Homelands: Melvin Benn/Darren Hughes

Standing in a damp and empty field that feels like the middle of nowhere (but is in fact the Matterly Estate, near Winchester) it's difficult to imagine it being infiltrated by mentalists, mayhem, and above all, ear-pounding dance music just a few weeks from now - but on Saturday 28 May, that's exactly what will happen when We Love...Homelands returns.

This year, however, it's going to be a bit different with a stronger emphasis on live music, some of it (dare we say it at a dance fest?) ... indie. That's not in the rule book surely?

But as Homelands founder and promoter Darren Hughes explains. "Our aim is not to take Homelands away from dance music, but for it to become a true festival in its own right." 

The launch of Homelands signals the start of the UK festival season and organisers of this year's first 'major' event have heralded it's diverse array of acts as proof of its growing presence in the summer calender. Mean Fiddler boss Melvin Benn tells us that securing Beck was the most significant addition to the bill, which has helped elevate the event in terms of quality and variety.

He admits to the difficulty in securing Beck as headliner, but said he was thrilled the singer chose Homelands for his only UK festival appearance, revealing: "Beck is his own man and is not dictated to. He refuses to be boxed into any particular genre and will go anywhere that his mood takes him. He turned Glastonbury down because he wanted to do Homelands and we're delighted with that."

Despite the continued adaptation of Homelands to suit broader musical tastes since its birth in 1998, Benn doesn't feel the festival is in danger of moving too far from its original dance oriented ethos. "There is a vast majority of the event which is still about clubbing and about DJ-ing but it's not about superstar DJs waving glow sticks - it's not about any of that. It's about core, wonderful, vibrant, massive music that just gets people moving."

This year sees the addition of the Live Arena, which will showcase acts such as Babyshambles and New York's The Bravery.  Benn feels the inclusion of more live bands reflects the general acceptance of more varied musical styles. "Babyshambles are the voice of a sector of British youth. The Bravery  have very much made Britain their spiritual home and they've got a huge popularity here," he says. "I can see The Bravery and Babyshambles comfortably headlining Homelands in the future."

The Mean Fiddler MD, who also helps organises Reading/Leeds and Glastonbury, believes the internet has massively contributed to the broadening of musical horizons, that people are no longer locked into one particular style, arguing that the developments in the Homelands festival reflects this. Benn feels that wider access to music can only be a positive thing but that live music remains a unique experience. 

"Homelands has always had one particular aim, which is to get people enjoying themselves - not to party nonsense but to quality music."

We Love...Homelands 2005 takes place on Saturday May 28 at The Bowl, Matterley Estate, Near Winchester. Click here for more info, tickets, and the full lineup.