Give it a Name, also known as GIAN (and Give It a Name Incoming in 2009), named after an At the Drive-In song, was an annual British rock music festival, normally held on the weekend nearest to the end of April. The first festival took place on 2 May 2005 at Alexandra Palace, North London. In 2006, Give it a Name became a paired, two-day festival, taking place at the MEN Arena, Manchester, and Earl's Court, London. 2007 saw the festival extend to three days[1] and six different locations, including events for the first time in Scotland, France and Germany. The festival tended to feature post-hardcore, indie rock and alternative bands.

Give it a Name
GenreAlternative, Post-hardcore, Punk, Indie
DatesApril or May
Location(s)London, England (2005–present)
Manchester, England (2006, 2009)

Birmingham, England (2007 only)
Glasgow, Scotland (2007 only)
Sheffield, England (2008 only)

Cologne, Germany (2007–present)
Munich, Germany (2008–present)
Vienna, Austria (2008–present)
Paris, France (2007 only)
Berlin, Germany (2007 only)
Years active2005–2010
WebsiteOfficial Website

Give It a Name went ahead in 2009 despite the controversy of it possibly being cancelled. Rumours were dismissed when the official Myspace page[2] of Give It a Name was seen to contain only a countdown clock expiring on 4 February. It was then announced on 3 February that Taking Back Sunday and Enter Shikari will headline the 2 day festival over 2 venues by Kerrang!'s Myspace page and official website. In 2009, the festival underwent some slight changes, with it being scaled down from the usual arena venues to smaller sized academy venues, along with it being renamed to Give It a Name Incoming and with only 14 bands playing over the weekend. In 2010 for the first year in its history, there was no festival, only a small five band UK tour.

Give it a Name 2005

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Main Stage

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Monday 2nd - London

Funeral for a Friend
Finch
Coheed & Cambria
Rise Against
Alexisonfire
Mae
The Lucky Nine
Fightstar
MC Lars
mewithoutYou

Give it a Name 2006

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Main Stage

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Saturday 29th - London

Sunday 30th - Manchester

Sunday 30th - London

Saturday 29th - Manchester

My Chemical Romance
The Ataris
Atreyu
Thrice
Panic! at the Disco[3]
Underoath
The Bled

Lostprophets[3]
Angels & Airwaves
Taking Back Sunday
Goldfinger
We Are Scientists
Aiden
Silverstein

Second Stage

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Saturday 29th - London

Sunday 30th - Manchester

Sunday 30th - London

Saturday 29th - Manchester

Billy Talent
Men, Women & Children
Drive By
Paramore
The Honorary Title
Taint

Hundred Reasons
Say Anything
Classic Case
Bayside
Gym Class Heroes
The Blackout

Give it a Name 2007

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Main Stage

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Saturday 28th - London

Sunday 29th - Birmingham

Friday 27th - London

Saturday 28th - Birmingham

Sunday 29th - Glasgow

Friday 27th - Birmingham

Sunday 29th - London

Friday 20th - Cologne

Sunday 22nd - Berlin

Tuesday 24th - Paris Wednesday 25th - Paris

Brand New
The All-American Rejects
New Found Glory
Motion City Soundtrack
Enter Shikari
Senses Fail
Madina Lake

HIM
The Used
Alexisonfire
Fightstar
Biffy Clyro (Glasgow only)
Juliette and the Licks (Birmingham and Glasgow only)
Mindless Self Indulgence
Kill Hannah
Cry for Silence (London and Birmingham Only)

AFI
Jimmy Eat World[4]
The Automatic (London Only)
Sparta
Hit the Lights
The Receiving End of Sirens
Boys Like Girls
Attack In Black

Jimmy Eat World
Sparta
Senses Fail
mewithoutYou
Lagwagon (Cologne only)
Motion City Soundtrack (Berlin only)
The Sleeping
Mindless Self Indulgence
MxPx
Voodoo Glow Skulls
Gallows
Grown at Home
One Fine Day

AFI
Jimmy Eat World
Enter Shikari
Motion City Soundtrack
Aiden
The Sleeping
Tracy Gang Pussy

New Found Glory
The Used
MxPx
Sparta
Saosin
Senses Fail
mewithoutYou
Minimum Serious

Second Stage

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Saturday 28th - London

Sunday 29th - Birmingham

Friday 27th - London

Saturday 28th - Birmingham

Sunday 29th - Glasgow

Friday 27th - Birmingham

Sunday 29th - London

Cute is What We Aim For
Saosin
Kevin Devine
Zebrahead
Kids In Glass Houses
The Zico Chain

Fightstar
The Sleeping
Ignite
The Pink Spiders
LostAlone

Hellogoodbye
The Audition
mewithoutyou
MxPx
Beat Union

Give it a Name 2008

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Failsafe were MC Lars' backing band.

Main Stage

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Saturday 10th - London

Sunday 11th - Sheffield

Sunday 11th - London

Saturday 10th - Sheffield

Paramore
Plain White T's
Alkaline Trio
Finch
Set Your Goals
Cobra Starship
Chiodos

Thirty Seconds to Mars
Billy Talent
Glassjaw
Silverstein
The Blackout
Strike Anywhere
Envy On The Coast

Second Stage

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Saturday 10th - London

Sunday 11th - Sheffield

Sunday 11th - London

Saturday 10th - Sheffield

The Audition
All Time Low
My American Heart
MC Lars
Mayday Parade
Meg & Dia
Broadway Calls

Anti Flag
Armor For Sleep
You Me At Six
State Radio
The Color Fred
Four Year Strong
Mexicolas

Give it a Name Incoming 2009

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2009's scaled-down and renamed festival took place on 17 and 19 April at London's Brixton Academy and on 18 and 19 April at the Manchester Academy. A total of 14 bands played, with seven playing on each day on just the one stage. Tickets went on general sale on 6 February at 9am on all ticket websites across the UK.[5]

Main Stage

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Sunday 19 April - London

Saturday 18 April - Manchester

Friday 17 April - London

Sunday 19 April - Manchester

Taking Back Sunday
Underoath
Thursday
Escape The Fate
Innerpartysystem
VersaEmerge
Whole Wheat Bread

Enter Shikari
The Blackout
The Academy Is
The King Blues
Emery
Lights
In This Moment

Give It A Name Introduces 2010

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Various Cities in the United Kingdom

The Swellers
Anarbor
The Dangerous Summer
Rio
The Wild

References

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  1. ^ "Live!: The Week's Best Gigs – Give It a Name", NME, 12 May 2007, p. 45.
  2. ^ "GIAN Incoming 2009 (giveitanameofficial) on Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b Jam, James (13 May 2006). "Live!: Give It A Name 06", NME, pp. 48–49.
  4. ^ Pill, Steve (27 April 2007). "Sure sign all's well with emo: Give It a Name 2007", Evening Standard, p. 17.
  5. ^ "Give It A Name Line-Up Announced". Rocklouder. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009.