LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, J BALVIN, THE KILLERS AND PET SHOP TO HEADLINE THE NEXT EDITION OF BILBAO BBK LIVE

Stromae, Moderal, Placebo, M.I.A., Nathy Peluso and Four Tet will also take the stage at the Bilbao event alongside the complete Basoa line-up

Bilbao BBK Live will be the only European festival in which LCD Soundsystem will perform in 2022

In a time and space that does not yet exist, we want to remain.

After two long years of hiatus, Bilbao BBK Live is back, and we are emphasising our presence with the most faithful tribute we can pay to this festival. With music by the trio Moderat and a spoken word performance by poet Laura Sam, we seek to give a voice to the immense desire we have to meet again on July 7, 8 and 9, 2022 in Kobetamendi for the celebration of the festival’s 15th edition.

We want our skin to be set on fire by sound.

Today we are unveiling the line-up for the next edition of Bilbao BBK Live and the legendary LCD Soundsystem will headline Thursday’s line-up, this being the only European festival in which they will perform in 2022. Besides, the band led by James Murphy choses the city of Bilbao to celebrate two decades on stage, as well as the 20th anniversary of their label DFA with a special programme during the week of the festival, that will be announced soon. J Balvin will lead Saturday to defend the legacy and importance of Latin music with his arsenal of reggaeton hits with an exclusive date in a Spanish festival in 2022. Also unique to this edition of the festival, the Belgian artist Stromae will make his return to the stage with a one-off performance in Spain, featuring new music after eight years of silence. But they won’t be the only ones to set fire to Kobetamendi, the trio Moderat will bring the Berlin sound to the festival with well-known tracks such as Bad Kingdom, Rusty Nails, and A New Error. The list goes on with the previously announced headliners: The Killers, leading Friday with two new albums under their belt; Pet Shop Boys, the iconic electronic duo; and Placebo, who will showcase their next LP.

Adding to the electronic hits and must-see artists on the line-up, the mix of electronica and psychedelic pop from Canada’s Caribou, the versatile Four Tet, and the explosive live performance of BICEP live are not to be missed. The experimental and creative M.I.A. will keep us dancing to the rhythm of the intergenerational anthem Paper Planes and rising star Phoebe Bridgers will release her highly acclaimed album Punisher. Nathy Peluso will return to Kobetamendi after two overwhelming years to showcase her album Calambre, and the psychedelic cumbia of Bomba Estéreowill flood the festival with colourful Latin sounds.

We want to stay out until the last light wanes.

The UK will be well represented in its various stylistic strands. Britpop band Supergrass will use the festival to celebrate 25 years of their debut album I Should Coco; rap and hip hop will be led by post-Brexit Britain’s rapid storyteller slowthai; soul will be brought by the Londoner with Bangladeshi-Irish roots Joy Crookes; while dance pop will be led by the genderqueer artist Planningtorock with tracks such as Let’s Talk about Gender, Baby. Toronto will also be represented at the festival with quartet BADBADNOTGOOD presenting their forthcoming album Talk Memory, and iconic Berlin-based recording artist Merrill Nisker aka Peaches celebrating 20 years of electroclash cornerstone The Teaches of Peaches. Representing Dublin will be the energetic rock group Inhaler and Estonia will make their presence known with rapper TOMM¥ €A$H. And finally, Australia’s Stella Donnelly will captivate all of Kobetamendi with her dreamy melodies and lyrics full of political activism. The United States is an obligatory stop on the festival’s sound map, adding the extreme hip hop sounds of pioneering queer rapper Mykki Blanco and the unclassifiable variety of Californian Moses Sumney.

This journey would not be complete without a line-up of national names: the pop icon Zahara; the pioneer of the national indie scene Nacho Vegas, presenting a new album after four years; Dorian and their Iberian indie, Lori Meyers with their generational anthems; and of course the seductive melodies of Sen Senra had to be included in the summer event. Also in attendance will be the guitars and bold nature of Carolina Durante; Ginebras and their autobiographical lyrics; the bedroom pop style of Rusowksy; Confeti de odio; VVV [Trippin’you]; and Laura Sam and Juan Esribano in their joint project. What’s more, a Bilbao BBK Live without a Basque label present simply cannot exist, which is why the Iruñea crew Chill Mafia, Verde Prato, Nøgen, Ezpalak and DouleurDolor are also joining in.

We want our bodies to rise from rest.

There has never been a better place to let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere, by nature, by the ambient lighting, and by the surround sound – derived from its seven circular sound towers – than Basoa. The peninsula’s leading electronic scene will be led by the undisputed queen of the clubbing culture The Blessed Madonna and the pioneer of Detroit techno Carl Craig. Helena Hauff, Lena Willikens, John Talabot, Palms Trax, DJ Python, trans DJ and producer Eris Drew and Berlin-based Asturian JASSS will also be part of this distinguished electronic line-up. But they won’t be alone, they’ll be joined on the decks by Dave P. from Philadelphia; the collective Decius, formed by members of Fat White Family and Paranoid London; the wave, techno and acid mix of Identified Patient; the breaks and neoperreo style of promising newcomer GAZZI; the co-founder of the label and collective MARICAS ISAbella; and the electronic producer, vocalist and DJ Perel.

We want to say I will be there, and so will you.

Without haste but certainly without rest, the 15th edition of Bilbao BBK Live will present a line-up designed for you to experience each performance with enough time to savour every moment in a spectacular natural setting that makes Bilbao BBK Live an exceptionally unique experience.

In 2022 we want to celebrate the festival the way its deserved, the way you all deserve. It will be on the same level not only as all the previous editions, but also as one of the most remarkable events in the whole continent. We would like to thank you once again for all your support during this long absence, and for having remained strong in your commitment to Bilbao BBK Live. We assure you that the wait will have been worth it. See you in Kobetamendi.

The Bilbao BBK Live organization is especially grateful for the support of the Bilbao City Council, which, together with the partners and institutions, make this event possible.

3-day passes are still on sale and can be paid for in instalments at a special price. One-day tickets are also on sale now. Campsites will be available as in previous additions for those who wish to enjoy the full mountain experience.

BILBAO BBK LIVE

7, 8, 9 July 2022

Kobetamendi, Bilbao

#bilbaobbklive

Tickets and passes available with promotional price until December 16 at: