Heavenly Planet announces Sharon Shannon, The Drummers of Burundi, Oysterband

The new international music festival called Heavenly Planet held at Rivermead, Reading next year on the site which was WOMAD's old home and taking place over the weekend of Friday 10th until Saturday 11th July 2009 have announced their first acts, and will be putting tickets on sale later today.

The artists announced today are The Drummers of Burundi, Sharon Shannon Big Band, Toto la Momposina & Colores de Colombia, The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain, The Wonder Stuff, Patrick Duff, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Boban & Marko Markovic Gypsy Orchestra with special guests Frank London & Roy Paci, Eliza Carthy, Chase & Status MC Fuse Takura and Plan B, Oysterband, The Bays, Bloco Electro, The Fence Collective featuring The Three Craws, Ku-Da-Mix Orchestra, Glass Half Full, 9 Bach, Sleeps In Oysters, Spiro, and TC + MC Jakes.
Heavenly Planet will also showcase a Festival Supergroup, led by Billy Cobham featuring six international artists, brought together for one completely improvised performance.

Weekend passes for the event are priced at £75 for adults, and day passes, are priced at £35 for Friday, and £45 for Saturday. Camping priced at £15 is paid for separately, and campervan tickets are £40. Children aged 15 and under free with full paying adult.

To buy tickets, click here.

Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn, one of the festival organisers, said "For two years now the Council and I have been discussing the idea of a new, innovative, diverse and outward-looking festival. But it was only when I ran the idea by Thomas and established that it was possible to bring his ideas into the structure as Artistic Director and joint shareholder, it became a must. Thomas brings everything we were looking for to the table and the partnership is now complete. It will make for a very exciting future - a heavenly future I hope!"

Heavenly Planet is hoping to attract 15,000 people and will feature a mix of music from across the world with three all-weather stages in big tops, and the festival will also make use of Rivermead leisure centre.

The festival will also feature Internationalist issues figuring as well as discussion, humour, debates, and petition-signing.

The brainchild of Reading Borough Council, Reading Festival organiser Melvin Benn and WOMAD's ex-artistic director Thomas Brooman, the festival is planned to feature various genres of music from across the world and will be aimed at families and teenagers with entertainment which will appeal to all generations. There will also be a sister festival held in Palermo, Sicily.

Camping will be available as well as a food court concept, celebrating food from around the world. The festival will feature both world-class artists and local talent, with comedy, club-nights, poetry, participation and debate.

All performances will be under cover, with secure camping, shopping, a pool for swimming and more.

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