Discovery Festival line-up unveiled: Check out the A-listers set to rock Dundee this summer
The epic list of acts has been revealed as the festival’s organiser pledges to re-invent live music festivals in underserved parts of the UK.
Discovery Festival is the brainchild of Liz Hobbs MBE, a former world-champion water skier turned live events visionary.
She wanted to host a festival that combines huge line-ups, family-friendly format and a unique twist with ‘80s Calling – a day dedicated to celebrating the decade that shaped a generation of music lovers.
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I wanted to take music to places that don’t usually host it and give communities access to live experiences they might not normally get.
The result? Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Marc Almond, The Wanted 2.0 and Haircut One Hundred will be headed to Dundee this summer along with Five, The Libertines, Tony Hadley and Level 42.
Prices start at £53.50 and are available on the website now.
All you need to know about Discovery Festival
Three amazing days of music will take place at Slessor Gardens in Dundee from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 July.
Friday is set to be a massive celebration of British guitar music. Joining The Libertines fresh from their stadium tour with Robbie Williams are The Lottery Winners, while Sheffield favourites Reverend and The Makers will also bring their trademark grooves.
Saturday promises to be a full day packed with nostalgia, energy, and singalong classics. Leading the ‘80s Calling! line-up are suave frontman Tony Hadley and 80s funk pop maestros Level 42. They will be joined by synth-pop icon Marc Almond, new wave favourites Haircut One Hundred, Scottish pop-soul duo Hue & Cry and the sensational Jaki Graham. Expect big tunes, big hair and crazy outfits!
Then on Sunday the festival’s spectacular last day sees 90s chart-topping boyband Five headline. They will be supported by dance pop diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Scottish alt-pop firebrand Roisin McCarney. Joining them to close an epic weekend of unmissable live music moments are The Wanted 2.0 and The Amy Winehouse Band.
‘Take the music to the people’
Discovery Festival founder Liz Hobbs dominated world-level water skiing for more than a decade, winning British, European, and world titles and setting multiple speed records. Her success earned her a nomination for BBC Sports Personality of the Year and she was later awarded an MBE for her services to sport, but it also laid the foundation for a career in live entertainment.
After landing broadcasting roles with Yorkshire Television, Sky Sports and BBC Radio 2, she transitioned into live music after spotting the untapped potential of post-race concerts.
"It was an evolution really," she explained. "I realised these venues were underused, and people loved live music.
"Many venues struggle outside match days. Music gives them a secondary revenue stream, keeps jobs, and shows people there’s more to the venue than sport.”
Last year she launched Discovery Festival, a series of weekend music festivals landing in Dundee, Plymouth, and Darlington to bring world-class artists to new places and new audiences.
Tickets are designed to offer value for festivalgoers thanks to her lifelong philosophy: take the music to the people, not the people to the music.
"This is just the start,” she adds. "I hope each festival grows its own identity, continues to open doors for people, and shows that combining music, sport, and community works beautifully."
Book tickets now
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Find out more about Discovery Festival in Dundee on their website now.