GRACE JONES & IDA MARIA
CONFIRMED FOR BEACHDOWN 2009!
We are excited to exclusively reveal more headliners for Beachdown Festival 2009, which
returns to its beautiful location overlooking the sea on the picturesque South Downs this
August bank holiday weekend!
Joining the fabulous GRACE JONES and Icelandic pop queen IDA MARIA on this year’s
festival line-up are those wonderful welsh psychedelic rockers the SUPER FURRY
ANIMALS, Liverpudlian indie-rockers THE ZUTONS, institutional indie-pop darlings SAINT
ETIENNE, post-punkers THE
FALL and
hip
hop
heroes GRANDMASTER
FLASH and SUGARHILL GANG.
The following bands are also confirmed for this year’s event: JAMES HUNTER, JAMES
TAYLOR QUARTET, DREADZONE, THE BLOCKHEADS, SECRET AFFAIR, THE
SUNBURST BAND, ACID HOUSE BRASS BAND by the Williams Fairey Brass
Ensemble, THE APPLES, NOSTALGIA 77 OCTET, LACK OF AFRO, SNOWBOY & THE
LATIN SECTION, HOSPITALITY, THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS, JAZZ COTECH
DANCERS, THE FANTASTICS!, PRINCE BUSTER, GOOD TIMES with NORMAN JAY,
JOEY NEGRO, HIGH CONTRAST, GILLES PETERSON, MULATU ASTATKE, THE
HELIOCENTRICS, JAZZANOVA, ROB LUIS & KINNY and TRU THOUGHTS.
Beachdown is also thrilled to confirm a major sponsorship deal with Sagres Beer; Portugal’s
most popular beer. Since 1940, Central de Cervejas has been producing Sagres beer from
100% natural ingredients, no additives or preservatives. The brand is currently represented in
certain areas of the U.S, particularly in Portuguese communities. It is also a familiar staple in
Brazilian communities.
Continuing the Brazilian theme, Favela Chic will be taking up a 4-day residency in its own
purpose-built and designed arena complete with a full Latin artist and DJ line-up. For those
who aren’t familiar, Favela Chic is the self professed brainchild of a Franco-Brazilian
marriage with recent English adoptions, it is a bar, restaurant, club, carnivale, an East End
knees up, a bordello and none of the above! Favela Chic is three years young in London
and twelve years old in Paris, it has a Brazilian cuisine, a French style and a London attitude.
Beachdown Festival, which saw 10,000 people descend on the South Downs last August,
aims to be as carbon neutral as possible and was nominated for 2 Awards at the 2008 UK
Festival Awards (Best New Festival and Best Innovation). It has a seven-year contract with
the landowner making Beachdown a regular annual event in the festival goer’s diary!
Beachdown Festival 2009 will see the return of The Big Lemon Bus! The buses, which are
run on 100% recycled cooking oil, will shuttle festival goers between the city of Brighton and
the festival site throughout the day and night, thus making it easy for locals or those who
prefer to shack up in a warm hotel at the end of each day to get to and from the site without
the hassle of parking or staying T-total!
Following on from last year, the food stalls on site will again offer locally sourced and organic
menus, many of which will be offered by local brand name restaurants including Due
South, Maughermans Deli and Indian Summer.
Following on from the success of last years’ inaugural event, Beachdown Festival is
continuing its promise to support local talent and has already booked a strong line up of new
and emerging Brighton acts.
Already confirmed for the Brighton Stage are funk favourites Mean Poppa Lean, minimalist
punk-folk trio Drookit Dogs, bluesy post-punkers Sweet Sweet Lies, hotly-tipped
popsters Gloria Cycles, sleazy rock ‘n’ rollers The Perils and NME flirts 4 or 5
magicians. Other exciting local artists confirmed are Saw Gang Buzz, The Beautiful
Word, Portslade, Los Albertos, Ocean Reid, Chris Simmons, Seeker, Two Spot Gobi,
Cordelia Fellowes’s Gyspsy Sqat pop Project and reggae act Rebel Control whose set
last year was a Friday night highlight.
Here’s what the press had to say about Beachdown Festival 2008:
‘This festival has potential as big as its site.’ – The Observer
‘Beachdown has the potential to grow into a firm favourite on the music scene.’ – The Sun
‘...definitely one to watch... It has the potential to rival larger national festivals in reputation.’ –
New Consumer
‘Beachdown boasted a mightily impressive and eclectic line-up... I (will) be returning to this
magical piece of the South Downs for Beachdown 2009.’ – Virtual Festivals
‘Coming complete with an ocean view from your tent, it’s hard to argue with Beachdown’s claim
of being the UK’s most laid-back festival.’ – Artrocker
‘The foundations are laid for a great addition to the festival calendar.’ – Latest 7
‘Beachdown is well on track to rival the big boys of Reading and Glastonbury as the festival to
be seen at.’ – Sussex Express
Tickets are priced at £97.50 (children under 2 go free) and are available
from www.beachdownfestival.com
For further information contact The Darling Department on 0207 379 8787
National Press - Alix - alix@darlinguk.com
Online Press – Naomi - naomi@darlinguk.com