FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR BIGGEST EVER TENNENT’S VITAL

The biggest ever Tennent’s Vital gets underway on Wednesday, with some of the world’s biggest bands set to descend on Belfast for 3 days of incredible live music. Organisers have issued a guide containing essential information for fans attending Tennent’s Vital at Boucher Road Playing Fields on Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th and Friday 16th August.

Tennent’s Vital 2013 kicks off on Wednesday 14th August, when Kings of Leon, The Vaccines, The Undertones and The Minutes take to the stage on the opening day. Snow Patrol play a massive homecoming show (their only European festival date this summer) when they headline Day 2 of the festival, which also features Jason Mraz, Kodaline and Foy Vance. Swedish dance superstar Avicii closes the surprise third day of Tennent’s Vital on August 16th, with Tinie Tempah, Rudimental, Naughty Boyand Tommy Trash also on the bill for Day 3.

Nicola McCleery, Head of Marketingfor Tennent’s NI, comments: “The final preparations are currently being made to the Tennent’s Vital site, as we get ready to welcome tens of thousands of fans to Boucher Road Playing Fields over the next few days. The site is looking fantastic and we have three days of brilliant live music in store, with some huge international artists heading for Belfast to play in front of the famous Tennent’s Vital crowd. Together with our partners MCD, we’re staging the biggest ever Tennent’s Vital this year, with a whole extra day of performances, and it’s shaping up to be one of the best ever.”

GATE TIMES
WEDNESDAY 14TH AUGUST    THURSDAY 15TH AUGUST    FRIDAY 16TH AUGUST
BOX OFFICE OPENS    12.00    BOX OFFICE OPENS    12.00    BOX OFFICE OPENS    12.00
GATES    16.30    GATES    16.30    GATES    16.00
FIRST ACT    16.30    FIRST ACT    17.00    FIRST ACT    16.00
 
TRAVEL & TRANSPORT INFORMATION: GET THERE AND HOME

Tens of thousands of fans will be traveling to Tennent’s Vital this coming Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th and Friday 16th August at Boucher Road Playing Fields, Belfast. Fans are encouraged to use coach and train travel to South Belfast including special late night return services to bring people safely home. Fans should purchase their return bus and rail tickets in advance at www.translink.co.uk or telephone 028 9066 6630. There will be no parking or collections in the immediate area of the concert site.

Chief Inspector Gabriel Moran, PSNI, said:”Police would encourage those who are planning on attending the Tennent’s Vital festival (14-16 August) to plan their journey in advance.  Designated car parking has been allocated at the King’s Hall Complex, while designated coach parking is located at the ‘Fruit Market’ Boucher Road.  For those using taxis, the taxi pick up point for after each event will be Apollo Road.

“Officers will be enforcing traffic laws. Anyone who is planning on driving to the event is advised to park their vehicle legally and to ensure that it is not obstructing the driveway of a residential property. Also, if you are planning on drinking at the concert, do not drive. It only takes one drink to impair your decision making ability. The only right decision is to leave the car at home if you’re drinking.

“If you are planning on getting a lift home after the concert with a friend or relative, please be advised that Boucher Road and Stockman’s Lane will be closed to traffic each night between 10.15pm – 11.45pm approximately. This is to ensure the safe exit of people from the venue. Please agree collection points in light of the fact that these roads will be closed to through traffic.”

Translink’s Louise Scott said:“Tennent’s Vital is one of the flagship local music events and we are pleased to see the festival extended across three days. Supporting this development, we want to offer fans a convenient, reliable and comfortable journey to and from the festival site.

“Balmoral Train Station is situated close to Boucher Playing Fields and we will operate late night special rail services from Balmoral in both directions to Lisburn, Portadown and Belfast with onward connections to Bangor, Carrickfergus, Antrim and Coleraine. These trains will operate following the concert from 10.45pm until 12.30am subject to demand. Special return train tickets are available to buy online and in-station with prices from £5 – £15.

 “Special festival coaches will run from locations across Northern Ireland including: Derry~Londonderry, Claudy, Dungiven, Maghera, Castledawson, Toome, Newry, Banbridge, Larne, Ballyclare, Newtownards and Bangor. Special return coach tickets are £16 and are now available to buy online until 12pm on the day of each concert. There will also be a Metro shuttle bus service to Belfast City Centre following each concert.

“The Northern Ireland v Russia football match at Windsor Park on August 14 will make the Boucher area particularly busy. Football fans are advised to disembark at Adelaide Train Station while passengers heading to Tennent’s Vital should use Balmoral Train Station.

 “We hope everyone enjoys a great night out but would remind passengers that alcohol consumption is strictly not permitted on trains or coaches and those who appear to be intoxicated, may be refused travel.”

VITAL STATISTICS
•         3 days, tens of thousands of music fans, the world’s biggest bands, solo artists and DJs: 1 amazing festival.

•         This year’s Tennent’s Vital will be the biggest EVER as the festival extends to 3 days.

•         Nashville rockers Kings of Leon headline Day 1 of Tennent’s Vital – the band have played the festival once before, when they played an incredible headline set in 2005.

•         In a major coup, Snow Patrol will make Tennent’s Vital their ONLY European festival date this summer.

•         Snow Patrol played the very first Tennent’s Vital back in 2002, and speaking about their massive homecoming show this week, Gary Lightbody said: “We are delighted to be playing the Tennent’s Vital festival and playing once more in our home city of Belfast. The Belfast crowd is the best in the world. Can’t wait for the 15th of August.”

•         Swedish dance megastar Avicii, who headlines Day 3, continues to dominate singles charts across the globe with his Wake Me Up, which became the fastest selling single of 2013, shifting a mega 267,000 copies in its first week on sale in the UK. It’s hit the number 1 spot in 40 countries, and sold over 1m copies worldwide.

•         Award-winning line-up: the Tennent’s Vital 2013 bill features Grammy winners (Kings of Leon, Jason Mraz) and nominees (Avicii, Snow Patrol and Tommy Trash), DJ Magazine’s No.3 DJ in the world (Avicii), Hot Press’s Irish Band of the Decade (Snow Patrol), NME’s Best New Band of 2012 (The Vaccines), a MOBO award winner (Tinie Tempah), and Virtual Festivals’ Festival Newcomers of 2013 (Rudimental).

•         2013 marks the 35th anniversary of the release of Teenage Kicks by iconic punk/New Wave legends The Undertones, who play Day 1 of the festival.
 
TICKET INFORMATION

•     Wed 14 August – Kings of Leon, The Vaccines, The Undertones, The Minutes: £49.50 incl booking fee – on sale now
•     Thu 15 August – Snow Patrol, Jason Mraz, Kodaline, Foy Vance: £44.50 incl booking fee – on sale now
•     Fri 16 August – Avicii, Tinie Tempah, Rudimental, Naughty Boy, Tommy Trash: £39.50 incl booking fee – on sale now
•     Tickets can be secured via Tennent’s Vital’s official ticket partner www.ticketmaster.ie
•     Tickets are also available in person from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide or via the 24hr Telephone hotlines: (NI & UK) 0844 8472455/ (ROI) 0818 719 300. Tickets should be bought only from official Ticketmaster outlets – fans should not purchase tickets from unofficial sources.

Tennent’s Vital is an over 16’s event.  However, a parent aged 25 and over can take up to two under 16’s to the show.  Parents will be required to show age identification and sign a consent form in order to gain admission on the day. Under 16’s must be accompanied by their parent at all times. Bars will operate a strict Challenge 25 policy.