aaamusic | On 04, May 2011

A Non-Profit Organisation
Fri 17th ?C Sun 19th June 2011
28 Years 1983 – 2011
Patron: John Godber
Shortlisted for ‘The Family Festival Award’ at the 2010 UK Festival Awards

Beverley Festival brings together the best of British music with multi award winners from the worlds of folk to popular music
The Beverley Festival has done it again with star headline acts, presenting the best of folk to popular music from the British Isles.
With multi-award winners, recently the stars of the BBC Radio 2 Awards, Bellowhead, bringing their own brand of upbeat traditional English music with their big band sound, to the soulful voice of Paul Carrack, and the multi-million album selling Barbara Dickson.

Paul Carrack, the last headliner to be confirmed for the festival, is known all over the world as a legendary figure in British pop history, with a back catalogue including “How Long”, “Tempted” and “Living Years”. A Yorkshireman by birth (Sheffield), he was the singer, songwriter and former front man of Ace, Squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics. The festival is delighted to welcome him to this, his first visit to the town.
He will be starting off the festival weekend celebrations on the Friday (17th June) night.

Returning again to the festival (Saturday 18th June) after making her debut appearance last year with a presentation of her Autobiography, Scottish born singer Barbara Dickson, who will be going back to her roots with a repertoire including traditional songs as well as some of her more famous hits. Billy Connolly said “I love Barbara Dickson. From the very first time I heard her, her voice just nailed me to the wall! Her voice has that kind of smoothness… she’s just a one-off”. Her numerous hit songs including ‘Answer Me’ which become a top ten hit in 1976, ‘Caravan Song’ and ‘January, February’ and ‘I Know Him So Well’. In addition she won many awards for her acting where she took leading roles in ‘John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert’, ‘Spend, Spend, Spend’ as well as on TV in ‘Taggart’ and ‘The Two Ronnies’.

To close the festival with gusto on the Sunday (19th) Bellowhead, are clearly a band with considerable boundary-crossing appeal. The 11 piece, who play more than 25 instruments between them (from Helicon to frying pan) seamlessly merge English folk, world, jazz, rock and music-hall influences are one of the few bands performing today who can dart effortlessly between the establishment and the fringes.
“With the exception of The Who, Bellowhead are surely the best live band in the country” The Independent .
“A party for young & old alike’”. The Mirror.
The programme is certainly not just about the headline acts, with a multitude of the finest folk performers from all around the country taking part, including Martin Carthy, `Arguably the greatest English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all’ Q Magazine
who for more than 40 years has been one of folk music’s greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures.
His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it.
Michael McGoldrick, who toured with Mark Knoffler in 2010, Scottish fusion band, Salsa Celtica acústica will get the party going on the Saturday night with their own band of Celtic and Latin dance. Other BBC Radio 2 Award winners who first came together in the festival’s youth programme (Area2) several years ago are Moore, Moss and Rutter as well as Leeds based Scotsman Ewan McLellan.
A huge variety of other artists from the Musicians to Story Tellers, Comedians to Poets will also be performing at the festival, which promises to be a highlight in the country’s festival calendar this year.

Also just confirmed as performing is Bernard Wrigley.
A stalwart of the British Folk scene now for over 40 years, Bernard is also known as an actor, both in rep and on TV. The singing side has produced seventeen albums, beginning with the first Topic and Transatlantic LPs to the self produced ones he does now. Thanks to the web, every one is still available.

On the acting side, some will remember him from Emmerdale a few years ago when he played Barry Clegg ?C the hapless rocket builder whose wife Lisa left him for Zak Dingle. Over the years he has played no less than seven different characters in Coronation Street. He was also in three episodes of Dinner Ladies, where he complained about the food, danced and sang, and played the concertina. He memorably played the part of Dodgy Eric in Phoenix Nights, where he sold a mechanical bucking bronco to the club (with disastrous results) and in the second series insisted that Brian Potter hire a bouncy castle with a fifteen feet phallic extension – “Sammy The Snake”.

One of his live concerts is not to be missed – in fact Bernard will personally try to attend. He has a great affection for the folk world in Beverley.

“Beverley Festival is known for its innovative and eclectic mix that brings the most friendly and relaxed atmospheres to this historic, East Yorkshire town. An enchanting blend of dance, comedy, literature, poetry, and of course music.
To experience Beverley is to experience a creative festival of delight” ?C Yorkshire Gig Guide.
‘One of the best small festivals in the country’ – Sunday Times
“To a full festival ticket holder, the Beverley Folk Festival offers both comfort and convenience, camping, hot showers and ample amenities a mere stones throw away, early morning wake up calls courtesy of the Minster bells, which is not a cheer leader troupe but celestial chimes of course, and the centre of a beautiful market town lined with pubs, cafes and shops just a short walk away.” Allan Wilkinson, Northern Sky

For more details about the festival, who’s playing, and to purchase tickets including the Special Weekend deal currently available, visit www.beverleyfestival.com or call the festival office on 01377 217569

Artists confirmed to date

Paul Carrack and band
Barbara Dickson and band
Bellowhead
Michael McGoldrick & Friends
Salsa Celtica Acústica
Martin Carthy
Spiers & Boden
Henry Priestman
Southern Tenant Folk Union
Sean Taylor ● Ewan McLennan
Henry Priestman
Bernard Wrigley ● Noel James
Jerry Harmon (USA)
Forro Porro ● Fay Hield Trio
Ahab ● 4 Square
Moore Moss & Rutter
Jim Boyes ● Georgina Boyes
Adrian Spendlow
Area 2 (Youth programme) artists
Blackbeards Tea Party
David Gibb & the Pony Club
Raj Raj Raj
Anna MacDonald
4 Square
Moore Moss & Rutter
Pilgrim’s Way
Harry Rowland

Acoustic Sessions
Circus Envy ● Paul Liddell ● Wendy Arrowsmith
Boss Caine ● Hissyfit ● Broken Ground
Benjamin Leftwich ● Dan Wilde ● Troubabour
Edwina Hayes ● Dream of Apollo
The Duncan McFarlane Band
Dave Keegan ● Andy Stones
Catriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts
Jonny Dobbs ● Mark Wyn
Rebekah Findlay ● Dan Webster Band
Jessica Lawson ● The Gerry McNeice Band