The Strokes confirmed to headline RockNess music festival

Published on Wednesday 2 December 2009 12:21

NEW York indie rock band The Strokes have been confirmed to headline next year's RockNess music festival, taking place on the banks of Loch Ness.

• The Strokes have only confirmed two UK festivals so far: RockNess and Isle of Wight

Widely recognised as one of the main acts to spearhead a resurgance of garage rock after the millenium, their 2001 breakthrough album Is This It has been hailed as a modern classic and was recently named 'album of the decade' by NME magazine.

The band have released just three albums and are returning from a four-year hiatus after the members pursued their own solo and side projects.

They have been recording a new album over the summer but its release has been delayed by disagreements over which tracks are ready.

Festival Director Jim King said: "We're definitely going to have our best ever line-up this year with some of the strongest new acts to be announced over the coming months. We're also targeting acts that have been hugely influential over the last decade and none come bigger than The Strokes."

The festival announced that it has teamed up with BBC Radio 1 and will host custom areas curated by DJs Annie Mac and Rob Da Bank.

In a move that underlines the Highland festival's expansion, there will also be a brand new stage called the Arcadia Arena, which has been used at Glastonbury for dramatic night-time shows.

The other acts confirmed in today's announcement were Belgian crossover act 2 Many DJs and funk-laden indie-pop band Friendly Fires.

RockNess 2010 takes place from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 June and tickets go on sale on Monday at the early price of 120 for the weekend.