Splendour has cemented its reputation as the key date on the Notts calendar, last year shaking the maracas out of the place with Happy Mondays set, a momentous highlight for all who saw. Over the years the main stage has seen genuine legends grace the mic, none other than Blondie, Jake Bugg, Pet Shop Boys, Scissor Sisters, Madness, The Pogues, Ocean Colour Scene, The Charlatans, The Boomtown Rats and lots, lots more have played to a rapturous ecstatic crowd in Wollaton Park and this year surely is the most memorable lineup to date.
Local Flavour
Each year the crème de la crème of Nottingham talent is hand picked to deliver the most electrifying of sets. The Confetti stage returns for its second year and is one of the factors in making Splendour exactly what it is, an occasion to rejoice in scintillating fashion. Last year, Amber Run, A Plastic Rose and Keto dazzled on-goers along with Reverend And The Makers and Bob Geldof’s Boomtown Rats setting the stage alight later in the evening. The Nusic competition winner will also be rewarded with a Main Stage slot that is sure to get the afternoon antics in full flow. If the loudness is all a bit too much for your ears, The Acoustic Room stage is one for the chilled laid back folk offering up a slice of mellow grooves throughout the day with Hhymn, Joy Mumford and Martin Luke Brown to name a few all expected to show us a good time.
Witness The Roots
Fairly low down on the bill is an artist who has been the flag-bearer of British hip hop for nigh on two decades, the incomparable Roots Manuva. The Londoner is a lyrical god, effortlessly portraying the roughness yet sentimentality of British suburban society with seminal landmark albums such as Brand New Second Hand and Run Come Save Me. The anthem Witness The Fitness has gone down in folklore and goes off like a bomb to any crowd fortunate enough to see the poet perform live in the flesh. Admittedly, probably not the greatest crowd pleaser at a family friendly festival but I’m sure Roots will find a way to get the foundations rocking.
Britpop Fever
Special guests James join us as they roll back to clock to the Blair years, with hits like Sit Down, Come Home and personal favourite Born of Frustration (recently used on the revered Manchester United documentary Class of ’92) to get the dads going wild like its 1997 all over again. The group were somewhat in the shadows of bands such as Blur, Oasis and Pulp during their tenure but remain the thinking mans Britpop favourite, especially with their more experimental work with Brian Eno. Expect to see the lighters swaying from side to side.
Crack A Laugh
The comedy stage always attracts the punters in for a giggle and this years bill sees a host of award winning original comedy packed into a sidesplitting afternoon. The role of Compère is in the hands of Andy Robinson, the brummy journeyman who first got into stand up after winning a young comedian award at Glastonbury way back in 1993. He’ll be introducing the wacky bohemian Christian Reilly, Ellie Taylor from BBC3’s Snog, Marry, Avoid? and the innovative musical funny brothers Jollyboat. Try not to heckle.
The Specials
Right at the top of the bill, and probably the most hotly anticipated headliner in Splendours history, The Specials will be closing the main stage in what’s to be a skanking few hours with the coolest cats on the block. The Coventry natives need no introduction having influenced a generation of musicians since they were founded in 1977 and remain the benchmark of the 2 Tone/Ska revival of late seventies Britain. With colossal hits such as Ghost Town, A Message To You Rudy and Too Much, Too Young expected to bring the house down, get your Docs on for a session of pure tunes and extreme energy.
Splendour Festival 2015 takes place at Wollaton Park on Saturday 18 July 2015.
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