Biffy Clyro among headliners set for RockNess

THE RockNess 2012 music festival is officially launched today, and will be held in the village of Dores, by Loch Ness, from 8-10 June this year. Five prominent headliners have already confirmed they will take to the stage, with many more acts yet to be announced.

The festival has welcomed some of music’s biggest names in previous years, and won the NME Awards ‘Best Small Festival’ prize last year, and ‘Lineup of the Year’ at the UK Festival Awards in 2010.

With five albums under their belt, a sixth on the way and boasting ten years on the live circuit, Ayrshire trio Biffy Clyro make a return to the festival as headliners in June. The band said of their appearance: ‘We are thrilled to be returning to RockNess in June, and this time we’ll be headlining it. The location is amazing and the enthusiastic crowd made for a memorable experience in 2009, so we’re counting down the days until our return in 2012.’

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Joining them will be popular indie band Mumford and Sons. Nominated for countless awards, and winning several along the way, the band are in the throes of preparing to release their sophomore effort, and take to the road once more, following successful tours of India, America and Australia, to say nothing of countless European festival appearances.

Toronto-born DJ and producer Deadmau5 will bring a live show of technical wizardry and kaleidoscopic visuals to RockNess, a spectacle that has catapulted the artist born Joel Thomas Zimmerman to international fame. His brand of progressive dance has been immensely successful across the world, and has won him the top spot on the Billboard charts along with a number of award nominations.

English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will make his first appearance at the festival in June this year, when he brings his unique brand of acoustic music to the Scottish Highlands, fresh from a hotly-anticipated three month tour of the United States. With a triple-platinum album, three sold-out tours and a clutch of award wins and nominations (to say nothing of four Brit award nominations), the young musician is one of music hottest properties at the moment.

And last, but by no means least, French house behemoths Justice have confirmed their appearance at RockNess 2012. Their now seminal debut album ‘Cross’ signalled the band’s intention to take the music world by storm, and how. Topping the charts for the most-wanted act at the festival for the last few years, Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay will bring their intense and electrifying live show to the festival this year in support of their long-awaited second album, ‘Audio, Video, Disco.’

Speaking about the RockNess 2012, Festival Director Jim King commented: “I’m really happy with the list of acts we’re announcing today that I now can’t wait for the first tent peg in the ground, and for the party to start. It was only a matter of time before we got lucky and were able to welcome Biffy Clyro back to Loch Ness. Since their debut they’ve gone on to become one of the biggest rock bands in the UK and on home turf you know they’re going to produce something extra-spectacular. [Mumford and Sons] could have played anywhere but they chose The Highlands. It’s going to be special.”

Mr King also revealed that Deadmau5 had been ‘close to appearing last year,’ but spoke of his excitement at the fact the Canadian DJ had promised ‘one of the best shows’ the festival has seen.

The RockNess Express will also make its debut this year, helping to mark the Year of Creative Scotland. A specially-chartered train will depart from London Euston, picking up festival goers in Birmingham, Derby, York and Newcastle, before heading onto Inverness, with live music, special guests and cocktail parties all on board.

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With many more bands and acts due to be announced in the coming weeks - including a ‘corker’ of an act headlining the comedy stage, artists to have already confirmed their appearance at the festival include:

Metronomy, Noah and the Whale, Wretch32, Fresh/Live, Azealia Banks, Beardyman, Death in Vegas, Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, Etienne de Crecy, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Busy P, Gesaffelstein, Riton, The Cuban Brothers, Filth DJs, Polymath and Count Clockwork.

• Keep up-to-date with the latest news on RockNess 2012 at rockness.co.uk

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