News / Bristol
Elbow to headline Downs Festival 2017
Elbow will headline the second annual Downs Festival, which last year saw Massive Attack perform at a triumphant and rain-soaked homecoming.
Joining the Mancunian band on the main stage on Saturday, September 2 will be Seasick Steve, De La Soul, Soul II Soul and The Districts.
Groove Armada will be topping the bill on the second stage, which will also host David Rodigan and an exclusive live festival performance by Roni Size to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mercury Prize-winning album New Forms.
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Tickets will go on sale at 8am on Friday, April 28 to personal callers only from Bristol Ticket Shop on High Street and The Love Inn on Stokes Croft, and on general release online at 9am.
“Last year’s festival was one of those events we will never forget and showed that Bristol can accommodate and host an event of this scale,” said Downs Festival organiser Tom Paine.
The backdrop to Massive Attack’s headline set last year provided a stunning display of slogans, text and multiple visual feasts to go with the tunes.
“We’ve looked back, reviewed, learnt and we’re now ready to come back with a lineup and event site that makes the most of this all-day festival with more live music, more bars and more independent food.”
The all-dayer last year featuring Massive Attack, Primal Scream and Skepta was the first major music event to be held on the Downs in more than 15 years, with all 27,000 tickets selling out in less than two hours.
The queue for Massive Attack tickets stretched down Stokes Croft from Idle Hands
The Information stage will also return this year, offering a dedicated area for guest speakers, question and answer sessions, film screenings, photography and charity representatives.
Last year’s Information stage saw the likes of poet Kate Tempest, Aardman Digital creative director Dan Efergan and Syrian refugee Hassan Akkad.
Tickets for The Downs Festival 2017 priced at £45 plus booking fee will go on sale on Friday, April 28 to personal callers only at Bristol Ticket Shop and The Love Inn (cash only) at 8am at on general release at 9am via thedownsbristol.com, songkick.com, seetickets.com, gigantic.com and bristolticketshop.co.uk. All online ticket sales will be subject to a £1 donation with funds going directly to the upkeep and maintenance of the Downs. There will be a limited number of reduced price tickets at £25 available to anyone unemployed or on income support. These tickets are only available in person from Bristol Ticket Shop, and supporting documentation and ID will be required. Children under-four are free (though must be wearing adequate hearing protection) and a limited number of tickets for children aged four to 12 will be available at all outlets for £10 per ticket. All under 16s need accompanying by an adult.
Read more: Review: Massive Attack, The Downs
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