UK: Having already announced a move to the larger Clarence Dock for 2017, Sound City has now revealed that it will host four days of festivities to mark its 10th birthday.
The festival launches on Thursday May 25 with a celebration of the English avant-garde featuring a trio of some of the most influential British electronic artists of the modern era – The Human League, Art of Noise and A Certain Ratio.
With a remarkable career that spans five decades, The Human League were the vanguard of the electronic new wave in the 70’s developing a sound that changed the face of pop forever.
The Human League’s Phil Oakey said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be headlining the first night of Sound City’s 10th birthday celebrations. We love playing for the people of Liverpool, they are properly passionate music fans and we’ve always felt at home in their beautiful city and although we haven’t been there yet from what we’ve heard the setting of Sound City’s iconic industrial landscape is pretty unique and will be a perfect backdrop for our music, we can’t wait to play there.”
Support comes from 80’s synth pop innovators Art of Noise featuring Dudley / Jeczalik/ Lanagan, performing an alternate version of their classic album In Visible Silence. This will be a world premiere reworking of the groundbreaking album and the group’s first live performance in 17 years.
To complete this Thursday stellar line-up are A Certain Ratio, who were discovered by the late Tony Wilson and signed to Factory Records with labelmates Joy Division.
On Friday 26, the global music legend John Cale will take to the stage for the only European performance of The Velvet Underground & Nico album. Marking the 50th anniversary of one of the most important records of all time, upon its announcement in October 2016 this historical stand-alone event sold out in just two days. However Sound City have announced there are a limited number of additional tickets to be released. With a host of live collaborators still to be announced this show is going to be one of the most culturally significant happenings of the year.
Nu-disco doyens Metronomy top Saturday’s bill. Following last year’s hugely successful Summer 08 the quartet will be treating Sound Citizens to a genre-busting set of sublime electronica packed with hits from five studio albums. Also featured on Saturday’s impressive line-up are lo-fi rockers The Kills, nu-punk upstarts Slaves, art-pop provocateur Peaches, alt-rock prodigies The Hunna, Libertines front man Carl Barat & The Jackals, feted electro-rock five piece Pumarosa, Fickle Friends and many more.
Also taking place on Saturday will be a special keynote ‘In Conversation’ piece with John Cale. This rare interview will unveil a wealth of stories and insights accrued over a career of more than 50 years. It will explore his formation of the Velvet Underground with lifelong collaborator Lou Reed. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear the most amazing story in rock and roll from one of the most important figures from the history of popular music.
Indie rockers The Kooks will close out the momentous weekend. Having done so in 2014 The Kooks provide a knowing nod to the rich history of Sound City. In support are post-punk trio White Lies, American indie-innovators Local Natives, dance-punk agitators !!! (Chk Chk Chk), the newly reformed Milburn, dreamy psych-popsters She Drew The Gun, anarcho-rockers Cabbage, The Sherlocks, Liverpool’s very own psychedelic adventurers The Vryll Society and a host of other diverse and exciting acts.
Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi said: “For our big tenth birthday we wanted to do something really special, not just to mark to occasion but also to reward all those loyal Sound Citizens who have come with us on every step of this amazing ten-year journey.
“The term legend is way over-used these days but we really do have bona fide music legends on the bill every single day of the festival and we still have lots more to announce. It’s going to be a rollercoaster ride folks. Get yourself strapped in.”
