From now until the autumn this
section will keep you in touch with all the festivals in the South. Keep coming
back to it because it will be constantly updated as we get details of more
festivals & lineup changes
SWANAGE BLUES WEEKEND - March 5 - 7
One of the first major music events of the year, it’s time to get down to Dorset
for some blues on the 4th blues weekend organised by Steve Darrington. Admission
is free to all gigs which take place in half a dozen venues around the
picturesque coastal town.
Appearing this year are: Gary Brewer & the GB's, Claude Bourbon, Robert Hokum,
Cross Cut Saw, Purbeck Slim, 'Lucky' Steve, Paul Darby, Tim Royce, Roy Mette,
Steve Hill, Arecibo and more.
On both Friday and Saturday nights there will be six different acts performing
in six different venues, and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons there will be
entertainment from 1pm to 7pm in the Kings Bar, Kings Road East, just off the
High Street.
If you've never been to Swanage, you don’t know what you are missing : a lovely
beach, brilliant views and walks, excellent pubs and restaurants, and at this
time of year the hotels & guest houses have good out-of-season rates.
All enquiries to Steve Darrington via 01929 422338, mobile 07870 545725 or by
post : Steve Darrington, Swanage Blues, TIC, Shore Road, Swanage, Dorset BH19
1LB, England.
GOSPORT & FAREHAM EASTER FESTIVAL 2004
Festival organiser Peter Chegwyn
has finalised the lineup for this year’s Gosport and Fareham Easter Festival.
Here it is:
Thursday April 8 to Monday April 12
The Levellers acoustic - Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze & band - Show of Hands & band
- Cara Dillon - John Jones Oysterband with Benji Kirkpatrick & Seth Lakeman -
The Phil Beer Band - Last Night's Fun - Emily Slade - Les Barker - Ron Trueman-Border
- The Paperboys - Back of The Moon - Broderick - Luke Daniels & Jonathan Preiss
- Clare Mann, Leo McCann & Ross Martin - Filska (Shetland) - Kate Purcell
(Ireland) - Cantrip - Althing - Judy Cook (USA ) - Nick Burbridge - Helen
Andrews & Deborah Peake - Legacy - Arlen - Tab Hunter & Ben Paley - The Carla
Hendricks Band - George Wilson - Mary Jane - Doghouse & many more, plus:
Concerts - Workshops - Sessions - Dance Displays - Craft Fayre - Festival Club -
Singarounds - Late Night Extra - & more
For further information, please contact info@gosportfestival.co.uk
Festival information: 023 9252 8017
Ferneham Hall Box Office: 01329 231942
Ashcroft Arts Centre Box Office: 01329 310600
OXFORD FOLK FESTIVAL - April 16 - 18
All concerts take place in Oxford Town Hall unless otherwise indicated.
* FRIDAY: Woodpecker Band @Emperor Ballroom o Martin Simpson @the Holywell o
Oxford Folk @Port Mahon o Big Session @the Wheatsheaf
* SATURDAY: Bellowhead (Spiers Boden Big Band) o Martin Simpson o The York Waits
@the Holywell o Alva @the Holywell o The Witches of Elswick o Magpie Lane o
Simon Care Trio o Luke Daniels & Jonathon Preiss o KTB o Pete Cooper & Richard
Bolton o Elle Osborne o Mawkin o GMW: Giles, Metcalfe & Woods o Jessica & Al
Marshall o Luke Smith o The Inflatable Buddhas o Dance Displays o Late Night
Groove @Cellar Bar
* SUNDAY: Steeleye Span @the New Theatre o Lúnasa o Broderick o Les Barker o
Yarmarka (Russia) o The Oxford Waits o Vale Island Dancers o Magpie Lane o 422 o
Elle Osborne o Mawkin o Abbie Lathe o The Christminster Singers o Diverse Divas
o Dance Displays o Mackating (Reggae) and many more acts over the weekend.
See www.oxfordfolkfestival.com for more details. Rring 01865 305305 or access
www.ticketsoxford.com for tickets.
ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL - JUNE 11 - 13
Acts confirmed so far: Groove Armada, The Who, Manic Street Preachers, ElectricSoft Parade, Delays, Charlatans, Suzanne Vega. See www.isleofwightfestival.com
for more details.
BLUESATHON - LYMINGTON - JUNE 19
Date just confirmed - watch this space for details of lineup
BLUES ON THE FARM - THUR JUNE 24 - SUNDAY JUNE 27
PUMPBOTTOM FARM NR CHICHESTER
Topping the bill this year, the inspired Eric Bibb plus Duke Robillard, Geoff
Achison & the Souldiggers, Connie Lush & Blues Shouter, John Crampton,
Trafficker, Antonio Forcione Quartet, Hamsters, Errol Linton's Blues Vibe, The
Wildcards, Rab McCullough Band, Doug Jay & the Blues Jays, Studebaker John,
Little Dave and lots more. One of the UK's premier blues events. Tickets now
available via 01243 773828 or 01243 539072 - for more information see
www.bluesonthefarm.com
LARMER TREE FESTIVAL – TOLLARD ROYAL
JULY 14 -18
The Larmer Tree Festival have just announced that Nigel Kennedy and his East
meets East Band will start this year’s festival in fine style with a special
pre-festival concert on Saturday 10th July.
Due to immense public pressure Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
will be performing on two nights this year - Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th
July.
The line-up for the weekend July 16 -18 July includes Misty in Roots, Los De
Abajo (Mexico), Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez (USA), DJ Derek, The HaveNots,
Nizlopi, John Lester, and Odette Michell - check website www.larmertree.co.uk
for new names as they are announced.
SPYDAFEST 2004 - PORTLAND, DORSET - JUNE 25 - 27
A new high quality music and community arts festival comes to Southwell Business
Park (www.southwellbusinesspark.com ) Isle of Portland, Dorset this summer.
Promoted by leading internet radio station SpydaRadio (www.spydaradio.co.uk ) in
association with London’s celebrated Borderline Club ( www.borderline.co.uk) now
a Mean Fiddler Group venue and music agency and Mutiny Music (www.mutinymusic.co.uk).
This small, high profile event will showcase the eclectic music presented by
Spyda Radio and this beautiful but economically struggling part of the Dorset
Coast, recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lists of artists taking
part will appear in our Festival Focus section in due course.
Media profile for this event will be strong. The Big Issue is on board as the
festival’s charitable benefactor. There are also very strong links with BBC
Radio 2, and it is likely that certain shows will feature the artists programmed
and the festival itself. BBC Radio 2 is now the nation’s most popular station
with 18 million listener’s each day. There will be a series of advertisements
released in the national press and music media in February/March ; MOJO, Uncut,
FRoots, Guardian Guide and the Telegraph have all been shortlisted. Weymouth &
Portland Borough Council are also firmly behind the event and will feature
SpydaFest prominently in all of their seasonal publicity for the resort.
The site itself is an exposed outdoor Greenfield site overlooking the Jurassic
coast and the famous Portland Bill and its lighthouse. There will be one main
outdoor stage and a smaller 2nd venue in a marquee. The planned capacity for the
festival will be 2000 customers for this first year. Both stages have an ongoing
programme from Midday until late evening on the Saturday and Sunday. There may
also do a "warm up" event on the Friday night for local residents and weekend
ticket holders. Talks are taking place with a number of funders and community
groups about securing finance for a programme of workshops and performances for
local residents, both adults and children alike. In addition there will be a
host of concession stalls offering a selection of foods and refreshments from
around the world, craft products and of course a licensed bar. Portland
residents will also get a heavily discounted ticket price, to make the weekend
more accessible to them and encourage them to join in.
Brewing giant Carling are committed to sponsor SpydaFest 2004. This major player
in the licensed products trade has been heavily involved in the UK live music
scene for many years now, sponsoring festivals, concerts and an entire chain of
venues throughout the country. The publicity that their presence will bring is
huge, reflecting the vast numbers of visitors to their live event website (www.carlinglive.com)
More details are available from any of the websites listed above.
