The 1975 Set to Headline Bushmills Live™ 2014

BUSHMILLS VILLAGE, N. Ireland, March 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

World's largest whiskey barrel oak headphones created to launch festival of handcrafted whiskey and music at the Old Bushmills Distillery

Breakthrough British band The 1975, who have had a meteoric rise in the last 12 months, are set to take time out from their massive world tour to headline the intimate Bushmills Live festival on Ireland's north coast on June 12, 2014.

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The four friends from Manchester, who have supported the likes of The Rolling Stones and MUSE in the past, are embarking on a world tour that will see them play huge gigs in Australia, Japan and America, as well as a more intimate set at the Old Bushmills Distillery.

This year the festival, previously headlined by the likes of Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg and Of Monsters and Men, will see 700 whiskey and music fans invited to the brand's home on June 11 and June 12 to witness emerging and iconic artists sharing the stage for a series of intimate gigs in age-old buildings, where the art of making whiskey has been perfected over centuries.

Matthew Healy, lead singer of The 1975, said: "We've never played a show in a distillery before so it's a first for us. We've gigged all over the place but to play a festival like this, in a setting as unique as this, will be pretty special."

To celebrate the launch of Bushmills Live 2014, the music-loving whiskey makers at the Old Bushmills Distillery have collaborated with two local artisans to craft the world's largest barrel oak headphones which will enable friends to share in the music in a unique way.

Made using almost a dozen giant whiskey barrels, the headphones stand at over 10ft high and will form an interactive centrepiece with music from Bushmills Live artists past and present played through the unique, handcrafted headphones. Festival-goers will be able to sit between the ear pieces to experience a truly unique combination of handcrafted whiskey and music.

It follows on from a successful tie-up with Hollywood A-Lister Elijah Wood, who along with his friend and DJ partner Zach Cowie, designed a line of Grado Labs headphones made from Bushmills Irish Whiskey wood in December.

The "money-can't-buy" tickets will not go on general release. Instead, whiskey and music fans can win the chance to attend the festival by entering a draw at http://www.facebook.com/bushmills. Entries to the draw will open on Monday, March 17 (St Patrick's Day) at 16:08 GMT.

Bushmills Irish Whiskey Master Distiller Colum Egan said: "We're looking forward to throwing open the doors of the distillery and welcoming friends, old and new, to come and enjoy the handcrafted whiskey and music on offer at Bushmills Live 2014.

"It really is a highpoint of our year. Great music and excellent whiskey, enjoyed in moderation among friends, complement each other beautifully. We'll be announcing the full line-up soon and I can promise you some spectacular surprises as well as some good friends returning."

Notes to Editors

Bushmills Live is an annual music festival which hosts both iconic and emerging artists for a series of intimate gigs in age-old buildings at the historic Old Bushmills Distillery, where the art of distilling has been perfected over generations.

Competition:

The Facebook competition is open to people in:

Portugal, Germany, Russia, USA, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland.

From each country, one winner will win a pair of tickets to Bushmills Live.

Keep up with Bushmills at:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bushmills
Twitter: @BushmillsGlobal

About The 1975

The 1975 are an English alternative rock/indie band based in Manchester. The group consists of Matthew Healy (vocals/guitar), Adam Hann (guitar), George Daniel (drums) and Ross MacDonald (bass).

Their self-titled debut album was released on 2 September 2013 and debuted at No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart.

About Bushmills Irish Whiskey


Bushmills Irish Whiskey is hand crafted in small batches for a smooth taste at Ireland's oldest working distillery, in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Old Bushmills Distillery's portfolio includes seven award-winning variants: Bushmills, Bushmills Black Bush™, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt, our anniversary edition, Bushmills 1608 and Bushmills Irish Honey Spirit Drink.

About Diageo


Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people and its brands, visit http://www.diageo.com. For Diageo's global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit http://www.DRINKiQ.com.

SOURCE Bushmills Irish Whiskey