Lovebox, the capital’s immensely popular polysexual Sunday festival, returns this year with an unrivaled line-up of the cool, the chic, the eccentric and the eclectic to celebrate its 10th birthday! And this year the UK’s biggest free gay magazine, QX (that’s us) is an out-and-proud media partner to the event! Cliff Joannou chats to Lovebox maestro James Baillie…
Tell us about the Sunday performance line-up and what hot acts are booked this year?
The one new act I’m really looking forward to seeing this year is Niki & The Dove – she has a Kate Bush vibe going on. Chic featuring Nile Rogers will bring a huge disco party to the main stage, and Holly Johnson, one of our biggest gay icons, will be blasting out his hits from Frankie Goes To Hollywood through to his solo career. I had to bring back Azari & III again this year. Their new show is off the hook. And there’s Tyson, with his Sylvester/Studio 54 sound, and The Rapture – one of the pioneers of punk/funk/disco. I have still yet to announce some more of Sundays acts, so watch this space!
What clubs will be involved this year?
We have our Lovebox studs Horse Meat Disco back – always good for sweaty party in the NYC Downlow. Two of East London’s biggest club brands Trailer Trash and GutterSlut kick up a sweaty rave in the Big Top Arena, with DJ Hell and Tiga who will turn it into one hell of a rave. Jodie Harsh is back again this year bringing a bit of glamarama West-End action with This Is Circus in the Stockade. I’m very excited about developing a new area with Dalston Superstore this year, which is something new to Sunday Lovebox. It will feel like its own festival within a festival – with their own live stage, dance area and loads of other interesting stuff going on. It will reflect what the ’Superstore has brought to East London’s gay scene. We also have our charity partners Art Against Knives who’ll be teaching you how to strike a posse, and more exciting stuff to be announced very soon
Why the change of month from July to June?
We had to move Lovebox forward this year due to the Olympics.
The Sunday is known as the ‘gay’ day, but what else is happening across the Friday and Saturday that we should look out for?
On Friday, Hot Chip headline the main stage with Crystal Castles and French wonder boy Madeon. If it’s sick riffs ‘n’ beats you are looking for, Friday has plenty of this going on – Magnetic Man, Zinc, Boy Better Know, N Type, through to Sub Focus live, Rusko, Radio One’s Toddla T and 2 Bears on Saturday. After playing at Lovebox 2007 in one of the small tents, Friendly Fires are back in 2012 filling the top slot on the main stage, and rightly so. They are joined this year by two of the most talked about female artists on the planet – Emeli Sande and Azealia Banks – and I must not forget the amazing Little Dragon, and the legend that is Bobby Womack. There’s also plenty of DJ action from the likes of Prosumer [Panorama Bar], Move D and Dixon all in the NYC Downlow. The Big Top is hosted by Drum ‘n Bass legends Hospitality, whilst the Stockade will be kicking out some serious house music from The Crosstown Rebel camp.
JODIE HARSH ON THIS IS… CIRCUS
I’m so excited to bring ‘This Is…Circus’ back to Lovebox this year. In 2011 we had a ton of amazing DJs and performers, plus Kris Di Angelis’ amazing live DJ set with Boy George, Sugababes and Mel Blatt on vocals and a 12-piece orchestra. This year the vibe is on deep house music, with a mixture of Circus regular DJs and some very special guests. We want to bring the Studio 54 style club experience that the This Is…Circus family created in London to an outdoor festival crowd. Naturally, there will be some big names and recognisable faces on that stage, and lots of surprises. Think a warehouse party meets a Madonna concert – sexy music, video screens, special effects and pinch-yourself moments. We’re looking forward to QX being our media partner for the stage – bring on Sunday 17th June! Until then, pray for scorching sunshine and keep an eye out on Lovebox social media for line-up announcements.
• Keep an eye out in QX – an official Lovebox media partner – for updates as they are confirmed. Tickets and further details at www.lovebox.net
