Your guide to Britain’s coolest music festival

In association with

www.itunesfestival.co.uk

How to win your free tickets.All tickets for the iTunes Festival are free to competition winners. Become a fan of the iTunes (UK) profi le on Facebook to apply for tickets to any of the 31 nights. We’re giving away hundreds of tickets to every show.

www.facebook.com/iTunesUK

Download the offi cial iTunes Festival app for your chance to win tickets. Enter as many nights as you like using multiple entry mode and lucky winners will have their tickets delivered directly to their device, allowing a seamless entry to the venue.

www.itunes.com/FestivalApp

Finally, you can also win tickets with Metro. We’ll be giving away 200 tickets for every gig. Just keep your eye out for our daily giveaways via the paper or online at:

www.metro.co.uk/iTunesFestival

Tickets for the iTunes Festival are not available for purchase. Charging money for tickets is not authorised by Apple Inc., and purchased tickets will not guarantee entry.

How to watch and listen.Watch Listen

Fearne Cotton, Dave Berry and Matt Edmondson will be keeping you up to date with the best of the iTunes Festival.

Tune into ITV2 every Thursday & Friday from July 8 at 10pm.

Watch highlights on ITV1 on July 29, August 5, August 12.

Catch up on the show and watch exclusive behind the scenes footage online at www.itv.com/itv2

XFM have been keeping you up to date with the Festival announcements and will be with us throughout July broadcasting highlights from the Roundhouse.

For your chance to win tons of tickets plus read the latest Festival news and reviews visit www.xfm.co.uk

You also have the chance to win tons of tickets by listening to XFM throughout July.

inside

Editor: Arwa Haider Design and layout: Damian Tully-PointonCover: Bret Painter

L ive music creates the most enduring memories – and this summer sees the return of an annual

London event dedicated to the live experience in all its thrilling forms. The iTunes Festival started out in 2007 as an ambitious month-long concert season at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts – suddenly, here was an opportunity for music fans to experience their heroes in a rare intimate live recording session. What was more, the gigs wouldn’t cost audiences a penny, as free tickets would be made available through competitions. That first year saw the likes of Paul McCartney and Amy Winehouse wowing crowds in a cosy theatre space.

Four years on, the festival further builds on that multi-genre, multi-generational appeal, spanning 31 nights and more

than 60 acts in one atmospheric venue. It’s definitely striking the right chord with live music lovers – last year, there were more than 2million ticket requests. The festival has also settled into its current home of the Roundhouse in Camden, arguably the capital’s most music-focused neighbourhood. This historical setting has hi-tech specs as well as great sightlines and acoustics – so at these gigs, you feel close to the action wherever you are.

WorDs ArwA HAiDer

31 nights, 62 acts, one venue – are you ready for the iTunes Festival 2010?

Continues page 3»

14

The line-upYour guide to who’s on stage each night

16

Interview Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling

London’s always callingA walk down the capital’s musical memory lane

24

Live talkin’Fearne Cotton talks gig fashion, karaoke and tofu

32

\1

Live and loud

Tuned in to the digital revolutionwhere the internet, technology and gigging collide

08

Franz Ferdinand

This year’s line-up kicks off with razzle-dazzle (Scissor Sisters’ sublime disco fantasy on July 1) and climaxes with a rock’n’roll bang (Scottish guitar trio Biffy Clyro on July 31), and every night in between is packed with diverse musical highlights.

Here are established music icons and legends-in-the-making, vivacious pop stars, modern folk troubadours, soul belters, witty grime MCs, an opera divo and a spoken- word raconteur. Each of these acts has a distinctive sound, yet they also share a flair for stage presence and passion for connecting with a live crowd. Many of the acts are making a welcome return to the iTunes Festival stage – in 2009, the likes of Mumford & Sons and Marina And The Diamonds appeared as up-and-coming talents; this year, they’ve evolved into two of the most celebrated crossover successes of the British music scene. Elsewhere, familiar names appear in unexpected guises – Bloc Party frontman Kele played an unforgettable gig with his band last year and now he returns as an electro-fied solo talent, supporting Underworld on July 17.

This is a chance for music fans to sample new material – many of these artists, from Scissor Sisters and Ozzy Osbourne to dance music linchpins Underworld and Faithless have returned with new albums this summer – and to make excitingly fresh discoveries. So if you’ve heard the buzz about talents such as the deliciously dramatic Wild Beasts (playing with The xx on July 12) or Essex punk popstrel Daisy Dares You (supporting Chipmunk on July 27), here’s your chance to see them up close and personal. Stay tuned for further surprises and announcements as the festival unfolds, too.

This year, the festival will also offer more of an interactive experience than ever, with

daytime workshops for local students, intimate matinee performances and late-night DJ sessions at the Roundhouse. With all the events hugely oversubscribed, those that can’t be there will be able to follow the goings-on via TV and radio

broadcasts (see page 33), and social networking updates

on Facebook and Twitter. What’s

more, the official iTunes Festival app brings you ticket competitions and the latest news and photos from every night. There is also the chance to pre-order the exclusive live EPs that are recorded each night, and available to download within 48 hours. So the music really doesn’t end. And a month of memorable live performances awaits…

Every single night is packed withdiverse musical

highlights

www.itunesfestival.co.uk

\3Flo Rida

Picture: Annique Delphine

Snow Patrol

The Saturdays

Bat For Lashes

La R

oux

Paul McCartney

The Noisettes

Paol

o N

utin

i

Kasabian

Pict

ures

: Get

ty

Few bands make an entrance with as much sass and panache as the Scissor Sisters. It takes a lot of elements to make up the distinctly heady cocktail of their music: New York underground club culture, avant-garde performance art and perfect pop hooks have all come into play since their breakthrough, disco-fied cover of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably

Numb in 2004. Not only does this outfit sound scintillating, they are an amazing spectacle on stage as well, with Jake Shears and Ana Matronic forming a high-energy vocal and performance double-act, joined by dandy bandmates Babydaddy, Del Marquis and Randy Real. Their opening night date at the iTunes Festival comes hot on the heels of their excellent third

Scissor SistersCutting-edge disco glamourama

This young Brooklyn quartet have built up a massive buzz this year, thanks to their knack for hook-laden guitar tunes with an unexpected emotional punch. That’s effortlessly demonstrated by the single Best Friend, taken from their self-titled recent debut album – but catch these hip indie kids live to get a vital sense of why they’re worth banging on about. www.itunes.com/thedrums

+ The Drums

July 02Friday

Tony BennettThe consummate showmanThere’s no mistaking the debonair tones of multi-Grammy-winning Italian-American superstar Tony Bennett. That reassuringly smooth voice has graced a multitude of classy melodies, including his much-loved 1962 standard, I Left My Heart In San Francisco, and his characteristic takes on tunes from the Great American Songbook (Fly Me To The Moon; It Had To Be You). This music exudes timeless romance yet increasingly broad audiences have fallen for Bennett’s sound in recent years, thanks to collaborations with artists ranging from Elvis Costello to George Michael. The 83-year-old is a dashingly versatile showman, too, equally at ease with an unplugged set as he is with lavish orchestration, whether playing a Las Vegas residency or the heart of Camden. When Tony hits the Roundhouse, London really swings. www.itunes.com/tonybennett

Ozzy OsbourneLovable prince of darkness

Ozzy has not only earned his place as a modern pop culture icon thanks to his reality TV success but also his serious status as a heavy-metal frontman, dating back to his time with hugely influential 1970s rockers Black Sabbath. With formidable missus/manager Sharon at his side, his touring Ozzfest event has become an institution and his solo recording career is still raging, right up to the theatrically dark themes of his latest album Scream. Onscreen, Ozzy’s unconventional family man persona is sweetly shambling; onstage, this dude still knows how to kick ass. www.itunes.com/ozzyosbourne

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

July 03Saturday

‘It’s pure energy and the ability to keep learning from each other that makes a great live double-act.’ Ana Matronic

July 01Thursday

These Austin hard rockers wield 21st-century metal deeply influenced by old-school heavy metal (not least Black Sabbath). Expect a live blast of music from their three albums: Ages Of Winters, Gods Of The Earth and the latest concept release Warp Riders: this bunch specialise in muscular riffs, fantastical lyrics, and wickedly heavy melodies. www.itunes.com/thesword

+ The Sword

\54/

album, Night Work, on which the sensual new grooves such as Invisible Light summon up the dance-floor energy, raunchy choruses and outrageous charisma at the crux of the Scissor Sisters. Add hits such as Take Your Mama, Filthy/Gorgeous and I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ and the Sisters’ set list should leave crowds truly exhilarated.www.itunes.com/scissorsisters

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Kate NashDIY indie chickLondoner Kate Nash’s breakthrough came in 2007 with Foundations. The No.2 hit – held off the top spot partly by Rihanna’s Umbrella – struck a chord with its dissection of the breakdown of a relationship. Chart-topping debut album Made Of Bricks further showcased Nash’s idiosyncratic lyrics and spawned more hits: the catchy Pumpkin Soup and quirky Mouthwash. The singer-songwriter sealed her success by taking home Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRITS. Nash returned to the fray earlier this year with her second collection, My Best Friend Is You. Tracks range from the poppy wall-of-sound of Do-Wah-Doo to the punk poetry of Mansion Song. Recent shows have seen

her letting rip and unleashing her inner riot grrrl. www.itunes.com/ katenash

Amiable likely lad MC Example (aka Elliot Greave) first drew attention in 2006 with his cheeky response record to Lily Allen’s Smile, entitled Vile. Example’s raps bristle with poppy hooks and self-deprecating humour but his songwriting has taken an increasingly sophisticated turn on latest album Won’t Go Quietly, including the Balearic-flavoured soundtrack Watch The Sun Come Up - just right for a spot of summer romance. www.itunes.com/example

+ Example

British trio N-Dubz’s quickfire mixture of grime, pop, r’n’b, and garage has made them one of the country’s hottest and brightest young urban acts. North London three-piece Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer’s tunes address the gang culture and inner-city issues that coloured their own youth, along with universal themes of love, lust and everyday life, served with sharp rhymes and snappy humour. These streetwise stars have been on the ascent since 2007. Since then they’ve scooped a trio of Mobos, starred in interactive TV series Dubplate Drama, and released two hit albums; 2009’s Against All Odds featured

FoalsAlt-rockers with pedigreeOxford alt-rock quintet Foals galloped on to the music scene with unbridled excitement in 2007, thanks to their dynamic debut album, Antidotes. Foals’ early material, including Cassius, bristles with urgent, electrifying rhythms (heavily influenced by West African high-life music) and strikingly dreamy synth riffs, and that thrilling energy is channelled into their live performance, led with moody poise by vocalist/guitarist Yannis Philippakis. This year’s follow-up album, Total Life Forever, adds experimental new flavours and surprising ballads to Foals’ atmospheric mix, and offers some fresh anthems including This Orient and Spanish Sahara. It’s fuel for the thinking person’s moshpit – neigh kidding! www.itunes.com/foals

This Northern Irish indie trio are signed to the hip Kitsuné Music record label and specialise in wickedly quirky electro grooves. Expect a set of snappy tunes from their 2010 debut LP, Tourist History, including the alternative blockbuster quality of Undercover Martyn.www.itunes.com/twodoorcinemaclub

+ Two Door Cinema Club Ringlet-locked New Yorker Darwin Deez draws on the teachings of mystic Meher Baba to create spiritual indie rock. Whimsical nursery rhyme-inspired Constellations and jaunty Radar Detector feature on Deez’s 2010 debut album, Astrological Epochs And The Sands Of Time. Must-see syncopated-dance interludes from Deez and his bandmates add a surreal lightheartedness to his shows. www.itunes.com/darwindeez

+ Darwin Deez

\76/

July 04Sunday

July 06Tuesday

collaborations with Tinchy Stryder, Chipmunk and Mr Hudson. N-Dubz have proved themselves as well-oiled live performers with several tours to their name and Dappy’s larger-than-life persona has been much publicised, along with his penchant for modelling woolly hats in a creative way. Brrrappp! www.itunes.com/ndubz

N-DubzHip pop hat-tricksters

July 05Monday

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Words JOhn Lewis

Our love affair with online music has not meant the end of live gigs but rather the start of an exciting new chapter

A s the record industry has moved swiftly to being an online affair, music lovers

no longer have to leave their houses to buy the sounds they adore. But more of them than ever seem to be heading out to gigs, with huge venues such as The O2 and Wembley Arena regularly selling out and a healthy stream of business across the capital’s music venues.

But how does the internet serve that expanding market? Websites are trying to enhance the live experience. Live recordings, which once required months of mastering and post-production, can now be transformed into releases and sold globally within hours. Five hours after Florence + The Machine duetted with Dizzee Rascal at the Brit Awards in February, the live recording was available for download exclusively on iTunes; within 12 hours it was on top of the chart and became one of Britain’s most downloaded singles of 2010.

Festivals are also using the internet to complement the action. Check out the BBC’s

online coverage of Glastonbury, the Notting Hill Carnival, T In The Park and the Reading and Leeds festivals, where you’ll find dozens of video highlights, interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage. The South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas – one of the music industry’s main talent showcases – also has a website (www.sxsw.com/music) which hosts downloads, streams and archived videos of hundreds of gigs. It attempts to replicate the impromptu nature of the event – the online videos retain the feel of wandering from one venue to

another and discovering new and surprising bands. The US’s National Public Radio’s music website – www.npr.org/music – also manages to host a fantastic array of live concert clips and interviews, from SXSW and elsewhere.

Some acts have used established websites to archive their gigs. Bon Jovi were recently the first major band to use the Ustream application

to perform a live gig for the launch of Apple’s iPad (something that thousands of the

band’s followers on Facebook and Twitter got excited about). YouTube has been

streaming live gigs for years, but U2 raised the bar last year when their lavishly filmed show from LA’s Rose Bowl was broadcast in glitch-free video playback, with a live Twitter feed helping viewers to feel part of a global event. Other acts such as OK Go have used a new streaming service called StreamJam, which allows users to watch the gig and interact in a futuristic, avatar-driven animated world. ‘We don’t claim to understand it,’ say the band, ‘but it’s free and you get to wander around a make-believe world wearing make-believe clothes watching a real-life OK Go concert, so how bad can it be?’

Obviously, live streams and video clips can’t replicate live music’s sense of occasion, the audience participation, the sheer volume – but the internet can add a new dimension.

Last year, Kylie’s first ever North American tour was

charted by a behind-the-scenes

video blog. More tangentially, you have sites like Setlist.fm (where

users submit detailed set lists and post videos) or Songkick.com (which cross-references international gig data from thousands of artists).

Of course, you might be after nothing more sophisticated than unique live recordings

of interesting bands, in which case try the Paris-based sessions on Blogotheque.net, the monthly sessions from the 4AD label at 4ad.com/sessions, the alt-rock archive on Belgium’s www.stubru.be/media/results/sessie and the MTV Unplugged sessions on www.mtv.co.uk/shows/mtv-unplugged.

And so we come to the iTunes Festival. Over the past four years, iTunes has recorded a catalogue of more than 180 live EPs from its iTunes Festival shows in Britain and Germany. Feast your ears on recordings from the likes of Kasabian, Amy Winehouse, Oasis, Crowded House and Sir Paul McCartney. And by the end of this summer, more than 60 other recordings from the iTunes Festival 2010 will strengthen the archive even further.

Tuned in to the digitalrevolution

8/ \9

Back for 2010, the iTunes Festival app allows you to connect directly to the heart of the festival at the touch of your iPhone and iPad. Download it for free from the App Store to win tickets and stay up to date with the latest news and artist announcements. Get exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and be the first to pre-order the live EPs recorded by each of the acts performing this year. That’s a whole lot of music; now you can carry the live experience with you, wherever you are.

iTunes Festival appWe got the love: Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal’s live duet at this year’s Brits topped the charts in 12 hours

Live recordings canbe transformed into

globally within hoursreleases and sold

\11

www.itunesfestival.co.uk

+ Support to be announced

Paloma FaithGlamorous pop show-stopper

Spearheading a resurgence in folk pop music, London quartet Mumford & Sons bring fresh blood to the genre with poetic lyrics and an eclectic mix of instruments. Formed in 2007, the four-piece soon began wowing audiences on the folk and indie circuits. A trio of EPs preceded their debut album, 2009’s Sigh No More, which showcased the heartfelt, crackling vocals of lead singer Marcus Mumford and the band’s multi-instrumental sound. Not surprisingly, the album thumped into the British Top 10, as well as hitting the top spot in Ireland and Australia. www.itunes.com/mumfordandsons

July 07Wednesday

This young London singer/songwriter specialises in old-fashioned stylings, with mellow, rootsy pop ditties such as the distinctly hummable Chasing Time. Pownall is swiftly making his name as a fresh-faced showman, and he’ll be serenading tonight’s crowd with further tracks from his imminent debut album True Love Stories. www.itunes.com/alanpownall

+ Alan Pownall

10/

Rising folk star Laura Marling won over critics with the stark beauty of her debut album Alas I Cannot Swim in 2008. A favourite on the live circuit, the 20-year-old built on this success with hit follow-up I Speak Because I Can, featuring the whirling Devil’s Spoke and the tender Goodbye England. www.itunes.com/lauramarling

+ Laura Marling

Hackney-born diva Paloma Faith combines a background in performing arts with her emotive vocals to deliver an unmistakably melodramatic music style. This was ably demonstrated on her 2009 debut album Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? and her latest single Keep Moving (from the soundtrack to Brit crime thriller 4.3.2.1). Faith’s modern soul pop belters such as Stone Cold Sober and New York sound gutsy and defiant as they tug on the heartstrings – and her fabulously theatrical dress sense means she always looks the show-stopping part too. www.itunes.com/palomafaith

Mumford & SonsFolk scene shakers

July 09Friday

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

This year’s Brits Critics’ Choice Award-winner Ellie Goulding followed in the footsteps of previous recipients Adele and Florence + The Machine, and stepped up to the mantle with debut album Lights, which illuminated the top spot of the British album charts in March. With production help from whizzkid remixer Starsmith, Lights mixes 23-year-old Goulding’s ethereal vocals with insistent beats and dancy synths to create a refreshing brand of folk-tinged electropop. The collection includes infectious, often

surprisingly confessional toe-tappers such as recent single Guns And Horses, Under The Sheets, and This Love (Will Be Your Downfall), as well as the shimmering Starry Eyed, Goulding’s first top five hit. In addition to hitting the road with her band, the Hereford-born multi-instrumentalist (Goulding plays guitar, piano and drums) has found time to co-write tracks for 2008 X Factor-finalist, and fellow rising star, Diana Vickers’s debut album, Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree. www.itunes.com/elliegoulding

Ellie Goulding A star in our eyes ‘It’s amazing to be

part of this year’s

iTunes Festival. As

a teenager, I spent

a lot of time seeing

bands live and the

kick I got from it

is why I am here

today, grateful

to be performing.’

July 08Thursday

The NationalAnthemic US rockers

Flaxen-haired Illinois songbird Lissie offers dreamy country-rock melodies that are enticingly spiked with heady vocals and plenty of attitude. This gig is a chance to relish fresh original material from her album Catching A Tiger, and possibly a few surprise covers – Lissie has already performed her own feisty live takes on pop tracks such as Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. www.itunes.com/lissie

+ Lissie

July 10 Saturday

Aussie chanteuse Sia first broke into the music scene in 2000 with contemporary soul belter single Taken For Granted. Since then, she has memorably guested with chill-out dons Zero 7 and established a solid solo reputation as an innovative modern diva. Her latest album We Are Born adds an upbeat, punk-funk element to her ballad-driven back catalogue. Sia’s stage shows are a blast, thanks to some quirky visuals and surreal between-song banter – but mostly due to her powerfully tender, romantic and wry vocals, which leave audiences breathless. www.itunes.com/sia

Sia Heart, soul and funny bones

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

July 11Sunday

Oxford-based Stornoway have a knack for penning catchy, heart-skipping melodies. Debut album Beachcomber’s Windowsill showcases their vibrant mix of indie, pop and folk and includes the delicately layered single I Saw You Blink. Cello, violin, and trumpet add an extra dimension to their live shows. www.itunes.com/stornoway

+ Stornoway

Formed in 1999, US indie rockers The National released their fifth album High Violet earlier this year. The Brooklyn-based five-piece specialise in crafting layered songs that build up into pulsing anthems. Singer Matt Berninger’s distinctive deep baritone and downbeat lyrics, exploring insecurities

and life’s disappointments, provide a mesmerising contrast to the uplifting guitars, drums and keyboards, provided by his willing accomplices. Favourably compared to early U2 and Joy Division, the group have built up a hardcore following in Britain — tickets for their recent Royal

Albert Hall show sold out in four minutes. Back home in the States, The National are not without friends in high places; the hypnotic Fake Empire, from their fourth album, Boxer, was used in a

Barack Obama presidential campaign video.www.itunes.com/thenational

FaithlessMulti-dimensional dance visionaries

The sound of Wild Beasts is both ethereal and enthrallingly powerful, a combination which particularly stands out on their second LP Two Dancers, the florid follow-up to 2008’s Limbo, Panto. Live highlights include the single release Hooting &

Howling – a beautiful, richly textured tune which shows off singer Hayden Thorpe’s flamboyant falsetto vocals to fine effect. Lose yourself in their musical fantasies – and let the wild rumpus begin!www.itunes.com/wildbeasts

+ Wild Beasts

Mystery Gig Exclusive performance from a BRIT Award winner and UK No.1 artist. To find out who it is, follow

us on Twitter.com/itunesfestival? July13Tuesday

The xxRated indie talents

Fifteen years since British dance collective Faithless first emerged, proving that a club outfit could perform live and

create broad-ranging full-length albums rather than one-off singles, the creative core trio of gravel-voiced Buddhist

MC Maxi Jazz, epic house DJ Sister Bliss and innovative producer Rollo still make waves. Further proof comes in the form of sixth studio album, The Dance, an upbeat collection that draws on their clubby roots with new tracks including Not Going Home and the cheeky Tweak Your Nipple. Faithless are always capable of uniting all kinds of music fans, and making spirits soar – they’re definitely a live experience to believe in. www.itunes.com/faithless

July 14Wednesday

\1312/

If you’re after atmospheric indie rhythms and electrifying live frisson, don’t miss out on south-west London trio The xx. The moody vocal harmonies of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft on tracks such as Crystalised and Heart Skipped A Beat (taken from acclaimed 2009 album XX) generate a seductively edgy magic, fuelled by creative guitar and electro production techniques. The band’s live set lists have played a major part in their ascent to fame and they’re known to throw in an unexpected cover version or two. www.itunes.com/thexx

Sparky electro pop trio Chew Lips combine the sweet vocals of glamorous frontwoman Tigs with coolly inventive synth/guitar embellishments from multi-instrumental whizzkids James Watkins and Will Sanderson. Their debut album, Unicorn, boasts the infectious lead single Karen. www.itunes.com/chewlips

+ Chew Lips

July 12Monday

Matinee

‘Laura’s got an amazing skill with words and imagery,’ says Lovett. ‘I’ve probably seen her play more than a hundred times and I’ve never seen a gig where she’s not completely engaging. She’s someone whose work will endure for years and years.’

The iTunes Festival sees both acts returning from (separate)

US tours. A few months earlier, both were part of a joint tour of India, a trip organised by the British Council.

‘It was an amazing experience,’ says Mumford. ‘There’s a generic perception of Indian music you get from

Words John Lewis

Long-term friends Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling tell us how their recent travels have given birth to some surprising new projects I n recent years, a curious

scene seems to have developed in the Thames-side suburbs of west and

south-west London. Dozens of well brought-up young men and women based in this corner of the capital – Mystery Jets, Jeremy Warmsley, Noah And The Whale, Jesse Quin And The Mets, Jamie T, Peggy Sue and Jay Jay Pistolet – have developed a curious brand of acoustic music that seems to reject the past 40 years of pop. Singing in their own accents and brandishing ukuleles, banjos, double basses and even washboards, they hark back to much earlier genres – skiffle, blues, bluegrass, country, folk, rockabilly – even though most of these musicians are barely out of their twenties.

As they share bills and guest in each others’ bands, they display a folksiness and a community spirit that has earned comparisons with California’s Laurel Canyon scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Mumford & Sons appear to be the Crosby, Stills & Nash-style supergroup

of the scene. All four members started out as sidemen with other west London luminaries: frontman Marcus Mumford played drums for Laura Marling (pictured below); bassist Marshall ‘Country’ Winston worked with members of Noah And The Whale; while multi-instrumentalists Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane served as itinerant accompanists for fellow scenesters such as Alessi’s Ark and Alan Pownall.

They look and sound like an old-fashioned rabble of minstrels, circa 1930, singing a rugged, country-flavoured

stew on mandolins, banjos, accordions and hand drums. But Mumford, Lovett and Winston actually started out in a jazz band at King’s

College School in Wimbledon.

‘We covered Miles Davis and John

Coltrane tunes,

played old jazz standards, all the usual stuff,’ says Lovett. ‘Then Marcus disappeared to university for a bit and me and Winston found ourselves playing in all sorts of indie bands.’

They reconvened in 2007, when Mumford dropped out of an English degree at Edinburgh University and returned to London. ‘One day we decided that, instead of just backing other people, we should give it a go ourselves,’ Mumford says. ‘We booked a rehearsal studio for six hours and it all clicked immediately. We ended up writing four or five songs really quickly, playing whatever random instruments we had to hand. Most of my lyrics were ripped off Shakespeare.’ One of these songs was Little Lion Man, which has since gone top five around the world, from Belgium to Australia.

Mumford’s former employer, Laura Marling, shows every sign of being the Joni Mitchell of the scene. Marling has only just turned 20 but her astonishingly mature songcraft

– which explores rather darker territory than her contemporaries – has attracted almost universal praise from critics.

Marling and Mumford are currently an item, although neither seem comfortable discussing it. But even beyond the romantic relationship, Marling and Mumford & Sons are closely linked. The band have often supported Marling, including an entire North American tour, and Marling has frequently guested with them, singing Dolly Parton songs.

Most of my lyricswere ripped

off Shakespeare

\1514/

Bollywood caricatures,’ says Lovett, ‘but we got into a lot of Indian folk music, getting into the modal scales and drones and rhythms.

‘That’s why we’re both so excited about the iTunes festival – it’s the first chance we’ll have to exhibit the work we did in India. We worked with folk musicians from Rajasthan, while Laura worked with a band called Papon Angaraag. Both will join us at the Roundhouse. I think the two projects will surprise a few people!’Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling play the Roundhouse on July 9.

Folksters serve up a motley brew

The

lin

e-u

pTo

app

ly fo

r tic

kets

, vis

it w

ww

.itun

esfe

stiv

al.c

o.uk

01Scissor SistersThe Drums

02Tony Bennett03Ozzy Osbourne

The Sword

04FoalsTwo Door Cinema Club

05N-DubzExample

06Kate NashDarwin Deez

07Paloma FaithAlan Pownall

08Ellie Goulding 09Mumford & Sons

Laura Marling

10The NationalStornoway

11SiaLissie

12The XX / Wild Beasts13Mystery special guest14Faithless

Chew Lips

15Rolando Villazón

16Amy MacdonaldTiff any Page

17Underworld Kele

18Bombay Bicycle Club / Stephen Fry19The Futureheads / Frank Turner20Pixie Lott

Rachel Furner

21The CourteenersChapel Club / The Cheek

22GoldfrappPlus special guest Marina & the Diamonds

23Defected In The House Live24To be announced 25Foreigner

Europe

26Plan BTinie Tempah

27ChipmunkDaisy Dares You

28Scouting For GirlsDiana Vickers

29To be announced 30Phoenix31Biffy Clyro

1–31 July

Keep up-to-date with the latest festival news and free ticket competitions.

www.iTunes.com/FestivalApp

Download the official iTunes Festival app.

\19

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Born in Mexico and raised in France, tenor Rolando Villazón’s unmistakeable voice has sealed his reputation. He has also opened up the world of classical and opera music to new listeners and generations, from his highly acclaimed lead performances to his prime-time appearance as a mentor on the ITV series Popstar To Operastar. For this special live date, Villazón will perform Mexican songs including BéSame Mucho and El Reloj in new arrangements, with accompaniment from the Bolivar Soloists. www.itunes.com/rolandovillazon

Rolando Villazón World class tenor

Amy MacdonaldCeltic tour de forceInspired by fellow Scots Travis, Amy Macdonald picked up a guitar and began writing songs at 15. Within a few years, her 2007 debut album, This Is The Life, had notched up more than 2.5million sales. The rootsy-toned Celt returned this year with follow-up A Curious Thing, recorded in Paul Weller’s private studio, with the Modfather himself guesting on a few tracks. Singles lifted from the album include the string-laden Don’t Tell Me That It’s Over and the pulsating Spark, both with sweeping choruses sure to bring down the house. www.itunes.com/amymacdonald

+ Tiffany PageWith an iconic Fender guitar in hand and a clutch of evocatively smoky, country rock-flavoured tunes to her name, 23-year-old singer/guitarist Tiffany Page makes a memorable first impression. For this date, she’ll perform from her recently released first album, Walk Away Slow, and combine dark American Gothic imagery with contemporary London cool. www.itunes.com/tiffanypage

July 16Friday

July 15Thursday

‘I’m excited to bring my music to this different, mixed forum. I hope every audience member will bring their own style to the concert and will not stifle their impulses to rock’n’roll and have a great time.’

As the frontman of 21st-century indie rock heroes Bloc Party, Kele has made his mark as a distinctly fiery, articulate performer. Even so, there’s an excitingly unexpected edge to his work as a solo star, as tonight’s set should demonstrate. New tracks like the single Tenderoni bristle with Kele’s intense

charisma and sharp lyricism but they also offset his deliciously moody vocals with seductively danceable electro rhythms. Listen out for material from his debut solo album The Boxer – this should be a knockout gig. www.itunes.com/keleokereke

+ Kele

UnderworldDeep electronic impulsesKarl Hyde and Rick Smith’s ground-breaking British outfit Underworld has been charting new territories in electronic music for three incredible decades, and they’re making a fresh return this summer with their first new material for nearly three years. This iTunes Festival spot will also mark their first London show for two years. Underworld’s music mixes the energy of the rave scene with intriguingly deep undercurrents (including plenty of unusual samples), and they’ve long forged a reputation for awe-inspiring live performance. Scribble, the first track from their sixth studio album, should be a particular highlight at this gig; it’s a euphoric collaboration with drum’n’bass production don High Contrast: all chunky breakbeats, epic riffs and characteristically surreal twists. Of course, there’s also a rich back catalogue of Underworld delights to explore, including 1990s music benchmarks such as Born Slippy and Rez. This is electronic music to move the body and the spirits, on an epic scale.www.itunes.com/underworld

July 17 Saturday

20/

+ spoken word with

Stephen FryFollowing a brilliant night of spoken word at last year’s iTunes Festival, British comic institution Stephen Fry returns to

talk up the Roundhouse crowd. Last year saw Fry deliver his sharply witty and warmly irreverent takes on subjects

from the music scene and bootlegging to TV and scientific theories.

Whatever topics he chooses for 2010, this is probably the closest

you’ll get to an intimate chat with a rock’n’roll twist.

www.itunes.com/stephenfry

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

The FutureheadsSunderland quartet The Futureheads formed in 2000, inspired by the stylish wave of alternative rock bands that followed in the wake of punk, such as Wire, Devo and Gang Of Four. The group’s self-titled 2004 debut album featured the edgy debut single First Day and a spirited cover of Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love, which gave the band a surprise top ten hit. Their fourth and latest LP The Chaos finds the foursome perfecting their trademark spiky bursts of alternative rock. Standout tracks such as Sun Goes Down and the single Heartbeat Song are destined to became euphoric singalongs at their live shows. www.itunes.com/thefutureheads

Hardcore singer-songwriter Frank Turner cut his teeth in punks-with-a-social-conscience Million Dead. The fiery energy of Turner’s music is still there but it’s now channelled into a folkier format, generating three studio albums since 2007. Catch the prolific rabble-rouser whip up a storm with

tracks from his most-recent collection Poetry Of The Deed, which brings his full band instrumentation to the fore and includes

the spiritual verse of TS Eliot among

its influences. www.itunes.com/

frankturner

Crouch End indie rockers Bombay Bicycle Club have an appealingly off- the-cuff energy that only seems to have ramped up since they made their British festival debut as teenagers. They won widespread praise for their 2009 debut album, I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. The group, featuring Jack Steadman and Jamie (grandson of folk legend Ewan) MacColl on lead vocals, are also prolific

songwriters and tonight should offer a taste of new acoustic material. www.itunes.com/bombaybicycleclub

July 18Sunday

Bombay Bicycle Club Acoustic delights to go

Frank Turner

July 19Monday

\21

July 22Thursday

GoldfrappElectropop treasuresA new Goldfrapp album is always an event. It’s a chance to discover which direction the genre-shifting British duo have taken and what they’ve borrowed from the past to create something startling and original. Vocalist and keyboardist Alison Goldfrapp and classically trained, behind-the-scenes man Will Gregory started out creating the complex soundscapes of their ambient debut album, 2000’s Felt Mountain. For follow-up LPs Black Cherry and Supernature, Goldfrapp boldly changed tack, embracing electroclash, disco and glam rock. The albums spawned a stream of electropop hits, such as dance-floor favourite Strict Machine and the glam-stomp of Ooh La La. Fourth album, 2008’s Seventh Tree, marked a return to ambient music but with a warm, folky flavour. This year’s Head First sees yet another shift. Firmly embedded in 1980s stadium synth-rock, the collection is packed with infectious anthems such as Rocket and new single Alive – both of which are destined to prove rousing live highlights.www.itunes.com/goldfrapp

Pixie LottBig-hitting popette Bromley-born, Brentwood-based Pixie Lott burst on to the pop scene in 2009 with her debut single, Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh). The gutsy song soon topped the UK chart – as did catchy follow-up Boys And Girls. Debut album Turn It Up breezed into the top ten with its varied mix of fun pop, R&B and soul, and secured the 19-year-old chart princess status. Lott has been shaping up for her iTunes Festival debut by supporting superstar Rihanna on her British tour. www.itunes.com/pixielott

Seventeen-year-old vocalist/keyboardist Rachel Furner combines classic pop stylings with appealingly sweet vocals on her original tracks including Sticks & Stones and Desperate For You. Rachel’s debut appearance at the iTunes Festival offers a chance to catch this young starlet on the rise.www.itunes.com/rachelfurner

+ Rachel Furner

The CourteenersBritrock heirs apparentIndie-rockers The Courteeners are the natural heirs to fellow Mancunians Oasis’s rock’n’roll crown, in no small part helped by singer Liam Fray’s resemblance to his Gallagher namesake. This quartet’s punchy guitar songs with no-nonsense lyrics fired up their debut album, 2008’s St Jude, and won them loyal fans including Morrissey. This year’s follow-up album, Falcon, sees the band branching out musically on tracks such as Cross My Heart & Hope To Fly and You Overdid It Doll. The band’s shows often become uproarious singalongs so be prepared to stretch your vocal cords. www.itunes.com/thecourteeners

+ The Cheek

\23

July 20Tuesday

July 21Wednesday

+ Chapel Club

+ special guest Marina & The DiamondsWelsh-born solo starlet Marina Diamandis (The Diamonds, a play

on her Greek surname, refers to her fans, not her backing band) crafts splendidly offbeat pop songs that mix eccentric lyrics with inventive melodies, soaring vocals and a delirious swirl of synths, folky flourishes, club culture and knees-up music hall. She belongs to an arty generation that has spawned Florence And The Machine, Bat For Lashes and

Micachu but also recalls such wild-spirited, mighty-lunged pioneers as Lene Lovich, Kate Bush and Siouxsie Sioux; she’s both trendy and bold enough to strike a lasting impression at her second iTunes Festival outing. Marina’s thrillingly theatrical show, featuring tracks from her hit debut album The Family Jewels is sure to leave the audience dazzled. www.itunes.com/marinaand thediamonds

This dapper east London quintet specialise in blustering indie-rock melodies with a touch of vintage styling – listen out for richly evocative tunes such as the single O Maybe I and the recent Five Trees. www.itunes.com/chapelclub

These snappy, major label-signed newcomers are sparking excitement with their jaunty and assured guitar tunes, including recent single Just One Night, which evokes influences from 1960s rock to 1990s Britpop. www.itunes.com/thecheek

22/

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Words Paul Du Noyer

The capital’s rich history has been soundtracked by a constant live music scene

shows by Pink Floyd, Blind Faith and, most famously, The Rolling Stones. Meanwhile, indoors, the music halls had given way to ornate variety theatres, some of which (including Shepherd’s Bush Empire and Clapham Grand) thankfully survive. Wembley Arena and its Stadium neighbour hosted the biggest shows of the last century, notably 1985’s Live Aid, as does their modern counterpart The O2 Arena.

It takes the intimacy of a club, however, to nurture a true musical scene. Punks and new romantics had the 100 Club and Blitz. Back in the Swinging Sixties, mods and soul boys loved the Marquee and Flamingo, both in Soho, and folkies had Les Cousins in Greek Street. The flower children, though, preferred the Middle Earth in Covent Garden’s piazza or the UFO in Tottenham Court Road, where they swayed dreamily to Marc Bolan’s voice and grooved to the DJ John Peel. For the biggest hippie happenings there was a huge converted railway shed, the

Roundhouse in Camden Town (now the base for the iTunes Festival) – a unique venue that has successfully reinvented itself for a modern generation of music fans.

From Britpop to hip hop, from acoustic open-mic nights to grime, dubstep and beyond, the London circuit has offered a home to every taste. Probably no nationality on Earth goes unrepresented in the musical life of this world city: calypso, Celtic, reggae and bhangra have each fed into the mainstream. Uncharted territories like Shoreditch rise suddenly from obscurity. London’s musical ambassadors today range from Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse to Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder. You heard them here first, and here is where you’ll discover their successors. Because, when London’s calling, music always answers.

In The City: A Celebration Of London Music by Paul Du Noyer is published by Virgin Books.

London’s always callingI ts streets were never paved with gold,

unfortunately. And as The Jam’s angry young Paul Weller once sang in Strange Town, it’s no joke trying to find a

friend in Oxford Street. But generations of newcomers have discovered an eternal truth about London. This city rocks. It always has. When it comes to live entertainment, the capital city is the only place to be.

It’s not just size that makes London special. It’s the noise. Even in medieval times the decibel levels would terrify a country bumpkin. Singing street traders howled over the din of church bells, livestock and wagon wheels on cobblestones. Leather-lunged balladeers versified the latest scandals, murders and executions. Visitors were so traumatised by the cacophony that they could not compete against the silver tongues – and light fingers – of a mighty metropolis aware of its own importance.

London songs still have a sly wit and storytelling edge that mark them apart. The first to exploit that vitality were tavern landlords. They built extensions for the minstrels who entertained the drinkers, and those rooms grew into the music halls – great, working-class palaces of fun that bred legendary figures like Marie Lloyd and Harry Champion. These Cockney superstars of a hundred years ago were as fast and brash as their street-smart East End audiences. And the link between music and drink in London has never been broken. We all know a favourite live local. In the 1970s there was even a movement called pub-rock: in venues like the Half Moon in Putney and the Hope & Anchor in Islington, it created stars including Ian Dury, Madness and Elvis

Costello. Just like the Victorian music hall artists, they learned the art of facing down a raucous roomful of boozers.

When Londoners weren’t drinking to music, it seems, they were dancing to it (or even attempting both). This tradition too remains intact. Before World War II the sleek hotels of Mayfair boasted sensational ballrooms with resident orchestras, as did the grand restaurants. Here and in glamorous dancehalls like the Hammersmith Palais, London couples might glide to the smooth sounds of bandleaders such as Mantovani, or get frantic to the newly imported sounds of jazz. It was the musicians of these formal

orchestras who broke loose after hours to mess with harder,

modern styles; players such as Johnny Dankworth and

Ronnie Scott opened jazz clubs that revolutionised

Soho’s post-war nightlife. Cavernous cathedrals of the rave era, such as Shoom and Ministry Of Sound, dramatically redefined dance culture for a new era.

Not even the British weather could dampen London’s appetite for music. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was the sprawling ‘pleasure gardens’ of Vauxhall and Chelsea, where opera singers and string quartets beguiled fashionable strollers by moonlight. By 1969 the focus had switched to Hyde Park, as thousands of hairies gathered for landmark

24/ \25

still have a sly witand storytelling edge

that mark them apart

London songs

\27

July 23Friday

Defected In The House LiveClassic club cultureSince its inception in 1999, the Defected record label has been a thrilling mainstay of the British dance music scene and beyond, with a reputation for globally renowned signings and massive crossover anthems. For this special event, DJs will be Simon Dunmore, Copyright and The Shapeshifters. But Defected also takes

its club classics into a live context, performed by an all-star multi-instrumental band (with frisky rhythms provided by M People’s irrepressible percussionist, Shovell) and a range of legendary vocalists including the fabulous US soul/gospel diva Candi Staton (pictured), who makes a special appearance for what should be an unforgettable rendition of You Got The Love. The set list promises an array of arms-in-the-air highlights such as Kings Of Tomorrow & Julie McKnight’s wonderfully emotive 2001 smash Finally, and Bob Sinclar and Steve Edwards’s rousing 2006 Top 10 hit World, Hold On (Children Of The Sky). It all makes for a feel-good, fast-moving and convivial

blast of contemporary club culture. All together now:

‘Tuuuuune!’www.itunes.com/defected

To be announcedwww.itunesfestival.co.uk

July 24Saturday

ForeignerTransatlantic power rock

July 25 Sunday

Swedish pop metallers Europe remain most famous for their iconic 1986 chart-topping single The Final Countdown (an inter-continental smash hit, surely featuring one of the most recognisable intros in music history) but with more than three decades of experience collectively, they’ve got plenty of other bombastic tunes under their belts, including a well-received 2009 album Last Look At Eden. Everything here – the tunes, the hair, Joey Tempest’s crystal-clear and passionate vocals – is rip-roaring and joyously larger than life. www.itunes.com/europe

+ EuropeBritish-US rock behemoths Foreigner defined their power ballad sound in the 1980s, most famously with the hits I Want To Know What Love Is, Waiting For A Girl Like You and the heavily sampled Cold As Ice. The 21st century has seen them return to the live fray (including a spot at Led Zeppelin’s reunion concert) and head back into the studio to record their first album for 15 years, Can’t Slow Down, which features the production talents of Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith) and Mark Ronson. There’s still a romantic streak on these latest songs, such as When It Comes To Love and Fool For You Anyway, bolstered by founding frontman Mick Jones’s famously fiery vocals (now joined by co-singer Kelly Hansen) and big, bold guitar riffs. It’s music made for singing along and punching the air to.www.itunes.com/foreigner

‘The Defected event is really going to stand out as it’s one of the few nights dedicated to dance music and I’ve always loved my dance songs the most.’ Candi Staton

South London rapper Tinie Tempah, aka Patrick Okogwu, stormed the charts in March with the No.1 electro-grime anthem Pass Out, and this self-assured rhymester showman has been poised to repeat the success with rocky follow-up Frisky. Banging debut album The Disc-Overy, with partner-in-grime Labrinth, is due out in the autumn. www.itunes.com/tinietempah

+ Tinie Tempah

Ben Drew, better known as Plan B, has staked his claim to fame as a rapper, singer, musician, actor and film director. The 26-year-old’s first brush with success was his debut album, 2006’s Who Needs Actions When You Got Words, which introduced the world to his startling mix of expletive-ridden rap and acoustic guitar. This year’s chart-topping follow-up, The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, has seen a shift into retro-soul, as highlighted by his bittersweet hit single She Said. He also collaborated with Chase & Status on a Top 10 hit used in crime-flick Harry Brown starring Michael Caine – and Ben Drew. Is there no end to this man’s talents? www.itunes.com/planb

Plan BA man of many talents

Scouting For GirlsBe prepared for pop

Essex teen Daisy Coburn (aka Daisy Dares You) uploaded her power-pop songs on to MySpace and caused a bidding war between record companies. Infectious synth-anthem Number One Enemy (featuring Chipmunk) zapped the charts in March and this show should also offer a taster of her forthcoming debut album Rush. www.itunes.com/daisydaresyou

+ Daisy Dares You

July 27Tuesday

ChipmunkThe word on the street

\2928/

Nineteen-year-old MC Jahmaal Fyffe, aka Chipmunk, has been riding the crest of a wave for the past two years. With two Mobo awards to his name, the No.2 2009 album I Am Chipmunk and a string of hit singles, this north London talent has stayed firmly in the public eye. Adding hip hop, R&B and pop to his grime scene roots, the urban star shows his swagger to full effect on tracks such as Saviour and Man Dem; other tracks zing with melodic hooks from soulful guest vocalists such as Dayo Olatunji on chart-topper Oopsy Daisy and Esmée Denters on Until You Were Gone. Prepare to be bowled over by his quickfire delivery at this live date. www.itunes.com/chipmunk

Eighteen-year-old folky-voiced X-Factor finalist turned stage star Diana Vickers topped the charts with both the Cathy Dennis-penned single Once and her debut album, Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree. Abuzz with infectious indie-pop delights, the collection includes bittersweet hit The Boy Who Murdered Love.www.itunes.com/dianavickers

+ Diana Vickers

July 28Wednesday

West London trio Scouting For Girls formed in 2005 and soon hit the jackpot with their punchy Britpop-inspired songs. Their debut album topped the charts and showcased singer/guitarist

Roy Stride’s unerring knack for writing catchy songs with cheeky yet lovelorn lyrics including She’s So Lovely, Heartbeat and Elvis Ain’t Dead. Their ambitious follow-up album Everybody Wants To Be On TV, which was crammed with potential hit singles such as Famous, Blue As Your Eyes and On The Radio, gave the band their first No.1 single with the bittersweet This Ain’t A Love Song. They might sing about doomed affairs but they’re capable of making live crowds fall head over heels. www.itunes.com/scoutingforgirls

iTunes (UK) is on Facebook

www.facebook.com/iTunesUK

Find out the latest festival news and how to watch all the goings on direct from the Roundhouse.all the goings on direct from the Roundhouse.

July 26Monday

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Biffy ClyroRousing Scotch rockers

+ Support to be announced.www.itunesfestival.co.uk

‘The Roundhouse is one of our favourite places to play – and watch bands – in London, so we’re really looking forward to the iTunes Festival. It’s great that those who can’t get to the gig can go to iTunes and download the experience so soon after we’re done. It works on every level…’

July 29Thursday

July 31Saturday

PhoenixRockin’ French kicks

30/ \31

To be announcedwww.itunesfestival.co.uk

July 30Friday

French four-piece Phoenix create the crème de la crème of energetic, synth-laden alternative rock. After a stint as the backing band for Paris groovers Air, the group released their own debut album, United, in 2000. While their melodies exude a debonair Gallic air, Phoenix songs tend to be delivered in English by frontman Thomas Mars. The track Too Young originally brought them to a global audience after it featured on the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s Lost In Translation.

A rockier diversion followed on their next albums, Alphabetical and It’s Never Been Like That, but last year saw a return to their signature synth-rock sound on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, which scooped the 2010 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. Packed with snazzy toe-tappers such as Lisztomania and 1901, this catchy collection has won Phoenix further adulation in the UK – catch them rising at this summer date.www.itunes.com/phoenix

Ayrshire hard rock trio Biffy Clyro got together as school friends in the mid-1990s and spent the next few years building up a mighty following through their live gigs. Since then, they’ve also proved their knack for creating solid albums of metal melodies, combining vocalist Simon Neil’s Scottish drawl and vivid lyrical imagery, drummer Ben Johnston’s pounding rhythms and his twin brother James’s powerful bass guitar riffs. In 2007, Biffy’s fourth album, Puzzle, triggered the band’s ascent from much-loved local heroes to mainstream superstars, and last year’s follow-up, Only Revolutions, further

upped the ante, with singles Mountains and That Golden Rule both cracking the Top 10 in Britain. This is an outfit that delivers grand-scale, beautifully arranged hard rock anthems with seemingly effortless ease. Biffy’s gigs are always euphorically sweaty, visceral experiences – this is as much of a rip-roaring storm as three tattooed young braves can muster. It also makes for a perfectly punchy close to the iTunes Festival. ’Mon the Biff! www.itunes.com/biffyclyro

The iTunes Festival 2010 TV show presenter answers our random questions about karaoke, gig fashion and being rock’n’roll…

Fearne CottonLive talkin’with

Have you ever stage-dived?I have – it was actually at a Hanson gig. I used to love them when I was a kid and I interviewed them when they returned a few years ago; they announced that I was going to stage-dive and for some reason I did. I ended up on stage, dancing to MMMBop, which is incredibly embarrassing but also brilliant in a teenage wish-fulfilment way.

What’s your karaoke speciality? I’m the worst singer ever but a friend and I once miraculously won a bottle of booze for singing Abba’s Dancing Queen in a Majorcan bar. We’re not going to be entering The X Factor anytime soon, though.

What’s the best outfit to wear for a gig? You’ve got to be comfortable so you can concentrate on the music, so Converse or flat shoes for jumping around in. Although I’m loving the bumbag for summer 2010.

What’s the last song you played on your iPod? Probably a new song by a new American vocalist, Lissie. I love her Fleetwood Mac-

style vocals, and it’s awesome that she’s going to be part of the festival line-up [Lissie supports Sia on July 11].

What’s the best thing about London’s live music scene? It’s just so diverse and I definitely don’t take

it for granted that we’re in one of the world’s gigging capitals. It’s amazing being able to see new bands before they hit the big time – I remember seeing The Killers play to 150 people and now they’re rock gods.

What’s the best and worst thing about your iTunes Live co-presenter Dave Berry? I love Dave – he’s one of the most fun people to hang out with at gigs and he always looks extremely dapper. The worst thing is that he’s probably a bad influence on me – I end up staying out way too late.

What’s the most rock’n’roll thing you’ve done in 2010? I did have quite a rock’n’roll time at Radio 1’s Big Weekend. I shared a bottle of brandy with my friend Jamie from Lostprophets and I started throwing cubes of tofu and accidentally hit Ellie Goulding in the face. She was very sweet about it.

ITV2 will broadcast live from the iTunes Festival 2010, with highlights on ITV1, presented by Fearne Cotton, Dave Berry and

Matt Edmondson.

32/

How to win your free tickets.All tickets for the iTunes Festival are free to competition winners. Become a fan of the iTunes (UK) profi le on Facebook to apply for tickets to any of the 31 nights. We’re giving away hundreds of tickets to every show.

www.facebook.com/iTunesUK

Download the offi cial iTunes Festival app for your chance to win tickets. Enter as many nights as you like using multiple entry mode and lucky winners will have their tickets delivered directly to their device, allowing a seamless entry to the venue.

www.itunes.com/FestivalApp

Finally, you can also win tickets with Metro. We’ll be giving away 200 tickets for every gig. Just keep your eye out for our daily giveaways via the paper or online at:

www.metro.co.uk/iTunesFestival

Tickets for the iTunes Festival are not available for purchase. Charging money for tickets is not authorised by Apple Inc., and purchased tickets will not guarantee entry.

How to watch and listen.Watch Listen

Fearne Cotton, Dave Berry and Matt Edmondson will be keeping you up to date with the best of the iTunes Festival.

Tune into ITV2 every Thursday & Friday from July 8 at 10pm.

Watch highlights on ITV1 on July 29, August 5, August 12.

Catch up on the show and watch exclusive behind the scenes footage online at www.itv.com/itv2

XFM have been keeping you up to date with the Festival announcements and will be with us throughout July broadcasting highlights from the Roundhouse.

For your chance to win tons of tickets plus read the latest Festival news and reviews visit www.xfm.co.uk

You also have the chance to win tons of tickets by listening to XFM throughout July.

Your guide to Britain’s coolest music festival

In association with

www.itunesfestival.co.uk