The wait is over – After a month of speculation, anticipation and rumour, organisers have announced the first acts of what’s shaping up to be a legendary Meltdown festival line-up. Confirmed today are DEFTONES, THE LIBERTINES, MANIC STREET PREACHERS, MOGWAI, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, NINE INCH NAILS, PLACEBO, THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS, 65DAYSOFSTATIC, ALCEST, THE ANCHORESS, KRISTIN HERSH, KATHRYN JOSEPH, MONO and THE NOTWIST will all be appearing at the 25th edition of our iconic music festival, curated by Robert Smith – the first of many more acts to be announced.

As each invitee confirms, as each shimmering piece falls into place, I pinch myself – this is really happening… and the complete picture will undoubtedly be out of this world – Robert Smith

Meltdown is famed for bringing to life the world of its director here on the banks of the River Thames. And this jubilee year will be no different, with Robert Smith scouring the globe to hand-pick some of his favourite bands, bringing together trailblazers and pioneers from the worlds of indie, pop, glam, industrial, shoegaze, post-rock, electro, metal and beyond. Seminal alternative rock group THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS will open Smith’s Meltdown, delivering an opening night performance on Friday 15 June, with PLACEBO (Saturday 16 June) and THE LIBERTINES (Sunday 17 June) also appearing on the Royal Festival Hall stage on the festival’s first weekend.

Influential welsh rock band MANIC STREET PREACHERS return to Southbank Centre for the first time since 2008 on Tuesday 19 June, whilst DEFTONES fly in for their only UK show the following night. Glasgow rock stalwarts MOGWAI also play a one-off Royal Festival Hall gig on Thursday 21 June, with NINE INCH NAILS making their debut on the same stage a day later. And on Saturday 23 June shoegaze pioneers MY BLOODY VALENTINE return to the Royal Festival Hall stage for their first UK show in five years.

Curating this 25th Meltdown festival is a dream come true, a fantastic experience – Robert Smith