Hello Summer Sounds

He’s a Rascal and he’s heading our way! Dizzee will be gracing the grounds of Delapré Abbey (August 9). The super successful MC and rapper is a grime pioneer who has spent the past two decades chart-bothering and shaking up the scene – his first elpee, Boy in da Corner took the prestigious Mercury Award.

Earlier this year, he unleashed the essential Don’t Take It Personal LP, which reaffirmed him as a genre leader, with another victory lap on what is one of rap music’s defining legacies.

A day later (August 10) and Summertime Live returns to the venue with a one-day festival headlined by Classic Ibiza, with two stages of music and DJs to get lost in.

Over in Bedford, Welsh wonder Tom Jones is back (July 4) and this consummate professional is ready with an armoury of classics like It’s Not Unusual, She’s A Lady and Sexbomb.

Tom has been a music staple for more than six decades, and during that time he has racked up sales in excess of 100 million!
A Knighthood, many BRIT awards, a Silver Clef Award and a Hitmaker Award make that mantelpiece a busy place in his abode.
Tom will be supported by Beverley Knight, Stone Foundation and STORRY.

Pete Tong returns with Ibiza Classics (July 5). The electronic dance music pioneer has committed himself to transforming dance music into a global genre, and what a great job he has made of it!

Joining him at the Classics bash will be Jules Buckley, The Essential Orchestra, Groove Armada, Arielle Free and Five Past 5.
James (July 6) celebrated 40 years of music making in 2023, and the band aren’t slowing any, but they are offering something different for this performance, which will be orchestral, following on from last year’s anniversary opus, which reimagined their music with a 22-piece, orchestra and choir.

Expect a transformative musical experience where their hits will be elevated by dynamic layers of those aforementioned orchestral and choral additions.

One time Smiths guitarist turned solo hitmaker, Johnny Marr is also on the bill, along with Inspiral Carpets, The Magic Numbers and Tom A. Smith.

The ridiculously talented Nile Rodgers and CHIC (July 7) will wrap up a mammoth weekend for the town.

The multiple Grammy Award winning songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist has worked with Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran, and he’s had some none-too shabby collaborations with artists like Daft Punk and Beyonce, not forgetting his own deliveries like Le Freak, which was the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records.

Oh to have a pinch of that man’s talent.
A non-stop dance fest is a given, and it will start early – support comes from DJ Spoony, Deco and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Go check in and get those tickets at smmrsessions.com

At The National Bowl in Milton Keynes, Reggae Land will be king on August 3 & 4 with more than 80 artists appearing across four stages, with headliners including UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.

Music aside, there will be a Reggae Flea market, fairground, Carnival Float stage and dancers, not to mention a Caribbean Food Village, and drinks galore in the Rum Shacks, Gin Bars and Caribbean cocktail bars.

Chase & Status (August 10) play their biggest ever headliner at the venue with support from artists including Andy C, Hedex B2B Bou and Casisdead.

On August 11, the vibe will be different, but the buzz will be just as great when Yungblud brings his Bludfest to the venue.
Other artists on the bill include Lil Yachty, Soft Play, The Damned, Nessa Barrett, Lola Young and Jazmin Bean.
“Bludfest will blur the lines of genre and destroy the limitation of imagination,” Yungblud promised.