Here We Go Magic, Taylor McFerrin, NZ Shapeshifter plus Fuel presents ElectricHotel

Eastnor Castle Deer Park,Herefordshire, 4th – 7th August 2011

Tom Middleton

Big Chill veteran Tom Middleton will perform one of his legendary sets onthe Deer Park Stage, as well as heading up his own stage this year. The BigChill also adds American indie act Here We Go Magic, fronted by singerLuke Temple, live drum ‘n’ bass maestros, NZ Shapeshifter and one-manmusic-making machine, Taylor McFerrin to the bill. Confirmed for the artsprogramme are Fuel’s dance and sound spectacular Electric Hotel and The Simple Things in Life.

Tom Middleton, one half of Global Communication and a DJ in his own right, will be an integral part of The Big Chillthis year. Having performed at every year of the festival for the last 16 years, 2011 sees Middleton host a stage of hisown to build on that legacy. Now also added to his pleasantly hectic Big Chill schedule, a DJ set on the Deer ParkStage on Saturday featuring his expert blend of experimental, progressive and ambient electronic sounds.

Tom Middleton comments: “Fantastic to still be involved in The Big Chill! To have witnessed its growth and evolutionfrom a humble 500 folk in a field to hosting 10's of thousands of 'Chillers' at the glorious Eastnor Castle. And heartwarming to see Festival Republic's clear investment in preserving and expanding upon the original spirit of The BigChill. The truly eclectic and entertaining line ups of classic artists and DJ's to suit all tastes playing alongside thehottest new talent, with inspiring art installations, genuinely family friendly areas, the ultra chilled holistic therapies, andendless stalls punting a vast choice of 'mouthgasmic' global gastronomy. I'm looking forward to Djing and alsocurating a tastemaker space stacked with Function-One over the 3 nights showcasing the sickest undergroundemotive electronic and bass music Artists and DJ's on the scene.”

Another addition to the feast of offerings on the Deer Park Stage comes from the Brooklyn-based five-piece HereWe Go Magic who will perform on Friday. Fronted by Luke Temple, Here We Go Magic was previously the monikerfor Temple as a solo artist; however in 2009 he recruited four musicians to make the project a full live band. Havingreceived praise from Pitchfork and a reported seal of approval from Thom Yorke, the audience can expect greatthings from the ethereal indie act.

Bringing skilfully arranged drum ‘n’ bass to The Big Chill will be NZ Shapeshifter, blending electronic sounds withheavy soul. The five-piece band, originating from New Zealand, are guaranteed to deliver monstrous live grooves thatsynthesize barrelling drum ‘n’ bass, cavernous dub soundscapes and pounding hard rock. NZ Shapeshifter’senergetic set takes place on The Revellers’ Stage on Saturday.

With support from the likes of Benji B and Giles Peterson to name but a few, Taylor McFerrin has been involved withmusic in many forms in addition to his own solo output. McFerrin has produced Brooklyn’s The Electric Baby, playskeyboards with cutting edge freestyle trio The Cell Theory and has played alongside his Grammy award-winningfather, Bobby McFerrin. Rooted in 60’s soul but looking forward to the future sound of hip-hop, Taylor McFerrinmixes Rhodes, synths, samples and beat boxing to create his slick laid-back tunes which will play out on ThePeople’s Ear Stage on Sunday.

The first additions to The Big Chill’s arts programme are also confirmed:

Fuel presents Electric Hotel, a lonely, bizarre and beautiful outdoor spectacle; a uniquely designed, fly-by-night hotelbrought to vivid life through dance and sound by the team of David Rosenberg (director and co-founder of Shunt)and Frauke Requardt (choreographer, Pictures from an Exhibition at Sadler’s Wells/Young Vic) with Börkur Jónsson(designer, Woyzeck at Barbican, Metamorphosis at Lyric Hammersmith). Sitting on the outside looking in, theaudience snatch glimpses of the do-not-disturb lives unfolding behind the floor to ceiling windows. Wearingheadphones to eavesdrop on the internal spaces of the building they watch the residents in their privaterooms: the natural habits, the unnatural fantasies and housekeeping of wildly varied quality.

Praised by The Guardian as “one of the most exciting and indispensable producing outfits working in British theatretoday” Fuel also presents The Simple Things in Life. Five short experiences to celebrate the simple things in life withLewis Gibson, David Harradine, The London Snorkelling Team, Frauke Requardt and Barnaby Stone. A table with astory to tell, a band bursting at the seams, a sound journey through a good book, a surreal and mesmerising dance,and an installation that takes flight – each found inside a garden shed.

With much more to be announced, the arts programme at The Big Chill promises to be a wealth of creative,interactive and immersive experiences across film, dance, comedy, cabaret, visual art and more.

Now a fully fledged member of the Festival Republic family The Big Chill is poised to build further on the successesof 2010. Last year saw an international line-up of some of the biggest selling names in electronic, indie and popmusic and 2011 sees another all-star cast taking to The Big Chill stages including an exclusive UK festivalappearance by Kanye West plus The Chemical Brothers and Rodrigo y Gabriela. The Big Chill takes place from 4th to 7th of August 2011 at Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Ledbury, Herefordshire.