BST Hyde Park Returns With A Host Of Stars

London’s biggest and best summer music festival series returns in 2022 after a pandemic-induced two-year hiatus, With British Summer Time bringing their Great Oak Stage back to London’s iconic Hyde Park. And what a ridiculous line-up they’re bringing!

Festivities kick off on Friday 24th June with the living legend that is Sir Elton John opening the series, with concerts running across three consecutive weekends and a free midweek programme called Open House available to the public on the festival site. The show will form part of the iconic musician’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which saw him begin in Allentown, Pennsylvania on 8 September 2018 and will take in over 300 concerts worldwide, finishing in 2023.

Saturday 25th June sees The Rolling Stones return to Hyde Park as they celebrate 60 years of being together for the first of two nights across the series that will, no doubt, go down in history — as have the Mick Jagger-fronted rock legends’ previous shows at Hyde Park. This time, however, founding member and drummer Charlie Watts will no longer be with us, having passed away last summer. The wonderful Steve Jordan taking over on sticks will, no doubt, ensure a raucous night is had by all.

The War On Drugs, Phoebe Bridgers and Vista Kicks are just some of the other incredible acts playing across the various BST stages on 25th June with the likes of Sam Fender, Courtney Barnett and The Flints joining The Stones at their second show on Sunday 3rd July.

Legendary American rockers and Hotel California-hitmakers The Eagles take over The Great Oak Stage on Sunday 26th June as they celebrate a massive 50 years together with none other than the duo of former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and Alison Krauss joining them. Country superstars Little Big Town make the trip to this side of the pond too along with Country star Cam.

Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd of July are reserved for English superstar Adele, who will bring her 2021 record 30 to life on The Great Oak Stage along with a selection of hits from across her catalogue and, no doubt, a sprinkling of colourfoul language as she is notorious for bringing to her live shows.

Friday 8th and Saturday 9th of July belong to the Seattle-hailing rock icons Pearl Jam with 4 of 5 founding members along with former Soundgarden sticksman Matt Cameron, who has been with the group since 1999 all in attendance. Known for their blistering but soulful Pacific Northwestern flavour of raw rock entitled “grunge” when that was trendy, Pearl Jam continue to wow the masses with their vibrant energy, staying power and the dulcet tones of frontman Eddie Vedder.

Across the two dates, Pearl Jam are joined by Pixies, Stereophonics, White Reaper and Imelda May to name but a few of the other incredible acts playing across the site’s stages.

The 10-day event is brought to an end with British New Wave legends Duran Duran closing proceedings on The Great Oak Stage on Sunday 10th July, the Birmingham-hailing quartet featuring legend Simon Le Bon on vocals and the other Roger Taylor on drums who will, no doubt, bring the hits to Hyde Park following a triumphant contribution to the wonderful concert held on the steps of Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. None other than the legendary Nile Rodgers & Chic join Duran Duran as well as many more acts still to be announced.

BST is always a fantastic day out at London’s most iconic green spaces which is supported, in part, by The Royal Parks. The Royal Parks is the charity that exists to make sure London’s eight historic royal parks will always be there to enrich the lives of local residents and visitors to London.

This recently created charity does this by:

Sensitively and sustainably protecting and conserving the heritage landscapes of the parks
Adding value to every visit by providing information and opportunities to find out more about the historic significance of the parks and the wildlife that lives in them today
Supporting and encouraging the development of biodiversity in the parks
Encouraging visitors to support their physical and mental health by using the parks for relaxation and exercise

It costs £40m a year to manage the parks. The charity raises around 75 percent of this money itself, with the remaining 25 per cent coming from the Government.

Full listing to date:

Fri 24th Jun: Elton John
Sat 25th Jun: The Rolling Stones + The War On Drugs, Phoebe Bridgers, Vista Kicks, JJ Rosa, Kelly McGrath
Sun 26th Jun: Eagles+ Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Little Big Town, Cam, Morgan Wade, The Wandering Hearts, Patrick Droney
Fri 1st Jul: Adele
Sat 2nd Jul: Adele
Sun 3rd Jul: The Rolling Stones + Sam Fender, Courtney Barnett, Christone Kingfish Ingram, The Dinner Party, The Flints
Fri 8th Jul: Pearl Jam + Pixies, Cat Power, White Reaper, The Murder Capital, The Glorious Sons, Simon Townshend, La Luz, Sick Joy, Dream Nails
Sat 9th Jul: Pearl Jam+ Stereophonics, Imelda May, The Last Internationale, La Luz, JJ Wilde, The Wild Things
Sun 10th Jul: Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers & Chic

Photos by Kalpesh Patel and Simon Reed

Florence + The Machine Welcome Us To The Matriarchy @ BST In Hyde Park

Gracie Abrams Announces Third Album ‘Daughter From Hell’ And Unveils Lead Single ‘Hit The Wall’

Gracie Abrams is entering a bold new era with the announcement of her third studio album Daughter From Hell, set for release on 17th July. Alongside the announcement, the GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter has also shared the album’s lead single, Hit The Wall, offering fans a first glimpse into what promises to be another emotionally charged and deeply personal collection.

Dan + Shay Announce Deeply Personal New Album ‘Young’ And Share Inspiring Title Track

Country-pop superstars Dan + Shay have unveiled details of their highly anticipated sixth studio album Young, set for release on 21st August. Alongside the announcement, the GRAMMY®-winning duo have shared the album’s heartfelt title track, offering fans an emotional first glimpse into what promises to be their most intimate record to date.

Issac Ryan Brown Keeps Momentum Surging With Infectious New Single ‘Life Of The Party’

Issac Ryan Brown’s rapid ascent continues with the release of his vibrant new single Life Of The Party, a glossy pop-R&B anthem that further establishes the 20-year-old as one of the genre’s most exciting breakout stars.

Jamie Grey Channels Heartfelt Honesty On New Single ‘Unequivocal’

Rising UK singer-songwriter Jamie Grey continues to cement his reputation as one of Britain’s most emotionally authentic new voices with the release of his powerful new single, Unequivocal.

Jesse Roper (Danielle Lindenlaub & Kim Jay of Ethos Imagery)

Jesse Roper Turns Up The Heat With Fiery New EP ‘Daisy Wake Up’

Canadian singer-songwriter Jesse Roper is continuing his steady rise on both sides of the Atlantic with the release of his brand-new EP Daisy Wake Up, a six-track collection that finds the acclaimed guitarist and storyteller leaning fully into his love of gritty blues-rock and high-energy Americana.

Headwreck Join EMPIRE And Unleash Explosive New Single ‘Raindrops’

Australian nu-metal rising stars Headwreck have taken another major step towards international breakout success, announcing a new partnership with independent powerhouse EMPIRE alongside the release of their ferocious new single, Raindrops.

Bruce Foxton @ Cadogan Hall (Louise Phillips)

Bruce Foxton & Chris Difford Bring Nostalgia And Charm To London’s Cadogan Hall

There are few venues in London better suited to an evening of sharp songwriting and classic British wit than the wonderfully elegant Cadogan Hall. For the first of two nights at the venue, Bruce Foxton and special guest Chris Difford delivered a show steeped in nostalgia, humour and timeless songs that have long since become woven into the fabric of British music culture. While Difford provided warmth and charm through a career-spanning opening set, Foxton and his band revisited the enduring catalogue of The Jam with the confidence and polish of musicians who know exactly what their audience wants.

Brian Fallon Returns With First Solo Music In Over Five Years On ‘Not Bad For New Jersey’ And ‘Better Before’

Brian Fallon has returned with his first original solo material in more than five years, unveiling two brand-new tracks: Not Bad For New Jersey and Better Before. Released via Fallon’s own Lesser Known Records, the songs mark a fresh chapter for the New Jersey songwriter while reconnecting with the heartland rock and power-pop sensibilities that have defined his career both as a solo artist and as frontman of The Gaslight Anthem.