Virtual Festivals' weekly news round up

Glasto's master plan, Reading, Leeds and Toploader

United Kingdom | by Daniel Fahey | 29 May 2009

Monday

While most people slumped out of bed, unable to shake off their Bank Holiday hangover, Glastonbury were up nice and early to unveil their line-up for 2009. Springsteen, Young and Blur were top of the tree of course, with The Prodigy, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, Doves, Jarvis Cocker and Q-Tip all taking prominent positions and The Streets, Lady Gaga, 2 Many DJs and Peaches among the acts set to appear. Click here for the full Glastonbury line-up.

Tuesday

Is seems everybody was back at work today with plenty happening in the festival world. Reading and Leeds were quick off the mark announcing more names for the Radio 1/NME and main stages. Little Boots, Delphic and The Airborne Toxic event are set to make their mark at the August weekenders with returns for The Rakes and the omnipresent Lethal Bizzle. Download crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s, completing its line-up with 27 new acts that included In Case Of Fire, Bleed From Within and one name you probably shouldn’t put into Google - Hardcore Superstar.

Away from the majors, Latitude was busy adding to its music programme with Datarock, Marnie Stern, iLiKETRAiNS and 65 Days Of Static set to shake Suffolk, while Clapham Common’s Get Loaded In The Park have given revellers another opportunity to do just that by adding a new stage. The Dim Mak Arena will have performances from the likes of Felix Da Housecat, Junior Sanchez and The Bloody Beetroots among others.

Today also seemed to be the day to stock up on housewarming gifts as both The Insomniacs Ball and the One Love Festival moved venues. For those who don’t want any sleep the Corsica Studios in London will be hosting the likes of The Infadels live and DJ sets from Late Of The Pier, thecocknbullkid and Plugs next month, while One Love Festival ticket-holders may want to adjust their sat navs. The event moved to Pestalozzi International Village Trust, Sedlecombe in East Sussex with just 86 days to go before it kicks off, with bosses announcing that they will be raising money for the Village Trust as well.

Wednesday

Just days after the line-up was announced, Glastonbury disclosed that the master plan behind finally securing long term headline target Bruce Springsteen was just a document of quotes. Emily Eavis revealed: "We put together a document for him […] It included quotes from lots of different people, musicians who have played. […] We put together some information and said 'This is what happens, this is all the money that goes to charity'. Pretty quickly he said: 'Yes'. It's amazing."

Oxegen organisers announced yet another arena on Wednesday – the Hot Press New Bands Stage – with The Maccabees, Little Boots, Mumford And Sons and Truffle Shuffle all set to show the Irish what they have to offer. Sonisphere fans are finally able to plan who they’re going to see over the weekend, as organisers revealed their stage breakdowns. Heaven And Hell and Coheed And Cambria will join Linkin Park on the main stage on the Saturday while Nine Inch Nails and Machine Head will be pre cursors for Metallica’s headline show on the Sunday.

A newly reformed Toploader were among the latest names confirmed for Guilfest. Ginger, Lisa Hannigan, Neck and The Leveller’s Simon Friend will be making their way down to Stoke Park in Guilford as well this July joining headliners The Happy Mondays, Motorhead and Brian Wilson.

Thursday

Toploader are a bit like buses this week, you don’t see them for years, then they turn up twice. The ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ group will be heading up to Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in Scotland along with Blue Roses, Official Secrets Act, Kid British and Little Comets.
Speaking of buses, plenty of red ones will be stopping off at London's Hyde Park this summer where Jack Penate Afrika Bambaataa, St Etienne and The Soulsonic Force have been confirmed for Wireless. They will be joined by pop damsels Alesha Dixon, and Kelly Rowland as well as Example, Ironik and Florence Rawlings.

Sticking with the transportation theme Wild Beasts, Wintersleep and The Joy Formidable were among the names to complete the line-up for this year's Truck Festival. We Were Promised Jetpacks, White Belt Yellow Tag and Vieux Farka Toure were also among those announced.

Up in Scotland Rock Ness completed its line-up with a little help from Jazzie B, Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys, David Shirgley, Andrew Weatherall, Riton and Maelstrom who will be spinning sets in the Rizla ice cream van. The Complete Stone Roses, Bear Hands, Party Horse and The Wallbirds wrap things up on the live front.

Creamfields punters can start varnishing their clogs and planting the tulip bulbs as the dance weekender is set to go Dutch again this August. The Go Dutch Arena is set to welcome house star Marco V, Ferry Costen and Don Diablo as well as Ericke, DJ Roog, Bingo Players And Benny Rodrigues with Lady Bee. Elsewhere Brendan Long was added to the Chibuku Arena along with original Chibuku resident Wandy.

Friday

While the adults finalised their Friday night plans, the young-uns had some news to digest before their bedtime as Blood Red Shoes and My Passion were confirmed for the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage at this summer's Underage Festival. The stage returns for the second year running and will also play host to Saving Aimee, Don Broco and Dan Scotty as well as Lady Lykes, Lo-Fi Culture Scene and None The Less.

Emerging guitar hero Marnie Stern and folk supergroup The Memory Band were added to Birmingham's Supersonic Festival alongside the international talents of Goblin, Head of David and Corrupted.

Finally, just as Reading and Leeds ushered us back from our bank holiday slumber they were here to tuck us back in with the announcement of Frank Turner. The former Million Dead frontman is set to take to the NME/Radio 1 Stage after Lethal Bizzle on Saturday 29 August (Leeds) and Sunday 30 (Reading).

...and a few words from the continent:

It was an equally busy week in Europe, with a full five days to take in. Placebo were confirmed as headliners for Belgium's Pukkelpop whilst Sebastien Tellier and a slew of new acts were confirmed for Dour Festival. Klaxons join the likes of Arctic Monkeys at Lowlands, Pete Doherty is set to top the bill at the Berlin Festival and Sinead O'Connor is now set to head to the Baltics and Positivus Festival. On the dance front Carl Cox was confirmed to top Electromind in France and Basement Jaxx are now down for Austria's Nuke. Up in Norway, Jadakiss is set to bring hip-hop to Hove and we were left with the good news that Depeche Mode's tour, which incorporates five European majors, is back on course.

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