The Darkness to headline Coventry Godiva Festival 2017

Rock band The Darkness will headline this year’s Godiva Festival – taking its Sunday headline slot on July 9.



The British band are best known for their hit song, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”, which peaked at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

Their debut album ’Permission To Land’ went straight to number two on release in 2003 and sold 1.5million copies in the UK.

Councillor Abdul Khan, Coventry City Council deputy leader and cabinet member for events, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to announce our first headline act for 2017 as The Darkness, who will play on Sunday afternoon.”

“We’re working hard to help secure more bands and programme in our other two headline slots, so we’ll be making more announcements as soon as we can.”

Coventry Godiva Festival is billed as the UK’s biggest free music festival.

It takes place on July 7-9 this year in its annual War Memorial Park venue.

The Darkness are expected to release their fifth studio album this year.

Previous Godiva headline acts have included The Enemy, Happy Mondays, Kasabian, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Human League.Boomtown Rats and Scouting for Girls last year.

The festival began in 1997, and this year could be the last in its present free form – amid public sector funding cuts – unless more commercial revenues are obtained.

The annual net cost to council taxpayers has been around £300,000 – the difference between the council’s costs of delivering the festival in the War Memorial Park each summer, and income from sponsors and other commercial activities.

The Godiva Festival has long been considered a ‘jewel in the city’s crown’, not least with the city bidding to become UK Capital of Culture. The festival has attracted up to 148,000 visitors each year.

The Stranglers to headline Friday night at Godiva Festival 2017



The Stranglers have been confirmed as the headline for Friday night at this year’s eagerly-anticipated Godiva Festival.

The announcement follows the confirmation that 00s rock band The Darkness would be closing the three-day bash on the Sunday night.

JJ Burnel of the Stranglers said: “The Stranglers are looking forward to parading naked at the Godiva Festival in July.”

Godiva Festival 2017: Tens of thousands of music fans pack War Memorial Park



Tens of thousands of music fans packed in to Coventry's War Memorial Park as the Godiva Festival proved it is still going as strongly as ever.

Now in its 19th year, the festival still hasn't lost any of its charm, or clearly any of its pull with the punters, as Friday night showed.

The crowds packed out everywhere from the main stage to the rock tent and right down to the area around the microacoustic stage.

Once the gates opened at 6pm the talent was on show straight away with Coventry band The Institutes pulling appreciative applause from those getting their good spots in front of the main stage early on.

As the main field at the War Memorial Park filled up, Tom Williams entertained the crowds from the main stage, while Superhooch and Overseer got things moving in the rock tent.

As the sun slowly set and oodles of food and drink was very much enjoyed, there was a contrast in styles as Pulled Apart By Horses screamed and crowdsurfed their way in to people's hearts, while indie legends Cast played their classic hits on the main stage.

Mallory Knox had the pleasure of headlining the rock tent later on in the night, while the band that many had come to see, The Stranglers, closed the main stage.

Hits such as Peaches and, of course, Golden Brown, had the crowds joining in a very loud sing-along.

Lee House, festival director, said: "It's been a dream so far. The crowds have flocked up and we are hearing that they are happy.

"It's great that Cast are here as they were meant to play in 2012 when it got rained off.

"As well as mixing it up with the bands that people know, it's still also about giving local bands the chance to show what they can do and be appreciated by a local crowd."