Arctic Monkeys To Host Own Festival

The band have confirmed they will be inviting a number of acts they "respect and like" to perform as support on the day - and say they will take full control of the event.

Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders told NME: "People always say they can't get tickets to our gigs, so hopefully there won't be any problems this time. We've got control of it, we can do what we want really.

"We've always fancied the idea of having our own event. Just something where we can pick the bands and just have a day where we can do a bigger gig - so we can get away without doing arenas."

"It's exciting for us doing this gig. It reminds us we're still in control to a certain extent. When you first start, you do everything yourself. Then it gets a bit weird when everyone's got a job that takes over what you do, except actually playing the gig."

Tickets for the festival go on sale at 12.30pm on Friday, 15 December, and will be availble to buy here. 

The band looked at various venues in their native city Sheffield but eventually settled on Manchester because of a lack of options their side of the Pennines.

Helders explained the band couldn't play their native Sheffield because a big enough venue was not available at the time they needed it, forcing them to move the show across the Pennines. There is also talk of a similar outdoor event in the south of England.

Helders added: "We don't know where in the south we'll play yet, but it would be good to balance it out. It depends on festivals."

The drummer added that Arctic Monkeys had yet to name their inaugral festival.

He said: "I think it's just going to be live at Lancaster Cricket Ground. It ain't much of a festival if it only happens once, but I'll try to think of name!"

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