Headlining the two day event will be Jamaican hip hop recording artist Sean Paul and legendary DJ Pete Tong presenting Ibiza Classics performed by the Heritage Orchestra.
But aside from the big names, Common People Oxford is embracing it’s local scene by putting some of the best talent in the area centre stage. Coldredlight will take to the main stage on Sunday May 28, with many of their contemporaries from Oxford and the surrounding area strewn across the announcement.
Zaia, The Balkan Wanderers, Kanadia, Vienna Ditto, Leader, Young Women’s Music Project, Desert Storm, The Epstein, Little Red and Catgod are just a few of the names the Oxford scene is putting forward to represent them this year.
Common People curator Rob da Bank says: “Common People is all about having some proper moments together as friends and family. Our cast this year to make you dance, sing and generally lose your shizzle include none other than recent Number One album artist, Mr Pete Tong, a legend of the dance and Radio 1 for over quarter of a century now, and here with a rare outdoor performance of his orchestral wonder Ibiza Dance Classics.
“Also, stepping up is Sean Paul, a dancehall god with more bangers up his sleeve than a fireworks factory. Proving able support will be Rag’N’Bone Man and Groove Armada and loads more, so have a read, explore and see you in the fields my lovely Common People!”
We weren’t kidding, when we said it’ll be a proper party, with king of the dancehall, Sean Paul, topping the bill on Saturday and DJ legend Pete Tong, the Heritage Orchestra and conductor Jules Buckley’s number one album collaboration headlining The Common Stage on Sunday night.
Sean Paul is back and bigger than ever. Fresh from ruling the charts with his Clean Bandit collaboration, and a jaw-dropping headline set at last year’s Bestival, when the man who single-handedly brought dancehall to the mainstream is involved, you know things are gonna get dutty. We can’t wait to bruk it down and get cool and deadly.
Bank holiday Sunday will be filled with White Isle vibes on a cultivated tip as BBC Radio 1’s dancefloor don Pete Tong present Ibiza Classics performed by The Heritage Orchestra conducted by Jules Buckley. Not due to return to UK shores for his own shows until December, this is a gilt-edged opportunity to catch one of the most talked about shows of 2016 as the summer festival season kicks off. Proper classic house euphoria orchestrated to bring Common People 2017 to a legendary close, this has got historic written all over it.
But that’s not all, The Common Stage will see sublime dancefloor duo Groove Armada will be hitting the decks to provide their own inimitable brand of booty shaking brilliance on Saturday with appearances from Wild Beasts, Foals (DJ set), The Selecter + The Beat, Saint Etienne, Amy MacDonald, House Gospel Choir and Lucy Leave.
Sunday mainstage action will see BRITs Critics’ Choice winner 2017 Rag’n’Bone Man’s staggering vocals and gospel-powered grooves, plus music from Becky Hill, The Cuban Brothers, Elvana: Elvis Fronted Nirvana and Coldredlight.
Filling your dancing boots throughout the weekend, the Uncontained Stage will be jumping with My Nu Leng & M8s and very special guest Goldie, Novelist, Redlight, GotSome and Klose One, all stepping up to the plates to drop bombs on Saturday, while on Sunday hands in the air behaviour will come courtesy of Moxie presents On Loop featuring sets from Joy Orbison, Midland, Kornél Kovács, Felix Dickinson and Or:la.
Discovering new music is what gets the man like da Bank out of bed in the morning, it’s the very the lifeblood of the Bestival team! So, we’ve teamed up with fellow new music evangelist and Oxford institution Nightshift once again to showcase the best new local bands alongside some of the most exciting acts around on the Uncommon Stage, including ShaoDow, Zaia, The Balkan Wanderers, Jess Hall & Barney Morse Brown, Kanadia, Vienna Ditto, Death of Hi-Fi, Leader, Young Women’s Music Project, Rhymeskeemz, The Shapes, Low Island, Desert Storm, The Epstein, Little Red, The Pink Diamond Revue, Catgod and Slate Hearts.
There will be universal dance adventures at The Pig’s Big Record Club Stage, hosted by the Shellac Collective 78s DJs with gramophone magic from Redfoot, Sara Spade & the Noisy Boys, Schrödinger’s Strings, Datum Plane, The Henry Brothers, Molly Davies & more.
And ensuring the party always swings, DJs across the weekend will include, Shepdog (Nice Up!), Del Gazeebo, Count Skylarkin, Kerry & Casio vs Harvey K-Tel, DJ Binge, Peepshow Paddy, HouseWurk, Back For Good, Dapper Dan, danny.wav, Ella Fantazia, Trol23, Dasher + Wazzy, BustMasta BarryDark, DJ Circles vs Nelly B Page, Nick Moorbath, Reggae Bingo, Mick Swagger, Miss Splinters, Jason King, and Alex from Wigan.
With amazing music keeping your feet moving throughout the bank holiday weekend, we’ll be bringing a little taste of our legendary madness and mayhem to South Park ramping up the Bestival antics to transform Common People into an amazing festival wonderland, with plenty of our off-the-wall shenanigans including boss boogying at the Disco Shed, the old-time pleasures of Vintage Funfair Rides, surprising Pop-Up Performances, brass-powered Horns of Plenty, the savoury delights of Scrumptious Street Food, decadent drinkies from Cocktail Bars, a fantastic Kids Area with the gymnastic pageantry of Circus, Face Painting, Crazy Inflatables, and much more!
Tickets are on sale now at Ticketline
Head to commonpeople.net for more info.
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