The headliner for the Hijacked launch party will be released this Sunday

After the monumental success of the past Hijacked festivals that Exeter has been so lucky to experience, the Thick As Thieves team are back for a fourth time, and it’s gonna be the biggest rave yet.

Previous headliners have included Gorgon City, Blonde and Big Narstie, and we can exclusively report that this year will see the return of some old favourites as well as some new gems. Whilst the festival itself won’t be until next 25th May 2017, the event and headliner will be released THIS Sunday and there’s also a launch party on the 14th Jan to quench your electronic desires.

With tickets selling out in mere hours last year, The Tab are here to share an exclusive interview with Co-Founder of both Hijacked and Thick as Thieves – one of the brains-behind-the-genius, Harry Horsfall.

Firstly, how many years has Hijacked been going on for?

Unbelievably this is the fourth addition of Hijacked Festival! We kicked things off in 2013 with a killer line-up that included Gorgon City and Bondax and have not looked back!

It’s funny to think that five years ago we were having our first few chats and dreaming of putting on an event as exciting as Hijacked.. a Festival created by students, for students, and an end of year event that brings everyone together for a massive party in intimate and idyllic surroundings.

How has it changed since its birth?

Hijacked was borne out of a common desire to extend and develop a Festival out of the night we were running- Thick as Thieves. These were magical events, bringing together likeminded friends and ravers, and quickly became the most talked about student party on campus. It was held at Cellar Door (now known as Move) and drew together 200 like-minded revellers for a student party like no other- the music was all about the underground but never took itself too seriously- creativity and eclecticism were at the core of TaT and this ethos still runs through the veins of Hijacked now.

One of our long-standing Partners, Hold It Down, officially became a co-host for Hijacked in 2015. With their extensive work in Exeter over many years, and a common desire to create a festival that pushes the boundaries, it was a match made in heaven, and will enable the Festival to grow and retain it’s Exeter University roots for many years to come.

What’s your favourite bit about the festival?

There are so many aspects that we love as a team- seeing nine months come together at the site build, then on the day itself, seeing fellow Hijackers old and new pouring through the gates always puts a smile on our faces. Then when the darkness sets in and the party is ramped up with heaving crowds and headliners killing it – those are the moments we enjoy most.

How long do tickets usually take to sell out?

The day we release tickets is always crazy, the early birds and first release usually go within a minute. One year we even crashed the tickets site server as the demand was so high- we expect this year to be just the same!

What are you looking to do this year to make it better than last (if that’s even possible).

Once again, we’re offering an experience that is so much more than just music- we have always supported the wider Arts, such as Cinematography, Spoken Word, Fashion, Decor, Dance and Fine Arts, but we’ll be going much further this year, and develop new relationships with partners and artists across the city and beyond, but always with a core focus on creativity within the student community.

Our Music programming has always been strong but this year we are raising the bar yet again- we can’t wait to reveal the names we have secured and the innovative use of spaces we have planned- watch this space!

Additionally, new brands and nights have developed at Exeter Uni and we’ll be supporting them and their residents through both the main Festival and our launch/after show parties.

What’s been your highlight of Hijacked over the years? 

It’s hard to know where to begin, and each of our team will have a different perspective! Collective stand outs though include Oneman, Gorgon City, Shy FX, Congo Natty, Dan Shake, Madam X and the secret sets from Blonde- those guys always know how to move a crowd!

Gentleman’s Dub Club was special for us too- our first foray into a full live band. And despite the inclement weather, they completely tore the main stage up -incredible energy!

You’ll be able to check out the event for 2017 and find out who we have lined up for you this Sunday, 27 November.