Regarded as one of the most influential bands ever, Buzzcocks have been thrilling audiences for more than four decades. Fresh from their global 40th anniversary tour, Pete Shelley, Steve Diggle, Chris Remington and Danny Farrant will bring their high-octane guitar, bass and drum power to the Confetti Stage. With six successful and well-received studio albums under their belt, along with years of high profile gigging, expect an epic set of crowd pleasers including the landmark “Orgasm Addict” and UK top 40 single “Ever Fallen in Love”.
Rising star Will Varley will return to Splendour bringing his fiery brand of contemporary folk songs to the Main Stage. In the same year that he sold out Nottingham’s Bodega, Varley was also invited to open for Frank Turner, who described him as ‘one of the best singer-songwriters in the UK.’ With shows booked on both sides of the pond, and new fans from around the world joining en masse, the future is bright for this folk artist.
A distinctive blend of country soul from singer-songwriter Yola Carter who will be joining the main stage line-up. Earmarked as ‘one to watch’ by The Guardian, and recently voted ‘UK Artist of the Year’ at the UK Americana Awards, Carter is recognised as one of the UK’s top singers and a uniquely gifted songwriter. She has also worked with critically acclaimed acts such as St. Paul and The Broken Bones and Imelda May.
Back over on the Confetti Stage, powered by Nottingham Trent University, local artists Bud and Josh Wheatley join the bill. Bud’s vibrant reggae beats have been played by BBC Radio 1’s Alice Levine, Greg James and Scott Mills and championed by BBC 1Xtra’s David Rodigan. At the end of 2016, the rising star was one of the most played artists on BBC Introducing in the East Midlands. Wheatley has already caught the attention of BBC Radio 2’s Janice Long with his spine-chillingly, poignant material about matters of the heart and soul.
The Acoustic Rooms Stage will once again host a roster of emerging artists from Nottinghamshire’s thriving music scene. Into the Ark, finalists in the ITV show The Voice, headline with the rest of the lineup featuring Jimi Mack, whose nostalgic sound has been featured on BBC radio; Yazmin Lacey; Unknown Era; Tom Lumley; Lisa Hendricks; Young T and Bugsey; Billie and Sunflower Thieves.
Splendour’s George Akins, said: “We’re confident punk veterans Buzzcocks, along with our other bona fide music legends and award-winning bands backed up with an exciting lineup of fresh talent bursting out of our local music scene, will contribute towards another fantastic day out for the whole family. With ticket sales currently ahead of all previous years, this year’s Splendour is set to be an event not to be missed.”
Children under 11 will once again be admitted free and discounts are also in place for Nottingham residents. A standard ticket is £46, coming down to £36 when the Nottingham City resident discount is applied. Tickets for young people aged 11-17 living in Nottingham are £20.
VIP packages are also available starting from £80. Ticket holders will enjoy a whole host of benefits including access to the VIP garden; a big screen with picnic and seating area; exclusive entertainment; gourmet food and a quality choice of drinks; luxury toilets plus access to the Dinosaurs of China exhibition at Wollaton Hall.