Thursday, 3 July – Sunday, 6 July
UKP45 per day, plus booking fee
Gates open: Thu-Fri 2 pm to 10.30 pm, Sat-Sun Noon to 10.30 pm
Yes, it’s true: Mr Beyonce is coming to Hyde Park. Jay-Z is confirmed to headline the opening Thursday night of this year’s O2 Wireless Festival, and he’ll be joined by big names like Hot Chip, Kid Sister and the dishy Mark Ronson.
The O2 Festival, now in its fourth year, will pack five stages with hot bands and famous faces this July. Morrissey and Beck are set up for the Friday show, with Fatboy Slim going Saturday and the Counting Crows and Ben Harper on Sunday.
Indie lovers should check out the Bella Union stage. Named after the record label set up by Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins, it’ll show off some of the best up-and-comers in the music industry. Kaki King, Burning Leaves and The Duke Spirit are just a few on the lineup.
Los Angeles-based Live Nation is helping promote the event and is giving festival-goers the option of adding 40p to their order price to offset carbon emissions for travelling to the show. For the second year, ActionAid is asking guests to say “Bollocks to Poverty”. The group will set up a lounge area with table football, free goodies and information about anti-poverty, anti-hunger projects like concerts and sky dives.
The list of good acts at the festival could roll on for quite a bit longer (Hot Melts, Elliot Minor, The Goo Goo Dolls), but let’s face it: Seeing a show is more fun than reading about one. So check it out, and don’t be afraid to sing out loud to “Stop Me” when Mark goes on stage.
