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Alex James Big Festival 2026 to Feature Basement Jaxx, The Streets, and Bastille

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  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/20 .. ture-basement-jaxx-the-streets-and-bastille.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 6:15 GMT by NME

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Alex James Big Festival 2026 – Basement Jaxx, The Streets and Bastille to headline

In a much‑anticipated press release, the Alex James Big Festival announced that its 2026 edition will be headlined by three of the most iconic acts of the past three decades: the pioneering electronic duo Basement Jaxx, the pioneering UK‑hip‑hop pioneer The Streets, and the anthemic indie‑pop outfit Bastille. The announcement, published on 23 May 2024, is already sending ripples through the festival‑goers’ community and promises an eclectic blend of dance‑floor grooves, lyrical urban storytelling and soaring pop choruses.

The festival that keeps on giving

Alex James, best known as the bassist of the Brit‑pop legends Blur, has long been a prolific music entrepreneur. The Alex James Big Festival was launched in 2016 as a celebration of the best of 70s, 80s and 90s music, with a strong emphasis on “live‑house” intimacy and high‑energy, crowd‑pleasing line‑ups. Over the years, the festival has become a staple of the British summer‑swing calendar, typically running over three days at the historic village of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. The venue is a converted warehouse that offers a rustic‑chic ambience with an open‑air stage, a riverside picnic area and a vintage market‑style food street.

In 2024, Alex James took the opportunity to expand the festival’s scope beyond nostalgia, adding contemporary chart‑topper acts that can pull in a younger crowd while still resonating with long‑time fans. “It’s about creating an environment where people of all generations can connect over great music,” James told NME. “Basement Jaxx, The Streets and Bastille are the perfect mix – they’re innovators, they’re crowd‑savers, and they’re still going strong.”

The headline act profiles

Basement Jaxx – 30 years of reinvention

Basement Jaxx, the British house duo fronted by Felix Stuart and Simon Burgess, have carved a niche with their colourful sonic palette that blends disco, funk, and electronica. Since their debut in 1997, they have produced iconic singles such as “Remind Me”, “Where’s Your Head”, and “Do You Want To (Love in the Air)”, and have earned multiple DJ awards and a British Music Hall of Fame induction. The 2026 festival run will coincide with the launch of their new album Revolution, which promises a fresh fusion of classic rave aesthetics with modern production techniques.

The Streets – the voice of UK urban music

The Streets, the stage name of former NME editor Shaun Woods, launched his career in the mid‑1990s and quickly became a voice of the London urban scene. He blended elements of hip‑hop, grime, and soul into a distinct UK‑hip‑hop sound, evident in hits like “Fitna” and “Dry Your Eyes”. The duo has always been known for their lyrical storytelling, and their recent track “The Book of Love” has been receiving rave reviews for its honest portrayal of contemporary life. With a history of performing at the BBC Live Lounge and touring with acts like Amy Winehouse, The Streets’ presence at the festival signals an exciting intersection of street‑wise authenticity and mainstream appeal.

Bastille – anthems for the modern era

Bastille, the indie‑pop trio fronted by Dan Smith, has become known for stadium‑sized anthems and anthems, with the breakout single “Pompeii” topping charts worldwide in 2013. The band’s sound, a mix of indie‑pop, electronic, and folk influences, resonates across generations. In 2026, they’ll be promoting their new double‑album project The Afterglow, which explores personal and political themes while keeping the soaring melodic hooks that made them a worldwide phenomenon.

What else can you expect at the festival?

Besides the headline acts, the festival’s 2026 line‑up is shaping up to include a broad spectrum of contemporary and classic acts. Early releases hint at a supporting line‑up featuring the chart‑dominant indie band The 1975, the British pop‑rock group The Shires, and the alternative punk outfit Biffy Clyro. Moreover, the festival will bring a series of specialty workshops and pop‑culture events – from DJ‑in‑training sessions with Felix Stuart to a live cooking experience with a local Yorkshire chef.

Tickets are set to go on sale next month, with early‑bird pricing offering a small discount for the first 500 buyers. The festival will be held from 23–25 July 2026, a weekend that traditionally enjoys the highest attendance. Alex James announced that the festival will return to the same Knaresborough venue, a 6‑acre site that can accommodate around 10,000 guests across its three stages, food and beverage stalls, and vintage market stalls.

The festival’s broader cultural significance

The announcement is timely for the British festival circuit, as 2026 is expected to see a resurgence in live‑music events following the COVID‑19 hiatus. Alex James’s festival is poised to play a key role in revitalising regional music culture, especially in the North of England where the festival has built a loyal following. The inclusion of high‑profile acts from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s reflects a broader trend in which festivals curate nostalgia‑heavy line‑ups to attract older audiences while simultaneously injecting fresh sounds to keep younger crowds engaged.

By adding Basement Jaxx, The Streets, and Bastille, the festival promises a blend of club‑ready beats, street‑wise lyricism, and soaring pop anthems that will cater to a wide spectrum of tastes. Alex James’s long‑standing commitment to high‑quality production, a vibrant stage design, and an inclusive atmosphere suggests that 2026 will be another milestone in the festival’s history.

Bottom line

The Alex James Big Festival is poised to deliver an unforgettable three‑day experience, anchored by the legendary Basement Jaxx, the groundbreaking The Streets, and the chart‑conquering Bastille. The festival’s reputation for quality line‑ups and an immersive venue experience, combined with a dynamic supporting roster, makes 2026 a must‑visit for music lovers of all ages. If you haven’t yet secured your tickets, the announcement is a clear sign that the festival’s future is bright, and the music is already playing in the background.