Line up & Running Order

On The Streets’ breakthrough single Let’s Push Things Forward, Mike Skinner claimed that he makes ‘bangers, not anthems’. Then he made Dry Your Eyes, which spent weeks at the top of the chart and soundtracked a million break-ups, rejections and football defeats. More than a decade into his career, Skinner has five albums under his belt, meshing hip hop, pop and a very British style of storytelling, and his hits (Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It, Blinded By The Lights, When You Wasn’t Famous, etc) translate incredibly well to the live setting. And if you still need convincing, this year’s Computers and Blues will be the last Streets album ever, so this might your last chance to catch a gig.

Widely regarded as one of the best Irish acts of the last decade, and known for their powerful, emotional, and simply fantastic live performances, this is a surefire contender to be one of the best acts you see in however many Ball’s you get to attend. Originally named Juniper with internationally famous singer-songwriter Damien Rice as frontman, Bell X1 placed former drummer Noonan in front of the microphone and rechristened itself in 1999. Bell X1 are a fantastic Irish band, playing an iconic Irish gig, the stage is set for a great night.

As electronic producers and DJs, Simian Mobile Disco preside over some pretty raucous parties around the world. The duo formed for the live setting, and their beats, both remixes and originals, are unapologetically made for dancing and going crazy. Initially associated with influential French house label Kitsuné, their debut album Attack Delay Sustain Release was released in 2007 to broad success, and of late they’ve been exploring techno in their music and DJ sets. They “always try to play music that the audience won’t expect”, but still, expect banging beats and a whole tent full of happy, dancing people.

They may have narrowly missed out on the Christmas number one, but at time of writing, the video for A Horse Outside had been seen by more people than live in the island of Ireland. It’s a uniquely Irish anthem, and alongside the equally glorious Bags of Glue and Song For Willie O’Dea, it should provide one of the more surreal mass sing-alongs you’ll ever participate in, as long as plastic bag masks aren’t ruled a contravention of the dress code.

After landing the number one spot in the BBC’s influential Sounds of 2011 poll, Jessie J followed up her number two debut single Do It Like A Dude with a number one, Price Tag, featuring B.o.B. With a Critic’s Choice award at the Brits already, she has firmly established herself as the next generation of female pop star, and she’s got a certain attitude that sets her apart from her more soft-edged peers.

Having followed up their unique debut Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion with the even more ludicrously titled The Body of Christ And The Legs Of Tina Turner, the Apes continue to make off-kilter, heavy pop music about the weirdest of topics. Having once played a concert that featured live professional wrestling, they are legends of the live scene, so expect some high energy, high intensity insanity from the Dublin four-piece at the Ball.

At 21, Kathleen Brien already has two top five hits to her name, Katy On A Mission and Lights On featuring Miss Dynamite. She brings sounds from the UK underground to her pop music, having featured on a Magnetic Man track on top of having her debut single produced by dubstep god Benga. Her show at the Ball should feature some pretty monumental basslines underpinning her effortless-sounding voice and catchy tunes.

Professor Green is in the vanguard of the current rise of pure, British hip hop. Influenced by both the indigenous London grime scene and the more lyrical American tradition, Green’s neck tattoo over the place he was once stabbed is a visual testament to his legitimacy. His debut album Alive Till I’m Dead entered the charts in the top ten, and even amongst the cream of British rap on Tinchy Stryder’s Game Over, with Stryder, Tinie Tempah, Example, Giggs, Devlin and Chipmunk, his ability and style stood out.

Chipmunk is a chart-topping British pop rapper who has worked with the likes of N-Dubz Chris Brown and JLS, but his rap skills have also gained him guest spots on harder-nosed hip hop by the likes of Tinchy Stryder and Lethal Bizzle. His single Oopsy Daisy hit number one on its release in 2009.

James Devlin is a grime MC from east London whose debut album Bud, Sweat and Tears was released in November 2010 on Island Records. His aggressive, loose, breathless flow is unique and uncompromising, and his video Practice Hours was endorsed by Kanye West, who posted it on his blog, calling Devlin a ‘gangster rapper’. High praise indeed.

With thanks to Ents Officer Darragh Genockey for these artist bios.