Ian Brown among Hi:Fi North headliners

United Kingdom | | 15 February 2006

EXCLUSIVE: VF can reveal the acts who will be headlining the northern leg of the first ever Hi:Fi festival - with superstar DJs and massive rock acts combining as part of a brand new festival concept.

Ian Brown, Maximo Park, Editors, Audio Bullys, Paul Oakenfold, Sasha & Digweed, Erick Morillo, and 2 Many DJs are all confirmed for the one-day event. They will each headline one of the eight arenas making up the festival.

Hi:Fi North takes place on Matfen Estate, near Newcastle, on 27 May. A similar two-day event, with camping, is also scheduled to happen in Matterly Bowl, Winchester, however no details have yet been released.

The festival concept is the brainchild of the Angel Music Group, the company responsible for Global Gathering which last year sold out with record breaking numbers of more than 40,000 people. The indie lineup has been supervised by Glastonbury talent booker, Martin Elbourne.

James Algate, the new festival's organiser said: "Hi:Fi is the festival for the iPod generation. The event will offer something for everyone musically by bridging the gap between out and out dance and live shows. We want to give our guests the opportunity to see their indie and dance heroes performing side by side for the first time. This is something that we believe will suit the more eclectic music tastes of the 21st century perfectly."

Whilst the likes of Glastonbury have long had dance and rock acts playing at the same festival, Hi:Fi will be the first time that DJs and live bands have been so closely combined. Homelands tried to integrate the two at last year's event but an ill-fitting selection of acts meant it didn't quite work.

Hi:Fi will also feature a quality bill of non-musical entertainment including chill out areas and exclusive VIP arenas. Bands from the local area will also be able to enter a competition to perform live in front of the huge crowds.

Tickets are on sale now and are broken into two categories: general admission (£52.50+ booking fee) and VIP (£75+ booking fee). VIP tickets will entitle guest access to a private arena where they can rub shoulders with the event performers and enjoy a private bar and lounge with its own DJs and acts. Click here to buy either.

More acts will be announced in the coming weeks and details of the southern leg, which is expected to feature many of the acts playing the northern leg, will be made soon.