With The Cure recently announced as one of the big headliners of London’s Hyde Park British Summer Time festivals in July, Smith will make his debut as guest curator.
Since 1993, the festival has asked a number of leading figures in the arts to be director and ask bands and figures to play for the event. Past people have included; David Bowie, Patti Smith, David Byrne, Elvis Costello, Massive Attack, Nick Cave, Yoko Ono, Ray Davies, Jarvis Cocker, Guy Garvey and last year was M.I.A.
Smith, who will become the first Meltdown Festival director to have the line-up playing across the newly re-opened Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Rooms after 2 years of refurbishments, told the Southbank website: “I am honoured and excited to be curating the 25th Meltdown Festival. More than 30 of my all time favourite artists – some of the most exciting, inspirational, intense and influential performers of the last 40 years, will make this ten-night extravaganza at London’s Southbank Centre is the ‘must see event of the summer.’
No announcements have been so far to who is playing, with details coming next month and tickets on so to the general public from March 15.
More information at www.southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown
