13 June 2012

It’s festival time again. With the sky a-swirl with rain clouds and gale force winds, you’ll be happy to hear that Sky Arts is about to launch a summer season of music perfect for you, whatever your taste. Whether that’s slow, crunching grunge or jaunty jigs with fiddles and pennywhistles, you’ll be able to enjoy it all in the comfort of your living room.

There’ll be 3D, social media and the return of your favourite music correspondents too, with highlights on Sky Go, all helping to make summer 2012 one of the best ever on Sky Arts.

Once again, Sky Arts is broadcast partner for the Isle of Wight Festival, taking place 22-24 June. You’ll see music from the Main Stage and Big Top as well as backstage interviews and the chance to see extra acts via the interactive service.

Coverage will be live on Sky Arts 1 HD and Sky Go, with a highlights show on Sky 1, plus a record-setting six hours in 3D on Sky 3D, the longest non-sport outside broadcast the channel has ever hosted.

Zeebox integration means you’ll be able to download tracks and see acoustic performances from some of the festival’s most exciting acts. And there’ll be an in-show social media ticker so you can see and share your views with anyone watching.

The big names lined up to play the Isle of Wight this year include Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Biffy Clyro, Jessie J, The Vaccines and Tinie Tempah, brought to you by a broadcast team that includes Zoe Ball, Jo Whiley, Shaun Keaveny, AJ Odudu and Mathew Horne.

Zoe Ball returns for the Cambridge Folk Festival, 27-28 July. Alongside Mark Radcliffe and folk artist Julie Fowlis, she’ll bring you highlights and live action performances by Roy Harper, Oysterband, Nanci Griffith, The Unthanks and Joan Armatrading among others.

You’ll be able to bang your head to the best bits of Lars, James and the rest of Metallica performing the legendary Black Album following Download Festival highlights, 6-9 July on Sky Arts 1 HD and Sky Go. Sets from The Prodigy, Biffy Clyro and Chase and Status also feature.

It’s a similar state of affairs for Hard Rock Calling, with Sky 1 HD featuring highlights on 17 August, also available on Sky Go. Chris Cornell is back wailing with seminal Seattle rockers Soundgarden, with Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon also playing during the three-day Hyde Park outing.

And on 31 August, Sky Arts 1 HD and Sky Go will be ready to bid the summer adieu with highlights of Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, the intimate Oxfordshire festival. Organised by folk pioneers Fairport Convention, there’ll be performances by the like of Bellowhead, Squeeze, Richard Thompson, Joan Armatrading and, of course, Fairport Convention to pick from.

Additionally, if you have tickets for the Isle of Wight Festival, you could enjoy the comfort of our Sky Backstage area, exclusive to Sky TV customers. It’s your chance to get away from the crowds, relax with a drink while watching the action from the main stage on our live feed in eye-popping 3D and even get pampered by one of our professional make-up artists.

Go to Sky Rewards and follow the steps to get your backstage pass.