Media releases

NINE INCH NAILS AND BEN HARPER & RELENTLESS7 WILL HEADLINE VIRGIN FESTIVAL ONTARIO!

Burl's Creek Park confirmed as 2009 festival site so festival-goers can camp!

TORONTO (ONTARIO) July 14, 2009

Virgin Festival, Canada’s hottest summer music festival, today announced 32 hot acts including industrial rock gods NINE INCH NAILS and legendary rockers BEN HARPER & RELENTLESS7 as headliners for this year’s Virgin Festival Ontario!  On top of that, Canada’s tenth Virgin Festival is packing up and heading out to a super-hot new festival site this year at Burl’s Creek Park in Orillia, Ontario on August 29 and 30 for an all night camping experience.

Other exciting day one acts joining BEN HARPER & RELENTLESS7 on the Virgin Mobile stages will be alternative rock legends THE PIXIES; Scottish rockers FRANZ FERDINAND; singer-songwriter PAOLO NUTINI; Brooklyn indie rockers GRIZZLY BEAR; American rock duo MATES OF STATE; Canadian faves SLOAN; Juno Award-winner LIGHTS; Toronto electro-rock duo THUNDERHEIST; Canadian rockers THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE; progressive indie artists DOWN WITH WEBSTER; and California new wave rockers IGLU AND HARTLY.  On top of that, Canadian singer-songwriter ANJULIE; and electro club artists CANDY COATED KILLAHZ will be pumping up the volume on the Virgin Radio stage, along with a soon to be announced hot act!

Joining day two headliners NINE INCH NAILS on the Virgin Mobile stages will be English electronic dance icons PET SHOP BOYS; Juno Award-winning band OUR LADY PEACE; American funk and hip hop band N.E.R.D.; American indie band COLD WAR KIDS; Grammy Award-nominated rock band MUTEMATH; Danish rockers MEW; Montréal indie rock band PLANTS AND ANIMALS; Quebec songstress COUER DE PIRATE; alt-rockers THE VON BONDIES; Norwegian electro-rock group DATAROCK; electro hip hop group HYPER CRUSH; punk rocker TROUBLE ANDREW; Montréal indie rockers SILVER STARLING and alt rockers D’URBERVILLES!  Day two on the Virgin Radio stage will be reggae fusion singer SEAN KINGSTON; Canadian R&B singer-songwriter MELANIE FIONA; and synth-pop specialists THE NEW CITIES.

More hot talent will be announced in the coming weeks as summer heats up!

The Festival has continued to grow each summer and this year Virgin Festival Ontario is heading north to Burl’s Creek Park in Orillia. Not only does the new site deliver a big time space upgrade for even more Festival-goers, it also makes room for all music fans with a passion for camping.

“Thanks to the growing number of fans that come back for more and more, Virgin Festival keeps getting bigger,” said Nathan Rosenberg, chief marketing officer, Virgin Mobile Canada.   “Camping is huge at V-Fest in the U.K., and we know fans want the chance to hear their favourite artists all day long and then camp it up all night. The new site at Burl’s Creek Park is the perfect outdoor venue to take the party from day right into the night… and then do it all over again the second day!”

“Virgin Festival Ontario at Burl’s Creek is going to be a totally unforgettable weekend,” said Andrew Bridge, director of Virgin Festivals. “We’ve got a line-up that will rock Ontario this year with an experience that’s second to none! With heavyweight acts like Nine Inch Nails, Ben Harper & Relentless7 and The Pixies and a hot new camping experience, our tenth Virgin Festival in Canada will be the hottest Festival blowout of the summer!”

Keep an eye on www.virginfestival.ca/ontario for the latest breaking news and further line-up announcements for Virgin Festival Ontario. Fans can also keep up to date with Virgin Festival on Twitter at www.twitter.com/virginmobilecan and on the Virgin Festival Canada Facebook® fan page.

Virgin Festival is way more than a concert!

On top of checking out the three stages – Virgin Mobile Stage, the Festival Stage and Virgin Radio Stage – music lovers will be able to explore a transformed Burl’s Creek Park with all the excitement to make the weekend a rockin’ good time. The Festival creates an on-site experience like no other – from interactive displays and contests, a vendor village, beer gardens, special perks for Virgin Mobile customers and way more – there is always something to keep everyone going while they’re waiting for their fave artist to take the stage.

We’re moving to the country!

Burl’s Creek Park is located in Orillia, Ontario, just off Highway 11.   Rocking up to the new festival site in Burl’s Creek couldn’t be easier, parking is available on-site but festival-goers are encouraged to car-pool with PickupPal or catch one of the Virgin Festival shuttle buses that will be running from Barrie Bus Terminal to the Festival site.

Ticket News

As always, when you’re with Virgin Mobile you move to the front of the line. Virgin Mobile customers can get their hands on Early Bird tickets before anyone else.

General tickets

General ticket sales for two-day and VIP Weekend tickets begin Saturday, July 18th at 12 p.m. in person at all Ticketmaster outlets, select Future Shop locations, online at www.ticketmaster.ca or www.futureshop.ca and by calling (416) 870-8000. Ticket information is also available at www.virginfestival.ca. Two-day tickets are $99.00 plus $4 facility fee and a $2 donation to Virgin Unite (includes all sales taxes). Single day ticket information will be announced soon.

General camping tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca and further camping information is available at www.virginfestival.ca.  Two day camping tickets are $100.00 plus $1 facility fee (includes all sales taxes).  Three day camping tickets are $135.00 plus $1 facility fee (includes all sales taxes). 

VIP tickets

Want to put some VIP into your Virgin Festival experience? Kick it up a notch and party like a rock star in the Louder Lounge. This exclusive VIP area is stuffed with comfy lounge chairs, cabanas, drinks and food to keep you relaxed and fueled up. Plus, you never know who you might rub shoulders with. VIPs also get a front of the line entrance to the Festival, shorter washroom line ups and a Festival merchandise discount. Get all the details at virginfestival.ca.

VIP Weekend tickets can be yours for $275.00 plus $4 facility fee and a $2 donation to Virgin Unite (includes all sales taxes). Convenience fees apply.   VIP three day camping tickets are $180.00 plus $1 facility fee (includes all sales taxes). 

Virgin Festival facts

• Five festivals in five provinces! This year Virgin Festival is going National with five festivals! Already Virgin Festival has rocked cities in Quebec and Nova Scotia – next up is BC, Alberta and Ontario!  Each Festival host city will deliver everything that Virgin Festival is known for: A-list superstar headliners, a genre-busting mix of musical styles and hot up-and-coming local talent, all at ticket prices that won’t break the bank. For news on all the Canadian Virgin Festivals head to www.virginfestival.ca.
• Virgin Radio number one groupies! This year, Virgin Festival is partnering with its sister brand Virgin Radio and Astral Media to help grow the Virgin Festival buzz!  At Virgin Festival Ontario festival-goers will be able to party to the likes of SEAN KINGSTON and ANJULIE on the Virgin Radio stage.  Virgin Radio 999 will also be spreading the love with exclusive Festival news, the latest breaking artist info and hot ticket offers.  Keep an ear out on Virgin Radio 999 for all the latest breaking Virgin Festival Ontario news!
• Raising funds for Virgin Unite! Virgin Festival also works to raise funds for Virgin Unite – the charitable arm of the Virgin Group that focuses on creating grass roots change and sustainable businesses to make a real difference for people around the world who need it most.
• Keeping the festival green! Another crucial focus for the festival is taking care of the environment. On the path to becoming as carbon-neutral as possible, Virgin Festival will provide recycling on-site, use biodegradable food and drink containers and leverage green energy sources, where possible, to power the music festival.

About Virgin Mobile

The Virgin Mobile group of companies has attracted more than 12 million customers worldwide. As the No.1 mobile youth network, Virgin Mobile Canada's mission is to be Canada’s most loved mobile company. Its simpler, better deals offer customers control, flexibility and choice to design mobile packages that truly works for them. J.D. Power and Associates ranked Virgin Mobile highest in customer satisfaction with prepaid wireless service for four years in a row  and 91% of customers would recommend Virgin Mobile to a friend.

Virgin Mobile phones are available at more than 4,000 locations with top-up cards available at more than 10,000 locations nationally. Virgin Mobile products can also be purchased online at www.virginmobile.ca or by calling 1-888-999-2321.

For more information, please contact:

Kayla Rochkin, Hill & Knowlton Canada
416-413-4767
kayla.rochkin@hillandknowlton.ca Erica Faltous, Hill & Knowlton Canada
416-413-4695
erica.faltous@hillandknowlton.ca

For information about artist interviews, please contact:
Amanda Munro, Segal Communications
416-775-2309
amanda.munro@segalcommuniactions.com