News Preview: T In The Park 2013

This year’s edition of Scotland’s best-known music festival is a landmark one. Celebrating 20 years as one of the UK’s largest and most popular festivals, T In The Park 2013 features a wide range of bands and artists; there are few other festivals that’d pit Rihanna up against My Bloody Valentine as Saturday night headliners. This year’s three-day gathering at Balado features a typical selection of high profile main stage headliners in the shape of Mumford & Sons, Rihanna and The Killers. Elsewhere, there are a number of striking performers who promise to make T In The Park’s birthday celebration very special. As a guide to some of the innumerable talents complementing those three headliners, we have handily compiled a guide to seven stand-out artists across the stages at this weekend’s festival.

Kendrick Lamar

(Main Stage, Friday 12th)

After a tremendously successful year in which he has cemented his position as one of the hottest rappers on the planet, the self-professed ‘King’ Kendrick Lamar takes to T in the Park’s main stage. It’s hugely thrilling for a genuine crossover rapper to make the step out of the underground without compromising any of his principles or innate gift for richly defined storytelling and hooks a plenty. T’s main stage will provide a fitting location for Kendrick’s UK festival coronation.

Kraftwerk

(King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent, Friday 12th)

When the organisers of T in the Park were compiling their anniversary line up the intention was to provide something truly special and memorable. It doesn’t come more memorable than legendary electronic pioneers Kraftwerk bringing their stunning live show to T’s King Tut’s tent. The dark, intense vibe of the tent will be the perfect location for the German trio’s pulsing synthesised sounds as they promise to deliver a career-spanning set.

My Bloody Valentine

(Transmissions Stage, Saturday 13th)

Signing up My Bloody Valentine off the back of their outstanding comeback album ‘mbv’ is perhaps this year’s festival’s greatest coup. Marking their first ever Scottish festival appearance, Kevin Shields and co promise to lay waste to the tiny Transmissions tent as they wage a torrent of swirling noise in opposition to Rihanna’s ultra slick pop theatre. It’s juxtapositions like these that help make T so unique.

Frank Ocean

(Main Stage, Sunday 14th)

This is one show that certainly will be worth seeing. Despite his massive success with ‘Channel Orange’, the Odd Future-affiliated singer has performed relatively few live shows in the UK. The main stage audience at Balado on Sunday is in for a rare old treat. There are certain festival performances that are must-see events; Frank Ocean’s appearance at T in the Park undoubtedly falls into that category.

Foals

(Radio 1 Stage, Sunday 14th)

The evolution of Foals into a formidable live machine replete with a wealth of enormous festival anthems has been striking. The Oxford group’s third album ‘Holy Fire’ saw them refining their visceral, yet increasingly, melodic sound into a richly compelling form. They are no longer a promising, developing band. Instead, they are undoubted headliners in waiting. Consider their Radio 1 stage set on Sunday a dry run for the future.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

(King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent, Sunday 14th)

2013 has been a triumphant year for the New Yorkers. The trio’s fourth album ‘Mosquito’ is a dark, elusive and fascinating creature. Encompassing everything that’s great about the band, it represents a hugely successful comeback. It’s richly deserved then that the band has the honour of closing the King Tut’s tent on Sunday night. Not only is their live show as incendiary as ever, any chance at all to witness Karen O in action in the flesh must not be passed up under any circumstances.

CHVRCHES

(Transmissions Stage, Sunday 14th)

T would not be complete without some homegrown heroes. CHVRCHES’ considerable star has been on the rise for quite some time now off the back of some of the best pop singles you could ever hope to hear and a striking sensory overload live show. The Glasgow trio are gearing up for the release of their debut album in September but before that comes this appearance at T in the Park. Get there very early is all we can say.