THE crew behind Oxford's Common People festival have revealed the line-up for their family-friendly sister event in Dorset – Camp Bestival. And it has a heavy retro flavour.

Headlining the bash at Lulworth Castle, from July 26-29, are baritone crooner Rick Astley on the Friday night, Clean Bandit on Saturday, and Simple Minds on Sunday. More interesting are Big Top headliners Orbital and Basement Jaxx.

Also up are Shed Seven, Stereo MCs, The Undertones, Pop Will Eat Itself, Jane Weaver, Jesus Jones, Tokio Myers, Declan McKenna, Dodie, The Skatalites, Jaguar Skills, The Cuban Brothers (of course) and sets by Sara Cox, Fearne Cotton, DJ Billy Daniel Bunter and that Fun Lovin’ Criminal himself Huey Morgan.

Assuming a nautical posture in preparation for this year’s marine-themed event, Captain da Bank says: “Ahoy there shipmates and anchors aweigh! HMS Camp Bestival is ready to set sail with our first wave of salty seadogs to announce. Expect the unexpected from rock giants Simple Minds and Shed Seven to dance gurus Orbital and Basement Jaxx and a cheeky bit of Rick Astley too… and that’s just the music. From River Cottage feasts and animatronic dinosaurs, to Insect Circuses, pantomimes and a gin festival, it’s full steam ahead for 2018. All aboard!”

The line-up may give a hint as to who festival supremo Rob da Bank has in store for Common People, which pitches up in South Park Oxford from May 26-27.

Early bird tickets for the Oxford festival are now on sale - and if you buy them before December 2, kids go free.

Get in quickly, and you can snap up your tickets for: £25 for the day and £48 for the weekend (£23/ £45 students, £69.10/£132.50 for family tickets - two adults & two children under 15). VIP tickets are also available at about double the price of regular tickets.

Rob says: “This year’s two-day spectacular in the park will be bigger, better and even more dazzling than ever. Celebrating music, arts and community in the heart of the city, our festival wonderland will return to South Park in Oxford on spring bank holiday weekend .”

He goes on: “All of us at festival headquarters love kicking our year off with Common People – it’s such an easy formula, turn up for lunchtime, have a great day and evening listening to great bands and DJs and eating some of the best festi food around and then be in your own bed before midnight. Simple.

“We can’t wait to drop into Oxford again. See you very soon.”

Watch this space for line-up news coming very soon.

commonpeople.net/ for more info.