‘The 1975’ set to headline Bushmills Live™ 2014

Breakthrough British band ‘The 1975’, who have had a meteoric rise in the last 12 months, are set to take time out from their massive world tour to headline the intimate ‘Bushmills Live’ festival on Ireland’s north coast on June 12, 2014. The four friends from Manchester, who have supported the likes of The Rolling Stones and MUSE in the past, are embarking on a world tour that will see them play huge gigs in Australia, Japan and America, as well as a more intimate set at the Old Bushmills Distillery. This year the festival, previously headlined by the likes of Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg and Of Monsters and Men, will see 700 whiskey and music fans invited to the brand’s home on June 11 and June 12 to witness emerging and iconic artists sharing the stage for a series of intimate gigs in age-old buildings, where the art of making whiskey has been perfected over centuries. Matthew Healy, lead singer of ‘The 1975’, said: “We’ve never played a show in a distillery before so it’s a first for us. We’ve gigged all over the place but to play a festival like this, in a setting as unique as this, will be pretty special.” To celebrate the launch of ‘Bushmills Live 2014’, the music-loving whiskey makers at the Old Bushmills Distillery have collaborated with two local artisans to craft the world’s largest barrel oak headphones which will enable friends to share in the music in a unique way. Made using almost a dozen giant whiskey barrels, the headphones stand at over 10ft high and will form an interactive centrepiece with music from Bushmills Live artists past and present played through the unique, handcrafted headphones. Festival-goers will be able to sit between the ear pieces to experience a truly unique combination of handcrafted whiskey and music. It follows on from a successful tie up with Hollywood A-Lister Elijah Wood, who along with his friend and DJ partner Zach Cowie, designed a line of Grado Labs headphones made from Bushmills Irish Whiskey wood in December. The ‘money-can’t-buy’ tickets will not go on general release. Instead, whiskey and music fans can win the chance to attend the festival by entering a draw at www.facebook.com/bushmills. Entries to the draw will open on Monday, March 17 (St Patrick’s Day) at 16:08 GMT. Bushmills Irish Whiskey Master Distiller Colum Egan said: “We’re looking forward to throwing open the doors of the distillery and welcoming friends, old and new, to come and enjoy the handcrafted whiskey and music on offer at ‘Bushmills Live 2014’. “It really is a highpoint of our year. Great music and excellent whiskey, enjoyed in moderation among friends, complement each other beautifully. We’ll be announcing the full line-up soon and I can promise you some spectacular surprises as well as some good friends returning.”

Want tickets? They're not on general release, instead, whiskey and music fans can win the chance to attend the festival by entering a draw at www.facebook.com/bushmills. Entries will open on Monday, March 17 (St Patrick’s Day) at 16:08 GMT.