Patti Smith Meltdown Lineup

By Rob Last edited 227 months ago
Patti Smith Meltdown Lineup
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The details of the lineup for the Patti Smith-curated 2005 Meltdown festival have been released.

The Guardian has some of the details online, but here's a bit of a breakdown of who you'll be seeing on the South Bank this Summer.

John Cale will be bringing his particular brand of instrumentalism to the proceedings.

The 'French Algerian Johnny Cash': Rachid Taha will be supplying a bit of country-punk.

Marc Almond, Neil Finn and others will be on hand to celebrate the music theatre of German dramatist Bertolt Brecht.

Alt-Country legend Steve Earle will be putting in an appearance alongside fellow fret virtuoso Jeff Beck; and Chilli Peppers Flea and John Frusciante will be paying homage to Jimi Hendrix...so God knows what that will sound like.

Although we doubt the man himself will turn up (though you never know) Beth Orton and Sinead O'Connor will be among a number of performers interpreting the work of William Blake.

Post-punk survivors Television will also be performing at Smith's behest; as will the never boring Yoko Ono and the achingly fashionable Antony and the Johnsons.

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Perhaps most excitingly, an event titled The Coral Sea, will feature the rarely glimsped Kevin Shields (left) and there's another throwback/legend on offer in the form of Billy Bragg.

There will also be a series of films selected by Smith to be screened in the Purcell Room, and even a free exhibition of Smith's photographic work.

Got all that? Ok then. Tickets go on sale on Thursday 5 May at 9.00am from the South Bank Centre Box Office, the phone number for which is 08703 808 300. Or you can book Online www.rfh.org.uk/meltdown. Good luck.

Last Updated 29 April 2005