Main Square Festival
The Main Square Festival is an annual international music festival organized by Live Nation which takes place in the first week-end of July in Arras, France.
Main Square Festival
1st weekend in July
- Grand-Place d'Arras (2004-09)
- Citadelle d'Arras (2010-present)
2004–present
France Leduc Productions
2006[edit]
The 2006 edition gathered around 45,000 people for a two-day festival on the Grand-Place d'Arras. Depeche Mode, Goldfrapp, Muse, The Kooks & Second Sex were present. During their live show, Muse broadcast live Thierry Henry's goal for France against Brazil in the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals.[2]
2007[edit]
The 2007 edition took place on 30 June and 1 July. The line-up was mainly composed of French artists, including headliners Indochine and Tryo, but also Ayọ, The Sunshiners, Air & Peter von Poehl.
2008[edit]
The 2008 edition marked the beginning of the partnership with Live Nation and a three-day-format. The festival was organized from 4 to 6 July. The line-up was denser and more prestigious than the previous years. The 2008 edition gathered more than 60,000 people on the Grand-Place d'Arras. The Chemical Brothers, Underworld and Justice headlined the first day of the festival alongside Boys Noize and 2 Many DJ's. On the second day, Mika, The Kooks and BB Brunes were the headliners and The Hoosiers, Digitalism and Panic! at the Disco also performed. The final day was headlined by Radiohead while Sigur Rós, The Dø, Vampire Weekend, and The Wombats also performed.[2]
On 7 July, a concert of Quebec star Celine Dion was organized on the Grand-Place d'Arras by Live Nation. Arras, Paris and Nice were the only three French cities on her "Taking Chances World Tour".[3]
On 14 August, Live Nation organized another concert on the Grand-Place d'Arras. The entertainment company brought American heavy metal band Metallica for a show that lasted over two hours.[4]
2009[edit]
In 2009, the festival took place from 2 to 5 July. The four-day-festival was headlined by Coldplay, Kanye West, Placebo and Lenny Kravitz. Despite the prestigious line-up, the tickets were tough to sell. The 4-day pass cost 175€. A few days before the festival, the organizers decided to apply a 40% discount on the tickets.[2]
Other performers included The Ting Tings, Amy Macdonald, M. Ward, Lily Allen, Phoenix, Birdy Nam Nam, Yuksek, Boys Noize, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Gossip, Ghinzu, Expatriate, Crookers, Moby, Franz Ferdinand, Duffy, Katy Perry, Justin Nozuka & Michael Franti.
2011[edit]
The second edition at the Citadelle d'Arras is known as one of the best pop rock lineup of the festival. The three-day festival gathered around 100 000 spectators during the three days.[2]
Headline acts performed on the Main Stage and included The Chemical Brothers, Linkin Park, Queens Of The Stone Age, Limp Bizkit, Shaka Ponk, The Gaslight Anthem, The Pretty Reckless, Moby, Arcade Fire, The National, Kaiser Chiefs, White Lies, Yodelice, Triggerfinger, Coldplay, Portishead, PJ Harvey, Elbow, Bruno Mars, Charles Bradley, Rival Sons.
Other artists performed on a smaller stage called Greenroom: Martin Solveig, Beady Eye, Eels, Selah Sue, Tame Impala, Jenny & Johnny, Warpaint, Welling Walrus, The Shoes, Kasabian, Two Door Cinema Club, Jimmy Eat World, Fleet Foxes, Aloe Blacc, Everything Everything, Mai, Underworld, Magnetic Man, Cold War Kids, Julian Perretta, Puggy, I Blame Coco, Evaline, Manceau.
2013[edit]
In 2013, the Main Square Festival took place from 5 to 7 July. The line-up included Green Day, The Hives, Biffy Clyro, The Prodigy, Bloc Party, Sting, Indochine, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Modestep, Netsky, Mike + The Mechanics, Alt-J, Damien Saez, Of Monsters and Men, Madeon, Stereophonics, Lou Doillon, Modest Mouse.[6]
36 artists were present for the 2018 edition. Headline acts were Queens of the Stone Age, Depeche Mode and Orelsan.[12]
2019[edit]
The 2019 edition took place in La Citadelle d'Arras from 5 July to 7 July 2019. It was the 15th edition. On 5 July, the line-up included various artists including DJ Snake, Christine & the Queens, Damso, Cypress Hill, Angèle, Lizzo, Miles Kane. On 6 July, Martin Garrix, Skip The Use, Masego among others performed. On 7 July, the line-up included John Butler Trio, Bigflo & Oli, Editors, Jain, Ben Harper and others.[13]
2020 & 2021[edit]
2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.[14]
2022[edit]
The 2022 edition took place from 30 June to 3 July 2022, with four days of festival. The headline acts were DJ Snake, Sting, Black Eyed Peas, and Twenty One Pilots.[15] The Pixies were originally scheduled to play on 2 July but they cancelled due to a Covid-19 infection in the group. They were replaced by French band Inspecteur Cluzo.[16]
2023[edit]
The 2023 edition took place from 30 June to July 2 2023, going back to a three-day-format. The organisation increased the prices of the tickets, three-day passes went from 129€ in 2022 to 155€ in 2023.[17] The line-up included artists such as Aya Nakamura, David Guetta, Macklemore, Maroon 5, John Butler, Kungs, Tiakola.[18]
2024[edit]
In 2024, the Main Square Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary. However, the 2024 edition will not be the 20th as two editions were cancelled in 2020 and 2021.