Biffy Clyro Top RockNess Line Up

Biffy Clyro will headline this year's RockNess Festival

SCOTLAND’S own rock heroes, Biffy Clyro, will top the bill at this year’s RockNess festival.

They top a bill which includes Ed Sheeran, returning to the Highlands after a pre-stardom appearance at Belladrum last year, Deadmau5, Justice, Noah and The Whale, Metronomy and disco legends Chic featuring Nile Rodgers.

Also announced are multiple award-winners Mumford & Sons who have already proved themselves Highland favourites with  a run of low key shows across the north last year.

This will be Biffy Clyro’s first ever headline slot and the platinum-selling Ayrshire trio are looking forward to renewing their relationship with the RockNess crowd.

“We are thrilled to be returning to RockNess in June, and this time we’ll be headlining,” the band announced.

“The location is amazing and the enthusiastic crowd made for a memorable experience in 2009, so we’re counting down the days until our return in 2012.”

English festival fans will also have a new way of getting to the Dores festival with the launch of the RockNess Express.

Marking the Year of Creative Scotland, this specially chartered train will depart from London Euston, picking up festival goers at Birmingham, Derby, York and Newcastle, before its final stop at Inverness.

Passengers can expect to be entertained with music, surprise guests, Scottish food, cocktails, games and goody bags and will also get priority access on site. The special price of £225 includes VIP camping at only £16 more than a VIP ticket on its own.

Other acts confirmed for RockNess 2012 include Wretch 32; Fresh/Live; NME Cool List topper, 20-year old Harlem rapper Azealia Banks; Beardyman; Death in Vegas; French dance stars Etienne De Crecy and Gesaffelstein; Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs; and festival regulars The Cuban Brothers.

Homegrown electronic heroes from the Highlands will also be entertaining the festival crowd. They are Filth DJs Ross Lyall and Andrew McGibbon, operators of the biggest club night in Inverness, Polymath (Martin Gowans) and Count Clockwork (Khalid Hussain and Louis Buick), who reached the shortlist stage of MTV’s Brand New for 2012 contest.

Festival director Jim King says he cannot wait for the first tent peg in the ground and for the party to start.

“It was only a matter of time before we got lucky and were able to welcome Biffy Clyro back to Loch Ness,” he said.

“Since their debut they’ve gone on to become one of the biggest rock bands in the UK and on home turf you know they’re going to produce something extra-spectacular.

"Mumford & Sons. Wow. I am over the moon they agreed to play our show. They could have played anywhere but they chose The Highlands. It’s going to be special

RockNess 2012 will see a range of acts from 1970s disco legends Chic to the latest DJs and bands

“The Mau5 needs no intro. He was close to appearing last year but the good news for us is that the live show has just got bigger and better and he follows in some hallowed steps at RockNess as a true electronic headliner, something you can’t experience anywhere else in Scotland.

“There’s so much quality across the rest of the bill from Ed Sheeran, who’s arguably the biggest rising star of the last 12 months, with Wretch 32, on to absolute legend Nile Rodgers who brings his seminal band Chic to the main stage in what will be for me a highlight of the festival. The only question remains is can he out funk and out dance the Cuban Brothers?”

Further live acts and DJs are still to be announced.

RockNess 2012 takes place on the weekend of Friday 8th to Sunday 10th June.

Tickets go on sale from 9am on Thursday 26^th January. For details of prices and sales agents, visit www.rockness.co.uk