Priddy 2018 is shaping up in style with the announcement of a raft of amazing acts for this year’s festival.
We have already announced Young ‘Uns, the Sam Kelly Trio, Tannara, Dipper Malkin and the Vera Van Heeringen Trio – click on the links to find out more.
Leading the line for 2018 is Galician pipe supremo Anxo Lorenzo, (above) whose mastery of the gaita – a bagpipe indigenous to the Celtic region in northern Spain – is winning him friends and admirers around the world. Expect a lively set rooted in Celtic dance culture.
We are also delighted to welcome Blue Rose Code fronted by soulful Scottish singer-songwriter Ross Wilson whose music has won admirers inside and outside Caledonia. He was born in Edinburgh but, having spent a long time south of the border before returning, Ross is a nomad both geographically and musically.
His latest album The Waters Of Leith encompass styles as diverse as folk, jazz and soul, but always there is an intense and mesmerising emotion at the heart of what he does.
Still in Scotland, Talisk wowed Priddy last year and the trio’s amazing concertina player Mohsen Amini is back in 2018 with a new band Ímar – a Glasgow-based five piece which also includes members of other Priddy favourites Barrule and Jamie Smith’s Mabon.
In another welcome return, The Drystones are back! Armed with their 2017 album We Happy Few, Priddy’s local folk superheroes Alex (fiddle) and Ford (whistle and guitar) will be delivering more of their blistering high-energy traditional folk and original compositions. And, as a bonus, one half of the duo will also be appearing in Kate Griffin & Ford Collier.
We also have the incredible musicianship of Alex Vann, Pete Judge and Paul Bradley – better known as Bristol-based trio 3 Cane Whale. Their most recent album Palimpsest was chosen by The Daily Telegraph as one of the “Best Folk Music Albums Of 2016” and by The Guardian for its Folk World Music Playlist.
Another trio who make a beautiful sound is Alden, Patterson & Dashwood whose 2016 album Call Me Home was a fRoots Editor’s Choice album of the year.
Grace Petrie is well known on the folk scene for her funny songs with a political edge and during her short career so far has built a solid fan base thanks to relentless touring which includes support spots for Billy Bragg and Emmy the Great and appearances at Glastonbury and Latitude Festivals. This year she adds Priddy to her list.
What else? Well there’s Cajun-flavoured madness from Flatville Aces, harmonious folk from Northern Company, the highly danceable Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award Winners Pons Aelius and a return of those Pagan Speed Folk funsters PerKelt.
Long established friends of Priddy, Old Somerset Russets will be back bringing their take on the village band music in days of yore while Alice Florence and the Vines, the West Gallery Singers and The Mendip Folk Choir will also be adding to what will be a fabulous weekend on Priddy’s famous village green.
Watch this space for more additions!
And don’t forget you can get tickets at super keen prices if you book before the end of February.