News

Lovebox: Expect The Unexpected

• 30th Jun 2010

With just over two weeks to go until Lovebox Festival, here we have the final line up.

FRIDAY
Headlined by Brit award-winning, hip-hop impresario Dizzee Rascal, the new Friday will showcase the very best in dance and pop including the enchanting Ellie Goulding and pop trio the Noisettes while indie rockers The Mystery Jets will be supporting headliners The Maccabees on the Gaymers Stage.

Friday will also play host to some of the hippest names on the dance music scene, with Italian DJ duo Crookers making their only London festival appearance, superstar club DJ’s Brodinski and Sinden taking to the stage and arguably Europe’s hottest DJ property for 2010, Riva Starr, joining the bill. While over in the NYC Downlow, Zinc and Dynamite MC, Toddla T, MJ Cole, and 2009’s favourite producer, on a London festival exclusive, Joy Orbison will be keeping things mighty real.

SATURDAY
The Lovebox crowd will be in for a rare treat when the phenomenal Roxy Music take to the main stage on the Saturday night. Fans of the band should visit link to see exclusive audio and video content released by Roxy Music to celebrate their headline spot.

Bryan Ferry said ‘There is a song on my album that I have co-written with my friends Groove Armada. They asked me if Roxy would like to perform at Lovebox. We of course thought it would be cool.’

The newly-formed Mark Ronson & the Business will be joining them on the bill, alongside the acclaimed Empire of the Sun who are playing their first ever London show.

Mark Ronson said ‘Lovebox is the first festival that ever let me perform with the Version players (my band). And to go from that memory in 2006 to playing there last year, on stage with my childhood heroes Duran Duran is really something. We will certainly do our best to make this our best Lovebox performance yet.’

Internationally renowned outfit Booka Shade headline the Relentless dance stage on Saturday and we have our own slice of Berlin in the capital in the form of Jesse Rose, Henrik Schwarz Live and Dixon (Innervisions). We are also proud to welcome an East vs West London soundclash to Lovebox, the Hip Hop and R N B crews Work It and Yo Yo will be pairing up for a proper NYC style block party!

SUNDAY
This year also sees the exciting launch of Lovebox’s groundbreaking all-new Sunday, which blends the coolest music, emergent art, cutting edge fashion and more to create an all-inclusive polysexual party unlike any other.

The immortal music and style icon known as Grace Jones will be headlining the main stage, bringing her ever revolutionary flair for subversion to Victoria Park. Beloved electro-pop juggernauts Hot Chip will also be present and correct, fresh from the critical success of their brand new album, One Life Stand. Over on the Gaymers Stage, electro-funk duo Chromeo will be tearing up proceedings and are joined by returning Aussie heroes Cut Copy, who, in a UK festival exclusive, will be dazzling audiences with their beautiful, nostalgia streaked pop, while the glam disco machine known as Hercules and Love Affair will also be back to enthrall once more with their irrepressible, glitter-strewn music.

Also along for the ride are renowned pop provocateur Peaches, the much
buzzed about and deliciously offbeat new duo Silver Columns, and moody new upstarts Hurts, who pricked up ears last year with their wonderfully dark and disturbed single Wonderful Life. Disco Bloodbath, Trailer Trash and Horse Meat Disco are just some of the DJ crews who will be hosting areas on the day.

In addition, the incomparable Jonny Woo – performance artist/entertainer nonpareil – will be compeering the main stage along with his troupe of club freaks and drag queens, which will include a unique, one-off fashion show by Dr Noki NHS. His fiercely individual, recycled clothing has found devotees in the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyonce, as well as an innovative art collaboration with Central St Martins in support of the charity Art Against Knives, which works towards reducing knife crime by engaging young people in troubled areas with art and fashion-based workshops. All in all, an exciting and compelling day out, and a fitting finale to a great weekend.

Alongside the show-stopping performances there will be another healthy dose of Lovebox's summer shenanigans; with the 40 acre site playing host to numerous other stages, performances and activities.

Gaymer's Cider returns this year with the Gaymers Stage and an entire orchard of surprises – an inspired wonderland built into the trees and gardens of Victoria Park including stages, tree houses, hammocks and a bit of West Country magic… with more to be revealed at a later date.

The infamous NYC Downlow also returns to Lovebox for 2010 after a year’s hiatus. This life-size ruin of a NYC tenement will resurrect New York’s golden age and festival-goers can expect to enjoy an eclectic mix of disco, soul, funk and dance.

As well as offering a diverse music experience – the bustling food market, Sourced Market, returns again, serving up culinary treats direct from the best stalls at Borough and Broadway markets. There will also be a broad program of theatre, art and comedy for those wanting to take timeout from the music performances.

AFTER PARTIES
In case you were wondering ‘where next?’ once the sun sets on the festival, you won’t have to look far because Lovebox are setting up camp in Bocking Street Warehouse. A stone’s throw from Victoria Park, the official after parties will be rolling till dawn on Friday and Saturday nights with some very capable jocks keeping you up.

Friday’s party, in association with Mega Mega Mega, will see the Count and Sinden joining the throng, whilst Brodinski will be dusting himself off for another round following his appearance at the festival, along with French whizz-kid Surkin and local boy Harry James.

Saturday’s after party, in association with Magic and Medicine, will have a Germanic flavour with the appearance of Seth Troxler and Dixon; while Azari & III who were responsible for one of our favourite tracks of ‘09 will repping the other side of the pond. Finally, where would any Lovebox party be without Lovebox soldiers Hot Blood and their trusted understudy and Jaded resident Mouj?

So you won’t need your beds all weekend, you can just roll on through…