ANNOUNCEMENT 28TH JANUARY 2013

Now in it's 6th year, SOS Festival is delighted to reveal the bands confirmed for the 2013 event on 20th-21st July at the consistent venue Radcliffe Civic, in North Manchester.

As in previous years the festival serves both as a showcase for the music of bands signed to the Rocksector Records label, together with a wider pool of talent from the UK & abroad involving both established & newer artists, whilst always preserving a place for some of the best local Manchester bands from the areas adjacent to where the festival is located. Previous headliners at SOS include GUN, Blaze Bayley, Tygers of Pan Tang, Fury UK, Black Spiders & Beholder.

From when the festival expanded to two days rather than just one, there has always tended to be a rock influence on one day & a metal influence on the other. This year is no different & Saturday is for rock, whilst Sunday will keep the metalheads happy.

In keeping with the tradition of the past two years as well as the main stage there will be an acoustic stage & performances will alternate between the two. Some bands playing main stage on one day will also get the chance to perform acoustically on the other.

Additionally, it's with immense pride that we announce that the main stage at SOS Festival is hereafter to be known as the Dean Hocking Stage. For those that don't know, Dean Hocking was the bassist of Nightvision, from the Rocksector family of artists, who was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in the early hours of 27th December 2012, aged just 23. Dean was an extremely talented & respected musician, not-to-mention an infectious & loveable character, who is already greatly missed by his family, friends, fans & peers. We are grateful to Dean's family for allowing us the honour of re-naming our main stage like this - it's a stage that Dean had graced more than once in life, just as he does now in memory going forward.

Without further delay, let us tell you about this year's SOS headliners. For the rock day, Saturday, on the Dean Hocking Stage we're delighted to bring for the first time at SOS, the founder-member & original singer of the absolute legends AC/DC........ Mr DAVE EVANS. Dave was predecessor to Bon Scott & following his time with AC/DC went on to star in his own bands & solo work, touring Australia, Europe & the United States. In April 2009 his incredible "Judgement Day" album had its' UK release on Rocksector Records & both that year & in 2011, Dave toured with his UK Badasses. On the more recent of those tours the UK Badasses comprised members of Manchester's own Absolva & it's Chris Appleton, Martin McNee, Tom Atkinson & Dan Bate who again will be hitting the stage with Dave at SOS Festival. Expect an explosive & charismatic performance including Dave's original material but also a handsome collection of AC/DC songs from Dave's era with the band & also that of Bon Scott.

Headlining the Dean Hocking Stage on metal day, Sunday, we're excited to welcome back the incendiary BABYLON FIRE. After a hiatus enforced by the departure of lead guitarist Will Reece, Babylon Fire have come back on the UK metal scene with an inspired vengeance, along with a debut full length album called "Dark Horizons" which was released on Rocksector Records in November 2012. That album has received genuine critical acclaim & prompts valid comparisons with colossal metal artists such as Stone Sour, Machine Head & Five Finger Death Punch. Babylon Fire played SOS in the festival's early years & now return as genuine headliners, armed with a modern metal album locked & loaded like an exocet missile. Now a 4-piece band, Rishi Mehta, Ryk Swillo, Mark Dunford & Mark Cooper are armed & extremely ready.

There remains one band which can't yet be announced for Sunday & we'll be expanding the acoustic format a little but other than that, here's the line-up....

SATURDAY : DEAN HOCKING STAGE
Dave Evans
Exit State
4Bitten
Fantasist
Wizz Wizzard
Ten By Ten
Massive Wagons
Eocene
Afterdown
Spill Sixteen
Subject 7

SATURDAY : ACOUSTIC STAGE
Steel Threads
Triaxis

SUNDAY : DEAN HOCKING STAGE
Babylon Fire
Triaxis
Bull Riff Stampede
Incassum
My Wooden Pillow
Iron Knights
Sinnergod
I.C.O.N.
Candid Iniquity
Epitaph

SUNDAY : ACOUSTIC STAGE
4Bitten
Fantasist
Wizz Wizzard
Exit State

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM THE STORE AT ROCKSECTOR RECORDS.... WWW.ROCKSECTOR.COM . £10 for single days, £15 for two days.