Details of Gigbeth 2007, the UK’s most diverse music festival, have been announced, with a diverse line up of acts announced and plans to close Birmingham’s Digbeth High Street for an extravagant opening ceremony.
The festival will run over three days from 1-3 November, playing host to hundreds of gigs at more than 20 venues, showcasing leading names in indie, jazz, soul and gospel, hip hop, folk, drum & bass, Bhangra and classical music.
Confirmed artists include:
- Mr Hudson & The Library – Critically acclaimed group blending jazz, soul and hip hop. Regulars on the festival circuit, they have played Glastonbury and will appear at V Festival
- Soweto Kinch – Mercury Prize nominated, MOBO Award winning jazz artist.
- Nizlopi – Leamington Spa-based folk duo who shot to stardom when The JCB Song reached number one in 2005.
- The Priory – Wolverhampton indie foursome who supported The Twang on their UK tour and have featured this year in NME, on Radio 2 and as part of Levi’s Ones To Watch.
- Achanak – One of the world’s most revered Bhangra bands, from the label that launched Panjabi MC.
- Orchestra of the Swan - an experimental classical orchestra, with glowing reviews in The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and The Guardian.
- LTJ Buckem – One of the pioneers of jungle and drum & bass in the 1990s, now a top DJ.
- Nu Life – MOBO Award winning gospel trio who have supported artists including Angie Stone, Mary Mary, Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams and Lemar.
- Sunset Cinema Club - Redditch/Birmingham based band who have received airplay from XFM and Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq and secured a slot at this year’s Latitude Festival.
- The Gravity Crisis - Birmingham based group receiving attention from NME.
- Mr Derry – Birmingham band who will release their debut single in July and have received airplay on Colin Murray’s Radio 1 show and on London station XFM.
- Project X Presents – A five hour “omnimedia” experience, incorporating ambient, folk, rock and dance music, interwoven with performance and visual art and a set from stand up comedian Reginald D Hunter. Project X Presents will take place in a disused warehouse in Digbeth.
Tickets for Gigbeth cost just £15 for a weekend pass, offering unlimited access to venues throughout the weekend, including performances at Birmingham Barfly, The Custard Factory and Glee Club. Day passes are available for £6.
Gigbeth is also partnering with Music Live, the UK’s biggest music making show, at the NEC. Visitors can purchase a joint ticket for both events, which includes a Gigbeth weekend wristband and Music Live day pass, for just £20.
Gigbeth will launch in spectacular style on 1st November with an extravagant opening ceremony on the streets of Digbeth, Birmingham, which will be closed off for one evening only. Headliners Mr Hudson & the Library will officially open the festival with a gig in front of an expected 5,000 fans.
Last year, Gigbeth gave early exposure to Birmingham’s biggest new band, The Twang, and also featured performances from Wolverhampton’s Ivor Novello winning singer-songwriter Scott Matthews, Raconteurs, Dirty Pretty Things and legendary Midlands artist Pato Banton.
Clare Edwards, Gigbeth co-ordinator, said:
“Gigbeth is a celebration of the diversity of the UK music industry, and our line up is testament to that. The West Midlands is finally being recognised for its music scene, and Gigbeth is a great example of the diversity of that scene. There is something for everyone to enjoy on the line up, at a price everyone can afford.
Visit www.gigbeth.com for details of where to purchase tickets, and for further line up announcements.
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