first acts announced for Guy Garvey's Meltdown

Elbow's Guy Garvey, curator of The Southbank Centre's 23rd Meltdown festival has unveiled the first acts for the line-up.

Meltdown 2016, the 12-day event in June this year, will see Garvey create a line-up over the duration of the festival of not just music, but also debate and installations.

The line-up will include Laura Marling, Connan Mockasin, Femi Kuti, This Is The Kit, I Am Kloot performing 'Sky At Night', Josh T. Pearson's Lift To Experience reform for a one off gig, The Staves, K.O.G & the Zongo Brigade, Afriquoi, Evidently, Drunk At Vogue, and as part of this year's boat theme the final night's concert 'The Boat We're In' sees Guy joined by Robert Plant, Nadine Shah, Nick Mulvey, Josephine Oniyama, Southbank Sinfonia, and choirs.

Alongside some very well known artists, introducing lesser-known acts will be a theme for Garvey's Meltdown as he continues to champion new and undiscovered artists extending his work on BBC 6 Music’s Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour and more recently with his TV show Music Box with Guy Garvey.

Meltdown takes place over all 21 acres of the Southbank Centre, including the riverside, Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall. The dates for Meltdown 2016 are confirmed as Friday 10th until Sunday 19th June 2016.

The programme announced so far is:

10 June Lift To Experience, Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
10 June Drunk At Vogue, Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall (10.30pm)
11 June Femi Kuti, Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
11 June K.O.G. & The Zongo Brigade / Afriquoi, Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall (10.30pm)
11 June This Is The Kit, Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden (7pm)
11 June Meltdown The River, Meltdown Party Boat (departs from Royal Festival Hall) (12:30pm & 6:30pm)
13 June I Am Kloot presenting 'Sky At Night', Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
14 June The Staves, Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
14 June Evidently, Blue Room at Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
15 June Connan Mockasin, Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
17 June Guy Garvey, Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
18 June Laura Marling, Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
19 June The Boat We’re In featuring Guy Garvey Robert Plant, Nadine Shah, Nick Mulvey, and Josephine Oniyama, joined onstage by Southbank Sinfonia and choirs Royal Festival Hall (7.30pm)
19 June Refugees Welcome, across public spaces in Royal Festival Hall (1pm - 7pm)

For the line-up details as available see the Meltdown line-up page.

Ticket prices vary depending upon event. Tickets go on sale from Friday 18th March at 10am and eFestivals will have links to buy them then.

Guy Garvey, said "My Meltdown is coming together. It feels like an extension of my 6 Music radio program. I get to put my name to other people’s hard work and talent. Brill."