Hot Chip, Suede, and Candi Staton top first acts for KITE Festival

Kite Festival 2023

Friday 9th to Sunday 11th June 2023
Kirtlington Park, Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 3JN, England MAP
£154 with camping, £145 without

Last updated: Tue 6th Jun 2023

The first artists and speakers have been revealed for KITE, a returning to Kirtlington Park, Oxford, from Friday 9th until Sunday 11th June 2023, a curated journey of cutting-edge debate and a rich programme of ideas with spectacular musical performances for audiences seeking an alternative festival experience.

Household names from the world of literature, music, politics, art, culture, and comedy are lining up across 7 unique stages at the three-day greenfield camping festival that offers Weekend, Day, Camping and Glamping and tickets for an experience that is accessible to all ages.

Leading the eclectic musical bill on Saturday 10^th June is Hot Chip, who will move bodies and touch hearts with their legendary club pop anthems. Next, English rock band Suede will headline Sunday performing their hits plus songs from their critically acclaimed new album "Autofriction", which went straight to number two in the UK album chart. Then, 4-time Grammy-nominated trailblazing icon , Candi Staton will delight Saturday at KITE with her iconic disco hits and soulful voice.

Other performers include the strong and distinctive style of Baxter Dury, percussionist Sarathy Korwar redefining Indo-jazz, chilled house beats from Peruvian DJ Sofia Kourtesis, and a mesmerising electronic set from Northern Irish DJ, producer and composer David Holmes.

Music and theatre collide in a stupor of industrial pop with the merchant of queer chaos, cult sensation Lynks and old skool sleezy acid house from Decius. Disco, funk, new wave and house from DJs Raw Silk the alias of best mates Grace and Steph, and the infectious Amsterdam 5-piece The Mauskovic Dance Band performing ‘space-disco’ an interstellar, psychedelic Afro-Latin funk that hits Planet Earth somewhere between Colombia and New York City.

In the ideas programme no stone will go unturned as long-form interviews and keynotes will sit side by side with workshops and smaller group discussions [ThinkIns], panels, as well as debates and KITE lessons, edited and overseen by a diverse selection of experts.

Former editor of GQ and Chair of London Fashion Week Men’s Dylan Jones will delve into his time as a leading contributor in the world of fashion and journalism, and the award-winning author of ‘Grief is the Thing with Feathers’ Max Porter will be sharing his articulate insights on crafting stories that answer the most important questions of the human experience. Meanwhile Miki Berenyi is going to be chatting about her recently published memoir (Rough Trade’s Book of the Year 2022) as well as playing four lush songs. Top motivational speaker Simon Sinek will discuss his concept of “why” and ponder ‘What Just Happened?’ with journalist Marina Hyde alongside authors Gaia Vince and Tomiwa Owolade, writer and political scientist Remi Adekoya, comedian, podcaster and actor Cariad Lloyd and best-selling author and podcaster Katherine May.

A programme of live podcasts will give festivalgoers a chance to witness their favourite hosts and engage in informative and fun conversations. Returning to Kirtlington Park and exploring the magic of art is Talk Art with Russell Tovey and Rob Diament, Award-winning comedian Rosie Wilby will share funny, honest and real tales of heartbreak and recovery with special guests in her acclaimed podcast The Breakup Monologues, actor Mike Fenton Stevens will be asking for five things for his guest to put in My Time Capsule while HOAXED Live with Alexi Mostrous will explore a mind-bendingly weird conspiracy theory.

Building on Kite's acclaimed first year comedy programme, this year's line up leads with viral sensation Alistair Green, whose videos have been turned into two full-length feature films. Two of comedy's most talked about new talents, Toussaint Douglass and Josh Berry, will perform in a showcase alongside Shazia Mirza, creator of Channel 4 National Comedy Award nominated show ‘Coconut’. Kiri Pritchard McLean, host of ‘Live from the Covid Arms’, will MC.

This initial line up gives a flavour of the impressively varied bill planned which will once again give parity to ideas and thinking, and music and dancing with a pioneering line-up of musicians, comedians, artists, writers, activists, and thinkers.

Stay tuned for the full line up of ideas and music, coming in the New Year…

Ciro Romano, Festival Director, said: “Ideas and music have always co-existed; they are linked in our history, but, for the most part, there has been a clear dividing line between ideas/literary festivals and music festival. So, we are thrilled to have developed a new greenfield festival that puts music and ideas on an equal footing and be back again. At KITE, thinking and dancing can co-exist. KITE 2023 will engage with the most vital artists, musicians, writers, and public figures in one setting over three days. We couldn’t be more excited and look forward to having you join us atKirtlington Park next June.”

Candi Staton said: “I am so excited to be playing KITE festival and can’t wait to be finally back in the UK. I just love playing to British audiences and adore the English countryside.”