Toddla T

Roots Manuva, Scroobius Pip and more added to Play Fest 2012

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Joining Ash, Pigeon Detectives and some amazing unsigned talent on the Main Stage, is the leading light and unmistakable face of the UK’s spoken word scene, Scroobius Pip. Taking a side step from his duo collaboration with Dan Le Sac, his Play Fest appearance will focus on his recent solo album, Distraction Piece. Be prepared for some clever and crafty prose, with insightful, thought provoking political observations and a killer bassline! Joining Pip on the Main Stage for Sunday evening is UK sunshine reggae maestro, Natty. Pulling from a variety of influences from South Africa, Italy and the UK, his style moves effortlessly from Reggae to West African Horns mixing in a fresh take on popular songs such as Armand Van Helden’s “You Don't Know Me”. Having reached both critical and popular success Play Fest are jumping for joy at the thought of seeing in the Sunday evening with Natty’s feel good summertime vibes! Another addition to the main stage bill for the Saturday evening will be North East four-piece Little Comets, their blend of tricky percussive rhythms and Afro-beat-tinged guitars has seen them labelled as the British Vampire Weekend and perfect to ease you into Play Fest’s Saturday evening!

Saturday on the Big Top Stage welcomes a very special guest, a man who needs no introduction; UK Hip-Hop supremeo, Roots Manuva who brings his mix of dub, ragga and trip-hop style to the Play Fest fields, a MOBO award winner and Mercury prize nominee, Roots Manuva has effortless charm and delivers an engaging stage show. Other acts newly confirmed for the Big Top include, Federation of the Disco Pimp, Rory McVicar and Boat to Row. These are all set to snuggle up on the Big Top bill next to the likes of the awesome electro-swing gods The Correspondents , local troubadours Killamonjambo and many more…

Roots Manua

Play Fest can also reveal some acts for the main Dance Stage, curated by Norwich's leading electronic club night, POW! Where the best in up front electronic music can be found from some of the biggest names in the industry, alongside some world-famous party starters! The bill so far is looking pretty meaty, with; Toddla T, Shy FX, Jaymo & Andy George, Zinc, Rattus Rattus & Klose One (Urban Nerds), DJ Andy H, DJ@WAR, DJ Cable (DMC Champ), POW! Party Boys, Attack Yourself!, Joshua Roberts and Get Low Cartel.

Finally, it’s time to introduce Play Fest’s very own naughty corner… The Asylum stage! This is a place to fully expect the unexpected, to let your hair down and get involved in the mayhem. A spectacular mix of solo artists and bands will grace the stage during daylight hours, then as night falls, prepare for some crazy shenanigans at this late night live music venue, where some of the hottest music acts and cabaret performances from the local and UK music scene will be rocking the night away! Including; Double Drop, Sam & The Womp, The Vagaband, Feral Mouth, Swingball, Poppy Perezz, The Harvs, Cielo, Kodeta, Josh Doughty, Nimmo & The Gauntlets, Eliza Shaddad, Slightly Offensive Steve, Andy Kirkham, The Woodland Creatures, Scott Wright.

Although the bulk of the line up is now announced, the big-hearted folk at Play Fest HQ still have a few tricks up their sleeves and are still to announce the Main Stage Sunday headliner and support, along with the dance arena Sunday headliner and a sprinkling of other gems still to add to the bill. Watch this space Play Mates!

Chase & Status, Dizzee Rascal and more for Beach Break Live

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Taking place from 14th – 18th June in Pembrey Country Park the four-day extravaganza will welcome the mighty Chase and Status, who will be performing live on Friday, grime maestro Dizzee Rascal who will be topping Saturday's bill and Friendly Fires, who will raise the roof on Sunday, closing what is without doubt the most exciting festival line-up of the summer. With tickets priced from just £109, Beach Break Live will be buzzing with festival goers enjoying the epic line-up and four fun-filled days in the sun which will see everything from Roller Disco's to The Celtic Games.   

Chase & StatusAfter Beach Break Live gave Chase and Status their first ever headline show in 2010, the duo have risen to global stardom pioneering drum and bass in the UK singles chart and bringing the genre to the forefront of the music industry. They will be joined by multi-talented producer and artist in his own right Labrinth, who shot to fame in 2011 with his numerous collaborations and hugely successful singles 'Let The Sun Shine' and 'Earthquake'. BRITs Critics Choice-nominated Maverick Sabrewill stun the crowds with his beautiful voice while hotly tipped London bandClement Marfo & The Frontline will be skanking down in their uniquely urban style. The coveted Delilah will no doubt be performing her single 'GO' which has received huge critical acclaim and resonated with fans across the UK. Dubstep chart toppers Nero will bring hits such as 'Me And You' and 'Promises' to the Beach Break Live Dance Stage.

As with Chase & Status, Beach Break Live is hugely excited to be welcoming the return of another festival favourite, BRITs awards winner Dizzee Rascal who will headline The Dell Main Stage on Saturday. Having stuck with Beach Break through the infamous 2009 site move to perform his first ever headline festival show, Dizzee returns as the notorious icon of the UK grime and urban scene to blow the minds of 20,000 festival goers in Wales. Festival goers will be going 'Bonkers' for everything Beach Break this year, from Zorbing down the 8-mile beach to horseriding through the waves, this festival offers everything fun in one place. 

Dizzee RascalDJ Fresh, who has just reached No. 1 in the UK singles chart, will be showcasing his new live tour, which includes a full band and a tonne of technology as a back drop to his hard hitting bass lines. Since 2010 Wretch 32 has been steadily rising up the charts thanks to breakthrough singles from his hugely successful album 'Black and White'. 2012 is set to continue that trend, if not garner even more success for the grime MC when he performs at this year's Beach Break Live 2012. Embarking on UK tours this February, Beach Break is delighted to be welcoming both Manchester indie rockers The Whip and lyrical genius Ghostpoet to the festival for the first time while the newly appointed BBC Radio 1 contingent Benga [live] and Skream will be offering up the kind of cutting edge drum 'n' bass that has seen them become two of the most talked about DJs and producers in the business.  

The infamous Ghetto Blaster stage is returning yet again to Beach Break Live, true to form artists will be keeping festival goers up into the small hours with a mash up of unique dubstep from Toddla T, Rinse FM's very own Oneman and Glasgows champian DJ and Numbers label founder, Jackmaster, will be spinning the decks with a frenzy of electronic bass and beats. Blawan will also be joining the boys on the Ghetto Blaster stage, hotly tipped producer of 2011 will no doubt be bringing even more to the dance table in 2012. Festival circuit pros DJ Parker, DJ Cheebaand DJ Moneyshot will be spinning the decks in Chai Wallah whilst rising talentsMystery, SDM, MTD and Dutty Dan will also be performing around the site. Propaganda will be starting the post main stage party in the ActionAid tent every night, with some secret DJ sets to top it off!

With the highly anticipated second album from Friendly Fires tantalisingly close to being released, there's little doubt that the St. Albans trio will be a festival highlight for many a Beach Breaker in 2012 when the boys close proceedings on the Dell Main Stage on Sunday. They will be joined by Beach Break regular and rapidly rising singer songwriter Ben Howard while Merlin's Forest is set for the ultimate drum 'n' bass takeover when the one-and-only Hospitality unleash their collective on Sunday.  High Contrast, Netsky, Camo & Krooked, Danny Byrd and more will take to the decks for what promises to be a unforgettable show.

Six massive acts added to Hideout Festival 2012

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Sub Focus AKA Nick Douwma, has quickly risen through the ranks of underground jungle to become a major player in electronic music. Initially known for dancefloor dismantling drum & bass, Sub Focus is now known for being synonymous with music that draws from all corners of the electronic landscape. His new single Falling Down is available for free download from his Facebook fanpage. No doubt Sub Focus’ return to the Isle of Pag will raise the roof at Hideout Festival 2012.

Having announced herself onto the electronic music scene in 2010, Maya Jane Coles has had unbelievable few years since, earning 9th best DJ in the world in Resident Advisor¹s 2011 top 100 DJs poll. A bright talent with more than a couple of strings to her bow, Maya Jane Coles will bring something very different and exiting to Hideout 2012.

Breakage, who will be making his 2nd visit to the festival, moves effortlessly through styles from drum and bass to dubstep and has proved to be one of the most versatile operators in either scene to date. His recent single Fighting Fire was endorsed by Zane Lowe as Hottest Record In The World and further support has come from Hideout favourite Annie Mac.

Kerri 'Kaoz' Chandler, a deep house music originator, has been injecting soul into music since the early nineties and unparalleled in his ability to bring an intoxicating spirit and sparkling soul to the genre, his signature sound has always stayed true to his jazz and soul roots, ensuring Kerri Chandler will light up Zcre Beach this summer.

As one of the year’s brightest techno stars Ben Klock is welcomed with open arms to Hideout 2012. The Berghain resident has been touring the globe, as well as releasing records on Ostgut Ton and his own label Klockworks and has mounted an international reputation over the last few years making his name synonymous with the rise of techno throughout the world.

Finally, Hideout 2012 welcomes Toddla T to Croatia, 2011 has been another huge year for Toddla T. He has produced tracks for some of the UK urban scene¹s biggest stars, is putting the finishing touches to his second album, DJs around the globe, has a slew of remixes under his belt and has now landed his very own weekly Radio 1 show.

House of Fun Weekender

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25th-27th November 2011
 
Madness said of the event. “Life is a series of beautiful moments, this weekend is a moment in time where you can, we hope take some beautiful moments home with you. Please endeavour to introduce yourself to as many as possible, make new friends, dance, sing, laugh, give support, create joy, be decent, spread the love and most of all enjoy yourselves as much as you think is possible, you know it makes sense”
 
Madness
 
With their tenth album currently in the works, Madness will be playing a career-spanning extravaganza over the weekend, with a few extra-special surprises up their sleeves.
 
The weekend will be packed with top class performances from the likes of the mighty los hermanos Cubanos, The Cuban Brothers, DJ Jerry Dammers, beatbox superstar Beardyman and a set from eclectic powerhouse DJ Andrew Weatherall. Heavyweights The Whip will bring the party, and Norman Jay MBE will be providing yet another classic set. Mr Scruff will grace us with more than three hours of freestyle beats,whilst Squeaky Hill, Marc Roberts and Toddla T & MC Serocee will provide the bass driven rhythms. Check out some arcade-electro rhymes from Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, and digital-ska maestros Man Like Me.
 
We have a wealth of comedy acts on show, who will provide side-splitting entertainment just for your pleasure! The amazing talent we have for you includes Bob Mills, Junior Simpson, Nick Wilty, Al Barrie, Kevin McCarthy and Ben Norris with 8-piece horn and percussion ensemble, Brassroots, Wagontails. As if our stellar musical line-up wasn’t enough, we’re also treating you to some of the best comedians around!
 
The amazing ex-Housemartins and Beautiful South singer Paul Heaton will be one to see, along with Marcus Birdman, Gordon Southern, Michael Smiley and incredible improv-rapping with Abandoman. Halifax Hospital Radio’s very own Barry Peters will make a special appearance, with zoot suited soul flavours from The Milk, electro-swingers The Correspondents and Radio 1’s leftfield master Rob da Bank. Don’t miss DJs,Justin Robertson & Greg Wilson or Brit-Rock Poppers Missing Andy. Watch legendary darts players Wayne Mardle & Peter Manley for something a little bit different, or check out late night treats from Marc Roberts and a ninja-mash-up from Jaguar Skills. DJ sets from Don Letts and erstwhile Specials kingpin Jerry Dammers are sure to get you dancing.
 
Future garage don Doorly will be unmissable, along with Marc Roberts and Craig Charles’ Funk and Soul Show. We are in for a treat from El Thommo in the form of Lee Thompson’s Ska Orchestra and the Irish Bar will host odd-ball merriment from Squeaky Hill and sing-along japes with Rockaoke all weekend long. You can score a strike with the Bowling Disco plus there will be a very special Madness Pool Competition.
 
To book the House of Fun Weekender, or for more information, call 0845 070 4730 or visit www.butlins.com/madness (The maximum call charge is 2p per minute from a BT landline. Calls from other networks may vary)

 

Boomtown Fair 2011 SOLD OUT

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The organisers released an extra 2,500 tickets just a month ago and now all the passes have been snapped up by bass hungry ‘Boomtowners’ who are revving themselves up for a solid four-days of pure escapism, entertainment and intrigue! With the 2011 festival doubling in size and ambition after the highly successful 2010 festival, this year is promising to be the best yet.
 
Lak Mitchell, co-director and co-founder of Boomtown says:
“We are over the moon at the support and enthusiasm we’ve had for this year’s festival. Thanks to everyone who has bought a ticket and helped keep the Boomtown dream alive! We can’t wait to open the town gates, the crew have been working solidly for the past 5-weeks to create this alternative, interactive and immersive world and now we just can’t wait to share it with everyone!”
 
On top of the excellent news that the festival has sold out, it is with sadness that Boomtown also have to announce the cancellation of Barrington Levy, as he has pulled out of several upcoming scheduled dates. Barrington Levy is now unable to keep to his confirmed shows for both Boomtown Fair and Outlook festival. Both festivals have tried everything in their power to ensure the booking was committed to but due to circumstances out of the festival director’s hands the shows have been cancelled. The good news in all this is that Gentleman’s Dub Club, who smashed their show last year and left the crowd pleading for more are now bumped up the bill and will be headlining the Lion’s Den on Saturday night for some high-octane, knee bashing skanking moves!
 
MAIN STAGE LINE UP:
GOGOL BORDELLO / BAD MANNERS / THE SELECTER WITH PAULINE BLACK / [DUNKELBUNT] / THE TOASTERS / GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN / THE APPLES / THE KING BLUES / BABYHEAD / SMERINS ANTI SOCIAL CLUB
 
DANCE STAGE LINE UP: 
DJ ZINC / BLACK SUN EMPIRE / FOREIGN BEGGARS / TODDLA T & SEROCEE / MS DYNAMITE / THE BUG & FLOWDAN / REDLIGHT & MC DREAD / EMALKAY / RATPACK / ED SOLO b2b JFB / HIGH RANKIN / FEED ME / PYRAMID / WARRIOR ONE / RACK N RUIN / TAYO / SQUIRE OF GOTHOS / KOAN SOUND / THE MCMASH CLAN
 
LIONS DEN (REGGAE STAGE) LINE UP:
CAPLETON / CUTTY RANKS / TIPPA IRIE AND FAR EAST BAND / GENTLEMANS DUB CLUB / SOOM T AND JAHTARI / CONGO NATTY / TOPCAT / ABA SHANTI / IRATION STEPPAS / BONGO CHILLI / SOLO BANTON / BENNY PAGE / JINX IN DUB / DADDY FREDDY / FRIENDLY FIRE BAND / JACKY MURDA / KENNY KEN / LION DUB AND DAVID BOOMAH / PRINCE FATTY / THE RAGGA TWINS / THE HEATWAVE / YT / LAID BLAK / MILLION DAN / MR BENN / DUBKASM / ONLY JOE / CAPLETON / THE DROP / SERIAL KILLAZ

Bestival grows further still with Cocknbullkid, Nero & more added

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Rob da Bank says: “I spend my life thinking about who Bestival-goers would like to see at the show. The latest slew of acts highlights the sheer diversity of what people want to see at Bestival: I’m especially chuffed that The La’s have chosen Bestival to come back to the UK circuit and James Blake DJ-ing before Bjork will be a corker, no doubt. Roll on September!”

Following the announcement that Björk will be filling the final headliner spot at Bestival we are mega pleased to announce that legendary Merseyside beatniks The La’s will be getting the ferry across the Solent to join us at Bestival.  One of the most influential acts of the past 20 years, The La’s majestic eponymous debut album has inspired countless bands including Oasis and The Coral, so it’s an utter joy that they have ended nearly two decades on hiatus to entertain the Besti-crowd with their near mythical melodies in what is an exceptionally rare appearance. 

Other live acts joining the Bestival bill include Danish chanteuse Oh Land, AKA Nanna Øland Fabricius, who is currently taking the United States by storm with her cinematic take on timeless pop, alt hip-hoppers B. Dolan & Buddy Peace and indie rave Islanders Council Estate Super Models. There will also be appearances from Wolf Gang, Cocknbullkid, Tribes, Daughter, Lucky Elephant, Mad Dog, Skinny Lister, The Growlers and The Toy Hearts.

Action on the ones and twos comes courtesy of post-dubstep wunderkind James Blake who will be performing a rare DJ set to get the crowd in the mood for our Icelandic showstopper’s main stage finale on Sunday. Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek will be getting adventurous and eclectic under their Africa Hi-Tech moniker, plus there will be speaker shaking sets from Nero, Toddla T & Serocee, L-Vis 1990, Mike Pickering, Bip Ling, IDC, Fear of Theydon, Low Fro, Omid, Pete Gooding andPhil Mison.

In support of their brilliant new album, ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’, the Beastie Boys have revisited their classic video ‘(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)’, inviting a jaw-dropping who’s who from the film industry, including Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell, Jack Black and more to take part in ‘Fight For Your Right – Revisited’. So, we’re mega excited that we will be showing the new short film in full on the main stage and in the Big Top at Bestival. And that’s not all – the none-more generous Beastie Boys are offering the exclusive chance to win a pair of Bestival Tickets plus a copy of ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’ on double white vinyl (and CD) and selected Beastie Boys back catalogue CDs plus a DVD Anthology. We’ll also select five runners-up who will receive a copy of ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’ CD each. For a chance to win visit here and get involved!

Commenting on the film Beastie Boy Mike D told us: “It takes place in 1986 when the ‘Fight for Your Right (To Party)’ music video finishes shooting — and then the hi-jinks ensue.  In film terms, this is a period piece.”

 

The Beastie Boys

 
Just to get you even more excited about our fast-approaching shindig (September 8-11th, as if you didn¹t know!), we are teaming up with denim gurus Replay to give all you the chance to grab your very own ‘on the house’ pair of jeans which you can customise within the Replay Denim Studio at this year’s Bestival. 400 pairs are being given away to Besti-goers who can then have the unique experience of creating their own pair of jeans with specialised workshop tools. All you have to do is register online at www.replay.it/replayatbestival and then when you arrive at Bestival you can grab your complimentary pair of jeans and a festival-friendly gift bag. Share the love and tell your friends and, what’s more, as day turns to night the Replay Studios tent will be hosting live music and DJ sets.