ASH ANNOUNCED AS HEADLINERS FOR HUGE FREE FESTIVAL!

Tuesday, 15th April 2008

Now in its ninth year, Middlesbrough Music Live is a free one day festival organised and funded by Middlesbrough Council which takes places in the heart of Middlesbrough every year. Ten Feet Tall, who co-ordinate the festival on behalf of the council, are happy to announce that this year's festival will see top Northern Irish rockers Ash headlining the main stage, with over 100 acts set to join them across 12 stages throughout the town centre on Sunday 1st June 2008.

Currently based in New York, Ash will be flying over especially for an exclusive performance at the festival and with five top 40 albums under their belts, including two which reached number one, they'll be sure to provide a great ending to the day with tracks such as 'A Life Less Ordinary', 'Shining Light' and 'Girl From Mars.'

"We're over the moon to have secured Ash as headliners! They're one of those bands that even if you think you're not a big fan, as soon as you hear the hits, you can't stop singing along!" said Graham Ramsay of Ten Feet Tall.

Ash have a special place in the people of Middlesbrough's hearts thanks to the fact that the last time they played in the town was at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Sunday 29th February 2004... the day that Middlesbrough famously lifted the Carling Cup. That day in Cardiff the teams took to the pitch to Ash's track 'Burn Baby Burn', something which didn't go unnoticed by the band who acknowledged their role in Middlesbrough's legendary victory by coming on stage at their gig to Boro fan's favourite 'Pigbag'!

Last year's Middlesbrough Music Live saw a record crowd of over forty five thousand people enjoying new comers such as Amy Macdonald, The Twang, Newton Faulkner, Elliott Minor and One Night Only playing alongside established acts such as Terry Hall (The Specials) and legendary crooner Tony Christie. Middlesbrough's stunning Centre Square outside mima played host to the main stage and after the success of the new location for a variety of events over the past twelve months - including the BBC's Proms In The Park - Centre Square will once again be the focal point of Middlesbrough Music Live in 2008.

"It's one of the finest town centre performance locations in Europe" says Middlesbrough Council's David Budd. "The success of the BBC's Proms In The Park last September emphasised what a wonderful site it is."

Over the years Middlesbrough Music Live has justifiably established a reputation as a great place to see some of the biggest and best bands before they become household names, with the likes of Razorlight, Ordinary Boys, The Kaiser Chiefs, Enter Shikari, Bloc Party, Estelle, We Are Scientists, Kasabian, Biffy Clyro, The Fratellis and Paulo Nutini all performing in recent years.

This year looks set to continue in that vein with hotly tipped acts such as Black Kids, Late Of The Pier, Sam Isaac, Natty, Noah and The Whale, The Infadels, Alphabeat and Parka already confirmed alongside one of the stars of last year's event, One Night Only, who will be returning for this year's festival - this time with a top ten album to their name.

The rock stage is really starting to take shape and looks like boasting its best ever line up, thanks in part to a tremendous co-headlining partnership featuring the UK's finest pop-punk band You Me At Six and American power-pop superstars Cartel. With over twenty five million listens on Myspace, Cartel are one of the top names in American alternative music and they'll be kicking off their latest UK tour on the Middlesbrough Music Live rock stage, a stage which will also showcase top up and coming UK acts such as Outcry Collective, Glamour Of The Kill, Slaves To Gravity and Beyond This Oath.

Many more performers will be confirmed in the coming days and weeks, so keep checking the official website for all of the latest news: www.middlesbroughmusiclive.co.uk

www.middlesbroughmusiclive.co.ukwww.middlesbrough.gov.uk
www.tenfeettall.co.uk