It's official: Iceland Airwaves will return for the twelfth time on October 13th-17th, 2010!

Airwaves has become known for its intimacy and party spirit. The festival has been called "the hippest long weekend on the annual music-festival calendar" (David Fricke, Rolling Stone) and as having "unbelievable zest for music and celebration" (Jonah Flicker, Pitchfork). Recognised world-wide as one of the premier international music festivals, it has previously held host to the finest Icelandic talent as well as international acts such as The Bravery, The Rapture, Florence and the Machine, Klaxons, Hot Chip, Flaming Lips, Fatboy Slim, Vampire Weekend, Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party.

The first set of Airwaves early-bird tickets are now on-sale. Priced at €70 / 11.900 ISK, they will be available to buy directly at www.icelandairwaves.com. They will be available at this price until 1st July. The regular ticket price will be €90 / 14.900 ISK. Packages will also be available directly from Icelandair, for more information go to www.icelandair.com.  

Just as excitingly, the first set of bands for Airwaves 2010 have also been confirmed.

On the international side there's JJ (SE), Think About Life (CA), Basia Bulat (CA), Junip (SE), Slagsmålsklubben (SE), Oh No Ono (DK), Joy Formidable (UK), Efterklang (DK) and The Amplifetes (USA).

From Iceland: Agent Fresco, Bloodgroup, Cliff Clavin, Dikta, DLX ATX, Seabear, Lights on the Highway, Lára, Mínus, Oculus, Of Monsters&Men, Pascal Pinon, Reykjavík!, Sudden Weather Change, Sykur, Útidúr, Who Knew, Sometime, Feldberg, Ourlives, Mugison, Hjálmar, Retro Stefson, Mammút, Ham, Bang Gang, Ensími and Hjaltalín.

International partnerships have always become an important part of the Airwaves extended family and we are delighted to welcome back Clash Magazine (UK) and Moshi Moshi (UK). For the first time also we can confirm Dazed and Confused (UK) as an official media partner. Finally, 2010 welcomes a new team, which includes some familiar as well as new names. Headed up on behalf of Iceland Music Export is Grímur Atlason, supported by Nick Knowles, María Rut Reynisdóttir, Egill Tómasson and Robert Magnusson. Iceland Airwaves will continue to be partnered by Reykjavík City and long-term sponsors, Icelandair.