News

Evolution Festival Announce Full Line Up

• 18th Feb 2010

Bestriding NewcastleGateshead Quayside the North East's biggest and best music event Evolution Festival 2010 is poised on the starting blocks of the festival season in what promises to be its greatest year so far. Having previously played host to some of music's biggest names, old and new, including Dizzee Rascal, Maximo Park and The Human League, as well as some of the most on-point up-and-coming acts, including Duffy, The Big Pink and Marina & The Diamonds before anyone else had even heard of them, this year's line-up will burst out of the traps over the last bank holiday in May covering a rich musical tapestry that offers something for everyone and can't fail to get The Evolution crowd jumping across the established Spillers and Baltic stages as well as at the brand new folk and roots area; the Ballast Hills stage.

Kicking things off with a large dose of panache, Sunday 30th May will see the Spillers Stage, situated on Spillers Wharf on Newcastle's quayside, headlined by incomparable Scottish troubadour Paolo Nutini. With a support slot for Led Zeppelin, a duet with Mick Jagger and a pair of multi-platinum albums under his belt, Paolo's enticing mix of pop and soul has seen him conquer all before him, marking him out as perfect headline material. Fellow Scot and bona fide pop star Calvin Harris, Brit Rap sensation Tinchy Stryder and indie tearaways The Futureheads will also be making highly anticipated appearances on the Spiller stage on the Sunday, alongside cutting edge sounds from Frankie & The Heartstrings, Twenty Twenty, Natalie Findlay and Let's Buy Happiness.

Post Hardcore four-piece Enter Shikari will head-up Evolution's bank holiday Monday line up. Renowned for their fusion of searing riffs and trance-like beats, Enter Shikari's inspirational lyrics and unique take on one of rock music's most popular genres has seen them build an admiring army of fans who revel in the band's visceral performance. Other acts confirmed to rock the Spiller Stage on Sunday include NME Album of the Year winners The Horrors, daisy age hip-hop legends De la Soul and BBC Sound of 2010 and BRITS Critics' Choice winner Ellie Goulding. Plus there will be sets from breakthrough artists Dananananaykroyd, Everything Everything, Egyptian Hip Hop, Minnaars, Cosmo Jarvis and Polarsets.

Set in the shadow of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art on the south side of the Tyne, The Baltic Stage is all about heads down no nonsense dancing on Sunday with a cavalcade of speaker-smashing beats and bass from dancefloor messiah Fake Blood plus Benga, Rusko, Scratch Perverts, Beardyman, Filthy Dukes, Doorly, Jaymo & Andy George, Eskimo Twins and People Get Real. The bank holiday Monday will see the Baltic stage's flavour change for some altogether edgier indie dance crossover action including performances from Manchester's bright new things Delphic and Hadouken! Example, Frankmusik, I Blame Coco, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, Lonelady, Mirrors and Retriever.

Evolution's two existing main stages will be joined in 2010 by an incredible, brand new folk and roots stage; the Ballast Hill Stage. Catering for more pastoral pleasures and laidback vibes, the Ballast Hill stage line-up will include Sunday turns from the critically acclaimed The Unthanks and King Creosote, Po Girl, James Hunter & The Jokers, Dawn Landes, John Smith and JT Nero & Friends. Monday's sounds meanwhile come courtesy of venerable folk colossus Donovan on his farewell tour and Baskery, Lissie, Smoove & Terrell, Slow Club, Danny & The Champions Of The World and Ben Howard.

With what is unquestionably their finest line up to date Evolution 2010 seems set to be the biggest yet.

Carol Bell, Head of Culture and Major Events at NewcastleGateshead Initiative said: “Evolution Festival has proved to be one of the most successful and popular events in NewcastleGateshead since its inception in 2005. It has done a fantastic job of seeking out new talent and attracting some of biggest names in music before they become household names. Jim Mawdsley and his team at Generator have an unrivalled passion for music and continue to deliver line-ups that would be the envy of most large scale festivals. The event regularly attracts upwards of 25,000 people and this year we expect to see those numbers increase again.”

One North East, the area's Regional Development Agency will also be renewing their involvement with Evolution again in 2010.

Chris Little, Tourism and Culture Investment Manager at One North East said: “We are delighted to once again be supporting the Evolution Festival. This popular event attracts music fans from across the UK to the region and has a significant impact on the region's visitor economy. This year's high profile headline acts including Paolo Nutini and Enter Shikari will help to showcase the North East and put us firmly on the festival map.”

For the fifth year running Water Aid will be the official charity of Evolution Festival.

Alistair Baker, Northumbrian Water's Communications and PR Manager, said: “Evolution's support for WaterAid from previous years has already saved the lives of thousand of people in Africa and Asia. We are delighted that WaterAid will once again be the event's official good cause and Northumbrian Water is proud to be part of this vibrant and important music festival which supports our adopted international charity. We turn on the tap and take top quality drinking water for granted – sadly 884 million people in the developing world can't – and it is a matter of life and death. We flush the toilet without a worry for health or the environment – shockingly more than 2.5 billion people in the developing world aren't so fortunate. While the Evolution festival crowds move to the rhythm of the music they will also be beating the drum and contributing to the cause to bring those basic human rights to others.”