Splendour is bouncing back bigger and better than ever since its last outing three years ago with the news that it will be expanding to include a second day and adding yet more acts to the bill (23-24 July 2022).
With double the stage time, the line-up for Nottinghamshire’s biggest music festival is stacked out with headliners serving up contemporary and classic hits galore including Richard Ashcroft, Anne-Marie, Supergrass, Craig David presents TS5, The Human League, Razorlight, The Vamps, Ocean Colour Scene, Happy Mondays, Belinda Carlisle, and many many more. Staying true to the recipe that makes Splendour a hit with thousands of revellers, the line-up skillfully blends an eclectic mix of newer acts, Splendour debutantes and established heavy hitters across both days.
DHP Family MD, George Akins said: “We’ve really missed Splendour Festival for the last two years, so the anticipation to get back out to Wollaton Park is massive. Our whole team is incredibly excited about the line-up but more than anything, we’re all excited about being back at festivals, delivering a fantastic event for the people of Nottingham and making sure everyone there has a great time.”
Craig David joins the Saturday bill while Anne-Marie, The Human League and Razorlight lead the way on Sunday’s Main Stage. Ocean Colour Scene and Happy Mondays are the latest additions to the Sunday Confetti Stage.
DHP Family Director of Live, Anton Lockwood said: “We’re really happy to be taking Splendour into a second day after going two years without a festival. We’re very pleased to have kept so many artists from what would have been our 2020 line-up on the bill, and are delighted to add loads of additional names to give those who have kept hold of their tickets something new to get excited for!”
Richard Ashcroft first shot to acclaim with The Verve, one of the most innovative and spellbinding bands on the British pop scene. Their all-conquering third album ‘Urban Hymns’ spawned classic hits such as ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’, ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ and ‘Lucky Man’ and led to Ashcroft winning The Ivor Novello Songwriter Of The Year Award. He has since carved out an illustrious solo career, starting with 2000’s ‘Alone with Everybody’ and hit single ‘A Song For The Lovers.’ Expect some Verve classics along with his solo material when he steps out to headline the Splendour Main Stage on Saturday.
Headlining on Sunday is Anne-Marie, whose striking voice first hit the music radar when she guested on tracks by Rudimental and went on to score a number one hit as the main vocalist on Clean Bandit’s worldwide number one single, ‘Rockabye’. Recently seen performing live on The Brits along with Adele and Ed Sheeran, Anne-Marie can also be seen as a coach on The Voice UK. The singer’s anthemic, highly personal songs connect with millions of fans while her first solo album, Speak Your Mind – rammed with tracks to dance, laugh and cry to – was the biggest debut album in the UK in the year it was released.
One of the most important bands from the 90s, Supergrass are the award-winning Britpop Oxford outfit who achieved an unbroken run of five Top 10 albums, including ‘I Should Coco’, ‘In It for the Money’ and ‘Supergrass’. They scored the biggest-selling debut for label Parlophone since The Beatles, helicoptered into Glastonbury, toured the world, and were a regular feature at Rock City throughout the 90s and early 00s.
Famed R&B singer Craig David joins Britpop legends Richard Ashcroft and Supergrass with his ‘Presents TS5’ show for the Main Stage on Saturday, and is currently enjoying a well-deserved comeback in a career that has seen the star sell over 15 million albums worldwide, score 16 top 10 hits and achieve multi-platinum status in over 20 countries. With his national arena tour selling out fast, this is a great chance to catch the artist who knows how to get the party started!
The Human League – who last played the festival in 2016 – join the Sunday bill. A legendary band with an outstanding back catalogue stretching back more than 40 years, The Human League formed in Sheffield in the late 1970s and evolved into one of the seminal 80s electro pop bands. The band has sold more than 20 million records and their classic pop masterpiece ‘Don’t You Want Me’ was a number one hit around the world. Led by enigmatic frontman Phil Oakey, the fans will be delighted to welcome them back to the Nottingham festival.
Making up the trio of Main Stage headliners on the second day is Razorlight, performing as their original line-up after a decade-long hiatus, to bring a set of rock ‘n’ roll live energy. If the rapturous reception given to their January 2020 arena tour slots as special guests with Kaiser Chiefs is anything to go by, Razorlight are very much re-born. As the endangered species of real live entertainment emerges from the pandemic, Razorlight will be out there proving themselves as one of the classic bands of any era.
Elsewhere on the Main Stage on Saturday will be freshly crowned winner of the Brit Award for Best Dance Act Becky Hill, known for her dance floor fillers. The second most listened to British female artist on Spotify in the UK, Becky is the undisputed queen of dance music with loads of collabs with top DJ-producers under her belt.
Over on the Confetti Stage will be The Vamps, one of the most successful pop bands to come out of the UK in recent years, having become the first band ever to headline the O2 Arena five years in a row. The boys will no doubt be performing much loved hit singles ‘Can We Dance’, ‘Wild Heart’ and ‘Last Night’ amongst material from their last album Cherry Blossom.
Joining them will be American singer Belinda Carlisle, who gained worldwide fame as co-founder and lead vocalist of groundbreaking all-female new wave rock band The Go-Go’s. Belinda went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist regularly selling out stadiums across the UK. With an acclaimed catalogue of timeless pop hits, the gifted and glamorous singer-songwriter is sure to have everyone singing along to songs such as ‘Mad About You’, ‘I Get Weak’, ‘Circle in the Sand’, ‘Leave a Light On’ and the global smash ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’, which turned Belinda into a superstar.
Also confirmed for the first day are Tori Sheard, Jerub, The Selecter and Sleeper while Melanie C, Ocean Colour Scene, Happy Mondays and Beka are on Sunday’s bill with more to be announced.
The start of Melanie C’s career really needs no explanation at all, as it is rather well documented. Melanie C launched her solo career with the huge hit ‘When You’re Gone’ with Bryan Adams and has since gone on to achieve over three million album sales, two Number One singles and six Top 10 singles.
Ocean Colour Scene performed at the first-ever Splendour back in 2008. The English rock band has had five top 10 albums including a number one, ‘Marchin’ Already’, in 1997. They have also achieved 17 Top 40 singles and six Top 10 singles to date, including ‘The Day We Caught the Train’ and ‘Hundred Mile High City’.
Famed for the party atmosphere of their shows, The Happy Mondays will no doubt have the Splendour crowd dancing to a set of 90s Manchester hits including ‘Wrote for Luck’, ‘Step On’ and ‘Hallelujah’.
The Confetti Stage at Splendour is in partnership with Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, a leading provider of creative industry education. Craig Chettle MBE, Chief Executive Confetti comments:
“We are delighted to once again be a partner in Nottingham’s biggest and best outdoor festival when it makes its eagerly-awaited return this year. Teams from Confetti and Notts TV – ably supported by Confetti students – will once again be working hard behind the scenes helping to bring two days of superb entertainment to the festival-goers”.
Weekend tickets are £85 for adults, with day tickets priced at £56. Accompanied children aged 10 and under go free, and Nottingham City residents are eligible for a discount. VIP options are also available across all ticket types. Tickets can be purchased from splendourfestival.com
Existing ticket holders who rolled over are being given the opportunity to upgrade their day ticket to the full weekend for an additional £25.
Cllr Sally Longford, Deputy Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We are so pleased that Splendour is not only returning this year but it is coming back with two days of wonderful family entertainment. We know there is always a buzz around the city when this event is announced – it’s a key date in people’s calendars. We look forward to welcoming everybody back to Wollaton Park this summer.”
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