Arcadia, an electronic music experience that has often featured at Glastonbury Festival, has cancelled its second event in London. Arcadia debuted in the capital last year due to Worthy Farm’s fallow year, but Arcadia has cancelled its appearance this year due its commitment to Glastonbury. The event was meant to take place in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on May bank holiday weekend (May 4-5).
The line up was split between two different and distinct days. Saturday would’ve played host to Helix (‘Arcadia’s house & techno heartbeat’) which featured headliner Jamie Jones as well as other top DJs such as Hot Since 82, Maya Jane Coles and Alan Fitzpatrick. Sunday was given to Arcadia’s more drum and bass orientated acts, titled Radium (‘Arcadia’s bass ignition’). Acts on this day included DJ EZ, Sub Focus, Dimension, Flava D as well as some grime acts, such as Lady Leshurr and Lethal Bizzle.
Arcadia is a multimedia music experience, and is described as such on its website, “Arcadia transform the machinery of war into unifying environments while pioneering experimental technologies ranging from the world’s first recycled biofuel pyrotechnic system to multi-million volt bolts of lightning playing musical symphonies.”
In a Ar to ticket purchasers, organisers had this to say about the cancellation, “After planning for last year’s Arcadia 10th anniversary event to be a one off celebration, we received such strong feedback that we hoped to creatively evolve the event for a second year with a host of innovative new performance elements.”
“As we stand, we aren’t confident of hitting the targets that would allow us to develop that new experience and the pressures of a difficult market would risk serious knock on effects to Arcadia’s other commitments; especially Glastonbury. Taking these factors into consideration, it is with great regret that Arcadia London will not be going ahead in 2019.”
A vast new project is taking shape at Glastonbury that will lay the foundations for a new site-specific landscape and an evolving show in the sky over the next five years. Arcadia’s priority must be to honour the support that Glastonbury have shown over this past decade.”
“Huge thanks to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for helping make last year so special – and for being so understanding and supportive this year.”
“We’re sorry if we’ve let anyone down. We have made this decision now to minimise impact. The London festival has ceased to trade and we have spoken with all ticket outlets who will be processing refunds. Please contact the outlet through which you purchased your tickets if you have any specific questions.”
Despite the London cancellation, Arcadia is hoping to take the music experience abroad and are expected to release 2019 event information soon.
