Show of Force: Winehouse, 311 Join Police in Virgin Fest Lineup

(By Damian Dovarganes -- Associated Press)

The Police are on their way to Baltimore, but that's hardly stopped organizers of the upcoming Virgin Festival from calling for backup.

Modest Mouse, 311, Incubus, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Amy Winehouse, Velvet Revolver, Interpol, LCD Soundsystem and Deep Dish are among the 40 artists booked to perform at Pimlico Race Course on Aug. 4 and 5. They'll join the previously announced headliners -- the Police, Smashing Pumpkins and Beastie Boys-- at the second American edition of the super-concert.

The complete Virgin Festival lineup will be announced today, and two-day tickets will go on sale May 5.

The cost: $175 plus service fees. The promoter's opinion: Tickets are going to sell out at the 140-acre race track, which can accommodate up to 60,000 concertgoers using a general-admission setup. After all, the newly reunited Police are the top touring draw of the summer, with sold-out dates around the world and ticket prices creeping past $200.

"When we booked the Police, a lot of people in the industry said, 'You're going to sell out, anyway -- why would you spend money on all these other bands?' " says the festival's producer and lead promoter, Seth Hurwitz. "But this isn't just a Police concert. It's the second year of the U.S. Virgin Festival, which we're trying to build up. We're trying to create the best lineup of any festival, from top to bottom. We want people to travel here for it."

The music bacchanalia will feature at least 20 artists performing on two stages, plus a deejay tent, over 10 hours each day. There will be a little bit of rap ( Wu-Tang Clan) and reggae ( Matisyahu), plus plenty of indie-rock ( TV on the Radio, Spoon), mainstream rock ( Chris Cornell, Cheap Trick) and dance music ( Sasha and John Digweed). Some artists will jump across genre lines ( M.I.A.), some might jump off the stage ( Bad Brains).

"I don't want to be the hipper-than-thou festival," Hurwitz says. "We tried to appeal to more people without sacrificing any integrity. I want it to be a great show for everyone."

As with last year's Virgin Festival-- a money-losing single-day September affair co-headlined by the Who and Red Hot Chili Peppers and attended by about 40,000 people -- set lengths will vary. The artists at the beginning of the bill will play less than the biggest names. So, Hurwitz says, don't expect to see the Police play for a mere 55 minutes on Saturday night, for that would be, well . . . criminal. "They're going to play a full set."