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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens last night (28 April) revealed the line-up for the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend, as well as the local artists that are performing in its Fringe Festival, in the week leading up to the main event.

For the third year running, the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage comes to Radio 1's Big Weekend to showcase the best in unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians.

The stage will host 16 artists across the two days, including four from Wales, and for the first time it also features a returner's slot.

Artists who have been supported by ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing in previous years, who have now started to find a wider audience, are given the chance to return to the stage where it all started and perform a headline slot. This year's returning bands are Frankie And The Heartstrings on Saturday and Beatbullyz on Sunday.

Artists who have previously played the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend return to the festival on other stages this year.

Having been discovered and nurtured through ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing, Florence And The Machine performed on the stage last year to say thank you and this year returns to the festival's Main Stage on Saturday.

Chipmunk, who played the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage in 2008, returns to the festival to perform on the Main Stage and Marina And The Diamonds, Stornoway and Bombay Bicycle Club, who all played the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage last year, return to perform on the In New Music We Trust Stage this year.

Jason Carter, Editor, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing says: "The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing stage has firmly established itself as part of Radio 1's Big Weekend, and its third time at the festival is set to showcase a whole host of new talent selected from across the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing network. 

"The stage is such a fantastic opportunity for the new artists that get to play and it's great to see three artists that played last year graduate to the INMWT stage. And of course, to see Florence on the Main Stage is a big deal for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing, as she started her journey with us a few years ago."

Huw Stephens adds: "The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage always has a good atmosphere and a really diverse line-up of up and coming artists who get a wider platform to play on at festivals.

"In Bangor, the line-up is particularly strong with some of the best new names around. I'm also excited about the Fringe gigs that are happening across North Wales in the week leading up to the Big Weekend!"

From Monday 17 to Thursday 20 April, the Fringe Festival takes place across North Wales, showcasing local talent in a different location each night.

Celebrating everything about the local music scene, from guitar bands through to bedroom DJs, MCs and everything in between, the festival kicks off in Wrexham on Monday, moves to Colwyn Bay on Tuesday, Caernarfon on Wednesday and finishes on Thursday with a bumper event across four venues in Bangor.

The bands have been handpicked by the Fringe Festival Panel, which include Radio 1 DJs Huw Stephens and Bethan Elfyn, Adam Walton (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Wales), Lisa Gwilym (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Cymru) and a number of Radio 1 producers. All of the Panel DJs are part of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing network.

Bethan Elfyn, Radio 1 and Radio Wales, says: "I'm already feeling the injection of excitement and energy that the Radio 1 Big Weekend brings to a particular area. It's revitalising, rejuvenating and I think we'll feel the results for years to come.

"North Wales has long needed this kind of attention, there's plenty of creativity, just often no outlet, venues or regular gigs. My hope is that the Fringe's blanket of events around North Wales, The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage, and The Big Weekend's pop glamour will be the spring in the step for North Wales' music scene.

"It's brought lots of people together already, and it's going to be a huge world stage for those bands itching for some limelight. Like the old saying goes, with this one little event 'we might be moving mountains'!"

Introducing Stage line-up

Saturday 22 May

• Pegasus Bridge
• Y Promatics
• Alan Pownall
• Wonder Villains
• I Am Austin
• Menis
• What Would Jesus Drive
• Joy Formidable
• Frankie And The Heartstrings

Sunday 23 May

• Yr Ods
• Django, Django
• We Are Animal
• Pete Lawrie
• My Tiger My Timing
• Ute
• Tempa T
• Envy
• Beatbullyz

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 1's Big Weekend: Fringe Festival line-up

Monday 17 May – Wrexham, Central Station

• Gallops!
• Polly Mackey
• Fader
• No Room For Heroes

Tuesday 18 May – Colwyn Bay, Speakers Corner

• Lucine
• Bastions
• Kick Start Kitty
• Die! Chihuaha! Die!

Wednesday 19 May – Caernarfon, Morgan Lloyds

• Mr Huw
• Y Bandana
• Tim and Sams Tim and the Sam band with Tim and Sam
• Through Colour

Thursday 20 May – four venues across Bangor

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• Y Niwl
• Yucatan
• Mechanical Owl
• Messner

Hendre Hall

• Race Horses
• Sibrydion
• Yr Angen
• Crash Discos

Greeks

• Cyrion
• Pen-ta-gram
• Tokinawa
• Cloud4mations

Rascals

• Gallops!
• Masters In France
• We Are Animal
• I Am Austin
• Castles

All Radio 1 Fringe Festival events are free of charge and for over 18s, except Central Station in Wrexham which is a plus 14s night.

Notes to Editors

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing is a multiplatform initiative across Radio 1, 6Music, 1Xtra, the Asian Network, Switch, over 35 ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Local Radio stations and at bbc.co.uk/introducing – all working together to provide an internal network dedicated to showcasing the hottest new talent from across the UK.

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage is now present at key UK music festivals throughout the year, including Glastonbury, T in the Park and Reading and Leeds.

The artists performing on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage at ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 1's Big Weekend are chosen by a panel, including Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, Target, MistaJam, Bobby Friction, R1 Head of Music, Emily Eavis, Glastonbury, Greg James, Neil Pengelly, Reading & Leeds, among others. This Panel also decides the line-ups for all the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stages across the summer festivals.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 1's Big Weekend is the station's flagship event and the UK's biggest free ticketed festival. Forty-thousand lucky music fans can enjoy performances from four stages in Vaynol Estate – the Main Stage; the In New Music We Trust Stage; the Outdoor Stage and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage. To register for tickets and for full details, please visit bbc.co.uk/radio1.

A truly multiplatform experience, Radio 1's Big Weekend will be broadcast on Radio 1, with a major interactive presence online at bbc.co.uk/radio1 and many live performances available to watch on demand. There will be highlights on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Three and extended performances, including the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Introducing Stage, can be seen via the Red Button on digital TV during the weekend.

SG