It’s the Most Beautiful Festival In The World, and fans attending this year’s RockNess can party in style by going VIP.

From the moment of arriving at the picturesque village of Dores in The Scottish Highlands, through three days of the most festival fun imaginable with headliners including Biffy Clyro, Deadmau5, Mumford & Sons, Justice, Ed Sheeran and Friendly Fires, set against the breathtaking backdrop of world famous Loch Ness, this year’s RockNess VIP experience will offer an unparalleled experience.


Enhanced for 2012, the proposition includes:

VIP Camping:

• Say goodbye to long treks with your party essentials and get set for a monster welcome at the fast-track private entrance to the site plus a VIP car park whack bang next to the VIP campsite.
• Enjoy space galore in the expansive campsite surrounded by ancient forests, making it super easy to set up camp with friends.
• The Holy Grail…flushing toilets and clean, luxury hot showers!
• Stay en communicado with phone charging stations†
• Party all weekend knowing your belongings are safe in secure lockers°
• Chill in the relaxation tent where you can enjoy a massage, beauty or grooming treatment or some funky body art.
• Be safe and happy thanks to an dedicated VIP manager 9am – 9pm daily with on site help for anything needed; directions, advice, or maybe just a reminisce about who or what blew your mind over a cuppa.

VIP Arena:

• Prepare to have an otherworldly experience as you witness the spectacular Highlands dawn rising over mystical Loch Ness thanks to the VIP bar staying open until 4am*
• Sparkle in the stylish Champagne Bar and cocktail bars serving up the most delicious concoctions.
• Enjoy rip roaring giggles galore at the exclusive VIP stage where comedians, bands and DJs serve up a feast of delights in an intimate environment.
• Kick back in comfy seating areas and savour the culinary delights from a raft of VIP food destinations.

Commenting on this year’s fantastic VIP offer, Festival Director Jim King said

This year we have an amazing new location for the VIP camping which is right at the top of the hill overlooking the loch itself. You can literally park right next to the event arena and walk directly into the new camping area. The new campsite itself is also next to the arena so you can walk directly from VIP camping straight into the VIP area and start watching the bands. We’ve increased all service levels in there as well so it will definitely be the best VIP facility we have ever had.

BE LIKE PABLO * HOMEWORK * IAIN MCLAUGHLIN & THE OUTSIDERS * RED KITES * TEAM KAPOWSKI * WHISKY RIVER BAND

Six of the most promising music acts from The Highlands have been confirmed to perform at this year’s RockNess.

The line up curated by Jamie Macdonald and Murray Cameron of Inverness-based Netsounds Unsigned – the weekly online new music podcast, and Chris Lemon of local online music entertainment magazine inverness GiGS will see the diverse line up play live at the NME award winning festival.

With a debut album ‘The New Adventures’ set for release this summer, BE LIKE PABLO make catchy guitar-based powerpop with bright girl/boy vocal harmonies. Think The Beach Boys with Scottish accents. HOMEWORK is a band with roots firmly in The Highlands (from Inverness and Mull respectively) and recently released second album ‘All That Glitters’ has seen the quartet‘s star continue to rise, championed along the way by BBC Radio 1 and BBC6 Music, and supported by a busy touring schedule.

Grunge with a pop-rock edge, IAIN MCLAUGHLIN & THE OUTSIDERS’ recently released debut album ‘We Are All Outsiders’, recorded by Andy Miller (Mogwai, Arab Strap), features an abundance of the band’s trademark “dirty, big drop C tuning and…Nine Inch Nails drums” fused with more than a few spatial gems. In contrast, a love of intense folk and rock drives the sound of RED KITES, with the member’s diverse musical backgrounds producing the kind of emotive and explosive folk rock that has seen much heaping of praise. “Effortless musicianship and all killer-no filler songs” (Highland News).

TEAM KAPOWSKI are new to the Inverness scene in their current form but with the line up featuring former members of Theatre Fall and Fallow, the band’s tongue-in-cheek rap with delicious electro hooks and mighty drums are sure to take RockNess by storm. Finally, like a shot of the good stuff, WHISKY RIVER BAND warm up audiences and leave them still feeling the burn long after the last note is played. The five piece’s as yet untitled debut album is set for release at the end of June making the Inverness-based band’s appearance at RockNess impeccably timed.

Jamie Macdonald and Murray Cameron, Netsounds Unsigned

“Netsounds Unsigned is delighted to be joining forces with inverness GiGs and RockNess to select 6 of the hottest acts from the Highlands of Scotland to perform at RockNess 2012! One of our key aims is about exposing new emerging artists; we are thrilled that this opportunity will bring the best new music from the Highlands to a capacity RockNess audience.

Chris Lemon, inverness GiGS

“invernessGiGs are delighted to be working with Netsounds Unsigned and RockNess to provide a stunning selection of some of the best acts that the area has to offer. From The Whisky River Band to Red Kites, these bands are worthy additions to the RockNess line-up. We are really pleased that RockNess have, quite literally, given a stage to these bands and invernessgigs can’t wait to see how the RockNess audience respond to them.”

Of course you do! Look no further because we’ve teamed up with Festaff who place volunteers at the UK’s premier music festivals allowing you to see some of the world’s finest acts free of charge and have the summer of your dreams with your friends.

No previous experience or qualifications are required because training is provided on-site, but a bright outlook and being a team player is essential.

You can apply solo or as a group. To apply please go to http://www.festaff.co.uk/apply-for-festival-jobs and select Rockness and then Peppermint Bars when prompted.

You will be required leave a deposit please check out the Bonds page for details http://www.festaff.co.uk/bond-guidelines

Good luck!

We have teamed up with our friends at The Daily Record and Sunday Mail to give a music act the once in a lifetime chance to share the same main stage as headliners such as Biffy Clyro, Mumford & Sons, Deadmau5, Ed Sheeran and Friendly Fires..

Whether you’re a fledgling singer-songwriter or the hottest undiscovered band, if you think you can get the main stage rocking, this is THE competition for you.

For the chance to play a set at this year’s NME award winning Best Small Festival, all you have to do is upload a video, which should be under five minutes in length and feature your song entry. Budding entrants have until May 11 to submit.

For more details on how to enter go to http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/playatrockness/

All entries will then be whittled down to a shortlist of six finalists and these in turn will be judged by The Daily Record and RockNess judging panel made up of some of the music industry’s key movers and shakers.

Speaking about competition, RockNess Festival Director Jim King commented

“This is a great opportunity for any aspiring band or artist to play the festival in June. Any act looking to get themselves noticed in front of one of the best festival crowds in the world will see this as a must enter competition.“

Sadly it’s just been confirmed that Azealia Banks has cancelled all of her UK shows this summer as her management want her to concentrate on finishing her new album. Naturally, all at RockNess are disappointed as were really looking forward to seeing her live show but watch this space for more announcements soon.

THE PIGEON DETECTIVES * ERRORS *

SOUND OF GUNS * THE CORRESPONDENTS *

NINA NESBITT * SAINT SAVIOUR

ALL THE YOUNG *THEOPHILUS LONDON *

The countdown to this year’s RockNess is on and we have yet more fresh and exciting talent, plus an absolute blinder of an electro treat, to the already heaving-with-quality line up.

As one of the biggest names in techno, it is impossible to love the genre and not be familiar with the name JEFF MILLS. And if there wasn’t a word like “Wizard” to describe him it would be necessary to invent one. A founding member of the noted Detroit techno collective Underground Resistance, along with “Mad” Mike Banks and Robert “Noise” Hood, as well as past resident of New York’s legendary Limelight, signed artist on Berlin’s acclaimed Tresor label and creator of Chicago’s Axis Recordings, plus countless other groundbreaking achievements of note, JEFF MILLS is revered as a demi-God by electro purists the world over.

Now in a very special appearance, an absolute must for techno connoisseurs, RockNess is thoroughly delighted to announce the maestro will join the exceptional line up of this year’s SUB CLUB SOUND SYSTEM 25 Years celebrations. Expect an unforgettable set as JEFF MILLS, under the moniker of ‘The Wizard’, whips up a storm of unparalleled ferocious intensity playing a set of funk, soul and extremely rare early electro classics.

Inspired at the outset by the likes of Nirvana, Mudhoney and The Pixies, Irish rock group ASH have notched up five studio albums (and a mini album) and countless top 40 hits. ‘Girl From Mars’, ‘Oh Yeah’, ‘Burn Baby Burn’… ASH make great pop songs. Heralded as the ultimate singles band, the 3-piece turned their back on the traditional route of recording an album every couple of years and set up their own studio and label, Atomic Heart Records. This newfound freedom enabled the band to record and release songs at will. Thus was born the A-Z Series – a collection of 26 songs released fortnightly for an entire year. 2011 saw Charlotte Hatherley return to join the band for a one-off tour to much acclaim. 2012 sees the 20^th anniversary of ASH with an appropriate celebration stop off at Dores.

RockNess favourite ROB DA BANK is Highlands-bound again this year too, back to thrill as always no doubt with a big heaving box of stupendously tasty audio delights. ROB DA BANK’s shows are a colourful corner of the musical universe where you’re as likely to stumble into stripped down techno as you are woozy weird folk, bootleg covers, brand new dubstep to oddball electronic so expect the unexpected!

The rise of Yorkshire indie rockers THE PIGEON DETECTIVES is one based on strength of tunes – launched with hit drenched debut Wait For Me, and a relentless approach to touring. Feted by the likes of Steve Lamacq and Jo Wiley, three albums in and with a fourth scheduled for an autumn 2012 release, the platinum selling five piece are set to bring their sound of sculpting guitars and scudding choruses to the festival following a highly successful European tour.

ERRORS is a four piece band from Glasgow with a unique take on dance music. Signed to the brilliant Mogwai’s Rock Action label, they have to date released a series of singles, EPs and their debut album “It’s Not Something But It Is Like Whatever” and these releases have brought them acclaim across the board from MTV, Zane Lowe and Vic Galloway along with sessions at Maida Vale for Mary Anne Hobbs, Rob Da Bank and Huw Stephens, magazines such as NME, Dazed and Confused and Rock Sound as well as tours and live dates with bands as varied as Underworld, Franz Ferdinand, Explosions In The Sky, Gary Numan and Mogwai. NME has hailed them as “one of the most interesting bands in the country”. Don’t miss ERRORS at RockNess this June.

SOUND OF GUNS return to RockNess once again with their surefire power and raw energy. Hailing from Liverpool, SOUND OF GUNS have blazed a trail since they formed in 2008 cementing their deserved reputation for delivering searing rock with their second album, Angels and Enemies picking up support  from Zane Low and Xfm along the way.

THE CORRESPONDENTS take a large helping a swing, jazz, cha-cha-cha and much more from the history of music and add a large helping of fat drum and bass and electro beats to create something that’s unique in the current musical landscape. And with frontman Mr Bruce’s high voltage performance depicting the trials and errors of love, lust and loss they have consistently destroyed crowds on the festival circuit marking them out as a must see act.

A plethora of exciting new breakthrough talent is announced for the line up too. Young Scottish singer songwriter NINA NESBITT has been generating much interest after being spotted by ED SHEERAN and Example (both of whom she subsequently supported on tour). With comparisons to Laura Marling and Kate Nash, check out her set to see just why all the fuss.

Former Groove Armada collaborator Becky Jones AKA SAINT SAVIOUR has a captivating vocal style that has seen her compared to Kate Bush and Sinead O’Connor. Having recently toured with Hurts, she has her debut album ‘Union’ due for release a fortnight after her appearance at RockNess.

ALL THE YOUNG are Britrock revivalists whose sounds ooze the feel good factor of classic 90s indie. Mixing brains and brawn the band have come to smash 2012 into a brave new frontier of indie rock n roll, honing their craft with a series of support slots for the likes of Morrissey, Kaiser Chiefs, The Courteneers, The Wombats, Hard-Fi and The Pigeon Detectives.

Brooklyn rapper THEOPHILUS LONDON built his reputation with a series of must-have mixtapes making him one of the biggest buzz acts on the planet.  His debut album Timez Are Weird These Days was critically acclaimed when it was released last summer and Theophilus is sure to rock the crowds with his take an alternative hip-hop.

Commenting on these latest announcements, Festival Director Jim King said:

“We’re delighted with this announcement. Jeff Mills closing his stage on the Sunday night is going to be something special”

From the freshest homegrown talent to some of the biggest comics from around the globe, it’ll be rip roaring giggles galore each day.

First up is Scotland’s fast rising comic prodigy DANIEL SLOSS. Half-man-half-Xbox, this twenty one year-old started doing stand-up aged just 16. Three sold-out Edinburgh Fringe seasons, appearances on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Rob Brydon Show, Jason Manford’s Comedy Rocks and Mock the Week plus his own BBC show The Adventures of Daniel followed – all before he started to shave. Now with a 50 date UK tour under his belt and just-recorded stand up DVD, RockNess welcomes the self deprecating and unstoppable star in the making to Dores.

Like a comedic Kalashnikov, DES CLARKE’s sets are a blistering cacophony of comic neurosis, astonishing humour delivered with an energetic scattergun style. A clutch of awards and countless TV appearances bear testament to his genius wit, also heard each morning across the Capital Breakfast airwaves as he stirs the nation.

THE REVEREND OBADIAH STEPPENWOLFE III – the alter ego of Jim Muir – is a one man tornado, a fount of masterfully timed, pitch-perfect jokes that flout the very laws of censure. He once was lost but now he’s saved, explains the bearded, shade-wearing, white-smocked Obadiah, in a Southern preacher’s drawl. In his moments of temptation, Obadiah asks himself what would Charlie Sheen do? Channelling the spirit of every crazed hick who ever found God – the hard-drinking, spouse-abusing, morally bankrupt Reverend grinds all the usual subjects (sex, drugs, religion, porn). Howlingly funny.

BILLY KIRKWOOD, the Ayrshire born ‘comedy fizz bomb’ is a must see with a massive cult following. His surreal style of storytelling and near non existent attention span is unspeakably juvenile and undeniably funny. Joining him is Aussie comic BENNY BOOT, aka alter ego Water Montgomery, the big-wigged South African and ‘President of Stand-Up Comedy’ renowned for unleashing an arsenal of consistently brilliant gags in a unique manner of disdain.

Also on this year’s line up is a comedian who walks a fine line between irony and downright obnoxiousness, MARTY McLEAN. His fearlessness of offending is legendary and the laughter in the audience is usually peppered with gasps of disbelief, and occasional cries of outrage, as those who witnessed him at last year’s RockNess will testify. Previous Scottish Comedian of the Year winner RO CAMPBELL is back for more again too. The cheeky Aussie has entertained audiences from Bangalore to Helsinki with a few maximum security prison gigs in between, and was hailed “biggest laugh of RockNess 2011” by the NME. Top notch.

SCOTT AGNEW is tough, funny and original, with a brilliant and distinctively Glaswegian line in creative insults, RockNess is delighted to welcome back Scott for what promises to be another big, burly, barnstorming performance. Unmissable. Alongside Scott Agnew, and with a repertoire of blistering, unadulterated material which pushes dangerously near the boundaries of good taste is one of Scotland’s true comedy gems, MARK NELSON. Winner of the inaugural Scottish Comedian of the Year and with a sold out Fringe debut, Mark’s RockNess performance is strongly recommended. ‘Nelson possesses a talent that’s simply obscene… a star in the making’ LIST.

Perched on the shoulder of decency, shouting his skewed, dark view of the world, PARROT is one of stand-up comedy’s great mavericks. His massive influence on the modern comedy scene extends far beyond his own stand-up act, having written for such stars as Dave Allen, Jack Dee and Jo Brand and shows including Rab C Nesbitt and Jonathan Ross Live. Expect a hard-hitting, quick-fire performance.

If there’s a rabble that needs roused, ALAN ANDERSON is the comic of choice. One of Scotland’s top comperes, he has shared a stage with Johnny Vegas, Peter Kay and Jimmy Carr, annually hosts the heats of the Scottish Comedian of the Year, and most match days can be found hosting gigs in the nation’s main sporting grounds. Joining Anderson is happy-go-lucky and loveable Geordie KAI HUMPHRIES. His monthly shows at Newcastle’s Punch Drunk Comedy have been instant sell outs since the start and his high octane delivery is seeing him rising through the professional comedy ranks.

CHRIS HENRY started his joke telling career after performing song and dance shows in the holiday industry for six years (took him that long to figure out he couldn’t sing or dance). Now this loveable rogue can be found sharing his bizarre, eccentric and occasionally shocking tales – not of the variety for the dinner table – at the UK’s biggest comedy venues. Expect a routine leaner than Brad Pitt’s six pack.

After a blinder of a performance last year, former Asda trolley boy DARREN CONNELL returns to Dores to delight with his distinctive brand of Glasgow banter while JAMES KIRK is another comic to check out. Winner of the So You Think You’re Funny? New Act (previous winners include Peter Kay, Lee Mack and Dylan Moran), James “does comedy on his own terms”. At the ripe old age of 23 and with countless radio and television appearances and writing endeavours to his credit, Kirk is already a veteran of the comedy scene.

Winner of Scottish Comedian of the Year 2011, JAMIE DALGLISH paints a comical picture of Glasgow, merging anecdote and observation with a healthy dose of congeniality. A committed atheist, his material on religion and its defects is delivered with drollness and reserve. A solid and shrewd performer, Dalglish is one to watch. Another comic destined for lofty heights is MIKEY ADAMS. A string of well reviewed support slots to his credit including appearances at the Glasgow and also Leith Comedy Festivals plus acclaim as part of the improvisation troupe “Dance, Monkey Boy Dance” has seen to that.

Sunday Mail Champ winner and Scottish Comedian of the Year 2009, JOHN GAVIN is “an assured everybloke eager to decry his emasculation at having to watch Gok Wan and Mamma Mia! yet capable of nailing a cheeky oneliner” (The Scotsman). Want to know what girls really want from a guy? Don’t miss his set at RockNess. Also Highlands bound is SCOTT GIBSON, stand up comedian and Glasgow Mad Man. After “playing a sellout show to all my teddy bears at the bottom of my bed, I thought it time to move onto real humans. So far it’s been good, met some nice people, played in some cool venues and to date no one has burst into tears, been sick or tried to stab me. I’m classing that as a pretty good” – “He was ok, I didn’t want to stab him” – The Paisley Bugle.

With a show entitled ‘Accept Your Inner Plonker’, emerging Scottish stand-up CHLOE PHILIP reflects on red-faced brushes with celebrity, calamitous experiments in seduction and plays a medley of scorching joke-songs. Fast rising MC RAY BRADSHAW joins the bill too. Ray is ginger and it’s caused his some pain. Expect a set peppered with witty one liners. “Funnier than a falcon” as Frankie Boyle said.

Young Glaswegian scoundrel JOHN WALKER delivers “pure quality banter, no daft themes, just making punters laugh”. He’s one of Scotland’s best up and coming comedians as a result. Check him out and see for yourself. STUART MITCHELL swapped a life of banking and fast cars for comedy…an astute move as his hectic gigging schedule proves. As well as studying acting at the RSAMD, Mitchell became an “internet sensation” (Daily Record) after he appeared on Frank Skinner’s Opinionated TV show receiving a standing ovation by panel members Patrick Kielty, Sarah Millican and Skinner.

EDDIE CASSIDY’s rock solid comedy stacks funny line upon funny line as he builds to room killing punchlines. Eddie is one quarter of the Raw Natural Talent comedy collective and a regular contributor to iTunes top ten ScottishComedyFC podcast. ANNA DEVITT gave up her 9-5 to pursue her comedy dreams, a decision well made. Her sets deliver fast paced material, peppered with higher-than-average cheap jokes (her admission) but offset by supremely elegant wordplay she weaves into her routines.

NEIL BRATCHPIECE aka THE WEE MAN is the smallest member of the Bratchpiece Family. THE WEE MAN is a pure wee fiend whose stage demeanour ranges wildly from quite threatening to really very threatening indeed. An enthusiastic swinger in his spare time, his favourite TV shows are Crimewatch, Britain’s Dumbest Criminals and Watercolour Challenge and numbers Malcolm X, Ving Rhames and Sandi Toksvig among his heroes. Joining THE WEE MAN at RockNess is big brother DAVID BRATCHPIECE aka Bratchy. As one third of Scotland’s only family of stand up comedians (father Mark completes the trio) expect plenty of sibling comedic ribbing. “We are just the ringmasters of a very lunatic circus” says Bratchy. Indeed.

Commenting on this year’s comedy at RockNess, Festival Director Jim King said ““The comedy programme has been a brilliant addition to the festival and its gone from strength to strength. Led by Tim Minchin, we’ve got a great announcement of the very best from the Scottish comedy circuit and so the pub is going to be the place to grab a drink, kick back and have a few laughs.”

If you know techno, you know Ben Sims.

One of the world’s leading DJs in the discipline, he is also curator of his own revered labels, chief amongst them being Theory – an imprint this year celebrating its 40th outstanding release.

Production wise Ben Sims is on the form of his life and supporters read like a roll call of contemporary connoisseurs; Marcel Dettmann, Ben Klock, Robert Hood, Rolando and the ‘Baron of Techno’ and RockNess headliner Dave Clarke.

Now, ahead of us welcoming him to RockNess, where as part of this year’s outstanding Soma Records proposition he promises to shake the Arcadia UFO to its core with his distinctive blend of tight, tough funk and hard groves, we bring you an exclusive chat between Ben and Henry Northmore of The List. Check it out here!

Get in the mood and check out these two excellent mixes from Ben, including this new and very special techno flavoured, Acid House fuelled, disco-tastic podcast he made for Fabric.

Xavier De Rosnay

“The site, the location… it looked really amazing. RockNess is a great festival.

Last time I was there was DJ’ing with Cassius, Mehdi and Busy P as part of Club 75.

Everything’s going to be different this time. We’re playing live. I hope it’s going to be fun!”

He made one of the hottest dance albums of the 00s, rocketed to international stardom and played at the first ever RockNess.

Now, in an unmissable major interview – his first in years, and ahead of his return to Dores this summer, the Skye-born, electro wizard talks exclusively to Mickey McMonagle about life after the ‘Destroy Rock & Roll’ juggernaut, his musical inspirations, bringing his famed EPP party to the new Arcadia UFO at RockNess…and his much anticipated follow up second album.

“We started doing disco-themed parties called Ecstasy Passion Pain, the first was about a year ago in a wee place then went to XOYO then to the Scala, which is a good sized theatre, with all the usual disco suspects.

Then we had a meeting with RockNess about throwing a party up there which is amazing.

(Since the first year) I have been back to RockNess a couple of times to DJ and party but it’s really great to return with a few other people I am a fan of…Tiger & Woods, Yuksek…
We are doing the Arcadia UFO which is one of my favourite parts of the site.”

READ THE FULL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW IN THIS WEEKEND’S SUNDAY MAIL.