Kings of Leon complete Silverstone F1 concert bill

Kings of Leon have been announced as headliners of the 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix opening concert.

The US rock band will perform on Thursday 4 July, kicking off the four-day festival line-up which will also feature Stormzy (Friday), Pete Tong Presents Ibiza Classics (Saturday) and Rudimental (Sunday).

The live music offering is provided at no extra cost to British GP ticket holders.

“We are incredibly excited to have global icons Kings of Leon join our line-up for the 2024 British Grand Prix,” says Silverstone’s commercial director Nick Read. “Our long-term ambition has always been to attract the biggest and best artists in the world to Silverstone to put on a spectacular show for the British fans.”

The famous motor racing circuit expanded its music arena, which now accommodates up to 45,000 people, to host Calvin Harris, Jax Jones, Black Eyed Peas and Tom Grennan this summer.

Silverstone’s director of music Jamie Scott spoke to IQ earlier this year about launching a new era of live music at the famous racetrack.

“The idea is to put the music on an equal par with the racing and get great British talent”

“The idea is to put the music on an equal par with the racing and get great British talent on there,” he said. “So, you won’t just be coming to watch the race, you’re going to be coming for days of entertainment.

“Like every world sport now, Formula 1 is all about entertainment and the experience; it is on the tip of everyone’s tongue because of what it means to people, and it is now connecting with a younger demographic [via Netflix series] Drive to Survive, and this feels like a great way to start.”

Formula 1, which was acquired by Live Nation shareholder Liberty Media in 2017, has increasingly utilised live music as part of its Grand Prix weekend festivities.

Held since 2009, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become renowned for its Yasalam After-Race Concerts, which have starred acts such as Beyoncé, Prince, Paul McCartney, Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Eminem, Muse, Kanye West, Blur, Rihanna, Pink and Depeche Mode.

This month’s 15th edition includes performances by Foo Fighters, Shania Twain, Tiësto, Chris Brown and Ava Max at Yas Island from 23-26 November.

Last year’s Miami Grand Prix brought acts such as Post Malone, Maluma and The Chainsmokers to Miami Gardens, while 2023’s inaugural Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix will kick off with a showcase featuring artists including J Balvin, Journey, Keith Urban, and Steve Aoki.

Set for Wednesday, 15 November, the event will precede the first-ever Vegas GP weekend, with the opening ceremony spanning seven stages and including performances from will.i.am, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Bishop Briggs, Swedish House Mafia, along with appearances by the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil.

“It was important for us to create an opening ceremony that balances the spirit of Las Vegas with the global excitement that Formula 1 and these incredible drivers bring to each host city,” said Renee Wilm, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. CEO.

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Inside Silverstone’s new era of live music

Silverstone director of music Jamie Scott has spoken to IQ about launching a new era of live music at the famous racetrack for next month’s Formula 1 Aramco British Grand Prix.

Scott, who was appointed to the role last year, has curated four nights of live music and entertainment for the iconic motor racing circuit, starting with a Best of British launch party headed by Calvin Harris, Jess Glynne and Cat Burns on 6 July.

The weekend slots will then be headlined by Jax Jones (7 July) and Black Eyed Peas (8 July), with Tom Grennan closing proceedings following the Grand Prix on 9 July.

Grammy-nominated and Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriter and producer Scott recruited Library Productions, which manages Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, to create bespoke staging for the expanded music arena, which now accommodates up to 45,000 people.

“The whole music area has been redeveloped and the capacity doubled to 45,000, which shows huge intent,” Scott tells IQ. “The idea is to put the music on an equal par with the racing and get great British talent on there. So, you won’t just be coming to watch the race, you’re going to be coming for days of entertainment. Hopefully we get a great race and people feel on the Sunday that they’ve been to an all-encompassing four days.

“The British Grand Prix is steeped in heritage – we’ve got three British racing drivers in the top 10 in the world – so it’s a huge time in British motorsport and we wanted to equal that with the music. Like every world sport now, Formula 1 is all about entertainment and the experience; it is on the tip of everyone’s tongue because of what it means to people, and it is now connecting with a younger demographic [via Netflix series] Drive to Survive, and this feels like a great way to start.”

“Silverstone has massive intentions of being a 365 day-a-year leisure venue for great entertainment”

The live music offering will be provided at no extra cost to existing ticket holders.

“There is a lot of synergy between the British music industry and British motorsport, it just needed to be brought together,” suggests Scott. “We want to make Silverstone a place that global artists want to come and play. It has its own unique aura; it’s a beautiful place and it’s just about trying to elevate that and and lift the offerings for years to come.”

Live music has become a key part of the festivities at F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, which celebrates its 15th edition in November with Yasalam After-Race Concerts headlined by Foo Fighters, Tiësto and Ava Max at Yas Island.

Elsewhere, last year’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix brought acts such as Post Malone, Maluma and The Chainsmokers to Miami Gardens, while the 2023 Las Vegas edition in November has concerts by the likes of J Balvin, Major Lazer and Mark Ronson at the T-Mobile Zone at Sphere. Formula 1 was acquired by Live Nation shareholder Liberty Media in 2017.

“I think the inspiration and the intent has come from Formula 1 being under new ownership,” says Scott. “Clearly, the entertainment value is is an important aspect now with other races like Miami and Las Vegas. Silverstone obviously hosts the Formula 1, but it’s also got MotoGP and the Silverstone Classic and we want to enhance it again next year. It has massive intentions of being a 365 day-a-year leisure venue for great entertainment.”

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