The Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Who will headline the U.S. version of the Virgin Festival, presented by Virgin Mobile and set for Sept. 23 at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. As previously reported, the Virgin Fest will also visit Toronto on Sept. 9-10.
Also on the bill in Baltimore are the Killers, the Flaming Lips, the Raconteurs, Scissor Sisters, Gnarls Barkley, Keane, Thievery Corporation, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, New Pornographers, Wolfmother, Drive-By Truckers, Kasabian, Brazilian Girls, Tiesto, John Digweed, Carl Cox, 2Many DJs, RJD2 and James Holden.
The festival is produced by Seth Hurwitz, owner of the 9:30 Club in D.C. and president of I.M.P. “I did not want to book every band I could find and put up as many stages as I could and do a smaller version of Coachella or Austin City Limits or these other great festivals,” Hurwitz tells Billboard.com. “My concept was to book the absolute best, most power-packed, quality-versus-quantity lineup I could. I wanted to make this the most prestigious festival to play on for bands.”
Hurwitz anticipates the festival coming back every year and making money out of the gate. “I’m as big a capitalist as anyone in this business, but no one says you can’t be a capitalist and a music lover at the same time,” he says.
Tickets go on sale July 22. Capacity at the Pimlico infield will be 60,000, and general admission tickets are $97.50. A very limited number of VIP tickets will be available.
The Baltimore and Toronto events mark the first time the longstanding U.K. festival has left its shores. This year’s edition will be held at Hylands Park in Chelmsford (Aug. 19) and Weston Park in Staffordshire (Aug. 20).
