
Empire Of The Sun

Why? Can Steele carry off the kaleidoscopic carnival he's promised us for almost a year? Can he even tie down his ego for an hour? Absolutely anything could happen, and that's why Empire Of The Sun are quite possibly Stevie's most potent Sunday night adversary.
Where? Glastonbury, Heineken Open'er, Rock Werchter, Les Eurockéennes, Oxegen, T In The Park, Latitude, Lovebox.
We are the People - Empire of the Sun TGIK Remix by thisguyiknow
Roxy Music

Why? Eno's unlikely to appear but if you've never moped to More Than This, wiggled about like a maggot on a string to Angel Eyes or swayed and stumbled to If There Is Something, what've you been listening to all this time? Without Roxy, the musical output of Suede, Scissor Sisters and... The Darkness would probably have been rather more varied. Make of that what you will...
Where? Sónar, Lovebox, Rock en Seine, Electric Picnic, Bestival.
Roxy Music - Angel Eyes (Kaos Remix) by Lovebox Official
Jónsi

Who? Wandering Sigur Rós frontman whose debut solo LP Go tones down the Icelandic troupe's signature introspective melancholy dial.
Why? It'd make a change to enjoy Jónsi's majesty with a touch more major key. In the words of Steven Patrick Morrissey, I Just Want to See the Boy Happy. Expect fireworks. If he's ever booked for an outdoor stage...
Where? Sónar, Latitude, Melt!, Øya, Pukkelpop, Rock en Seine, Electric Picnic, Bestival.
JONSI // Sinking Friendships by influxmusic
Crystal Fighters

Why? Xtatic Truth was Dots & Dashes' track of 2009, every song sounds entirely different live every time and if you don't come out with a sweaty chunk of wood block sticking out of an eye, count yourself unfortunate.
Where? Isle of Wight, Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Boardmasters, V Festival, Creamfields, Bestival. Crystal Fighters - Xtatic Truth (Hungry Man Edit) by Hungry_Man
Surfer Blood

Why? Vitamin D + Surfer Blood + San Miguel + Best Coast = Primavera Sound.
Where? Primavera Sound.
Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes by HighVoltageMusic
Shakira

Why? Shakira, wading about in the inevitable mud just like in that Whenever, Wherever vid. Pretend it's 2001 all over again.
Where? Glastonbury.
Shakira - She Wolf (Kid Mank Remix) by kidmank
These New Puritans

Why? Hidden is doubtlessly set to emerge from the shadows come the wintry climes of December, scaling all sorts of end-of-year album lists and live, provided the bassoons and Japanese drums don't sink, it could all be rather spectacular indeed...
Where? Glastonbury, Lounge On The Farm, Lovebox, 1234 Shoreditch, Field Day, Kendal Calling, Standon Calling, Pukkelpop, Green Man, Electric Picnic, Offset.
These New Puritans - Attack Music (PRDCTV Remix) by theQuietus
Best Coast

Who? Insatiable blog heroine, Bethany Cosentino whose 60s haze-pop tendencies were engineered for aestival months.
Why? See Surfer Blood.
Where? Primavera Sound.
Best Coast - So Gone by musicmule
Joy Orbison

Why? Blurting out the searing squeals of Hyph Mngo amidst the concrete jungles of Barcelona and London alike, O'Grady's sure to steal a fair few mind marbles, if nothing else.
Where? Sónar, Glastonbury, Lovebox, Camp Bestival, Bestival.
Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo [HFT009] by Hotflush
Charlotte Gainsbourg

Who? A bona fide idol, a petit trésor, the daughter of France's greatest preacher man and the country's most delectable lady since Carla Bruni stuffed her face full with the rest of Sarkozy's 2010 botox stash.
Why? Having starred in perhaps Michel Gondry's bestest work ever, The Science Of Sleep, as well as ruffling a few feathers earlier this year with her monumental post-brain hemorrhage LP IRM Gainsbourg's almost as vital as her old père. Almost...
Where? Les Eurockéennes, FIB Heineken, Latitude.
Charlotte Gainsbourg // IRM by Mood-for.fr
Mew

Why? Latest LP's as irrationally named as Chris Martin's kids and live, they're an irrationally phenomenal prospect. Oh and their appearance at this year's Truck Festival's a UK exclusive.
Where? Truck.
Mew - Beach by mydarlingmusic
Esben & The Witch

Why? Will they dissolve in sunlight?
Where? Latitude, Truck, Field Day, Standon Calling.
Lucia, at the Precipice by Esben and the Witch
Magnetic Man

Why? The Cyberman gets down deeper'n'dirtier than Stereo MCs ever could have dreamt.
Where? Glastonbury, Wireless, FIB Heineken, Glade, Big Chill.
Benga's Essential Remix Pale Fire by G3tD0wn
Flying Lotus

Who? Californian jazz fusionist whose latest offering, Cosmogramma conjoins Avalanches instrumentation, the hippest of hip hop samples and a spot of wailing from a certain Thom Yorke
Why? Who can tell what to anticipate live. Or "live". Or what he'll spin. Who bloody knows but who doesn't appreciate the odd bit of ambiguity?
Where? Sónar, Bestival.
Flying Lotus - Computer Face, Pure Being by inertiamusic
Muchuu

Why? Somebody Tell Me is the greatest British pop song since Cheryl's 3 Words.
Where? Bestival.
Muchuu - Somebody Tell Me by statemagazine
See you in a field/ tent/ custom-built Spanish festival site some time soon. In the sun. Pretty please.