Courtney Barnett

Courtney Barnett, Benjamin Clementine and more for Somerset House

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Following the success of the sold out festival last year, Summer Series at Somerset House with American Express returns this year for 11 nights from 7 – 17 July 2016.

London's intimate live music festival, set in the picturesque courtyard of Somerset House, will play host to an eclectic and world-class array of headline artists alongside a selection of hotly-tipped emerging acts.

Grammy Award-nominated Hiatus Kaiyote will open the Summer Series with their multi-dimensional polyrhythmic cinematic sound from Australia. The festival brings an array of global acts to London, featuring French musician St Germain and Italian-English singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti. Joining the diverse festival line-up this year are Mercury Prize-winning Benjamin Clementine, duo Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, Everything Everything and Caravan Palace. Last but not least, James Morrison, Courtney Barnett and Laura Mvula will join the line-up to deliver a festival to remember.

The festival will close proceedings with a unique, one-off performance from UNKLE: REDUX. James Lavelle will collaborate with Philip Sheppard to perform an unforgettable finale set against the iconic visuals from Stanley Kubrick.

Year on year Somerset House continues to provide unparalleled programmes, with carefully curated line-ups that celebrate the finest talents on offer. This year’s impeccable line-up further cements Summer Series at Somerset House as one of the must-see festivals for any discerning music fan in London.

Prices:

July 7 HIATUS KAIYOTE – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 8 PAUL HEATON AND JACQUI ABBOTT – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00
July 9 BENJAMIN CLEMENTINE – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 10  LAURA MVULA – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 11  EVERYTHING EVERYTHING – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 12  JAMES MORRISON – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00
July 13  COURTNEY BARNETT – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 14  CARAVAN PALACE – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 15  JACK SAVORETTI – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 16  ST GERMAIN – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00
July 17  UNKLE: REDUX – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00

Dot to Dot Festival drops Drenge, The Pizza Underground and Catfish & the Bottlemen in second announcement

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Booming Derbyshire duo Drenge are the big act of the second Dot-to-Dot Festival announcement. 

The Loveless brothers have built up a wild fanbase through their titular debut album and supporting slots, including one with Dot to Dot headliners Peace before their own headlining tour in Spring 2014.

Former child actor Macaulay Culkin brings his 'The Velvet Underground' tribute act, The Pizza Underground to the UK, with hits like 'I'm Waiting For Delivery Man' and 'Cheese Days' under the belt.

Rising star Luke Sital-Singh will also showcase his talents, alongside The Heartbreaks.

The inner-city festival takes place on consecutive days in Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham on Friday May 23, Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25, respectively.

Further new additions Saint Raymond and Catfish and the Bottlemen are playing certain legs of the festival, with Nottingham and Manchester for the former and just Manchester for the latter.

These new names come secondary to the initial announcement, which saw Peace, The Midnight Beast, Courtney Barnett and Wolf Alice, amongst others, playing the festival, which costs just £20.

Full Line-Up So Far:  Peace // The Midnight Beast Drenge // Saint Raymond* // Catfish & The Bottlemen** // Real Estate // Lauren Aquiliana 
Luke Sital-Singh // Courtney Barnett // Darlia // Kyla La Grange // Wolf Alice 
The Pizza Underground // Hudson Taylor // Josh Record 
Amber Run // Barbarossa // Betty Who // Big Sixes // Caveman // Champs // Charlotte OC 
EZRA FURMAN // Frank Hamilton // Fred Page // Freddie Dickson // Fyfe // Gallery Circus 
Gavin James // Gengahr // George Barnett // God Damn // Horse Thief // JAWS // Joel Baker 
La Femme // Lapland // Laura Welsh // Life // Life In Film // LSA // Marika Hackman 
MT Royal // No Sinner // Noah Gundersen // Norma Jean Martine // Port Isla // Pup // Sean McGowan 
Sivu // Slaves // Southern // St Paul & The Broken Bones // Sundara Karma // The 45s 
The Heartbreaks // The Jacques // The Trouble With Templeton // We The Wild // We Were Evergreen 
Wonder Villains // Young Kato // Young Romance 
*Nottingham and Manchester Only ** Manchester Only 

Peace, The Midnight Beast, Real Estate and Courtney Barnett all announced for Dot to Dot Festival 2014

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The first wave of announcements for citywide music extravaganza Dot to Dot Festival have been made, and include inde-rock headliners Peace, parody group The Midnight Beast and Aussie singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett.

In addition are surf rockers Real Estate, Paris' very own We Were Evergreen, along with another exciting Brit group Wolf Alice. Grunge rockers Darlia will be another highlight, as will the soulful singing of Kyla La Grange,who adds yet another festival appearance to her schedule. Fyfe, Norma Jean Martine and Young Kato make up the best of the rest.

Peace's return to the festival will be of particular interest to Dot to Dot veterans, as their 2012 performance set them on the way to the stardom they're currently acheiving. Last year's debut release 'In Love', saw them garnered with praise from the likes of the NME, and they used summer festival appearances and a winter UK tour to further showcase their abilities. Now in 2014, they're back, with album number two being recorded as we speak!

With a couple of TV series' and over 64 million YouTube views under their belts, Midnight Beast will also be taking to the Dot to Dot stage, adding a bit of humour to proceedings. Look out for Courtney Barnett too, a frank and honest songwriter who isn't afraid to sing what she feels, the Australian is gaining a lot of attention.

Dot to Dot 2014 takes place over three consecutive days in Manchester on Friday, May 23, Bristol, Saturday May 24, before ending in Nottingham on Sunday, May 25, at various venues scattered throughout the city, with over 14 hours of music to keep punters entertained.

The likes of the XX, Mumford & Sons, Florence + the Machine and Foals have all featured at past festivals, which aim to showcase the talent of the future in initimate venues for bargain prices.

With tickets set at a bargain £20 (plus £2 booking fees), the Best Metropolitan Festival of 2013, as handed out by the UK Festival Awards, looks to be yet another success in its ninth year of running.

Full Line-Up: 

Peace will headline, plus The Midnight Beast, Real Estate, We Were Evergreen, Wolf Alice, Courtney Barnett, Fyfe, Darlia, Kyla La Grange, Barbarossa, Betty Who, Caveman, Frank Hamilton, Norma Jean Martine, Gavin James, George Barnett, Horse Thief, Lapland, Laura Welsh, LSA, Marika Hackman, Mt Royal, Sean McGowan, Sivu, St Paul and The Broken Bones, Sundara Karma, We The Wild, Wonder Villains, and Young Kato, with more to be announced.