Date: Tuesday 11 June 2019, 10.00am Contact: Phoebe Gardiner, [email protected] / 020 7921 0967 ​ ​ ​ Alexandra Shaw [email protected] / 020 7921 0676 ​ ​ Images: available here ​ ​ Full festival listings: available here ​ ​ Jungle and Johnny Marr join the line-up for Nile Rodgers’ Meltdown at Southbank Centre (L-R) Jungle; Johnny Marr © Niall Lea Also featuring: Kero Kero Bonito, Nicky Siano, Onyx Collective, Nakhane, V**gra Boys, Azekel, Radiant Children, Anaïs, Yael Naim, Peter Cat Recording Co., Richard Norris, and a special evening with Nile Rodgers and Merck Mercuriadis in conversation. Today Southbank Centre announces further names for this year’s Meltdown festival curated by Nile ​ ​ ​ Rodgers, including five days of the hottest parties in London, open to all and totally free. The longest ​ running artist-curated festival in the world returns for its 26th year taking over the 17-acre site on the south bank of the River Thames from 3-11 August with nine days of unmissable music. ​ ​ Tickets go on sale to Southbank Centre Members on 12 June and to the general public on 14 June at ​ southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown. A limited number of tickets to previously sold-out events will also be ​ released. Joining the line-up today are: Jungle, the West London duo Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson, who ​ ​ have gained a reputation for one of the most exciting live acts today, joined on the Royal Festival Hall stage by their seven-piece band for a high-energy night of aspiration, escapism and modern soul (5 Aug, RFH); guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr, who brings his legendary guitar and hits both old ​ ​ ​ ​ and new for a very special evening in Royal Festival Hall (8 Aug, RFH); and a host of the hottest new sounds from across the globe, including London-based synth pop experimentals Kero Kero Bonito, high ​ ​ energy New York jazz from Onyx Collective, transatlantic trio Radiant Children, Franco-Israeli ​ ​ ​ ​ singer-songwriter Yael Naim and the powerful, emotionally-charged South African singer, Nakhane. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rodgers sets the mood of his festival with five big free outdoor parties running each weekend until 1am on Southbank Centre’s sunny Riverside Terrace and across the site. Disco Wonderland is a free day-long ​ ​ disco honouring the curator’s own sequin-spangled career, featuring a mass disco anthem singalong led by London’s Some Voices choir, and DJs spinning dance hits until 1am (3 Aug). Sunday afternoon is carnival time, as Meltdown Mardi Gras comes to town, with a battalion of brass, a riverside parade, lindy hopping ​ ​ ​ and a breakdance battle with the public crowning the winner. Rodgers’ commitment to supporting emerging talent is showcased in And The Beat Goes On (9 Aug): an ​ ​ afternoon of free performance from the best young musicians across the UK, including rising stars at the world-famous BRIT School (whose alumni include Amy Winehouse, Adele and Loyle Carner), topped with a showstopping headliner. On Saturday (10 Aug) Meltdown celebrates CHIC’s place in the original underground LGBTQ ballroom ​ ​ culture, as the soundtrack for a generation to dance, vogue and pose, in the C’est Chic Vogue Ball. In this ​ ​ Meltdown exclusive, groups - known as ‘Houses’ - from London and beyond ‘walk’ - i.e., compete - on the ​ ​ riverside runway in a host of extravagant categories for trophies, prizes, and ultimate glory. The final day goes back to Rodgers’ roots and showcases one of his first loves - jazz. Ministry of ​ Meltdown (11 Aug) celebrates the explosion of activity and innovation in the genre from South London ​ ​ featuring some of the most exciting names on the scene playing out the festival on the Riverside Stage until 1am. Nile Rodgers, Curator, said: “In curating Meltdown I’m effectively creating my own live concert playlist of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ my favourite artists, new and old. I’m delighted to announce the addition of Jungle and my great friend Johnny Marr to the lineup as well as new artists like Kero Kero Bonito, Anaïs and Nakhane. Alongside the incredible artists previously announced such as Eurythmics Songbook, KOKOROKO, SOPHIE and CHIC every night is going to be special.” ​ Artists announced today: ● NICKY SIANO: The original resident weeknight DJ at Studio 54, Siano joins the line-up for A Night ​ ​ of Studio 54 (3 Aug, QEHF). For one night only the Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer is transformed into ​ the notorious New York nightclub complete with state-of-the-art soundsystem, roller-skating go-go dancers and legendary DJs. A limited number of tickets to this currently sold-out event to be released 12 and 14 June. ● ONYX COLLECTIVE: The elusive, nebulous ensemble bring their energetic punk jazz sounds from ​ New York to London to support Thundercat in Royal Festival Hall (4 Aug, RFH) ● YAEL NAIM: In her only live performance of 2019 announced to date, Franco-Israeli ​ singer-songwriter, producer, pianist and guitarist brings her pop-folk sounds in English and Hebrew to Purcell Room (4 Aug, PUR) ● ANAЇS: London-based singer and musician Anaïs is one to watch. She brings her epic 90s pop-soul ​ vibe and impressive vocal skills to Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room in a not-to-be-missed chance to catch her on such an intimate stage (5 Aug, PUR) ● AZEKEL: The Nigerian-born, East London-based singer-songwriter, musician and producer with a ​ co-sign from the late Prince, and collaborations with Gorillaz and Massive Attack under his belt, brings his personal, confessional and soulful R&B to Purcell Room for one intimate evening (7 Aug, PUR) ● RICHARD NORRIS: London-based musician and producer brings his ambient, deep listening and ​ experimental grooves to support Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein performing the music of cult TV hit Stranger Things (7 Aug, RFH) ​ ● NEW FRONTIERS IN MUSIC: In an enviable opportunity to hear from two music industry ​ heavyweights, Nile Rodgers is joined in conversation by his manager and business partner, Merck Mercuriadis, former manager of globally successful artists such as Beyoncé, Elton John and Guns N’ Roses, and founder of Hipgnosis Songs Fund, the only fund listed on the London Stock Exchange that invests and offers shares in the songs and associated intellectual property rights of songwriters. The event, New Frontiers in Music, will be recorded live for a very special edition of the ​ ​ ​ Sodajerker On Songwriting podcast, hosted by Liverpool-based songwriting team Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor, and featuring some of the most successful songwriters in the world (8 Aug, QEH) ​ ● KERO KERO BONITO: Synthpop clashes with Japanese rap and indie rock influences for this ​ Queen Elizabeth Hall debut from experimental London trio Kero Kero Bonito (9 Aug, QEH) ● NAKHANE: Love, joy and self-acceptance emerges from trauma in Nakhane’s enchanting and ​ emotionally charged music, revealing a truly unique voice in modern pop. The South African-born, London-based trailblazer comes to Meltdown for his only 2019 London show announced to date (9 ​ ​ Aug, PUR) ● PETER CAT RECORDING CO.: In a Meltdown special edition of Southbank Centre’s regular ​ ​ ​ free-gig Friday slot, Peter Cat Recording Co. perform their genreless blend of gypsy jazz, psychedelic cabaret, ballroom waltzes and epic space disco in Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer (9 Aug, QEH Foyer) ● V**GRA BOYS: Fresh from the release of their critically acclaimed full album, Street Worms, this ​ ​ ​ Swedish six-part make their Southbank Centre debut, bringing their punk rock sound from Stockholm to London for a night of unadulterated raw energy (11 Aug, QEH) ● RADIANT CHILDREN: Creators of one of the most original releases of the year, Tryin’, transatlantic ​ ​ ​ trio Radiant Children join the Meltdown line-up with their blend of R&B, soul, funk and jazz, ​ ​ infectious melodies and captivating lyrics, for a Southbank Centre debut (11 Aug, PUR) Full festival listings available here. ​ ​ Southbank Centre’s award-winning Meltdown festival is famous for bringing to life the vision of a different ​ ​ musical legend each year as Curator. Nile Rodgers follows in the footsteps of 25 artists selected to share their vision – from the very first curator, British composer George Benjamin in 1993, though other luminaries ​ ​ such as Laurie Anderson, John Peel, David Bowie, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, Massive Attack, Ornette Coleman, Yoko Ono, David Byrne, M.I.A and, in 2018, Robert Smith. #ENDS# Nile Rodgers’ Meltdown: 3-11 August 2019 ​ ​ Southbank Centre, London, UK Tickets will go on sale to Southbank Centre Members on 12 June and to the general public on 14 June www.southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown / 0203 879 9555 ​ ​ Press images can be downloaded here. ​ ​ Full listings can be seen here. ​ ​ For further press information please contact: Phoebe Gardiner [email protected] / 020 7921 0967 ​ ​ Alexandra Shaw [email protected] / 020 7921 0676 ​ ​ For more information about Nile Rodgers, please contact: Fran DeFeo - [email protected] Join the conversation: #meltdownfest @meltdownfest @southbankcentre www.southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown NOTES TO EDITORS About Nile Rodgers + CHIC Among music legends, Nile Rodgers is truly exceptional. He amplifies his legacy as a multiple GRAMMY-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist by constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music. As the co-founder of CHIC and the newly elected Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rodgers pioneered a musical language that