First acts announced for Berlin Festival

Returning for its eighth year, Berlin Festival is renowned for its world class line-ups and festival exclusives - and this year is no different. Sigur Rós, Franz Ferdinand, Orbital, Paul Kalkbrenner, Friendly Fires, Metronomy and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, SBTRKT and Major Lazer are just some of the acts so far set to appear, with plenty more to be announced in the coming weeks and months.

Once again, the Art Village will be home to national and international artists presenting their work, plus the world's biggest Silent Arena After Show Party will take over Tempelhof Airport this year.

In their only scheduled performance in Germany in 2012, Icelandic band Sigur Rós will showcase new songs from their eighth studio album, set for release later this year. Also making an exclusive appearance at Berlin Festival is British act Franz Ferdinand, who first appeared on screen in the early Noughties with hits like “Take Me Out” and “This Fire”. The band are back with their fourth studio album in 2012 and will be performing many of their new tracks at Berlin Festival. German favourite Paul Kalkbrenner is also set to get the crowd at Tempelhof Airport ready for take off. His shows are always an instant sell out and his 2011 album Icke Wieder is a true chart-stormer. which is guaranteed to be a party starter. Another act ready to whip the ardent crowd into a dancing frenzy is Britain's legendary techno duo Orbital. Following their 2008 reunion, the in-demand duo have been touring and working on some brand new material which they are ready to unleash at Berlin Festival.

And the names just keep on coming with confirmed performances from Friendly Fires, Metronomy, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, SBTRKT and German DJ duo Modeselektor who will celebrate their Berlin Festival debut at Club Xberg this year. Italian DJ duo Crookers and acts Cro, Daughter, Dumme Jungs, First Aid Kit, Frittenbude, Jamie N Commons, Kraftklub, Little Dragon, Major Lazer, Morning Parade and Slagmalsklubben are also confirmed to perform.

The Silent Arena Aftershowparty will give 10,000 ticket holders the chance to continue partying after the final main stage gig from midnight till 4am at Tempelhof Airport. The Art Village will also make a welcome return to Tempelhof Airport, boasting over 60 national and international artists. Urban art, murals, performances, sculptures and more will all be on show plus an art bazaar, bars, booths, and the Design & Record Label Market as well as the art prize and a costume competition will complete the Art Village.

Confirmed acts so far for Berlin Festival:

Airport Bonaparte * Cro * Daughter * First Aid Kit * Franz Ferdinand * Friendly Fires * Frittenbude * Jamie N Commons * Junip * Paul Kalkbrenner * Kraftklub * Little Dragon * Major Lazer * Morning Parade * Orbital * SBTRKT (live) * Sigur Rós * Tocotronic * WhoMadeWho Club Xberg @ Arena Berlin Crookers * Digitalism * Dumme Jungs * Metronomy * Modeselektor live * Slagmalsklubben * Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Watch a trailer for Berlin Festival here:

Berlin Festival, Flughafen Tempelhof, 7th-8th September 2011