The inaugural Wireless Festival was held in June 2005 in Hyde Park. The event ran over two weekends (June 24–25 and June 29–30) and was headlined by New Order, Basement Jaxx, Keane and Kasabian. In 2006 and 2007, there were two parallel festivals. One took place in Hyde Park and the other was held in Harewood House in Leeds. The festivals had similar line-ups but not exactly identical.
In 2008, the organizers realized that their attempt to hold a parallel festival in Leeds was unsuccessful. They canceled the Leeds festival and instead expanded the program of the Wireless Festival to include a series of club concerts held throughout London. There have been no parallel events since except for 2014, when a second festival was held in Birmingham to celebrate the Wireless Festival’s anniversary. Since its inception, the festival has moved to several venues, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Finsbury Park.
The Wireless Festival has become one of the largest open-air music festivals in England. It is known for its exciting international line-up. Past headliners include world-class musicians and bands such as Drake, Avicii, David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Deadmau5, The Black Eyed Peas, The Chemical Brothers, Pulp, P!nk, LCD Soundsystem, Morrissey, Fatboy Slim, Counting Crows, Faithless, Kaiser Chiefs, Daft Punk, The White Stripes, The Who, Massive Arrack, Depeche Mode, and others.
Like most other large music festivals, the Wireless Festival is a multi-genre event. It encompasses a variety of genres and styles including, but not limited to, rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic dance music (EDM). While thinking over the line-up, the organizers strive to find the balance between internationally renowned musicians and up-and-coming bands that need a chance to shine. As a result, there’s something here for everyone.
Photo: wirelessfestival.co.uk
