More acts are today announced for the Big Rhythms & Happy Rhythms stages including Stax Hammond organ superstar Booker T Jones and his full American band, and a rare outing for an occasional supergroup featuring cult guitar hero Chris Spedding, original Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, Pretenders drummer Martin Chambers, Sharks vocalist Stephen W Parsons (AKA Snips) and new guitar talent Sixteen, calling themselves King Mob (both Saturday). Appearing on the Sunday are Boomtown Rats, led by original guitarist Garry Roberts and drummer Simon Crowe, the driving force behind the original band. Other great acts announced for these stages include the Captain Sensible Band, The Groundhogs, featuring Tony (TS) McPhee, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys, Delroy Williams & The Junction Band, The Magic Tombolinos, Swans In Flight, Attila The Stockbroker, Macavity’s Cat and Virgil & The Accelerators.
THE COMPLETE RHYTHM & BLUES FESTIVAL LINE-UP WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK
There will be 4 main music stages: Big Rhythms and Happy Rhythms with the two new events, Rhythm Folk and Rhythm & Blues each having their own areas, dominated by huge big-top stages. Camping and lots of other attractions (see below) will be shared.
The emphasis in 2012 is on bringing gifted young performers into Rhythm Festivals, joining the veteran acts who have always been its main-stay.
Also NEW for 2012 and available to ticket-holders for all three Rhythm Festivals are Fringe Theatre performances in the The Old Dick Theatre and a huge programme of Literary & Poetry Events. Details of BIG NAME attractions on these stages will be announced soon. Comedy (again programmed by Jesterlarf Comedy Club of Cambridge)
will return in 2012 as will other old Rhythm avourites, including the Groovy Movie Picture House (free sola-powered cinema), DJ Wheelie Bag in the Tavern Bar and even more children’s entertainment, including Panic Circus and the Junior (London) Olympics. Many more new attractions will be added and announced in the coming weeks.
TICKET HOTLINE NOW OPEN:
01767 626 262
Credit Card Hotline operated by The Mansion House and operates during office hours,
9am-5pm, Monday to Saturday. 5% booking fee will be added to all telephone orders.
No booking fee (£1 handling charge per order) on tickets bought from the official
website:
www.rhythmfestival.com
The confirmed line-up so far:
Friday 24th August:
RHYTHM FESTIVAL: Hawkwind, The Slackers (USA), The Beat, Three Bonzos & A Piano,
Eddie & The Hot Rods, Swans in Flight
RHYTHM FOLK: Peatbog Faeries, The Men They Couldn’t Hang (Acoustic), Lucy Ward,
Jamie Smith’s Mabon
RHYTHM & BLUES: Wilko Johnson, Mitch Laddie Band
Saturday 25th August:
RHYTHM FESTIVAL: Booker T, The Damned, Denis Alcapone (Jamaica), King Mob, The GRoundhogs, Here & Now, The Captain Sensible Band, Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys, The Magic Tombolinos, Virgil & The Accelerators, The Barker Band, Leatherat, Pearl
Handled Revolver.
RHYTHM FOLK: The Strawbs, The Ian McMillan Orchestra, Richard Digance, David Knopfler, Travelling Band, Wishing Well (Aus), Faeries Wear Boots
RHYTHM & BLUES: Big Boy Bloater, Chantel McGregor, Lucy Zirins
Sunday 26th August:
RHYTHM FESTIVAL: Ken Boothe (Jamaica), Crazy World of Arthur Brown, David Rodigan, Boomtown Rats, John Otway Big Band, Delroy Williams & The Junction Band, Mystery Juice, King Hammond, Macavity’s Cat, Attila The Sockbroker, Barnstormer,
Intensified, Big 10
RHYTHM FOLK: Show of Hands featuring Miranda Sykes, Lau, Scott Matthews, Moulettes, Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts, Damh The Bard
RHYTHM & BLUES: Crosstown Lightnin’ (featuring Charles Shaar Murray), Cherry Lee Mewis, Bare Bones Boogie Band
TICKET PRICES:
ALL FESTIVALS EARLY BIRD ADULT WEEKEND PASS: £99 includes one free child/ youth (5-16). Extra kids £60 each. Under 5’s free.
RHYTHM FOLK ADULT WEEKEND TICKET (only): £70 until May 31st, then £80. Includes one child/ youth (5-16 years) free. Extra kids £35 each.
RHYTHM & BLUES ADULT WEEKEND TICKET (only): £70 until May 31st, then £80. Includes
one child/ youth (5-16 years) free. Extra kids £35 each.
CAMPING (any festival): £36 per tent, £50 per campervan/ caravan.
Tickets will be sent out from March.
More on this totally unique festival concept in the coming weeks.
End.
Rhythm Festival: The Details
RHYTHM FESTIVALS 2012
August 24-26, 2012
The Mansion House@Old Warden Park, near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9DX
(just off the A1)
Rhythm Festival: The Background
Rhythm Festival was founded in 2006 by veteran music promoter and writer, Jim Driver, and was held until 2010 at Twinwood Arena, Clapham, Bedfordshire. Rhythm Festival aims to be different from other outdoor music festivals, by being smaller, friendlier and geared towards the customer. Says Jim Driver: “Rhythm is a family festival for people who like festivals but who don’t like rip-off burgers, terrible food and indifferent booze.”
Over the first six years Rhythm Festival headliners have included Jerry Lee Lewis, Toots & The Maytals, Imelda May, Jack Bruce, Alabama 3, Donovan, Buzzcocks, Roy Harper, Seth Lakeman, The Levellers, Nick Lowe, The Proclaimers, John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, Jefferson Starship, Joe Bonamassa, Big Star and (not!) Ike Turner (who was booked twice but who never actually showed up!)
