James Blake, Everything Everything, I Am Kloot, AlunaGeorge and more confirmed in the first announcement for this festival

Festival No.6 have announced that Welsh trio Manic Street Preachers have been persuaded to end their self-imposed two-year exile to headline one of the nights at this year’s event, which will be a UK festival exclusive.

The cover of their fifth studio album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours was shot in 1998 on the beach at Portmeirion, North Wales – home of Festival No.6. This year’s festival falls on the 15th anniversary of the album’s release, all of which helped to convince the Manics to appear at what promises to be an astonishing homecoming.

“Festival No.6 is the only thing that could break our self-enforced two year British gig ban. To be able to play in Sir Clough Williams-Ellis’ iconic village is something of a dream for us. See you in September.”
Manic Street Preachers

The musical bill at Festival No.6 will again combine a blend of iconic acts alongside the freshest emerging talent and a stunning DJ line-up. Other live acts confirmed in the first wave of announcements for 2013 include James Blake, Everything Everything, I Am Kloot, AlunaGeorge, Laura Mvula, Mount Kimbie, Caitlin Rose, Chapel Club and Dutch Uncles.

A selection of DJ acts confirmed so far include Frankie Knuckles, Carl Craig, Andrew Weatherall, Gilles Peterson, Justin Robertson, Greg Wilson, Maxxi Soundsystem, Unabombers and Futureboogie.

Arts and culture is an integral part of Festival No.6, and this year’s line-up is even stronger. Guests include John Cooper Clarke, the punk poet who is now a national treasure, name-checked by everyone from Alex Turner to Plan B, plus Man Booker Prize winner DBC Pierre, award-winning novelist and Times columnist Caitlin Moran and author and Review Show critic Paul Morley.

Other highlights announced today include talks and readings from Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl), John Niven (Kill Your Friends), Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne) and Michael Smith (The Culture Show) as well as the return of the wonderful Jan Morris, one of the highlights of last year’s No.6.

“We’re delighted and very proud that we’ve managed to entice one of the biggest Welsh bands of all time to end their hiatus and play Festival No.6. There’s a wonderful synchronicity in the fact that this year’s event falls on the 15th anniversary of one of the Manics’s greatest albums This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. The cover of that record was shot on the beach at Portmeirion, which makes it all the more special. We feel it’s important to maintain Welsh heritage within our line up and entertainment and there is no bigger way to do it than by booking this band!”
Festival co-founder Gareth Cooper

Festival No.6 takes place from the 13-15th September 2013 at Portmeirion, Gwynedd, tickets are on sale now