MOHAMED ELBARADEI
Eight years on and the US-led invasion of Iraq remains a contentious subject. This interview with Mohamed ElBaradei, the former lead weapons inspector in Iraq, will offer a first-hand insight into the often-confused picture of the months that led up to military intervention. Conducting the interview will be Channel 4’s Jon Snow, who is also likely to touch on ElBaradei’s recent involvement in the Egyptian protests that led to the resignation of Hosni Mubarek. It’s testament to the growing confidence of the Hay Festival organisers that they can attract a Nobel prize-winning veteran of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq and the protests at Tahrir Square. Barclays Wealth Pavilion, Sat 4 June, 5.30pm, tickets: £10
ALSO NOT TO BE MISSED...
David Milliband talks about life beyond the front bench.
Nigella Lawson shares some of her culinary secrets. VS Naipaul reflects on his latest book.
Howard Jacobson discusses The Finkler Question with Peter Florence.
Stand-up shows from Mark Watson, Dara O’Briain and Shappi Khorsandi.
pic: TOBY SUMMERSKILL
Owen Sheers previews clips from the film adaptation of his novel, Resistance.
Beyond its glittering literary lineup, Hay also hosts a fantastic range of live acts. We pick out five of this year’s highlights
HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE
A nine-piece group hailing from Chicago, The Hyp- notic Brass Ensemble consist of eight horn-playing sons of Phil Cochran, and one drummer. Fusing jazz, hip-hop and everything in between, the band started life as a street ensemble before beginning to record in 2004 and collaborating with groups including Mos Def and Nomadic Massive. They also featured on a number of tracks on the Gorillaz’s third album, Plastic Beach. With the likes of Barack Obama sing- ing their praises – “I can’t get enough of these guys. They soothe the soul” – we urge you to head over to the Barclays Pavilion for some soul-soothing of your own, in what is certain to be a damn fine end to the first weekend of the festival. Barclays Wealth Pavilion, Sun 29 May, 9.45pm, tickets: £12
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO
Having shot to fame in the 1980s off the back of their hugely successful collaboration with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland, Ladysmith Black Mambazo still continue to make critically acclaimed and in-
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credibly powerful music. A male a capella choir from South Africa, consisting largely of family members, the group sing in beautiful, intricate harmonies in the vocal style traditional to the Zulu people, isicathamiya. The group have achieved worldwide recognition and in 2009 won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album for Ilembe: Hon- oring Shaka Zulu. Ladysmith Black Mambazo bring their unique harmonies to Hay this May, and with a back-catalogue of over 50 recorded albums and years of touring under their belt, you can certainly expect the group to deliver a stunning performance. Oxfam Stage, Mon 30 May, 9.30pm, tickets: £23
THE PORTICO QUARTET
This four-piece group from London got the jazz world talking back in 2007 with the release of their debut album Knee-Deep In The North Sea. Their style of modern jazz music is made distinctive by the use of 21st century percussion instrument, the hang, an instrument made from two steel sheets and similar in principle to the steel drum or gamelan. This helped catapult The Portico Quartet from their humble busking beginnings to a Mercury Music Prize nomination. Their debut album was also Time Out’s best jazz album of 2007 and they have since released their second album, Isla. The band will be bringing their unique sound to Hay for a show that we can safely say, will be something very different. In a good way. Oxfam Stage, Sat 4 June, 10pm, tickets: £10
MONARCHY Originally from Australia but based in London, Mon-
archy have created remixes for pop giants including Lady Gaga, Kylie and Jamiroquai. Famously elusive, the pair are defined almost solely through their brand of soaring, synth-heavy electro-pop. That and the particularly impressive accolade of being the first band ever to broadcast live into space, an event which took place from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in June 2010. With a busy festival schedule following the release of their first full-length debut album in May, audiences can look forward to a set comprising of their own material as well remixes. Oxfam Stage, Thurs 2 June, 9.30pm, tickets: £7
CERYS MATTHEWS Cardiff-born Cerys Matthews is perhaps best known as lead singer of the Welsh band Catatonia, who enjoyed success in the 90s with singles includ- ing Mulder And Scully and You’ve Got A Lot To Answer For. Matthews also duetted with Tom Jones on the Christmas hit Baby It’s Cold Outside, a collaboration which you could argue contributed to the singer being voted the Sexiest Woman In Rock in a reader’s poll by the magazine Melody Maker later that year. Now, Matthews is to return to the Hay Festival where, a decade ago, she famously serenaded Bill Clinton. She will be performing songs from her recent solo album Tir, which means water in Welsh. The album, a collection of traditional Welsh songs, is Matthews’ third release on her own label, Rainbow City Recordings and includes beautiful versions of Calon Lâm and Cym Rhondda. Barclays Wealth Pavilion, Fri 3 June, 10pm, tickets: £15
THE PORTICO QUARTET
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