing from the stage. At various times I have worn enormous feathered head-dresses, cloaks, hot pants, jumpsuits, clown suits, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, French Maid, The Eiffel Tower and The Statue of Liberty onstage! Wearing fancy dress makes us all feel less inhibited so I think it’s a great way to enjoy live music.
“2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album, so you can expect to hear several tracks from that album. My shows always involve audience participation, singing and dancing, so make sure there is plenty of room for movement inside those fancy dress costumes!”
Taking time out from splicing the mainbrace, Rob da Bank said: “So here we are…our tenth birthday…like a small child proudly entering double figures…but here’s Bestival still wearing ill fitting shorts and running about with grazed knees giggling in the sunlight…Happy days! After 10 years of running our beloved festival, Bestival is still as psychedelically wondrous to us as the September day in 2004 when we first threw open the gates. 2013 will be a vintage year. No increase in capacity but more land, a raft of exciting changes around the site including some great new spaces and all dressed and made up in Bestival’s signature style.
“Band and DJ wise we’ve cast our net far and wide… as ever Bestival 2013 will be a magical mix of the old and the new, the vintage and classic rubbing shoulders with the ultra modern and leftfield. From one of the biggest selling artists of all time and certainly the best at fancy dress, Elton John, through the party blazing hip-hop of Snoop Dogg through amazing rare shows from the likes of The Knife, to the newest of the new bands and acts that I’m so excited about like Jagwar Ma, Merchandise and Cashmere Cat plus literally the finest selection of house and techno DJs we've ever had from Richie Hawtinand Carl Cox to Besti stalwarts Erol Alkan and Annie Mac– this will be our best Bestival yet, so don't miss out!"
Well, what can we say? In a UK festival exclusive and playing his first major festival set on home soil in many years, we’re over the moon that Elton John and his band will be headlining Sunday night at Bestival! Very probably pop music’s most outrageous son, Sir Elton Hercules John’s reputation as an incendiary live act who pulls out all the stops to put on a scintillating show filled with glitz and glamour makes him, without any shadow of a doubt, the perfect megastar to bring the magic and mayhem of Bestival’s tenth birthday to a close. After partying at the original IOW festival as a young musician in the late 60s we’re very proud that Elton finally gets to perform on the Isle of Wight at Bestival. With more than 30 albums and over 60 UK chart hits to his name, Sunday night is guaranteed to be full-on sing-along good times. We’ve already started stockpiling the platform boots, feather boas and glitter. It’s going to be a proper party!
With Sunday night well and truly taken care of, we are beside ourselves with joy to announce that the Doggfather himself Snoop Dogg will be wowing the Bestival main stage crowd as our Saturday night headliner! Hip-hop icon, pop culture phenomenon, izzle speak don and quite simply one of the most gifted spitters ever, Snoop Dogg’s live show takes no prisoners with his laidback flow capping an almost endless catalogue of super-fat beats. With a forthcoming album produced by Major Lazer and some of hip-hop’s biggest anthems under his belt, you can expect Saturday night at Bestival to blow you away.
We have, of course, got plenty more amazing live acts coming aboard including the mighty M.I.A with a UK festival exclusive set and anthemic Scottish four-piece Franz Ferdinand playing an English festival exclusive. We’re also very pleased to announce the welcome return of psychedelic bliss merchants TheFlaming Lips playing a UK festival exclusive set, off the wall Swedish art-pop duo The Knife, rap music revolutionaries Wu-Tang Clan, the unpredictably chameleonic Bombay Bicycle Club playing an English festival exclusive set and neo-soulsters The Roots playing a UK Festival exclusive set.
Plus we’ll have knock-out appearances from majestic indie pop stalwarts Belle & Sebastian, beguiling chanteuse Jessie Ware, the deservingly hyped Disclosure, BBC Sound of 2013 winner Tom Odell, the incomparable Sinead O’Connor, disco overlords Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, Warp legend Squarepusher, a live set from dancefloor smashers Hot Natured, the hottest rapper in the world Angel Haze,kaleidoscopic choral collective The Polyphonic Spree, quite possibly the greatest guitarist of his generation, Johnny Marr and indie giants Bastille. In what are the first festival shows confirmed for both bands this year, we’ll have mind-bending riffs from Peace and blistering RnB from The Strypes, who have been getting everyone from Elton John to Noel Gallagher out on the town to check out their brilliant live show. We will also be welcoming next level drum n bass behemoth DJ Fresh, Dexys performing their acclaimed show “One Day I’m Going to Soar” plus a few Dexys favourites, chart bothering juggernautRudimental, woozy garage rockers The Walkmen and legendary Mancunian poet John Cooper Clarke.
And that’s not all as we will have live sets from Lissie, The Wonder Stuff, Caravan Palace, The Cuban Brothers, Matthew E White, While She Sleeps, Merchandise, Mikill Pane, True Tiger, Sexy Sushi, Is Tropical, Skaters, Lulu James, Swim Deep, Fleetwood Bac, Jaipur Brass Band, Kawa Circus, Lewis Watson, Jaws and J-Cats. And we’ve still got lots more live acts to announce!
Stepping up to the ones and twos on a mission to move your dancing shoes are a whole host of groove controllers including the Plastikman himself Richie Hawtin, techno don Carl Cox, Bestival favouriteAnnie Mac Presents, Detroit via Berlin techy house hero Seth Troxler, Mark Ronson going back to back with Zane Lowe in their A-Yo guise, new beat tzar Julio Bashmore, house doyen Maya Jane Coles, omniscient eclecticist Erol Alkan, the sublime reggae of David Rodigan presents RAM JAM, fathomless fiend Dixon, legend of the deep Kerri Chandler, trailblazer Eats Everything, Numbers featuring Jackmaster, Spencer, Redinho, Sophie and special guest Rustie, the future funky dub love of Joy Orbison, the fabled Fabio + Grooverider and a full on Hospitality Bestival takeover, hosted byWrec & Dynamite and featuring High Contrast, Danny Byrd, Nu:Logic and Fred V & Grafix.
Plus we’ll have speaker splitting action from Marcel Dettman, DJ Yoda, The Daft Punk Tribute Night in The Hidden Disco, Redlight, Bondax, Heidi, Ed Rush, Fake Blood, Jesse Rose, Justin Robertson, Andrew Weatherall And Sean Johnston’s A Love From Outer Space, Ben UFO, Cyril Hahn, Daniel P Carter, Catz N Dogz, My Love Is Underground, Cashmere Cat, Krankbrother, Ben Pearce, Dollop DJs, Alexander Nut, Roska, Bodhi, Kry Wolf, Coley From Luv*Jam, Crispin J. Glover and Bad Zuke with many more still to come.
REGINA SPEKTOR, CYPRESS HILL, AGNES OBEL, LANA DEL REY, SIMPLE MINDS, KNIFE PARTY, MICHAEL KIWANUKA, AZARI & III, BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB, M WARD, ALABAMA SHAKES, SCHOOL IS COOL, PERFUME GENIUS, EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS, ISBELLS and METRIC.
The line-up for Rock Werchter 2012 is now complete with 81 names. More artists than ever will play the festival, thanks to the new, third stage, The Barn. The Barn is a big top tent, a modern version of the classic span tent. It can accommodate a crowd of 10,000 festival-goers and complies with all international safety regulations. The tent's shape guarantees excellent acoustics. It will be pitched right next to the Pyramid Marquee with which it has an alternating line-up.
All names for Rock Werchter 2012 in a day-by-day overview: Thursday June 28: The Cure, Elbow, Blink-182, Justice, The Kooks, Skrillex, Rise Against, Selah Sue, Garbage, Skream ft. Sgt Pokes, Netsky Live, Within Temptation , Cypress Hill, Amon Tobin, The All-American Rejects, The Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club, Azealia Banks and Metric. Friday June 29: Pearl Jam, dEUS, Jack White, Deadmau5, Beirut, Gossip, Birdy Nam Nam, Katy B, Wiz Khalifa, Mastodon, Bat For Lashes, Lana Del Rey, DJ Fresh presents Fresh/Live, The Temper Trap, Katzenjammer, Azari & III, Miles Kane, X, Kreayshawn, Perfume Genius, School Is Cool and Eastern Conference Champions. Saturday June 30: Editors, The xx, Mumford & Sons, Chase & Status, Incubus, Kasabian, Paul Kalkbrenner, Regina Spektor, Agnes Obel, Wolfmother, My Morning Jacket, Simple Minds, Black Box Revelation, ’t Hof van Commerce, Ben Howard, M83, Noah & The Whale, Michael Kiwanuka, Nneka, Alabama Shakes and James Vincent McMorrow. Sunday July 1: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snow Patrol, Florence + the Machine, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Milow, Steve Aoki, James Morrison, Dropkick Murphys, Knife Party, Mac Miller, The Vaccines, Ed Sheeran, The Hickey Underworld, M Ward, Anna Calvi, Die Antwoord, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Isbells and Other Lives.
In 1998 Jesse Hughes formed Eagles of Death Metal with Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, and together they have recorded three albums packed with filthy rock 'n' roll. However, it is live the band really stands out, and it’s here their cheeky and sweaty boogie rock time and time again have been responsible for a discharge of energy that has blown people away.
Bombay Bicycle Club
The active Brits have released three albums in three years, but it is with "A Different Kind of Fix" and not least the single "Shuffle" the band has caused ripples outside their home country, where they in 2010 won the NME Award for Best New Band in front off both Mumford & Sons and The xx. So it is with pride and great expectations, we can now present Bombay Bicycle Club at Northside.
Lukas Graham
There are not many Danish acts that can boast of having sold out to their extra concerts in Aarhus, Aalborg, and Copenhagen without having released an album. But Lukas Graham is the hottest name on the Danish music scene right now and will only become hotter when the debut album comes on Monday. The band is also nominated for a P3 Guld Award, so it's a band with an unusual amount of wind in its sails, which will soon set course for NorthSide.
Freja Loeb
Last year both GAFFA and Soundvenue handed out five stars to Freja Loeb for her debut album, which came out some months after the single "Never Stop Coming Back” had been single of the week on P3. Also "Soft Blues" was played heavily, and when the singer earlier this year went on tour GAFFA was again ready with five stars and adjectives like "excellent", "impressive", and "fabulous." The Danish singer is the last addition to NorthSide program, and you can hardly put a finer end to the additions to the program.
The official line-up for NorthSide 2012 is: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour (DK), Bat For Lashes (UK), Bombay Bicycle Club (UK), Choir of Young Believers (DK), Dúné (DK), Eagles of Death Metal (US), Emeli Sandé (UK), Freja Loeb (DK), Garbage (US), The Gaslight Anthem (US), The Hives (S), James Blake (UK), Justice (F), Kasabian (UK), Kashmir (DK), The Kooks (UK), Little Dragon (S), Lukas Graham (DK), Malk de Koijn (DK), Marina and the Diamonds (UK), Miles Kane (UK), Mumford & Sons (UK), Noah & The Whale (UK), Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (UK), Oh Land (DK), Snow Patrol (UK), The Stone Roses (UK), Turboweekend (DK), When Saints Go Machine (DK), and The xx (UK).
Having sold in excess of 350,000 albums since their debut release in 2009, North London’s finest, Bombay Bicycle Club, have already notched up two Top 10 albums, an Ivor Novello nomination and an NME Award for Best New Band (2010). With rave reviews for their third studio album A Different Kind Of Fix, the band have just returned from a sold-out US tour and are sure to thrill fans with a stand-out set at T in the Park 2012.
After their massive break-through hit Buck Rogers cemented their much-deserved status as one of the UK’s biggest rock acts, Feeder are back with a revitalised new sound. Having sold over 5million records and wowing audiences around the world with their exhilarating anthemic rock, T in the Park fans are in for a treat.
When US rap sensation J Cole released his hugely anticipated debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story last September, it shot straight to the top of the US Billboard chart and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Counting Jay-Z amongst his many fans J Cole is one of the hottest breakthrough acts on the hip hop block right now.
Reverend and the Makers’ massive top 10 single Heavyweight Champion of the World announced their arrival as a huge force on the UK indie scene. Their epic anthems secured them a coveted support slot with Oasis on their last ever tour, and they have just supported fellow T in the Park act Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on their recent tour. With their third studio album @Reverend_Makers due this spring, it’s sure to be a stand out set at T in the Park 2012.
Californian psych rockers TheBrian Jonestown Massacre achieved cult status with their starring role in the notorious 2004 rockumentary Dig! The band won themselves even more fans when their track Straight Up and Down was used as the opening theme to hit TV series Boardwalk Empire. With their legendary psychedelic jams and killer hooks, they’ll no doubt treat the crowd to old hits, as well as new material from the soon to be released Aufheben, their 13th studio album to date.
York-born acoustic singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich is hotly tipped for the top. His first single, Pictures (taken from his EP of the same name), was declared "The Hottest Record in the World Today" by Radio 1’s Zane Lowe, and his majestic debut album Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm is earning him major critical acclaim.
London five-piece Zulu Winter are also capturing the eyes and ears of fans and critics alike and the quintet’s catchy and anthemic indie-dance, atmospheric synth-pop went down a storm at their recent NME Awards show.
The Milk have been enjoying major airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music courtesy of Huey Morgan and with their influences ranging from classic Motown to the Beastie Boys, their edgy blend of hip-hop, dub, dance and punk is sure to impress on their T in the Park debut.
California-based roots rock band Dawes make their big debut this summer. Their rich West Coast harmonies and vintage Americana sound has earned them comparisons to Crosby, Stills and Nash and Neil Young, and they’ll showcase material from their highly acclaimed second album Nothing is Wrong.
Over the years, READING & LEEDS FESTIVAL has seen some of the most memorable musical moments in history. 2012 will be no exception and we are very proud to announce three exclusive Main Stage headliners coming to entertain the 160,000 fanatical music enthusiasts who make this the most thrilling festival on earth. If you want to see every band that matters then Reading & Leeds Festival at Little John’s Farm in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds is the only place to be this August Bank Holiday Weekend.
The greatest rock band in the world right now, and masters of whipping crowds into a frenzy, FOO FIGHTERS will kick off proceedings in Leeds on Friday and close the show in Reading on Sunday, playing their only UK shows this year. THE CURE have an unrivalled catalogue of both commercially and critically acclaimed hits and this is a long awaited return for this hugely influential and important band. They play Leeds on Saturday and Reading on Friday, their only UK shows this year. The biggest and most exciting UK band to have emerged in the last decade, KASABIAN make their first headline appearance at the festival on Sunday at Leeds and Saturday at Reading. Their epic and anthemic tunes will fill the fields at these, their only festival shows in England and Wales in 2012.
The NME/Radio 1 Stage always proves hugely popular and with THE MACCABEES, AT THE DRIVE-IN and JUSTICE lined up for 2012 it’s sure to be busier than ever. METRONOMY will top the bill on the Dance Stage bringing their blistering live show to the festival.
Many more names are still to be announced on these stages as well as the full line-up for the NME/Radio 1 Stage, Lock-Up Stage, Dance Stage, Festival Republic Stage, BBC Introducing Stage and the Alternative Stage. This is definitely the finest line-up you’ll find at any festival this summer with over 200 acts appearing at the most incredible event. Get your tent packed!
THIS YEAR’S HEADLINERS
THE CURE TO HEADLINE
ONLY UK APPEARANCES OF 2012
Friday 24th August at Reading Festival
Saturday 25th August at Leeds Festival
THE CURE are arguably the biggest alternative rock band of the last thirty years with a stellar catalogue of critically and commercially successful albums and a worldwide fan base. Hugely influential, the group have earned their iconic status with countless hit singles, legendary live performances and their unique sound blending moody atmospheric songs with sparkling pop sensibilities. Incredibly the band have only appeared at the Reading Festival once before, in 1979 around the release of their debut album ‘Three Imaginary Boys’, so this is a long overdue return and both sites are sure to embrace this classic act.
ONLY FESTIVAL APPEARANCES IN ENGLAND AND WALES OF 2012
Saturday 25th August at Reading Festival
Sunday 26th August at Leeds Festival
In their own words, KASABIAN were “built to headline festivals”. Since the release of their debut self-titled album in 2004, the Leicester group have swept all before them. With a string of festival anthems including ‘Fire’, ‘Club Foot’ and ‘Empire’, KASABIAN can rightly claim to be one of the UK’s biggest bands. Their latest album ‘Velociraptor’ continued this huge success, debuting at Number One in the UK, and confirmed their place at the top table of modern rock ‘n’ roll legends. A group which encapsulates the heady spirit of festival season, these shows will be a summer highlight for rock fans everywhere. KASABIAN are guitarist Sergio Pizzorno, singer Tom Meighan, bassist Chris Edwards and drummer Ian Matthews.
Having recently picked up five Grammy Awards, a Brit Award for ‘Best International Group’ and NME Award for ‘Best International Band’, and having seen last year’s ‘Wasting Light’ debut at Number One in 12 countries, FOO FIGHTERS return to headline Reading & Leeds Festival as the undisputed biggest rock band in the world today. Since first appearing at Reading in 1995 and ascending to headlining the Reading & Leeds Main Stages in 2002 and 2005, FOO FIGHTERS have never received anything short of a spectacular welcome from the crowds at Reading & Leeds.
In the tradition of their historic 2008 Wembley Stadium doubleheader and last year’s Milton Keynes weekender FOO FIGHTERS are poised to make this year’s Reading & Leeds a legendary event and a true must see for every music fan in the UK.
Friday 24th August at Reading Festival / Saturday 25th August at Leeds Festival
Grammy-nominated and multi-million selling three-piece PARAMORE are confirmed to perform their ONLY UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCE at Reading & Leeds Festival 2012. This will be the band’s first UK show since their sold out tour at the end of 2010 which culminated in two nights at London’s O2. In the two years since their last visit, the band have toured across the globe, from South East Asia, Europe, and South America, to the US, Australia and Japan and we welcome them back to the festival with open arms. Taylor, Jeremy and Hayley are currently in the US working on the follow-up to their chart topping platinum third album ‘Brand New Eyes’.
Saturday 25th August at Reading Festival / Sunday 26th August at Leeds Festival
With over 1.5 million sales of her second album ‘Ceremonials’, a Number One in the UK and Top Ten in the US, two NME Awards for ‘Best Solo Singer’ and ‘Best Track’ FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE have been riding the crest of the wave since picking up the ‘Critics’ Choice Award’ in 2009 at the Brits. The band have toured all over the world and are currently on a UK arena tour which will see them play to over 100,000 devotees. Florence first appeared at Reading & Leeds on the Festival Republic Stage and now this second from top of the bill placing continues the meteoric rise of this fantastic new British superstar.
Sunday 26th August at Reading Festival / Friday 24th August at Leeds Festival
Having recently headlined three shows at Alexandra Palace in London and sold over 1 million copies of their latest album ‘El Camino’, THE BLACK KEYS can safely take the title of band of the year. The group released their breakthrough album ‘Brothers’ in 2010 to widespread praise, debuting at Number Two in the US en route to winning three Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. As drummer Patrick Charney has said of the band’s recent success, “We’ve taken the long road to get where we are. We’ve experienced everything from driving a thousand miles to play for no-one to winning Grammys” and of the new album, “I think where this record is going to shine for me is playing the songs live.” Six albums and counting leaves The Black Keys with a remarkable cache of songs from which to select and this set will be a feast to delight in at their ONLY UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCE.
Friday 24th August at Reading Festival / Saturday 25th August at Leeds Festival
North London’s BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB have sold in excess of 350,000 albums and have performed to more than 150,000 people to date and have a headline appearance at their ‘local’ Alexandra Palace coming up soon. This year also saw them nominated for no less than three NME Awards which when added to an Ivor Novello nomination, two Top 10 albums and the NME’s ‘Best New Band’ Award in 2010, has seen this low-key quartet soar. Last year’s ‘A Different Kind Of Fix’ has just been certified Gold in the UK and we expect new and old favourites to be aired at both sites ensuring an ever burgeoning and loyal following.
There aren’t many bands who reach their third album ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ while still only aged between 21 and 22. Fewer still have sold out two nights at Brixton Academy, two nights at Hammersmith Apollo, or have played to a total of 65,000 people on their many UK tours. That YOU ME AT SIX are also playing the Main Stage at Reading & Leeds Festival is yet another huge accomplishment. Since the release of their debut album ‘Take Off Your Clothes’ they have been at the forefront of British rock music and have made many fans along the way. Expect a lively crowd!
Fiercely uncompromising duo Ethan Kath and Alice Glass aka CRYSTAL CASTLES have created a stir from their inception with shows that enthrall and excite an impassioned cult following. Two eponymously titled albums, and an inspired collaboration with Robert Smith from headliners The Cure in 2010 have cast them to an audience across the world which has seen a staggering 50 million plays and counting on Myspace and LastFM. This year heralds the arrival of their third as yet untitled album, and this is a chance to catch a band that will inevitably put on one of the most talked about shows of the weekend.
Tom DeLonge from Blink-182 references ANGELS AND AIRWAVES as his "art project" and with the release of the double album ‘LOVE Part One & Two’ accompanied with a full length science fiction film scored by the band this is certainly no ordinary hiatus from the day job. The band comprises of Matt Wachter on bass (formerly of Thirty Seconds to Mars), guitarist David Kennedy (ex. Box Car Racer) and Ilan Rubin (formerly Lostprophets and NIN) on drums – truly a supergroup for a super weekend.
With an eagerly awaited sixth album coming this year, COHEED AND CAMBRIA have been described as “mix(ing) up the standard pop-punk scheme with creative and original riffs”. The band have picked up fans world-wide with their unique blend of progressive rock and hardcore, having toured extensively since forming in 1995 and have earned a formidable live reputation – check them out.
Not many bands can really live up to the title ‘hardcore punks’, but Toronto’s CANCER BATS are the real deal. With a new album ‘Dead Set On Living’ coming later this Spring, which vocalist Liam Cormier has hinted at being a slight departure from previous releases, the four-piece can only pick up more fans along the way and will definitely win over the Reading & Leeds audience this year.
DEAF HAVANA formed in Kings Lynn in Norfolk but have taken influences from all over the world to create their own new British rock sound. Their debut album ‘Meet Me Halfway, At Least’ earned great reviews in the rock press, described in one mag as “(they) blend the best elements of screamo with ballsy southern licks all placed lovingly on a bed of chugging riffs” and the follow up ‘Fools and Worthless Liars’ elevated them higher with a number one record on the BBC Rock Chart. Sure to wake up the festival in style.
Saturday 25th August at Reading Festival / Sunday 26th August at Leeds Festival
Armed with a debut single and immediate acclaim at the tail end of 2010, THE VACCINES certainly hit the ground running and tore into 2011 with gusto. On its release the band’s debut album ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’ pocketed further plaudits both critically and commercially achieving sales in excess of 250,000 in the UK. The band have an enviable reputation for their live shows and having hailed that “The Vaccines do it better than any British band have done in years” – they picked up the ‘Best New Band’ accolade at this year’s NME Awards. This summer you can see why when they make their debut on the Main Stage.
2012 has already proven to be a fantastic year for ENTER SHIKARI with their fourth album ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ crashing into the Top Five in January with stunning reviews. Known for their fiercely independent stance, the band have stuck to their own ideals since they formed in St. Albans in 2003 taking their unique mesh of hardcore punk and breakbeat techno round the country with relentless gigging. This has given them a fearsome reputation as one of the most exciting live bands around and if previous appearances here are anything to go with, the crowd will go absolutely crazy. Get ready to mosh!
With James Mercer at the helm, Grammy-nominated THE SHINS set sail for Reading & Leeds Festival in support of their new album ‘Port Of Morrow’. The first new material in four years sees the band establish themselves as one of the most inspiring acts of our times. Mojo declared “the intermesh of emotion and technique is a rare trick to pull in pop, yet The Shins have just made it look easy”. With over one million records sold worldwide, The Shins’ melody, charm and infectiousness can’t be denied.
You’d have to have spent 2011 in hibernation to be unaware of the hysteria and hype currently surrounding ODD FUTURE. The Los Angeles rap collective are one of the most talked about acts in recent times. With their crude sense of humour and confrontational subject matter, the buzz surrounding them continues to grow ahead of the release of forthcoming album ‘OF Tapes Vol 2’. One of the most unique and intriguing acts to emerge in a long time; this spectacle is not to be missed.
Hailing from West London and three albums down the line, MYSTERY JETS have accrued success in abundance with their own quirky pop sound. Their imminent fourth album ‘Radlands’ saw the band relocate to Austin, Texas for the recording, the first time the band have recorded outside of the capital. A fervent fanbase will be down the front for classic songs from the new and previous albums.
Since the release of their debut almost four years ago, Brighton-based duo BLOOD RED SHOES have embarked on a gruelling, unrelenting tour schedule to all four corners of the world. The release of their recent third album ‘In Time To Voices” comes of age musically from their punk rock roots moving into an altogether more ambitious three dimensional sound that includes some of their most bold and defiant tracks to date. An electrifying live prospect making their debut on the Main Stage, make it a date.
Sunday 26th August at Reading Festival / Friday 24th August at Leeds Festival
No strangers to Reading & Leeds Festival, KAISER CHIEFS returned from a two-year hiatus last year with the release of their fifth album ‘The Future is Medieval’. The band have a career spanning selection of hits which they can call upon, be it the effervescence of debut ‘Oh My God’, the generation jumping ‘Ruby’ or the anthemic enormity of live classics ‘The Angry Mob’ and ‘Modern Way’. Kaiser Chiefs have wowed crowds worldwide, gained a phenomenal reputation for their live shows led by singer Ricky Wilson’s ebullient persona and along the way evolved into one of the UK’s most successful and favourite bands of the past decade.
Hailing from Bridgend in Wales, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have become one of Britain’s biggest metal bands over the last few years. With three amazing albums behind them (the latest being 2010’s ‘Fever’ with a new one promised soon) and massive success both here and in the US they have picked up awards and plaudits for their modern take on traditional rock. Always popular at the festival expect a packed crowd for the new kings of heavy.
ALL TIME LOW never fail to get the crowd bouncing, and their vibrant pop punk will liven up any audience and this festival will be no exception. The four-piece from Baltimore formed in 2003 and have released four albums to increasing acclaim. Their hilarious video for last year’s cracking hit ‘I Feel Like Dancin’ has notched over 3.5 million hits on YouTube and their fans will pack out both sites this summer.
All the way from New Jersey, THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM come to the Reading & Leeds Festival Main Stage with expectations for their new album ‘Handwritten’ riding high. They have won over fans worldwide with their anthemic tunes and energetic live shows where they take the spirit of The Clash/The Replacements and their most famous fan Bruce Springsteen and make a modern sound unmistakingly their own. Look out for arms in the air …
www.gaslightanthem.com
EAGLES OF DEATH METAL have attracted a cult following over the years with three dark and heavy albums and very sexy live shows! With a cast list that reads like a who’s who of rock with members culled from QOTSA, Foo Fighters and the likes of Mark Lanegan contributing, the band are mysterious, menacing and magnificent.
Incessant touring has seen this quartet from Southampton hone their live performance to great acclaim. Having released their debut album in 2009 BAND OF SKULLS surfed a wave of feverish approval following their inclusion on the ‘Twilight: New Moon Soundtrack’ and with the attention afforded to them in far-away places, the UK eventually caught up. This year’s ‘Sweet Sour’ album has again caught the critics’ imagination and with recent support slots with The Black Keys already taken care of they’re set to unleash their fresh arsenal of songs.
Fuelled by a love of classic rock, punk and post-hardcore bands, Leeds quartet PULLED APART BY HORSES quickly gained a reputation for their live shows which more often than not resulted in blood-letting and generally chaotic scenes, their shows are no less entertaining now. With a second album ‘Tough Love’ out now, PABH have been no less enthusiastically embraced and see a repertoire including dueling Thin Lizzy-style guitars, dark melodies reminiscent of Queens Of The Stone Age and the explosiveness of early hardcore that retains the defiance that has ridden with them from their early days. Miss at your peril!
Friday 24th August at Reading Festival / Saturday 25th August at Leeds Festival
THE MACCABEES’ third album ‘Given To The Wild’ was released earlier this year to massive critical acclaim and soared into the UK charts at Number Four. The South London five-piece are enjoying a hugely successful year so far, and with a sold out Brixton Academy under their belts The Maccabees are further cementing their status as one of the most exciting British bands of our time. We welcome them for their first headline appearance on the NME/Radio 1 Stage.
FOSTER THE PEOPLE have garnered a huge amount of critical acclaim and public adoration on both sides of the Atlantic since the release of their debut album ‘Torches’. With last year’s feel-good hit of the summer ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, word of their music spread in a manner that was shockingly quick, even in the age of endless internet churn with everyone agreeing on one thing: this was a band on the cusp of an undeniable breakthrough and Foster The People show no sign of slowing down.
Band of the people, THE COURTEENERS, head to Reading & Leeds Festival ahead of the release of their third studio album, the follow up to 2010’s ‘Falcon’. With the Manchester four-piece eager to road test new material, head honcho Liam Fray recently declared their new sound as “industrial Motown”. An incredible live band, this could be one of the years most talked about performances.
Saturday 25TH August at Reading Festival / Sunday 26th August at Leeds Festival
Hailing from El Paso, Texas AT THE DRIVE-IN came, conquered and released three albums: ‘Acrobatic Tenement’, ‘In/Casino/Out’, the EP ‘Vaya’, and their ultimate swansong ‘The Relationship of Command’ which is now cited in dispatches as one the most important albums of its genre. Then they split. Now it looks like the many who were never able to see this incendiary live act back in the day will have their dreams fulfilled with this NME/Radio1 stage headline show. This band are name checked and revered by fellow musicians and fans alike and this, their ONLY UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCE will definitely be unmissable.
On the eve of their fifth album ‘In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull’ THE CRIBS make a return to the scene of one (or two) of their best ever shows. Recently reverting back to their near legendary three-piece status the band continues to evoke passion amongst their fiercely dedicated and ever growing fanbase. The Jarmans – brothers Gary, Ryan and Ross have always been fiercely independent, proud of their DIY ethos and from their early days adept at writing great songs leaving a catalogue of classic punk rock brilliance, battle scars and memories. The Cribs will once again be thrilling, spilling, entertaining and engaging.
Canadian punks BILLY TALENT come to Reading & Leeds Festival with expectations for their upcoming fourth album riding high. The band, led by vocalist Ben Kowalewicz had been playing together for almost a decade before a name change lead to a record deal and their debut eponymous album was released in 2003. “A sh*t-hot, world-dominating hard-rock band has grown out of these four former Mississauga teenagers' shared high-school dreams of … well … growing into a sh*t-hot, world-dominating hard-rock band” is how they describe themselves. Check it out for yourself at the NME/Radio 1 Stage.
MIIKE SNOW are back and return with their new album ‘Happy To You’ later this month. The hugely talented Stockholm-based three-piece have previously dabbled in the DJ scene and in punk bands, alongside electro and new wave, which lead to writing and production stints with the likes of Madonna and Britney Spears. Now ready to step out of the studio again, these shows are a must see for all music fans.
Sunday 26th August at Reading Festival / Friday 24th August at Leeds Festival
Ed Banger’s JUSTICE make electronic music that everyone can rock to. With riffs now as heavy as their beats, the Grammy-nominated Parisian pair head for Reading & Leeds armed with new album ‘Audio, Video, Disco’. The record has established them as an international force who are equally at home blaring from a dance club sound system or performing in an arena. Expect a powerful and mesmerising headline performance from a truly unique group.
Since releasing their debut album ‘Tourist History’ in March 2010, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB have rapidly become one of the biggest new success stories in UK music. After selling out headline tours in the UK, US, Europe, Australia, Asia, Japan and South America, playing two successive sold out nights at Shepherds Bush Empire and selling out Brixton Academy in under four hours, the band have deservedly earned both a devoted word-of-mouth live following and huge critical acclaim. The Times have called them “the band of the moment” and NME declared that they have “quietly become one of the UK’s best loved bands".
The release of THE HORRORS’ third album ‘Skying’ saw the band’s already impeccable credentials soar even higher. The record was celebrated across the board by fans new and old as their finest yet and recently won the NME ‘Album of the Year’ accolade. Not that their debut ‘Strange House’ and follow up ‘Primary Colours’ hadn’t already cemented their reputation as one of the most original and ground breaking groups around. Both dense and expansive, insidiously poppy and stubbornly arty, The Horrors are one of the bands you must see at the festival.
SBTRKT returns to Reading & Leeds Festival after last year's triumphant DJ set on the Dance Stage, this time round, fans will be treated to his famous live show. His self-titled, Mercury nominated debut album propelled towards the top of DJ’s playlists around the world with his combination of funk, soul, synths and bass. Fresh from releasing single ‘Hold On’ with Sampha, SBTRKT now has his sights firmly set on the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Saturday 25TH August at Reading Festival / Sunday 26th August at Leeds Festival
After ranking high on several Best Of 2011 lists with their Mercury-nominated album ‘The English Riviera’ and playing to a sold out Royal Albert Hall in October, METRONOMY now turn their attention to 2012 with a headline set on the Dance Stage. Expect a belting, unashamed summer pop set which is sure to propel the quartet to new heights.
KATY B stops off at Reading & Leeds Festival having captured the sound, spirit and energy of British youth culture with 2011’s Mercury nominated debut album ‘On A Mission’. Having just won ‘Best Dancefloor Anthem’ for ‘Broken Record’ at the recent NME Awards, Katy has captured the hearts of many, setting her apart from her peers and firmly gaining her status as one of the UK’s biggest breakthrough acts of recent years.
www.katyonamission.com
Having recently completed a stint on the sold out NME Awards tour, 2012 is shaping up to be a huge year for AZEALIA BANKS. The controversial ‘212’ is fast approaching four million views on YouTube, whilst Azealia recently topped NME’s cool list for 2012 and featured in the Top Three in the BBC Sound Of 2012 poll. With her recently announced debut album ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ due out in September, Reading & Leeds audiences will be treated to a very special preview come August.
www.azealiabanks.com
Known for his lightening DJ mash ups, JAGUAR SKILLS is one of the most in demand names on the circuit. Praise has been forthcoming from Trevor Nelson who declared he is “the greatest mash-up DJ right now, no one does it better” while Mark Ronson stated “Jaguar Skills, like myself, is a proper ninja! He’s dope!!!” Expect an aural assault of every tempo, from dubstep to drum ‘n’ bass, and everything in-between.
Weekend tickets £197.50 plus applicable booking fees ● Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £85.00 plus applicable booking fees ● Early entry permits £15.00 ● Campervan permits £60.00 ● Lockers £15.00 ● Reading car parking £5.00 ● Weekend ticket prices include camping
Online/Telephone from Monday 12th March 7.15pm:
Tickets are strictly limited to a maximum of four per person/address/payment card for those booking by telephone or online and two per person/address/payment card for personal callers to walk in stores.
RockNess Organiser Jim King commented: “We’re really pleased to announce that Bombay Bicycle Club will be performing at RockNess. They fit perfectly into the Saturday Goldenvoice arena and are really great live band to catch at the festival.”
With their third album slated for release in June, Bombay Bicycle Club will be making the journey to Dores to wow the RockNess crowd on Saturday 11th June with a mix of their eagerly anticipated brand new material and classic tracks from their first two critically acclaimed albums. Built around Jack Steadman’s uniquely compelling vocals, Bombay Bicycle Club’s live momentum has made them one of the UKs brightest up and coming bands.
Folk-rock trio Sparrow and the Workshop will also be on hand on the Sunday at RockNess to showcase their ethereal and electric musical brew. Comprising an American, a Welshman and a Scotsman, the threesome distils pop, rock and traditional folk that spans the globe into a truly haunting and beautiful live spectacle.
San Franciscan alt-electro three-piece Afghan Raiders are confirmed to join the party, also playing on the Sunday. Colliding dance vibes with classic punk rock riffs and pop melodies Afghan Raiders can effortlessly get a crowd jumping with their high octane live show.
Manchester based ambient techno purveyor Callum Wright AKA D/R/U/G/S is set to bring his lush DIY electronica to the party. One of the most buzzed about bands of the last six months, D/R/U/G/S’ MPC fuelled excursions into widescreen dance music of all flavours has made him a top tip for those in the know.
Finally, Ireland’s hotly tipped Funeral Suits will be demonstrating just why they’ve been enjoying the support of some of alternative music’s biggest players on Saturday. Expansive and heavy without being overpowering the trio’s debut album has been produced by the legendary Stephen Street and their debut single is already enjoying support from Zane Lowe, Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens, marking them out as ones not to miss.
ROCKNESS TICKET INFO:
Student offer - £145 weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points.
General offer – £149 weekend camping/non camping
General offer – £159 weekend camping/non camping weekend camping/non camping plus free coach travel in Scotland and selected UK destinations from Citylink pick up points.
