The Stargreen blog thing

WAKESTOCK is described on the event publicity as "Europe's largest Wakeboard and Music festival". Gets our approval, even if we suspect there aren't a whole lot of other contenders for the title just yet.

Anyway: the first bit is 27th-29th June at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill near Oxford. The second bit is 4th-6th July at Abersoch, which is a village in North Wales we're told has "a certain special something that is very difficult to describe in words". That may be a reference to Groove Armada, The Streets, Funeral for a Friend, Duffy, the Hoosiers and the Young Knives, but we're guessing probably not.

Wakeboarding is the world's fastest growing watersport with over 3 million participants worldwide. WAKESTOCK tickets for both venues are on sale Friday 9am.

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KT TUNSTALL is at the Hammersmith Apollo, on Fri 11th April. Tickets on sale now.

Note carefully: not to be confused with Katie Melua. "I had that Paul McKenna come up to me once and he said, 'I love that song of yours about bicycles.' So I said to McKenna, 'And I loved the stunt you did in that glass box above the Thames.'"

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The original members of KILLING JOKE reunite this autumn for the first time in two decades, and will be playing The Forum on 3rd and 4th October. On the first night, they will play their first two albums in their entirety: 1980's self-titled album followed by the album What's This ... For!. The second night they play 1994's Pandemonium and the Island Records singles of 79 to 80.

Their drummer Alex Ferguson once described them as "the sound of the earth vomiting", though on listening to the Greatest Hits compilation again we think he was maybe being a bit harsh on himself. According to their own web site, though, "Killing Joke is anthemic and grandiose in its evocation of nightmare visions. Taking a sarcastic jab at authority and perceived reality to a sonically charged mixture of post punk and metal, Killing Joke's heavy guitars and pounding tribal drums conjure a primitive atmosphere of doom, gloom and resistance." Which we have to agree is pretty grandiose. Unless it's sarcastic.

Tickets on sale now.

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The V Festival 2008 is taking place on 16th & 17th August at Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 7th March. Headliners Muse and the The Verve, live supremos Kings of Leon and Stereophonics and other favourites as well as future Brit icons such as Amy Winehouse, Kaiser Chiefs, The Prodigy, and The Kooks will be gracing both sites.

Bob Angus, Festival Director, comments: "... truly fantastic established live acts mixed with some exciting newcomers will result in a cracking weekend. Something to get every fan on their feet!"

We add: "Wellies. Something every fan should get on their feet!"

Lineup: MUSE - THE VERVE - KINGS OF LEON - STEREOPHONICS - KAISER CHIEFS - THE PRODIGY - AMY WINEHOUSE - THE KOOKS - THE ZUTONS - THE PIGEON DETECTIVES - LENNY KRAVITZ - MAXIMO PARK - IAN BROWN - THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS - THE VIEW - NEWTON FAULKNER - THE POGUES - THE CHARLATANS - THE HOOSIERS - REVEREND AND THE MAKERS - THE FEELING - ALANIS MORISSETTE - SCOUTING FOR GIRLS - DUFFY - JAMIE T - HOT CHIP - GIRLS ALOUD - THE FUTUREHEADS - SQUEEZE - THE TWANG - SUGABABES - TRAVIS - AMY MACDONALD - THE COURTEENERS - SHED SEVEN - THE RIFLES - ROBYN - DAVID JORDAN - ONE REPUBLIC

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Having sold 6 million albums, toured the world over, plumbed the depths of nervous exhaustion, and pushed their working relationships to breaking point, MORCHEEBA return with their new album Dive Deep, an "emotional blueprint" which has restored their faith in music.

Which must be good news if you want to see them at the Shepherds Bush Empire gig on 14th June, because they should be nicely rested for it. Tickets on sale tomorrow.

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"We obviously haven't moved into indulgent and ballady songwriting yet." - Anthony Rossomondo of DIRTY PRETTY THINGS

See for yourself at The Astoria, 27th May. On sale tomorrow 9am.

"The Druids and that sort of thing, you don't disqualify it or just brush it aside. No-one's ever going to let you just bulldoze Stonehenge"

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LINKIN PARK are bringing their record breaking travelling festival Projekt Revolution to the UK for the first time ever. Linkin Park and Jay-Z will combine at The National Bowl, Milton Keynes on the 29th June 2008.

Already reaching legendary status in the US, Projekt Revolution has always defied the conventional and delivered cutting edge and revolutionary artists. This one off show will be headlined by Linkin Park and includes a full live set from Jay-Z. Doors 12pm.

On sale at 9am, Friday 7 March 2008

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Hints for the easily confused:

GLOVEBOX: lockable compartment in the fascia of a car, in which you might find maps, travel mints, car park receipts and the instruction manual for the stereo.

LOVEBOX: Weekend music festival in Victoria Park hosted by the mighty Groove Armada, in which you might find twenty acts including hosts Groove Armada and headliners The Flaming Lips and Goldfrapp. Throw in The Human League for a retro-electro mastershow and London Town's very own Jack Penate.

• Europe's leading new music festival, The Great Escape, host the second stage featuring music from the year's hottest indie acts such as Lightspeed Champion and The Young Knives

• The Pentagon War room themed Strangelove will host some of the very best DJs around, including the likes of The Nextmen, Midnight Juggernauts, The Glimmers, Stanton Warriers, Black Seeds and Damian Lazarus.

• Last year's roadblockers Horse Meat Disco return for a two day 1970's downtown Manhattan discothon in in the expanded NYC Downlow Arena.

• And expect to see Kings of the underground dance scene secretsundaze and Mulletover take a day's turn each in the open air Wild West Stockade.

• The solar powered Alfresco Stage is the eco-friendly platform to see the finest new talent including Young Blood Brass Band, Hayseed Dixie and Rachel Unthank.

But it's more than just the music. Expect to see performers cherry picked from Europe's best performing arts festivals creating all sorts of anarchic mayhem. There will be a street art exhibition and a dedicated family area to amaze the little un's (kids under 12 go free) and adults alike.

Finally, a love of all things food-related remains central to the Lovebox ethos. This year sees the best of Borough Market - the Sourced Farmer's Market will be there alongside a whole host of other fabulous foodie stalls.

SATURDAY - Groove Armada - Human League - Young Knives - Young Blood Brass Band - secretsundaze - The Black Seeds - The Glimmers - The Nextmen - Horse Meat Disco

SUNDAY - The Flaming Lips - Goldfrapp - Lightspeed Champion - Jack Penate - Seun Kuti - Mulletover - Hayseed Dixie - Rachel Unthank - Damian Lazarus - Stanton Warriors - Horse Meat Disco

If you still can't tell the difference between that and a small fake vinyl cupboard, you won't need to know that LOVEBOX tickets are on sale here now.

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It's all happening at once ... If you are reading this on Friday morning, you're probably interested in one or more of

• V FESTIVAL (now sold out)
• LOVEBOX on sale right now
• LINKIN PARK on sale now

• ALICIA KEYS at the O2, July 8th
• PAUL WELLER extra date 23rd May
• MELT BANANA at the Garage, June 16th and 25th
• MORBID ANGEL at Astoria 2
• THE ROAD TO DOWNLOAD passes the Barfly on June 5th
• TOM BAXTER June 3rd at Koko
• ONE NIGHT OF 65 DAYS OF STATIC, 11th April at Indigo 2
• BRIAN WILSON at the Royal Albert Hall, July 1st
• Don't you forget about SIMPLE MINDS, 29th November
• JOURNEY to June 17th
• HADOUKEN! at ELECTRIC! BALLROOM! On sale 4! pm!
• YOUR DEMISE - enter the Underworld on April Fools Day

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Well, that's the V Festival sold out for another year, and in less than two hours. Festival directors Simon Moran and Bob Angus are reportedly "chuffed to bits", and we're pretty happy about it too.

Thanks to everyone for waiting patiently under the unprecedently high demand on our web site and phone lines.

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If you've been unable to get tickets for the EAGLES Long Road out of Eden gigs at the O2, we're not quite at our limit yet. Which is to say, we have some tickets left for most dates.

Check out any time, but preferably before they all go.

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Power's Acoustic Room is "a brand new exciting and intimate live music venue on the Kilburn High Road, showcasing the very best in up and coming new folk, roots, soul and acoustic acts".

• Irish jazz and blues singer MARY COUGHLAN plays on 16th and 17th March. On sale now.
• JOHN POWER, "an English singer-songwriter" (formerly from Cast and the La's) plays 11th and 12th April.

Trivia fans: Power's Acoustic Room is not named after John Power. It's named after its proprietor Vince Power.

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It's Friday already? Again?

• The PRODIGY and the CHEMICAL BROTHERS at GATECRASHER, 24-25 May. Note that despite the event name you do actually need to buy tickets (on sale now) for this, you can't just turn up uninvited and pretend you know the organisers

• BLUE OYSTER CULT at the FORUM, Wednesday 11 June
• FIGHTSTAR at ISLINGTON ACADEMY, Thursday 29 May
• NME NEW NOISE TOUR at ASTORIA 2, Wednesday 14 May ... all available now.

Friday 9am kickoff for about six billion concerts -

• ALICE COOPER at EXCEL, Thursday 24 July
• BRYAN ADAMS at THE O2, Wednesday 05 November
• CARLENE CARTER at SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE, Monday 12 May
• CARTEL at GARAGE, Friday 06 June
• CHICAGO at EXCEL, Thursday 31 July. This is the band. not the musical
• DRIVE BY TRUCKERS at ELECTRIC BALLROOM, Monday 04 August. Again, this is the band, not the infamous gang of Scania-driving mobsters
• GEMMA HAYES at HOXTON BAR & KITCHEN, Thursday 01 May
• GNARLS BARKLEY at 229, Thursday 03 April
• K.D. LANG at BRIGHTON DOME CONCERT HALL, Sunday 03 August
• LITTLE MAN TATE at ASTORIA 2, Wednesday 21 May
• LUPE FIASCO at KOKO, Wednesday 02 April
• MARY J BLIGE at THE O2, Tuesday 03 June
• MEAT LOAF at EXCEL, Saturday 02 August
• MGMT at ASTORIA, Wednesday 21 May
• NICKELBACK at THE O2, Friday 19 September
• RUSSELL WATSON at ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, Thursday 12 June
• STRAY CATS at BRIXTON ACADEMY, Wednesday 10 September
• THE MUSIC at ULU, Tuesday 13 May

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According to their web site they are "the most successful and and longest running Beatles tribute band" (does this mean their version of Hey Jude goes on for ever?). They are the BOOTLEG BEATLES, and tickets are on sale here now for their 19th and 20th December gigs at Indigo 2

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We've managed to secure a further allocation of highly sought-after V FESTIVAL tickets: if you missed your chance last Friday, check our web site for a limited number of Saturday and Sunday day tickets at Hylands Park.

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Some important dates from the Farmers Almanac:

September (all dates): hop harvesting season. In Victorian times, the biggest industry in Kent.

September 23rd (approx): Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox

6th July: NEIL YOUNG headlines a one day festival at Hop Farm Country Park

9am, Tuesday 18th July: tickets on sale

Hop to it. Er, sorry.

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The weather forecast for the weekend looks rotten, giving you 4 days of uninterrupted DIY - think of all those shelves that need putting up and leaky taps to fix.

Or if that doesn't sound so appealing after all (how could it not?), how about some old-fashioned American rock from the EAGLES at the O2? Some tickets left for Thursday and Sunday to see them perform current hits from the Long Road Out of Eden album including 'How Long' and 'Busy Being Fabulous' as well as classic songs such as 'Hotel California', 'Desperado', 'Take It To The Limit', 'Life In The Fast Lane', and 'Take It Easy'.

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Stargreen Box Office would like to wish all our customers a Happy Easter. Please note special hours: we're open today from midday to 5pm, and closed on Bank Holiday Monday. Of course you can still order on the web site throughout the weekend as usual.

• THE FUTUREHEADS on sale today 9am
• DELAYS on sale now
• LATITUDE FESTIVAL on sale now.

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Friday 28th March is the feast of Saint Tutilo, perhaps best known for his musical talents. According to tradition, he was an accomplished musician and was able to play and teach all of the instruments in the monastery. He, and a fellow monk, Bd. Notker Balbulus, are said to have written several Alleluia versicles as well as many sequences.

Unfortunately he's been dead since the tenth century, so we won't be selling tickets for any of his performances. How about one of these instead?

• MORRISSEY: "I'm outside the mainstream, and the mainstream never let me in," plays at the Wireless Festival, 4th July
• 26th April is AN EVENING WITH WAS (NOT WAS) at Islington Academy
• M83's track "Don't Save us From the Flames", about a car crash, was featured in a Pontiac commercial. They play at Cargo on 28th April
• "Ladies and gentlemen, we give you another scruffy, Bohemian troubadour in a long and sometimes glorious tradition": JACK SAVORETTI plays at Dingwalls on 26th May
• COMEBACK KID, hardcore punk from Winnipeg at the Islington Academy, 8th July
• Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, better known as MIA, at the Roundhouse
• THUNDER at the Astoria, 30 November

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8th August in Victoria Park, the UNDERAGE FESTIVAL returns bigger and better.

This "strictly under 19's credible festival" will present some of the best indie/rock/electronic music of the day for young music fans. It's not about dumbing down the live music experience - it's a real festival, but without alcohol or adults (in the audience, anyway).

So far announced are Bombay Bicycle Club, Bonde do Role, Cheeky Cheeky and The Nosebleeds, Count & Sinden, Eugene McGuinness, Florence and the Machine, Foals, Fryars, Gallows, Ipso Factor, Glasvegas, Poppy and the Jezabels, Scum, Sons & Daughters, Team Waterpolo, The Horrors, The Rifles, The Teenagers, Those Dancing Days, Wild Beasts, XX Teens, Mystery Jets, Operator Please, and Domino DJ's with more acts still to be announced. Expect around three stages of the hottest upcoming acts.

Or if you're too old to pass for 18, the following day 9th August sees FIELD DAY in the same place.

Bloggers Delight - Brodinski - Crookers - Dan Deacon - Dirty Projectors - Eat Your Own Ears djs - Emperor Machine - Filthy Dukes - Fionn Regan - Foals - James Holden - Jeffrey Lewis - King Creosote (Duo show) - Magistrates - Mechanical Bride - Mystery Jets - Of Montreal - One Little Plane - Richie Hawtin (Minus, Berlin) / Visuals by Ali Demirel - Simian Mobile Disco - The Field - The Notwist - Tunng - White Lies

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Thirty minutes and counting: tickets for the tenth LEEDS FESTIVAL go on sale here at 6.45pm

August 22-24

[ edit: sorry, we're now ALL SOLD OUT ]

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