Nozstock 2022 line up is here
New Year, new you, brand new line-up announcement! It’s out with the old and in with the funk and soul legends, drum ‘n’ bass masters and mixing desk wizards here at Noz HQ. If you’re in need of a little pick-me-up after the indulgences of New Year’s Eve or just something to keep you going through the January blues, we’ve got just the tonic…
First up, The Orchard Stage! We are so excited to welcome to the Farm dance and soul powerhouses, Sister Sledge, award winning drum ‘n’ bass legend Andy C and professional funnyman and classically trained musician Bill Bailey! If you thought it couldn’t get any better, firm farm favourites Gentleman’s Dub Club will be returning, bringing their unique blend of ska, dub and roots reggae whilst everyone’s favourite DJ Craig Charles will be bringing his legendary Funk and Soul Club to your eye-and-earholes. If you’re looking for something a bit different, ambient noise-makers Submotion Orchestra will be putting on an otherworldly show for you. Looking for a fusion of Afrobeat, post-punk and electro? Look no further than Ibibio Sound Machine. Steampunk surrealist and tea fan Professor Elemental will be lecturing us all in the ways of hip-hop, while Dutty Moonshine Big Band will be storming back onto the Orchard Stage with a brand new bag of jazz-and-bass-infused tricks. Tankus the Henge need to be seen to be believed – and if you’re down at the Orchard Stage at the right time, we’re sure you’ll be converted. We’re very excited to welcome The Destroyers, Birmingham’s finest oom-pah band who will be sure to get everyone up off the Nozstock sofas, and the high priests of London’s ska/dub/punk scene, Popes of Chillitown, will be handing out blessings left, right and centre. You’ll definitely want to attend RSVP’s set: this iconic group are spearheading the bhangra renaissance in the UK, and each performance begins with an intro to bhangra dance!
All this plus The Howlers, Nick Parker and The False Alarms, Bare Jams, Eleven-piece ‘ska army’ The Stiff Joints, cheeky chappies Mr Tea and the Minions, The Endings, Year of the Dog (they were in Netflix’s Sex Education – no biggie), Martha Hill, Jake Spicer, Josie Field plus Happy Daggers who will be inoculating us all with their sexy funk-soul-rock’n’roll mélange (it won’t hurt)
Phew – no time to waste, let’s nip round the corner to the Garden Stage to see what’s going on there. Leading lights in the multi-genre bass music scene Calyx & TeeBee will be tearing up the stage, while modern day rock ‘n’ roll Renaissance man and fun lovin’ criminal Huey Morgan will be delivering one of his legendary DJ sets. D‘n’B siren, Flava D will be reeling you in with her hypnotising basslines and drumbeats, and rap raconteur Dirty Dike will be joined by DJ Sammy B-side for what is sure to be a stonking set. If you’re after the classique Noz experience, be sure to catch Mungo’s Hifi and Gardna doing their thing; dancefloor veterans Stanton Warriors will be bringing their sound straight to the Farm; and multi-genre mastermind and drum ‘n’ bass heavyweight Dillinja will be making a triumphant return. Bristol-based girl power collective 24 Hour Garage Girls will be returning with their eclectic blend of filthy basslines and singalong classics while up-and-coming superstar Mollie Collins will be bringing her signature mix of dubplates and double drops. Drum ‘n’ bass pioneer Nicky Blackmarket will be joining us with the esteemed Fatman D and, not to let the side down, one of the kingpins of UK hip-hop, Lee Scott, will be putting in an appearance.
Not to forget Sparkz, Hobbit, Don Piper, Natty Speaks, King Brasstards, Fat Generous, Rogue Siesta, Dirty Alex, Sundown Jazz Society, The Kubricks and be sure to catch Truemendous, a prolific and diverse newcomer who spans genres as diverse as hip-hop, neo-soul, pop and jazz – get to know!
Over at The Bandstand, Mancunian multi-instrumentalist Francis Lung will be returning with his unique brand of power pop. Brummie-based Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam (try saying that six times fast) will be bringing their energetic mix of indie-rock, while everyone’s favourite medium-sized marsupial, Bandicoot, will be showcasing their silky guitar riffs. What’s that? Have we got any Welsh-language post-punk trios on the line-up? Why, yes we do – Adwaith! We’re honoured to play host to the festival debut of South London-based PELA while Grandma’s House will grab you right by the throat with their raucous riffs and aggressive drums: this ain’t no ordinary visit to granny!
But we didn’t stop there! There’s also Lost Tuesday Society, Tri City Fanfare, Bristol punks The Pleasure Dome, Welsh duo Peiriant, Pierre Donahue, song-weaver Phil King, Langkamer, Josh Ace, Clwb Fuzz, Sarah Morgan, Bella Collins, and feminist punk outfit Loose Articles who write songs about whatever’s pissing them off at the time.
Not to be outdone, our Cubicles programmers have rounded up the finest in electronic music. Boundary defying drum ‘n’ bass producer Break will be back for more. If you’re scared of dogs, don’t worry – Kanine doesn’t bite, he just brings the signature sound which has made him one of the leading names in the new wave of Jump Up producers; legendary DJ Randall will be bringing his A-game, honed over 25 years at the top of his league. Levela will be taking some time out of his busy schedule of music mixing to treat us to a display of his spinning skills, while Total Science will be taking us back to high school for some Science lessons. Prepare yourselves for the cosmic collision of T>I and original junglist Saxxon and up-and-comer Harriet Jaxxon will be sampling the likes of classic UK garage and old-skool hip-hop into her drum ‘n’ bass melange. One of UKF’s ‘Ones to Watch’ for 2021, Frenetic certainly lives up to her name, with a fast and energetic style of mixing that will keep everyone moving til the early hours, and Nozstock’s favourite cephalopod, OctoPi, will be throwing eight-legged shapes behind the decks again! We’re also excited to be handing over the reins to Nu:Motive for a d’n’b takeover of masterful proportions Finally, it wouldn’t be Nozstock without our resident MCs Trafic and Remidy, spitting bars and hyping crowds until the cows come home (literally).
Over at the Bullpen, we’ve got a host of tasty takeovers that’ll knock your socks off. Gorilla Tactics will be joined by premium noise-makers Minirig for another takeover; expect a full day’s worth of the very best in bassline. Shook return to bring us some of the most exciting underground DJs with a bassline takeover, plus Kira, Spectral, and Bristol-based Durkle Disco who will be treating us to a takeover featuring some of the latest wave of Bristol’s unstoppable talent.
If it’s a bit of culture you’re after, look no farther than the Altered State. Embassy to all things weird and wonderful, you’ll find crafts, poetry, theatre and comedy in this very strange State of affairs; and, when the lights go down, some tantalising comedy and cabaret. The Department of Cultural Affairs is your one-stop-shop for the theatrical arts, and we’ve gathered the finest in workshops and performance, including Arch 62’s new show ‘Good Grief’, theatre troupe About Face telling stories through puppetry; and Hummadruz will be back with their UV wizardry. We’ll have workshops including Cae Ellison, who’ll be leading yoga classes to keep you limber for all that dancing; Michaela Regellin, bringing her years of hula-hooping experience; and Tribal Eyes, who create a healing space using the power of mantras. We’ve programmed a selection of thought-provoking events to get the grey matter working, including Martha Allit’s fascinating ‘We Need to Talk About Psychedelics’, which exposes the dark underbelly of the psychedelic movement and Andrew Szyldo the ‘Performance Chemist’, will be exploring magical molecules in this fun-for-all-the-family session. Milk Poetry will also be back to weave some words and capture some hearts with their regular slam. As night draws in, the Laughing Stock Comedy Takeover will be back to break your funny bones, and this year we’re very excited to be hosting Rosie Jones, comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, disabled rights activist and, most importantly, crème eggs fan. She’ll be joined by the technicolour mind of Terry Alderton and of course, Phil Kay, our troubled troubadour who can make a 30-minute long stand-up set out of a plastic bag caught in a hedge. Our MCs for the proceedings will be Joe Davies and Robin Clyfan, two of the funniest guys in the biz; they’ll be overseeing acts like Charlie Partridge, Bob Slayer and the High Priestess of Idiot and show-off (her words, not ours!) Lucy Hopkins. In the wee small hours, Lavrak Cabaret will be taking over proceedings, with their dazzling array of drag kings and queens, burlesque artists, naughty games and interactive fun – for adult eyes only!
The latest denizens of the Altered State are the Twisted Assembly curated by the Swing & Bass crew; they’ll be leading games, paint parties and colourful frolics by day, pumping out disco and soul tunes by night. Acts like Fizzy Gillespie, Mista Trick and Dan de’Lion will be running the gamut from 1920s to 1960s tunes with a modern twist; think vaudeville vibes meeting down and dirty bass! Dynamite Disco Takeover will be bringing the best of disco, funk and soul plus Rubber Duck Sound and DJ CallMeDave. Come lend your voice to the Twisted Assembly: you’ll never be the same again…
If you venture down to the Elephant’s Grave this year, you’re in for a treat. With chilled reggae beats to brighten up even the rainiest of skies and thumping house tunes to keep you moving, there’s something for everyone… On the reggae side of things, we’ll be treated to a very special ‘dancehall to footwork’ takeover from Subwork, and, for a little tickle of reggae hip-hop, a DJ set from Anomalies. When darkness falls, we’ll be joined by the likes of Utah Saints, who have been making music since the very birth of house music; Sonny Wharton, one of the finest UK house and techno DJ/producers; and Dark Arts Club who, according to Pete Tong, encapsulates the ‘spirit of the rave’. Dirty Secretz is one secret you won’t wanna keep and make sure not to miss Dom Kane, a veteran of the electronic scene. If you’re feeling nostalgic, Splonie‘s unique mix of 90s rave, synthwave and melodic house will sort you out. Keep your eye on the energetic tech house stylings of Luke Stanger, plus Paul Flynn, House Meanz House, Jack City, Max Galactic and Data Transmission’s chief selector Ron Mexico who sure to bring something special (as well as tequila…). Of course we’ll have Nozstock resident DJ Dex with us to provide the lo-fi house and after the roaring success of their set at Into the Valley 2021, the Kinda Vibes crew will be back, bringing straight-up party music with a house twist.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nozstock without our Coppice where Tribe of Frog will be programming their weekend full of psychedelic showstoppers perfect for psytrance fans, whether old hands or the newly converted. Not forgetting Wrong Directions Cinema playing cult classics, shorts and surprises to suit every film buff’s tastes.
Never forgetting the mini Nozstockers amongst us, our Little Wonderland is brimming with amazing arts workshops, creative crafts and messy fun to keep kids of all ages busy.
Last but certainly not least, the Cabinet of Lost Secrets will have its usual array of tricks and treats hidden away for the most intrepid of Nozzers to discover. Don’t miss The Social Ignition, a ska-fusion band who melt myriad musical inspirations into one delicious fondue, while Bethlehem Casuals tick every single box when it comes to musical experimentation – and then make up some new boxes of their own. Inwards uses a modular synthesiser and other electronic and acoustic instruments to create playful and poignant instrumental pieces, while the Junkoactive Wasteman is the world’s first ever Tinphonia player and possibly the only nuclear-former-bin-man-now-melody-maker that we know of. It wouldn’t be the cabinet without a range of late night treats to suit all tastes including Datura Roots Collective, Endaf, 70s Cop Show, DJ Larsey, Deathly Pale Party, The Arboretum, Peewee and the One Skins, DJ Russ Mather, Si Bullock, DJ Kay Mullet, DJ Rob Williams, Funky Navigation DJs, Play It Again Dan and of course Galaxy Wolf in Space who creates music to soundtrack the end of the world – better not miss it, eh?
All of that, plus much, much more besides – after all, it wouldn’t be Nozstock if we didn’t have secret sets, special guests and hidden nooks and crannies to be explored. If you’ve got your ticket already, we can’t wait to welcome you, finally, into our Parallel World this summer: if you haven’t got one yet, what are you waiting for?!
