(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
Clear Channel Entertainment's proprietary Download Festival, a massively successful U.K. summer music and technology event, is coming to the United States for the first time on October 8 at the Shoreline Amphitheater with headline act The Killers. After creating a dedicated following among European music fans for the past three years, the festival promises to be equally compelling for American audiences with an artist lineup that includes Modest Mouse, The Arcade Fire, Doves, H.I.M. and Mindless Self Indulgence along with cutting-edge technology and media experiences.
Previously host to Metallica and Audioslave, the Download Festival, presented by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s GameTap, will hit Mountain View, CA.'s Shoreline Amphitheater for its only stateside appearance. No Download Festival would be complete without the Download Dog, the festival's official electronic mascot-with-attitude. When consumers download the Dog at www.downloadfestival.com, he'll provide periodic updates on festival news, priority ticket info, artist interviews, special offers and more. Tickets for the festival go on sale on July 31.
Download Festival is a collaboration of Clear Channel Entertainment Properties and Bill Graham Presents, a division of Clear Channel Music. Clear Channel Entertainment Properties created and marketed the custom branded entertainment opportunities for sponsors. Leveraging its extensive artist relationships and production resources, Bill Graham Presents secured the talent line-up and is producing this festival.
"The Download Festival audience is uniquely plugged in to the latest technology, and uniquely passionate about the music they love," said Bruce Eskowitz, president of Clear Channel Entertainment Properties. "That means that sponsors have the opportunity to connect brands with truly meaningful experiences on multiple platforms for a highly influential audience."
"We're very excited to produce this prestigious festival at Shoreline, which adds to a distinguished history of festivals at the venue including Gathering of the Tribes, the first Lollapalooza, Horde Festival, KMEL's Summer Jam and Live105's BFD," said Lee Smith, president of Bill Graham Presents.
Presenting sponsor GameTap is a new product that will bring a new world of video games to broadband-connected PC's this fall. GameTap will provide the festival's official gaming experience allowing fans to play hundreds of game titles via its new gaming platform showcased in the GameTap Gaming Den. GameTap is a first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network that offers games-on- demand plus original programming via a broadband connected PC.
Other sponsors include: Dentyne, the festival's official gum and mint, will be hosting guests and artists in the Dentyne Lounge as part of its nationwide "Live It Loud" music program that features emerging artists. Festival-goers will be able to sample new Dentyne Ice(and Dentyne Fire soft chew gum and mints; Amp'd Mobile, title sponsor of the second stage, will showcase an entirely new mobile entertainment experience with broadband speed and a fresh, media rich user interface; Napster, the official digital music service, will be powering the Download Vault, which is housed on the official festival website and is the hub of digital music content offered to fan attendees; and the AOLInstant Messenger Service is supporting the Download Festival, providing interactive instant messaging updates and activities throughout the event. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
