Month: March 2011

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At Hay 2011 – The Latest List

A week ahead of the announcement of the full programme here is our latest list of 67 names appearing at this year’s Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts:

  • Afro Celt Sound System
  • Alfred Brendel
  • Andrew Davies
  • Anne Robinson
  • Bettany Hughes
  • Bob Geldof
  • Bjørn Lomborg
  • Brian Cox
  • Cerys Matthews
  • Chris Evans
  • Colin Thubron
  • DBC Pierre
  • Dara O’Briain
  • David Baddiel
  • David Miliband
  • Dermot Healy
  • Lord Digby Jones
  • Dylan Jones
  • Edward Doxc
  • Eliza Carthy
  • Eoin Colfer
  • Eric Hobsbawm
  • Gary Shteyngart
  • Henning Mankell
  • Howard Jacobson
  • Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
  • Izzeldin Abuelais
  • Jacqueline Wilson
  • Jason Bradbury
  • Jean-Marie le Clezio
  • Jo Brand
  • Joan Bakewell
  • John Gimlette
  • John Waters
  • Ladysmith Black Mambazo
  • Lefty
  • Malorie Blackman
  • Marc Dubois
  • Mariella Frostrup
  • Meg Rosoff
  • Mitch Benn
  • Mohamed El Baradei,
  • Monarchy
  • Monty Don
  • Natalie Clein
  • Nigella Lawson
  • Ojos de Brujo
  • Owen Sheers
  • Paul Merton
  • Paul Nurse
  • Philip Pullman
  • Polly Samson
  • Raja Shehadeh
  • Ralph Fiennes
  • Rob Lowe
  • Rolf Heuer
  • Rowan Williams
  • Roy Foster
  • Sandi Toksvig
  • Sarah Brown
  • Simon Russell Beale
  • Simon Schama
  • SJ Parris
  • Sue Perkins
  • Toby Harnden
  • Vanessa Redgrave
  • Victoria Coren
  • VS Naipaul
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Hay Festival…of Music

The Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts has been quietly downgrading its full title over the years in favour of the shorter form – The Guardian or latterly Telegraph Hay Festival.  Whilst literature is at the core of the ten-day event, comedy and music are also high on the agenda.  A year ago festival founder Peter Florence said that Wales lacked a rock festival to rival Glastonbury, Leeds and Reading.  It seems that with the Hay Festival he is quietly plugging that gap.  Hot Chip, PJ Harvey, Jools Holland, Buena Vista Social Club, Beth Orton, Toumani Diabate and Nicky Wire are just a few on the artists that have taken the stage in recent years.

This years musical line-up promises to be as compelling as ever. The line up so-far is:

  • Afro Celt Sound System
  • Bob Geldof
  • Cerys Matthews
  • Eliza Carthy
  • Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
  • Ladysmith Black Mambazo
  • Monarchy
  • Natalie Clein
  • Ojos de Brujo

Afro Celt Sound System

The celebrated masters of fusion open the festival this year  mixing modern techno rhythms with traditional Irish and West African music.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is a 9-piece, Chicago-based brass group eight of whom are brothers and the sons of jazz musician Kelan Phil Cohran on horns.  They started as a street band before beginning a recording career in 2004 and appeared on the third Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

An acapella male choral group from South Africa they take their name from their home town of Ladysmith in the province of Kwazulu Natal.  They gained initial fame after working with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland.  They are one of South Africa’s most enduring artists.

Monarchy

Ra Black and Andrew Armstrong together are Monarchy – a British synthpop outfit based in London but hailing originally from Australia. The  are also produces and remixers who have worked with Penguin Prison and Fyfe Dangerfield, the founder member of the Guillemots.