BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2020 will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend as planned but online instead of in Dundee.
Sam Smith, Biffy Clyro, Anne-Marie, Young T & Bugsey and Rita Ora are the first artists to join the bill, with all five performing new live sets. Over 100 artists will be involved with more acts to be announced in the coming weeks.
Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2020 was originally planned to take place in Dundee’s Camperdown Park, but was cancelled in March of this year after restrictions were put in place to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The event aims to have over 50 brand new live sets recorded by artists from their own homes, as well as bringing back around 50 of the most memorable performances from previous Big Weekends.
Greg James says: “I’m so pleased we can bring the listeners a brand new version of our Big Weekend this year. It’s our absolute favourite event of the year and we love saying thanks to our listeners for being such a big part of the radio station.
“It’ll be a great opportunity to re-live some of our favourite performances from over the years and although it’ll be a technical nightmare, having some new performances from artists’ houses will be great for everyone to have something fun to watch and listen to over the Bank Holiday Weekend. And if it all goes wrong, we can just blame the pandemic and say that at least we tried.”
? #BigWeekend UK 2020 is GO! ?
Surprise! We’re bringing Big Weekend to wherever you are, with our first remote festival on the 22nd, 23rd & 24th May.@AnneMarie@BiffyClyro@RitaOra@SamSmith@YoungTandBugsey
will all be playing brand new sets, plus more to be announced! ? pic.twitter.com/r0bLJ8bPZ4
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) May 5, 2020
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Programmes for Radio 1, says: “Every year Radio 1’s Big Weekend is an opportunity for us to give something back to our listeners, and this year will be no different. I’m delighted that, despite the challenging times we find ourselves in, we’re still able to host an event that brings people together. We look forward to celebrating across the Bank Holiday weekend with over 50 incredible new live performances, around 50 classic sets, five stages, and some of the biggest artists in the world, with the most exciting new acts.”
It’ll be on BBC Radio 1 throughout the weekend along with BBC Sounds.
Posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2020 at 3:49 pm by RadioToday UK