A FLURRY OF announcements flew out at a rate of one per day from the IW Festival offices this week as all of the headline acts slotted into place prior to ticket sales opening today (November 19).
Kasabian will close the Festival on Sunday with their fantastic show, having been voted ‘Best Act in the World Today’ at the recent 2010 Q Awards.
“I’m very pleased because I love them,” said John Giddings yesterday. “They’re brilliant and they’re very 21st century.
“It’s a question of looking forward, not backwards,” said John in a very positive frame of mind. “We haven’t got a heritage act this year, but I think that’s good.”
Another IW Festival coup is that John has secured a performance from one of the seminal bands of the nineties – although they began their career in Sheffield in the late seventies. Pulp are reforming as we speak and will play the main stage on Saturday.
“I haven’t heard them yet – I don’t think anyone has,” admitted John. “But I’ve wanted them ever since they split up – which was around the time the festival started.”
The show will involve all the original members of the band (Nick Banks, Jarvis Cocker, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Russell Senior and Mark Webber) and they will be playing songs from all periods of their career.
“I think they will tear the place apart,” said John, and many people are looking forward to their performance with baited breath.
Foo Fighters, the band formed by ex Nirvana band member Dave Grohl, will headline on the Saturday night. “He was such a nice bloke when I met him when they played the Festival before. With the Kings of Leon they are two of the best rock bands around,” said John. Kings of Leon will headline on the Friday night.
It’s a great rock festival line up and bodes well for a brilliant weekend next June. Tickets go on sale today and are expected to sell like hot cakes.
