Metronomy

Secret Garden Party will close it curtains for good in 2017

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The multi award-winning Secret Garden Party, the event that set the creative benchmark for festivals in the UK and around the world, announced today that this year’s event, July 20-23, will be the final instalment in its illustrious 15-year tenure as one of the most celebrated events on the summer festival calendar.

From humble beginnings as a gathering with a few hundred friends the passionately independent Secret Garden Party has grown organically over the years. Its fun-loving friendly outlook, its much-loved eccentricity, and its meticulous attention to detail has inspired and enabled a generation of creative artists, musicians and performers to develop and thrive, whilst embracing the core values of friendship, participation and ownership with its audience. It has also been a major hub for leftfield, like-minded people who were eager to ‘escape to reality’ through the counter-culture. It can be proud of a legacy that inspired so much (and so many) as well as having been the setting for such a collection of wonderful memories and lifelong friendships.

There is never a perfect time to announce this as either too early or too late would have consequences for the loyal gardeners.

Founder and Head Gardener Freddie Fellowes says:

“15 years ago I started out with a set of ideas as to what makes a good party and the most perfect venue for it. But with no set idea of what the destination was for this venture the ‘festival’ was, at that time, the perfect medium through which to explore these ideas. But rather than getting too excited and telling you about the phoenix we are going to raise from all of this, it bears explaining why we are lighting the fire.

Much has changed since our first Garden Party, when there was nothing else like it in the UK: Facebook, YouTube and Twitter had yet to be invented and no one knew what a boutique festival was, let alone Glamping.

Since then the Garden Party has defined and redefined outdoor events in the UK; we have done so as a collective of truly independent outsiders.

We have never compromised our principles and we never will. SGP has always been a beacon of what you can do within those terms and, as imitation (being the sincerest form of flattery) proves, it has set the bar for everyone else going forward.

But it is exactly because of those principles, and the love of those who have made the Garden Party what it is, that we are committing this senseless act of beauty.

What better way to honour the love that has been given to this project and wholly demonstrate this principle than finishing now? This isn’t some principled self-immolation: this is opening up it for the future. So this summer will be the almighty send-off that the Garden Party deserves and whilst that is going to cause some tears to be shed, think of it more as ‘Dylan goes electric’ than our Altamont.

Because after all you can’t be avant-garde from within an institution and lest we forget: the frontier always moves.”

 

Come join us for the grande finale!

 

Secret Garden Party announce new addition to 2017 lineup

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The Secret Garden Party is very pleased to announce new additions to its live music line up for 2017. They are as follows:

 

CRYSTAL FIGHTERS

WILD BEASTS / PEACHES

JORJA SMITH / FICKLE FRIENDS / BONZAI

THE MOONLANDINGZ / ALL THEM WITCHES / KATE  NASH / JAIN/ PUMAROSA

WILL JOSEPH COOK / TOM GRENNAN / MABEL / BE CHARLOTTE / TOOTHLESS

NORTH DOWNS / SERAMIC / CHARLOTTE OC / LAUREL

AINE CAHILL / COSMO SHELDRAKE

 

Combining Basque folk instruments and melodies with modern dance beats, Crystal Fighters bring a joyous mix of sunshine sounds, psychedelia and rave to the Party. Their new and third album, ‘Everything is My Family,’ continues to win plaudits across the board for its uplifting celebration of life, love and family. Live they guarantee an all-out energetic, pulsating assault on the senses. The perfect third headliner for this year’s Secret Garden Party.

Line up announced so far is:

CRYSTAL FIGHTERS / METRONOMY

TOOTS & THE MAYTALS

WILD BEASTS / PEACHES / RAY BLK / HONNE / JAGWAR MA

REJJIE SNOW / JEREMY LOOPS / TOM MISCH / AKALA / JORJA SMITH /  FICKLE FRIENDS / BONZAI /THE MOONLANDINGZ / DEAP VALLY / ALL THEM WITCHES /  KATE NASH / JAIN / PUMAROSA / ZAK ABEL  / WILL JOSEPH COOK / TOM GRENNAN / MABEL / ETTA BOND / BE CHARLOTTE / TOOTHLESS / NORTH DOWNS / LET’S EAT GRANDMA / SERAMIC / CHARLOTTE OC / LAUREL / AINE CAHILL / COSMO SHELDRAKE / MONT JAKE

…with many more artists, djs and parties still to be announced

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FAME GAMES & WONKY RACES

This year’s theme ‘Sweet Dreams…are made of this?’ takes a wry and humorous look at the fame game. . Is being a celebrity it all it’s cracked up to be? Or, do we want to change the world…together?  Secret Garden Party takes you on the ride of your life.

 

Field Day 2014 Review

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S A T U R D A Y

I dressed for rain and lightening as i left my house for Victoria Park. Field Day would be my first taste of festival. The sun burned down on my super cool VIP wrist band as i rushed through the park to the Crack Magazine stage to catch the last few songs of Thursten Moore, the sonic youth God. 

This was the beginning of a long day, of walking to and throw. Of losing friends and meeting nice Irish men who buy you sambuca shots. I feasted my eyes on stalls of food from every cuisine; animal carcuses next to The Buddah Bowl which served and absolutely divine bowl of rice and something. With no money in my pocket, i had to resign myself to the spoonful i was offered from the bottom of my pals bowl. I walked past fair ground rides and adults playing tug of war surrounded by hay bails. There was so much going on that i became overwhelmed, and as time flew by me i couldnt even recall what i had been doing since i arrived. The sun began to set as i sat on a plastic covered ground to hear Metronomy play out over their zillion fans. It was soon to be the set that i had been waiting for.

The summer ale had gone to my headm as i stumbled through the darkness to find the stage. Red light shone through clouds of of smoke over a sea of figures and the band above. Tailored black trousers and a temporary shirtm towered above me and sung what i’d been waiting to hear. Fat White Family were before me, I had been waiting to see them perform and their presence on stage was surreal. Shrouded beneath the huge tent, encroached by darkness and a chanting croud. It had the feeling of a cult, a gathering of of believers waiting to hear the voice of their leader in the hope of hearing something divine. A skinny half naked preacher stood before them through war-like red smoke, his convulsing body moving back and forth while belting out the words of his heart.

The set ended to screams of encore, to no availm as the band were to later play at The Shacklewell Arms. The first day ended as part of a slow walking mass, silhuettes passing out of the gates and into the empty night. Victoria Park lit up ahead like  beams from the stars, over a scattered sea of noise and sweat covered flesh.

S U N D AY

Sunday played host to some amazing up and coming artists, with The Pixies bringing home with their headline slot at 9.30pm.  The day begain with Brighton based band The Wytches opening on the Main stage. Their performance was raw and unpretentious, a beautiful screaching voice through parted brown locks and striped tee. Looking backm they were my favourite set of the day. Temples followed with glittered face and psych sounds that flowed in waves over the heat stroke croud. I rushed across to catch the end of Telegram, a London based band who i caught their first few gigs at the Shacklewell and the Old Blue Last in mid 2013. They have been doing super well, releasing their amazing single ‘Follow’ as well as touring with numerous well known bands throughout the Uk. Their set was really great, vocalist Matt Saunders filled the tent with his deep, powerful voice that bellowed over drums pounded by the fierce, fragile frame of drummer Jordan. 

The Horrors had the main stage before The Pixies. Playing Field Day as the first in a string of european gigs and festival dates this year, touring their recently released album ‘Luminous’.  The croud filed in to see and hold their spots, the glare of the sun bouncing of pale shoulders, beer cans and lost on the grass beneath thousands of feet. Their performance was great as expected of these boys.

The atmosphere throughout the weekend was a sweet light-hearted daze of sweat and sunshine. There were all the staples of an amazing time, all gathered together in a safe but lax environment. Situated in an access with such easy access from the centre of London, in the middle of the beautiful Victoria Gardens. Having a platform for presenting emerging UK bands as well as such significant international bands like The Pixies, and dishing it out in such a beautiful part of london is amazing. I look forward to the line up for next year.

 


Created with flickr slideshow.

 

Field Day 2014 latest lineup information

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The Summer Festival guide has the latest lineup details for this years Field Day Festival which takes place in London's Victoria Park in June.

Leading this years lineup are electronic masters Metronomy on Saturday and The Pixes (only London show for 2014) on Sunday.

Ahead of her show in London this week, Field Day is extremely pleased to welcome iconic 80s legend Neneh Cherry, who will be playing as part of Saturday's line-up.  

Also joining them is a huge host of talented artists.

Saturday's lineup is confirmed as follows:

Arthur Beatrice, Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks, Bake, Eyedress, FunkinEven (live), Jamie Isaac, Jamie xx, Jen Long DJ, Marc Riley DJ, Neneh Cherry & RocketNumberNine, Only Real, Phil Taggart DJ, ReviveHer, Tourist, Metronomy, All We Are, Blood Orange, Charlotte OC, Courtney Barnett, Danny Brown, DJ Barely Legal, Dusky, East India Youth, Éclair FiFi, Erol Alkan b2b Daniel Avery, Evian Christ (DJ), Fat White Family, George Fitzgerald, Gerd Janson, Ghostpoet, Huw Stephens, Innervisions: Dixon b2b Ame, Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Jackmaster & Oneman present Can U Dance, Jagwar Ma, James Holden (live), Jessy Lanza, John Wizards, Jon Hopkins, Lunice, Money, Moxie, Omar Souleyman, Oneohtrix Point Never, Pawws, Ryan Hemsworth, SBTRKT, Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80 , Simian Mobile Disco, Sky Ferreira, Slackk b2b Samename, SOHN , SOPHIE, Teleman, The Temper Trap, Tim Burgess (DJ), Todd Terje (live), Vessel, Warpaint + more TBA

Sunday's lineup is confirmed as follows:

Childhood, Drenge, Shy Nature, Telegram, The Bohicas, Pixies (Only London show in 2014), The Horrors, Temples, POND + more TBA

Its not just music that is coming to Field Day, check out Street Feast which brings London's premier night food market to the grounds of Victoria Park.

Street Feast has always had a festival atmosphere, so we’re very excited to be teaming up with Field Day this summer, to bring London’s best street food to one of London’s best festivals. Whether its Rainbo’s fresh & healthy gyoza or Hotbox’s 9 hour slow smoked beef ribs, there’s something for everyone, made by people with passion. From the moment the first band starts at midday there’ll be a range of great food on offer, so people can make a real day of it snacking on tacos, steamed gua bao, great pizza and spicy pulled pork naans. Field Day have always set the standard with their line up of bands and this year with Street Feast they’ll have a line up of food to match.

Street Feast

Parked in the middle of the Street Feast area, the lovely people of Greenwich based Meantime Brewery, will be drafting their freshest lager: Inside the Beer Tank are two maturation vessels holding brewery-fresh beer, which remains unfiltered and unpasteurized: it is still living, which allows it to continue to mature. Drinking Brewery Fresh Lager is second only to drinking beer direct from the brewery! 

But Meantime Brewery are not the only independent brewery on board this year: The London’s Brewers’ Market will be appearing at Field Day for the first time, presenting a round up of the very best of London’s craft brewing scene. The London Brewers’ Market will bring together the cream of the crop! Featured breweries will include the following, with more tba: The Five Points Brewing Company (Hackney), Hackney Brewery (Hackney), Beavertown Brewery (Hackney Wick), Fourpure Brewing Co (Bermondsey, London), Late Knights Brewery (Crystal Palace).

Last but not least, we are also very happy to welcome back Clapham Common’s Venn Street Market for the fourth consecutive year. The market will bring the most delicious food from around the globe, including Mamas Jerk, Mei Mei Street Cart, Taco Truck, Dhaba Lane, Wholefood Heaven, The Handmade Scotch Eggs Co, Anna Mae’s and many more!

Wilderness Festival 2014 lineup announced!

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We are pretty excited to let you know that the lineup for this years Wilderness Festival has been announced.  This idyllic, eclectic and gloriously paradisiacal music and arts festival returns for its forth installment to the lovely surroundings of Cornbuy Park in Oxfordshire from 7th – 10th August 2014. 

Live Music & Dancing

Metronomy, Burt Bacharach, London Grammar, Jessie Ware with the Wilderness Orchestra, Sam Smith, Connan Mockasin, Gregory Porter, Submotion Orchestra, Mount Kimbie, Soak, Friends of the Earth Busking Stage

“BitterSuite” – A Sensory Concert

Travelling Folk Barn with Two for Joy , The Local and The English Folk Dance & Song Society

Feasts & Gastronomy

Long Table Banquets with Simon Rogan, Angela Hartnett, Russell Norman

The return of Sam & Sam Clark’s Moro Souk Tent, St. John Dining Room & Bakery, Wilderness Cookery School

Late Night Revelry from

Greg Wilson, Futureboogie, Horse Meat Disco, Zero 7 (DJ), The Quarry hosted by Rumpus, Artful Badger, Shangri La Superstar & Continental Drifts, The Astronomers Ball, Aircraft Circus’s Midnight Circus.

Spectacular Processions and Fire Shows inspired by the infamous Wychwood Forest Fayres created by Macnas And Now:

Tented Theatre, Art & Promenade Performances

Victoria and Albert Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe, Slung Low, Oxford Shakespeare Company presents “As You Like It”,

Bohemian Artists Studio, Son and Sons Productions, Petersham Playhouse

Talks, Debates and Literary Arts curated by Secret Forum, with support from The Huffington Post UK

Intelligence Squared, School of Life, the British Humanist Association, How To Academy, Project Wild Thing, Letters of Note, Royal Observatory Greenwich, the Odditorium, George Monbiot, HuffPost UK’s Mehdi Hasan, Tongue Fu, Guerilla Science, Book Slam, Guerilla Archaeology, Spark London, Chill Pill, Ugly Animal Preservation Society, Liars League,

Letters of Note, Sunday Papers Live

Outdoor Pursuits & Wellbeing

Lakeside Spa, The Sanctuary, Sunset Yoga Classes, Pilates, Massages and Facials, Hunter Gather Cook, Fly Fishing, Horse Riding, Long Bow Archery, Wild Swimming, Woodland Foraging Walks, Boating, Greencrafts, Forest Runs, Philosophy Walks, Tai Chi, Morning Meditation, Capoeira

Family Magic & Games

Storystock, Charles Dickens Museum, Roald Dahl Museum, Angel Gardens, Discover Children’s Story Centre, Hullabaloo Arts, Mortimer Nannies, Croquet, Bearded Kitten’s Cricket Match, Chap Olympics, Village Hall

 

Portishead, Röyksopp & Robyn and more set for Melt Festival

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Portishead, Röyksopp & Robyn, Moderat, Fritz Kalkbrenner, Haim, Metronomy and many more artists to perform in front of the industrial backdrop of Ferropolis from 18 to 20 July.

Preparations for this year's Melt! Festival, which takes place from 18 – 20 July in Ferropolis, are well underway. But before we will reveal the first 40+ acts, we want to say thank you to all of you who helped us win the 'Best Medium-Sized Festival' award in the Festival Awards Europe. Your votes were very much appreciated. So now for some exciting news for all of you who have been eagerly awaiting our first line-up announcement as we can reveal the first names to play beneath the impressive coal-mining diggers in the 'City of Iron'.

We're thrilled to confirm that Portishead will be honouring us with an exclusive performance under the Ferropolis night sky this year. Since the mid-90s, the legendary Bristolian three-piece has been shaping the musical landscape, capturing the zeitgeist with the distinguished sound of debut 'Dummy' and the self-titled sophomore album. In 2008, Portishead returned with 'Third' and an exciting avant-garde approach, once more challenging the boundaries of contemporary music. 

Once again, Röyksopp and Robyn joined forces and went back into the studio together. Merging the best of both worlds, Röyksopp & Robyn Do It Again 2014 will make its Germany exclusive stopover at Melt! this year. An energetic blast of Scandinavian electro pop is coming our way.

Last year, only a few weeks before the release of their second album, Moderat II, Moderat got behind the decks at our Melt!Selektor Stage. After having almost completely sold out their upcoming tour, you'll get another chance to see them live in Ferropolis this summer. We're also delighted to welcome Fritz Kalkbrenner back to the fold, one of the Melt! enthusiasts since day one. Dragging glittery 80s pop into the 21stcentury, Haim will be travelling all the way from sunny LA to the Melt! peninsula. Arriving from the UK,Metronomy will be presenting their fourth album, Love Letters. The Melt!Selektor Stage as well as residentEllen Allien and her Bpitch crew will join us once more while the directional house imprint, Innvervisions, will celebrate its first special with label bosses Âme (DJ-Set) and Dixon plus Mano Le Tough, Marcus Worgull, Recondite (live), Kim Ann Foxman (DJ-Set) and more.  

Blink 182 to headline Reading & Leeds Festival 2014

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With amazing memories of this summer still fresh, Reading & Leeds Festivals are excited to reveal that the first Main Stage headliner for the 2014 events will be the legendary Blink-182 in their only UK show! Joining them will be Jake Bugg,Disclosure, Metronomy, Of Mice & Men, Wilkinson and I Am Legion, the first amazing names set to appear across the Festivals for an unforgettable August Bank Holiday Weekend. The award-winning Reading & Leeds are the natural home for music lovers seeking the best acts, with the best atmosphere, surrounded by like-minded fans.
 
Festival boss Melvin Benn comments:
 
“2013 was a year of exciting additions for Reading & Leeds Festivals, making them bigger and better than ever. With extra stages and genres at both sites, there was a new diversity for all our fans to enjoy. However the core essence of the festival hasn’t changed and I think the line-up for next year will most certainly reflect that.  I know our fans will be delighted to welcome back our first headliners, Blink-182, with what promises to be an amazing show, as well as the brilliant Jake Bugg stepping up to the Main Stage. I can’t wait to reveal the rest of our incredible line-up, so watch this space!”
 
Blink 182
 
Firm fan favourites, Blink-182 first played Reading & Leeds in 1999 and blew the Main Stage sky-high when they headlined in 2010. Mark, Tom and Travis return in 2014 to headline the Main Stage with their incendiary punk-pop anthems and you can be sure they’ll perform a set laden with hits such as ‘All The Small Things’, ‘Dammit’ and much more. The band will also be giving fans a debut airing of the much-anticipated forthcoming seventh studio album which will be released next summer, the first new material since their self-released EP in 2012, which featured ‘Dogs Eating Dogs’ and ‘Disaster.’ A band that never fails to deliver, this is a booking that will bring a smile to every ardent Reading & Leeds fan and will be the band’s only UK shows of 2014.
 
Mark Hoppus adds:
 
"I’m stoked to play Reading & Leeds 2014.  It’s our fourth time playing the festivals, and we’re very honoured.  The new year will see us in the studio preparing new music, getting ready to rock the fine people of the UK.  Prepare for the fury."
 
Jake Bugg is one of the biggest success stories of Reading & Leeds Festivals in recent years. Even before he released his first album he’d already made his debut on the Festival Republic Stage in 2012. Returning to the Festivals in 2013, having travelled the world and received numerous accolades, Jake moved further up the bill, and with a Number One debut album under his belt, drew huge crowds to enjoy a hit laden set. Now following the release of his brilliant second album 'Shangri La', produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, we can announce that Jake will make another significant step up this year, taking his deserved place on the Main Stage. 
 
Commenting on his appearance Jake said:
 
"Reading & Leeds have become a bit of a regular feature of my summers lately, so it's amazing to be asked back again. I was just kind of starting out the first time I played and it was a really important gig for me. Playing this year was fun and seemed like lots more people knew the songs; it was great hearing everyone singing the words back at me. I'm sure playing on the Main Stage will be a different experience again, so it's exciting. I've got my new album out so there's plenty of time for people to learn the words. It should be pretty special."
 
Often an artist like Jake Bugg comes along, who is so relevant and whose music has created such a buzz that fans demand their return to the Festivals; it is only right that Reading & Leeds provide the platform to see these artists excel. Another great example of this is Disclosure, the most successful British dance act in a generation, who turned the genre on its head in 2013 and opened the door for a host of underground dance acts to flood the mainstream.  Throughout the year Disclosure soared to the top of the charts with their debut album ‘Settle’ and sold out venues across the world. Their set at last year’s Reading & Leeds was one of the stand out moments of the Festivals and the brothers return in 2014 with an arsenal of hit singles and a fearsome live reputation, this will be a headline performance in a packed arena.
 
Disclosure Reading Leeds 2014
 
Quintessentially English, modern pop act, Metronomy are one of the country’s most compelling live acts and make a welcome return to Reading & Leeds. New track 'I'm Aquarius' was launched by Zane Lowe as his Hottest Record In The World, had 120,000 SoundCloud plays in a matter of hours and went straight to Number One on Hype Machine.  There is a new album ‘Love Letters’, recorded at the legendary Toe Rag studios, due in March 2014 and it promises to translate brilliantly to the live show. 
 
Reading & Leeds introduced the exclusively rock element as an extension of the Lock Up Stage for the first time in 2013, providing a dedicated destination for the Festivals’ legions of rock and metal fans.  Featuring memorable sets from Shikari Sound System, Funeral For A Friend and more, this was an extremely popular addition. Now for 2014 Reading & Leeds welcome Southern Californian metalcore quintet, Of Mice & Men. The band release their eagerly anticipated third album ‘Restoring Force’ in January 2014 via Rise Records, the follow up to breakthrough album 'The Flood'. Having received nothing but adulation across the rock media, and instantly selling out London’s Koko, these achievements are testament to where this band are going, and where they’re going is Reading & Leeds! Their exclusive festival performances in England & Wales will be ones not to miss.
 
2013 saw a three day stage for all things electronic headlined by Magnetic Man, Sub Focus and Knife Party, proving there is a huge thirst for dance amongst the Reading & Leeds faithful. Just confirmed for 2014 is Mark ‘Wilkinson’, now a household name thanks to the massive hit, and dance chart Number One ‘Afterglow’, taken from his debut longplayer ‘Lazers Not Included’. He’s managed to retain all his credibility thanks to his masterful production talents and skills as a DJ. He won ‘Best Breakthrough Producer’ at the National D&B Awards, an accolade that is sure to be followed by many more.
 
All-new in 2013, an additional urban and hip-hop stage saw Wiley, Devlin and Wretch 32 heading up a cast of many of the Urban elite. This bass heavy stage was a great hit with fans and is guaranteed to be better than ever in 2014.  Combining grime, hip-hop, dubstep, drum and bass, and some stuff that’s yet to be defined, it’s safe to say that I Am Legion are in a league of their own. Their explosive self-titled collaborative album is the side project of Dutch record producers Noisia and Foreign Beggars rappers Metropolis and Orifice Vulgatron. This fresh and distinctive collective will bring a turbo-charged atmosphere with them to Reading & Leeds.

Metronomy and more added to Green Man Festival lineup!

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Since then, The English Riviera – Metronomy’s incredible third album – has catapulted the band into the stratosphere: a gorgeous, unashamed pop record full of languid, sunset funk songs tailor-made for a balmy summer’s evening.

Featuring the already classic singles Everything Goes My Way and The Look, The English Riviera was undoubtedly one of the defining records of last year. We know you’ll join us in welcoming Metronomy back to Green Man 2012 with open arms – it should be a night to remember!

Also newly added to the line-up for this summer’s Green Man are…

Savages – all-girl four piece Savages have smashed their way on to the music scene, only playing their debut show at the beginning of the year, their intense and energetic live shows have been excited fans and critics alike, being described by many as the best new band in London.

Loney, Dear – the Swedish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emil Svanangen, released his utterly stunning latest album Hall Music at the end of 2011. His live set promises to be a real treat.

Tom Williams & The Boat – following their enchanting performance at our annual Boat Party we’ve invited the six piece to join us in the Black Mountains. Their new album Teenage Blood which was released last month via the ever-discerning Moshi Moshi label, showcases the poetic sharp wit and heartfelt tales of love lost from the six-piece “anti-folk” band.

Head over to the Walled Garden where a whole host of top DJs and our 24hr bars will keep the celebrations going well into the early hours!!

I/O (Stornoway Afrogrids DJ set) – we're welcoming Stornoway back to the Black Mountains with open arms but this year they'll be spinning some records to this special DJ set

Communion DJs (featuring Michael Kiwanuka) – founded by Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons), musician Kevin Jones, and acclaimed producer Ian Grimble, the Communion label quickly grown into a flourishing hub of new talent, working with artists such as by Marcus Foster, Matt Corby, Johnny Flynn, Alessi's Ark, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, and many more!

Cover to Cover – the brainchild Sean Rowley (Guilty Pleasures) and Christian Laing (Buttoned Down Disco) take you on a weird and wonderful journey as they celebrate cover versions from right across the genres including oddities you will never of heard of, until now!

Adam Walton Crackling Vinyl – listen in to his Saturday night BBC Radio Wales show and you can hear the likes of Sun Ra, Fairport Convention, Big Black, War and Westlife, all rubbing shoulders with the finest new Welsh musical talent.

Jen Long – following her much talked about DJ set last year’s festival we’ve invited the new music journalist and BBC Introducing DJ back to the Walled Garden on Friday night.

And the great music doesn’t stop there:  Chai Wallahs make sure the party will continue long into the night with over 40 live bands and DJs playing the very best in reggae, rap, blues, jazz, hip hop, dub and dance!

A giant Bedouin marquee serving a feast of food and drink until 5am daily, Chai Wallahs is the perfect place for a lazy, hazy afternoon chill or a late night dancefloor freakout. Check out the latest amazing acts joining the ever-expanding line-up:

Dizraeli & The Small Gods – a 7 piece band from England, playing a folked, melodic, unashamedly heartfelt reinvention of hiphop.

Coda – live dubstep band from London, who’s sets fuse together the raw energy of a traditional band performance with the flow, excitement and hype of a DJ set.

Heymoonshaker – duo Dave Crowe and Andy BaLcon met in New Zealand, they now bring their beat box & blues to the Black Mountains!

Laid Blak – Brought together by producer DJ Bunjy and MC Joe Peng, their musical direction took a course that has led them to seek out some of Bristol’s finest musicians, and what started as a studio project evolved into this acclaimed live act…Laid Blak.

Polaroid 85 – Their soulful, piano-led compositions are infused with elements of jazz, drum’n’bass, dubstep, broken-beat, world, classical and folk music, taking the listener on a varied sonic journey.

Also joining the Chai Wallahs’ line-up this year at Green Man are: Ambassaduers, Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra, Honeyfeet, Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six, Moneyshot, Nick Mulvey, Pat Dam Smyth, Rackabeat & Barlow,Sheelanagig, Syd Arthur, JFB vs Switch, Will & The People, and The Peoples String Foundation. – Check out the Chai Wallahs page for more details.

Nicolas Jaar, Miike Snow and more added to this years Berlin Festival

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These new acts join an explosive bill of artists that includes Grimes, Sigur Rós, Franz Ferdinand, Orbital, Little Dragon, Friendly Fires, The Killers, Metronomy, SBTRKT and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. The who's who of indie and electronic music will take to the stage at Berlin’s historic Tempelhof Airport on September 7th and 8th 2012.

Now one of the most talked about artists of his generation following the release of his crotically acclaimed album 'Space Is Only Noise', New York-based musician Nicolas Jaar will conquer the stage at Berlin Festival with one of his acclaimed live performances challenging the genre boundaries of electronic music. 

The hugely talented Stockholm-based three-piece, Miike Snow will also perform at Berlin Festival. Whether they’re working with Madonna, Kylie or Britney, it’s hard to disagree that Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg make very addictive music and they're certainly no stranger to the indie crowds. We can't wait to see them whip the crowd at Tempelhof into a dancing frenzie with tracks from their sophomore album Happy To You.

Mike Snow

The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble will be the first act to play at Berlin Festival this year. TheBerlin-based trio will play a matinee show with a techno orchestra in tow before performing a live set at Club Xberg the same night.

Next up, Crocodiles. Massive guitar sounds the forte of the San Diego-based combo, formed by various punk band members which certainly explains the heavy noise pop influences.

Great melodies crash with ecstatic feelings when the boys from When Saints Go Machine lure the crowd with sophisticated electro pop and „avant-garde dance“. The band from Copenhagen will perform at Club Xberg.

And finally, as part of the current wave retro trend, the Brooklyn-based duo Light Asylum is one of the hottest newcomers around. With singer Shannon Funchess' unique voice and edgy synth sounds, the band will surely mesmerize the crowd on 8th September.  

All confirmed acts so far…

Friday, 7th September

Berlin Festival @ Tempelhof Airport

Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble * Clock Opera * Daughter * Friends * Frittenbude * Grimes * The Killers * Miike Snow * Michael Kiwanuka * Nicolas Jaar * Little Dragon * Major Lazer * Kate Nash * Of Monsters And Men * Orbital * Sigur Rós * Tocotronic * We Have Band and more

Club Xberg @ Arena Berlin

Brandt Brauer Frick * Crookers * Dada Life * Dumme Jungs * Etnik * Metronomy * When Saints Go Machine and more

Saturday, 8th September

Berlin Festival @ Tempelhof Airport

Bonaparte * Jamie N Commons * Cro * Crocodiles * Django Django * First Aid Kit * Franz Ferdinand * Friendly Fires * iamamiwhoami * I Heart Sharks * Junip * Paul Kalkbrenner * Kraftklub * Morning Parade * SBTRKT (live) * Sizarr * WhoMadeWho and more

Club Xberg @ Arena Berlin

Junior Boys * Light Asylum * The Magician * Modeselektor live * Slagsmalsklubben * Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and more

Metronomy, The Antlers and more for Off Festival

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And if that’s still not enough, the American electropop duo High Places, the British producer/visionary Andy Stott, and Beneficjenci Splendoru (who are not robots, despite rumors) invite you to the Radio 3 Stage.

Metronomy
An electropop machine designed to get you on your feet. Patented in the English town of Devon in 1999 and led by mulitinstrumentalist and showman Joseph Mount. Their third and latest album, The English Riviera, serves up a handful of club hits that no proper party can do without, and has also garnered critical acclaim, culminating in a nomination to the prestigious Mercury Prize. But their live performances are where Metronomy truly shine. The group has become a hot item for remixes as well, collaborating with such artists as Gorillaz, Franz Ferdinand, Goldfrapp, and Lady Gaga.

The Antlers

“Our goal was to bring people with us as we navigate different waters of sound. To invite people into this world that we were working on as a group of three people enjoying what we were discovering about music and about songwriting and about making a record,” said The Antlers leader Peter Silberman about the premiere of last year’s album Burst Apart. This Brooklyn-based indie rock outfit has managed to win over festival audiences at Primavera and Lollapalooza, as well as the critics at Pitchfork, who awarded Burst Apart the “Best New Music Label,” and Drowned in Sound, who proclaimed it 2011’s best record (“albums are rarely as unashamedly, gut-wrenchingly, genuinely emotional as this”.)

Bardo Pond

Founded in 1989 by the guitar-wielding Gibbons brothers, the American group Bardo Pond is one of those bands that has cultivated and developed its own form of psychedelic, exploratory rock. Rightly considered the leading representatives of a space rock movement known as Psychedelphia, Bardo Pond have released eight official albums along with countless EPs and limited-edition jam session recordings. Reviewers have pointed out echoes of early Pinky Floyd in their music, as well as the influence of cold krautrock and noise rock. It’s hard not to give in to the hypnotic qualities of this music at live performances.

Shangaan Electro

Dog, whose real name is Richard “Nozinja” Mthethwa, was a cell phone repairman up until recently. Now he’s a publisher, producer, and the shining star behind a new style of music whose popularity has spread across Africa and the entire world. What launched Shangaan Electro from Limpopo in South Africa to trendy Western clubs was its explosive combination of ethnic elements and dance music played at breakneck tempos. If the prospect of dancing to a marimba at 180 bpm sounds enticing, then this concert just might be the highlight of your OFF Festival experience!

Mikołaj Trzaska plays Rose

Mikołaj Trzaska, co-founder and sax player for the band Miłosc, and later the leader of Łoskot, is one of the most significant figures on the yass scene, responsible for the last important revolution in Polish independent music. He has worked with such artists as Tymon Tymański, Marcin Swietlicki and Andrzej Stasiuk, Yuri Andrukhovych and Ken Vandermark, and has boldly crossed boundaries in genre and culture. His performance at the OFF Festival will feature the beautiful soundtrack to Wojciech Smarzowski’s stirring film Rose, live for the first time ever. The concert will be a continuation and development of a project that starts off with the OFF Club (Katowice, May 11-13), where Barn Owl, A Hawk And A Hacksaw, and Tim Hecker will perform the music to movies by Anka and Wilhelm Sasnal, Sergei Parajanov, and Werner Herzog.

Apteka

Apteka may be Polish for "pharmacy", but this is one drugstore that isn’t going to leave you feeling any better. Despite his 30 years on the rock scene, Jędrzej “Kodym” Kodymowski – the frontman of this Tri-City band – has lost none of his former radicalism. The band’s excellent new album, Od pacyfizmu do ludobójstwa, is not only Apteka’s most furious release since their cult album Menda, but also their most artistically accomplished record since. Supporting Kodym in the studio were Agim Dzeljilji of Oszibarack (production) and James Morton, who performs with Portishead. But there will be no room for nuance on stage: Apteka live is a consistently psychedelic and punk rock punch in the jaw.

High Places

Mix a handful of intelligent 80s electronic music with a dash of contemporary indie-psychedelica: that’s the recipe for artistic success used by the NYC-founded but California-based duo High Places. The tracks served up by Mary Pearson and Rob Barber might bear faint echoes of the The Knife and Xiu Xiu (with whom they even shared a split record), but these original sounds are much brighter, more open, and fun. Just check out their latest album, Original Colors, released last fall on the legendary Thrill Jockey label, and see for yourself.

Andy Stott

Though small, the Manchester label Modern Love has already earned a following among fans of new electronic music. No wonder they decided to open their doors to Andy Stott — a producer with quite a reputation already — who breathed new life into dub techno with his 2011 release Passed Me By. We’ve already featured Actress at the OFF Festival, and now it’s time to meet the guy who threw the gauntlet down before him.

Beneficjenci Splendoru

Until recently, it seemed that Beneficjenci Splendoru would never step outside the home fortress of musician and journalist Marcin Staniszewski, remaining an exclusively studio-based project, albeit one praised universally for their debut Trendywaty chłopiec and their sophomore release Tęczy wybielacz, both of which garnered enthusiastic reviews. Luckily, it turns out that Beneficjenci Splendoru’s hermetic avant-pop will have a live incarnation, reinforced by vocalist and multiinstrumentalist Iza Lamik, drummer Robert Alabrudziński (Daktari, Strange Brew), and guitarist Wojtek Bubak (Lachowicz, Sensorry). This is one concert you just can’t miss.

Due to circumstances beyond the events control, the band Swietliki will not be performing at the OFF Festival.

Line up so far

Africa HiTech, AfroKolektyw, Akron/Family, Alva Noto, annb: alva noto & blixa bargeld, Andy Scott, Apteka, Atari Teenage Riot, Bardo Pond, Baroness, Battles, Baxter Dury, Beneficjenci Splendoru, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires, Colin Stetson, Connan Mockasin, Container, Converge, Das Racist, Death in Vegas, Dominique Young Unique, Fennesz & Lillevan, Forest Swords, Henry Rollins, Iceage, Iggy and The Stooges, Jacaszek, Josh T. Pearson, Kanal Audytywny, Kim Gordon & Ikue Mori, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, kIRk, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Matthew Herbert, Megafaun, Metronomy, Mikolaj Trzaska gra ‘Roze’, Mordy, Nerwowe Wakacje, Nils Frahm, Nosowska, Other Lives, Papa M, Pietnastka, Retro Stefson, Shabazz Palaces, Shangaan Electro, Sleep Party People, Spectrum, Suicide, Swans, The Antlers, The House of Love, Thurston Moore, Ty Segall.