The programme for the Priddy Folk Festival Fringe has been announced – and the programme features some of the best musicians from around the region.
Hosted by Nicki Davey and Johnny Francis, the Fringe tent runs from 2pm to 4.30p on the festival Saturday and 1.30pm to 3.30pm on the Sunday.
Among the highlights on the Saturday are Bristol-based singer-songwriter Cécile who sings in both French and English with a voice that silences rooms. Accompanying herself with gentle nylon string guitar arrangements,the result is a harmonious and emotive texture similar to the likes of Kate Rusby and Leonard Cohen but with a style and flavour all of her own.
Also likely to catch your ear on Saturday is The Haunted Knitting Machine. The mournful bendy notes of the pedal steel guitar (aka the haunted knitting machine), combined with the band’s love of country and Americana music, will lead you on a journey through death, murder, trains, the Devil, and heartache, all washed down with good measure of moonshine whiskey.
Closing Saturday’s programme is The Open Road Bugmouth Kitchen Blues. With origins steeped in cider, shotguns and sorrow, this gang ply you with their own delightfully anglophile style of blues. This will be a rare opportunity to sample one of the tastiest blues bands around in a more acoustic setting.
Sunday opens with The Avalonian Free State Choir – an unaccompanied natural voice choir with a repertoire of songs from all around the world, including salsa vocal percussion, the awe-inspiring stillness of sacred songs from Georgia and the heartbreaking melodies from Bulgaria. The thrill of listening to them comes from clear bright harmonies that are uplifting to the soul.
Sunday closes with Dust – a power trio of experienced musos mixing rock, blues and a few surprise covers. Look out for Hendrix, Neil Young and Cream to Paolo Nutini, La Roux and Cameo. All the members of Dust play in other bands, line ups and genres. This is what they do to let off steam and kick up some…dust
The full programme is as follows:
Saturday July 8
2.00 – 2.25 Johns & Nowak
2.30 – 2.55 Axbridge Choir
3.00 – 3.25 The Haunted Knitting Machine
3.30 – 3.55 Cecile
4.00 – 4.25 65 Specials
4.30 – 5.00 Open Road Bugmouth Kitchen Blues
Sunday July 9
1.30 – 1.55 Avalon Choir
2.00 – 2.25 Bob Gallie
2.30 – 2.55 John C Wood
3.00 – 3.25 Foo Foo
3.30 – 4.00 Dust