BBC Radio 6 Music Festival Comes to Camden

BBC Radio 6 have announced their line up and revealed details for their diverse assortment of music with their annual Radio 6 Music Festival 2020; taking place in the equally diverse Camden, London, from Friday 6^th March to Sunday 8^th March. We can expect to see headline acts from: London Singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, The Streets front man, Mike Skinner, “adolescent century’s true art-pop queen,” Róisín Murphy, performance poet Kate Tempest, indie rockers Bombay Bicycle Club, indie revivalists, Sports Team, Mercury Nominees, The Big Moon, and the seismic afro beat outfit KOKOROKO. As well as these headliners, 6 Music will be seeing performances from Anna Meredith, Black Country, New Road, Black Midi, Brittany Howard, EOB (Ed O’Brien) – the Radiohead guitarist who will be performing his debut European show at the Festival, GAIKA, Ghostpoet, Greentea Peng, Hot 8 Brass Band, Jehnny Beth, Jordan Rakei, Kim Gordon, Kojey Radical, Melt Yourself Down, Nadine Shah, The Orielles, Robert Glasper, The Selecter, Squid, The Staves, Sudan Archives and Warmduscher. These acts alongside the bohemian surroundings of Camden town will surely get music and culture taste buds salivating.

Some of Camden’s most well known and loved venues, Roundhouse, FEST Camden, Electric Ballroom and Dingwalls, will be host to all of these, “talented artists” as described by Head of 6 Music, Paul Rodgers with the additions of Q&A sessions, and DJ sets. There really will be something for everyone, a celebration of exciting live music and spoken word. BBC Radio 6 presenter Lauren Laverne says, “It’s a fantastic line-up in a brilliant location. I can’t wait to see the artists behind some of my favourite records of the past year – Brittany Howard, Michael Kiwanuka and Kate Tempest – as well as some of the brightest hopes for 2020 like Squid and The Orielles.” Equally fantastic as these varied acts will be the celebration of International Women’s Day which falls on Sunday 8^th March. 6 Music Festival by Night will bring an all-female line-up to The Roundhouse, Main Space, with artists such as Kate Tempest, Kim Gordon, Anna Meredith, Jehnny Beth and Nadine Shah taking to the stage. DJ and 6 Music presenter Marry Anne Hobbs declared, the festival has a “Super-hot line-up in 2020…” something it has maintained and built upon since its inception in 2014.

On Wednesday 4^th March, BBC Introducing will be taking over The Roundhouse, Sackler Space, from 7pm. Here, music lovers can find new music talent, often ignored by many mainstream radio stations. Thursday 5^th March will see Steve Lamacq broadcasting live from Dingwalls followed by 6 Music Recommends Night with showcases from the station’s favourite new musical finds such as the irrepressible Portuguese soundings of Pongo, the genre defining Ghost Grunge four piece, Ghum and post punk renegades, Girl Band.

6 Music has always been a fountain of new alternative music and this festival brings the sources of those talents together for all to feast upon. BBC Radio 6 proudly proclaims that the station “celebrates the alternative spirit of music and culture, bringing together the cutting-edge music of today and the iconic and ground-breaking sounds of the past 50 years.” Every show on the station, no matter the genre, builds up and culminates the 6 Music Festival. Taking place in a different city each year, 2020 is promising to be the most special, exciting and varied one since its inception. One of the world’s most famous market towns, Camden guarantees to sparkle with a scintillating array of famous, and, not yet known artists from around the world. An area known for its crafts will weave a cornucopia of alternative music, taking festival goers on a musical mystery tour of the 6 Music Festival.