Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Festival line-up update: Beacons, Liverpool International Music Festival and Wickham Festival

By Aly Barchi | Published on Tuesday 25 June 2013

Oh dear, first it was Hop Farm, Tokyo Rocks, No Direction Home, Sonisphere UK, Playground and Hevy, and now this; another one to add to the sad scrapheap of the year’s cancelled festivals. Sigh. The latest event to take the hit is the nascent Isle Of Man Festival, as was meant to take place for the first time on 6 Jul. Stopped in its tracks by bad ticket sales, the one-dayer was to host the likes of headliners Primal Scream, Paloma Faith, Johnny Marr and Wretch 32.

Its organisers say: “The risk in pursuing the event would put businesses on and off the island in jeopardy. A great festival was planned for the Isle of Man – with global artists, international and local media partners and world reaching sponsors. Sadly, this cannot now be realised”.

In less sad news, Suffolk-born Ed Sheeran has given his name to a stage at this year’s Ipswich Music Day. Says the singer – who despite having graced the festival twice in 2009-10, can’t make it this year – has said it’s a “privilege” to have a presence at this “amazing event”, adding: “I remember playing at the event a few years ago and it was great fun”.

Fascinating. Pushing on, I give you today’s FLUUs:

BEACONS, Funkirk Estate, Skipton, Yorkshire, 16-18 Aug: Danny Brown, SBTRKT, Gold Panda, Wire, Eagulls, James Holden, T Williams, Throwing Snow, New York Brass Band, Sky Larkin, Traams, Findlay. www.greetingsfrombeacons.com

LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL, various venues, Liverpool, 18 Aug – 22 Sep: Stooshe, Diana Vickers, A*M*E, The Vamps, Charlie Brown, Tich. www.limfestival.com

WICKHAM FESTIVAL, Blind Lane, Wickham, Hampshire, 1-4 Aug: Wilko Johnson, Public Service Broadcasting, The Deborah Bonham Band, Sarah Savoy and the Francadians, Shamus OBlivion and the Megadeath Morrismen, Neverland, The Courtiers, Doghouse Boat Boys. www.wickhamfestival.co.uk