Orbital to reform

News
By
published

Band will play The Big Chill in 2009

Orbital will return - as will their torch glasses.
Orbital will return - as will their torch glasses.

British electronica stalwarts Orbital have announced that they're to reform for a set at UK festival The Big Chill in 2009. After a successful ten-year career, brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll previously went their separate ways in 2004.

Orbital were always renowned for the quality of their heavily improvised live shows - their Glastonbury sets were particularly noteworthy - so it seems fitting that the duo's return should be on-stage.

"It's not an exercise in nostalgia, the time just seems right," explains Phil Hartnoll. "Everything just seemed to fall into place. I've played at the Big Chill before, I DJed there and had a really good time - it's an amazing festival. The timing is also good: 20 years of being together."

"We've got 15 years of active service, making song" says brother Paul. "If you boil that down to a 90-minute festival set you should get something thoroughly exciting from beginning to end. Let's put some fun back into it."

Tickets for The Big Chill 2009 go on sale on 1 December.

Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.