Block9's new Glastonbury stage, IICON, is a 'call to stop messing around on Instagram'

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  • They'll take the 65-foot-tall interactive venue on tour after its Glasto debut.
  • Block9's new Glastonbury stage, IICON, is a 'call to stop messing around on Instagram' image
  • Block9 is bringing a new stage to Glastonbury 2019 and beyond. Creative partners Stephen Gallagher and Gideon Berger will debut IICON, an immersive art and music project, at the UK festival giant this June. It will take the form of a 65-foot-tall "anonymised head" with a video screen for a face. Block9 calls it a "pseudo-religious monument to the terrifying new realities emerging in our digital, data-driven, post-truth age." Music will be on-theme, with algorave, IDM, electro and other cyber-tinged genres featured. (The lineup will be revealed in May.) In 2020, IICON will be built up to become "artwork-meets-music venue" for a world tour, with stops in London, New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Sydney, among other cities. "What we want to do is open the lid, turn the light on and let people re-examine the music they love but really don't know anything about, so they become empowered to do something," Berger said in an interview with the Guardian. "It's kind of a call to arms: stop messing around on Instagram and actually engage with the world around you." With IICON, "we are asking people to look at the world in a slightly different way," Gallagher said. This year, Block9's space at Glastonbury will triple, adding a new field and 15,000-capacity outdoor arena for IICON. The full Glastonbury lineup, which also includes The NYC Downlow and Genosys areas, will be announced on May 14th. The festival runs from June 26th through July 1st, and previously announced artists for the rest of the festival include Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Ms Lauryn Hill, Peggy Gou, Eris Drew and more. Read Stephen Titmus' in-depth 2016 feature on Block9's The NYC Downlow. Photo credit: Matthew Walter

    • Wed, Jun 26, 2019

      Glastonbury Festival 2019

      Stormzy, Tame Impala, The Chemical Brothers, Hot Chip, Jon Hopkins, Santigold, The Streets, Diplo, Little Simz, Neneh Cherry, The Comet Is Coming, Friendly Fires, Maribou State, Lone, Shura, slowthai, Barely Legal, 24hr Garage Girls, AJ Tracey, Artwork, Auntie Flo, CamelPhat, Carasel, DJ Cartier, Children of Zeus, Craig Richards, Ben UFO, Skepsis, Darkzy, Bru C, TS7, Mr Virgo, Lazcru, Crissy Criss, Dan Shake, Daniel Avery, Denis Sulta, DJ Die, Inja, Ngaio, Ellie Stokes, Emerald, Eris Drew, Four Tet, HAAi, Hodge, Holy Goof, DJ Hype, DJ Randall, IAMDDB, Inner City, Jamz Supernova, Jayda G, Joe Armon-Jones, Kiara Scuro, Laurence Guy, Leon Vynehall, KETTAMA, Mall Grab, Manara, Matt Jam Lamont, Mella Dee, Midland, Bruce, MJ Cole, Ahadadream, SNØW, Tash LC, Ehua, My Nu Leng, Ocean Wisdom, Moxie, Palms Trax, Shanti Celeste, CC:DISCO, Paranoid London, Peach, Peggy Gou, Ross From Friends, Shy FX, Sicaria Sound, Jossy Mitsu, SHERELLE, Sir Spyro, Joker, SOFI TUKKER, Sub Focus, Wilkinson, Swing Ting, The Heatwave, Tiffany Calver, TQD, Jenny Cheng, Carl Cox, Jamie Jones, Bicep, Mafalda, Horse Meat Disco, Andy C, Tonn Piper, Afriquoi, Stem, Charlotte de Witte, Cousn, Craig Charles, DJ Vadim, Dutchie, Eats Everything, Mefjus, InsideInfo, Kasra, Jakes, PBR Streetgang, Larry Heard, Fatima, Paul Cut, Moor Mother, Batu, Laurel Halo, Kode9, Okzharp, Zenker Brothers, Demdike Stare, Karenn, Lee Gamble, Dan HabarNam, Stenny, A-Future, O$VMV$M, Raime, CCAI, FREAKENSTEIN, Tony Humphries, Garrett David, Sweely, Erick Morillo, Prosumer, Chris Cruse, David Harness, Victor Rodriguez, GIDEÖN, The Carry Nation, Mexican Jihad, Soul Summit Music, Luke Howard, Phreaks of Visions, Dungeon Meat, James Hillard, Brother Nebula, Randomer, Anthony Parasole, Josh Wink, Leeon, Roi Perez, Ben Rau, Felix Dickinson, Dan Beaumont, Honcho, Partok, Hannah Holland, Dave Harvey, K.atou, Jim Janco, Perfect Lovers, Placid, N-Gynn, Wes Baggaley, Guy Williams, Deptford Northern Soul Club, Luke Solomon, Rob Mello, Smokin Jo, Oren Marzam, Kofi Tarris, Jo Nathan
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