Parklife set to host dance music giants

Aug 27 2009 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

SOME of the biggest names in dance music will make their way to Lanarkshire next month, as Strathclyde Park gets set to host its second Parklife festival.

Top DJ Eddie Halliwell and trance legend Judge Jules are top of a star-studded bill that includes acts such as Darren Styles, Flip & Fill, N-Trance, Ultrabeat and Dutch techno producer Sander van Doorn.

Alongside the international names are county heroes Craig Kelman and Stevie Lennon, co-founders of the Stereofunk label and organisers of this year’s festival, which takes place on Saturday, September 12.

The lads, who set up the Stereofunk events held in Strathclyde Park over recent years as well as last year’s Parklife, are busy putting the finishing touches to a bill that has been organised in conjunction with fellow dance labels Inside Out, Clubland and Goodgreef.

Stevie, who is from Bellshill, explained that he thought that recent events in the economy might have had an adverse impact on ticket sales this year, after such a successful 2008 event.

The 30-year-old DJ told the Advertiser: “To be honest, I thought the recession would have meant less sales, and we did worry a bit about that, in the back of our minds.

“But it is now looking as if it is not going to affect that at all much and we are expecting a sell-out audience of around 7000 people.

“It seems as though people just want to get away from all the money worries and have a party and enjoy themselves.

“The line-up we have this year it is looking fantastic.

“We have organised it alongside Simon Foy at Inside Out and the Halliwells at Goodgreef.

“Parklife is going to be Eddie Halliwell’s only Scottish festival this year, so it should be something to remember, and the crowds will be dying to see him.

“Essentially, we have all the big names in every tent, so people will be able to choose what suits them best, be it Judge Jules – who is also doing a set for Stereofunk – or Clubland stuff from Darren Styles.

“People should come along and have good time.”

Overlooking the loch, Parklife boasts five arenas with over 50 DJs, and over 10 hours of party music, running from noon until 10.30pm.

Headliners on the Inside Out meets Fire it Up stage include global superstar Eddie Halliwell playing an exclusive set, Sander Van Doorn and Radio 1’s Judge Jules.

Hard house legends The Tidy Boys will perform on the Goodgreef Xtra Hard tent, alongside the likes of Dana and Kutski, with the Clubland Xtreme arena presenting DJs Darren Styles, Mark Breeze, Ultrabeat, and N-Trance.