Tim Burgess, & John Giddings reveal IOW last acts to eFestivals

The line-up for Sunday at the Big Top which has been hand picked by The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess has been announced offering a night of indie pop, post punk, garage rock bliss and DJ sets at this June's Isle of Wight Festival.

Speaking exclusively to eFestivals Burgess said, "I was really pleased to be asked. I thought I could put on quite a good day. john (Giddings) gave me the opportunity, I had total control to get the bands I wanted, and the ones I wanted to see."

"The first two bands I really wanted to secure were The Horrors, and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, because they're my favourite albums of the year, so far. The horrors are also friends of mine, and I wanted them to be part of the day, because there's nothing better than having your friends around when you've been asked to do something really special to you."

"Then I was handed Killing Joke, which was really special to me because they were the first band I went to see live as a kid. That was fate, and it really excited me that it was the original line-up and they're playing material from their first two albums. I was really excited about that."

"I also wanted to pick bands that not a lot of people had heard. Poppy & the Jezebels released a single last year called 'UFO' and I thought it was one of the greatest pop singles that I'd ever heard. so I wanted to get them on. There's a band called S.C.U.M. that I really like, so I wanted to give them the chance to be heard at a big festival."

He went on to explain, "Dance for Burgess are a band from Milan, I actually DJed out there three months ago. They showed up and gave me a CD, I went back to my hotel and listened to it. I was really intrigued and I went to their MySpace page and it said they were inspired by the message of Burgess. I didn't really know what that meant. I found out later they were talking about me, which was quite amazing. They don't really sound like The charlatans at all, I'd describe them as post modern Italian post punk."

The Charlatans will headline the Big Top, and joining them on the bill will be Killing Joke, The Horrors, Black Lips, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Hatcham Social, S.C.U.M., Poppy & the Jezebels,and Dance for Burgess.

There were also quite a few bands that Burgess couldn't get, none because they didn't want to do it, but because they couldn't do it. Burgess said, "I really wanted throbbing Gristle to play, but they couldn't do it. I'd love to curate again, maybe stick in a different headliner. I liked doing it because it's quite a personal thing to do, and the bands that I chose meant a lot to me. I got very excited, and really quite nervous, playing the waiting game to see what people would say, whether they would be into it or not."

The band's Burgess has selected will join the previously confirmed acts including Neil Young headlining the Sunday, The Prodigy who headline on Friday, with Stereophonics, and Razorlight confirmed as joint Saturday headliners. Basement Jaxx, Pendulum, Maximo Park, White Lies, The View, The Rifles, The Zombies, Paolo Nutini, The Ting Tings, and Pixies are also confirmed to appear. The Charlatans are to curate the Sunday of this year's Big Top, and will headline it on the same day also appearing there on the Saturday will be Australian Pink Floyd, and Ultravox. For the line-up details, day splits, and rumours as available please click here

Talking to eFestivals festival organiser John Giddings said, "Burgess' Big Top curated by Tim Burgess of Charlatan's fame. I stole the idea from the Meltdown festival where they have someone curating two weeks in London. I just thought it would be a good idea to have someone besides myself book the acts. He's someone that I know, I respect, and has a musical depth of talent and knowledge, and I thought I'd plug into it. It's been very amusing because some acts I like, some he likes, and we've had quite a debate over some of them, it was very entertaining. I think it's a great idea and I'm really pleased with the way things worked out. If it works as well as I think it will, then I think I'll do it again in the future."

When asked about the line-up Tim has come up with Giddings said, "I think it's great, it's eclectic, interesting, there's old, new, borrowed, and blue." And the band Giddings would most like to see? "The Black Lips, definitely."

Giddings revealed there would also be a couple of other things going on which he didn't want to let out just yet, and explained that, "What I've done this year is rented a screen to put in the field next to it, for when it gets really crowded, with its own sound system. Following last year's success, it's going to been even more popular this year. When we had Feeder on for example it was packed to the rafters."

With the line-up for this year already complete, Giddings also revealed that he had already made a start on next year's event. "No one will confirm that far in advance, but I've pencilled a couple of things. As soon as you complete the booking of one year, you start thinking about next year, it's like an obsession. Over fifty bands for that price is pretty good value isn't it. the weather forecast is good for the summer too, a combination of those two things makes the Isle Of Wight the place to go this year."

Giddings also revealed that there's only around 5000 tickets left, and "With the next six weeks, and the weather getting better, we should be set for a sell out." Tickets for the festival which happens from Friday 12th until Sunday 14th June 2009 at Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight are priced at £140 for an adult ticket with camping which includes entertainment in the campsite on Thursday night, and £70 for a child ticket (12 years and under). The price of an adult ticket without camping is £120 and £60 for children (12 years and under).

To buy tickets, click here.

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