Nottingham’s splendid Splendour festival in Wollaton Park is bouncing back bigger and better than ever since its last outing three years ago – with the news that it will be expanding to include a second day and adding yet more acts to the bill. (23rd-24th July 2022).T
The 2022 line-up for Nottinghamshire’s biggest music festival includes Richard Ashcroft, Anne-Marie, Supergrass, Craig David presents TS5, The Human League, Razorlight, The Vamps, Ocean Colour Scene, Happy Mondays, Belinda Carlisle and many more.
The usual one-day event was scrapped in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and this year’s bumper two-day affair has managed to retain the services of many artists from what would have been the 2020 line-up.
Richard Ashcroft first shot to acclaim with The Verve, and their classic third album “Urban Hymns” spawned hits such as “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, “The Drugs Don’t Work” and “Lucky Man”, and led to Richard Ashcroft winning The Ivor Novello Songwriter Of The Year Award. His solo career began with 2000’s “Alone with Everybody” and hit single “A Song For The Lovers.’” He headlines the Splendour Main Stage on Saturday.
Headlining on Sunday is Anne-Marie, who shot to fame when she guested on tracks by Rudimental and then went on to score a number one hit as the main vocalist on Clean Bandit’s worldwide number one single, “Rockabye”.
Anne-Marie was recently seen performing live at The Brits, along with Adele and Ed Sheeran. Anne-Marie is a coach on The Voice UK. Her first solo album, “Speak Your Mind” was the biggest debut album in the UK upon release.
Supergrass are the award-winning Britpop Oxford outfit who achieved an unbroken run of five Top 10 albums, including “I Should Coco”, “In It for the Money” and “Supergrass”. They scored the biggest-selling debut for the Parlophone records label since The Beatles.
Famed r&b star Craig David joins Richard Ashcroft and Supergrass with his ‘Presents TS5’ show for the main stage on Saturday, and is currently enjoying a well-deserved comeback in a career that has seen the star sell more than 15 million albums, score 16 Top 10 hits and achieve multi-platinum status in 20+ countries. His national arena tour is selling out fast.
The Human League last played the festival in 2016 – and this year they join the Sunday bill. A legendary band with an outstanding back catalogue stretching back more than 40 years, The Human League formed in Sheffield in the late 1970s and evolved into one of the seminal 80s electro pop bands.
The band has sold more than 20 million records and their classic pop masterpiece “Don’t You Want Me” was a number one hit around the world.
Making up the trio of main stage headliners on the second day is Razorlight, performing as their original line-up after a decade-long hiatus. If the rapturous reception given to their January 2020 arena tour slots as special guests with Kaiser Chiefs is anything to go by, Razorlight are very much re-born.
On the main stage on Saturday will be freshly crowned winner of the Brit Award for Best Dance Act, Becky Hill. The second most listened to British female artist on Spotify in the UK, Becky is the undisputed queen of dance music.
The Confetti Stage will welcome be The Vamps, one of the most successful pop bands to come out of the UK in recent years, having become the first band ever to headline the O2 Arena five years in a row. Their hit singles include “Can We Dance”, “Wild Heart” and “Last Night”, and their last album was “Cherry Blossom.”
Joining them will be American singer Belinda Carlisle, who gained worldwide fame as co-founder and lead vocalist of groundbreaking all-female new wave rock band The Go-Go’s.
Belinda went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist regularly selling out stadiums across the UK. Her pop hits include “Mad About You”, “I Get Weak”, “Circle in the Sand”, “Leave a Light On” and the global smash “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”, which turned Belinda into a superstar.
Also confirmed for the first day are Tori Sheard, Jerub, The Selecter and Sleeper. Spice Girl Melanie C, Ocean Colour Scene, Happy Mondays and Beka are on Sunday’s bill. Many more names to be announced.
Melanie C launched her solo career with the huge hit “When You’re Gone” with Bryan Adams and has since gone on to achieve more than three million album sales, two number one singles and six Top 10 singles.
Ocean Colour Scene performed at the first-ever Splendour back in 2008. The English rock band has had five top 10 albums including a number one, “Marchin’ Already”, in 1997. They have also achieved 17 Top 40 singles and six Top 10 singles, including “The Day We Caught the Train” and “Hundred Mile High City”.
Dancing On Ice star Bez will probably manage to stay on two feet when he shows up with The Happy Mondays, the legendary Manchester band whose hits include “Step On” and “Hallelujah”. (Wonder if he’ll wear his melon helmet!)
Photo credits:
Richard Ashcroft: Dean Chalkney
Becky Hill: Jason Sheldon
Happy Mondays: Paul Husband
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