British Summer Time 2017 Preview

Imagine the best festival in the world. Top name artists performing every night. Support acts that would be headliners at any other event. Great food. A location right in...
British Summer Time

British Summer Time 2017 Preview

Imagine the best festival in the world. Top name artists performing every night. Support acts that would be headliners at any other event. Great food. A location right in the middle of one of the most famous parks in one of the greatest cities in the world.

Then imagine that when everything shuts down at the end of the night you don’t have to go back through the mud to your little tiny pop up tent to eat cold beans straight from the tin. And no need to dread those freezing showers in the morning.

Because at this festival you can go home every night – to your own bed or to a proper hotel. The choice is yours.

Wouldn’t it be great if such a festival existed? It would. And it does.

Welcome to British Summer Time.

Now approaching its fifth year, Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park has been host to some of the biggest and best live acts since its debut in 2013. From The Rolling Stones to Carole King, The Libertines to The Who, Kylie to Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath to Taylor Swift, music history has been written almost night by night.

 

Phil CollinsThis year’s BST boasts a roster that’ll put just about any other event in the calendar into the shade, starting with the legend that is Phil Collins who headlines on Friday 30th June. Collins’ announcement that he plans to return to the concert stage after an absence of ten years led to a five-night residency at the Albert Hall selling out in seconds and this will be his only festival performance of the year – the only chance to see his amazing ‘Not Dead Yet: Live’ tour show live in 2017.

Support comes from Blondie, Mike & The Mechanics and Starsailor.

 

Green DayThe following night, Saturday 1st July 2017, sees Green Day, the original pop-punks, take to the stage with Gogol Bordello and The Hives also on the bill.

Since breaking through in 1994 with the Dookie album, Green Day have become one of the world’s biggest bands with over 75 million worldwide sales. After a succession of hit albums, their 2004 rock opera American Idiot reignited the band’s popularity with a younger generation.  They come to British Summer Time behind last fall’s Revolution Radio (QRO review).

This promises to be one of the greatest gigs in London this year and is definitely one not to be missed.

 

Justin BieberThe headliner for the first Sunday of the festival, Sunday 2nd July 2017, is none other than the king of boy-pop Justin Bieber, supported by Martin Garrix, Tove Lo, and artist of the moment Anne-Marie.

What is there to say about the Bieber? The biggest pop star of the 21st century, a global sensation and multiple BRIT and GRAMMY Award winner, his debut Hyde Park show comes as part of his huge ‘Purpose World Tour ‘ which is running in support of his global #1 album – with over 10 million sold worldwide – PURPOSE.

The U.K. leg of the tour came to a close this year with two sell-out shows at the London O2 Arena, but for all the Brit Beliebers out there, Justin will be returning to the U.K. with a full set of all the hits as well as his incredible full stadium production stage set next summer.

 

Kings of LeonThe second weekend of the festival starts on Thursday 6th July 2017, when the headliners will be Kings of Leon with support from Pixies and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.

Since their debut in 2003, Kings of Leon have sold over 18 million albums and 24 million singles worldwide. WALLS (QRO review) is their sixth consecutive album to have reached #1 in the U.K. and they’ve won four Grammy Awards, three NME Awards and two Brit Awards.

PixiesJoining Kings Of Leon are fellow US rock legends Pixies. One of the most influential bands of all time they released their latest album Head Carrier (QRO review) earlier this year and to celebrate they’re playing their biggest London show to date.

Nathaniel RateliffAlso playing on the Sunday is the inimitable Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats who will return to the U.K. after a run of successful dates this month. Since releasing their debut album last year on the legendary Stax Records, they’ve have toured extensively, picking up new fans across the world with their modern take on soul and R&B.

 

The KillersAfter taking Friday night off to relax the festival reconvenes on Saturday 8th July 2017 for The Killers, supported by Elbow, Tears For Fears and White Lies.

The Las Vegas group’s summer return will give fans an early glimpse of material from their hugely anticipated new album, alongside their much loved classics, all in the unbeatable setting of Hyde Park.

ElbowJoining The Killers will be Mancunian rock group, Elbow, coming off of this year’s Little Fictions (QRO review), and, making a welcome return to the spotlight, mega pop group Tears for Fears.

Tears for FearsOver the past three decades, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith have sold over 30 million records worldwide. They will be bringing all their hits to London for the first time in 12 years, including the #1 songs “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, “Shout” and “Mad World”.

 

Tom Petty & The HeartbreakersLast but not least on Sunday 9th July rock legends Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will perform a rare U.K. gig in the world’s greatest outdoor venue, armed with a career of classic hits and a reputation as one of the greatest musicians of the past 40 years. The gig will celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary.

Their only European date of 2017, this will be just the second time Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have come to the U.K. in 18 years. The band’s last visit in 2012 included a headlining appearance at the Isle Of Wight Festival and two rapturously received sold out shows at the Royal Albert Hall.

Stevie NicksJoining them will be Stevie Nicks, forever celebrated as singer and songwriter with Fleetwood Mac and perhaps one the greatest artists of the rock era, and American folk-rockers The Lumineers.

 

So that’s six great nights of music and you get to sleep in comfort too! What more could you ask?

Tickets for BST in Hyde Park are available now at www.bst-hydepark.com/event-info/faqs/general-info-faqs but they’re going fast so don’t hang about!

Categories
FeaturesSlider
Album of the Week