Ash to headline Headstock

Ash will headline a new addition to the UK festival scene Heastock a new kind of festival, which happens at Newstead & Annesley Country Park, East Midlands.

Ash have bought into the ethos of Headstock and are flying back early from their South African Tour to help an ex-mining village still suffering deprivation following the pit closures.

Joining the headliners at the one day event held on Saturday 11th September 2010 will be The Beat, Field Music, Edward II, and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Headstock Festival will also feature DJs in two dance arenas – the DIY/Smokescreen Soundsystem playing a range of deep and underground house music andUDS/Desert Storm featuring cutting edge DJs playing drum and bass, gabba, techno, jungle and breakcore.

The full line up will be announced in July for this eclectic, inspirational and family friendly festival with big name headline acts as well as up-and-coming local talent.

Headstock is a new kind of festival – it is being set up by the Newstead community and all profits will go directly back to that community. Newstead is a deprived ex-coal mining village and over 100 local volunteers have so far signed up to help make the festival a unique event.

A 'headstock' is the structure used to transport miners up and down a mining shaft. Such a building has iconic value and meaning to mining communities throughout the East Midlands and mining communities generally.

Early bird tickets are now on sale priced at £20, entry for 13-17 year olds is £12.50 and entrance is free for the under 12's. Once early bird tickets have been sold the full ticket price will be £30.

To buy tickets click here.

Camping is available on Saturday night only and is priced at £5 per person.

To buy camping tickets click here.

As well as over 40 acts over four stages and two dance arenas the festival will offer; a family activity area, Speakeasy Café, arts and crafts section, innovative workshops and a diverse range of food as well as a full bar facility including a selection of real ale and cider.

In addition Headstock will feature a dedicated Kid's Field offering drum and jewellery workshops, face-painting, story-telling, puppet shows and an eco-sculpture which will be built during the day with help from the children and families attending.

The Newstead and Annesley Country Park is a 220 acre site of exceptional natural beauty, currently being developed as a sustainable eco-sensitive public park, located on what was formerly the villages coal mine. The Park is conveniently located 200 yards from Newstead train station and 15 minutes from Junction 27 of the M1. East Midlands Trains will be running late trains during the evening of the 11th.

The festival is being funded by the Big Lottery Fund's Village SOS programme. Village SOS is an initiative by Big Lottery Fund and the BBC to inspire a UK rural revival. It is funding rural villages to develop new business ventures that will breathe new life into their areas, create new jobs and improve the quality of life for local people. Headstock will be filmed for a major new BBC One prime time series following the progress of the villages involved.

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