Massive Attack announced as artistic directors of this year’s Meltdown festival

Published Thursday 14 February 2008 at 11:45 by Alistair Smith

Massive Attack will serve as artistic directors of the Southbank Centre’s 15th Meltdown festival this year, following in the footsteps of artists such as Patti Smith, Scott Walker and David Bowie.

The band, who were one of the pioneers of the trip-hop scene in Bristol in the late eighties and early nineties, will curate the programme in the concert halls and spaces of the London venue, including Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall between June 14-22.

Jude Kelly, artistic director of the Southbank Centre, said: “Like some live, unhinged version of Desert Island Discs, Southbank Centre’s Meltdown festival is entirely defined each year by the tastes and interests of the director. A globally recognised band with global issues at heart, the very name of this year’s director has become a potent symbol of many things, not least an attitude that rejects over-corporatised culture in favour of a radical vision.”