Eurostar is a provider to this summer's Games as a Tier Three sponsor as well as the London 2012 Festival, a 12 week programme of art, theatre, film and fashion for the public to enjoy from June 21 as the Games draw nearer.

The festival aims to bring together as many people as possible in the Games through these cultural activities, with 10 million free tickets on offer to the public, and gives Eurostar the opportunity to get across their Olympic and Paralympic message of connecting people.

Traction will mark the latest stage in their Olympic and Paralympic Games campaign, and Eurostar say 80 million people will use them this summer to get to London.

The event is being curated by DJ Gilles Peterson at Granary Square in North London, with Parisian Sébastien Tellier and Cologne's Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble the first two acts confirmed.

Other names will join the line up in the weeks to come, after they have been handpicked by Peterson (pictured), who has been involved in the past with creating other major events such as the Worldwide Festival.

He was also involved last month in the GREAT campaign promoting Britain during its Olympic and Paralympic hosting year of 2012, when he performed at a fashion show put on by London based Brazilian designer Daniella Helayel in Rio de Janeiro.


Granary Square is just yards from St Pancras International, Eurostar's home in London, and will open to the public in June as one of the largest urban spaces of its kind on the continent.

Traction will be the first event to take place at the 3,000 capacity venue.

London 2012 Festival director Ruth Mackenzie said: "Many thanks to our supporter Eurostar for a great line up to celebrate musical revolution in Europe as a highlight of the London 2012 Festival."

Peterson added: "Emerging across Europe is a wealth of pioneering musical talent.

"Traction will give thousands of residents and visitors to the London 2012 Games the chance to discover the exciting new music on offer just a short journey from the UK.

"In curating this very special event, we will bring a truly original experience to the public as they celebrate the arrival of the Games in London."

Tickets for the event, which runs from 5pm to 11pm, begin at £15 ($24/€18) each, and are available by clicking here or http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

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