Ed Sheeran

Southside 2024 Review

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Friday

Back at it again at Krispy Kreme Southside. Unlike the scorching sun of yesteryear, we were treated to showers as we approached the site. However, the weather gods were kind (for now) and cleared the sky for our arrival so we had a nice soft ground for tent pegs, a dry inside tent and cool splatter paint job on the car. With provisions (earplugs, painkillers, battery pack) packed, it was time to head to the arena. So we thought. Opening was delayed by over an hour as organisers monitored the approaching storm clouds. Luckily the securities were super nice and chatty so there wasn’t much stress.

Once the arena opened the top priority was obviously merch, because there’s always a design that sells out and its usually the best one. This year it was a tie-dye shirt. And it was sold out. Shaking my fist at the Thursday arrivals. Sea Girls were delayed on the green stage so I took the chance to go round all the merch stands in the faint hope of tracking down this elusive shirt. No such luck. Settling for different design, it was time to go watch some bands.

Sea Girls had a shortened set of about five songs, including All I Want To Hear You Say and Do You Really Wanna Know? which were the two I knew. Great, upbeat opener to the festival, they seemed to have a good time on stage and were very grateful to be playing at all. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for UK dates near me. Turns out, having written that and then checked, they’re on UK tour in autumn. Wonderful.

Quick chance to grab lunch before returning to the Green Stage for IDKHOW who I did not know were American. The aviators in the rain should have given it away really. I found the song Nobody Likes The Opening Band thoroughly endearing, especially as there was a growing crowd braving the rain. They played a heavier version of Do It All The Time which worked really well. Their set was also shortened to make up for the time lost to the delayed arena opening, but the singer said he’s been on the stage crew side of things, so he got it.

The stage now had a water feature running down the front but luckily the increasingly dense crowd kept the rain exposure to heads and shoulders. As Feine Sahne Fischfilet’s pre-show songs started playing, including She’s Kerosene by The Interrupters, the crowd started moving and evaporating any rain that tried to reach us. I think there’s generally a divide about this band’s shows, personally I think they’re great and their crowds are a rowdy party in all the best ways. Endless mosh pits, smoke flares and chants. The opener was a bit of a slow one, but the second song definitely got the crowd going. From then it was full on for the set with only a brief respite while an emotional front man sang about how much he loves his parents and the fact they stuck with him through his rebellious youth. Toward the end of the set there was a generous distribution of free (plastic) bottled beer into the crowd with the encouragement to get on shoulders to catch it. Suddenly I was surrounded by a forest of people and the rain was replaced with beer showers as the bottles started flying. Beer was shared around, and the atmosphere was on point. The set was finished off with a huge wall of death with the lead singer in the middle.

Feine Sahne Fishfilet in 2019

Heading over to the Blue Stage for Editors, I realised how much Feine Sahne Fishfilet cleared out the rest of the arena, I arrived for the start of the set and walked into the second row unimpeded. The Blue Stage was not blessed with runway tarmac to keep us safe from the growing swamp, but if I’m honest it’s preferable to the dust bath of last year where breathing was precarious at times and mosh pits a guarantee for dusty lung disease. The rain was back in full force and a fuller crowd would have been nice for rain protection. Editors played a great set including old and new songs with an acoustic opening to Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors. Front man, Tom Smith, delightfully contorting himself around the stage as he is wont to do, thanking the crowd in German and blowing kisses into the mic. Unfortunately, the sound was very bass heavy and it was hard to hear the melodies at times. I think it got better as the set went on, but it was a shame as the band has some great riffs.

Editors in 2018

Arriving at Sum 41 about 20 mins into the set the crowd was jam packed so it looks like Editors got a bit unlucky with their line-up slot. Sum 41 really bought the skate-punk vibe, jumping around on stage and generally being really fun and energetic. I have to admit that I missed them in my youthful emo phase, so I’m late to this particular party, but all the better to enjoy them now. The crowd went predictably wild for the classics and there were fireworks on the stage, like next to the drummer, for Fat Lip along with fire and smoke along the front. The set included a cover of We Will Rock You with the obvious sing along from the crowd. For all the fun of the set, it was a bit anticlimactic when the band just kind of went “ok, thanks, bye” and finished quite abruptly with 5 minutes left of the time slot. But either way, a lot of energy both on and in front of the stage.

Keeping the vibe going, The Offspring were next. I’ve missed these guys, they are so much fun and their music lends itself so well to singing, jumping and moshing. All the hits were covered: You’re Gonna Go Far Kid, Self Esteem and of course Pretty Fly (For A White Guy). We were also treated to a bunch of True Facts™ like that there was a world record breaking 1.9 million people at Southside this year and that this show was the greatest thing to ever happen in rock’n’roll. Which doesn’t sound right but I don’t know enough about rock’n’roll to dispute it. There was 6 billion large beach balls thrown into the crowd during Why Don’t You Get A Job, normally great, however their mud coating meant that every time they bounced overhead you got a little mud shower and I was doing so well at keeping mud below the waist line…

The Offspring in 2019

Much of the crowd stayed in place for the Green Stage headliners Bring Me The Horizon. I recognised some of the front row from the start of the day, so one presumes they have not moved from there since 3pm. Some of the people were struggling a bit during the wait time. One young woman was handed water and a sweet by the securities, another was lifted out before things got started. The woman next to me had an impromptu whistling lesson from the guy next to her, so the wait passed quickly as the stage was set up. Red velvet curtains were draped along the edges of the three teered stage and a group of firemen got a tour of what I assume would be the ensuing pyrotechnics.

Bring Me The Horizon in 2022

The show started strong with DArkSide, front man Oli Sykes, remaining in the shadow of the stage lights. Three songs in, after MANTRA, the band suddenly walked off stage and stayed gone for a long time. The screens stayed on and the lights were cycling through as there appeared to be a mic check. Luckily, whatever the issue was, it was resolved, the band came back on stage, blamed it on gremlins and the full moon and launched into Teardrops. They had a fan on stage to sing Antivist, who was so nervous but did such a good job, death growls and all. The stage show was fantastic, but then I am a sucker for gothic church and cyberpunk aesthetics. There was plenty of pyro and fireworks, especially for the closing Throne. For the whole show, Sykes was skipping along the stage all smiley and the band were clearly having a great time, jumping and spinning around. It was an amazing show, I do have one criticism though: throughout the day I thought how much phone recording seems to have gone down, like the occasional photo or bit of song or crowd videos. The crowd for BMTH was having none of this “living in the moment” nonsense. I was a few rows from the front and had to crane my neck a lot to be able to see around the many phone screens held aloft. And I get it, you want a record of the show. But maybe not all songs and maybe less held above you.

I missed out on UK tour earlier this year but thought the band might go on tour again when the delayed NeX GEn album is out. I think the only new song to the setlist at Southside was top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd, which to be fair, is a banger. Fingers crossed for an extended album tour when they’re back from Asia and South America.

Closing out the night, Deichkind finished up on the Blue Stage midnight to 2 am. I missed the first few songs moving over in the throng of people from BMTH but there was still plenty of dancing left to do. It’s hard to describe a Deichkind show in words and do it justice. It’s more like an absurdist art project with a banging soundtrack. I can’t say for sure how many band members there are, Wikipedia says four, but there were between one and about eleven people on stage at any given time and like 15 people took a bow at the end, so who is to say. There were loose but really fun choreographies, there was a giant barrel full of band traversing the crowd, there was office chair races. There was a giant selfie stick with matching giant IPhone, there was a song sung from a climbing portaledge, there were mini trampolines. One of the band members was replaced with a robot arm at one point. Of course, the robot arm kept up with the choreography. A good amount of the songs were different from the studio recordings, with various samples or style changes that worked superbly with the live show, really getting every last bit of energy out of the crowd. To finish it all off, the night concluded with a naked, masked man in y-fronts atop a giant inflatable ring bouncing over the crowd while emptying a huge sack of feathers upon the masses. Like I said, hard to really convey the mayhem, but an absolute spectacle. Even if you don’t understand the words, Deichkind is an infectious band with a one-of-a-kind show.

Deichkind in 2022

As thoroughly drenched and partied-out crowds trudged back to the campsites, mud solemnly squelching under hundreds of feet, I picked my way back home by torchlight, around guide ropes and past camping tables laden with empty beer cans. Once I was excavated from my mud coating it was time for bed amongst the sound of gentle snoring from the neighbours, ABBA playing in the distance and (to my dismay) the dawn chorus of birds.

Saturday

Saturday morning started with beautiful weather, perfect for lazy coffee in the sun without being boiled alive in the tent. The trip for washing up and water re-fills was a fun slip and slide. Some might say walking through a muddy field in flip flops is a questionable decision, I say it’s a rejuvenating mud mask for your feet. Clouds were moving in and there was a queue of people filling up 10l+ water canisters at the taps. I made it back inside my tent just in time for the heavens to open, thwarting my plans for second coffee for reasons like “lack of airflow” and “carbon monoxide poisoning”, sounds fake, but ok. I’m glad the festival app cheerfully informed be of the sunny weather because the increasing fervour of the rain beating down on the tent would have fooled me into believing otherwise. Now trapped in the tent by what I assume was the end times, we thought it best to wait out the worst of it rather than go from 0 to 100 in the moist department. Just as the rain began to ease the app announce impeding heavy rain. I hoped it was a delayed message. It was not.

Opting today for a more rain proof ensemble, I was surprised to find that wellies and a waterproof jacket actually kept you dryer than my previous thick hoodie and trainers approach. *Meryl Streep voice* Groundbreaking.

I didn’t really know The Gaslight Anthem previously and the studio recordings didn’t grab me, but as I joined the crowd for Handwritten the high-spirited audience dancing in the rain together had that wonderful festival vibe where most music is actually great and life is too short to not enjoy yourself.

The swamp at the foot of the Blue stage had expanded and deepened into a lake by the time that Irish post punk band Fontaines D.C. took to the stage. All dancing now resembled that scene from one of the most beloved movie sequels of our time: step up 2 the streets. But with mud. Frontman Grian Chatten, rocking 90s vibes in bright green plastic sunglasses and a light blue adidas jacket, wandered up and down the little catwalk attached to the centre stage. The setlist spanned the bands discography, finishing on Starburster.

More punk vibes with working class sentiment were on offer from Idles over on the Green Stage. Truly a man of the people, lead singer Joe Talbot was sporting one of the red rain ponchos from a festival stall. Idles had a bit more of a beat going on compared to Fontaines D.C. and definitely more political anger. Correspondingly, the crowd was more mosh than dance, though lyrics like “Best way to scare a tory” may have gone over the heads of the crowd. With the guitarist rolling across the crowd when I got there and announcements like “Andale you f*cking animals” launching songs the set had a riotous energy that absolutely got the crowd moving.

As we were waiting for The Kooks it was announced that the blue and green stage headliners were going to be streamed on the other stage which was a great idea as it would reduce the massive one-sided crowding of the arena at the end of the day. The crowd was singing along joyfully with the intermission songs including Don’t Stop Believing and Sweet Caroline before the band took to the stage. Starting off with energetically with Always Where I Need to Be the set drew a bigger and bigger crowd as time went on. I never know which UK bands are well known in Europe, turns out The Kooks have a long history with Germany and Southside festival. This was evident from the amount of crowd sing alongs, especially for the closing Naïve. The band also announced a new album coming soon, playing a new song Sunny Baby. Everyone clearly had a great time, frontman Luke Pritchard showing off his best dance moves and the sound was much better than yesterday.

I can imagine the sombre sound of The National being great in the sunset, but alas we had all cloud. But at least it was dry so a good time to queue for dinner. The usual roaming beer and ice cream sellers were replaced with troops equipped with back pack hot coffee dispensers and side pouches of those little milks you get in hotels. The crowd management was really good this year, the walkway between the first and second zone was being used to fill the front of stage area from both sides very efficiently, so it was no problem getting in even though it was busy. The soulful voice with the gentle brass section accompaniment made for a calm evening performance up to the point that lead singer Matt Berninger walked into the crowd. Normally not unheard of at a festival. Berninger made it interesting by using a cabled microphone that had multiple stage crew reeling out wire while not choking anyone along the route. The second time Berninger made any indication of walking off, the roadies sprang into action immediately.

The crowd changeover between The National and Ed Sheeran was chaotic with people trying to leave while others rushed towards the middle. But once everyone was in, we settled in to wait the 75 minutes.

A group behind me were entertaining themselves with their own sing along with hits including Bohemian Rhapsody, Backstreet Boys and a fair bit of High School Musical. Ed Sheeran came on stage by himself and launched straight into Castle on the Hill, with fireworks exploding in front and behind the stage for every chorus. Sporting an official Southside hoodie he explained the loop pedal set up of the performance, how he builds up the songs bit by bit and that they are deleted after every performance. At one point he messed up a section and had to restart the whole song (“that’s how you know it’s live”). The stage was backed with a floor to roof screen that accompanied the set with bright, colourful visuals that paired perfectly with the acoustic feel of this headlining set. Besides all of his hits, the set included Love Yourself,which he wrote and gave to Justin Bieber, and Eyes Closed in memory of a close friend. I have to be honest, I was expecting an overproduced show of an overplayed radio star, but it was an endearing, earnest performance.

Kontra K in 2022

In contrast, with Kontra K finishing up on the Blue Stage today it was very hard to tell what was irony and what we were supposed to take literal. On the one hand, knuckle duster microphone and gangster rap with all the associated attitudes, on the other hand he told people to share their feelings and love one another. There were bits that reminded me of self-help podcasts but then I figured it out, what was actually happening was fairly shallow platitudes that contained buzzwords that linked to the next song title. It was certainly an impressive stage show, and I think if you turn your brain off and go with it, it’s good fun. The show finished with a costume change, donning a big coat with the correct number of buckles (more than 5) he was set alight for the final song. Like I said, impressive to look at and the crowd was definitely here for it, just not my cup of tea. The show finished with the whole extensive crew on stage as he thanked them which was sweet.

Once back at the tent, the gentle embrace of sleep was accompanied by the dulcet tones of my neighbours trying to remember the name of Wallace and Gromit and discussing how it scarred their childhood. Perfect way to end day two.

Sunday

Sunday morning started with the app informing everyone about how to get out of the thoroughly soaked car park fields, encouraging everyone to help each other push, that there’s free rescues for those who can’t get out and asking for patience. There was hope that a dry Sunday night might make it easier to leave tomorrow morning. The drizzle set in as I frantically gathered stuff together and made it into the arena just in time for Danko Jones opening appropriately with Guess Who’s Back. What followed was an invigorating 45 minutes morning (2pm) workout of classic sex, drugs and rock’n’roll complete with little circle and mosh pits. The crowd started small but grew bigger and bigger despite the rain. The band was towelling down their guitars in between songs and pointing out the precarious decision to play in in a downpour surrounded by electrical equipment. Representing the first of the Canadian contingent of today’s line up, the band loudly declared their intention to have a Good Time,finishing the set with My Little RnR.

Slowing back down a bit, Bombay Bicycle Club on the blue stage played a relaxed set to a fairly loose crowd. Their backdrop of colourful streamers was swaying lazily in the breeze and the sun briefly peeked out behind the clouds. Before I could fully form a thought about suncream the sky disavowed that notion by getting back the scheduled rain. The arena had been generously covered in straw overnight, but the most travelled paths had already returned to the primordial soup. Crew was working hard emptying wheelie bins of wood chips in front of the stage so at least the securities and photographers could keep dry feet. After my personal favorite, Eat Sleep Wake it was time to head back to the green stage for Simple Plan.

Sunday Canadian act 2 out of 3 came on to the Star Wars theme then jumped right into I’d do anything. The sun was fully back now, and the tarmac actually dry in places, perfectly timed for Summer Paradise. The accompanying beach balls still had a light mud coating though, upgraded to a thick slathering after it fell in the mud at the side of the crowd so any contact with the crowd resulted in an unceremonious shower. The muddy threats were subsequently violently rejected by the masses. Turns out I’m Just a Kid is legally an adult now, so it made sense that the lead singer’s shirt got an update with kid crossed out and adult added. The back held true though. Life is a nightmare. As a mid 2000s limewire kid, Welcome to My Life bought the teenage angst flooding back in full force. Judging by the crowd response, I was not alone there. Besides the hits the set included covers of All Star, Mr Brightside and Scooby Do. Towards the end, the drummer, sporting a German football shirt, swapped round with the singer and went for a swim in the crowd. The set finished with Perfect, first verse and chorus being played on acoustic guitar before the frontman launched it across the stage to be deftly caught by the neck by the roadie. The band clearly had a great time and the crowd even more so.

Those who had a little more foresight and packed sunscreen today kindly shared it round while we waited for Leoniden to start. The band went way heavier than I expected for the intro with the guitarist swinging his instrument wildly by the strap and then the mic by the cable to the point where it’s a miracle he didn’t take out his bandmates. The band declared that they had a day off tomorrow so they would hold nothing back today. They really weren’t lying. Part of the show took place in the crowd, with both piano and percussion being carried into the masses at different points. The set included covers of Take on Me, Teenage Dirtbag and Smells like Teen Spirit. There was plenty of crowd interaction from the classic “sit down and jump up” through to “8 jumps left and right a la Dutch football fans”. A giant pink shark was leading one of the mosh pits, so really, how could I not? The band also announced the band mobile phone number to message with pictures, comments and to get exclusive merch. The second time they read out the number the crowd joined in. Next to Feine Sahne Fishfilet, this was definitely the most ecstatic crowd and the liveliest party of the weekend. Leoniden sing in English and are coming to London in December, I would highly recommend checking them out.

Jungle was hosting the  perfect dance party in the evening sun as I went to get dinner before heading into the crowd for Avril Lavigne, giving The Hives a miss this year (they’re way more likely to be back than Avril Lavigne).  The stage was adorned with pink hearts and skulls along with a selection of different coloured bejewelled microphones, exactly what you would expect from the icon of 2k teenage girl rebellion. Rocking a stunning punk rock outfit complete with skater skirt, high boots, patches and an over sized hood Avril came onto the stage to an instrumental intro before kicking things off with Girlfriend. The set was leaning heavily on the older albums including I’m with you, He wasn’t and Loosing Grip along with all the classics: Complicated, Skaterboi and Happy Ending. Simple Plan joined on stage for I’m Addicted, completing the Canadian triumvirate for the day beautifully. The flooded arena floor still made jumping a risk, so everyone was mainly swaying and singing along but all in all it was a great show from an artist I never expected to see live.

I stopped by the toilets/water taps for one last refresh before the final straight of the weekend. Clearly that was a very original idea as the area was rammed, but everyone queued nicely, and the infrastructure held. Turnstile finished 10 min ahead of schedule, but I still caught a bit of the set sitting on the tarmac by the stage. The area was already filling up for the final headliner of Southside 2024, so respite was brief as the crowd piled in. Somehow a group had enough internet connection to put the football onto their phone which was graciously held aloft, Swiss and German audience members reaching across the aisle with amicable respect. As the sun set there were a few medical issues, but crowds parted and helped carry wherever needed. I guess the sun had come a little unexpected, so heat exhaustion probably crept up on people.

K.I.Z in 2022

K.I.Z. last played Southside 2022, moving up into the top slot this year. The stage got a do-over, now consisting of three massive crystals in the centre surrounded by smaller crystals at the base. Throughout the show the crystals were filled with smoke, contained band members or had mesmerising laser shows on or through them, it looked fantastically alien. Wasting no time, the set unexpectedly started with Ein Affe und ein Pferd, a popular older one, which whipped the crowd into a frenzy. The whole arena became a mosh pit, with more people moshing than those standing in their isolated islands of relative safety. The band’s developed a bit since the last show, still boasting a dark humour buried so deep shock value that (hopefully) no one takes it literally and the occasional straight-laced line, the newer material had a lot more biting social commentary and solemn themes still delivered with a highly sarcastic sting (eg “of course we’re pro peace, but first we have to win”). Though the crowd went hard for the pretty much the whole set, there was a levity to the performance as well, the group was joking around on stage and making each other laugh. I knew they’d be good; I was not expecting the show to be THAT good. Admittedly, the language might be a barrier to entry here and googling some of the lyrics may land you in trouble with office HR at a minimum, but to be honest, I think the crowd carries the vibe across the language barrier pretty damn well. In an incredible contrast, the show finished with hyper violent BOOM BOOM BOOM into the incredibly sombre Goerlitzer Park, a song about the disenfranchised of a famous park in Berlin.

Red taillights lined the horizon as I got back to the campsite, so it looked like cars were getting out of the mud ok. Monday morning treated us to a beautiful, crips dawn and what was possibly the best shower off my life. The ground had dried up a little, so we managed to get the car out with only minor slippage. This was probably the best organised Southside I’ve attended to date, an absolute joy. See you next year.

V Festival 2014 Review – Weston Park

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Day 1

2014 saw a strong lineup for V festival. Previous years have seen the lineup cater towards a more commercial demographic, but this year included an impressive array of veteran artists, and new up and coming talent that would please the ears of the many festival-goers that would be in attendance.

The main stage opened on the Saturday with musical legend Nile Rogers and his band Chic. Most recently, Rogers has gained exposure for his work with French dance duo Daft Punk, but what most people are unaware of, is that he is behind some of the greatest hits ever released over the past 30 years. Unmistakably tracks such as “Everybody Dance” and “Good Times” were crafted at the hands of the American singer-songwriter, along with his sensational band. It was a pleasure to watch him play with such passion for the performance: a true musician.

Newton Faulkner’s set brought a nice change of pace to the afternoon as his began his set on the main stage, enticing the audience with his enchanting voice and his impressive guitar skills. The dreadlocked singer-songwriter would not usually be seen on the main stage at a large festival such as V, but nonetheless, he proved that the spot was well deserved. His UK top ten hit “Dream Catch Me” was certainly a crowd favorite among many others in a perfectly crafted set.

Rizzle Kicks, the cheeky chaps from Brighton genuinely appeared to be having the time of their lives as they bounced across the stage to a huge crowd at the MTV Stage. The duo looked euphoric to be in the privileged position that they’re in, as the audience collectively danced to their hit “Do The Hump.”

Paolo Nutini kept the crowd suitably entertained before the main headline act of the evening. His grizzly voice warmed the afternoon air with such tunes like “New Shoes” and “Pencil Full of Lead.”

The Sun had set across Weston Park as the crowd eagerly awaited the entrance of the headline act for the evening. Brandon Flowers lead The Killers onto the stage in a rather fetching glittery purple blazer that wouldn’t look out of place in a Gary Newman video.

The band made no delay in breaking into “Somebody Told Me” which resulted in the crowd bouncing up and down in full force. With such a strong back catalogue, more hits soon followed suit, most notably “Mr. Brightside” which surely has to go down as one of the most universally loved tracks of all time. The band was on fine form, and they delivered a set that was most certainly worthy of the headline slot they were given.

Day 2

Day two arrived as many bleary-eyed faces emerged from their canvas living quarters. Despite the inevitable hangovers, the energy was still high as the last of the adrenaline worked its way through the veins of the revelers.

My afternoon began with a fantastic performance from the immensely talented Tom Odell. I first spotted Tom during his performance on Live with Jools Holland, so I was eager to see his set in a festival environment. I was sold. The combination of his incredibly powerful voice and effortless piano playing almost seemed to send the crowd into a hypnotic trance as the notes waved out across the horizon. His masterfully crafted melodies reminded me of a hybrid of David Bowie and Tom Waits: not a bad comparison to make! The highlight of his set was “Another Love” which most certainly drew the lighters from the audiences’ pockets.

I stuck around at the main stage to catch Leeds-based rockers Kaiser Chiefs, a personal favorite of mine. Front man Ricky Wilson sure knows how to keep an audience entertained with his energy and enthusiasm, running up and down the stage like an over-excited school kid to the unmistakable sound of their hits such as “I Predict A Riot” and new single “Coming Home.”

I ventured over to the MTV Stage to witness pop legend Blondie in action. Her performance was superb to say the least, entertaining the older members of the crowd with classics such as “Atomic.” It’s great to see an artist of Blondie’s caliber still wowing audiences with her performances. It surely is a testament to her determination and hard work.

I made my way back to the main stage to catch another British star take to the main stage. Acoustic wizard, Ed Sheeran never fails to impress me with his live performances. A strong set filled with old and new material from his most recent album, “X” kept the large audience entertained, whilst anticipating the headline act.

The audience could hardly contain their excitement over the anticipation of the last headline act of the weekend; the incredible Justin Timberlake. As he casually made his way onto the stage, to an almighty roar from the audience, he oozed class and confidence as the band kicked in and he began his set, filled with hit, after hit, after hit. Each note he sang was inch-perfect and his dance moves were a sight to behold.

In the same fashion as the previous night, the crowd made no reservations in signing their hearts out to hits such as “Senorita” and “Sexy Back” which resulted in an almost overwhelmed-looking JT as the thousands of voices screamed back at him in unison.

Overall, V Festival was an incredibly entertaining weekend. Every act that I was fortunate to see was on sublime form, and that (coupled with the hangover) made for some serious post-festival blues!

V Festival 2014 Review – Chelmsford

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This years V Festival saw 120,000 revelers over the twin site event who were in luck for some supreme delights. In its 19th year there was a whole host of different acts on offer for festivalgoers. From disco to indie to dance to good old-fashioned Rock n Roll. there was certainly something for everyone.

Dublin band Kodaline kicked off Saturday at V Festival Chelmsford with summer sing-alongs.  Setting the tone for the day with uplifting songs the crowd were in full verse by the time they belted out their well known hit ‘High Hopes’.

It’s been a long time since one man and his piano sparked such an engaged crowd as Tom Odell managed. Even though the onlookers did not seem old enough to have experienced such angst ridden relationships; Odell had them jumping along to ‘Another Love’, whilst the blues hipster passionately pounded the keys.

With all the classics, Kaiser Chiefs reminded the crowd why they were all there., to have a bloody good time. Ricky Wilson put in a performance to answer all the critics, running up and down the stage more times than anyone could count, he was back in full form, even surprising the backstage crew when he went slightly too far. Ricky’s passion could not be mistaken; he puts everything into the performance. Evidently someone is prompting him that this is to sell records as between the mosh pit inducing hits he enlightens the audience that they are the Kaiser Chiefs and that the new album ‘ Education, Education, Education and War‘ is out now. Clearly agitated from the sound of Bastille’s drums in his ear, Ricky mischievously jokes with the stagehands before lifting everyone with the ‘Angry Mob’ and ‘Oh My God’.

Meanwhile there was no mistaking the summer vibes of the Wailers on the MTV Stage, how can you resist singing along to tunes such as ‘Jammin’, ‘ One Love’, ‘Could You Be Loved’. Everyone left beaming from side to side.

Back on main stage was the penultimate act before what everyone had been waiting for.  Ed Sheeran, one man and his guitar, brought the vibe to serve as the perfect warm up act for JT.

The stage was set, the crowd were pumping, the most anticipated set of V was ready to kick off. JT certainly brought sexy back  looking suave as ever in Tom Ford suit and backed by The Tennessee Kids, could be mistaken as arrogant but no he actually looked overwhelmed at ‘how far back you all go’. Hit after hit,  in a perfectly polished fashion that you would expect from this superstar, the night was Timberlake’s.

Even festivalgoers who would not admit to being Timberlake fans were swept into it, everyone singing every song. The acoustic rendition of What Goes Around (Comes Back Around) was a highlight of the night.  Justin served what appears to now be the theme of this weekends V Festival taking a selfie with a fan.  He wowed the fans at every moment, didn’t put a step wrong and was pitch perfect. The crowd obligingly taking their part in Senorita, finishing the night with ‘SexyBack’ and ‘Mirrors’ everyone wanted to leave with you, Justin.

Sunday started with threatening skies, you couldn’t blame fans for hiding in the comedy tent. Newton Faulkner brought out the sunshine and the crowds on the gloomy Sunday. Followed by San Francisco band Train, with hits ‘Hey Soul Sister’, ‘Marry Me’, ‘If Its Love’ they even managed to get Bananaman crowd surfing.  Pat Monahan gets the award of the weekend for the most selfies taken, it would appear that everyone in the front row has a piece of photo memorabilia.

Closing the set with ‘Drops of Jupiter’ the crowd was well and truly warmed up for the party that was about to ensue Nile Rodgers and Chic.

The most lovable performance of the weekend goes to veterans Nile Rodgers and Chic. Who knew how many hits Nile Rodgers had written. He is a true legend, inspiring character, telling the crowd how he battled cancer by going out and living life. Using music the way it was intended, uplifting everyones spirits and bringing the funk to V. It was true carnival atmosphere. Too many hits to believe one man wrote them all; ‘I Want Your Love’, ‘I’m Coming Out’, ‘Like A Virgin’, ‘Lets Dance’, ‘Get Lucky’, the list is endless. No one was standing still, jiving along, doing the salsa as the legend requested. Fifty lucky punters were brought on stage for the last song and all the rules were broken. Nile Rodgers left everyone exhilarated wanting more.

Rizzle Kicks brought the largest crowd to the MTV stage, all ages, connected for ‘The Lost Generation’. Two hip-hop boys who genuinely looked like they were having a blast in the middle of this corporate festival. What a sight to see 15,000 people ‘Doing the Hump’.

Lily Allen looking svelte as ever bounded onto stage in a silver leather catsuit. Lily baffled a large number of the crowd with a stage full of milk bottles, as if people needed to be reminded she is now a mother. Allen did feel the need to quash rumours of a split with her husband, and passionately sang ‘As Long As I Got You’.  This performance felt like it was a big ‘Fuck You’ to all the critics along the way, comparing her song ‘LDN’ to a William Blake poem, this was lost on the festivalgoers.

Paolo Nutini followed in Allen’s footsteps intriguing the audience by appearing in a different world. Whilst slurring when speaking, "feeling a little bit drink" he was mysteriously in tune when singing. With hits ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’ and ‘New Shoes’ providing the perfect warm up for The Killers.

Embrace vs The Killers. The clash of the weekend. Embrace were back after an 8 year break from the festival. Whilst having one of the worst clashes of the weekend, with The Killers, the McNamara brothers attracted a 300 strong crowd . With festival favorites ‘Come Back To What You Know’ and  'One Big Family’ Embrace have certainly hit the ground running on this comeback. Fans lucky enough to have got tickets to their now infamous Secret Festival are in for a treat. Danny was very proud of his "little brother Rich" encouraging everyone to dance, with Danny himself joining the fans in an out of character dance along.

Meanwhilst completing the all American headline, Brandon Flowers of The Killers stormed onto stage in a glittery purple suit. Ever crowd pleasing, ‘Somebody Told Me’ was the first of a multitude of triumphant songs. After a few beats  everyone was set for 90 minutes of singing, word for word, all the tunes.  The classics from Hot Fuss, pulled the most promising reaction, with a handful of covers driving the audience to a new level of excitement. Jimmy Carr, comedian, introduced the band for a well received encore. The Killers closed the festival with ‘Mr Brightside’ and the obligatory fireworks.

V Festival certainly had something for everyone this year, VIP bar, posh toilets, celebrity packed Louder Lounge, hammocks, comedy, funfair, skydivers and of course a plethora of music acts. As the sun goes down on another year, the organizers set the bar high for next years 20th anniversary.

T in the Park 2014 – Friday Review

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There’s very few things I expected to happen in my lifetime; meet the queen, find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and for Scotland to be so hot my eyelashes are even sweating (they pay be pity tears for my poor ginger skin). If only the free tap water was free factor 50 and we would all be sorted, unfortunately the only thing someone has thrown my way is a cup of warm pee.

A woman who won’t need to worry about looking like a juicy, home grown tomato by the end of the day is Foxes. The dark haired, golden skinned beauty graced the main stage with her soft voice teamed with a bubbly, flirtatious stage presence made for an enjoyable watch. Going from one extreme to the other I then found myself in front of possibly the three fiercest women I have ever seen. Haim are made up of three sisters from LA with enough attitudes to put any old Rock and Roll band to shame. They’re absolutely and utterly off their rocket. The energy they put in to their live performance means that if you’re going to see them live, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.

Imagine Dragons aren’t a band I would have paid money to see but after watching them today I’m willing to admit I’m an idiot. Every member is a completely different character, all full of confidence and grabbing your attention, with that much stage presence there’s always something to watch whether it be Daniel’s envy worthy hair, his golden guitar or lead singer Dan Reynolds strong strides across the stage. They played King Tut’s Wah Wah tent last year and this year, rightly so, were promoted to the main stage.

So since Rihanna deleted her Instagram, we’ve all been creeping on Ellie Goulding’s right? (If you’re answer is no, you’re doing Instagram wrong). Seeing her a few years ago, she was a quirky wee blonde; she has now taken on a completely different stage persona on and is now an uncompromising sex symbol, this teamed with her angelic voice makes her an unstoppable force.

Now I’m not going to lie to you, I did do a skip, a hop and an unintentional slip on the way to Ed Sheeran. My excitement was not without reason. Alone on the stage with nothing but a guitar and a loop pedal this man managed to get the crowd pumped up more than all other acts put together. Playing a few new songs from his breathtaking new album “X” Ed is one of the most genuine talents in the music industry today and with quick witted banter with the crowd in between songs this man could also possibly be one of the most likable guys in music.

I ended off the night with Steve Angello and if my sun burn wasn’t keeping me warm, his flame cannons definitely did. Proving he doesn’t need fellow Swedish House Mafia DJ’s he had the sun stroked crowd going crazy.

If you’ve not already got a ticket there are still some left on Ticketmaster http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/packages/t_in_the_park_2014.html. Acts for Saturday include Twin Atlantic, Rudimental, Pharrell Williams, John Newman, Elbow, The 1975 and Calvin Harris. Sunday you have Disclosure, Tine Tempah, Sam Smith, Example, Passenger, London Grammer and Bastille to look forward to. Come and join in the fun (remember your sun cream!).

 

Glastonbury announce 2014 lineup details

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The Summer Festival Guide is excited to bring you one of the first official lineup for this years massive summer event Glastonbury.

Headliners announced so far include Arcade Fire and joining them on the 5 day extravaganza are some of the biggest artists on the planet including Paolo Nutini, Jurrassic 5, James Blake, The 1975, Kasabian, Jack White, Dolly PArton, Elbow, The Black Keys, Robert Plant, Lily Allen, Lana Del Rey, Skillex, Pixies, Massive Attack, Disclosure, Ed Sheeran, Jake Bugg, Crystal Fighters, De La Soul and many many more!

Justin Timberlake & The Killers headline V Festival 2014

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We have the full lineup for this years V Festival and it is massive!  Headlining the 19th edition year is megastar Justin Timberlake along with Las Vegas band The Killers.

Joining them a a first class set of musical artists including: Ed Sheeran, Paolo Nutini, Example, Lily Allen, Elbow, Axwell ^ Ingrosso, 2014 BRIT Award winners Bastilleand Rudimental, Chase & Status, Alesso, Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers, Above & Beyond, Tom Odell, Sub Focus, Train, Blondie, Jason Derulo, Rizzle Kicks, John Newman, Sam Smith, Katy B, Embrace, Janelle Monae, Kodaline, Miles Kane, The Human League, Newton Faulkner, Starsailor, Aloe Blacc, Alex Clare, Nina Nesbitt, The Strypes, Birdy, Foxes, Ella Eyre, The Stranglers, The Magic Numbers, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbot, George Ezra, The Wailers, M People, All Saints, The Wonder Stuff, The Rifles and very special guests Chic featuring Nile Rodgers. 

Tickets go on sale at 9am on the 7th March 2014.

Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris, Pharrell Williams & many more added to T in the Park 2014 lineup

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Homegrown heroes Biffy Clyro and Calvin Harris will close the Main Stage at the festival for the very first time, becoming the first Scottish acts to do so in 13 years with what will be their biggest ever shows on home soil. Biffy Clyro’s 10th Balado outing will see them become the artist which has played the festival the most times. Man of the moment Pharrell Williams is sure to be another highlight, and DF Concerts have also today announced a further array of top acts which will join previously announced Arctic Monkeys and Paolo Nutini as well Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris andPharrell Williams on the T in the Park 2014 bill:
 
FRIDAY 11TH JULY: Biffy Clyro, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, Bastille, Pixies, Steve Angello, Alesso, Haim, You Me At Six, Manic Street Preachers, Chvrches, Maximo Park, The Rifles, Len Faki, Pan-Pot.
 
SATURDAY 12TH JULY: Calvin Harris, Paolo Nutini, Pharrell Williams, Elbow, Rudimental, Ben Howard, James, Bombay Bicycle Club, Twin Atlantic, The 1975, John Newman, Embrace, Katy B, Nina Nesbitt, The Stranglers, Dave Clarke, Carl Craig, Metronomy, Clean Bandit, We Are Scientists, Ella Eyre, George Ezra, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Magda.
 
SUNDAY 13TH JULY: Arctic Monkeys, Jake Bugg, Disclosure, Example, Imagine Dragons, Tinie Tempah, Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, London Grammar, Tame Impala, Kodaline, Above & Beyond, Sam Smith, Passenger, Sven Vath, Newton Faulkner, Chance The Rapper, Slam, The Twilight Sad, Inspiral Carpets, Julio Bashmore, Levon Vincent, George Fitzgeraldand many, many more acts to be announced (line-up subject to change).
 
There will be more music than ever before, with Friday extending to a full day of performancesfor the first time ever from 12pm, and on the Saturday night the party continues right through to 1am, plus camping tickets and Saturday and Sunday day tickets will be available at 2013 prices. With a full day of performances on Friday, the day ticket will be priced as per the other day tickets.
 
Biffy Clyro are T in the Park fan favourites, and they cite their very first performance on the T Break Stage back in 1999 as a defining factor in the band being signed. An incredible 2013 saw the band named Best British Band at the NME Awards and debut at no. 1 with their Opposites album (which achieved the best reviews of the band’s career). They headline the T in the Park Main Stage for the first time this July in what will be their 10th appearance at the festival, and as the fields of Balado ring out once again with the sound of “Mon the Biff!”, it’ll surely be a special moment for band and fans alike.
 
Biffy Clyro guitarist and singer Simon Neil said: “It’s so great to be playing this year. We’ve seen so many amazing bands at T in the Park over the years. Genuinely T in the Park has shaped our lives in more ways than just our experiences of performing there. We wouldn’t be here, doing this now, if it wasn’t for playing T in the Park. To headline it finally is amazing – it just feels poetic to be headlining on our 10th time. It’s going to be the night of our lives, hopefully it’ll be the night of your life and we can’t wait.”
 
Global Superstar Calvin Harris will be one of the highlights for T in the Parkers. A Grammy award-winning, multi-talented DJ, songwriter, performer and producer, Calvin’s no. 1 album 18 Months has to date sold over 750,000 copies in the UK alone, along with over 35 million singles worldwide. 18 Months also made chart history by scoring the most Top 10 singles from one album, with 9 UK top 10 singles including Nothing feat. Florence Welch and the massive We Found Love feat. Rihanna. Last year he became the first DJ to win a prestigious Ivor Novello award and will close T in the Park’s Main Stage for the first time this summer.
 

Calvin Harris said: “I’m very excited that I’m going to be headlining and closing T in the Park’s Main Stage. Last year was incredible, so I can’t wait to be back this year. It’s going to be amazing – I’ll see you all there!”

Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter/producer and man of the moment Pharrell Williams is one of the most successful and prolific artists to emerge during the last decade, as part of the The Neptunes, N.E.R.D., and as a collaborator and solo star in his own right. He featured on the two biggest selling singles of 2013 – Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines (producer, co-songwriter and featured artist), and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky which he co-wrote and fronted. This year looks set to be just as successful, with Pharrell picking up the Producer of the Year Award at the 2014 Grammys, and his hotly anticipated new album G I R L – which features the no. 1 smash hit Happy – due out next month.
 
Ed Sheeran is one of the most in-demand singer-songwriters to emerge from the UK music scene in recent years. With an Ivor Novello and Grammy nomination under his belt, he’s sure to inspire mass sing-alongs with his anthemic tunes.
 
Nominated for the Best British Male at this year’s Brit Awards after receiving a Mercury Music Prize nomination his debut self-titled album in 2013, Jake Bugg’s ever-broadening musical palette saw him produce an outstanding follow-up to his debut with Shangri-La. He’s a welcome edition to the T in the Park bill this summer.
 
2014 has started with a bang for Ellie Goulding. Her million-selling album Halcyon Days reached no.1 in the UK’s Official Albums Chart. Selling out her 2014 UK arena tour and with total sales now topping over three million albums and fifteen million singles, Ellie Goulding’s star is set to soar at Balado as she joins the T in the Park line-up this July.
 
Elbow return to Balado, headlining the BBC Radio 1 Stage. After winning the prestigious Mercury Music Prize in 2008 with the glorious, triple–platinum selling The Seldom Seen Kid, they picked up the BRIT Award for Best British Group the following year along with 2 Ivor Novello Songwriting Awards. In 2012, the band composed the theme to the BBC's coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, before playing to a global audience of 750 million at the closing ceremony. Their hotly anticipated sixth studio album The Take Off and Landing of Everything is released on March 10th.
 
In the last 12 months, Disclosure have been nominated for four Brit Awards in 2014, sold-out venues across the world and received critical-acclaim with their debut album Settle. In their return to Balado this summer, they are sure to bring the party vibe to T in the Park 2014.
 
Bursting out of London’s underground music scene early last year, Rudimental are a pioneering melting-pot collective who rocketed to fame when their single Feel the Love topped the UK singles chart in 2012. At the start of 2013 they returned to the number 1 spot with Waiting All Night ­– which last week won Best British Single at the BRITs – swiftly following up with a number 1 debut album.
 
The band said: “We had a wicked time playing at T in the Park last year so we are really excited to have been asked back again. The crowd up there really know how to have a good time! We can’t wait to get back up there for an even bigger Rudimental party this year.”
 
Fresh from winning British Breakthrough Act at the BRIT Awards 2014 and the following the success of their number one platinum selling debut album Bad Blood, Bastille will return to T in the Park this summer with a plethora of great songs that are both absorbing and genre-defining.
 
Since his last T in the Park appearance in 2012, Ben Howard has scooped two BRIT Awards, for British Breakthrough Act and British Male. His debut album Every Kingdom was a top five hit going platinum in the UK, and he’s sure to be a big hit on his return to T in the Park.
 
Pixies made a triumphant return in 2004 following an eleven-year hiatus, wowing fans and critics at live shows around the world. Last year, the group released their first new song in over a decade –Bagboy – on their website to the delight of their fans, with the release racking up than one million downloads/streams in the space of a month.
 
Pixies’ Joey Santiago said: “We played T in the Park back in 2004, the year of our reunion, and as I recall, it was a great show, especially for the band.  So here it is, ten years later, and we’re just as excited to be part of the 2014 line-up and look forward to playing some of our brand new songs as well as the classics for our Scottish fans.”
 
A pioneer of the Stockholm underground turned icon of the global EDM scene, Steve Angello returns to T in the Park to close the Radio 1 Stage on the Friday night. From the billboard charts to the club floor, he is firmly at the top of his game having taken the reigns at famous stages across the globe and boasting annual residencies for Ibiza’s most prestigious night spots, and recently joined BBC Radio 1’s impressive Residency line-up.
 
Since forming in Manchester in 1982, James's enduring creativity and musical legacy has made them one of the most influential British indie bands.  During their music career now spanning over 30 years, they have released 12 studio albums and sold 13 million albums worldwide. James’ biggest hits includeSit Down, She’s A Star, Laid and Getting Away With It (All Messed Up), with an impressive 20 Top 40 singles in the UK under their belt. Having spent most of 2013 in the studio with Max Dingel (The Killers, Muse), the band's new album La Petite Mort is set to be released via BMG/Cooking Vinyl’ after 2ndJune.
 
Jim Glennie, bassist, James said:"It's a real privilege to be playing this year’s T in the Park. It is a festival that we've a long and memory packed history. The Scottish people have always been wonderful to James and it will be a true pleasure to be back amongst friends. Yours, Jim from James.”
 
Tinie Tempah’s multi-platinum selling debut album Disc-Overy took the world by storm, before its hotly anticipated follow-up Demonstration was released last November featuring an A-list of collaborators including Dizzee Rascal, Paloma Faith, Emeli Sandé and Naughty Boy. A glittering array of prestigious awards – including multiple MOBOs, BRITs, Urban Music Awards, a UK Festival Award and the Ivor Novello for Best Contemporary Song for debut single Pass Out – are a testament to his major critical acclaim as well as his huge popularity as one of the freshest hip-hop stars around right now.
 
Now a regular at some of the world’s largest festivals and collaborating with producers such as Sebastian Ingrosso, Calvin Harris on and OneRepublic, Alesso has had successive Beatport chart toppers with debut single Nillionaire and to the dark and energized Raise Your Head. He topped the UK singles chart with his collaboration with Calvin Harris, Under Control, and scored chart success once again on his Grammy nominated remix of OneRepublic’s If I Lose Myself. Having already spun against a backdrop of different skylines on various stages across the world, the producer/DJ is destined for greatness and set to make his T in the Park debut this summer when he takes to the decks on the Radio 1 Stage before Steve Angello, for a Friday night dance extravaganza.
 
Glasgow art-pop four-piece Franz Ferdinand were catapulted to global stardom with the release of their classic, era-encapsulating self-titled debut album in 2004. The band returned with a new albumRight Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action last summer, with critics hailing the band’s trademark lyrical detail, heavyweight hooks, and uncanny ability to marry artistic sensibility with pop punch.
Glasgow’s alt-rock powerhouse Twin Atlantic – whose celebrated full-length debut Free went silver in the UK – return to T in the Park to cement their incendiary live reputation.
Sam McTrusty, vocals and guitar, said:“T in the Park has become a massive part of our band’s history and we are so proud to be able to say we are playing again this year. We have been working on new music that we will be unveiling this year and it will be a massive relief to be playing new songs this time around. Our 6th year playing at the renowned festival is shaping up to our best one yet. See you in the fields!”
 
You Me At Six released their long awaited fourth album Cavalier Youth at the end of January. With three gold albums, a sold out Wembley show, countless tours and festivals, this year is theirs for the taking and they can rightfully claim their position as one of the biggest rock bands in the UK. 
 
You Me At Six's lead singer, Josh Franceschi said: "Playing in Scotland is always exciting for us as they have some of the best crowds we have seen anywhere in the world, I know a lot of other bands feel the same. We are so pumped to play the main stage this year and can't wait to show off the new songs on Cavalier Youth.”
 
Tame Impala’s second album Lonerism won international plaudits for its simplistic beauty and boundless creativity, hailed as album of the year by NME and Rolling Stone in their native Australia in 2012. After embarking on a phenomenal sold out world tour at the end of 2012, the band are back on the live circuit and set to return to T in the Park this July.
 
Manchester quartet The 1975’s eponymous debut album topped the UK Album Charts last September when it entered at no.1. Their infectious anthems where alt.rock explosions meet electro-pop grooves are the perfect summer festival soundtrack, and are sure to inspire mass sing-alongs when they make their T in the Park return.
 
Matty Healy, The 1975: “T in the Park was a crazy show last year and we're really looking forward to returning this summer, we love Scottish crowds!”
 
London Grammar are one of the biggest breakthrough acts of 2013. In the past 12 months, they’ve had their first BRIT nomination for Best Breakthrough Act, and seen their highly acclaimed debut albumIf You Wait named Album Of The Year by iTunes and hailed amongst the best albums of 2013 by BBC 6 Music, Sunday Times, Line Of Best Fit and Clash, to name a few.
 
In 2012, a year before his first solo material had even seen the light of day, John Newman scored a no. 1 single, and had written and sung on two of the biggest dance hits to storm the UK charts in years: Rudimental’s massive number one Feel The Love and the powerfully anthemic follow up Not Giving In. Last year, he released his first solo material, topping the charts with debut solo single Love Me Again and album Tribute.
 
Sam Smith came to the fore featuring on fellow T in the Park act Disclosure’s breakout hit Latchand went on to work with Naughty Boy on the MOBO-winning, no.1 hit single La La La. His own debut single Money On My Mind topped the UK singles chart on Sunday, and with his debut album due in the Spring, plus having been named the BRITs Critics Choice and topping the coveted BBC Sound of 2014 Poll, it’s shaping up to be a big year for the singer-songwriter. 
 
Half Scottish, half Swedish singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt released her debut album, Peroxide, last week, with the record entering the UK charts on Sunday at no. 11. Destined for big things this year, she was named 'Singer/Songwriter New Artist of the Year' by iTunes at the tail-end of 2012.
 
Nina Nesbitt said: "This will be the first year I play T with an album out. Last year was an amazing experience on the King Tut's stage and I'm so excited to come and play among so many other great artists back in my home country! It'll be a great way to celebrate going to no. 1 in Scotland!"
 
Clean Bandit’s culture clash of bass, beats and soaring strings evokes memories of classic Massive Attack. When they released their first single Mozart’s House on their own label it caught the attention of DJs Nick Grimshaw, Annie Mac, Rob Da Bank, Huw Stephens, John Kennedy, Eddie Temple Morris and Fearne Cotton, before they hit the top spot with Rather Be feat. Jess Glynne. They make their hotly anticipated T in the Park debut this summer.
 
Grace Chatto (cello), Clean Bandit said: “We haven't actually ever played a festival in Scotland, but we have done a headline show in Glasgow and supported Disclosure and Basement Jaxx in Edinburgh. The Scottish audiences are always up for a good time which makes the shows so fun for us. We've heard great things about T in the Park, and to be playing on such a big stage like the Radio 1 stage is huge! We can’t wait!”
 
Scottish indie rockers The Twilight Sad also join the bill. James Graham, Twilight Sad, singer, said: "We're delighted & excited to be part of the line-up at T in the Park this year. T was the first festival I ever attended and we, The Twilight Sad, all went together even before we became a band. Therefore it's a festival that means a lot to us. The T in the Park crowd is one of the best crowds in the world and we can't wait to play for them.”
 
An impressive line-up of electronic artists will take to the decks in the Slam Tent, including Sven Vath, Dave Clarke, Carl Craig, Magda, Len Faki, Pan-Pot, Slam, Julio Bashmore, George Fitzgerald and Levon Vincent, with more to be announced.

Ibiza & Mallorca Rocks announce massive lineup feat Skrillex, Tinie Tempah and more!

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Having already confirmed Haim and The 1975 for Ibiza and Mallorca Rocks, some of the world's biggest artists have been confirmed to join them on the summer islands of Ibiza and Mallorca.

Ed Sheeran, Bastille, Tinie Tempah, Skrillex and Bombay Bicycle Club (Ibiza Closing Party) plus critically acclaimed champions of the live scene Rudimental, John Newman and Clean Bandit have been added to the 16 week-long line up, kicking off on 03/06. Support slots come courtesy of exciting new talents Wolf Alice, Breton and Chloe Howl, with more to be announced.

The summer long season will open in style with a headline performance from HAIM, supported by hotly tipped band for 2014, Breton. The 1975 take on week 2 with support from NME’s Best New Band nominee Wolf Alice.

Newly confirmed to keep the party vibes in full flow in June is Yorkshire lad John Newman. The 3 x BRITs nominee shot into the spotlight after writing and singing on two of the biggest dance tracks to smash into the UK charts in years: Rudimental’s Feel The Love and Not Giving In. Debut #1 solo single Love Me Again is a taste of the huge, melodic hits fans can expect from John Newman’s highly anticipated debut set, supported by BBC Sound of 2014 nominee Chloe Howl.

July will see the welcome return of Tinie Tempah, back by popular demand.  With his high-octane, high energy, explosive live sets packed with huge hits Tinie Tempah knows exactly how to work the crowd. Embarking on a UK tour in March including a show at London’s O2, Tinie Tempah will have one seriously slick set to showcase back in the Balearics.  Speaking of the shows, he said: “I am happy to be back doing Rocks for the 4th time! This is always a great show, can't wait!”

From releasing quintuple platinum debut album + in 2012, Ed Sheeran has been recognised as one of the most genuinely talented and successful singer/songwriters of recent times. Grammy Awards, Q Awards, Brits and Ivor Novellos, Ed Sheeran has clocked up them all with his all-encompassing appeal.  Huge hits fill emotionally charged sets fused with unexpected risks and surprises. From being championed by Jamie Foxx to opening Rocks in 2012, to selling out Madison Square Gardens and being hugely in demand on a global scale, Ed Sheeran knows what he loves, everyone loves what he does and he’s coming back to Mallorca and Ibiza Rocks in July to do just that.

Ed Sheeran said: "I played at the Mallorca and Ibiza Rocks opening parties 2 years ago and had a lot of fun. Looking forward to getting back out there in the sun and playing some of the new songs this summer!"

Brits British Single winners Rudimental and British Breakthrough winners Bastille pulled off an epic mash up of their huge hits Waiting All Night and Pompeii at this year’s Brit Awards and both acts are Balearic bound.   Rocks championed Rudimental long before they hit the big time and booked their debut Ibiza show in 2012 at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel where they stayed, partied and played, big time! It will be a proud moment to have these boys back, bigger than ever, for what will undoubtedly be one of the seminal moments of the summer, from one of the best live acts on the planet right now. 

Rudimental said: “We can’t wait to head back to Ibiza Rocks this summer. It’s one of our favourite venues in the world and our show in 2012 was too much fun. Don’t miss this one people, Ibiza here we come!!”

Since debuting at Rocks last year, Bastille went on to be the biggest selling new British act of 2013, with platinum-selling debut album Bad Blood topping the charts and infectious single Pompeii becoming the second most streamed song of the year (just behind Daft Punk’s Get Lucky). After smashing it stateside then being nominated for 4 x Brit Awards back on home turf, Bastille have officially been crowned British Breakthrough of the year. 

Bastille’s Dan Smith said: “We can't wait to play Ibiza and Mallorca Rocks again. The gigs were both loads of fun last summer so we're really happy to have been asked back this year."

It will be from stateside to poolside when 6 x Grammy award winner Skrillex takes to the open-air stage at the Mallorca Rocks Hotel for an exclusive headline set in August. This electronic imagineer comes with way more than an killer set – there’s shimmering LED walls, 3D lights shows, pyrotechnics and a relentless thirst to create a live experience of ever-increasing drama and spectacle.  This show takes the music landscape in Mallorca to a whole new level – a first for Mallorca, a  ‘must see’ ONLY at Mallorca Rocks and a massive statement to what Rocks brings to the resort.

Clean Bandit made their Rocks debut supporting Ellie Goulding last year and then kicked off the very first Ibiza Rocks the Snow event in Meribel In December.  They’ve since scored a UK #1 single with Rather Be, selling over half a million copies in the UK alone and staying at the #1 spot for 4 weeks running. Now one of the UK’s finest new bands move from the piste to the poolside to make their headline debut at the Rocks Hotels in August.

The Ibiza Rocks closing party will be headlined by a classic Rocks band, Bombay Bicycle Club.  The London four piece supported Biffy Clyro at Ibiza Rocks in 2010 and returned as worthy headliners in their own right the following year. Back with UK #1 album So Long See You Tomorrow, Bombay Bicycle Club will create the climax to what will be a phenomenal summer of live gigs under the Balearic stars.

Tulisa joins V Festival 2012 lineup

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The N Dubz star will make her V debut as a solo artist at this year’s festival, which takes place across the weekend of the 18th and 19th August.

The ‘Young’ singer will join headliners Stone Roses and The Killers and a veritable feast of musical talent including Snow Patrol, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Lawon, Rita Ora, Nicki Minaj, David Guetta, Tinie Tempah, Wretch 32, Ed Sheeran as well as her NDubz band mate Dappy.

The addition of Tulisa to the bill comes after the news that US folk singer Lissie will sadly no longer be appearing on the V Festival line up.

 With the festival weekend drawing ever closer, fans are being asked to stay tuned for further announcements over the upcoming weeks.

RockNess Monsters & Aliens Fancy Dress announced + amazing competition

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So if the prospect of feeling the awesome energy of MUMFORD & SONS’ unmissable Friday Main Stage performance up close, or joining ED SHEERAN in what will be one massive sing-along of all his brilliant hits, or being completely blown away by the mighty BIFFY CLYRO as they bring RockNess 2012 to a thunderous close on the Sunday, then this is one competition you do not want to miss entering.

Mumford & Sons

If you’ve already got your weekend ticket then to be in with a chance of winning it couldn’t be easier, simply go to http://rockness.us2.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=847210feaa3e8fa7d0ff3ce85&id=ee1f63ee0a.

And for those day ticket holders thinking about upgrading to a weekend ticket – and be in with a chance of walking off with this once in a lifetime prize – now’s the time to do it. Simply go to WWW.ROCKNESS.CO.UK/BUY-TICKETS  then get entering!  Entries have to be completed by midnight on Thursday May 31st with the draw happening on Friday June 1st so you must have bought your ticket prior to this date to qualify. Good luck everyone and watch this space for the winners!

In another new announcement, and as if popping up by magic, the incredible MAGICAL BONES will make a Special Guest appearances in the VIP Arena. Starting out his career as a professional hip-hop dancer, MAGICAL BONES has worked with some of the biggest names including Madonna, Black Eyed Peas and Alicia Keys, and was the star of the Mint Royale number 1 hit single ‘Singing In the Rain’. An exceptionally skilled breakdancer and gifted showman, he has gone on to establish himself as one of the most respected and prominent figures within the UK hip hop scene. Now focusing primarily as a magician, which he has uniquely combined with his love of hip hop culture, his passion for the art of magic is as he describes, an experience of “soulful astonishment”.

MAGICAL BONES has to be seen to be believed…and even then you won’t believe what you’re seeing! 

Finally those legendary RockNess feel good vibes are set to get a big new injection of fun this year as fans are encouraged to get their fancy dress glad rags on for their big Saturday night out with the launch of MONSTERS & ALIENS Fancy Dress. There’s nothing at stake other than how creative you can be…and how much FUN you can have in the process!.

Commenting on these latest fun filled announcements and the once in a lifetime competition, Festival Director Jim King said ”I always like to catch my favourite bands for at least some of their set from the side of stage. There's nothing more exciting than seeing one of your idols walk past you and take their position on stage. When the lights go up and you look out across a sea of 35,000 people and then the music kicks in, the hairs on the back of my neck always reach levels I never knew existed.  This really is a must enter competition.”