Stonehenge
Phil Beer and Steve Knightley
Patrons Steve Knightley and Phil Beer announced the 2015 headline acts as well as their own unique contribution to the event at the spiritual home of the Village Pump Folk Festival – the Village Pump Folk Club at the Lamb Inn Trowbridge.
Show of Hands appearance at this year’s festival will be recorded as a limited edition album – available only to those in the audience at the Village Pump stage at the Westbury White Horse Country Park. Steve Knightley said: “Festival goers will be given the opportunity to be named as ‘backing singers’ on a one-off live recording of that night’s performance. This CD will only be available to those who attend and will be limited to 1000 copies.”
Phil Beer said “We are thrilled to be back at our favourite West Country festival and it is an honour to reveal that our fellow headline acts include our very good friends Oysterband; the incredible Treacherous Orchestra from Scotland plus the best Reggae/ English folk fusion band in the world – Edward II.”
These acts are also joined by legendary figures of the UK Folk scene Martin Carthy MBE & Dave Swarbrick who will be marking their 50th anniversary of performing together this year; Barbara Dickson OBE with Nick Holland, alongside emerging acts including Mad Dog Mcrea, Roving Crows, Sam Green & The Midnight Heist and the exciting young Welsh band Calan.
There will also be a performance by False Lights – the exciting new project/band from Bristol based Jim Moray and Sam Carter.
Returning to the festival this year will be the vocal thunder from down under – The Spooky Men’s Chorale. This Australian acapella group are renowned as one of the most formidable acts in the live arena.
The Festival is also hosting a rare gig by a new band called The Broonzies whose alumni include North-eastern singer-songwriter Jez Lowe alongside Chris Parkinson, Maggie Holland, and Rod Clements (formerly of Lindisfarne).
Festival director John Alderslade said: “Our promise to people attending the Village Pump Folk Festival is that they will get to experience, across our four stages, the very best in folk, roots and acoustic music in the United Kingdom. This year we have a hand-picked roster of terrific talent that will delight and entertain you whether you’re a seasoned festival-goer or a novice taking the plunge for the first time, a nu-folk obsessed teenager or a family looking for entertainment for all. I and the rest of the volunteer team can’t wait to welcome you to the White Horse Country Park, Westbury from 24th July and to be part of the biggest backing band ever assembled for Show of Hands!”
The full guest list for the festival is :-
SHOW OF HANDS : THE STRAWBS: MEGSON: TREACHEROUS ORCHESTRA : OYSTERBAND : EDWARD II: THE BROONZIES : SPOOKY MEN’S CHORALE : FALSE LIGHTS : CALAN : BARBARA DICKSON & RAB NOAKES : MARTIN CARTHY & DAVE SWARBRICK : MAD DOG MCREA : ROVING CROWS : COCO & THE BUTTERFIELDS : WILLE & THE BANDITS : RUARRI JOSEPH BAND : SAM GREEN & THE MIDNIGHT HEIST: ALLAN YN Y FAN : MICK RYAN & PAUL DOWNES : CARRIVICK SISTERS : CARDBOARD FOX : KEITH CHRISTMAS : STRIDING EDGE : JENNA WITTS : ROB LEAR : BILL SMARME & THE BIZNESS : UP THE CREEK : WORRY DOLLS : TALISMAN: PHIL COOPER ; KIRSTY CLINCH : LEANDER MORALES : POLLY BARRETT : : JACKIE & FELIX BYRNE : GAZ BROOKFIELD : FOREIGN AFFAIRS : VILLAGE PUMP CHOIR :
The 2015 festival takes place on 24th 25th and 26th July.
