The wait is over. After a month of speculation, anticipation and rumour, we can now announce the first acts of what’s shaping up to be a legendary Meltdown festival line-up. We’re delighted to confirm that Deftones, The Libertines, Manic Street Preachers, Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, Nine Inch Nails, Placebo, The Psychedelic Furs, 65daysofstatic, Alcest, The Anchoress, Kristin Hersh, Kathryn Joseph, MONO, and The Notwist will all be appearing at the 25th edition of our iconic music festival, curated by Robert Smith – the first of many more acts to be announced.
Meltdown is famed for bringing to life the world of its director here on the banks of the River Thames. And this jubilee year will be no different, with Robert Smith scouring the globe to hand-pick some of his favourite bands, bringing together trailblazers and pioneers from the worlds of indie, pop, glam, industrial, shoegaze, post-rock, electro, metal and beyond. Seminal alternative rock group The Psychedelic Furs will open Smith’s Meltdown, delivering an opening night performance on Friday 15th June, with Placebo (Saturday 16th June) and The Libertines (Sunday 17th June) also appearing on the Royal Festival Hall stage on the festival’s first weekend.
Influential welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers return to Southbank Centre for the first time since 2008 on Tuesday 19 June, whilst Deftones fly in for their only UK show the following night. Glasgow rock stalwarts Mogwai also play a one-off Royal Festival Hall gig on Thursday 21st June, with Nine Inch Nails making their debut on the same stage a day later. And on Saturday 23rd June shoegaze pioneers My Bloody Valentine return to the Royal Festival Hall stage for their first UK show in five years.
Robert Smith’s Meltdown festival takes place across Southbank Centre from 15th-24th June 2018, with performances in our 2,500 capacity Royal Festival Hall, and in our newly refurbished Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. More acts and dates will be confirmed in the coming weeks and months, so do stay tuned for further announcements.
