In the interview, he also revealed details of changes to the camping design with new sections, made specifically for solo punters, eco-friendly visitors, the LGBTQ+ community and many more.

He shared: “I think it’s not just the biggest overhaul in the festival’s history, but in all festivals’ history. I was reflecting, and I realised that I was here in the ‘70s, and the campsite hadn’t changed very much since then! Reading Festival is always perceived as just for 16-year-olds, but actually, there are a lot of other age groups here. So the idea that we would have a calm campsite for people who don’t want to stay up all night had been knocking on my door for a little while,” he adds. “So I had the idea that we would have a campsite that focused on the LGBT+ community, and a women’s campsite, and an eco campsite, and one for people that come on their own. The response has been wonderful. I mean, much better than I anticipated.”

“We invested a lot more money into the toilets and the showers and these ‘Get Ready With Me’ stations— and the idea that people would want to blow dry their hair at a festival is not something I would have anticipated 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago. But this new generation want to do that, and I’m glad to be able to provide it for them.”

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The organiser also shared his excitement about receiving huge artists such as Bring Me The Horizon, Hozier, Chappell Roan and more whilst also taking pride in the very diverse lineup this year: “Ultimately, their popularity stands out because we have to book artists that will fill the audience, but it’s also about what today’s ticket buyer wants. I think across the three nights we’ve ticked absolutely every box.”

Melvin stayed honest in the fact that he kept his eye open for potential headliners this year, hinting that some acts might come back for the 2026 festival: “There are two or three on the bill this year that I think are future headliners… but I’ve stopped predicting that to the public because I think it’s a burden on the artists to say, ‘You’re tipped as being a future headliner… but will you be?’ One of the things that we do here is give acts a chance to go through the ranks. Let them start on one of the smaller stages and come all the way through.”

“I’ve already got headliners for two of the three nights booked already for next year, and I’m really confident about the artists. I feel like we’re in a stronger position than I can remember for an awfully long time. I can’t remember when I’ve ever had two of the three nights booked by this stage. We’ve had one booked by this stage, but I can’t remember ever having two of the three.”

Reading & Leeds took place last weekend and so an enormous amount of artists showcase their most incredible sets like Chappell Roan and her fairy magic or Bring Me The Horizon and their outspokenness for a free world and a free Palestine.

Breaking the BST headliner news on her social media channels, Nicks said: “Anything that draws me back to London – and therefore to England – fills my heart with joy. And to be able to visit and make music … is always a dream come true…”

Best known for her contributions to rock band Fleetwood Mac, Nicks joined the group in 1975 and made a name for herself with her captivating vocals and poetic songwriting, eventually going on to have a successful solo career with hits like ‘Edge of Seventeen‘ and ‘Bella Donna‘. After the death of her bandmate Christine McVie in November last year, Nicks informed fans that this would in fact be the end of the road for the group following a jampacked revival tour and emotional final performance at Radio City Music Hall in 2018, closing the chapter on a much beloved era for millions of fans around the globe.

As for the remainder of the UK summer line-ups, Nicks has been tipped as one of the rumoured artists for Glastonbury 2024 after organiser Emily Eavis announced this year’s legend slot would be occupied by a female artist. The world-renowned performer and hugely influential fashion icon also recently unveiled her 2024 US tour, as well as a string of 12 extra dates, including New York, Salt Lake City and Nashville.

For those eager to snatch tickets, general sale kicks off at 10am on Wednesday March 6. You’ll be able to buy tickets on the official BST website here. For presale access on Monday March 4, you can sign up here. American Express Cardmembers can take advantage of the presale from Friday 1 March at 10am. Prices for all of the shows at this year’s festival have not been revealed, but like all BST shows, tickets will be divided into different packages, including General Admission, Gold Circle access and VIP Packages such as the Ultimate Diamond VIP experience, The Ultimate VIP Hydeaway and Great Oak Roof Garden.

In terms of Weekend Tickets, the festival is now down to its final release, with its fifth and sixth release selling out within an eye-watering 24 hours. There has been an incredible demand this year, with over 25,000 festival-goers eager to escape to the fields this summer. Fans can also expect knock-out sets from Sugababes, Katy B, Declan McKenna, SHY FX, Sundara Karma, The Snuts and Pale Waves. Last year, Kendal was headlined by Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms, and Nile Rodgers.

With over 10 stages and 120 performers to choose from, it’s not only the fans that appear to be excited, but the artists themselves. Nutini tweeted: “We are buzzing to be playing this years @KendalCalling in the Lake District.”

Andy Smith, Kendal Calling co-founder, wrote in a statement: “After the week we have had, bring on the summer! It is with much joy and excitement we share with you today the biggest Kendal Calling line-up to date. From the incredible Paolo Nutini closing the Sunday night and Keane, Sugababes, Paul Heaton & Rianne Downey and Katy B gracing our fields for the first time, joined by old friends Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds and The Streets closing the Friday and Saturday night respectively, we have the perfect ingredients for a fantastically celebratory weekend. But as ever the most important ingredient is YOU – and we can’t wait to see you in the fields x”

The weekend showcases a variety of regional, national and international musical talent, but also has an emerging, vibrant arts scene. For festival first-timers, the Kendal Calling team have compiled the ultimate festival survival guide, outlining all of the best food spots, art installations, secret gardens and attractions to hit in-between sets, including ‘Tim Peak’s Cafe’, ‘Lost Eden’, ‘Oktoberfest’ and ‘Parklands': “Whatever you do over KC weekend, whether you’re dashing from act to act, chilling out with a pint in the woods, or simply kicking back with a tin at camp – we know you’re going to have the most amazing time – nothing can beat the reunion of our festival family for the first time in three years! See you in the fields!”

Kendal Calling Festival will be held between August 1-4 2024. Tickets are on sale now and available here. All information regarding the event can be found at www.kendalcalling.co.uk. If you fancy a taste of some of the acts appearing this year, you can listen to Kendal Calling’s official 2024 Spotify playlist below:

Established in 2019, Doonhame is still in its infancy after being put on hold for two years due to the COVID:19 pandemic. Rain did not appear to stop the festival-goers last July as they reveled in all that the four stages, the main arena and the beautiful grounds of the estate had to offer. The weekend was complete with a more relaxed, family-orientated Sunday, with youngsters enjoying activities, music and live performances from Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande tribute acts.

Despite having a successful run in 2022 and 2023, like many grassroot venues, festivals and events in the music industry, it too has fallen victim to spiralling costs. Co-director Sandy Sweetman said that although the previous years were a triumph, it had sadly become too much of a strain to balance ticket prices with the financial upkeep of hosting the festival. Mr. Sweetman said in a statement: “2023 was a hugely positive experience for us with the festival taking shape and finding its format, however balancing ticket price with the rising costs of putting a festival together and looking at our own limited availability to dedicate the necessary time to the project sadly makes it unsustainable.

“Mark and myself cannot be more grateful to all the people who supported us throughout this journey, from the dedicated team who put so much time and energy into helping us throughout the last five years, the Crichton for accommodating us, sponsors and everyone who committed by buying tickets.”

Fans of the festival have expressed their disappointment on social media but hope to see Doonhame up and running again in the near future, with one user commenting: “Sorry to hear this news, a sad loss for the region. It’s a huge task and financial commitment to organise a music festival. Sandy & Co can hold their heads high for all their efforts.”

Another user added: “So sad to hear this news but totally understand your reasons. Thanks for the great memories…I had an absolute blast at every Doonhame Festival I attended. All the best to everyone in the team.”

The raucous weekend first came about in 2007 after a group of students decided they wanted to put together their own rave, aptly named the Mad Ferret Festival. The event kicked itself into gear in Platt Fields Park, Rusholme, but by the early 2010s it had relocated to Heaton Park and christened as Parklife. Since then, the event has witnessed a huge surge in popularity and has been crowned the UK’s largest metropolitan music festival, growing from a one-day event in a field to over 160,000 ticketholders rushing to north Manchester every year.

After today’s announcement, superstar rapper Doja Cat has no doubt cemented herself as the queen of the 2024 festival season, boasting headline slots across the globe for Coachella, Rock in Rio and Open’er Festival. The polarising singer and internet personality is most certainly set to bring the heat ahead of her European leg of The Scarlet Tour.

Festival-goers can also expect performances from powerhouse vocalist Becky Hill, DJ and singer Peggy Gou and Canadian producer Kaytranada, as well as unmissable sets from Anne-Marie, Nia Archives, Fourtet, Barry Can’t Swim, ANOTR, Camelphat, Rudim3ntal, Digga D and Sugababes.

Welcoming a multitude of different genres, the festival has since steered away from indie bands headlining in recent years, predominantly featuring dance, electronic and hip-hop acts to cater to its everchanging audience. This year is predicted to mark a new era for the festival, showcasing a brand new stage, jaw-dropping production, state-of-the-art tech and fewer line-up clashes.

Early Bird tickets sold out rapidly in December 2023, but an exclusive 2024 presale will be open from 10am on Thursday 25th January to anyone who has registered. Registration closes the night before at 6pm on Wednesday 24th January. Three Mobile customers will be able to purchase Saturday and Sunday tickets or full weekend tickets 24 hours before other customers on Wednesday here. Tickets including VIP access and coach travel are also available.

All remaining tickets will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 26th January which you can purchase from Ticketmaster. Both day and weekend tickets will be available either to pay in full or by deposit and signing up to a payment plan.

For those not wanting the party to end, Parklife’s official afterparties, ‘Afterlife’ have been unveiled, including an after-hours set from Kaytranada. You can grab tickets here.

Festivals that have been affected in recent weeks by this are Spain’s Primavera Sound and the greatly successful UK festival Glastonbury, the latter of which is not quite over yet. Primavera Sound was hit with a several cancellations very early on, with Clairo, PinkPantheress and Bleachers pulling out, and headliner The Strokes cancelling their June 3^rd headline slot due to a COVID-19 case within their touring party. Thankfully for fans, the band would go on to perform on the second weekend of the event.

Glastonbury has been hit with a couple of sudden, unexpected cancellations (and near cancellations) these past few days as well. Firstly, legendary UK punk outfit The Damned were forced to cancel their appearance tonight (June 24^th) due to several positive COVID tests, stating on Twitter: “Further to our previous updates, there have been more positive COVID tests in the Damned camp and consequently we’re having to withdraw from all remaining June appearances, including Bath, Glastonbury and the Die Artze show in Germany.” It has since been confirmed that Reef will be taking their place on the Avalon Stage.

Further to our previous updates, there have been more positive Covid tests in the Damned camp and consequently we’re having to withdraw from all remaining June appearances including Bath, Glastonbury and the Die Artze show in Germany…

— The Damned (@thedamned) June 21, 2022

In addition to this, The Chemical Brothers confirmed earlier this week that they would be performing a DJ set at Arcadia, however they have since had to cancel due to one half of the duo suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. Arcadia has since confirmed that Bonobo and Groove Armada will be filling the set time between 11pm and 1 am tonight. In a non-COVID related instance, London rockers Wolf Alice were nearly forced to cancel their Glastonbury set when their flight from LAX was cancelled, which you can read more about here. The band has since updated fans on Twitter, saying that they were waiting for a flight from Seattle that would go directly to London. The four-piece is scheduled to perform at 4:45pm today on The Pyramid Stage.

We r now waiting for a flight to Seattle where we can go direct to ldn from there https://t.co/3b5nH2uSrn

— Wolf Alice (@wolfalicemusic) June 23, 2022

‘It could have easily been two years without festivals. If this event hadn’t happened, I’d have been worried it would have been a long time before we got back to a festival. For me it’s very emotional, a lot of my staff were in tears, tears of joy really so fantastic.’ He stated. ‘This is a pilot event and I’ve been pushing to create something like this for a year now’ the organiser told NME. ‘What I’ve been saying for the whole year is, if we adequately test people before they come into a gig, there’s no reason why the gig can’t happen.‘

Although COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the music industry, the managing director remained positive: ‘I never lost hope to be honest,’ he stated. ‘Will everybody still have to be tested by then? I suspect we will still have to test people, but of course a lot of people will have the vaccination already and that will probably mean they won’t need to be tested. We’ll wait and see what the government say but what we will know is that if it’s done properly it won’t increase the spread of the virus.’

Reading and Leeds Festivals are also ready to host international acts, and Melivn Benn previously shared his positivity in regards to them traveling and performing safely. ‘I can’t comment on other festivals, but the international acts that are playing Reading & Leeds are telling me that if it’s safe to come then they’re coming. That’s all I know. They’re being very explicit at this point in time. I’m very much looking forward to them fulfilling that. The reality is that we’re going to have a great line-up and a great festival come what may.’

For those of you new to Loud Women Fest, this is what they say about the festival on their website: “The festival has grown year on year, to become the largest female-led festival in the UK, attracting performers and attendees from around the world, and securing LOUD WOMEN’s position as the leading international showcase for female and non-binary alternative bands and artists.”

The new additions to the line-up include Pink Lemonade, Honey Joy, Bugeye, ARXX, Breakup Haircut and the Empty Page. Bang Bang Romeo have been confirmed as the headline act, but Loud Women Fest promise about 20 more acts still to be announced. Bang Bang Romeo’s latest single, ‘Stone Cold Superstar’, came out earlier this year. It’s bursting with energy, just waiting to be a headline moment.

Beyond their great line-ups and commitment to new acts, Loud Women Fest are women on a mission. They consider themselves the “antidote” to male dominated line-ups – Reading and Leeds Festival came under fire for this just recently. Cassie Fox, said: “It’s depressing but unsurprising to see that yet again that festivals like Reading & Leeds are set to wheel out the same old man bands.

“Loud Women fest will be the antidote to this sausage fest – showcasing rising female stars, and giving women and non-binary artists the chance to shine.”

In a direct call to arms, she then declared, “My message to Reading & Leeds, and all other festivals who insist on booking unequal line-ups: your future headliners are right here!”

Loud Women Fest also shared a teaser video for 2021 where organiser Cassie Fox interviews Bang Bang Romeo’s frontwoman, Stars, about the state of festival line-ups and gender imbalances. The two speak about the importance of encouraging the next generation of musical womxn to imagine themselves on festival line-ups and launching careers, and Stars calls Loud Women Fest “a massive inspiration hotspot.”  

It seems very likely that your new favourite artist or band is just waiting for you to discover them on March 29! You can get your tickets here for just £18. Everything else you need to know, including all sorts of good stuff about the previous festivals, is available here. The full line-up (so far!) is below.

ARXX
Breakup Haircut
Bugeye
ĠENN
Hagar the Womb
Honey Joy
I, Doris
Jelly Cleaver
Lilith Ai
MIRI
Pink Lemonade
The Empty Page

So here’s that Radio 2 Live at Home line-up in full!

Featuring
Classic Hyde Park sets
New sets from @SherylCrow, @nilerodgers @CHICorg @RebeccaFMusic, @CraigDavid, @erasureinfo, @RealSirTomJones, @thekillers, @johnlegend, @mcflymusic, @GregoryPorter, @ThePretendersHQ pic.twitter.com/TnRTlvMQhT

— BBC Radio 2 (@BBCRadio2) September 1, 2020

The festival will take place over the weekend of September 12/13. All the sets will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer. Throughout the weekend there will also be highlights shows and compilation footage, and furthermore, special BBC Red Button content. After this, the footage will be available for another month.

On Saturday, the live hosts include Fearne Cotton and Rylan Clark-Neal. Sunday’s sets will be presented by Trevor Nelson, Sara Cox and Zoe Ball. A detailed line-up is available in the tweet below.

The UK acts will film their performances at Radio 2’s Live At Home stage which is somewhere in the British countryside. American performers will stream their sets from remote locations; rumour has it that The Killers’ set takes place on the roof of a Las Vegas hotel, and Nile Rodgers and co. will be live in Central Park, New York.  British synth pop duo Erasure will perform live from either side of the Atlantic!

In addition to new sets, the other ‘headliners’ will be compiled of some of the best previous performances from earlier years. These will be available on iPlayer in the lead up to the event. They include Elton John, The Pet Shop Boys, Take That and Kylie Minogue. BBC Radio 2 have shared a teaser clip from Elton John’s “spellbinding” 2016 set – watch it below!

“And you can tell everybody this is your song…” You can now re-live @eltonofficial‘s spellbinding Hyde Park set as part of Radio 2 Live at Home. Watch on @BBCiPlayer. Listen on @BBCSounds. pic.twitter.com/e8KMGbfsKB — BBC Radio 2 (@BBCRadio2) September 1, 2020

Speaking about Radio 2 Live at Home, Craig David says: “Whilst we can’t party in person, we can have a house party for Radio 2 Live at Home.” Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders adds that, “After months in lockdown, come rain or shine, we are so happy to be able to perform in the glorious British outdoors for Radio 2 Live at Home!”

The Head of Music for Radio 2, Jeff Smith, had this to say about the newly digital festival: “Radio 2 Live At Home will celebrate some of our favourite artists performing in the great outdoors, as well as offering the opportunity to relive some classic sets from our Festival in a Day from years gone by. Who wouldn’t want to relive Jeff Lynne’s amazement at 55,000 people singing along as ELO performed their first full set in 27 years, or Kylie’s impromptu reunion with Jason Donovan on stage for a unique performance of Especially for You.”

We are so excited to announce our hosts for #NottingHillCarnival: Access All Areas. Bringing together the most exciting talents from radio, educators, MCs, journalists & authentic arts of Carnival #CarnivalAtHome #NHC2020 #NHCAAA powered by @Lets_godo pic.twitter.com/zydRmDwxOH

— Notting Hill Carnival (@NHCarnivalLDN) August 19, 2020

 ‘Notting Hill: Access All Areas 2020’ will be streamed on four channels: ‘Culture’, ‘Parade’, ‘Sound Systems’ and ‘Main Stage’. You can sign up for the event here. The BBC report that BBC Radio 1xtra’s DJ Ace and Capital Xtra’s Remel London will be the presenters of the Main Stage channel. Over on the Sound System Channel, viewers will be entertained by Shayna Marie and Yinka of Capital Xtra, alongside the musician Ras Kwame. Radio 1Xtra will also host the official Notting Hill Carnival afterparty.

In collaboration with the Notting Hill Carnival organisers, Spotify has created a special virtual street party area. This will be a microsite featuring playlist takeovers from names including the Marleys, Koffee and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix. Part of this will be dedicated to highlighting the importance of carnival culture.

If you find yourself in Piccadilly Circus over the course of the next week, Samsung will help you get excited by streaming mini films on the biggest screen in the UK. Just before it starts, you can catch the countdown in the same place.

 

 

 

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Much more than just a street party, we have so much in store for you this bank holiday weekend. Have you registered for NHC Access All Areas? Sign up at aaa.nhcarnival.org photo: @christian.a.anderson A post shared by Notting Hill Carnival (@nhcarnivalldn) on Aug 13, 2020 at 4:54am PDT

Of course, this will be a different experience to previous Carnivals. But everything will be represented, even if it can’t be experienced first-hand; there will be a series of films celebrating Notting Hill Carnival’s notorious food, dance and culture. In addition, over 40 of the Carnival’s legendary sound systems will be represented, including Rampage Sound and Seduction City Sound, the all-female sound system.

Chef Levi Roots, whose business kicked off at the Notting Hill Carnival, has produced online content and a guide to creating a carnival feast to enjoy while it streams live. The famed Samba drumming troupe Batala will be performing, as will Soca dancers, clad in costumes designed by Melissa Simon-Hartman (responsible for the costumes for Beyonce’s latest visual album, Black Is King). This is just some of what there is to look forward to next weekend.

The organisers consider this to be a fitting testament to all the work that goes into preparing for the Carnival every year. Matthew Phillip, the Executive Director, said, “Carnival is such an important part of people’s lives and key celebration of the multiculturalism of the UK, and we have a responsibility to our community and pioneers to honour that. We also have a responsibility to protect the black community and our elders by respecting social distancing and taking Carnival away from the streets for this year. So this is a fantastic solution for 2020.”

Everything you need to know can be found at the Notting Hill Carnival website.