The Prodigy

Hurricane Festival 2018 – Full Review!

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Friday

Hurricane Festival is in the north of Germany, set in some fields in Scheeβel between Hamburg and Bremen. The current version of Hurricane Festival has been going since 1997, though there were two previous attempts of festivals in the area in 1973 and 1977. Hurricane sells itself as a mainstream/alternative festival, however, in recent years there has been more emphasis on the mainstream and less on the alternative. This year’s line-up is what I would describe as mainstream, however there are a few acts here and there that are showing the alternative past of Hurricane.

Friday started off wet and windy, as is the trend with most festivals at the moment, and was opened by the Hurricane Swim Team on the Green Stage early afternoon. The Hurricane Swim Team was created in 2016 when the festival was a total wash out, and is essentially a hype team that get the crowd grooving in even the most abysmal weather. Luckily, by the time they’d left the stage the weather had in fact improved and we were able to enjoy the sun for the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening.

We got to the second stage – blue stage – to see George Ezra perform in the afternoon light. Ezra has a stunning voice and it he proved that it was not just the studio doing all the work in post processing. He was chatty onstage, and (like a lot of the British and American bands) tried his hand a bit of German, to the glee of the audience. The cherry on the Ezra-shaped cake was definitely the small brass section he’d brought with him, it really added that extra depth to the performance.

 

Experienced punk rock band The Offspring took centre stage on the Green stage (main stage) on Saturday evening. They know how to keep tantalise the audience, saving their three most well-known songs until the end, including Pretty Fly for a White Guy and ending on Self-Esteemed to an audience that was easily two decades younger than them, if not more, which is a pretty good achievement for four shouty guys from California.

The blue stage was again graced with a talented vocalist, this time in the form of Hannah Reid of London Grammar. A far cry away from The Offspring, London Grammar definitely calmed the audience down rather than psyched them up. The mosh pits of Green Stage were replaced with gentle arm waving and head nodding.

Keeping in the UK-indie theme that the blue stage seemingly has had all day, the following band are none other than Two Door Cinema Club, who arrive onstage to a rambunctious welcome. Two Door Cinema Club are the first band that have brought an impressive set on stage, a set of LED squares with bright strobing lights behind, all of which is made more impressive in the dying light of the evening. The crowd happily bopped along to the music, enjoying the show in the dying light.

The green stage was again keeping its theme of emo-punk and rock, with the headline of the night Billy Talent.  The band appeared on stage as the audience cheered and wooped, bassist Jonathan Gallant and guitarist Ian D’Sa started playing the introduction to ‘This is how it goes’ as Benjamin Kowalewicz burst on to stage to rapturous applause and started singing. He had so much energy on stage, dressed like an emo from the late noughties with his skinny tie, skinny black jeans and his converses. In fact, the whole band looked as if they were 15 year olds trapped in the bodies of middle aged men. They acted like it too. Jumping up and down and across the stage, swearing jovially at the audience ‘Welcome to Hurricane 2018 motherfuckers!’ shouted Benjamin after the first song, before launching in to ‘Devil in Midnight Mass’. The whole performance took me back to those angst filled days in high school, where we felt the world was ending and beginning at the same time, and that every song ever written about and specifically for, us. The nostalgia that came with watching Billy Talent was only amplified by the crowd, singing (and in some cases, screaming) along with the songs, as the band ricocheted from one song to the next. About halfway through the set Benjamin mentioned that their drummer – Aaron Solowoniuk – had been struggling with MS, and has been on hiatus since 2016. While Benjamin was telling the crowd this, he also mentioned that the band have been together for 25 years this summer, which is unbelievable. Arron was then introduced onstage as he made his way to the drums, and played with the band for the rest of the show. It was really great to see him playing again, and so obvious that he was thoroughly enjoying being back on stage after two years away. Aaron coming back on stage really gave the band more energy, and they turned it up to 100 for the rest of the show.

After Billy Talent’s finale, it seemed as if the entire crowd moved to Blue Stage, for final act of the night, German hip-hop artist Marteria. Now, I know those words don’t run together naturally, but stick with me here. My level of German is extremely basic (as I found out during a press-pass mix up that caused no end of trouble) but Marteria’s catchy lyrics and playful beats. As well as his skills on the mic he also brought to stage some of the most impressive and playful visuals of the evening. Later in the show he brought on his alter-ego Marismoto who delighted the audience with his high-pitch voiced and his more experimental music, straying from hip-hop and entering the realms of dubstep, reggae and EDM.  With the first night of the festival finished everyone headed back to their tents ready to do the same thing all over again.

Saturday

The campsite was up and bustling by about ten on Saturday, helped by the festival workers driving around on quadbikes using their megaphones to shout ‘time to wake up’ across the campsite. I’m not sure if it was part of their job description but it certainly worked in getting the campsite awake and running. Pretty soon there were queues to the toilet and every other tent was playing flunkyball across the pathways. The campsite radio (provided by Delta Radio) was on blast throughout the campsite, via speakers and radios campers had brought with them, meaning wherever we went we had a surround sound experience of the camp radio. There seemed to be an endless game put on the by the radio hosts, which was to play the Cantina Theme from Star Wars, (or at least an excerpt of it) and, once it had finished someone – either one of the hosts or a punter who had been accosted somewhere on the campsite – would say ‘play that same song again’ and so on and so on. So much so it became the unofficial anthem of the campsite, and probably the weekend.     

Hurricane festival is a lot smaller than most medium UK festivals, with only three stages all relatively close to each other. It means minimal walking between stages and the way that the stages have been positioned has been done with great care, as there is no overlap of sound when each stage has an artist.

Indie-pop act The Kooks took to the Green Stage on Saturday evening for a fun set. They’re still fresh from their ‘Best Of’ album tour, with Hurricane being their first festival of the season. Though they’re no strangers playing to big crowds – they’ve been around since 2004 – they have recently been touring as a warm-up act for The Rolling Stones. This hasn’t diminished their ability to get the crowd dancing, whatever the size. Though I was impressed that even a relatively light band such as The Kooks could get the crowd moshing. Lead singer Luke Pritchard danced around on stage with his tan-and-checked blazer and his skinny scarf, the embodiment of indie-brit-pop. The crowd were loving it and singing along to almost every track, which was pretty magical to listen to. The Kooks do have a new album out but didn’t fall into the age old pitfall of playing only their new stuff, they littered the set with classics as well as slipping the odd new song in now and then. They ended with two classics, Seaside and Naïve to the absolute delight of the audience.

Next up was Hamburg rapper Dendemann, who had a beat-filled set and had the whole crowd moshing along to his music. His music was good, though I’m sure I would have got more enjoyment out of it had I understood the lyrics – he uses a lot of wordplay so for a non-native speaker of German it can be a bit of a struggle to understand. I did understand when he said hello to the crowd and called them a town that certainly wasn’t Hurricane or Scheeβel. His drummer corrected him though and the crowd didn’t seem to care.

Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro have a solid fan-base in Germany and started off their European tour in Berlin early last month. Having last played Hurricane in 2010 they were due for a comeback. And the crowd were ready for it. Mosh pits left right and centre, the whole crowd was there for them. As per usual, all three members were shirtless, though frontman Simon Neil has got rid of the Jesus locks and gone for a cleaner, shorter cut, which if it wasn’t for the mass of tattoos and his roaring vocals he could be mistaken for a graphic designer, or someone equally ordinary. As always with Biffy, the show was intense and the hard rockers had all come out of the woodwork to head-bang their way through the set, as well as all the casual fans that sang along to their hits and mumbled along to the songs that had less radio-play.

Saturday was the first day we ventured to the Red Stage, to see Portugal. The Man. Now, I’m not sure what we expected but it certainly wasn’t what happened. They had a seven minute guitar heavy intro song played before they even came on stage. Once they were on stage the show really began. There had a projector projecting some spacey shapes and colours on the screen behind them. However, unlike most bands, Portugal. The Man had decided to put the projector in front of the stage, so each band member cast shadows throughout the set, changing shape and size as they moved around the stage. They started by playing a cover of ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ by Pink Floyd, which was an odd one to start with, however it really set the stage for the rest of their show, a spacey, guitar heavy extravaganza. After their first song some huge lettering came down on the screen behind them, declaring “We are not very good at stage banter so please enjoy these messages from the management, thank you for understanding”. Now, they certainly get points for ingenuity here, although it would have been nice to have a little bit of crowd interaction.  As promised, periodically through the show more writing would appear behind them, such as “that is some bad-ass guitar playing” through a particularly gnarly piece. One thing I particularly enjoyed from Portugal. The Man was the fact that they had a very varied set-list. Starting with that Pink Floyd cover to get the crowd in the mood, before playing and older, spacey track that was guitar heavy and a wee bit light on the lyrics going straight through to ‘Purple Yellow Red and Blue’ (2013) and ‘Live in the Moment’ (2017), two more recent songs that have had more radio play. The audience were a bit muted compared to the other acts of the night, I mean, it is hard to mosh to electro-guitar solos played over light keys and drums.

Going from the Portugal. The Man to The Prodigy was a bit of a jolt. As ever, the Prodigy had a stunning set, fantastic lasers, the crowd was already hopping by the time we got there. The band has been touring for almost three decades and know their stuff. They haven’t played in Germany since 2015, so it was high-time they came back. The set was littered with classics and the crowd went absolutely wild during voodoo people. I mean, it’s The Prodigy, it’s hard not to dance like a maniac with those beats and the amount of pure, raw energy coming off the stage. After the show most people were danced-out and made their way to their tents, the younger and drunker punters also went back to the campsite, but only to enjoy the Motorbooty rave that was going on until 4am the next morning.

Sunday

Security has been amped up to 130%, we were frisked each time we entered the main field, and no bags were allowed unless they were see-through and all pockets had to be emptied and checked. This meant more than anything that there were queues caused by this bottle neck. The crowd spent most of the time in the queues singing various songs which either went in rounds or sped up as they went along. It was amusing the first few times, but when someone in the crowd yelled the first line for the sixth time in a row I did groan inwardly. Fortunately, by that point I was almost through the gates, so didn’t have to listen to a half-hearted rendition of eisgekühlter bommerlunder again.

Once through we headed to the blue stage to kick off the afternoon with a bit of Mighty Oaks. Their folk rock was forgetting everyone off to the right start, despite the persistent cold and rain. Lead-singer Ian Hooper switched from German and English throughout the set, which is unsurprising as the very international band – members from US, UK and Italy – are currently based in Berlin. They had the whole crowd swaying in unison, and at one point encouraged everyone to get on someone’s shoulders and the crowd suddenly got half as wide and twice as tall, as almost everyone in the crowd was on someone’s shoulders or holding someone and singing along. It was such a nice, inclusive atmosphere and a great start to the third and final day of the festival.

Late noughties indie-rock Franz Ferdinand bounced onto the main stage as the afternoon was slowly becoming the evening. Full of energy and full of hits, frontman Alex Kapranos jumped cross the stage as he belted out the lyrics. The audience were bouncy along happily, and singing along, smiling in spite of the rain.

One of the most lively shows of the evening was brought by second to last act on Sunday – Kraftklub. In the last five years Kraftklub have risen from unknown band to the next chart-topping must-see band throughout Germany. The show starts with four red smoke //bombs// going off within the crowd. We can’t see exactly how they’ve been planted but they’ve been concealed for who knows how long. Kraftklub then appear on stage as the banner that has been covering the stage has been pulled down, and as they start their opening number (Karl-Mark-Straβe) the crowd goes absolutely wild. Now, I knew it was going to kick off. Sometimes you can just feel it. Through the first half of the show I was stuck between two mosh pits, by the second half I had decided I was fighting a losing battle, and joined them full force. The moshing continued for the full show, and Kraftklub left to cries of ‘one more song’ as they left the stage. They had twenty minutes left of their set, so we naturally all expected them to come back on stage. They did come back. Just not on stage. They had what can only be describe as a mobile stage, about two meters wide and four meters long, on wheels and being pushed through the crowd. They sang ‘ich will nicht nach Berlin’ before telling the audience they needed to get back to the main stage. The most sensible way to do this was obviously to crowd surf. On top of this, it had to be a race. They prepped the crowd in front of them, and after the third blast from the airhorn, they dived in. They were all scrambling to get to the stage as fast as possible and one of the stage hands was waving a giant checked racing flag as they got to the stage and he announced the winner.  

Headliners of the evening, Arctic Monkeys took to the stage under dark, moody lighting. Alex Turner’s slick-backed hair shining in the lights paired with the leather jackets gave the band a 50s vibe. The beat came in as ‘four stars out of five’ started playing and the start of the end of the festival had begun.  

The set was dotted with shout outs to the audience, mainly ‘vielen danke’ (thanks very much – for the non-German speakers) and the dulcet tones of Tuner briefly introducing the odd song. However, audience interaction was minimal, this grown-up band a far cry from their ‘crying lighting’ and ‘fluorescent adolescent’ days. The set-list was a good mix of songs, but focused heavily on AM and Tranquillity Base Hotel + Casino. Which makes sense, especially if they’re trying to move away from their young, almost post-punk rock of the early days and centre their attention on the more polished sound that the more recent albums have encompassed. If I was to sum up their performance I would have to use that word again, polished. Technically, it was a fantastic set, the sound was amazing, the band were in-sync with each other, though I felt like there could have been a bit more (one-sided, as ever) conversation from the band, but this performance, like the two most recent albums seems to have matured from cocky rock to sophisticated, interesting space-pop, but keeping some of that same cheekiness the Monkeys are famed for.

This year Hurricane had an eclectic mix of bands, which, in a weird way seemed to complement each other. If you were not into the headliners you would always find something that would satisfy your wants. However, it would have been nice to see a few more female artists on the mainstages over the three days, though this is something that all festivals could work on, and not just an issue with Hurricane. Personally, I am looking forward to the announcements for the bands next year, and I, like most of the punters, am ready to do the whole thing again next year.

 

The Prodigy headline Sea Dance Festival along with Rudimental and more

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EXIT, TheSoundYouNeed and UKF present Sea Dance Festival, Europe's most beautiful beach festival held from 15th-18th July on Jaz Beach, Montenegro. After scooping 'Best Medium-Sized Festival' at the European Festival Awards, 2015's proceeding will be headlined by iconic dance supergroup The Prodigy in a Balkans-exclusive as well as electronica diva and former Moloko singer Roisin Murphy, plus Rudimental (DJ) who have redefined the drum n bass genre for the mainstream charts. Joining them will be British duo Sigma, genre-hopping Noisia and 'Afterglow' producer Wilkinson. Festival-goers can also expect sets from a number of underground artists including esteemed Slovenian producer Gramatik, hip hop/house fusers Bondax, Californian soul outfit Soul Clap, the master James Zabiela and over 100 more across six stages.

Serbia's legendary EXIT Festival presents their latest offering as part of their 15th Birthday celebrations – the stunning Sea Dance Festival in Montenegro. Partnering with AEI Media and their premium brands TheSoundYouNeed and UKF, Sea Dance will create the ultimate beach festival experience in Europe's hottest new party destination. With day parties at the best beach on the Adriatic, revellers can dance under the warmth of the sun with the sand in between their toes, whilst drinking cocktails at sunset and experiencing the finest purveyors in electronic music and beyond. To watch 2014's highlights visit here.

Headlining Sea Dance 2015 is The Prodigy who's rich quarter-century-long music career has made them one of the most influential bands in dance music and touts over 25 million albums sold worldwide, their most recent being their sixth studio release 'The Day Is My Enemy'. Their signature and energetic live performances are known for the mass euphoria they produce and a real coup for Sea Dance Festival who will host them for the first time in the Balkans. Joining them in a special headline slot is Roisin Murphy, one half of electronic duo Moloko and respected soloist who has been one of the key figures of the music scene since the late 90s. With unparalleled hits and music classics such as 'The Time is Now' and 'Sing it Back' and her newest EP 'Hairless Toys', Roisin has established herself as the icon of modern pop culture and her highly-anticipated premiere performance at Jaz beach will be her first in Montenegro.

Rudimental are a British drum n' bass band who's hits such as 'Waiting All Night' and 'Not Giving In' have earned them both Brit and Mercury nominations, and have made them one of the most in-demand festival acts in recent years. Joining them on the mainstage will be Sigma who have scored two number one's including 'Nobody to Love', a re-edit of Kanye West's infamous track, as well as 'Changing' with vocals from Paloma Faith. Noisia, the famous trio from Holland, are renowned for their unparalleled technical skills with their style transcending from traditional drum bass to dubstep, breakbeat and house, with releases on labels such as Jay Z's Rocnatio. Finally Wilkinson from London has been dubbed one of the most exciting young talents to come out of the genre earning a place on Andy C's prestigious Ram Records roster and not-to-mention the legendary Hospital Records. 

Representing the drum 'n bass heads are Renegade Hardware stalwarts Calyx & Teebee who will bring some serious basslines to the idyllic surroundings of Jaz Beach along with legendary three-piece Black Sun Empire and liquid dnb purveyors Fred v & Grafix. Other acts to feature at Sea Dance include the newly announced Brookes Brothers and bass-heavy Gotsome, while the young pioneer Maduk will have revellers dancing long into the night.
 
As one of the most innovative names in the game James Zabiela will bring his DJ magic to the Montenegro shores alongside New York's leading lady in house and disco Kim Ann Foxman. Bondax and alumniSnakehips will also take to the decks accompanied by the ultimate party DJ Doorly. Bringing a hip hop flavour to the Dance Paradise Stage is Brooklyn-based DJ/Producer Gramatik whose unique blend of electrothump, funk, jazz, hip hop and rnb has spawned hits such as 'Hit That Jive' whilst Seattle duo Odesza will bring some of the biggest dancefloor hits of 2014 including 'Say My Name (feat Zyra). Other acts to feature include remix king Star Slinger, French house star FKJ aka French Kiwi Juice and TCTS.
 
Known for their laid-back LA vibes Soul Clap will bring their Crew Love family to the festival providing feel-good house music ideal for the beach. The colourful Nick Monaco will join the ambassadors of Crew LovePillowtalk.

Kasabian, Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds & Avicii lead T in the Park 2015 lineup

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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 Rather Be and Route 94’s My Love showing off her star quality. Her solo record Right Here 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.

Massive lineup announced for Future Music Festival Asia

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The organizers of Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA), The Livescape Group and Future Music Australia today announced its biggest line-up yet for next year’s massive festival. The festival will take over the 140,000 square-meter Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore from 13 – 14 March 2015 with an estimated 50,000 fans expected to converge over the two-days.

FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL ASIA PHASE ONE LINE-UP

INTERNATIONALS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):
 
(More to be announced January 2015)
 
• AFROJACK
• ART DEPARTMENT
• AVICII
• BASSJACKERS 
• BLASTERJAXX 
• CARNAGE 
• EXAMPLE 
• FATBOY SLIM 
• GORGON CITY 
• KNIFE PARTY
• NERO
• ROBIN SCHULZ
• SIGMA 
• TCHAMI
• THE PRODIGY
• + MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED IN JAN 2015
 
LOCALS & REGIONALS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
 
• ANDREW T (SG)
• BOTTLESMOKER (ID)
• BUD CULTURE (MY)
• DANGERDISKO (MY)
• DJ RAH (SG)
• H3 (MY)
• MR NASTY & GURUGURU (MY)
• NEZ (SG)
• TERENCE C (MY)
• YA5TH (SG)

Sonisphere Review 2014

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Sonisphere made a triumphant return after being cancelled for the past two years, due to a mix of financial problems, getting the right line up and bad luck. So this year it was time for Sonisphere to pick back up and the people of Sonisphere to finally reunite. A weekend of The Prodigy, Iron Maiden, Metallica from fist pumping to moshing, circle pits to expensive beer, dam good burritos, disgusting toilets and pretty good weather these past few days have been incredible. 

The layout of this years main arena was a fantastic and cleaver set up with the two main stages (Apollo stage and Saturn stage) opposite each other, being such a small festival fans could easily move from one to another within a few minutes. If stood in between the two stages there were some spots which you could see both stages from a reasonable distance. I believed this helped promote the bands on the second stage (Saturn stage) more as it wasn't any effort to switch between the two stages. To walk around the whole festival aswell has having a cheeky look into some of the market stalls it would take around ten minutes. 

The market and food stalls have an excellent selection to choose from. The market stalls include festival clothes, festival gear, temporary tattoos, face paint, shoe stalls, as well as tones more. Food wise, Sonisphere went a little on the gourmet/ bohemian style food, with the desert bar, the Hippy chippy, I <3 Ostrich and Milkshake bars. However there has been an uproar on the expense of the beer. Being at £4.90 a pint and allowing no alcohol of your own into the main area this proved to be a disappointment to the people of Sonisphere. 

Friday
Tents up and the sun shining Defiled kicking off this years main stage, this wasn't there only slot, they also performed Nivarna covers on the Bohemia stage later on in the weekend. Next up Anti Flag, who enticed the audience by making them sing back, clap their hands, and of course start circle pits. Without a doubt Anti Flags audience participation was defiantly there. As well as getting the crowd involved witty banter from lead singer Chris Baker shouts "the mother fucking pink power ranger wasn't singing, don't you dare fuck this up for the rest of us." Their last song 'Power to the Peaceful' was performed with Chris surrounded by the crowd. HIM singing behind their signature brand image, I believe there could of been more enthusiasm from the band it's self as there was very little audience participation which let there performance down. Limp Bizkit started out by saying "Now you know what time it really fucking is? Limp Bizkit in the house, you ready for this" 'Rollin' starting their set everyone stood up and began moshing and head banging. A lot of toilet roll was thrown around the crowd, was this a sign of a bad performance or just typical festival discourse? Awkwardly saying it was Saturday when in fact it was Friday, there were a few other blips throughout the set. "You guys ready to get you're Saturday night on?" Left the crowd a little silent and confused. But this was styled out with a cover of George Michael's Faith. To finish was the first headliner of the weekend, The Prodigy. Lights and smoke filled the stage, building the suspense for the fans. The atmosphere was electrifying, hands were in the air, everyone was dancing, and when it begin to rain during the second song this was a massive relief (especially to the sunburnt people) after the insanely hot weather that whole day. Thunder was slowed down and changed to fit the crowd which was good as it was a metal festival but made Prodigy loose abit of its originality.  

Saturday 
Alestorm took the Saturn stage early this morning and with pirate metal being such a niche market the turn out was pretty big. Fans embraced the music and danced to fit the genre. Alestorms advice to the crowd was "Let's drink a lot of shit." Baby Metal blew everyone away at this years festival, if they were to receive a on award from the crowds feedback, it would defiantly be most upcoming band of the year. The three sweet Japanese young looking trio contrasted with the hard metal instrumental but it worked and was a fantastic performance that everyone couldn't stop talking about and was singing the whole weekend. The bands visuals spoke of no bullying and not hurting one another this may have been contradictory after the trio then told the crowd to do the wall of death. Ghost gave out a passionate performance and excelled on there on stage presence which the band is recognised for. Lead singer Papa Emeritus mimics the Roman Catholic Pope although the greatest difference is the anti Christ symbol on his head piece, the image representing the worship of Satan. The guitarist were also dressed mimicking Priest. Anthrax turn out was pretty much the same as an a headliner maybe this is a hint for Sonisphere in the future, but this wasn't there only set, on Friday they played their 'Playing Among the Living' on the Bohemia Stage but the tent was packed full the security had to monitor people going in and out of the tent. Their main stage performance, the crowd was really going for it. Sonisphere sure did love Anthrax. Deftones and Slayer both had similar audience engagement, everyone was moshing, circle pits were forming and head banging was taken place which concluded these two bands really pulled it off. If you weren't in an Iron Maiden top for today then you would stick out like a saw thumb because literally everyone had them on. Overhearing a lot of people talking about Bruce Dickinson and were jokes going round that every plane that flew past, it was Bruce flying it, (even if it was an easy jet plane.) To end the day of this crazy line up, Iron Maiden took the stage and completely ripped it apart. The visuals were continuously changed throughout the set, with Eddie in his few forms. "It's you that's makes it real" Bruce proposes to the crowd. Lights, fire, sparks, everything and more in a performance you could wish for, this was by far the performance that completely owned this years Sonisphere.
 
Sunday
Sadly the last day of Sonisphere, but the wait for Metallica tonight was sure to hold the crowd up from their hangovers. After Gojira noticed the crowds half hearted dancing (as this was an early set,) they soon got the crowd back up, by shouting, "Still a little sleepy, let's makes some noise," which woke the crowd up and circle pits started appearing and more fist pumping was taking place. Devin Townsend Project was all about the love at this years Sonisphere as he told the crowd, "Group hug everybody, it's all about the love." Devin pulled off a fantastic performance and even hinted he may be back next year. "Maybe see you next year, love you all, see you and have a good night." Airbourne hitting the stage next and we all know this is going to be an exciting performance after the expectations of Joel O'Keefee goings on, on stage. Airbourne completely took the stage and had everyone gripped. "Even though the toilets are leaking, you lot still having a good time…You lot look great, you are rock and roll." As of tradition Joel did start climbing the scaffolding of the main stage and began to swing his guitar about whilst up in the air. At the end of the set Joel kindly threw a few beers into the crowd. Reel Big Fish on next, the crowd did experience about a minute worth of sound missing from the main speakers but the bands humour and charm pulled this off. The song 'Fuck You', resulted in "47 fucks in a row." Everyone was soon up singing and dancing when they played a cover of Ah Ha's Take On Me. Alice in Chains on before the final headliner of Soniphere was another kickass performance. "How you doing Knebworth?" got the crowd buzzing and was a consistent performance from start to finish. Wrapping up this years Sonisphere Metallica held the fans waiting a eager 15 minutes after their scheduled time. This really built up the climax to the final big performance. Typically some great facial expressions from James Hetfield as they played fans request for the set list. The bands classics were played along with their new songs Lords of Summer which seems a little strange that this was requested, but the bands performance was truly astonishing. The visuals and props were a little disappointing at the beginning but this got better as balloons and lasers appeared later on in the set. 

This years Sonisphere was a thrilling return and a complete success. Lets hope Sonisphere lives up to its amazing weekends like this one for the future. 

Sonisphere 2014 Friday Review – Prodigy

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Limp Bizkits' fail of the night.

"Now you know what time it really fucking is. Limp Bizkit in the house, you ready for this." Screams lead singer Fred Durst after three lovely ladies harmoniously sang Rolling, introducing the band to the stage. Enticing the audience with Faith, the crowd enthusiasm rose. The excitement from fans came to a slight stop after a little hiccup from Durst, completely messing up what day it is. "You guys to get your Saturday night on?" Confusion, and a short moment of silence from the crowd the singer quickly styled out a response of "Well it's Saturday night in my book." This wasn't the only blip the Durst randomly shouted 'Oh, Shit' in the middle of his set. Whether these mistakes were a result of one too many, or just a lack of communication from the bands media side we will never know. I have to admit these were soon forgotten after the bands incredible stage presence and claiming thing such as "What a pretty fucking crazy crowd tonight." Anthrax over lapping their time slot with Limp Bizbit and performing on the Bohemia tent which was proving to be pretty dam popular after the tent was so full security was stopping people from entering, surely Anthrax needed a bigger stage.

Friday's Headliner: Prodigy.
The band everyone has been anxiously waiting for all day, 21.20 finally arrived and the fans loudly welcomed tonight's first headliner Prodigy. Entering the stage with a epic entrance, creating suspense after emerging from the smoke covering the stage the crowd were ecstatic to see and hear the first glimpse of the band. 'I can't fucking hear you!'  Sending the crowd into euphoria with "Breathe", the rain starts to lightly fall as Prodigy head into "Jetfighter".  This did not put a downer on the crowd epically after seeing all of the burnt faces in the crowd. Forcing the crowd to go crazier than they already were, it was fair to say the people of Soniphere did not stop moshing, dancing, jumping, fist pumping, air guitaring, which could of been to do the metal cover the band slightly adjusted a few of their own songs to fit with the genre of Sonisphere. The band defiantly pulled this off after slowing down "Thunder" giving it a deeper bass, Prodigy defiantly get points for these adjustments. Finishing their set with the massive anthem "Smack My Bitch Up", Prodigy return with the crowd still buzzing with an encore of 'Take me to the Hospital', "Hyperspeed", "New Beats", "Their Law".  Keith Flint is forever engaging the crowd with phases like "I know you know what to fucking do and All you people at Sonisphere where the fuck are my prodigy people, A little more music, turn the fucker up". The stage presence of the band as a whole were truly incredible; the visual topped it off. With little stage art but the way the band was shown on the screen was edited in a surreal kind of way. Showing the band live in different effect such as negative, black and white and mirroring, which made it look as if this was pre recorded as a short art film. The array of coloured lights reaching the night sky gave the band greater performance. This band lived up to its name, and was for sure the best performance  of the night.

Sonisphere 2014 Day Splits announced plus more artists!

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You can now start planning your Sonisphere itinerary as we present to you the day splits for this years summer festival which takes place at the legendary venue Knebworth Park.

We have also got a list of fourteen new bands which will join the massive lineup headlined by The Prodigy, Iron Maiden and Metallica.

Announced today we have, Gary Numan, Band of Skulls, Carcass, New Model Army, The Winery Dogs, The Bronx, Gallows, 65DaysOfStatic, Sebastian Bach, Chiodos, Bam Margera's Fuckface Unstoppable, Anti Nowhere League, Little Matador & The Lounge Kittens.

See the day splits below:

Friday
 
APOLLO STAGE:
 
THE PRODIGY
LIMP BIZKIT
BAND OF SKULLS
GARY NUMAN
ANTI-FLAG
THE DEFILED
 
BOHEMIA & OTHER STAGES:
 
ELECTRIC WIZARD
65DAYSOFSTATIC
DEVIL YOU KNOW
BAM  MARGERA'S FUCKFACE UNSTOPPABLE
YASHIN   
CARNIFEX
BRUTALITY WILL PREVAIL
HOUNDS  
LITTLE MATADOR
 
Saturday
 
APOLLO STAGE:
IRON MAIDEN
DEFTONES
FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS
ANTHRAX
GHOST
 
SATURN STAGE:
SLAYER
CARCASS
THE WINERY DOGS
CHAS & DAVE
ALESTORM
 
BOHEMIA & OTHER STAGES:
THE SISTERS OF MERCY
NEW MODEL ARMY
DOG EAT DOG PLAYING ALL BORO KINGS
SEBASTIAN BACH   
WILKO JOHNSON
THE VIRGINMARYS    
RECKLESS LOVE  
BLITZ KIDS   
STAMPIN GROUND   
TURBOWOLF  
VOODOO SIX   
THE HELL
 
Sunday
 
APOLLO STAGE:
METALLICA
ALICE IN CHAINS
MASTODON
AIRBOURNE
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT
GOJIRA
 
SATURN STAGE:
DREAM THEATER
DROPKICK MURPHYS
REEL BIG FISH
KARNIVOOL  
PROTEST THE HERO
 
BOHEMIA & OTHER STAGES:
THE BRONX
GALLOWS
CHIODOS  
KERBDOG
BLACK SPIDERS  
TRUCKFIGHTERS
SILVERSTEIN  
THE CADILLAC THREE
ONLY CRIME
ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE
ITCH  
KROKODIL

Global Gathering 2014 lineup announced!

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We are pretty excited here at the Summer Festival Guide HQ to let you know about the Global Gathering lineup announcement for 2014.

This years award winning festival will bring some of the biggest electronic music artists to Long Marston Airfield in Stratford Upon Avon for a massive weekend of music!

The Prodigy, Chase & Status, David Guetta and one more headliner to be announced will be headlining this years festival and they will be joined by the likes of soulful chart topper Katy B, Alesso, Knife Party, BBC Radio 1's Pete Tong, Eric Prydz and Jamie Jones just to name a few!

See the full press release below:

With the festival’s most diverse and eclectic line-up to date, GlobalGathering 2014 will see performances from dance music royalty The Prodigy, drum and bass masters Chase & Status and soulful chart-topper Katy B, as well as global dance music stars David Guetta making his UK dance festival exclusive, Alesso, Knife Party, Pete Tong, Eric Prydz and Jamie Jones. Leaders of the underground will also be showcased with the likes of Eats Everything, Dixon, The Martinez Brothers, Yousef, Maya Jane Coles, MK, Hot Since 82, and Darius Syrossian also gracing the bill.
 
Headlining the main stage arena and returning to GlobalGathering for the first time since 2009 are dance music pioneers and living legends The Prodigy. The dynamic trio will show their legions of fans why they have been at the forefront of the underground scene for over two decades. Premier drum & bass pairing Chase & Status, who will be performing their much-hyped live show, in what is guaranteed to be an explosive and memorable performance. Album chart-topper and first lady of Rinse, Katy B, will also be showcasing her live fusion of garage beats and soulful melodies. Also sharing the main stage bill, will be BBC Radio 1 host Annie Mac, who will bring with her a selection of fresh cuts and the kind of party vibes that she has become synonymous for the world over. EDM duo Knife Party also make an explosive return to Long Marston Airfield to make their debut on the main stage.
 
Chase & Status commented: “We're really looking forward to bringing the live show back to GlobalGathering this summer, we always see scenes of carnage from the crowds at Global and we're sure that this year will be no different.”
 
After the success of its debut last year, BBC Radio 1Xtra returns to GlobalGathering to host its own arena. Confirmed to headline will be Sub Focus, armed with his inimitable live show and unique hybrid of drum and bass and dubstep, with Belgian drum and bass super star Netsky also set to bring his acclaimed live show. The UK’s biggest breakthrough act of 2014 Gorgon City are also confirmed as is GlobalGathering regular and 1Xtra radio presenter Mistajam. Other highlights include UK hip-hop duo Krept & Konan, Fuse ODG and All About She.
 
BBC Radio 1 will be presenting their world-famous Essential Mix LIVE arena and for the first time will be playing host to b2b sets from the dance music elite. Headlining will be one of the world’s most in demand underground DJs Eric Prydz. In what is guaranteed to be a festival highlight, dance music pioneer and Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong will be going back to back with acclaimed Bristolian DJ Eats Everything. Progressive music pioneer Sasha will be playing alongside Saved Records head honcho Nic Fanciulli, whilst dubstep originator turned house hero, Skream, will also be playing alongside the leader of contemporary electro-boogie Tensnake. Chart breakthrough DJ/Producers, Breach and Duke Dumont will also be playing.
 
Returning for the fourth year to host its own stage will be pivotal drum and bass label Hospitality, now in its eighteenth year. They return with a plethora of talent including sets from High Contrast, London Elektricity, Camo & Krooked, Fred V & Graffix and S.P.Y. The stage will also feature special guests including, jungle pioneer Hype, plus TC and Sigma. MC duty will come courtesy of heavy weights including Wrec, Dynamite, Linguistics, SP:MC, Carasel and Texas.
 
Continuing on the bass theme, UKF Live are confirmed to host a stage and showcase their sound of bass heavy beats. Pretty Lights will be performing a live set with his unique fusion of sampled-based beats, Shogun Audio head honcho Friction, Digital Soundboy label owner and jungle heavyweight Shy FX will be playing, as will Ram Records’ Wilkinson, spinning drum and bass to the crowds. Much-loved Garage ambassador DJ EZ, will also be on the decks, as will BBC radio 1 presenter B Traits. Fresh new talent will be showcased through recent MTA signing KOVE plus Hannah Wants, My Nu Leng and Pegboard Nerds covering a broad base of the global bass-led styles. 
 
Friction enthused: “Can't wait to be back at GlobalGathering this year! It's where I've had some of my most enjoyable moments as a DJ!”
 
GlobalGathering’s new super structure The Hangar Arena will see headline sets from a host of chart-topping dance music talent including the world famous DJ and producer David Guetta who will be making his UK dance festival exclusive appearance for GlobalGathering. Australian electro-house DJ Tommy Trash and recent number 1 chart sensation Alesso will also be delivering spellbinding and mesmerising big room sets alongside Dutch stars W&W, Vicetone and Sunnery James, Ryan Marciano, Moldova’s Andrew Rayel, and the fast rising talents of Daddy’s Groove (Italy) Will Sparks (Australia), , Danny Avila (Spain)  and Patrick Hagenaar (UK), and a UK dance festival exclusive performance from the USA’s new superstars of noise Krewella, making The Hangar a truly Global EDM experience. 
 
Returning for the second time, Global are thrilled to be bringing back the Paradise Arena, hosted by Hot Creations head honcho Jamie Jones. Having become an Ibiza must-see artist with his hugely popular residency at DC-10, Jamie will offer a taste of the white isle showcasing the deeper sounds of house, tech house and techno. The arena will feature Resident Advisor’s No.1 DJ, Dixon, plus The Martinez Brothers, Richy Ahmed, Waff and more. 
 
Also bringing a flavour of Ibiza will be the Circus stage presented by Yousef and in association with Thump. Confirmed to perform will be leader of the new school of house and techno Maya Jane Cole, vibrant young producer Ben Pearce and Sankeys resident Darius Syrossian. Leeds based DJ and producer Hot Since 82 will also perform, as will bona fide house music legend Dennis Ferrer.
 
Representing the underground dance scene will be seminal UK label Defected armed with a selection of house and techno’s finest. Returning to GlobalGathering will be in demand remixer MK, who recently hit the top spot with his Defected released edit of Storm Queen’s ‘Look Right Through’ as well as techno ambassador Green Velvet. Other Defected highlights include Guti who will be performing live as well as Shadow Child, Gotsome and label boss Simon Dunmore. 
 
MK said: “Had a great time at Global last year, looking forward to headlining the Defected stage this year!”
 
Godskitchen, one of the biggest and most ground-breaking dance brands in the world, will once again be bringing the trance elite back to GlobalGathering. Showcasing the biggest names in the euphoric scene including a UK debut from trance super group New World Punx who’s members are Markus Schulz and Ferry Corsten, Cosmic Gate, John O’Callaghan, Aly & Fila, and Jordan Suckley.
 
The Global Freight Depot will feature a takeover from Ram Jam’s very own David Rodigan. Showcasing sounds inspired by reggae and dancehall will be the likes of BBC radio one DJ Toddla T, garage and dnb veteran DJ Zinc and dub enthusiasts Mungos Hi Fi. Other highlights include Mele and member of the revered dubstep super-group Magnetic Man, Artwork. The Global Freight Depot stage will also see a Born Electric takeover with the likes of eclectic DJ and technical wizard James Zabiela, Hot Flush lynchpin Scuba and Cyrez D aka Eric Prydz amongst others.
 
The Bunker, one of the most exciting and unique spaces on any UK festival site, returns for it’s second year with a new direction and a unique immersive experience in association with Jagermeister. Parties over the weekend are hosted by new electronic music champions Eton Messy and one of the UK’s most exciting and established venues, The Rainbow, presenting its home grown clubbing brands FACE x 10:31.
 
STAGE BY STAGE LINEUP
 
MAIN STAGE ARENA HOSTED BY METROPOLIS (FRIDAY)
CHASE & STATUS (LIVE)
2ND HEADLINER ANNOUNCED 04.04.14
KATY B (LIVE)
KYNTRO
NZ SHAPESHIFTERS
NORTHBASE
+MORE TBA
 
MAIN STAGE ARENA (SATURDAY)
THE PRODIGY (UK DANCE FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)
KNIFE PARTY
ANNIE MAC
MADEON
ANDY C
JAGUAR SKILLS
LETS BE FRIENDS
MAJOR LOOK – Live
LFM & MALI
PETE SPECTRUM
 
THE HANGAR (FRIDAY)
DAVID GUETTA (UK DANCE FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)
TOMMY TRASH
SUNNERY JAMES AND RYAN MARCIANO
VICETONE
DADDY’S GROOVE
OLIVER HELDENS
WILL SPARKS
DANNY AVILA
PATRICK HAGENAAR
 
THE HANGAR (SATURDAY)
ALESSO
W&W
KREWELLA (UK DANCE FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)
ARTY
OTTO KNOWS
ANDREW RAYEL
DUBVISION
CRAIG CONNELLY
PAUL THOMAS
SCARNITE
 
Very Special Guest: DIRTY SOUTH
 
ACROSS THE WEEKEND:
 
BBC RADIO 1’S ESSENTIAL MIX LIVE*
ERIC PRYDZ
PETE TONG B2B EATS EVERYTHING
SASHA & NIC FANCIULLI
DUKE DUMONT
BREACH
TENSNAKE B2B SKREAM
PAUL WOOLFORD B2B ROUTE 94
KRYSKO B2B GREG LORD
DJ PEARL
FRIEND WITHIN
*NOT FOR BROADCAST
 
BBC RADIO 1XTRA
SUB FOCUS (LIVE)
NETSKY (LIVE)
GORGON CITY
FUSE ODG
MISTAJAM
KREPT AND KONAN
ALL ABOUT SHE (LIVE)
MERIDIAN DAN
 
Hosted by DJ TARGET
 
UKF LIVE
PRETTY LIGHTS (LIVE)
WILKINSON
SHY FX ft. STAMINA MC
FRICTION
MATRIX & FUTURBOUND ft. MC RHYMESTAR
DJ EZ
HANNAH WANTS
KOVE
B TRAITS
MY NU LENG
KRAKOTA
 
GODSKITCHEN
NEW WORLD PUNX (UK DEBUT)
ALY & FILA
COSMIC GATE
JOHN O’CALLAGHAN
JORDAN SUCKLEY
SOLARSTONE
HEATBEAT
STEVE ARNOLD
SAM MITCHAM
 
PARADISE
JAMIE JONES
DIXON
THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS
RICHY AHMED
WAFF
MARK JENKYNS
RUSS YALLOP
+MORE TBA
 
DEFECTED IN THE HOUSE
MK
GREEN VELVET (CAJMERE)
GUTI  (LIVE)
NOIR
SHADOW CHILD
GOTSOME
SIMON DUNMORE
SAM DIVINE
 
YOUSEF PRESENTS CIRCUS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THUMP
MAYA JANE COLES
YOUSEF
DENNIS FERRER
HOT SINCE 82
BEN PEARCE
DARRIUS SYROSSIAN
HUXLEY
LEWIS BOARDMAN
 
HOSPITALITY
HIGH CONTRAST
CAMO & KROOKED
FRED V & GRAFIX
S.P.Y
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The Prodigy, Lily Allen and more confirmed for Sziget 2014

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This years Sziget Festival expands it lineup to inlclude festival favourites The Prodigy, pop singer Lily Allen, La Roux, Miles Kane, Palma Violets, Kavinsky, Fink, and Jagwar Ma.

They join the already announced Queens of the Stone Age, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Skrillex, Placebo, Klaxons, Stromae, Calvin Harris, Imagine Dragons, & Bastille at the summer festival which takes place in Budapest, Hungary.

The Prodigy is a must-have star for any festival main stage, after 25 million sold albums and an amazing popularity through the years. Probably the most successful British electronic formation is once again performing at Sziget. Young, energetic, extravagant pop singer, Lily Allen, will also perform at Sziget Festival. She released her newest single last year in November, called “Hard Out Here”, and while she is still working on her third studio album, we already know the name of it ‘Sheezus’.

La Roux and the voice of Elly Jackson is known by all pop music fans. The synth-pop lady and her partner Ben Langmaid, the producer-songwriter-keyboard player, are one of the most popular pop music productions of the 2000s. The popular ska-punk band from Madrid, Ska-P, will also hit the stage of the Island of Freedom. There are few bands that can be so visually stimulating as they are and this year we can check them out with our own eyes at Sziget.

Miles Kane, former frontman of the The Rascals and co-frontman of the Last Shadow of Puppets, is now successfully performing his solo career. He has released two albums so far, the one released last year ‘Don’t forget Who You Are’ was a great success. Simon Green, AKA Bonobo, is an artist very much at the peak of his significant powers. His 2010 album ‘Black Sands’ was the high watermark of his career to date; a masterful record, marrying Green’s inimitable melodic genius to cutting edge electronics, bass and drums.

Palma Violets are one of the most promising post-garage rock bands today. The first single “Best of Friends”, a raucous and exhilarating blast of primal rock’n’roll, was voted NME’s song of the year for 2012. Electronic musician and producer, Vincent Belergey, known as Kavinsky, is one of the most important and creative star of the French electronic scene. His latest album, "Outrun", is received immediately as a success and he started a world live tour called OUTRUN LIVE TOUR and Sziget is a part of it.

Fink is a British singer-songwriter, who is known for his creative lyrics, sophisticated and romantic songs and his charismatic performances. He has released five albums in the last ten years and last time he visited Sziget with his album ‘Perfect Darkness’ two year ago. Jagwar Ma will be a real excitement at the Island of Freedom this year. The Australian trio of Gabriel Winterfield, Jona Ma and Jack Freeman make some kind of psychedelic dance music that mesmerizes the audience. 

Deftones only UK show will be at Sonisphere!

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SONISPHERE welcomes DEFTONES to the superb bill for their only UK appearance of 2014. Groundbreaking and highly influential, the alternative metallers have been setting new standards in exciting rock performance since the seminal album ‘Adrenaline’ came out in 1995. With a reputation for being one of the most dazzling and uncompromising bands on the planet, DEFTONES have, throughout the years, been garnering praise, success, and too many accolades to mention, selling millions of records and winning the adoration of their peers. With classics such as ‘Back To School’, ‘My Own Summer (Shove It)’, ‘Change (In The House Of flies)’, DEFTONES are poised to set KNEBWORTH ablaze with a show to die for. Says drummer Abe Cunningham:
 
"Greetings to ALL!!! We are absolutely stoked to be part of Sonisphere's return and of course to have a chance to once again play a show with Iron Maiden, especially on the hallowed grounds of Knebworth. Until then…!!!!

FRANK TURNER has a work ethic like no other, climbing his way up from the dive circuit to the arena limelight, claiming widespread praise and critical plaudits along the way. Outside of his own live shows, Frank has also broken into mainstream consciousness with the honours of performing at the Olympic Opening ceremony, and more recently, appearing on TV’s Celebrity Mastermind. With SONISPHEREheadliners IRON MAIDEN as his chosen specialist subject, Frank – who boasts an Eddie tattoo – won the Mastermind challenge with his superior knowledge of the metal legends. It does not take much imagination to appreciate the delight he has on learning he will share a stage with his heroes for the first time:
 
Says Turner:
 
“I'm excited to be playing Sonisphere this year, and super excited to be playing the same stage as the first band I ever fell in love with – Iron Maiden; it's definitely going to be my festival highlight for 2014.” 
 
Turner will be appearing at KNEBWORTH with his band as FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS, having recently completed an incendiary UK arena tour in support of fifth album ‘Tape Deck Heart’.
 
Hot off the success of their recent UK Tour with Less than Jake, Californian Ska-punk pioneers REEL BIG FISH come to KNEBWORTH armed with a hyper-kinetic live show, juvenile humour and ironic covers of new wave pop songs. With a fun filled attitude and massive dancefloor fillers such as  ‘Sell Out’ and ‘Take On Me’, their set will undoubtedly prove once more that REEL BIG FISH is one of the most dynamic and accomplished bands of the genre, as they take to the SATURN stage for a Sunday Ska Punk Party.
 
PROTEST THE HERO have carved an identity for themselves that is thought of as profoundly revolutionary within heavy music and 2014 has already seen them complete a hugely successful UK headline tour, including a sold out show at London’s Electric Ballroom. The band effortlessly balances high-minded artistry with wit and whimsy, substantive viewpoints with wanton tomfoolery, and masterful musicianship with true song-craft. SONISPHERE can’t wait to see them spread the magic of their spider-fingered arpeggios, walloping bottom-heavy brutality and dynamically theatrical vocals as showcased on their fourth album ‘Volition’.
 
Says the band:
 
“Europe knows something about doing festivals right. We are blown away every time we come over in the summer and take part in the fun. One of the highlights this summer is going to be Sonisphere! We are just finishing a UK leg of a tour and the turn outs have been great so I can only imagine what it will be like at Sonisphere.”
 
Avast, ye landlubbers! Fans of the sonically adventurous will be delighted to see ALESTORM joining the festivities with their very own brand of True Scottish Pirate Metal. With a treasure chest of keytar laden, pirate themed, fist pumping folk metal, these scurvy dogs will have their most epic voyage yet as they sail the sea of SONISPHERE’s SATURN stage on the Saturday for a rum fuelled set of metal fun.
 
Since forming in 2001, Stoner/Psychedelic rock gods TRUCKFIGHTERS have released an impressive four albums, seven EP’s and a film depicting their lives named simply ‘Truckfighters’ in 2011.  With Josh Homme being one of their biggest fans, TRUCKFIGHTERS released fourth album ‘Universe’ earlier this year and are an exciting addition to the festival.
 
2014 is full of exciting promise from Ireland’s KERBDOG.  Having released two albums in the 1990’s to critical acclaim, disbanding and later reforming to sell out the London Garage on a special one off live appearance, 2014 will see the band release their first new material in seventeen years, and resurrect their electric live performance.  KERBDOG say it best themselves:
 
"We would have crawled naked across broken glass to play Sonisphere. To be invited to what is one of the greatest rock festivals on the planet as we release a new live album is a gift from the Gods. The Fans are in for an earth-shattering gig that will level buildings. End of."
 
Having landed support slots to The Stranglers and appearing alongside Billy Talent at the 2013 UK VANS WARPED TOUR, hotly tipped UK outfit MAX RAPTOR, who blend punk and rock to startling effect, are also confirmed to appear at SONISPHERE, where their hard-edge and angry sounds as shown on their debut album ‘Mother’s Ruin’ will resonate through the festival.

Says the band:
 
“Just had the awesome news we'll be playing Sonisphere 2014…. We used to go to a grubby rock club in Burton on Trent and listen to Maiden and now we're playing the same festival as them. Absolute dream come true.”
 
Bringing the kind of American punk rock that has drawn comparison to Black Flag for its hard hitting melodies and rhythm, ONLY CRIME will treat festival goers to a truly special show. With a line up led by Bill Stevenson (Descendants) and Russ Rankin (Good Riddance) the band looks set for a big 2014 with a new album in the pipeline and SONISPHERE is looking forward to sharing it with them. Checking in from the studio, the band said:
 
"We know it's been awhile since we have been overseas.  We have been working hard on the new record and are so excited to finally get back over there and give it all we've got."
 
Returning to SONISPHERE is one of the UK’s most anticipated new bands, BLITZ KIDS.  The outfit has been garnering praise from the likes of BBC Radio1 with their brand new album ‘Good Youth’ and single ‘Sometimes’. On the brink of big things, audiences would be wise not miss their appearance.
 
Says the band:
 
“It's a great honour to be playing at Sonisphere Festival for its big comeback to the UK! It feels like we're part of a big welcome home party. We played a few years ago on the smallest stage, and to be asked to play on the Bohemia Stage this year is a fantastic opportunity to step it up a few gears.”
 
SONISPHERE is excited to welcome Camden Town born and raised punk/rap artist ITCH to the weekend for the first time.  After fronting critically acclaimed, ground breaking band The King Blues for seven years, lyricist ITCH took his unique brand of poetry full force into the solo act he is today. Recent album ‘The Deep End’ sees his unstoppable ferociousness cemented in record and is sure to make an unforgettable live experience.
 
“I'm so excited to be playing Sonisphere, it'll be my first time there.
It's an honour to be playing the same bill as metal gods such as Chas and Dave” jokes ITCH.
 
British electro/punk rockers HOUNDS join the bill after releasing their debut EP as a cover mount with Metal Hammer.  Having proved their live credentials on tour with Stone Sour, as well as at appearance at SONISPHERE 2011, and citing THE PRODIGY’s Liam Howlett in the list of people they’ve worked with, HOUNDS shouldn’t be missed. Says the band:
 
“We can’t wait to bring the noise to Sonisphere this summer, we have been locked in an Air Raid shelter for months writing and recording our debut album so we feel like caged animals. The stage ain’t gonna know what hit it….”