Craig David

Common People announce Uncommon Stage line-ups

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Continuing our mission to connect like-minded party people on common land, the Common People team are very pleased to announce the line-ups for our Uncommon Stage. Flexing his all-encompassing musical muscles Rob da Bank has joined forces with legendary, longstanding music publication Nightshift in Oxford and acclaimed venue The Joiners in Southampton, to bring you the cream of the up-and-coming music scene, featuring some of the most exciting new and underground bands, this coming May Bank Holiday at South Park and Southampton Common. 

Common People curator Rob da Bank says: “The beating heart of all our festival adventures is getting people to discover new music and uncover new bands. Our curators, Ricky from The Joiners in Southampton and Ronan from the seminal Nightshift magazine, are experts in these matters, so please be upstanding and make much noise for The Uncommon Stage.”

 

Nightshift’s Ronan Munro says: “It’s fantastic that so many local acts are getting the opportunity to play at Common People, with the opportunity to play to a whole new audience, and it’s great that we get the chance to show the variety of music that comes out of Oxfordshire – from hot jazz, reggae, hip hop and blues to doom metal, electronica, punk and even pirate pop. I’ve always tried to make musicians proud to come from Oxfordshire, and Oxfordshire be proud of its musicians and this weekend is proof that Oxfordshire is home to a wealth of music talent”.

The Joiners’ Ricky Bates says: “We at the Joiners are utterly thrilled to be directly presenting the Uncommon Stage this year with some of our favourite touring acts of old and new in one space! Plus, we have some amazing home grown local talent throughout the day covering everything from ska to metalcore to indie rock n’ roll across the weekend, it’s going to be the most righteous fun weekend, don’t stay in! See you down the front”.  

Saturday in South Park, Oxford will see the Uncommon Stage shake to the sounds of local seven-piece vintage r ‘n’ b and hot jazz outfit Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, east Oxford’s roots-inspired Zaia, the glistening pop hooks of Neverlnd, Chipping Norton’s Esther Joy Lane, the doomladen Undersmile, and Cowley’s Cameron A.G. who recently scored a Hottest Record in the World Right Now on Annie Mac’s Radio 1 show. There will also be rum-soaked fun from Peerless Pirates, gothic blues pop sounds from Death of the Maiden and looped vibes from mind-blowing cellist Duotone. 

Sunday’s super-fresh action will see Oxford-based, pan-European gypsy-ska-punks The Balkan Wanderers heading up a coruscating line-up that will include local electronic types Maiians, electro rockabilly blues from Vienna Ditto, Witney’s Little Brother Eli, Oxford-based beats cooperative Inner Peace Collective, Chipping Norton sibling duo Cassels, purveyors of porch folk with attitude The August List, Cowley’s Young Women’s Music Project and the experimental, ethereal sounds of Oxford via Stockholm’s Julia Meijer.

On Southampton Common, Saturday’s dazzling new sounds will come courtesy of much admired Cambridge five-piece Lonely the Brave and experimental Brightonians Tall Ships, with sets from singer-songwriter Sean Mcgowan, stadium-ready post rockers New Desert Blues and BBC 6 Music-supported Bel Esprit, all of whom hail from Southampton. There will also be live music from the Isle of Wight’s math-pop four-piece Signals and the home turf triumvirate of Our Hollow, Our Home, Elixir and Vicki Musselwhite, with the first of our soon to be announced I Want to Play at Common People winners also making an appearance. 

Sunday will see NME-championed Palma Violets topping a bill that will include garage rockers Pretty Vicious, Portsmouth’s Kassassin Street, and a cavalcade of local heroes including Science of Eight Limbs, The Rising, Bigtopp, These Septic Stars and Cassava, with two more I Want to Play at Common People winners completing the line-up.

Showcasing the very best in ambitious new music, don’t miss discovering your new favourite band at Common People’s temple of innovative sound, The Uncommon Stage.

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

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

Click here to buy tickets on Friday 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Justin Bieber & Rihanna to headline V Festival 2016 + more announced

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V Festival 2016, sponsored by Virgin Media, will be graced by global chart royalty this summer as Justin Bieber and Rihanna dominate the headline slots across the legendary festival weekend. Our 21st birthday celebrations will take place at Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire on 20 and 21 August 2016. 

Performing exclusively at his only UK festival this summer, Bieber, who also shares his age with us, will treat you guys to his debut V Festival performance and a sneak peak of his upcoming tour, ‘Purpose’. After smashing UK chart records by simultaneously holding the number one, two and three spot in the UK single charts, the Grammy winner is expected to pull the V Festival crowds in their thousands.

To cement the line-up with true superstar status, Rihanna is will round off the headline bill with another electric performance as she returns to V Festival after five years. The Bajan singer will be bringing the hotly anticipated and unmissable ‘Anti World Tour’ to her only UK festival of the summer.

Adding to V Festival 2016’s international superstar line-up and will be Australian superstar songstress, Sia, and superstar DJ, David Guetta – who are both UK festival exclusives for V Festival 2016. Sia, who is word famous for her own critically acclaimed material, has also written for some of the world’s biggest artists including Beyoncé, Britney Spears and even penned headliner Rihanna’s hit ‘Diamonds’. Global DJ phenomenon David Guetta is one of the most successful artist DJ’s in UK chart history and is well-known for his energetic live shows, bringing the full-on party atmosphere and enthralling sold-out crowds across the world – this set will be unmissable.

Also performing on the Virgin Media stage are British indie rock favourites Bastille, the world’s biggest girl group Little Mix, Grammy winner Jess Glynne and party starter, John Newman.

In another V Festival debut, BBC Radio 1 will host a new stage on Friday night across both Chelmsford and Staffordshire sites. Adding to this incredible new set up, the BBC Radio 1 Summer of Dance stage will bring its all new Summer of Dance line-up, guaranteed to add chart-topping dance anthems, the hottest artists, and newest releases into the mix. Further details including the line up will be announced during Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 show on Friday 4th March.

As well as international chart-toppers, a host of homegrown British talent will also feature on the star-studded bill. Legendary V Festival favourites,Faithless return for their seventh time, while BRIT Award winners Kaiser Chiefs will bring the hits. Further British talent includes BBC Sound of 2015 winners Years and Years, singer-songwriter Jake Bugg, UK Garage legend Craig David with his TS5 set, The Voice UK and X Factor star Rita Ora, two-time Brit winner Tinie Tempah and festival favourites Example and Katy B.

Halsey will grace the festival as well as Troye Sivan, who with a unique acting, blogging and musical background under his belt, is sure to deliver an unmissable set. Bringing the rock ‘n’ roll will be BRIT Award winners Travis, singer-songwriter James Morrison and Joe Jonas’ pop rock band,DNCE. Grammy winner Foxes, X Factor star Fleur East and legendary British-Canadian girl band All Saints will each add a pop flavour to the weekend. Soul II Soul will bring the good vibes, while ‘Fester Skank’ smash artist, Lethal Bizzle, DJ EZ, Sigma (DJ set), Flight Facilities, and Big Sean will bring the pounding beats and furious flow to a phenomenal V Festival 2016 line up.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 26th February at 9.30am. Please only book through our official outlets LISTED HERE. Purchasing tickets from unofficial outlets could lead to disappointment.

The full line-up includes: Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Sia, David Guetta, Faithless, Kaiser Chiefs, Years & Years, Jake Bugg, Bastille, Rita Ora, Tinie Tempah, Jess Glynne, Little Mix, Craig David’s TS5, Katy B, Halsey, Example, Troye Sivan, DJ EZ, James Morrison, Travis, John Newman, Foxes, DNCE, Sigma (DJ set), All Saints, Fleur East, Soul II Soul, Big Sean, Flight Facilities, and Lethal Bizzle with more acts still to be announced.

The Great Escape add 150 more artists to lineup for 2016

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The Great Escape, the festival for new music, is returning 19 – 21 May 2016 to transform Brighton into a mecca for emerging talent with an unparalleled showcase of international and local acts. For over a decade, The Great Escape has produced diverse line-ups flecked with the stars and sounds of the future, establishing this 3-day festival as the ultimate destination of discovery for music-lovers.

The Great Escape has just announced 150 new bands and its final Spotlight show featuring gutsy grime MC Stormzy who celebrated his highest-charted single ‘Shut Up’ last Christmas which instigated more pandemonium and rewinds than ever before. Best known for his mic-chomping and often politically-driven lyrics, Stormzy is very much at the forefront of the latest resurgence of his genre. He will be joined by Newham rapper J Hus, hip-hop collective WSTRN who made waves with ‘IN2’, and fierce R&B trio M.O described as “the only girl group you need to worry about”.

Also joining the line-up is Brighton four-piece Black Honey blending girl-band pop with blurry shoegazing guitars, alongside indie-pop assembly Highasakite who will fly that Norwegian flag high with lead singer Ingrid’s enchanting melodies and serene soundscapes. Packing a whole lot of attitude is bitter post-punk Leeds collective Eagulls, whilst providing a dose of disco inferno are South London brothers Formation who merge funk, northern soul and liquid grooves.

And if that wasn't enough, fresh from his comeback, noughties smooth crooner Craig David is back with a bang with his exciting new DJ project TS5. Influenced by his Miami penthouse sessions, expect a hair-raising mix of old school anthems, garage, bashment and glossy vocals. Collaborating with grime heavyweight and humorous internet personality Big Narstie, “When The Bassline Drops” is David’s highest charting single since 2007.
 

Visit the Great Escape festival's website for a full line-up and for tickets. 

Common People Announce Big Top Line-ups

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Revealing a gargantuan cavalcade of delicious music for your dancing feet coming to Common People, we’re extremely excited to announce our Big Top line-up and lots more dance-based beatniks, who will be joining Duran Duran, Primal Scream, Craig David, Gaz Coombes, Public Enemy and many more at Oxford’s South Park and Southampton Common on Saturday 28th May and Sunday 29th May.

Common People curator Rob da Bank says: “Well, what can I say? Some of my favourite DJs, new and old, are coming to our joint Common People shebangs in Southampton and Oxford. Rodigan is a legendary party starter and reggae god, Kurupt FM are the funniest, funkiest garage crew ever and Hospitality promise to bring the jungliest ruckus… See you down the front”.

Hitting the Big Top in Southampton on Saturday and heading on to Oxford on Sunday we will have pure murkage and bare reloads from Brentford’s finest pirate radio crew Kurupt FM, plus there will be a sublime Hospitality Takeover featuring Camo & Krooked, London Elektricity, Fred V & Grafix, Etherwood and Dynamite MC, Wrec, with 130bpm bomb selection by Amy Becker.

Making good in South Park’s Big Top on Saturday and bound for Southampton Common on Sunday is reggae big gun David Rodigan MBE who will present his legendary Ram Jam with My Nu Leng, David Rodigan MBE, DJ Zinc, Prince Fatty and Venum Sound, plus there will be bassline business from recent chart stars 99 Souls, plus soulful and classy club business from local boys made good Housewurk in Oxford.

In Southampton our iconic Bollywood Cocktail Bus will play host to Junk: “Not Your Thing” on Saturday with rising Glaswegian star Denis Sulta ramping up the energy, and speaker smashers from Jordan McKinlay, Luca Pilato, Ronnie Spiteri, Caruana & Daniel O’Rourke, while Sunday’s sounds come courtesy of Deaf By Disco, Pete Callard, Foor and Little Chief.

There will be plenty of beats and bass in Oxford at the kaleidoscopic Sugar Skulls Cocktail Bar with Ben Gomori, Cornerstone Soundsystem, Ghettospheric, Mims & Thirsty, DJ Giles, Joel Kane and DJ Hecktick providing the flavour on Saturday, while on Sunday Simple Presents club wunderkind and Glaswegian house maverick Jasper James, with soundsystem fire from Em Williams, James Weston, Xavier, Time Gore, Tom Baker, Stav, Dan Gascoyne and Burt Cope.

Oxford’s South Park will also have the exalted Disco Shed on hand to keep you dancing long into the evening with Count Skylarkin (Trojan Records), Kerry & Casio, DJ FU (Freerange), Harvey K-Tel, Greg’s Greats (The Shellac Collective), Alex 19 from Wigan and Jason ‘The Cat’ King on Saturday and Peepshow Paddy, Del Gazeebo, Em Williams (Simple), Dapper Dan, Trol23, JJMaurage’s Reggae Bingo and Miss Splinters on Sunday.

James Bay set to headline Boardmasters 2016

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Boardmasters, Cornwall’s own surf and music festival, has today announced its first headline act set to take to the main stage this summer will be UK singer-songwriter of the moment, James Bay. Boardmasters returns to the stunning sun-drenched Cornish coastline for another year, giving festivalgoers the best in surf and music. The festival runs from Wednesday 10 – Sunday 14 August 2016.

British homegrown talent, James Bay is riding the wave of platinum-selling success, with his No.1 debut album, ‘Chaos and the Calm’, featuring one of the biggest hits of the year ‘Hold Back The River’ and his current worldwide tour is selling fast. Having been honoured with the Critic’s Choice award at last year’s BRIT’s, he’s been nominated for a massive four awards at the 2016 ceremony and is also in the running for three Grammys. Continuing its role in bringing the hottest new acts to the South West, Boardmasters is stoked to welcome James Bay as he continues to dominate the UK and global music scene.  Fans are in for a treat, with James Bay set to put on a spellbinding performance when he takes to the main stage for his first headline appearance.

Boardmasters has also announced further acts to perform at this year’s festival. First up is the undisputed king of the UK garage sceneCraig David, tipped as one of the most hotly-anticipated comeback acts of 2016, with his latest hit ‘When The Bassline Drops’ currently storming the charts. Also announced are some of the UK’s hottest music acts – Kaiser Chiefs, Jamie Lawson who signed to Ed Sheeran’s record label last year, Example, Sigma, Wilkinson, BRITs British Breakthrough Act nominee Wolf Alice, Jack Savoretti, Gabrielle Aplin, MNEK, Nahko and Medicine for the People who will join James Bay and Craig David for what’s sure to be a weekend of high-octane performances from the biggest names in music.