Rockers both modern (Kid Rock, the Killers, the Raconteurs) and classic (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, the Doobie Brothers) along with a smattering of country, blues, folk, R&B and hip-hop artists will be performing at the inaugural Orlando Calling festival Nov. 12-13 at the city's Citrus Bowl football stadium.
The event is the first U.S. endeavor for Festival Republic, the Live Nation-owned U.K. production and promotion firm that puts on the annual Reading & Leeds Festivals, Latitude and the Big Chill in the U.K., Ireland's Electric Picnic and Germany's Berlin Festival. Melvin Benn, the company's managing director, is also one of the producers of the Glastonbury Festival.
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Orlando Calling will feature four stages of all American artists and bands, with the first day leaning towards modern sounds while the second will feature classic rock and older artists. It marks the Killers' first U.S. show in more than three years, as well as the first time Detroit standard bearers Seger and Kid Rock have played on the same bill with their own bands (though each has guested at the other's shows).
Other notables on the bill include the Raconteurs, who are also headlining the MI Fest on Sept. 17 in Michigan, the Pixies, the Roots, O.A.R., the Avett Brothers, Buddy Guy, Warren Haynes, the Flatlanders and Michelle Branch. The producers are planning an intimate coffee house-style site within the stadium for folks, bluegrass, jazz and other "legacy" artists, as well as exhibitions by regional artisans and late-night performances and parties in downtown Orlando.
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The city will also run shuttles from downtown to the festival site.
In a statement, Benn says that, "I am massively excited at the thought of creating an American Music Festival in the sunshine state. Orlando Calling has been a long-term dream for me to realize." He also promised that the festival will "be the first of many to be held on an annual basis."
General admission field and reserved seat tickets for Orlando Calling go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday [July 23] at www.orlandocalling.com or by calling Ticketmaster, 800-745-3000. Prices are $80 for single day tickets and $145 for both days, and $165/$285 for VIP seats and amenities. Prices are slated to increase after Aug. 31.
The full Orlando Calling lineup includes:
Saturday, Nov. 12: The Killers, The Pixies, Avett Brothers, The Roots, The Raconteurs, O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Iron and Wine, Pete Yorn, Jenny & Johnny, Civil Twilight, Lucero, Dr. Dog, Justin Townes Earle, Felice Brothers, Ben Solee, Renee & the Translators
Sunday, Nov. 13: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Kid Rock & Twisted Brown Trucker, Blake Shelton, Doobie Brothers, Buddy Guy, the Warren Haynes Band, Chris Isaak, Dwight Yoakam, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Flatlanders, Los Lonely Boys, Blues Traveler, Brandi Carlile, the David Mayfield Parade, Michelle Branch, the Supervillains