Music icons Black Eyed Peas are to headline what's being billed as the largest music festival in the North East this summer.
The I Got A Feeling and Where Is The Love hit-makers will star at LooseFest which has unveiled the first phase of its line-up at the same time of announcing its July return and new outdoor city centre location on Newcastle Town Moor.
The festival promises a rare chance for Black Eyed Peas to catch up with rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo who, following their four-year hiatus, now have a new singer - J. Rey Soul - to replace Fergie.
Read more: Guide to 2022 music festivals in the North East
Other big names on the July 30-31 bill will be chart-topping Brit nominee Joel Corry; Rather Be and Symphony star Clean Bandit; Ladbroke Grove rapper AJ Tracey and local DJ legend Patrick Topping.
Singer and rapper Example; chart regular Sigala and world-famous DJ Sanchez have also signed up to the weekend - as have tech house DJs Jamie Jones and Lee Foss - which organisers are expecting to attract up to 60,000 festival-goers over its run.
Multiple all-weather stages will be set up on the Town Moor for the festival where there also will be a street food village and a "carnival fun fair" including a Ferris wheel.
The event, which has involved a partnership with The Freemen of Newcastle and support from Newcastle City Council as well as other local authorities, says it will be making history as the largest music festival ever to take place on the Town Moor.
Last year LooseFest had announced it would be taking place in Saltwell Park in Gateshead before Covid restrictions hit but it went ahead later in the year at Herrington Park in Sunderland. This summer's outing, however, is set to dwarf that.
Simon Sykes, a founder member of LooseFest, said: “We are delighted to be working with some of the biggest brands and artists in the industry."
He said the "ultimate goal" is to "put the festival spotlight firmly back on the North East for many years to come."
He added there is much more yet to be announced, saying: "So watch this space - it’s going to be an amazing weekend of entertainment this year."
Those interested in attending LooseFest are invited to register their interest online here to receive first news of 24-hour discounted pre-sale tickets.
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