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Nozstock announce first round of names!

                                                                                                      

  • Nozstock The Hidden Valley returns for its 18th year this July in stunning Herefordshire for a weekend of magic, inspiration and enchantment
  • Headliners include Jurassic 5, Gentleman’s Dub Club and Foreign Beggars with more to be announced.
  • Support includes Slamboree, Hot 8 Brass Band, Professor Elemental, Split Prophets, Dr Syntax + Pete Cannon, Tankus The Henge, Solo Banton + The Upper Cut Band, Son of Dave, Houdini Dax, Kagoule, Eva Lazarus, Sam Redmore
  • DJs include Friction ft. Linguistics, Dub Phizix + Strategy, DJ Marky & MC GQ, Dimension, Rene LaVice + Stapleton, The Prototypes, JFB, Ulterior Motive b2b Jubei, Rockwell, Randall, Teddy Killerz, Xtrah & Stealth and Channel One.
  • Theme for 2016 is Wonders of the Ancient World
  • Festival takes place across an idyllic working farm set in beautiful countryside
  • Vibrant range of arts, comedy and film programming to be revealed in the spring
  • Epic family fun and crafts still to be announced, plus lots more acts to come
  • Nozstock runs from Fri 22nd – Sun 24th July 2016
  • For full festival info go to: www.nozstock.com

Reaching its 18th year in 2016, Nozstock is nestled in the rolling hills of a beautiful working farm in the heart of Herefordshire. The immensely welcoming and independent event has evolved from 50 friends at the inaugural gathering into an intimate musical odyssey, one of the UK’s longest running festivals. Curated by the father and daughter duo of ‘Noz’ and Ella, there’s a unique charm and energy to Nozstock, quite unlike anything else in the UK.

Joining the wild dots between hip-hop, ska, reggae, folk, funk, soul, drum and bass, psytrance, electro-swing and a whole lot more across nine stages, plus interactive adventure and performance, Nozstock is a playground for all. From seasoned festival goers to newbies setting out for their first time there is something for everyone. This year’s festival theme is ‘Wonders of the Ancient World,’ so expect wild fancy dress displays and breath-taking decor.

Nozstock is very proud to reveal its first artists for this summer. Jurassic 5 headline and the whole crew will be in full effect in Bromyard. J5 have been hailed as one of the world’s most influential hip-hop super groups from its golden era and having reformed in 2013 after a 7 year hiatus they have injected fresh energy to their indelibly iconic music. And having built a reputation on consistently delivering energetic and exhilarating live shows, Gentleman’s Dub Club bring their dub and reggae infused magic to the festival, fresh from the success of their debut album, The Big Smoke. Since their formation in 2002, Foreign Beggars’ unique trajectory has seen them evolve from underground hip-hop heroes to trailblazing electronic crossover act. Described as a mash up of Basement Jaxx and The Rocky Horror Picture Show performing at The Moulin Rouge, Slamboree are a one-of-a-kind ensemble. Plus the creator of a new style of bass music that fuses influences from all corners of the globe is Dub Phizix and Strategy with over 20 years of dance-floor smashing experience to offer.

There’s always a strong drum and bass element at Nozstock, this year headlined by multi award-winning Friction ft. Linguistics, one of the most respected DJs in the world; and retaining the same passion for music as the day he started, DJ Marky & GQ stays at the forefront of not just the scene, but the dance music world at large. Since signing to Chase & Status’ MTA label in 2014, Dimension has bagged some massive releases including Love To Me whilst Rene LaVice with Stapleton is riding high on the huge success of Rene’s Ram Records debut, Headlock, which marked a defining moment in his career. He is joined on the bill by 3 times UK DMC champion JFB - a DJ who actually deserves the hype. The Prototypes debut album City of Gold was released in May 2015 on Viper Recordings, whilst Ulterior Motive are at the top of their game with a well-received debut album The Fourth Wall. They go back-to-back with Jubei, whose no gimmicks approach has earned him an unrivalled reputation. Further action comes from Rockwell’s distinct drum and bass which sets him apart from the crowd, Randall, whose fluid style has ensured he is still heavily in demand after 25 years, Teddy Killerz’ glitch to drum and bass and Ram Records’ releasing Stealth goes back-to-back with Xtrah. 2015 welcomed a reggae takeover in The Bullpen on Saturday and that tradition continues with Channel One bringing the best of the reggae dub sound.

Saturday also welcomes the funky, swaggering, jazz infused sounds of Hot 8 Brass Band and Tankus The Henge whose music draws from an array of influences including ragtime, blues, and gypsy punk whilst not forgetting the funky, one man beat-box eruption that is Son of Dave. Dr Syntax and Pete Cannon’s music and live shows combine witty lyricism and gob-smackingly banging beats; and fed on a diet of pureed swan and old-fashioned madness, Professor Elemental soon grew into one of the least respected Professors to ever be turned away from London society. Split Prophets are a hip-hop collective from Bristol; 2015 saw a barrage of new music and international shows. With reggae sounds and a 6 piece rhythm outfit, veteran artist Solo Banton & The Upper Cut Band will have everyone moving to their groove.

Kagoule are the latest export from Nottingham’s underground indie scene, and four-piece Welsh pop-rockers Houdini Dax also join the bill. Eva Lazarus has been championed on BBC Radio 1 for her collaboration with Etherwood on the single Light My Way Home. Since the release of her raw, beat heavy LP Forget Me Not Harleighblu has been in international demand with various festival bookings. The Lovely Eggs are an underground punk rock duo with surreal lyrics about life. Jenna G (of Jenna & The Gs) will transform her past and present dance floor releases with Netsky, Krystal Klear and Uncut into wonderful, analog funk and soul live remixes. She is backed by Manchester’s finest 8 Gold Rings. Sika Studios return to showcase live hip-hop and grime acts in The Bullpen, and down in The Coppice festival faves Tribe of Frog bring epic psy-trance all weekend. The thematically-named Swinging Gardens of Babylon presented by Electric Ballroom bring everything from electro-swing to vintage rock 'n' roll.

As ever, Nozstock brings a plethora of captivating arts to its generation-spanning audience, including adventures for kids in Spare Room Arts’ Little Wonderland, with Mayan mask and Aztec sundial-making, features and shorts in Mash Cinema’s Wrong Directions tent, enthralling theatre at the Bantam of the Opera, brow-raising cabaret in Velveteen Valley,  plus more hidden surprises in Clik Clik’s award-nominated Cabinet of Lost Secrets which for 2015 welcomes funky hip-hop five piece, Cantaloop and one off the UK’s most respected remixers, Sam Redmore. The Chicken Cow Cafe hosts fun and games, plus some eye-opening discussions, and the Tent of Temporary Thought will be staging its annual Nozslam competition for wordsmiths all over to battle out their wits. As well as all the usual, mind-bending walkabout theatre that’s par for the course in The Hidden Valley

Nozstock The Hidden Valley
Friday 22 - Sunday 24 July 2016
@ Rowden Paddocks, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4LS
Live line up so far: Jurassic 5, Gentleman’s Dub Club, Foreign Beggars, Slamboree, Hot 8 Brass Band, Professor Elemental, Split Prophets, Dr Syntax + Pete Cannon, Tankus The Henge, Solo Banton + The Upper Cut Band, Son of Dave, Houdini Dax, Kagoule, Eva Lazarus, Harleighblu,  The Lovely Eggs, Jenna + The Gs, Mystro + Cut La Vis, Shanty, Youth Man, William Poyer, The Stiff Joints, Cantaloop, Steve Strong, Pink Diamond Revue, Collective 43, Calm Like A Riot, Rosebud, Desert Boots, John, Castles, October Drift, Doppelganger
DJ line up so far: Friction ft. Linguistics, Dub Phizix + Strategy, DJ Marky & MC GQ,  Dimension, Rene LaVice + Stapleton, The Prototypes, JFB, Ulterior Motive b2b Jubei,  Teddy Killerz,, Rockwell, Randall, Xtrah & Stealth, Channel One, Amoss, Octo Pi, Sam Redmore, Beatwell, Scope, Modify Perspective, Funky Navigation, Remidy M.C, Trafic M.C.
Comedy, theatrics and cinema so far: Laughing Stock Comedy; Velveteen Valley Cabaret; Bantam of the Opera Theatre; Spare Room Arts’ Little Wonderland; Clik Clik’s Cabinet of Lost Secrets; Mash Cinema present Wrong Directions; Tent of Temporary Thought including RikTheMost, Matt Cummins, Jack MacMillan; Walkabout including BallzOut Circus, Knaive Theatre presents Dreamspeakers, Sunken Circus/Groove Yard Collective present Organised Mess, and Lee Partridge presents A Commedia Del’Arte Promenade.
From £109 for adults / £85 13-17 year olds / 12 and under free  /  Booking fees apply
www.nozstock.com / @Nozstock  / facebook.com/nozstockthehidden valley

Nozstock thanks its supporters and partners:

The Association of Independent Festivals  //  Attitude is Everything  //  Burgoynes  //  Data Transmission  //  Camplight  // Chicken Cow Cafe // Clik Clik Collective   //  EdwardoTech  //  Electric Ballroom Promotions  // MASH Cinema  //  The Music Pool //  Oliver’s Cider & Perry  // Tribe of Frog  //  Wye Valley Brewery  //  University of Birmingham  //  Sika Studios  //  Spare Room Arts   //  The Chicken Cow Cafe  //   Yeleni Support Centre  //   ZooBells