Our new venue at Trent Bridge offers Nottingham CAMRA the chance to bring quality entertainment to the festival, whilst still retaining quieter areas for those who prefer to chat to friends.
There will be two stages - the main stage near the Trent Bridge Inn and an acoustic stage near the Undercroft.
Artists interested in performing at the Festival should contact Alison here
Our sound system and sound engineering is provided by Forefront Productions throughout the festival and for both stages. The Main Stage is sponsored by Blue Monkey Brewery, and the acoustic Stage is sponsored by Cutting Edge IT Solutions. |
Wednesday
11th October 2023 Robin
Hood will be on
site during the opening day. Well it wouldn’t be the Robin Hood Beer &
Cider Festival without him! He’s back with this bow, arrow and quiver to remind
us all of our local hero. He’ll also be judging the cider competition too.
Catch him for photos and medieval banter. Acoustic
Stage 19:00 –
20:00 - Ryan Farmer - Americana singer/songwriter from Nottingham, UK. With a range of influences
coming from old time folk to the country classics to bluegrass and the blues,
throw in some gospel and prepare for music to make you drink, dance, cry and
praise the lord within the space of a few minutes. Born and bred in the middle
of England he may be, Ryan evokes the sounds of the States through thoughtful
songwriting of his own, storytelling with a soulful voice bringing every line
to life. Playing with a respect and understanding that the genre deserves, it's
a must hear sound for Americana fans across the country and beyond. 20:30 –
21:30 - Daudi Matsiko - Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Ugandan singer-songwriter and
guitarist Daudi Matsiko carefully crafts modern albeit reverent folk. Deft,
melancholic picking reminiscent of Nick Drake is tempered by contemporary
percussion and instrumentation, and Matsiko’s vocals derive their strength from
their seeming fragility, a warble in notes that may or may not be intentional.
With every song, his confessional lyrics cut to the marrow. Main Stage 17:45 –
18:30 – Bored Marsh - Bored Marsh are Joe Need (Vocals), Brad Westby
(Guitar and backing vocals), Jade Bowman (Bass guitar) & Paul Mason-Smith
(Drums). They are a powerful, reverb soaked, alternative quartet. Not
exactly at the start of their musical journey, these experienced musicians have
been in various bands over the years, but are by no means creating music for
the past tense. Their soaring guitars & powerful Ian Curtis-esque
vocals make a noise that is as much for the future as it is inspired by a
previous life. With a recent headline show at The Bodega, a prime slot at
the sold out Waterfront Festival, headlining The Riverside Festival and coming
up supporting the likes of New Candys and The Warlocks, things are really
picking up for Bored Marsh. 19:00 – 20:30 – The Comet Rockers - playing Rock n
Roll, Rockabilly & classics from the 50’s. So, if you love Chuck Berry,
Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Little Richard & Jerry Lee Lewis put on your blue
suede shoes & get your kicks Jiving & Strolling to this fabulous band. 21:00 – 22:30 – The Shinkickers - Our final act,
following our tradition of a blues headliner, is Shinkicker, an appreciation
of, the Irish Rock Blues legend, Rory Gallagher. Thursday 12th October 2023 Around the site will be Zandra and her White Diamonds,
lip syncing and dancing their way through some sing-a-long favourites. Zandra
will also being collecting donations for charity and raising the profile of the
local drag scene. This year Zandra will be encouraging you to part with your
money for Danielle’s Flutterbyes. "Our mission is to help young
adults living with kidney disease between the ages of 18 and 40. We will
also educate the general public on how to spot the early symptoms of
kidney disease, what their kidneys do and how precious they are.” Acoustic Stage 14:30 – 15:30 – Ant McAndrew - Ant Macandrew is a
Singer / Songwriter who specializes in Folk / Pop! His original songs are often compared to the
likes of Mumford & Sons, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, The Fray, Scouting for Girls. Working as a full-time musician over the last
5 years he has made his way through around 300 gigs per year, playing various
venues throughout the UK and also venues in Belgium/Cyprus and Barcelona 18:30 – 19:15 – George Gadd - George Gadd has spent
time relentlessly touring at festivals and support slots whilst packing out
shows of his own, Notts lad George is a DIY folk-punk songwriter, blending
heartfelt lyrics with big singalongs. 20:30 – 21:30 – Warren Ireland - Nottinghamshire
based singer-songwriter Warren Ireland is a multi-styled musically proficient
artist. Starting out busking on his home town streets, Warren can often be
found around the UK in various forms, be it solo looping or full 5 piece band.
A voice hard to pinpoint, and a commanding playing style, Warren is often
referred as one to be watching over the years. Main Stage 13:00 – 14:00 – Carlton Male Voice Choir - who maintain a large and
varied ‘progressive’ repertoire from sacred to secular, spirituals to show
songs, classical to pop, serious to light-hearted, ancient to modern music,
jazz to sea shanties all designed to suit wide variety of tastes. Each year the
choir renews its repertoire completely, rejuvenating its sound and keeping
audiences constantly thrilled. 15:00
– 16:00 – Musical Comedy – Something new for the first time, we will have a
compared hour of musical comedy, at the time of writing one act is fully
confirmed whilst the other is in the pipeline. The confirmed act is Friz
Frizzle is a “Songruiner”. Armed with a piano, he’ll take the tunes you know
and love and mess around with them until you don’t want to know or love them
anymore. It’s better than it sounds. Nominated for the WeGotTickets Musical
Comedy Awards 2017 and 2018, Winner of the TenFootCity Comedian of the Year
2017 and sell-out Edinburgh Fringe shows every year since 2015. 17:00 – 18:30 – The Meden Blazers - The Meden Blazers
will be performing later in the day, a
local high octane rock and roll band from Warsop, Nottinghamshire, UK. 19:00 –
20:30 – Seattle Thrift Store - a 5 piece grunge tribute band. Covering Nirvana, Pearl Jam,
Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, Stone Temple Pilots,
Foo Fighters, Hole, Temple of the Dog, Screaming Trees, Dinosaur Jr among a few
others. They love everything alternative 90s! 21:00 –
22:30 – Lightstream -
To finish off, covering all the great
indie sing-a-longs are Lightstream. A 4 Piece Indie Pop Band from Newark, UK.
If it's Indie/Pop floor fillers and bangers you're after, then you're in the
right place! Friday
13th October 2023 During
the day you may see people suddenly appear and perform some Pop-up
Shakespeare, don’t worry they’ve been booked by us. Famous, and sometimes
gore laden scenes will be performed throughout the day. Well it is Friday the
13th. Acoustic Stage 14:30 – 15:30 – Georgie – With a rich Americana soul
sound, Georgie has supported the likes of Jake Bugg, Blossoms and Jack
Savoretti resulting in songwriters all over the world wanting to work with her
including the legendary Matthew E White who flew her out to Virginia, USA
record her debut single. 16:30 – 17:30 – Concrete Rose (2 Piece Acoustic) - Giving
the classic Jamaican roots reggae sound a modern twist, Concrete Rose are a
Nottingham favourite. Their unique blend of lively feel-good melodies, jazzy
instrumentals and soulful harmonies create the instantly recognisable sound of
Concrete Rose. 18:30 – 19: 30 – Paul Carbuncle – A former winner of the Gateway to Southwell Festival
open-mic competition, Paul Carbuncle appears armed with folk songs of Kent (via
Nottingham), folk songs of Nottingham (via Kent) and “a formidable right hand”.
According to the rather "unhelpful" but excellent blurb on his
website: "... “Excellent!”, “Immaculate!”, “Wonderful views!”, “We had to
ask for more towels!”. These are just some of the comments made by lovers of
folk music who have stayed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in Paul
Carbuncle’s native county of Kent. Since the Midlands magazine Folk Monthly
labelled him “bourgeoning”, back in the days before spell-check (2015), Paul
has spent much of his spare time sitting next to the telephone ready for
stardom to call. When the call finally arrived at tea-time yesterday, it came
as a great joy to learn that he may have been mis-sold Payment Protection
Insurance. In a recent interview with a lady who said she was from off of the
telly, Paul deftly cleared up once and for all any mystery surrounding his
chosen musical genre. “Some call it folk-punk,” he explained, “while others
call it punk-folk. Either is fine, but over-blend it and you’ll end up with funk
or polk, and I’m sure none of us wants that. It’s rather like mixing the grape
and the grain… you’ve got to be careful not to wind up with muesli.” 20:30 – 21:30 – Myles Knight - Finally, over in the land beyond the undercroft (in
Woodhead Hall that’s where the stage is
– although it does sound a bit like a horror movie!), is Myles Knight, a
Nottingham born Singer/Songwriter, who has been described as a 'Quick Witted'
and a 'Stellar' Songwriter with a 'Distinctive Tone'. Myles Knight, provides a
fusion of Indie Rock vibes with Blues undertones. Knight’s first debut single
“Black And Blue” was released in March of 2019, his first self-titled release
which would be accompanied by a sold out single launch at Rough Trade. Main
Stage 13:00 –
14:00 – The Boutones - A Midlands based four-piece covers band: two
guitars, bass & drums, plus lead vocal & harmony vocals by all. They
consist of an experienced line-up, with many years combined gigging experience.Musically
they take great material and make it their own. A bluesy, souly, vintage vibe
with some punky attitude and a touch of Americana. This is topped with bags of
energy, and a typical Boutones swagger. 15:00 -16:00 – West O the Moon - A three-piece cover
band from Bingham. They play covers of rock hits and pop hits (in a rock
style).Playing songs from the 60s to the modern age, they hope to please all
generations. 17:00 to 18:30 – Rattus Inheritus - who have been
kicking up a rumpus recently all over the country. ..."YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO PLAY THE GUITAR DO
YOU?"... is the first thing Glenn said to Doc, after noticing him watching
Hugh Cornwell intently live at The Rescue Rooms. After a few pints, a plan was
formulated to form a Stranglers covers band, with Doc on lead vocal and guitar
duties and Glenn on bass and vocals. Joining them was Glenn's Nutty Boys band
mate O on keys and finishing off the lineup was The Grocer on drums. Their
Ethos - To play the music of their musical heroes that formed the soundtrack to
their youth, and not take themselves too seriously. The Stranglers music played
by fans for the fans. 19:00 – 20:30 – Saguaro - apparently their name is the same as those cacti we see in the westerns.
Five really good musicians who play pure country, a few songs you’ll not have
heard before and some that you’ll know given a different twist, no backing
tracks, they don’t need them. 21:00 – 22:30 - The
Activators - An 11-piece band whose
eclectic style transcends Ska, Reggae, Celtic, Punk and Dub, even venturing
into Balkan folk and Tango! Their energy, style and liking for utter mayhem
have led to them becoming regulars on the live music circuit in the UK and in
Europe. One
thing is for sure, when The Activators walk on to any stage, things start to
get very interesting! Music Beyond Boundaries - check it out!! Saturday 14th
October 2023 Time TBC
(when they feel like it!) – Foresters Morris Men – The Morris Men will appear at some point during
the day and at a venue of their choice to wave their “clean” hankies at you at
jingle their bells about. Acoustic Stage 14:00 – 15:00 – Jimi Strange – local singer songwriter Jimi Strange, with his mix of
rock, folk, and blues, complemented by his strong vocals. Jimi Strange manages
to span all these genres and more – definitely a name to search out for on the
local music scene. 16:00 – 17:00 – Ben Mark Smith - Nottinghamshire, UK based
singer-songwriter Ben Mark Smith draws comparisons to artists the likes of
Frank Turner, City & Colour and Damien Rice. After a few years
building his fan base, supporting acts like The Sherlocks, Miles Hunt (The
Wonder Stuff), Red Ken (Ferocious Dog), John Joseph brill, Gecko and Non Canon,
as well as performing at such festivals as Dot To Dot, Y-Not Festival, Here For
The Music and Derby Folk Festival, Ben released his debut single ‘Who’s The Girl?’
to critical acclaim, a song which gained a cult like status amongst the
Nottingham & Derby music scene. A few months later saw the release of
the singles ‘One Year On’, ‘Thanks For The Adventure’ and the charity single
‘Dog & Parrot’, which all received strong praise from fans and
critics. Lockdown brought along a ton of
time to write and be creative, which finally brought about the creation of
Ben’s debut album ‘Drinking Games’ and the formation of his gigging band ‘Ben
Mark Smith and The Balancing Acts’.
Ben’s emotive story telling and passionate performances have enabled him
to connect with a very attentive audience, gaining him a strong following as he
continues to perform and release new music.
What People Say: “He’s no Rick Astley!”
- Mum, “Sounds like the Arctic Monkeys” - NME, “Who?” - General public 18:00 – 19:00 – Tash Bird - From the self-release of her
debut EP ‘Normal is Boring’ reaching top 20 in the iTunes UK singer-songwriter
charts back in 2016, local acoustic sensation Tash Bird is making her mark on
the music industry one show at a time and shows no signs of slowing down.
Embellishing every tune with her husky vocals and candid balladry, her
relatable lyricism and colloquial stage presence never fails to leave audiences
wanting more and feel like they’ve made a new mate in Tash. A seasoned
favourite of the Nottingham music scene, Tash has performed at various
festivals around the country including Y Not, Splendour, Beat The Streets, Dot
To Dot, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and gained multiple airplays on BBC
Introducing and BBC Radio Nottingham. Having scored a plethora of support slots
for the likes of Frank Turner, Skinny Living, Grace Petrie, Mike Dignam,
released multiple singles throughout 2021 and showcased these at gigs around the
UK. Over the last few years, Tash has
seen her sound flourish in a huge way. In alignment with her own developing
confidence and obvious mastery of her unique acoustic style, she has
re-invented her music and paved a path for further creative pursuits and new
ideas. Between her innovative sound and
thriving career, plans for her highly anticipated EP launch are well underway,
so be sure to keep Tash Bird on your radar. 20:30 – 21:30 – Whisky Stain - Blues drenched riffs, hymn
crushing hooks, and a mean blast of bloody punch drums. Powerhouse duo WHISKY
STAIN are notorious for their huge live sound and energetic performances. Practiced and honed, distilled to a fierce
gospel gut punch perfection, these boys are not to missed! There's a long trail
of venues and festivals in their wake and a slick catalogue of EPs and
singles. Hand picked by BBC introducing,
scouted for Y Not, Bearded Theory, Deerstock Festival and others, the
soundtrack to Sky Atlantic's hit series Ray Donovan... These are just some of
their highlights to date. Main Stage 13:00 – 14:00 – The Beat Institute – High energy 60s' hits by the Who, Kinks, Stones,
Beatles, Animals, Yardbirds and more - come on down! 15:00 – 16:00 – Jess Breame – Singer songwriter based
near Nottingham, Jess Breame brings together a blend of country and
Americana whilst maintaining sophisticated pop sensibilities. Her musical
influences range from classic country to southern rock plus legendary British
pop acts and modern indie. Her new album, The Circus, was released on 04th
September 2023. 17:00 – 18:30 – Beggers Belief – A high energy covers
band, covering popular rock music from the last five decades. 19:00 – 20:30 – Verbal Warning - Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the early eighties band, the new-look Verbal Warning spluttered into life in 2005. Trying to keep the spirit of old school punk rock alive, the band retained some of the old songs as well as writing some new ones, as the new line-up took the band, having actually learnt how to play with their instruments, off into a slightly more melodic direction, making sure to retain the energy of Punk Rock - the comment at practices often being “Are we sure that’s fast enough?” A mix of politics and humour rub shoulders, and the band always try to make live shows as entertaining as possible, doing sets with new songs mixing with the old plus a selection of crowd-pleasing covers. If someone shouts “Duck” watchout for the flying yellow plastic...... 21:00 – 22:30 – Rebel, Rebel - Headlining on the
final night are Rebel, Rebel. Performing the classic songs from David Bowie’s
golden years. This six piece band captures all of the energy and brilliance of
the Bowie legend and his many alter egos’. From Ashes to Ashes to Ziggy
Stardust, calling at many stations in-between, the band lovingly recreate
Bowie’s unique catalogue of masterworks. A fusion of Sound and Vision
incorporating dance, mime, costumes and props ensures that Rebel, Rebel
provides a thrilling Bowie experience. |
Page updated : 25th February 2023