Sunday Best and Bestival founder Rob da Bank and Vauxhall Corsa present an exciting new event to kick start summer’s live music calendar. Corsa presents Bandstand steered by Sunday Best is an eccentric, eclectic indoor festival, with much dressing up and letting down of hair. Centred around the sound and imagination of Sunday Best, one of the UK’s leading independent record labels and party organisers, Bandstand is truly individual, totally different and a celebration of British musical exuberance and fun the weather can’t spoil.
Bandstand started life as a reaction to British bandstands falling into disrepair, along with the success of the Bandstand at Bestival, itself a breeding ground for new music and talent. Now, thanks to a unique collaboration with Vauxhall Corsa, Bandstand has become a stand alone event in its own right with two shows, city focused, to take place this coming May. Bandstand launches in London’s Old Billingsgate, an incredible Grade 2 listed building right next to the Thames on the 3rd May and then travels up to Liverpool’s renowned Carling Academy the following weekend. With creative and programming from Sunday Best, together with Vauxhall Corsa they have developed a series of unique, truly British music and entertainment events.
Rob da Bank comments: “We love putting on outdoor festivals so we thought why not do one inside? In fact, let’s do two! Bandstand is a very British, eccentric celebration of music, comedy and performance taking you to another world. We hope this is the start of a series of landmark musical events for the UK.”
Bandstand is a celebration of Britain’s musical creativity and the emphasis is on booking British talent. Rob da Bank has brought together an exciting line-up of some of the UK’s finest live acts and DJ’s, both established and new. Headlining both shows is Mark Ronson. Grammy and Brits winner, London born, Mark Ronson’s top billing at Bandstand is a unique opportunity to experience not only Ronson’s critically acclaimed live show but also his lauded DJing skills. This is not to be missed. Joining Ronson at the Bandstand in both London and Liverpool will be the main man, Mr Bandstand himself Rob da Bank, The Cuban Brothers, who have been a fun element of Sunday Best’s events for the last ten years, and Sunday Best’s resident DJ’s Sombrero Sound System.
In London, Radio 1’s Annie Mac is set to rock the floor and show Bandstand why she is one of the breakthrough DJ’s of the moment, the hotly-tipped youngsters Late Of The Pier perform live, while the inimitable Greg’s Greats will spin a DJ set of 78rpm records. There will be further additions to be made to this refreshingly eclectic line-up in the coming weeks.
A week later, the Bandstand party transforms the Carling Academy in Liverpool. The European Capital of Culture 2008 will party to the sounds of DJ Kissy Sell Out, and live sets from Liverpool’s very own hotly tipped newcomers The Troubadours and Sunday Best’s teenage rockabilly siblings Kitty, Daisy and Lewis. Bandstand is set to reverberate to one of the first festival soundtracks around. Details about how you too could be on bill are to be announced very soon.
Rob’s better half, Josie da Bank is the creative director of Bandstand and she brings the same extraordinary level of production ingenuity and attention to detail that has made Bestival so special. Josie has even designed a special limited edition Corsa model car so you can put your car in its Sunday Best. The venues are to be transformed in the most unbelievable of ways to help make Bandstand a totally unique experience. In the Bandstand main stage arena, live acts and DJs perform in a traditional Bandstand setting surrounded by park benches, eccentric look-a-likes and paths leading off to different areas. Bandstand is bringing the outdoor experience indoors, so expect the unexpected.
In the Alice In Wonderland inspired room, CS Lewis meets a traditional English garden party with an upscale Mad Hatter’s Tea Party; taste the unique cocktails by the creators of the Bollywood Bar experience at Bestival and immerse yourself in the wonder of White’s Bar, inspired by the C’Mons character from the Corsa commercials. It will have a fancy dress funbox too (of course!), with lots of acting out of Alice In Wonderland themes. There is also the Time Machine Disco. A small and intimate party space with a DJ booth created from a time machine. DJs will make unannounced appearances, transporting you with nostalgic tunes. This is a room to keep your eye on, you never know what you may miss, what you may hear and who might pop in!
Mark Ronson comments: “I’m honoured to be asked to do the first ever Bandstand shows. I am a huge fan of all things Rob da Bank and Sunday Best, and if this indoor festival is a fraction as good as Bestival, it should be amazing.”
3rd May 2008 - London - Old Billingsgate
Mark Ronson (live & DJ set), Rob da Bank, Annie Mac, Late Of The Pier (live), The Cuban Brothers (live), Greg’s Greats, Sombrero Sound System. Hosted by Barry Peters
10th May 2008 - Liverpool - Carling Academy
Mark Ronson (live & DJ set), Rob da Bank, Kissy Sell Out, Kitty Daisy & Lewis (live), The Cuban Brothers (live), The Troubadours (live), Sombrero Sound System. Hosted by Barry Peters
Ticket Details:
Tickets are £25 each plus booking fee and are available from www.bandstandevents.co.uk
Tickets go on sale on the 27th February. Tickets are to be released in phases. Register at www.bandstandevents.co.uk for the latest news and ticket release details.
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