In its brief history, Astral Coast has quickly established itself as one of the premiere new music festivals on Merseyside. Bringing together the region’s most exciting emerging artists with established Merseyside headliners, Astral Coast offers a unique day of live music in the Wirral’s foremost live music venue, New Brighton’s Floral Pavilion. This year should prove to be no exception as the Floral Pavilion welcomes all on the 19th July.
In the previous two years their headline acts have included Domino records and Deltasonic recording artists. As well as M.O.B.O. award winners and N.M.E. favourites. They have also showcased some of Merseyside’s most exciting up and coming acts some of whom have gone on to be critically lauded by both local and national press.
New Brighton itself has a rich history of bringing the best live music each generation has to offer. From The Rolling Stones’ iconic performance at New Brighton Tower in 1964 to The Coral’s more recent ‘Mid Summer Nights Scream’, which also included performances from the likes of The Libertines and The Zutons, New Brighton has long punched above its weight when it comes to championing new music and providing a fantastic party.
Joining this year’s line-up is one of the most exciting live bands in Britain at the minute, Carlisle’s own The Lucid Dream. Championed by the likes of Steve Lamaq, Marc Riley and Tom Robinson at B.B.C. 6 music and with a sold out 7” single on Too Pure records, The Lucid Dream are very much at the forefront contemporary British Psychadelia. Their appearance at this year’s Astral Coast will be one in a number of high profile festival appearances with the likes of Kendal Calling already on their summer agenda, 2014 looks set to be a landmark year for the band. Astral Coast will be an opportunity to catch this band at the peak of their powers.
Bringing a touch of the ethereal to proceedings; Bird will be providing their own brand of haunting folk at this year’s Astral Coast. With a performance at this year’s B.B.C. 6 music festival under their belt alongside the likes of The National and The Horrors, it is fair to say that the Wirral four-piece are very much on the ascent. The band are hitting Europe this spring in support of their debut album (released via Baltic Records) alongside the iconic Rodriguez, their performance at this year’s festival will surely be a very special homecoming for the band.
Completing this year’s lineup is a special collaborative performance between two of the most hotly tipped artists to emerge from Merseyside in many years, Ghostchant and Laspely. After the runaway success of his debut single Laid to Rest, Ghostchant’s career has gone from strength to strength, with tour dates across China with electronic maestro Chimpo and festival appearances across Europe, Ghostchant is certain to be a star of the future. On top of this, Lapsely will be joining Ghostchant for a one off performance of their forthcoming single Sincerity in what will mark the coming together of two of the most widely talked about artists on Merseyside at the minute. This will certainly be an “I was the there” moment.
Tickets are available now from the Floral Pavilion box office (www.floralpavilion.com or 0151 666 0000) and are a priced at £10.