GIRLS ALOUD - GIRLS ALOUD AND WELLER CONFIRM ISLE OF WIGHT SHOWS

Girls Aloud and Paul Weller form an unlikely double act set to headline two concerts on the Isle of Wight this summer.

While this year's Isle of Wight festival features the likes of the Police, the Sex Pistols and Kaiser Chiefs, event organiser John Giddings has launched a spin-off event at stately home Osborne House.

Two gigs, to be held on July 26th and 27th, will be headlined by Paul Weller and Girls Aloud respectively, with more acts to be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event, now the third music festival on the isle this summer, will go on sale on April 21st.

Osbourne House, known as Queen Victoria's seaside palace, is set in 1,000 acres on the north east of the Isle of Wight and is one of its most popular tourist attractions.

"Staging concerts in the grounds of important historic sites like Osborne House is a very immediate way of engaging people with their heritage as well as attracting a diverse audience, some of whom may never normally visit a historic property," said Dean Pascall, English Heritage head of visitor operations on the Isle of Wight, in a statement.

"We hope they will go away with lasting memories of a fantastic evening's music made even more special by the superb backdrop of Queen Victoria's magnificent island home."

John Gidding added: "It's great to be involved with developing the music scene on the island and especially at one of the most beautiful locations in the country."

The Isle of Wight festival takes place in June, with the Paul Weller and Girls Aloud shows in July and Bestival in September.


18/04/2008 08:56:05