BBC Electric Proms to be axed say organisers
Efficiency savings blamed for loss of the festival
Photographer:Miss Lili
Chris Eustace - 31 January 2011
Conceived in 2006 as a "celebration of new and innovative music styles", the likes of James Brown, Coldcut,
Nitin Sawhney, Sigur Ros
and Damon Albarn's Africa Express have all featured in the past.
The festival was famed for its one-off collaborations,
such as Bloc Party with
the Exmoor Singers, Amy Winehouse with Paul Weller, Kaiser Chiefs with David Arnold and Oasis with the Crouch End Festival Chorus.
In the past couple of years
the event had been taken under Radio 2's wing, and 2010's festival saw headline performances from Elton John, Neil Diamond and Robert Plant, in the face of
opposition
from those who felt it had lost its original focus.
In a statement today, Radio 2 controller Bob Shennan
said: "In the current climate, we are faced with making difficult decisions, including how best to deliver high-quality
live music programming throughout the year in light of continuing efficiency savings.
"I feel that Radio
2 can achieve the same impact of the Electric Proms in an alternative, more cost-effective way. I'm disappointed that
the lifetime of Electric Proms has come to an end, but very proud of its fantastically rewarding run of creating new moments
in music for the past five years."
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