The North’s number one festival, Planetlove, has teamed up with the South’s biggest clubbing brand, Sessions Tour, to run festivals north and south of the border simultaneously on September 8.
The ninth annual Planetlove WKD Festival will run at Shane’s Castle in Co. Antrim, at the same time as the inaugural Planetlove Summer Session takes place at Fairyhouse Racecourse, Ratoath, Co. Meath. Some of the world’s most renowned DJs head a simply breathtaking 12-hour dance marathon at a venue that is less than 30 minutes from Dublin.
A combination of more than 70 of the best international and Irish dance music acts and DJs will perform for 12 hours at each event: across seven stages at Planetlove WKD North, and on 6 stages at the Planetlove Summer Session South. Many of these artists will play both festivals, and will be transported between Antrim and Ratoath by a fleet of helicopters.
“It’s a big expansion for Planetlove and a big undertaking for us,” says Planetlove promoter Eddie Wray. “The line-ups for both events are exceptional, as we continue to work with the most popular dance music artists in the world. And more than ever before, there will be a big emphasis on the shows themselves, with many very unique visual and special effects.”
BBC Radio One will be beaming the festival out live across the UK and internet from Planetlove in Antrim, while 2FM will be broadcasting live across Ireland from Planetlove Summer Session. Both stations will be recording additional sets for future broadcasts.
Standard tickets for the Northern festival, which is headlined by Paul van Dyk, cost Stg£44.95 (including fees) and go on general sale from Sunday June 24. A limited number of early bird tickets are now on sale from www.planetlovemusic.com, where you can also find full details of the Northern line-up. VIP tickets cost Stg£69.95. Tickets for Planetlove Summer Session – a milestone day in Irish clubbing history – are already on sale at Ticketmaster outlets nationwide at just !69.95 for standard tickets and !99.95 for VIP.
The festival, which is subject to licence, will feature fully licensed bars, a fully loaded funfair, stalls, foodbars and many other festival attractions. Planetlove Summer Session is strictly over-18s, and photo ID will be essential. Here is the full Planetlove Summer Session line-up so far, with more acts still to be confirmed (you can get regular updates at sessionstour.com):
The Love Arena (in association with 2FM) hosts the big guns: Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Eddie Halliwell, Judge Jules, Marco V, John O’Callaghan, Mr Spring, Agnelli & Nelson, Rank 1 and Jordan X. Most of these sets will be going out live on 2FM or recorded for future broadcast.
The second biggest arena, hosted by top UK club Good Greef, is for lovers of all things hard and fast. Lisa Lashes, Tidy Boys, Mark EG, Alex Kidd, Andy Whitby, Dark By Design, Teknical, DJ Pressure, Barry Connell and Karl Davis B2B John Kerrigan do the honours.
The Irish-run Collective Music Arena is hosted in association with dancemusicireland.com, and features an intriguing mix of techno, progressive and house. British Murder Boys play live, while DJs include The Surgeon, Mistress Barbara, Mauro Picotto, Sunil Sharpe, Lexicon Ave, 16 Bit Lolitas, Steve Porter, Collective-Music DJs, Timmy and Tommy, Omnis Recordings DJs and Melodica DJs.
The Pukka Up Arena is dominated by house, with Audio Bullys [pictured], Seb Fontaine, Fedde La Grand, Belle and Sebastian (DJ set), Seamus Haji, Bodyrox, Kate Lawler and Cork legends Fish Go Deep uniting for a tent which Beats & Pieces believes will be the surprise festival hit.
The Made in Ireland VIP Arena boasts ten of Ireland’s most widely regarded DJs: Raymond Franklin, Darren Rice, Conor Fitzpatrick, Bryan Kearney, Paul Webster, John Gibbons, Wayne Spelman, Jonno Brien, Tony Watters and Desy Balmer.
Elsewhere, the Rendezvous Old Skool Arena aims to recreate the vibes of legendary Irish clubs such as the Olympic, Sides, the Asylum and Temple Theatre. ‘90s rave acts N-Joi and K-Klass top the bill, with support from DJ Pressure, Orbit, Ken O’Flanagan, Darren Flynn, Warren K and Liam Dollard. (Your Beats & Pieces scribe will be in amongst the mix in a couple of the above line-ups.)
Meanwhile, the second annual Beach Party festival in Co. Derry has announced the final line-up for its June 30 all-day party at East Strand, Portrush.
Basement Jaxx are headlining, with Happy Mondays and Pete Tong topping the list of guest artists. Also appearing are Datarock, Scratch Perverts, Alloy Mental, Col Hamilton, Marty Pelan and Chris Frieze. Tickets are priced at Stg£34.00 (including booking fee) from all Ticketmaster outlets.
Over the same weekend in Dublin, the Tivoli Theatre begins a major re-launch as a dance club, having played a key part in the development of the Irish club scene on and off throughout the past 15 years.
On June 29, techno and house club Subject features DJ Rolando of Underground Resistance fame along with David Duriez from Brique Rouge in Paris and Eamonn Doyle, the founder of Irish techno imprint D1 Recordings. Tickets are !18.00.
While on June 30, a new Irish monthly clubbing magazine, Slick DJ, hosts its official launch party with a plethora of Irish trance talent, John O’Callaghan, Agnelli & Nelson and Paul Webster, playing alongside 2FM’s Mr Spring. Admission is €20.
And finally, congratulations to fast rising trance club Letrik, which celebrates its first birthday at The Vaults on June 29. The superb line-up features three continental superstars – Fred Baker, Randy Katana and Sander van Doorn alongside the club’s resident DJs. Tickets are selling fast already… THE BEAT GOES ON!