Following last year’s momentous 50th anniversary celebrations, The Isle of Wight Festival today announces the first artists for the 2019 event, which kicks off the British festival season on 13th – 16th June.
The incredible Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds headline the opening night of The Isle of Wight Festival 2019, returning to the Festival for the first time since 2012. Chart-topping British singer-songwriter George Ezra will headline the Main Stage on Saturday 15th June, in what will be his first major UK festival headline performance, a huge milestone following an incredible few years for the 7-time BRIT-nominated artist. Special guest Fatboy Slim, making his Isle of Wight Festival debut, will keep the party going as he plays until the early hours following George’s performance. Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro bring their passionate and rousing live show to the Main Stage on Sunday 16th June, closing the 2019 Festival in what is sure to be an epic headline performance. Also joining the line-up for this year’s event are: Anne-Marie, Bastille, Courteeners, Dean Lewis, DMA’S, Freya Ridings, Gerry Cinnamon, IDLES, James, Jax Jones, Jess Glynne, KT Tunstall, Lily Allen, Madness, Miles Kane, Mystery Jets, Richard Ashcroft, Rick Astley, Sam Fender, Sigala, Sigrid, The Coral, Tom Walker and Wild Front, with Hacienda Classical returning for a second year following last year’s incredible debut in The Big Top. Tickets for the 2019 event are on sale Friday 25th January at 9am.
The first weekend of August 2018 saw the return of the brilliant Bedford Park Concerts. I had an absolute blast last year, so I was excited to attend again. For those of you who are not already award, this is a three day event that begins on the Friday evening and comes to a close on the Sunday. The organisers have never failed to provide a fantastic line up. Previously they have given us performances from Jason Donavon, Tom Jones, UB40, Dizzee Rascal, Kaiser Chiefs and more. Once more for 2018, ticketholders were able to make memories with friends and family whilst watching yet another handful of brilliant acts.
Upon entering the site at Bedford Park, I could see a wide variety of food vendors, ranging from fish and chips and pizza to vegan street food and sweets. Also there was an abundance of bathroom facilities and access to a couple of different bars serving everyones favourite beverages. Also importantly, the teams from the brilliant St Johns Ambulance were placed in their own gazebo at the back of the park and also stationed on patrol at various locations around the site. As previous years the event was sponsored by BMW Barons Bedford, so there was also an array of automotive beauties on display and test drive booking options.
Friday
Friday 3rd August i had the weekend kicking off to a great start. The entier evening was filled with chilled reggae and soulful vibes. At times I even felt like I was being transported to a beautiful beach covered in white sand with crystal clear waters in my mind. It was one of the most chilled out gigs I have ever been to. Which was really quite nice and very enjoyable. During this relaxed segment of the evening we got to see performances from British Reggae band ASWAD, who are best known for their infectious hit singles ‘Don’t Turn Around’ and ‘Shine’. To which were the final two songs of their set.
Also Friday evening brought us a brilliant segment from The Christians, the band had celebrated the achievement of 30 years together just last year. The band from Liverpool have also seen huge success in their debut album which sold over a million copies. Their set included their first single ‘Forgotten Town’ which turned out to be quite apt as they had to ask the audience exactly where they were performing which was quite amusing. We also got to see them perform their cover of ‘Here Comes The Sun’ which was originally performed by The Beatles after the song was written by George Harrison.
The next act certainly took it up a notch as she ramped up the energy while she dominated the stage.That lady was the sensational Jaki Graham. She stood out in her eyecatching fringed attire while wowing us with her vocals. It was clear to see she could not wait for her turn to be on the stage. Graham appeared to be so genuinely happy to perform, she even stated “I came out feeling like Jaki no mates,but here you all are, I love you” which was followed by plenty of air kisses to the crowds of people before her. From Jaki, we heard hits including ‘Could It Be Im Falling In Love?’, ‘Ain’t Nobody’ and even new music including the title track of her new album, ‘When A Woman Loves‘.
Of course, this night belonged to one man, the legend that is Mr Billy Ocean. The Trinidadian-English recording artist is well known for his catchy R&B pop hits, predomintally in the 1970s and 1980s. I was born in the late 1980s but even I can appreciate his amazing talent and infamous hits. People of all ages were so excited to see this man perform live. Billy’s set was clean cut while he showcased his smooth moves as he dazzled in a brilliant white suit. Billy Ocean may not be as young as he once was, but this performance proved that age certainly is just a number. His performance was one of nostalgia and high emotion as he serenaded us with singles including ‘Caribbean Queen’, ‘When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Gets Going’, ‘Suddenly’ and the huge ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’.
Saturday
On Saturday 4th August, we got to see a very different line up compared to the previous evening. The evening was filled with pop and dance tunes. We saw performances from up and coming solo act Hannah Jane Lewis, DJ sets in between main acts, male solo artist Sam Willis, who was sat for most of his set behind a keyboard playing beautiful music and gracing us with vocals that could closely be likened to international pop star Bruno Mars. So if you’re looking for musical “Treasure” be sure to check out Sam’s music. Also there was a very lively set from the band that gave birth to Harry Styles’ music career. White Eskimo. The quartet rock-pop band were all smartly dressed in fitted black suits and slim ties around their necks as they gave us quite the show. They certainly knew how to work their magic on the audience, especially impressionable girls within their teenage years. Although, some did try to cause a stir by chanting “Harry!, Harry!, Harry!”, the lads remained focused and professional as they were seen laughing off the little stunt and carried on with a brilliant display of musical genuis. The down to earth band members clearly loved to play up to the cameras and also took time out after their set for a meet and greet with their fans at the VW Campervan style photobooth on site.
What impressed me most about these performances weren’t actually anything to do with the acts at all. I can’t continue with this review without mentioning some of the best talent that I saw all weekend. Just to the leftof the stage as the acts were live, also live were some people communicating in British Sign Language. These talented people were performing songs along with the acts on stage. What a phenominal idea! I’ve been to a lot of gigs and festivals since becoming a writer for such events and never once had I seen this at any other event before. Bedford Park Concerts are one of the small handful of events that actually include this thoughtful feature to their line up.
Shortly after 8pm, hundreds of people were seen moving as close to the front of the stage as they could possibly get, as something exciting was about to take place in the park. All over the site I could hear chanting demanding “We want Jess!, We Want Jess!” Everyone was stood waiting in ancitipation for female solo artist Jess Glynne. The music scene first intriduced us to the female soloist back in 2014 upon the UK release of Clean Bandit’s mammoth single ‘Rather Be’. Jess‘ vocals shone on the track.
Although a little later than expected, Jess walked out onto the stage, gave everyone a quick “hello” and got straight down to business to perform the first song of her set, ‘Ain’t Got Far To Go’. The chart topper also included her well known string of hits such as ‘Right Here’, ‘Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’ and ‘Hold My Hand’ before then slowing things down to what I can only state was a very emotional segment of her time on stage at Bedford Park. Glynne stood quietly at the front of the stage to introduce her next song of the evening and then dedicated it to a young girl and her mother. She continued to say “before I came on stage tonight, I got to meet a very special young girl, she’s so special and deserves some love”. The singer then continued to sing her balled ‘Home’. Many sang along as they swayed their hands gently through the air. It was rather difficult to hold back the tears during this stage to be honest. It wasa beautiful and heartfelt few moments. Jess Glynne is well known for her upbeat pop tracks, so the pace was picked up once again, getting everyone into the party mood they came to experience. This performance brought so much to the weekend’s event. Fun, emotion and pure pop brilliance!
To close saturday night, the organisers of the concerts had the perfect plan. To end the night on a huge party! Woo Hoo! Bring on Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, aka Basement Jaxx! The duo hit the stage and took their place behind a huge DJ deck as they pumped out some ravetastic tunes. As they played remixed of their own hits including the mighty ‘Red Alert‘, crowds of people were jumping around like hyper school children without a care in the world. All under a fantastic laser light show. What a way to end the night!
Sunday
As with previous years, the final day of frivolities at Bedford Park brought the most pompous yet patriotic day of my festival season calendar. The Bedford Park Proms. Proms day has always been known to feature performances showcasing a variety of renditions of songs from musicals and film soundtracks. Before attending the event that day, I had said to my partner (to quote myself) “I guaruntee that we will hear music probably the biggest film sountrack of the last year, The Greatest Showman”. Yes,I was pleasantly 100% right! It’s a soundtrack that I personally love to listen to very regularly, so I was excited to witness the children of the Pilgrims School Choir sing ‘A Million Dreams’ followed by the Bedford Girls School Choir singing their version of ‘The Greatest Show’ – which had a brilliant foot tapping routine to go with it. Parents, teachers and pupils from both school choirs should feel incredibly proud of their efforts during their performances.
What was fresh to see was a a brilliant set from the very talented Joe Bygraves. It was like watching a protege of Ed Sheeran’s standing on stage with an acoustic guitar and soft vocals. He and his music were definitely a bighighlight of the day in my opinion. Not only did he perform his own versions of songs including Ed Sheeran’s ‘Galway Girl’ and Wheatus’ ‘Teenage Dirtbag’, he also had a great range of original songs to offer too, including ‘Childhood Sweetheart‘ and another, which was inspired by the fiesty fictitious character Daenarys Targaryen from the popular TV series Game Of Thrones. Joe’s music can currently be found on both Spotify and itunes. I highly recommend you check him out – especially if you’re a big fan of a certain red headed guitar playing male solo artist.
The official start to the Proms begins now! The Bedford Town Band kicked things off with a pretty impressive feature. All of their music was taken from the 1996 film ‘Brassed Off’ which starred Ewan McGregor.
Of course, the Bedford Park Proms wouldn’t be the same without the return of the mesmerising talents that make up the London Gala Orchestra. I’m no classical music buff, but I didn’t need to be to appreciate just how magical their symphonies can be. They even had me singing rather loudly “Just One Cornetto!” (Some of you will know what I am referring to there) haha. During some performances the orchestra were also joined by other guests including the Bedford Choral Society and of course the evening’s operatic soloists. Tenor Jeff Stewart and the nation’s musical sweetheart Lesley Garrett. Both were intruguing and enchanting to watch as they performed both alone and together. The pair even at one point sang a beautiful duet while drinking a glass of tipple and dancing as if they were ready for the wow at the ballroom.
Lastly in true proms style to end the evening and the weekend long event, the site was filled with sea of red, white and blue flags and costumes during a very british and patriotic segment before the big finale! A very spectacular firework display that filled the air with colour and sparkle and contentment in our hearts.
There is no doubt about it that the organisers of this annual event deserve a huge round of applause and a pat on the back for yet another job well done and a successful 2018 weekend event. I loved every minute of last year, I had so much fun this year, and preparations for next year’s weekend are already underway. I only hope I will be lucky enough to attend as a reviewer for a third time in 2019.
V Festival have annouced their two headlinders for this years festival and its none other then P!nk and JAY Z along with a storm of other artists to grace the festival over the weekend.
Tickets on sale 9:00am Friday at vfestival.com and all other information regarding Tickets can be found below.
This year’s chapter of Lovebox is set to be even more special than usual. East London’s favourite festival are celebrating their 15 year anniversary – 15 years of music, 15 years of good vibes and 15 years of love.
This landmark occasion calls for the best line-up yet, and Lovebox have delivered. Having already announced Friday’s headliner – the global phenomenon that is Frank Ocean – Lovebox unveils their second headliner, the explosive Chase & Status, and further musical programming.
FEATURING:
FRANK OCEAN (FRIDAY) CHASE & STATUS (LIVE) (SATURDAY)
WITH
JAMIE XX – JESS GLYNNE – SOLANGE – ANNIE MAC – ANDY C – MAC MILLER – RAG’N’BONE MAN – SAMPHA – KAYTRANADA – KURUPT FM – ANNE-MARIE – AJ TRACEY – RAY BLK – MIST – RAYE
KINK (LIVE) – JAZZY JEFF – RICHY AHMED – SOLARDO – JESSE ROSE – CRAIG RICHARDS – TERRY FRANCIS – HORSE MEAT DISCO – MICK JENKINS – SOULECTION – MIKE SERVITO – LEWIS BOARDMAN – DREEM TEEM – KLOSE ONE – LATE NITE TUFF GUY – WORK IT – JAZZIE B – CLUB DRIVE
XL RECORDINGS PRESENTS NEW GEN & FRIENDS
ARTIKAL – DR PACKER – ELLIE COCKS – FORT ROMEAU – SÄLEN – GW HARRISON – HAMMER – JACK SWIFT – JIMMY SWITCH – REX ORANGE COUNTY – LINDSEY MATTHEWS – WILL TAYLOR – HOT BLOOD
FRIDAY
Friday’s headliner, Frank Ocean, speaks for itself. The enigmatic singer-songwriter was catapulted to fame in 2012 with the release of his debut Channel Orange, which was greeted with universal acclaim. After four years of countless memes and think pieces about Ocean’s “disappearance”, questioning when his second album would arrive, it finally landed in 2016 in the form of a visual LP – Endless – followed by the album proper, Blonde. It was well worth the wait.
The Friday also sees one of the hottest producers on the planet, Jamie xx, open for Frank Ocean on the Main Stage. His debut album In Colour has been the soundtrack to our summer since it was released in 2015, and his new album with band The xx is an instant classic. Jamie XX says: “I'm looking forward to playing at Lovebox this year and sharing the stage with Frank Ocean who headlines directly after my set!”
Elsewhere on Friday is US rapper Mac Miller, whose latest, soul-infused album The Divine Feminine was lauded by critics upon its release, fast-rising star Rag N’ Bone Man, the runner-up in this year’s BBC Sound of 2017, and London synthpop trio Sälen.
The peerless Solange headlines the Noisey stage, fresh from the release of her landmark album A Seat At The Table. The younger Knowles sister’s third album was named by Pitchfork as their Album of the Year, and bagged her her first US No 1. February has also seen her win her first Grammy for Best R&B Performance for her stunning track ‘Cranes In The Sky’. This performance at Lovebox is set to be extra special.
Joining Solange on the Noisey stage is London’s own Sampha, whose distinctive vocals and confessional lyricism have propelled him to global fame. Initially emerging as a frequent collaborator of SBTRKT back in 2011, Sampha has collaborated with the likes of Drake, Beyoncé and the aforementioned Solange, and released his highly anticipated debut album Process in 2017.
Elsewhere on the Noisey stage is the talented super-producer Kaytranada, who we’re thrilled to welcome back to the Park to perform tracks from one of the best albums of 2016 – his debut LP 99.9%. His affiliate Mick Jenkins will also appear – the rising US hip hop artist released his dazzling debut album The Healing Component in 2016 – as well as BBC Sound of 2017 winner Ray BLK and rising star Rex Orange County.
Lovebox are thrilled to welcome fabric back for their second year in the Park as a festival exclusive. The news is all the more exciting considering the iconic’s club loss of license, which thankfully they have now won back after outcry from the global music community. London wouldn’t be the same without fabric, and we’re glad they’re back and bigger than ever. fabric say: "Lovebox gave us the perfect entry into being part of a festival last year and it left us wanting more. To be invited back to build on the foundation we made in 2016 is a prefect to develop something bigger and better than last year across the weekend. Expect something different to last year but with the same calbire of artists and our exclusive audio partner Pioneer."
fabric have programmed a fittingly explosive lineup to mark their festival return. Arguably one of the best DJs on the planet, the inimitable Seth Troxler headlines the Friday. Raised in Detroit, the house and techno master will bring a flavour of Chicago to the Park. Preceding Seth will be Bicep, playing their trademark mix of obscure anthems and club classics spanning a kaleidoscope of genres. Elsewhere, there’s experimental producer KiNK performing a live set, disco master Hammer, and fabric resident Terry Francis.
Finally, Lovebox are extremely excited to introduce a brand new structure for 2017. The Transistor stage will resemble a giant radio set, and feature explosive flame pyros throughout the day – it’s not to be missed. Taking over Transistor on the Friday are Abode, the deep house promoters running the hottest nights in London. Headlining Abode will be the reigning king of underground house, Eats Everything, who will be joined by Hot Creations rising star waFF, the dynamic Jack Swift, and B2B sets from Will Taylor and GW Harris, Ellie Cocks and Jimmy Switch, and Artikal and Lindsey Matthews.
SATURDAY
Saturday’s headliner comes in the form of one of the UK’s best live acts, and a Lovebox favourite. Chase & Status’ ferocious live sets are truly a sight to behold, whether they’re storming through classics from their 2008 debut More than Alot or the bestselling homage to 90s dance, Brand New Machine. 2015 saw the release of EP London Bars, featuring some of the UK’s finest MCs, and their much-anticipated fourth album drops this year.
Expect new material, a brand new show and extra special guests at what is set to be a masterful headlining slot – which was unveiled via a mysterious social media campaign and a billboard portraying a countdown hangman spelling out ‘Lovebox’ in London. Chase & Status say: "We’re blessed to be back headlining Lovebox again. It’s always special playing at home in London & at such an iconic festival."
Lovebox also welcomes Jess Glynne to the Park. One of the UK's most promising pop talents, she originally found fame lending her distinctive vocals to chart smashes such as Clean Bandit's 'Rather Be' and Route 94's 'My Love’. Jess introduced her own sound with the release of her 2015 debut album I Cry When I Laugh. With a follow-up scheduled for release in 2017, this year looks set to build on Jess Glynne's solid reputation as one of the best on the scene. Also on the Saturday is rising star Anne-Marie, whose infectious singles ‘Karate’ and ‘Do It Right’ have led to her being nominated for British Breakthrough Artist at the Brits.
Lovebox favourite Annie Mac will also be back in the Park, and R&B singer Raye plus rising four piece Club Drive will also perform.
Over at the Noisey stage, there’s the most fierce of UK talent, both rising and legendary. DNB icon Andy C headlines, and the RAM Records co-founder is set to destroy his slot. Andy says "First time at Lovebox! Heard some amazing things, I can’t wait to get involved!"
Joining Andy C are comedy rap crew Kurupt FM (stars of the BBC hit show People Just Do Nothing), as well as respective performances from two fast-rising grime MCs – Birmingham’s Mist and London’s AJ Tracey – both deservedly much-hyped in their own right.
For the grime fans there’s a special showcase from XL Recordings. New Gen continues the theme of fresh homegrown talent on The West Stage. This performances follows the compilation album of the same name, which features contributions from the scene's rising stars (Ray BLK, Kojey Radical).
fabric’s Saturday lineup is equally as stacked as the Friday. The legendary Ricardo Villalobos returns to London to head up the billing. Elsewhere, returning to Lovebox after last playing back in 2010, is Berlin’s Dixon (who came No 1 on Resident Advisor’s Top DJs 2016 Poll), Bunker resident Mike Servito, and fabric’s own Craig Richards.
On Saturday Transistor will host a lineup featuring some of the finest names in techno. The multi-faceted Kölsch is set to headline, and will be joined by Richy Ahmed, Jamie Jones, Jesse Rose, Solardo and Lewis Boardman.
It wouldn’t be a celebration of 15 Years of Love without some Lovebox favourites on the decks. Norman Jay MBE, Jazzie B OBE, Horse Meat Disco will all be appearing across the weekend
The sun was shining hotly and brightly on Nottingham’s favourite festival, Splendour 2016. Set in the grounds of the stunning Wollaton Park, I was delighted to be attending for the second time and it didn’t disappoint. There was definitely no shortage of festivals this weekend but with a fantastic line-up and variety of entertainment, Nottingham’s sell out festival was definitely the best place to be.
The site was well set out with plenty of toilets and water points. The food stalls were spread evenly across the site and offered plenty of choice including vegan and gluten free options. I enjoyed a gorgeous gluten-free chicken and chorizo paella topped with a delicious salsa and lemon for £7. Later on I tucked into nachos with guacamole, salsa and cheese for only £3.50! Drinks tokens could be purchased for £4 each or in multiples. Tokens were then swapped for alcohol and soft drinks at a choice of 3 bar areas. Given that there were over 23,000 people attending, we didn’t have to queue once to get a drink. The bar staff were really friendly although with only beer, cider, JD and coke and wine, there wasn’t much choice. More spirits would have been welcomed. Stalls offered a variety of clothes, jewellery and trinkets all reasonably priced. Fringe entertainment included songs and laughs from Mrs Green; circus shows; activities for youngsters in the Kids’ Zone, silent disco and Magician, Daniel Dore. It was clear that Splendour has a great family atmosphere and well catered for all age groups.
Headlining the main stage was Grammy award winner, Jess Glynne. After dropping out of Splendour last year due to illness, her appearance was hotly awaited. She opened up with ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself’ which instantly got the crowd dancing! She looked stunning in a two piece gold outfit and I loved the focus that she gave to the music and the audience rather than dance moves and outfit changes. She followed up with hit after hit; ‘Rather be,’ ‘No rights no wrongs,’ ‘Gave me something,’ ‘Not letting go,’ and ‘It ain’t right.’ She then did a beautiful acoustic version of ‘My love’ which she dedicated to her dad who is from Nottingham, which the crowd loved. She engaged with the crowd and asked everyone to shine the torch on their phone which created a beautiful sea of light as far as the eyes could see. She followed up with hits such as ‘Home’ and ‘Real love’ and then did a cover version of Chaka Chan’s ‘I feel for you’ where she pulled off some funky dance moves with her backing singers. For the encore she sang ‘Right here’ and her number one track ‘Hold my hand.’ The crowd went crazy singing and dancing and it was a perfect end to a fantastic headlining artist. Jess Glynne did Nottingham proud!
Over on the Confetti Stage, a large crowd gathered for the headlining act, The Darkness. Donning a flamboyant purple one-piece glam-rock-esque cat suit, Justin Hawkins thrusted himself into their opening track ‘Black shuck.’ The charismatic front man belted out ‘Growing on me’ ‘Love is only a feeling’ and their original glam rock track ‘I believe in a thing called love.’ Justin entertained the crowd with his own brand of sweary banter adding to an electric atmosphere.
Set list was
Black Shuck
Growing on me
Givin’ up
One way ticket
Love is only a feeling
Barbarian
Get your hands off my woman
Stuck in a rut
I believe in a thing called love
Love on the rocks with no ice
Scottish rockers, The Fratellis, kicked off with ‘Henrietta’ and finished with a crowd-rocking ‘Chelsea Dagger.’ Earlier in the day veteran Irish punk rockers, Stiff Little Fingers, played a fantastic set to a large crowd. Legendary tracks ‘At the edge, ‘Tin soldiers’ and ‘Gotta gettaway’ got the crowd rocking.
UB40 got a warm response with one reveller shouting ‘UBeee, UBeee, UBeee!!’ ‘You gotta love UB!’ she tells me. The crowd are dancing and singing to the glorious reggae tunes of ‘Cherry Oh Baby’ and ‘Red Red Wine.’
The Human League put on an impressive show opening with ‘Mirror Man,’ and ‘Electric Dreams’ is slickly played into ‘Don’t You Want Me’ for the finale.
Over on the acoustic stage, Jonny Olley kicked the day off, with acts like Josh Wheatley, Bru-C and Brad Dear performing throughout the day.
With its eclectic mix of artists and bands, there is sure to be something for every age group at Splendour Festival which makes it the perfect family day out. I cannot wait for next year! Roll on Splendour 2017!
T IN THE PARK kicked off on the Friday with an absolute belter. The sun was shining, The Stone Roses were headlining and un characteristically there wasn’t a mud puddle in sight – of course that didn’t last. Of course it wouldn’t be T without its trademark mud and after dodging it on the Friday the patchy rain hit hard throughout the next couple of days – festival goers brushed it off as nothing and cracked on. Situated at Strathallan Castle close to Perth, it was the festivals second attempt in its new location and 26th year overall. The festival bill was a strong one, a splutter of genres merging together throughout the three days. Blending together the new, the old and the loved by all, every age group was covered with a stella line up.
With other headlining performances coming from Calvin Harris & Red Hot Chilli Peppers plus support acts including Major Lazer, LCD SoundSystem, Disclosure, Chase & Status, The 1975 and more, it was bound to be a good weekend of music.
The Stone Roses hit the main stage on the Friday. The bands merch floated around the festival site like nothing else and as the day progressed it began to get difficult to be difficult to spot anyone NOT in a signature bowl hat. The bands ‘second coming’ was surely seen as the whole weekends highlight. Performances by the Manchester group aren’t quite as sparse as they have been in the past with their reform back in 2011, but its impossible to ignore the effect the bands presence has on its crowds. The Stone Roses were bred for the festival set up – it is surely the definitive way to see the cult band. The band played a full set of tracks from their self titled debut album, favourites from the much under-rated second album ‘Second coming’ alongside a few new tracks including the new single ‘All for one’. The crowd followed every word of every song sung by Ian Brown, tambourine in hand, who finished the act by waving on the Scottish flag to applaud a fan base at T that he has become very accustomed to.
Disclosure opened up for The Stone Roses – a difficult transition however they easily held their own and as soon as the opening track ‘White noise’ was belted out, they had the audience in the palm of their hands. Disclosure are always capable of surprising people wherever they sit on the bill and if this set was anything to go by their headline act at Reading/Leeds festival could prove to be something huge.
Elsewhere on Friday, festival favourite whereever she goes, Annie Mac packed out the Radio 1 Dance stage with a typical fun and bouncing set. In contrast Rodrigo y Gabriela performed at the same time in the King Tuts Tent with a smaller crowd who enjoyed the spanish infused heavy guitar riff style of music they are most famous for.
Huge crowds swamped over to the main stage to watch Calvin Harris headline the Saturday. Quite the regular at T, Calvin is just behind Biffy Clyro for most appearances at the Scottish festival. Quite the transformation from the geeky looking artist of 2007 to the huge international DJ and producer that he is today. Its been a undeniably huge rise from the Scot who is now considered to be the face of modern dance music. He played a typically impressive set, reminding everyone just how many huge tracks he has notched up under his belt. Track after track of number one hits alongside new song Hype which included an appearance of fan favourite Dizzee Rascal.
Saturday's lineup also showcases Bastille, Jess Glynne, Tinie Tempah, Kaiser Chiefs and more. With health issues in the past year, Jess Glynne is one that I was very much looking forward to seeing. Her amazing soulful and powerful voice fills the main stage with hits like 'Dont Be So Hard on Yourself', 'Not Letting Go' & 'Right Here'. She sounds just as good live as she does on the radio, its a great performance to head into the evening. Prior to Jess Glynne, Tinie Tempah fresh off his new album knows how to get a crowd going. His music is perfect for the festival atmosphere and having seen him numerous times before, I know exactly what to expect. Hits like 'Mamacita', 'Pass Out', 'Written in the Stars' have the crowd singing throughout the entire performance.
Over on the Radio 1 stage, The 1975 close out the day as the rain dies down and the sun sets over Strathallan Castle. There is nothing fancy about this performance, just a great selection of tunes which have a die hard crowd singing along to almost every track they belt out whist competing with the echoes of Calvin Harris on the main stage. This isnt an energetic performance by all means, but its worthy of the headlining spot for this stage.
Red Hot Chilli Peppers topped off a superb weekend with a headline act reminiscent of their last 2006 headline appearance. Even strangely leaving hits, Californication and Dani California off the set list didn’t make for a disappointing show. The Chilli’s in full form played a huge set filled with crowd pleasers, new singles, Chad Smith solos and the occasional handstand back onto stage from Flea. The strong set was played with swagger from frontman Anthony Kiedis backed up by plenty of energy and gratitude towards the crowd from the rest of the band.
One of the most unfortunate festival appearances would have come from LCD Soundsystem who barley drew a crowd to the Radio 1 stage. Major Lazer however drew a huge crowd to the Radio 1 stage with their mix of dubstep, reggae and house music. With Diplo flying all over the stage mic in hand hyping the crowd up at every opportunity, its an entertaining set bringing all sorts of dance moves and hands in the air reactions. Comeback king of 2016 is surely Craig David, armed with a DJ Booth and mic in hand, this is a talented performance as he single handedly mixes the music and sings. Singing over tunes like Justin Bieber's 'Love Yourself' and mixing it with his skillful rapping, his set ensures the crowd is bouncing for the entirety.
Its fair to say that this years T in the Park was a marked improvement on last year. Most of the issues that were encountered have been resolved and the event is well oiled engine that ran smooth over the entire weekend. Regardless of the wet weather and the muddy grounds, the performances across the weekend leave us feeling satsified & happy. We look forward to another year at the castle in 2017!
One of the biggest artists of the past 12 months, Grammy award winner and Brit nominated pop sensation Jess Glynne is to headline Splendour on 23 July 2016.
The booking comes on the back of an amazing year for the artist after her debut album – ‘I Cry When I Laugh’ – made her the biggest selling debut artist of the year. The album features her five number one singles including smash hit ‘Hold My Hand’ and its equally successful follow up ‘Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’, along with the recent single ‘Take Me Home’, the official song for Children in Need.
Jess is the first solo female artist to headline Splendour since Kate Nash took to the main stage in the first year of thefestival in 2008.
The singer, 26, has already equalled the record for the most number one singles by a British female solo artist — five — and has now announced a brand new single from the album, ‘Ain’t Got Far To Go’, due for release on 26 February via Atlantic.
The Human League and UB40 – two legendary bands with an outstanding back catalogue stretching back more than 40 years – join the bill on the main stage headlined by one of the hottest artists of the moment Jess Glynne, the Grammy award winner with an unbelievable 5 UK Number 1 singles from her chart topping debut album.
Another British singer with a debut number 1 album, Jamie Lawson is next on the bill with Turin Brakes, Jeremy Loops and local Nottingham artist Ady Suleiman also announced for the main stage. Suleiman has been earmarked as one to watch, his timelessly classic yet fresh sound has garnered him a broad range of influential fans from both sides of the Atlantic. The festival will once again be championing local talent by offering the opening slot of the main stage to the winner of the hotly contested Future Sound of Nottingham battle of the bands competition.
Across the park, multi-million selling megaband The Darkness will headline the Confetti stage along with The Fratellis, The Rifles, Stiff Little Fingers, Louis Berry, These Your Children and Eyre Llew.
Headlining the Acoustic Rooms stage will be British folk singer Will Varley, who has recently sold out The Bodega and supported Frank Turner at Rock City, followed by Brad Dear, Tom McCartney, Bru-C, Ellie Keegan, Josh Wheatley, Raphael Blake and Lowrie.
Over on the Funhouse Comedy stage, acts will include: John Ryan, Patrick Monahan, Ivan Brackenbury, El Baldiniho, Tom Binns, Vince Atta.
Formed in Sheffield in the late 1970s The Human League evolved into one of the seminal 80s electro pop bands. The band sold more than 20 million records and their classic pop masterpiece ‘Don’t You Want Me’ was a number one hit around the world.
Naming themselves after the unemployment benefit form, UB40 formed in 1978, before releasing their debut album ‘Signing Off’ in August 1980. It was the start of a career that has since seen the band have over forty UK Top 40 hit singles and achieve sales of over 100 million records. Led by Robin Campbell and Duncan Campbell on vocals, UB40 play Splendour for the first time following a sell-out show at Rock City in 2014.
British singer-songwriter Jamie Lawson is quickly making his mark on the music industry, as the first artist signed to Ed Sheeran’s record label, Gingerbread Man Records. In the whirlwind that followed, Jamie toured with Ed across the world and supported One Direction on their final full UK arena tour. His self-titled album reached #1 in the UK and has sold over a quarter of a million copies worldwide.
After a fantastic sell out show at Rock City in December, three-times Brit award winners The Darkness will be bringing some glam rock to the Confetti stage. Revellers can expect a high-energy set, full of remarkably catchy material, and unapologetic worship of old-school rock & roll including their classic “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”.
Scottish rockers The Fratellis will bring their turbo charged indie guitar tunes including top 10 hit singles "Chelsea Dagger" and "Whistle For The Choir".
2015 saw indie band The Rifles mark the ten year anniversary of their debut album ‘No Love Lost’ with four triumphant sold out Electric Ballroom shows in London and 2016 will see the release of their 5th album.
Punk rock stalwarts Stiff Little Fingers take to the stage before hotly tipped Liverpool-born singer-songwriter Louis Berry will take things in a soulful direction with his gritty rock 'n' roll with soul. Louis has won praise from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, John Kennedy at Radio X and Zane Lowe.
Bags ready tent purchased and we were ready to hit the road for an epic weekend of random antics, filled with laughter, good friends and live music, a line-up so large, that no one could contain their excitement.
Thursday evening has arrived tents up and its time to see what the Isle of Wight Festival 2016 has to offer. The 'Big Top' stage opens up with performances from 'The dolls', 'Maxi Jazz and the E-Type Boys' and 'The Cast', who were getting the audience ready for the headliners of the evening 'Status Quo'.
'Status Quo' hit the stage at 9:30 to perform to the festival goers, filling out the 'Big Top', and leaving fans to listen from the sidelines, filling the area around the Big top, creating some members of the audience to suggest they should have opened up on the main stage as the sound was distorted by the carnival in the background. 'Status Quo' performed songs such as ‘Down, Down’, ‘Caroline’, 'In the army now’ and 'Rocking all over the world’ Starting the festive antics with a powerful and electric performance, the audience roared in excitement which created a great atmosphere that thrived over the weekend at Isle of Wight Festival 2016; lining the stomach for the acts that will be hitting the stage in the days to come.
Friday was the first official opening of the main stage with performances from bands such as 'Reverend and the makers', 'Busted' and 'Everything Everything'. Just many of a great line up.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival
Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis share a joke as Busted perform on the main stage on Friday 'Busted' took us back the noughties performing hits such as ‘what I go to school for’, 'Air hostess’, 'Crashed the wedding’, and ending the performance with ‘Year 3000’. This was a nostalgic performance, creating a great atmosphere through the field as people interacted with the band and danced like no one was watching.
They were followed by 'Jess Glynne' a British female artist, Who took the crowd on a powerful journey opening up with ‘don’t be so hard on yourself’, and performing hits from her latest album such as ‘Hold my hand’, 'Real love' and ‘Take me home’ her vocals were flawless and her performance created a stamp on how the evening would continue.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival
For me the performers of the night were ‘Stereophonics', the crowd were waiting in anticipation as the welsh boys were getting ready to come on and perform to thousands of fans across the isle of wight, the weather was holding out and the sky was drawing in and they arrived, the crowd went wild and the anticipation was over, 'Kelly Jones' has such stage presence that captured and got the crowd to their feet, performing songs such as ‘Handbags and Gladrags’, 'Have a nice day’, 'local boy in a photograph’ and ‘A thousand trees’ hit after hit just blaring from the stage, getting better and better and each song bringing the audience to life. They ended with 'Dakota' getting the crowd to join in and get crazy for one last hit of the night before introducing their co-headliners 'Faithless'.
'Faithless' closed the night with and electric performance, performing hit such as ‘God is a DJ', ‘insomnia’ and ‘Fatty Boo’ just closing the night in the right way, Lights, good music and dancing all you needed was the glow sticks and you were set, this got the crowd ready for the rest of the weekend, for the acts to follow.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival
Saturday brought many artists to ‘The Big Top’ and ‘The Main Stage’ the festival was picking up and the bands were getting ready to perform for the many crowds surrounding them today.
The ‘Big Top’ seen many artists such as the ‘Simon Townsend’, ‘The Damned’ and ‘Pendulum’ perform throughout the day, Two artists stood out for me the most ‘Bang Bang Romeo’ and ‘Adam Ant’.'Bang Bang Romeo’ performed at the Isle of wight 2015 on the 'Jack Rocks Stage', they were invited back and given a space on the 'Big Top'stage for 2016, they gave a dynamic and creative performance, the Vocals were powerful and edgy, which created the atmosphere of their music and got the audience supporting the Yorkshire based band, performing songs such as ‘Chemical’, ‘Johannesburg’ and their new release ‘Invitation’.
The legendary ‘Adam Ant’ gave an eccentric performance, performing songs such as ‘Kings or the wild frontier’, ‘Dog eat Dog’, ‘Stand and Deliver’ and ‘Goody two shoes’. He bought the eighties to the festival, giving the crowd quirky and stand alone performance. To Help bring awareness Spandau Ballets 'Gary Kemp' and The Corrs 'Andrea Corr', performed 'Starman’ in a touching tribute to the late 'David Bowie’ for Stand up for cancer who are raising awareness and supporting those who have been affected by cancer. At 3:45 there was a short video celebrating 'David Bowie's’ Life and capturing hundreds of fans, bringing awareness for the course, by wearing 'David Bowie’ masks and posing for a picture on the MainStage.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival
The MainStage gave the crowd artists from ‘The Kills’,‘Turin Brakes’, ‘Alabama 3’ and ‘Polly Money’ warming up the audience for the headliners of the evening ‘The Who”. Before 'The Who’ we had some amazing acts perform ‘Iggy Pop’ hit the stage his character larger than life and his movements creating an interesting view as he performed hits such as 'Wild Thing’,‘Sweet 16’ and ‘Passenger’ the audience joined through the performance creating an atmosphere that leads on to the next performer to grace us with his presenc 'Richard Ashcroft’ performed songs from his album ‘Urban Hymns’ performing songs such as ‘Out of my body’, ‘Breaking the night with colour’ and two new ones ‘Hold on’ and ‘This is how it feels’ whilst performing classic such as ‘The drugs don’t work' and ending with the classic ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ the audience went crazy for this and it was an amazing way to introduce ‘The Who’.
'The Who’ headlined the isle of wight on Saturday night performing to a verity of individuals, people who have been following them since the sixties and the younger generation who has been influenced by their music from their parents of even their grandparents. ‘Peter Townsend’ and 'Roger Daltery’ performed for over 2 hours, performing hits such as ‘My generation’, ‘Behind blue eyes’,‘The Kids are alright’ and ‘Pinball Wizard’. They opened up the show with “who are you’ getting the crowd worked up and ready for the night ahead. After 5 decades of being together they still can put together a great live performance, even though at times there were moments of strain In ‘Roger Daltery’s’ voice but this overcame by the commitment to the performance, by showing that he still could hit those high notes in the song 'love reign O'er me’, put those moments of strain behind the crowd the ended a night with a high.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival
Sunday was the Day to celebrate the Queens 90th Birthday but not only celebrate one 'Queen', but to celebrate legend we know as ‘Queen’ the one and only 'Freddie Mercury’. With 'Queen with Adam Lambert' Headlining the final show of the weekend. The show everyone has been waiting for.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Festival
On the Sunday 'The big Top’ welcomed artists such as ‘The Novatones’, ‘The Carnaby's’,‘Reef' and ‘The Second Sons’. The Big Top was closed by the Welsh band known as‘Feeder' after 'Queen' had closed the MainStage, ‘Feeder' performed songs such as ‘Buck Rogers’, ‘Just the way I am feeling’ and ‘Just a day’ bringing the audience that was already buzzing to their feet, dancing and bouncing around the tent intertwining and celebrating the end of an amazing festival. Their performance was electrifying, loud and on point. A fab close to a fantastic day. The Main Stage was warming up and bring the sunshine out, acts such as ‘Twin Atlantic’, ‘Half Moon Run’ and ‘The Cribs’ performed alongside Former ‘Genesis''Mike Rutherford’
With the band ‘Mike and the Mechanics’ performing some of the classics from ‘Genesis’‘I can’t dance’ and 'Land of confusion’ bringing the sun out with every song, the crowd building up and joining the band on a sunny but yet cloudy day. This was a great way to start the Sunday line up for me. 'Ocean Colour Scene’ set of the evening with ‘Hundred Mile High City’ bringing the audience to their feet, one hit after another ‘The RiverboatSong’, ‘The day we caught the train’ and ‘You’ve got it bad’ this got people pumping and ready, even with the rain this did not stop the crowd from jumping up and down and enjoying themselves at the Isle of wight festival.
Now that we were warmed up, rained on and waiting in anticipation…. 'Queen' was about to come on, the music starts and the crowd roars, the field was packed to the edges, from everyone finding their perfect spot, so they could enjoy the celebrate the life and legend of 'Freddie Mercury'captured through the Vocals of 'Adam Lambert'. This is the closest we will ever get to seeing Queen as a whole, 'Brian May', 'Roger Taylor' and the flamboyant singer 'Mr Lambert'. 'Lambert' from the start made it known that he was not there to replace 'Freddie Mercury' as no-one could, but to bring the songs that were once created and performed by a legend to life, and to honour and celebrate his life. With Rock Legends 'May' and 'Taylor'.'Lambert' captivated the audience with his outgoing and eccentric performance, starting the night off with ‘One Vision’ and from their belting out hit after hit such as, ‘Fat Bottom Girls’, ‘Another One bites the dust’, ‘I want to break free’ ‘Don’t stop me now’ and ‘Somebody to Love’. Whilst Performing ‘Lambert’ dedicated a song to the Victims of the Orlando shooting and anyone affected by acts of terrorism, he performed a beautiful and heart warming version of ‘Who wants to live forever’. 'Brian May’ Performs ‘Love of my life’ asking the audience to join in, dedicating this song to the late 'Freddie Mercury', at the end of the performance a video Clip of ‘Freddie Mercury’ finishing the song to the audience is introduced. This is closest that we would come to witnessing the Legend Perform. This was used in one more song ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ using ‘Lambert’ and Clips of ‘Mercury’ to perform parts of the song to the crowd. This was done just right, not overdone but capturing the man that helped to build such great Anthems. The crowd joined in for every song and captured every moment together ‘Radio Ga Ga’ was a highlight of my evening everyone in the audience clapping and creating that moment When they sing “Radio Ga Ga ( Two Claps) Radio Go Go" and the audience clap in the middle , that for me was epic and immense, it is something I have always wanted to be involved in and now I can tick this moment of my bucket list. They Finished the show with such power and energy that we were still buzzing even when they were no longer on, They performed ‘We Will Rock you’ and ‘We are the Champions’ Everyone joined in sang their hearts out and enjoyed the show-stopping, breathtaking band of the weekend, they truly finished with a Bang.
A Show turning event for the Isle of Wight festival 2016!
Last summer Ibiza Rocks celebrated 10 phenomenal years of being the home of live music in Ibiza and the ground-breaking brand are back with another blistering line up including the hugely anticipated return of LCD Soundsystem who will headline the coveted birthday slot for this Ibiza exclusive. Mercury prize nomineesSlaves will kick things off at the opening party on 15th June before an incredible array of open-air starlit summer shows follow from a mix of music’s finest including dance music pioneers Faithless, Grammy Award winner Jess Glynne, festival giants Kaiser Chiefs, BBC Sound Of 2016 and BRITs Critic Choice Award winnerJack Garratt, electronic music troupe Major Lazer Soundsystem and multi-platinum selling rapper Tinie Tempah.
Slaves were part of the standout show of the summer last year when they supported The Libertines for Ibiza Rocks sold-out 10th Birthday show. Following the success of their critically acclaimed debut ‘Are You Satisfied?’ and widely regarded as one of the most exciting live acts on the scene right now, the garage-punk duo will proudly return as headliners in their own right.
Slaves said: “Last year it was madness and one of the best experiences we’ve had as a band so far. We’re fans of The Libertines so that was an honour and we had non stop fun. Ibiza being associated with clubbers makes it all the more special when you’re playing really loud rock to everybody. We can’t wait to get back to Ibiza Rocks. What a crowd.”
Staying true to Rocks longstanding reputation for championing the very best new talent, next up in June is BBC Sound of 2016 and BRITs Critic Choice award winner Jack Garratt. Already part of the family, Jack captivated the crowd during his intimate set at the Ibiza Rocks Christmas party last year and now he will bring his multi-instrumental live show to the world-famous Ibiza Rocks main stage for the very first time, supported by supreme new talent, electronic-soul duo HONNE.
Jack Garratt said:"I've already packed my tie-dye vests, speedos and enough UV body paint to paint the town LIT.”
Three times Grammy award winners LCD Soundsystem play a very proud part in Ibiza Rocks’ history. When the band played the Music Box at Manumission’s 10th Birthday in 2004, it proved so inspirational that it cemented the belief that live music had a home on the White Isle and in 2005 Ibiza Rocks was born. The headline shows LCD Soundsystem subsequently played at Ibiza Rocks Bar (2007) and Ibiza Rocks Hotel (2010) stand out as another two of the most significant Rocks events of all time. Just months after their last Rocks gig James Murphy announced one final farewell, sold-out show at the iconic Madison Square Gardens, making the memories of the Ibiza shows all the more poignant. It’s now time to celebrate the bands hotly anticipated comeback and their choice to return to Ibiza Rocks for one of only a handful of live shows anywhere in the world this summer. Almost exclusively headlining major festivals such as Coachella and Primavera, LCD Soundsystem will bring the fans much closer to the music with this long-awaited gig back ‘home’ in the intimate poolside setting of Ibiza Rocks Hotel for Part 1 of Rocks’ Birthday celebrations in July.
Super-producer Diplo and his electronic dance troupe Major Lazer Soundsystem will keep the party vibes in full flow with their eclectic soundsystem mix of house, dancehall and electro. Having first played the Rocks stage In 2012, Major Lazer have gone on to become one of the most in demand acts in the world and achieved the biggest hit of last year with ‘Lean On’ – the most streamed single of all time, achieving over 540 million streams and 1.21 billion youtube views. Fresh from playing a historic concert in Cuba to over 500,000 people, Major Lazer will bring the same electric energy to the world- famous Rocks stage in July to conclude Rocks birthday celebrations.
One of the biggest female artists in the world right now and no stranger to Ibiza, Grammy award winner Jess Glynne first played Ibiza Rocks in 2014 supporting Rudimental and will now return as a No.1 album selling, chart-topping solo star for her own headline show in July.
Ibiza Rocks will proudly welcome back a band that were pivotal to shaping the success of Ibiza Rocks when it launched over 10 years ago. Kaiser Chiefs played one of the first ever shows in 2005 before the gigs moved to the 500 capacity Ibiza Rocks Bar (Bar M) in 2007 and the band featured on a truly memorable summer line up that included Arctic Monkeys, LCD Soundsystem, Mark Ronson and Kasabian. The Leeds lads will return for their 5th headline show in August and clearly can’t wait to celebrate one of summer’s most special gigs once again.
Kasier Chiefs said:“A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, we played Ibiza Rocks for the first time, in the backroom of club Manumission. It gets better and better every time, so here we go with the 5th installment. See you by the pool!”
Tine Tempah loves Ibiza and Ibiza loves him. A firm fan favourite with a high-energy, captivating live show, Tinie will be Balearic bound once more to wow the crowds with new material and huge hits including his UK No.1 single ‘Not Letting Go’ wihich features fellow Rocks artist Jess Glynne.
With over 15 million record sales under their belt, pioneering dance outfit Faithless were one of the first acts to play Ibiza Rocks in 2005 and reunited last summer to celebrate their 20th anniversary, performing as part of Radio 1’s ’20 Years in Ibiza’ weekend at Ibiza Rocks Hotel. It is with huge excitement that Ibiza Rocks welcomes the band back for a full headline Ibiza Rocks show in August.
The Ibiza Rocks brand consistently boasts a bill crammed with the biggest international artists, best breakthrough talent and cutting edge DJs. Summer 2015 will see the celebration of Ibiza Rocks 11th Birthday during the 14 weeklong season of spectacular outdoor gigs.
Shane Murray, Brand Director, Ibiza Rocks Group said:“This year is hugely exciting for us at Ibiza Rocks as we embark on our second decade on the island. LCD Soundsystem debuted for us way back in 2004 for a show that was pivotal in inspiring our live music revolution in Ibiza. It felt special – upstart promoters and a maverick producer challenging the way things were. They return as one of the world’s biggest bands and we couldn’t be prouder. With Faithless and Major Lazer Soundsystem joining us we’ve got three global festival headliners at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel this year and that’s because there simply isn’t another gig atmosphere like it for artists and fans alike. Then we have new talents like Slaves, Jack Garratt and Jess Glynne who we’ve brought up through the ranks from support slots to headliners and firm favourites like Tinie Tempah and Kaiser Chiefs who consistently put on a brilliant live show. There’s more to come and we can’t wait.”
Ibiza Rocks 2016 line up so far:
15/06 OPENING PARTY WITH SLAVES 29/06 JACK GARRATT | HONNE 06/07 IBIZA ROCKS BIRTHDAY (PART 1) WITH LCD SOUNDSYSTEM 13/07 IBIZA ROCKS BIRTHDAY (PART 2) WITH MAJOR LAZER SOUNDSYSTEM 20/07 JESS GLYNNE 27/07 TINIE TEMPAH 03/08 KAISER CHIEFS 31/08 FAITHLESS
Ibiza Rocks every Wednesday from 15th June – 14th September 2016 We Are Rockstars every Friday from 3rd June – 16th September 2016 Craig David’s TS5 Pool Party every Sunday – 17th July – 4th September 2016
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.
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 TyDolla $ignwho has combined hip-hop and contemporary R&B to create a truly unique sound.
With additional performances by duo Sigma and current UK number 1 album holders, The 1975, Wireless looks forward to giving festival goers the ultimate music experience this summer.
Artists announced: Action Bronson, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Anne-Marie, A$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
