Kaiser Chiefs to headline Llanfest at Llangollen Eisteddfod

The English indie band will perform at Llanfest, the event that closes the Eisteddfod, on Sunday July 8 in the north Wales town.

The show will be the band's first Welsh gig in almost two years, and they will be joined on the bill by pop rock band The Hoosiers and 90s icons Toploader.

Chairman of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Dr Rhys Davies, said: “The International Eisteddfod was created to heal the wounds of war and bring communities from across the globe together through music and dance, in the spirit of international friendship and peace.

“Llanfest was introduced to spread this message to a wider audience, by bringing new and more contemporary music genres to the festival, while still remaining true to its traditional values.

“Kaiser Chiefs are renowned not just for their guitar based indie hits, but also their spirit of musical adventure and re-invention, most recently with their foray into pop with Stay Together.

“Adding to that mix two iconic bands from the 2000s whose upbeat indie pop hits resonate across generations, the day is certain to bring thousands together to enjoy a high-energy finale to our 2018 festival.”

Llanfest is a recent addition to the event, which is usually renowned for its choral music, opera galas and classical concerns, as well as world music, jazz, rhythm and blues and folk music performances.

It was launched in 2011 to introduce the event to new audiences and attract festival goers from across the country.

The announcement of the Kaiser Chiefs follows the success of legendary Welsh band Manic Street Preachers, who raised the roof of the pavilion at the festival finale last year.

The band, who originate from Leeds, and are fronted by Ricky Wilson, will be playing some of their top tracks including 'I Predict a Riot' and 'Ruby'.

Tickets went on sale to festival pass holders and friends of the Eisteddfod at 9am on Wednesday March 7, with general release tickets going on sale on Thursday March 22.

Fans wishing to get their hands on the first tickets will able to do so by becoming a Friend of the Eisteddfod before or during the priority booking period.

The concert will see the pavilion’s rear seating once again being removed to increase capacity to more than 5,200, making it one of the festival’s biggest ever gigs.

There will be live performances from a range of artists from 2pm on the outside stages, and support acts will run from 7pm in the pavilion before Kaiser Chiefs take to the stage.

For more information and to buy tickets go to llangollen.net or contact the box office on 01978 862001.

To become a Friend of the Eisteddfod and access priority booking, please telephone 01978 862001 or visit international-eisteddfod.co.uk/get-involved/become-a-friend