Festival Guide Acts 2010 Headliners

2010 Headliners

Here is some information about our headline acts. Click on the pictures to open the bands' website (in a new window).

Friday evening

London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra

To the LPSO, skiffle means "anything goes", as long as it is musical, entertaining and fun.
Our performances are energetic, colourful, bizarre, tuneful, virtuoso and hilarious incorporating a wealth of instruments, costume changes and numerous props.
And we are full of surprises ...

 

Saturday afternoon

Mabon

Mabon’s music is well described as Original, Interceltic, World Music. Composed by frontman Jamie Smith, and brought to life by six highly accomplished musicians, it draws inspiration directly from the traditional folk music of the Celtic countries.

This is not Welsh music, nor Scottish or Irish; this is Interceltic music, a true exploration of forms and styles found in Celtic music and their forging into something bold and new.

 

 

Saturday Evening

Show of Hands

Steve Knightley and Phil Beer are widely acknowledged as the finest acoustic roots duo in England.

Knightley, who writes most of their inspired material and Beer, a dazzling multi instrumentalist, have built up a huge following which has seen them sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times, headline major festivals from Glastonbury to WOMAD and playing all over the world, from Europe to America, Australia and India.

Voted Best Live Act by the public at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the jury is still out on just what kind of music they play. A genre defying mix of rock, roots, blues, country and trad, and often influenced by the music of other countries, it is played out on an array of instruments from slide guitar to fiddle, mandolin to South American cuatro.

They will joined by Miranda Sykes who has been performing with Show of Hands since 2004.

As well as being a superb vocalist and double bassist she continues to surprise audiences with her musical versatility, and demonstrates her ability as a guitarist and interpreter of song, slipping effortlessly between genres. She has a strong repertoire of songs and is currently developing material for her 4th solo album project.

 

Sunday Afternoon

Little Johnny England

Little Johnny England are a unit comprising five musicians all of whom have worked within the folk/traditional and mainstream for many years.
 
As individuals they really do have it covered, credits include Peter Kaye, Fatima Mansions, Show Of Hands, Ruby Turner, The Steve Gibbons Band and Albion Band to pick just a few. They have combined their experiences to become quite simply a live act in every sense, as equally at home working in an acoustic manner as they are in a major concert setting.

Their aim in the last 10 years has been to take traditional and contemporary folk music to a wider audience and have attracted a lot of attention not only from press within the genre but also mainstream national press - having achieved a glowing four star review in Q magazine for their album "Mercs & Cherokees". This proving that their aim is not only achievable but is coming to fruition.

After sporadic shows over the last couple of years mainly due to individual projects, they are back stronger than ever with a new studio album 'Tournament Of Shadows', released in October 2009. A ten year retrospective double album 'Ten Years On' was released on 16th June 2009, documenting the band's journey so far.

 

Sunday Evening

The Lonnie Donegan Band with Pete Donegan

The Lonnie Donegan Band is as the name suggests. This is the band that toured with the legend for the last 30 years. For those of you who saw Lonnie Donegan perform in more recent years, then you will instantly recognise them:
Paul Henry     Lead Guitar
Chris Hunt     Drums
Sticky Wicket     Percussion
Eddie Masters     Bass
Peter Donegan     Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica, Mandolin, Lead Vocals

The band reformed after Lonnie's passing to perform at the Rock Island Line tribute concert for Lonnie, at the Royal Albert Hall, backing artists such as Joe Cocker, Chris Farlow, Rolf Harris, Roger Daltrey, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, Chris Barber, to name a few...

Currently the band tour as the same line up as the last tour with Lonnie, featuring Lonnie's son Peter Donegan on keyboards and harmonica - only this time Peter also performs lead vocals, acoustic guitar and banjo, fronting the band.