2pm - Marquee Stage: PJ Wright & Dave Pegg
PJ Wright was born in Leicester. His musical roots are in R&B and American country-rock although his career has spanned everything from 1960s underground cult band Family to backing big-name acts such Del Shannon and the Coasters.

PJ has worked extensively as a session musician: his credits include recordings with Chris While and Julie Matthews, David Hughes, Julie Felix, and Christine Collister. He was a leading light with Coventry country outfit The Flying Tortellinis.

During the 1980s and 90s, PJ regularly recorded and toured as lead guitarist with the Steve Gibbons Band. Since 1999, he has been lead vocalist and guitarist with his own five-piece folkrock band Little Johnny England. As well as acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitars, PJ plays harmonica, mandolin, saxophone, and organ. He is a talented songwriter, too, and has a small studio. On top of all that, he also teaches guitar.

Dave Pegg (known to all as Peggy) first joined the Uglys, led by Steve Gibbons, as bass guitarist, and has played the instrument ever since. His next move brought him into the folk fold. He joined the Ian Campbell Folk Group on double bass where he met fiddle maestro Dave Swarbrick. It was through Swarb that Peggy was introduced to Fairport Convention: little did he know the association would last well over 30 years.

After founder-bassist Ashley Hutchings left Fairport in 1970, Peggy took over on bass and backing vocals, a role he has fulfilled ever since. In fact, it was Peggy who kept the band together through the hassles and line-up changes of the 1970s. By the 1980s, Peggy had joined Jethro Tull as bass player. As if playing in two bands was not enough, he and his wife Christine set up Woodworm Records to produce and market Fairport's albums. Woodworm's recording studio is now used by many of the biggest names in roots and acoustic music.

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3.30pm - Marquee Stage: Tom Doughty
Tom can truly be described as having a unique method of playing lap slide guitar. This man’s music is free, full of expression and range, and makes addictive listening. Having released his first Album ‘The Bell’ to critical acclaim in 2002, he was featured on The Paul Jones show on BBC National Radio 2 in December 2003, and again on 6th September 2005.

Defining Tom as an Acoustic Blues guitarist is too small to convey the range of moods and styles in his playing. The great American finger style guitarist Woody Mann is a fan, describing Tom as "One of the most original new artists I have heard in a long time. With his unique approach to guitar and his vocal interpretations of traditional and his original tunes, he has managed to create music that is all his own."

Established slide guitarists such as Debashish Bhattacharya and Bob Brozman are fans of Tom’s music, finding it both expressive and refreshingly original. Of Tom’s new album, ‘Running Free’ Bob Brozman quotes: "Tom Doughty is possessed of a deep musical soul, that magic link between feeling and movement which makes the slide guitar such an individual instrument. His touch is wide ranging, and his music is full of big feeling. In a world of derivative and imitative slide guitarists, Tom’s sound is unique and special."

Review of live performance 8 January 2005, Dorchester Arts Centre, by Lewis A Harris
"All I knew about Tom Doughty before this Bluesnight was that, following a road traffic accident in 1974, Tom had become a permanently disabled person and that he had had to develop absolutely new and unique techniques for playing slide guitar. What I was about to witness was a performance of exquisite musicianship, subtle and nuanced, forceful yet sensitive, by an artist at the top of his powers. We the audience were simply buzzing, after all that, and we went home totally satisfied having heard top class Blues from a first rate practitioner. He is a must see performer."

• www.tomdoughty.com

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4.15pm - Marquee Stage: Karine Polwart
Winner of 'Best Album', 'Best Original Song' and the 'Horizon Award' for Best Emerging Artist at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2005.

Scottish Borders based singer-songwriter Karine Polwart established herself at the forefront of the UK folk-roots scene after scooping three prizes at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in February 2005. Her prize-winning debut CD 'Faultlines' resonated with roots influences, but its incisively intelligent lyrics and liberal borrowing from indie and alt-country as well as folk gave it a resolutely contemporary sensibility. CD opener 'Only One Way', with its hooky bass line and wry observations on cosmetic dentistry and global domination received substantial airplay on BBC Radio 2 for several weeks after Faultlines featured as ‘Album Of The Week’. So too did her poignant account of despair, drink and determination in the award winning 'The Sun’s Comin Over the Hill'.

“An effortless sounding gem” - UNCUT

"Melodic and literate songs her wealth of experience has given her writing a satisfying depth and rounded wisdom” - THE TIMES

“Exceptional songwriting” - SONGLINES

“Blessed with a voice and a view somewhere between Eddi Reader and Emmylou Harris, combining the blue-sky dreaming and worldly wisdom of the former with the purity and poise of the latter, Karine Polwart has already served a glowing apprenticeship as vocalist for hire on the Scottish folk scene." - MOJO

“Polwart has already proven her qualities as a singer many times over, but she also emerges on this disc as a humane and literate songwriter, with a genuine gift for conjuring up memorable lines and catchy melodies.” - THE SCOTSMAN

“From the syncopated drums and walking bass intro on the first track, only One Way‚ you just know this isn’t a straightforward folk album . . . big, bold, breathtaking.” - FROOTS

• www.karinepolwart.com

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7.45pm - Marquee Stage: CrossCurrent
CrossCurrent had a fantastic summer 2005, the band,s debut on the folk circuit proved extremely successful and along with the release of their debut album ‘Momentum’, they have made a great impact. CrossCurrent have appeared as features in magazines such as fROOTS, The Living Tradition, Celtica (Italy) and Taplas in Wales as well as extensive airplay throughout the country including BBC’s Late Junction. Here’s what they’ve been saying about the band:

"…they chat and play the tunes with an understated sexiness and drive which would win over the most sceptical of audiences." – fROOTS

"…up there with the fine and nuanced instrumental work there is evidence of vocal; passion …" – The Living Tradition

"One of the most exciting young bands in England …" – Cambridge Folk Festival

"Live they’re a very definite presence…In other words, they look good and they play good." – NetRhythms.com

• www.crosscurrent.co.uk

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8pm - Civic Hall: Ceilidh with All Blacked Up
All Blacked Up is an established, top tier English Ceilidh band, which has successfully played at most of Britain’s top Ceilidh Clubs and Festivals for over 20 years.

An evening with All Blacked Up features good music, dance and entertainment. Our music is firmly melody – based, with a solid foundation from a tight rhythm section. Whilst dancing to All Blacked Up you will experience rolling melodeons and harmonica, innovative saxophone and solo recorder, bass guitar, drums and 6 string guitar - in short a six piece band that really rocks! A sound that is just great to dance, or even listen to.

All Blacked Up also features their own ‘in house’ caller, the one and only Baz Parkes.

Reviews about ABU at Sidmouth Folk Week 2005:
”Absolutely star performers this year were ALL BLACKED UP”
“That early evening ABU gig was phenomenal, cracking with enthusiasm. They also showed they really understand dancers … many thanks are due…!

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9.45pm - Marquee Stage: Michael McGoldrick and His Band
* Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2, 2006 Folk Awards *
Born in Manchester to Irish parents, Michael McGoldrick was encouraged by the thriving traditional Irish music scene in the city and by the age of 15, he had already won numerous All-Ireland Championships after swapping bodhran to play flute and whistles. He made a name for himself whilst still at school, as a founder member of Toss The Feathers, Manchester’s influential Celtic rock band. He became the first piper / flautist to win the acclaimed BBC Radio Two Young Tradition Award in September 1995, resulting in the recording of the superb 'Champions Of The North' album with Toss The Feathers' highly acclaimed fiddler Dezi Donnelly.

His albums have taken the traditional and crossover scenes by storm with his maverick style, infused with jazz, hip-hop and Eastern influences. He has played with Flook!, Lunasa, Afro-Celt Sound System, Kate Rusby and Capercaillie, and was named Best Instrumentalist at the Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2001. A live performer of outstanding quality, Michael McGoldrick is one of the most inspiring and exciting traditional musicians at the forefront of crossover music in the UK.

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The Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival 2006