Following the announcement last week that the UK’s first socially distanced live music arena would be launching on Tyneside, its organisers have today confirmed a barnstorming opening line-up. Virgin Money Unity Arena will officially launch at Newcastle Racecourse, Gosforth Park, on Friday 14th August and Saturday 15th August THIS YEAR. Two Door Cinema Club will be the first heavweight headliner to … Read more
Fan-favourite, award-winning festival Kendal Calling have announced the huge lineup for 2018. Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Libertines, Run DMC and Hacienda Classical will be headlining with a huge supporting bill all heading to the fields this summer for an unmissable weekend of music, arts, comedy, food and drink in the beautiful Lake District, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Full 2018 Lineup
CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN, THE LIBERTINES AND RUN DMC TO HEADLINE
HACIENDA CLASSICAL TOP THURSDAY NIGHT OPENING BILL
JAMES, OCEAN COLOUR SCENE, SHED SEVEN, THE SHERLOCKS, WHITE LIES, THE WAILERS, DECLAN MCKENNA, FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS, LUCY SPRAGGAN, SLOW READERS CLUB, THE AMAZONS, PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT, TOM GRENNAN, THE LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS, MARMOZETS, PALE WAVES, DUB PISTOLS, HOLLIE COOK, THE ORIELLES, BLACK HONEY, SAM FENDER, PINS, THE BLINDERS, YONAKA, ANTEROS, MARSICANS, LOW ISLAND, JORDAN ALLEN, PLASTIC MERMAIDS, BANG BANG ROMEO, CRUEL WORLD, WHENYOUNG, MOLLY WARBURTON, THE LUCID DREAM, WOLFPEAKE, ROSBOROUGH, LATE NIGHT LEGACY, SERENE AND PARIAHS ALL JOIN THE LINEUP
GLOW DANCE STAGE FEATURES BASEMENT JAXX (DJ SET), IDRIS ELBA, GORGON CITY (DJ SET), GRANDMASTER FLASH, MISTAJAM, HOSPITALITY TAKEOVER, HORSE MEAT DISCO, WOOKIE, GOTSOME, DEADBEAT UK & COUSN
WOODLANDS STAGE SEES ELVANA, THE BEAT-SIE BOYS AND THE LONDON ASTROBEAT ORCHESTRA PERFORM TALKING HEADS, SAYTR PLAY, 100 FABLES, THE K’S, RATS, BROWNBEAR, NO HOT ASHES, NORTH ATLAS, THE LOTTERY WINNERS, CITRUS, HEIGHTS AND SCARLET
DJ FORMAT & ABDOMINAL, KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS, FRIENDLY FIRE, THE CONSERVATOIRE FOLK ENSEMBLE, WRONGTOM, HORSEMAN, KING LORENZO, SOLO BANTON & THE UPPERCUTS ALL PLAY CHAI WALLAH STAGE
RIOT JAZZ PRESENTS ODWANA, SMOGGY RIDDUM, FELIX HAGAN & THE FAMILY, THE THINGUMAJIGS AND THE TEMPLEBYS
TIM PEAKS CAFE LINEUP INCLUDES TIM BURGESS (DJ SET), THE CORAL (DJ SET), TONY WALSH, THE WALTONES, TRAMPOLENE, LOST HORIZONS, THE HIGH, FAT COPS, TWO SHOT PODCAST LIVE, TINY TIM PEAKS WITH ALEX WINTERS, BEST PICTURE, AVERAGE SEX, POWER BALLAD KARAOKE, YUCATAN, METROPOLIS RE-SCORE, NIK VOID (DJ SET), KIDS CHOIR, CLARE NASIR WEATHER REPORT, ANNA DISLEY, PATSY GILLAM, THE ROCKIN’ RHINOS, NICO MIRALLEGRO (DJ SET), BIS, SPIKE ISLAND SCREENING, WEST PRINCES, RICHARD YOUNGS, MARTIN BLUNT (DJ SET), ALEX LIPINSKI AND BECKY FISHWICK, PLUS SKELETON KEYS RECORDS PRESENTS MARVIN POWELL, MYSTERINES, CUT GLASS KINGS, SHE DREW THE GUN AND PEACH FUZZ
HOUSE PARTY ACTS INCLUDE KIERAN WEBSTER (DJ SET), THOMAS TURGOOSE (DJ SET), THE CLONE ROSES, CLINT BOON, DAVE HASLAM, HATTIE PEARSON (DJ SET), TWISTED WHEEL, GEMMA MOONEY, THE CHAVS, THE JACKALS, HIP HOP KARAOKE, CONTROL OF THE GOING, SHADER, DEJA VEGA, PSYENCE, SPACE MONKEYS, BMX BANDITS, THE PLIMP SOULS, FUZZY SUN, FLEX 80S DISCO WORKOUT CLASSICS AND ZACH’S UNGOOGLEABLE QUIZ
With 2017 marking the 12th consecutive sell out for the festival and selling out just one week after announcing the lineup fans are encouraged to snap tickets up quickly to avoid disappointment. Tickets are on sale on 10am Friday 2nd February from kendalcalling.co.uk
Since the release of their debut album ‘The Balcony’, Catfish and the Bottlemen’s rise to the top has been nothing short of stratospheric. Sophomore effort ‘The Ride’ saw them establish themselves as one of the true stars of the burgeoning British guitar scene and this summer they head back to the fields for a headline set that’s not to be missed.
True heroes of indie and a band who were sorely missed during their lengthy absence, The Libertineswill be making a long overdue trip to Kendal Calling. Having reformed and re-established themselves as kings of their genre, Pete, Carl, Gary and John will be bringing anthems from their three huge albums to the fields!
The term legends is thrown around far too often but one group to which it undoubtedly applies are hip-hop royalty Run DMC. With an arsenal of huge hits including ‘It’s Like That’, ‘My Adidas’ and ‘Its Tricky’ under their belts, it’s hard to see who could provide a bigger sing along moment at this year’s Kendal Calling.
Kicking proceedings off on the Thursday night is a special show from Hacienda Classical with the Manchester Camerata, the city’s experimental orchestra playing a new set of huge classics.
Proudly presenting an eclectic lineup year on year Kendal Calling is a place to see indie legends rub shoulders with some of the freshest new talent that the UK has to offer. James, Shed Seven, Ocean Colour Scene, The Sherlocks, White Lies, The Wailers, Declan Mckenna, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Lucy Spraggan, The Amazons, Tom Grennan, Slow Readers Club, Peter Hook & The Light, Marmozets, Pale Waves, Idles, Dub Pistols, Hollie Cook, Sam Fender, Black Honey, Pins, The Blinders, Jordan Allen, Anteros, Yonaka, Trudy & The Romance and Bang Bang Romeo all join the lineup across the Main Stage and one stop shop for music discovery the Calling Out stage.
Peter Hook, Manchester legend says: “I've always loved the lake district and the opportunity to play with both my favorite acts, Hacienda Classical and The Light at Kendal Calling, coming there for the first time this year is really a dream come true. Who could possibly turn down double bubble.”
Fun Lovin’ Criminals say: “It will be our pleasure to bring the FLC style to the Lake District this summer alongside the real Kings of New York; Run DMC!”
The Sherlocks comment: “Absolutely buzzing to be returning to Kendal Calling! Bring it on, it’s going to be special!”
Simon Fowler of Ocean Colour Scene says: "Myself and Oscar played at Kendal Calling a couple of years ago so this is a fantastic opportunity to come back and bring the full band to play at this great well known independent festival "
Those wishing to get their dancing shoes on need look no farther than the Glow Dance Stage. With a lineup featuring DJ sets from Basement Jaxx, Gorgon City and all round superstar Idris Elba, a special takeover from DnB stalwarts Hospitality, sets from Grandmaster Flash and Mistajam, alongside Horse Meat Disco, Wookie and Gotsome, get ready to rave the night away.
A truly unique on site venue, Tim Peaks Cafe is a fan favourite and the perfect place to take a pitstop, grab a slice of cherry pie and a damn fine coffee. This year’s lineup includes Tim Burgess (DJ Set), Dave Haslam, The Clone Roses, Bernard Butler in conversation, Tony Walsh, Clint Boon, The Waltones, Kieren Webster (DJ Set), Twisted Wheel, Thomas Turgoose (DJ Set), Best Picture, Average Sex, Trampolene, Lost Horizons, The High, Fat Cops, Two Shot Podcast Live, Skeleton Key Records Takeover and Tiny Tim Peaks with Alex Winters.
Anyone exploring the Woodlands will be treated to sets from Elvana, The Beatsie Boys, Jamie & Shoony, Satyr Play, 100 Fables, The K’s, Rats, Brownbear, No Hot Ashes, North Atlas, The Lottery Winners, Citrus Heights and more to come as well as an array of incredible art installations.
Set in the incredible setting of the Lake District’s Lowther Deer Park, this innovative, fan-focused, independent festival is renowned for more than just music and visitors will also enjoy 4 days of arts installations, comedy, gourmet food, kid’s entertainment and a real ale festival all within the confines of what is surely the most beautiful festival site in the UK.
It's bank holiday weekend in August which means one thing, READING FESTIVAL! With 8 stages in the arena, there is something for everyone.
The Main Stage saw headlining sets from Mumford & Sons, to heavy metal band Metallica and closing the show on Sunday, The Libertines. Each night saw three different audiences, a lot of hardcore Metallica fans arrived on Saturday which drew one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. During their set Metallica released hundreds of black bouncy balls with their logo on and the fans went wild, all trying to catch one to keep. Unfortunetly The Libertines seemed to lack a powerful performance and struggled to keep a full crowd for the whole set, being Sunday night a few people like to leave and beat the traffic but this seemed more than usual. However Mumford & Sons really captivated the audience attention with sing along songs from their first and second album. Other bands that caught my attention on the Main Stage were Marmozets, Bastille, Bring Me The Horizon, All Time Low and Panic At The Disco.
The BBC hosted 3 stages at Reading where you could see acts like Lethal Bizzle on the 1XTRA stage, Boy Better Know on the Radio 1 Dance Stage to Slaves and Limp Bizkit on the NME Stage where there was also a secret set from Foals. They also support growing talent in the music industry and brought back the BBC Introducing stage for another year. I got to see The Big Moon, Clean Cut Kid and Georgia. I was very impressed with all three and they are names to look out for in the future.
I soon realised I’d be spending most of my time at The Lock Up/The Pit stage when I saw the line up. There were so many bands worth mentioning the list could go on forever, but these were some of my favourites; While She Sleeps, Bury Tomorrow, PVRIS, Moose Blood, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and definelty a band to keep an eye on ho99o9. I’m pretty sure a lot of these acts will be on the main stage next year at Reading which is exciting for 2016.
Overall I had a really good experience at Reading Festival. The weather turned out to be pretty great, considering forecasts were set for downpours on Saturday and Sunday, there was minimal rain and hardly any mud (apart from in the campsite). The food was average festival food and there was a fair that went on into the night to keep you entertained when the music stopped. I’m really looking forward to what they have to offer for Reading Festival 2016!
Joining previously announced The Libertines on the T in the Park bill will be fan favouritesKasabian, who headline the historic first day at the festival’s new home. Swedish dance sensation Avicii will make his long-awaited T in the Park debut when he closes the Main Stage on Saturday. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds are sure to deliver a finale of epic proportions when they bring the Main Stage to a close, and influential dance icons The Prodigy will headline the Radio 1 Stage on Sunday night. Both Noel Gallagher and The Prodigy will become the first acts to have graced the T in the Park stage in all three of the festival’s homes – Strathclyde Country Park, Balado and now Strathallan Castle. Long-time festival favourites Stereophonics will appear penultimate to Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on the Main Stage on the final night. Superstar DJ and producer David Guetta, Sam Smith and The Script will also make a welcome return to the festival.
With some of the biggest names in music heading for Scotland this summer, T in the Park’s debut outing at Strathallan Castle is already shaping up to be an unmissable weekend:
FRIDAY 10th JULY: Kasabian, David Guetta, Sam Smith, Rudimental, Fatboy Slim, Hozier, Annie Mac, Hot Chip, The Wombats, Gorgon City, Duke Dumont, Jessie Ware, Fuse ODG
SATURDAY 11th JULY: Avicii, The Libertines, The Script, Twin Atlantic, alt-J, George Ezra, Jessie J, Courteeners, The Vaccines, Labrinth, The Proclaimers, St. Vincent,Enter Shikari, Seasick Steve, Jungle, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Idlewild, Jess Glynne, Charli XCX
SUNDAY 12th JULY: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Prodigy, Stereophonics, Jamie T, Paloma Faith, Above & Beyond, Alabama Shakes, Kodaline, Catfish & the Bottlemen, Clean Bandit, Oliver Heldens, Ella Henderson, Modest Mouse, James Bay, Years & Years, Peace
Kasabian are huge crowd favourites, and when the lads return to the Main Stage this July, they will become the first act to headline Strathallan Castle. Currently in the form of their lives both on stage and on record, their latest album 48:13 became their fourth consecutive no.1 album. The band described the album as being “about the crowd, the fans. That moment we share onstage, where they’re giving as much as you’re giving, it’s so special, so it’s a love letter to that moment and to those people.” T in the Parkers will be able to share that moment this July.
In 2014, Swedish songwriter and producer Avicii cemented his place as a true superstar recording artist/DJ with the success of his genre-defying debut album, True. The album blends the earthy sounds of folk, country, and bluegrass with soaring pop melodies, funky disco jams, and driving house beats. His 4x-platinum stomper Wake Me Up hit no. 1 in 81 countries and became the most streamed song of all time on Spotify. He’s also just released single The Nights and has a brand new album in the pipeline. Having played to millions at major festivals like Miami’s Ultra Music and Lollapalooza and at the world’s biggest clubs, Avicii will add T in the Park to this illustrious list when he makes his debut this July.
Avicii said: “Really looking forward to get back to Scotland for one of the best festivals in the world! Can't wait for July 11th!”
Noel Gallagher will go down in T in the Park history this July as one of the first artists to play at each of the festival’s three homes. Oasis played the festival’s very first outing at Strathclyde Country Park in 1994, and headlined Balado in 2002. When Noel returns in 2015 with his High Flying Birds, he’ll complete the T hat-trick. Chasing Yesterday is out on March 2nd and marks a new chapter and sound for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. It’s the first album to be produced as well as written by Noel and features a much broader array of instrumentation than ever before; the result is a rich, expansive and multi-layered record, drawing from a range of disparate influences – from west coast rock to classic rock’n’roll and even some space jazz!
David Guetta has played a pivotal role in turning dance music into the chart-topping juggernaut it is today. His impact is impossible to underestimate, and he can be considered among the elite group of super-producers whose sound is synonymous with an era. His landmark new album,Listen, proves he remains at the top of his game. With residencies at XS and Encore in Vegas, Ushuaia and Pacha in Ibiza, he DJs to millions around the world each year – next stop, Strathallan Castle.
The Prodigy have cut a solitary path through the noise-scapes of electronic dance music. They’ve dropped five epoch-defining studio albums, including 2009’s world dominating Invaders Must Die, and delivered unforgettable live performances that have taken electronic beats into unchartered territories, inspiring legions of artists along the way. They return in 2015 with a brand new albumThe Day is My Enemy. Huge fan favourites, they will join Noel Gallagher in the T in the Park history books as they become one of the first acts to have played all three of the festival’s homes.
One of the UK's most successful bands of recent years, Stereophonics defined the sound of British guitar music from the late 90s onwards. They have released 8 studios albums, 1 double live album and 1 greatest hits album and have combined sales of over 9 million albums. The band made a triumphant return with Graffiti on the Train in 2013, which became one of the bestselling LPs of the year, and was an ever-present fixture in the Top Twenty in the first six months of its release. Their hotly anticipated new album is due to be released later this year. Fronted by Kelly Jones and his distinctive, classic vocal, the band have come a long way since being signed back in 1996. After touring relentlessly to support their debut album release, they picked up a BRIT award for Best New Group in early 1998 and have never looked back.
The band said: "We are really looking forward to being back at T in the Park this year for our ninth appearance at the prestigious festival and are excited to perform at the Strathallan Castle for the first time!"
Since winning the BRITS Critic’s Choice award and topping the BBC Sound Poll at the start of last year, Sam Smith has gone on to become one of the biggest breakout UK male artists in recent years. His multi-platinum selling album In The Lonely Hour debuted at no.1 in the UK charts and has sold over 5 million copies globally, making Sam the only artist in the world in 2014 to sell 1 million albums in both the UK and US. Last year he picked up four MOBOs, Best New Act at the Q Awards and Favourite Male Rock/Pop at the American Music Awards, before becoming the biggest winner at this month’s Grammys, including the prestigious prizes for record and song of the year and best new artist.
Since Dublin three-piece The Script hit the no.1 spot with their self-titled debut album in 2008, they’ve gone from strength to strength. Their 2012 worldwide smash Hall Of Fame took them to stratospheric levels of global stardom, with record sales in excess of 20 million, achieving multi-platinum status around the world. Their fourth album, No Sound Without Silence, is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders and channeling the momentum of their last, rocket-powered campaign.The band said:“We are really excited to be playing T in the Park this summer. We’ve had a lot of fun playing at T in the past, and the Scottish crowds always offer us a huge welcome.”
Rudimental are fast becoming T in the Park favourites. The pioneering melting-pot collective rocketed to fame with the chart-topping Feel the Love in 2012, returning to the no.1 spot months later with Waiting All Night, before swiftly following up with a number 1 debut album. Now one of the most in-demand acts on the summer festival circuit, they’ll bring their feel good tunes to T in the Park.
After a soaring performance on the Main Stage at T in the Park last year, Glasgow’s Twin Atlantic have enjoyed a phenomenal year selling out venues around the country and releasing their album Great Divide which debuted at number 6 in the UK Chart. Picking up gongs including ‘Best Indie Single’ at the AIM Awards for their single Heart and Soul’Twin Atlantic have perfected stadium-ready emo-pop with their anthemic sound, and will play an epic headline the Radio 1 Stage on Saturday night.
Twin Atlantic’s Sam McTrusty said: "For our seventh appearance at T in the Park we shall be headlining the Radio 1 stage on Saturday. Expect a landmark performance from our band to christen the new T site. If you've been at any of our previous T in the Park sets you will know that this festival brings out another side to our band and has always helped push us to the next level. It will be an honour for us as well as a massive memorable party. This summer will be the last chance to see us for a while and we hope you will be there to be part of the celebrations."
Singer-songwriter Jamie T returned after a 5-year absence with Carry on the Grudge last year. The record was hailed as “consistently enthralling” by NME, and he’s sure to receive a warm welcome back from T in the Parkers.
Fatboy Slim’s return to T in the Park has been a long time coming. The legendary DJ’s live shows are an explosive mix of his own patented brand of “party acid house” and complex audio-visual production. Having last played T in the Park in 1999, he’ll surely receive a hero’s welcome.
alt-J returned last September with the hotly anticipated follow-up to their first full-length release, 2012’s Mercury Prize-winning An Awesome Wave. The latest record from the intrepid British art-rock quartet, This Is All Yours, is similarly clever and conceptual, proving the band are capable of both boldness and restraint, and earning them nominations at the 2015 Brit Awards for Best Album and Best British Group.
Hozier’s poetic lyrics and hauntingly beautiful voice has earned him a huge fanbase and a reputation as one of the biggest breakthrough artists of recent times. Reaction to the release of his debut EP, Take Me to Church has been phenomenal, and he’ll make his T in the Park debut this July.
George Ezra is one of the biggest breakthrough stars of 2014. His critically acclaimed debut albumWanted On Voyage has sold over a quarter of a million copies, reaching no.1 for the first time in October. It capped a remarkable twelve months for the singer-songwriter who has gone from virtual unknown to internationally renowned star, taking in three sold out UK tours, top 10 singles in 10 countries, a top 5 album in eight, 33 million views on YouTube, and over 70 million streams on Spotify.
Annie Mac is Radio 1's queen of dance music, and due to become the new presenter of its weekday evening new music show next month. She’ll get the party started with her dazzling selection of the best new dance music.
Rising from hotly tipped producers to their current global standing, Above & Beyond are the only dance act in history to win Essential Mix Of The Year twice (in 2004 and 2011). The London-based trio have remixed greats like Radiohead and Madonna, played to one million people on Barra Beach in Rio de Janeiro and are much loved for their epic, immersive and interactive live shows.
With a repertoire packed full of feel-good festival anthems, The Vaccines’ high octane tunes are sure to go down a storm. The band scored a no.1 album with their second record Come of Age,with their forthcoming album English Graffiti due out this year.
Labrinth’s breakthrough came with his guest spot on Tinie Tempah’s smash hit Frisky. Juggling production work for the likes of Ms. Dynamite and with working on his debut album – the acclaimedElectronic Earth, he hit the no. 2 spot with hit single Earthquake and topped the charts withBeneath Your Beautiful featuring Emeli Sande. His hotly anticipated second album Take Me to The Truth is due out this year.
Huge crowd favourites, The Proclaimers are set to bring their singalong anthems to Strathallan for the fifth time. Due to release their 10th studio album in April, the band’s return to T in the Parkcomes after the success of the movie Sunshine on Leith featuring music from the band and a globe-trotting world tour.
Dutch electronic producer Oliver Heldens knows how to get a crowd going and is sure to bring that party atmosphere to his performance at this year’s T in the Park. Capturing the attention of major DJs and producers, the talented Heldens also impressed Tiesto in 2013 with his track Geckowhich was later released on Tiesto’s Musical Freedom Label.
The Wombats’ infectious alt.pop platinum debut album Guide To Love, Loss And Desperation won them legions of fans. Their indie dancefloor smashes including Kill The Director, Let’s Dance To Joy Division and Moving To New York will surely prove popular this summer.
The band said: “We can't wait to get back to the mayhem that is T in the Park! It's been too long…”
Gorgon City’s are one of the most exciting new acts in the ever-flourishing landscape of British club savvy pop. Polished, powerful and party-minded, their Top 5 single Ready for Your Lovefeaturing MNEK was one of the dancefloor hits of last year.
Jungle’s irresistible report-to-the-dancefloor sound has generated a huge buzz, plus a BBC Sound of 2014 nomination. They sold out their US tour on the back of a SXSW appearance, before they even had an official record out in America, and will make their T in the Park debut this July.
Another hotly tipped newcomer, James Bay is the recipient of this year’s BRITs’ Critics’ Choice Award, and came second in BBC’s Sound of 2015. He releases his debut album, one of the most hotly anticipated of the year, The Chaos and the Calm, next month.
Jessie Ware’s debut album Devotion became one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2012, lauded by everyone from Pitchfork to Heat Magazine and nominated for the Mercury Prize. She released her second album, Tough Love, in October, scoring another Top 10 record.
Fuse ODG fuses pop sounds with African rhythm and percussion to create an infectious afrobeats sound which has taken the UK charts by storm. He’ll bring his summery tunes to Strathallan Castle, including top 10 smash hits T.I.N.A,Dangerous Love, Antenna ft Wyclef Jean and Million Pound Girl, ft Sean Paul.
Featuring on huge hit records in her short career, the soulful Jess Glynne has leant her vocals to Clean Bandit for their chart topper RatherBe and Route 94’s MyLove showing off her star quality. Her solo record RightHere was also a top 10 hit and those hits are sure to please the crowd at this year’s festival.
Fresh from winning a 2015 NME Award in the Dance Floor Filler category, Charli XCX’s catchy pop has seen the artist be thrown into the realms of worldwide success topping the charts, working on hit collaborations including Icona Pop’s I Love It in 2013 and Iggy Azelea’s Fancy in 2014. Her latest single Boom Clap has seen the star hit the top 10 spot in the UK and USA.
Peace are one of the UK’s most exciting guitar bands today. Selling out numerous dates throughout the country armed with a live energy and sense of spontaneity, they are one of the most sought-after live acts in the UK. Their heart-on-sleeve indie anthemics, enthusiastic and youthful zing and an ability to write uplifting, soaring choruses make them a welcomed addition to this year’s T in the Park line-up.
Festival organisers DF Concerts and founding partners Tennent’s Lager have today revealed The Libertines will headline T in the Park 2015. The likely lads are the very first act to be announced for this year’s festival – the first to be held at T in the Park’s brand new home,Strathallan Castle, which will take place across the weekend of 10th-12th July 2015.
The Libertines are one of the most exciting and influential bands of the past two decades. In the early 2000s, they blazed a trail through the UK music scene, reigniting the raw power of British music. Their tales of Albion and Arcadia captured the imagination of a generation, and their debut album Up the Bracket – produced by Clash legend Mick Jones – was hailed as a decade-defining classic by the likes of Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q, The Times, The Sun and Pitchfork.
They burned brightly but briefly before disbanding after the release of their second album, but their anthemic hits – including Don’t Look Back Into The Sun, Up The Bracket and Can’t Stand Me Now – lived on and their adoring fan-base continued to grow. Last summer, excitement reached fever pitch as the band announced their reunion to the delight of fans across the globe, and they made their hotly anticipated live return with two triumphant shows at Glasgow’s Barrowlands, before wowing a capacity crowd at Hyde Park.
The band played T in the Park in 2004, and this July they return as a reunited and re-energized outfit in what will be a historic headline set at T in the Park’s beautiful new home, Strathallan Castle.
We are extatic to inform you that the infamous Libertines will reform at this years British Summer Time Hyde Park. Pete, Carl, John and Gary make a long awaited return to the stage, playing their first full live shows since 2010. Joined by the cream of UK talent, this is the Best of British Summer Time.
Forming at the turn of the century, The Libertines have become one of the most influential and important bands of their generation. Leading the charge with Pete Doherty and Carl Barat as song writing partners, their on stage chemistry and intense live performances have enthralled fans and critics alike since their debut album ‘Up The Bracket’ in 2002. Following this with their second LP in 2004, ‘The Libertines’ shot straight to #1, catapulting them into the mainstream. Disbanding soon after that release, they went their separate ways for six years, cementing their almost mythical status.
Preceding them on The Great Oak Stage, The Pogues are London’s Irish punk folk heroes. Formed in the heart of the English capital in Kings Cross, they mixed punk sensibility with traditional Irish instruments and poetic, often funny lyrics scoring seminal hits ‘Dirty Old Town’ and the alternative Christmas fable ‘Fairytale of New York.’ With frontman Shane MacGowan rejoining with his bandmates in 2001, their influence on the likes of The Libertines is writ large.
Spiritualized are one of the most enigmatic British bands of the past 20 years, formed after the breakup of frontman Jason Pierce's groundbreaking former group Spacemen 3. With minimalist music building into hypnotic, orchestrated masterpieces, Hyde Park will enjoy a rare chance to bathe in their waves of sound in an outdoor setting.
Signing to renowned electronic dance label Warp Records in 2004, Maximo Park have been producing exciting indie guitar music for the past decade and show no signs of slowing down. Fronted by enigmatic Paul Smith, they’re blazed a trail with their debut ‘A Certain Trigger’ which was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2005. Now signed to V2 Records, Maximo Park will be showcasing their latest album ‘Too Much Information,’ released in February.
The next generation of British talent is well represented on the bill. Voted NME’s Best New Band, 2014 has been an incredible year for London’s Wolf Alice. Joining us at Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park, this lovechild of folk and grunge are leading the way for an indie revival in British music.
And Birmingham-based Swim Deep have welcomed ‘shoe gaze’ back to British pop music. Another championed by the NME on this year’s Awards Tour, dates at Brixton Academy especially established them as welcome leaders for a new decade of guitar bands.
At Hyde Park in the glow of an Albion summer, The Libertines will play their largest ever headline show at Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park on 5th July, with further Best of British support from: The Enemy,Reverend and The Makers, I Am Kloot, The View, Darlia, The Rifles, Cuckoolander, Brownbear, Raglans, The Twang…..
