Organisers of June’s Rhythms of the World festival have added three names to the bill for the Hitchin Priory weekend of music and more.

Acid funk pioneers The Brand New Heavies, a band given the thumbs up by the late Godfather of Soul James Brown, are the marquee name in the top trio of confirmations for the two-day programme.

They join previously-announced festival favourites including one-time Specials front-man Neville Staple, India’s top live performer Raghu Dixit and Paul Young, who famously sang the first line in the original Band Aid charity hit and now tours with Americana outfit Los Pacaminos.

The Brand New Heavies have been together for nearly 30 years, with hits like Dream On Dreamer, Never Stop and Midnight At The Oasis in their back catalogue.

Joining them for the Rhythms gathering on Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, are London-based The Skints who pump out a frenetic fusion of ska, reggae, bub and hip-hop.

The band have been relentlessly on the road for a decade, with three albums to their name and a proud record of racking up 150 live performances in three successive years.

Indie alternative five-piece Coasts, championed by BBC Radio One’s Zane Lowe and with soundcloud plays already counted in the millions, are also booked in.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now both online and in local outlets – visit www.rotw.org.uk for more details.