Wickham Festival News

Eabhal

Eabhal have made a significant impact on the Scottish music scene with their vibrant and energetic folk music. The band’s distinctive West Coast sound and dedication to their craft have earned them a prestigious Folk Band of the Year nomination in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2022 amongst multiple other awards and nominations over the past 10 years.

Eabhal have released two albums to date, the debut This is How The Ladies Dance in 2018 and the second Aisling, which was released in 2022 and showcased an array of new arrangements and both Gaelic and English songs. The band’s focus on kinship and connection to people and land, elevation, journies and language are all reflected in their music and identity. Although they all come from different backgrounds and places, each member was immersed in traditional music, and their collective passion for their craft is evident in every song and performance.

Current members are Kaitlin Ross (Vocals), Megan MacDonald (Accordion), Nicky Kirk (Guitar), Robbie Greig (Fiddle), and Ewan Duncan (Pipes & Whistle). The band bid farewell to their former members Jamie MacDonald and Hamish Hepburn in 2021/22, with Hamish emigrating to Canada and Jamie off to explore new opportunities. However, they are thrilled to embark on a fresh chapter with Robbie and Ewan.

Eabhal’s achievements in their career include the successful release and tour of their second album, Aisling, which took them to stunning locations like Glenelg, Ardgour, and Tobermory. Additionally, the band has been fortunate enough to showcase their talents at World Music Asia in Shanghai and perform at various shows in the US in 2018, prior to the pandemic.

Eabhal are eagerly anticipating what lies ahead as they gear up for their next chapter. With their third album currently in progress and a fresh lineup, the band is ready to continue its journey and elevate traditional music to new heights.

Lucy Spraggan

Chart-topping singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan will make her Wickham Festival debut on Friday 1st August. Lucy’s unique blend of folk, indie-pop and acoustic sounds paired with powerful and emotive lyrics have captivated audiences worldwide. She recently released new single Other Sides Of The Moon with a new studio album scheduled for later in 2025.

The album will feature brand-new songs, plus some of her favourite tracks of the last 15 years, reworked, providing fans with a perfect mix of old and new Lucy.

She released a striking duet version of her song Sober, on which she collaborated with pop icon and superstar Robbie Williams. The track is about Lucy’s journey on giving up alcohol and stepping into the world of sobriety. At 5 years sober she chose to re-release it with one of her biggest inspirations.

Lucy Spraggan started her journey as an artist when she was very young. In 2012, she entered the X Factor and went onto be the first contestant in history to score a Top 40 single and album before the live shows aired.

She has sold over 150k albums and reached over 150 million streams on Spotify alone. She released her memoir Process last year which was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

Process: The powerful instant Sunday Times bestseller

A memoir of great power and emotional honesty. To read this book is to be in awe of Spraggan’s strength in writing it.
Elizabeth Day

Lucy’s music has been used many times in popular culture, perhaps most notably her track Why Don’t We Start From Here was used as the soundtrack for the closing scene for Series 3 of the Outlaws.

Lucy has announced an intimate acoustic tour in venues around the UK in March and April 2025 before playing festivals in the Summer, one of which is of course Wickham Festival!  We look forward to welcoming her to our stage.

Newton Faulkner

Newton Faulkner is continually adjusting to a music landscape dominated by flux, he’s moved from the phenomenal success of his debut album ‘Hand Built By Robots’ to the surging triumph of ‘Write It On Your Skin’; from ‘Studio Zoo’ – which was the first album ever to be live streamed online while being recorded, and was also recorded and released in just five weeks – to the sumptuous ‘Human Love’ plus multiple other records over his incredible 15 year career so far. He’s now taking this moment to record his next collection of songs. This time a little more production heavy but still full of powerful vocals and his signature guitar sound weaved through the mix. Newton in the past has often found himself in his home studio working away solo, but not for this next record or in fact this tour. The next phase for Newton is full of collaboration which you can feel in the music to come. Seeing these songs come to life on stage is going to be nothing short of joyous.

Leo Sayer

We’re delighted to announce that chart-topping singer songwriter Leo Sayer will be at Wickham next year on Saturday 2nd August 2025Songwriter, singer and performer – Leo Sayer excels at all three. Throughout his long and successful career Leo has resisted being forced down one avenue at the expense of the other two, determined to develop his career to encompass his many talents.

Gerard Hugh Sayer was born in May 1948 in Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, England. After studying graphic design at Art College he began his working life as an illustrator in London, playing blues harmonica by night in folk clubs. During this period (the year is now 1968) he began to write songs and in 1972 met David Courtney, an ex-drummer for 60’s pop star Adam Faith.

David and Leo started co-writing and shortly afterwards Leo Sayer signed a management contract with Adam Faith. The trio did not have to wait long for success and this came in 1973 when Roger Daltrey, Lead singer with The Who recorded Leo and David’s Giving It All Away for his debut solo album. The singer reached number 5 in the UK and hit the Top 10 in the states. Leo Sayer had arrived. He had been brought to public attention on both sides of the Atlantic and the subsequent release of his first album, Silver Bird, on Chrysalis, proved a major 1973 release.

Leo’s single, The Show Must Go On, hit number 2 in Britain, while Three Dog Night, the American group, released a version which went to number 5 in the US. Chart success was followed by concert appearances supporting Roxy Music where he frequently stole the show with his now famous white face and Pierrot costume. The Leo frenzy continued to grow and spilled over into the States where his headline tour drew rave reviews from the critics and public alike in New York and Los Angeles.

A two-month headlining tour of the US was followed by the release of Leo’s second album, Just A Boy, from which the singles, One-Man Band, Train and Long Tall Glasses were huge international hits. A series of concerts followed in Australia where Leo (by now the clown image had been discarded) became a favourite with fans – a mutual affection which endures and goes from strength to strength.

In 1975 Leo was back in the UK with Moonlighting to the top of the charts (taken from the album Another Year), co-writing by Leo and Frank Farrell, Leo’s bass player at the time. The release of Here in 1979 and World Radio in 1981 saw Leo once again collaborating with David Courtney.

A major turning point in Leo Sayer’s career came in 1976 when he began working in Los Angeles with producer Richard Perry. Perry was originally more impressed with Leo’s own composition, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, became his first US number 1 hit and won, in 1977, a Grammy Award for the best R & B song. Endless Flight turned out to be Leo’s most successful album to date, particularly in the States with When I Need You a second number 1, and How Much Love also hitting the US top 40.

The US success had positive reverberations around the world resulting in When I Need You becoming number 1 in almost every major territory and the BBC in England offering Leo his own series. This project was so successful that it was extended into the eighties with two further Leo Sayer TV series.

Two more albums with Richard Perry followed, Thunder In My Heart in 1977 and Leo Sayer in 1978. Leo was at this time resident in Los Angeles, and on a constant touring schedule in the US as one of the major headline acts in the country.

Leo returned to Britain in 1980, recording his first album in the UK for five years with Alan Tarney co-writing and producing Living in A Fantasy. His version of More Than I Can Say went to number 2 both in the UK and US charts.

In 1981 Leo embarked on highly successful world tour, taking in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Hawaii, the US and Canada. Somehow he found time to record his ninth album World Radio with Arif Mardin, the celebrated New York producer. Have You Ever Been In Love from the album was yet another international hit single?

In 1983 the critically acclaimed Orchard Road was conceived by Leo and Alan Tarney, and was one of the major hits from that year’s Have You Ever Been In Love album.

In 1989 Leo Sayer returned to the studio to record the album Cool Touch. Leo and Alan Tarney had got together yet again and in a remarkable 28 days recorded ten new songs, the album proving especially popular in Germany and Japan.

In 1990 Leo had a unique opportunity to play two concerts in Moscow to capacity audiences at the Olympic Hall. It was a long overdue visit judging by the reaction of the Muscovites, who were very familiar with his hit songs. This was followed in 1991 by a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

In 1992, Leo made his final record for Chrysalis, All The Best, the definitive compilation of his greatest hits, which included cover design and liner notes from the man himself. The album became a big success back home in the UK.

In late 2004 Leo was preparing to fulfil a lifetime ambition, leaving England to live in Australia, when he received a request from a U.K. based DJ to remix his 1977 classic “Thunder In My Heart”. Beautifully re-worked as Thunder In My Heart Again by DJ Meck (and Bimbo Jones) this became a monster dance hit all over the world, so in 2005, having just settled in Australia, Leo had achieved his second official No.1. in the U.K.

In June 2016, Leo had teamed up with Scottish legend, Lulu, for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. With both of them being the same vintage and with two strong voices that matched superbly, the tour was judged a great success. It was the first time Lulu had performed down under. The year ended up with Leo performing in Sydney for ‘Carols In The Domain’, a massively popular free concert which annually heralded Christmas into sunny Sydney. 

In 2022, Leo had reached a milestone in his career, as it had been 50 years since that first single by Patches, the recording of his Silverbird album and Roger Daltrey’s recording sessions, singing his and David Courtney’s early songs. To celebrate this, Leo with his British band performed a 32-date tour across the UK from September to November, also finding time revisit the postponed dates he’d missed in Ireland the previous year.

Track Dogs

Made up of two Irishmen, an Englishman and an American, the band create their own unique brand of acoustic music – a veritable 4 x 4 of voices and instruments identified by the fusion of styles which include Americana, Latino, Folk, Bluegrass and (whisper it..) Pop!

Taking festivals such as Shrewsbury, Glastonbury, Wickham and Northern Kin (to name a few) by storm with their dynamite live shows, the band will be touring their 11th album “The Essential Track Dogs: Tracks Laid, Tracks Covered” featuring the best of their originals and cover tracks plus some brand new songs and reimagined versions of already existing tracks.

2025 will see the release of Track Dogs’ 11th album, but this one is a little special. The Essential Track Dogs; Tracks Laid, Tracks Covered will be a double CD featuring the best of their originals and cover tracks (“La Banda”, “The Deep End”, “Man of Constant Sorrow”) plus some brand new recordings (“Amor De Mi Vida”, “Ruby”) and reimagined versions of already existing tracks like “Donna Lola”.

With their 20thanniversary coming up in 2026 this is a perfect time to reflect on where they’ve been, where they are now and more importantly, where they’re going.

“Sun-shiny songs thriving on dark themes behind irresistible rhythms!”

“If you were looking to mark your card for the End Of The World party, head to wherever Track Dogs are playing…” (Americana UK)

Ian Prowse & Amsterdam

Ian Prowse & Amsterdam will be at this year’s Wickham Festival on Sunday 3rd August. Ian toured with Elvis Costello last year and is touring with Levellers this Spring.

Ian Prowse formed Pele in 1989 along with Dally (drums), Robbo (Hammond), Nico (violin) and Jim McCallister (bass). Signed by Michael Levy, Baron Levy in March 1991 to M&G Records/Polydor, the band went on to release two studio albums (Fireworks & The Sport Of Kings), one live album and six singles. Pele’s singles never reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart, with it being often remarked that Pele sold more of their famous primary colour T-shirts than they did records. However they scored a number one single in South Africa with “Megalomania”, and had other hits in Holland, Portugal and Belgium. After nine tours of the UK, including those with Del Amitri and The Pogues, they split in 1996 due to problems with the record company whose efforts to make Prowse record as a solo artist were resisted by the singer. Prowse celebrated the 25th anniversary of first album Fireworks with a UK tour in the early 2017 with a 25th anniversary of The Sport of Kings tour announced for 2018.

The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican

By popular request, The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican will be back at Wickham on Saturday 2nd August 2025.

Put on yer finest knitted gladrags, style your barnet, put on your dancing shoes and bring your finest singing voices, as we cordially invite you to witness the Greatest Show On Earth (in tank-tops).

Hailing from Barnsley Rock City in t’North, Yorkshire’s hardest working comedy band, The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, are on a mission! Determined to follow in their spiritual father’s immortal footsteps and keep his legacy alive, they have a talent for Bar-Stewardizing other famous people’s songs with new comedy lyrics, on acoustic geetar, ukulele, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, accordion, keyboard and kazoo. To complete their squeaky-clean image, estranged brothers Scott, Björn and Alan have become instantly recognisable for their immaculate hair and their stylish choice of knitwear.

The Bar-Steward Sons have, in their 11 year history played over 850 side-splitting shows and have brought smiles and belly-laughs to audiences across the UK; from Barnsley to Barnstaple, from Glasgow to Glastonbury.

They continue to wow audiences with a fine selection of their greatest hits, including the likes of “Jump Ararnd”, “Tarnlife”, “The Lady In Greggs”, “Nandos”, “Fight For Your Pint”, “Bono Bloody Bono”, “Since You’ve Been Ron”, “She’s From Dodworth”, “Walking In Manpiss” and “If I Could Punch A Face… It’d Be Justin Bieber’s”.

Reg Meuross

The excellent Reg Meuross and his quartet featuring Phil Beer, Marion Fleetwood & Geraint Watkins will be bringing their Fire & Dust / Woody Guthrie story to Wickham on Sunday 3rd August 2025.

Reg’s clever and imaginative lyrics have earned him the title of  “Master Storyteller” (PennyBlack Music) and led Mike Harding (Mike Harding Folk Show) to introduce him onto the stage of The Royal Albert Hall as  “one of the finest singer-songwriters this country has produced”. Whether it’s a village hall or the Albert Hall, Reg brings to the stage a collection of extremely beautiful songs, performed with humour and depth, and sung with the voice of an angel. Reg has that rare gift of being able to touch people, through his songs and performance, on a really human level. His words and music paint pictures that remain with the listener long after the song has been sung.

“When you have 2000 people singing along, you’re doing something right.”
Great British Folk Festival

“A mighty songwriter and an equally fine singer”
Martin Carthy

“One of the most talented storytellers of our generation”
Pennyblack Music

“Powerful and moving songwriting”
Martin Chilton, The Telegraph

A deep well of compassion and insight into the human heart and spirit.”
Mike Davies, Folk Radio UK

Flook

Having appeared at Wickham in 2018, we’re delighted to welcome back Flook who will be appearing on Friday 1st August.

What began in 1995 as a ground-breaking union of musicians and instruments, has continued as a unique musical offering through one live album, four studio albums and countless outstanding performances. A new recording, Sanju, is due for release in March 2025. After 30 years Flook show no sign of letting-up in their brilliance, their dynamism, or their inventive flair.

The band early on evolved an inimitable trademark sound and hold fast to their rightful reputation as exceptional musical innovators; the whistles and flutes of Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen, the guitar of Ed Boyd and the bodhran of John Joe Kelly weaving and spinning tunes rooted in tradition over precise acoustic grooves, with a rare blend of fiery technical brilliance, delicate ensemble interaction and a bold, adventurous musical imagination.

There is an ever present abundance of individual virtuosity amongst Flook’s four members, but there is also something wholly unique when this iconic Anglo-Irish band step on stage together, their playing always an intuitive, almost symbiotic, exchange between the various flutes, whistles, frets and skins. An evening and a celebration you don’t want to miss out on.

‘An absolute powerhouse, a flute and whistle-led, eight-legged jig machine. Jigs, reels and waltzes whirl by. Each as glorious as the last, the musicianship as extraordinary, the mood never any less than euphoric’
FATEA Live Review, November 2023

‘Nothing short of transcendent… No other band sound like Flook and the new material has pushed them to new, exhilarating heights’
Songlines, July 2019

‘Never have I seen so many people so completely and utterly spellbound…the most magical of experiences’
The Irish Post

Kate Rusby

The wonderful Kate Rusby, Mercury Prize Winner & 6-times BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner, will be appearing on Sunday 3rd August 2025Forever proud to call herself a folk singer, Kate Rusby’s vocals never fail to connect the heart of a song to that of her audience.

As early as 1999, aged just 26, Kate was named as one of the Top Ten Folk Voices of the Century. Everything she has done since has confirmed that honour. From being a 1999 Mercury Prize Winner – almost unheard of for a folk singer both then and now – to her latest albums ‘Light Years’, ’30 Happy Returns’ and ‘Hand Me Done’ Kate has stayed true to her folk and acoustic roots.

Named as one of the Top Ten Folk Voices of the Century, a Mercury Prize Winner, 6-times BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winner and a warm, Yorkshire sense of humour to boot, Rusby has achieved an unprecedented cross-over appeal. Despite stepping into a more contemporary production on her last few albums, she has stayed true to her roots. Her cover of Manic Monday (Hand Me Down 2020) featured on the BBC Radio 2 playlist. The guests on 2022 album 30 : Happy Returns is testament to Rusby’s wide appeal and include the likes of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, KT Tunstall, and Beth Nielson Chapman.

Kate’s Yorkshire roots contribute to her wonderful and warm sense of humour whilst also providing the rich vein of South Yorkshire carols which together, with the passion she has for Christmas, adds the magic to her annual and hugely popular Christmas tour hailed as ‘The Start of Christmas’ for many people.

Talisk

We’re delighted to say that the multi-award-winning Scottish band Talisk will be appearing at Wickham next summer on Friday 1st August 2025.

One of the most talked-about folk bands of the 21st century, Talisk have been tearing apart stereotypes and redefining the genre for almost a decade. With over 15 million streams and 10,000 albums sold worldwide, and sell out shows across five continents – from Paris to New York, London to Tokyo, Glasgow to Vancouver – alongside headline appearances at festivals across the world, the Scottish trio have amassed a global, die-hard following.

Wielding instruments that have rarely seen the likes of their music, Mohsen Amini (concertina), Benedict Morris (violin) and Charlie Galloway (guitar) have stacked up major awards for their explosively energetic sound – including five between BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland, and two highly coveted BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.

At New Year 2022 they played BBC One’s Hogmanay show to a television audience in excess of one million, and – as the only folk act alongside pop headliners – quickly amassed a vast, mainstream audience that continues to propel the group to some of their largest live shows to date. Headlining Glasgow’s iconic Barrowland Ballroom in 2024 – during Europe’s largest winter festival, the legendary Celtic Connections – Talisk’s star remains firmly on a rapid ascent, and then some.

Never afraid to push musical boundaries, or test the live production capabilities of just three people (yes, it’s all live), there’s captivating a crowd, and then there’s Talisk.

Peatbog Faeries

Hailing from the Isle of Skye, the legendary Scottish trailblazers have created a glorious mixture of traditional sounds and dance-floor grooves that have been embraced worldwide. Drawing upon a dazzling myriad of influences from jigs and reels through Dance Music, Jazz, African, and more, they bring the sound of Scotland fresh-faced and breathless to the new audiences around the world.

From the moment they take to the stage, the mood is set for a no-nonsense feel-good atmosphere, each number sounding like an encore itself. The traditional styles that influence the musicians are still to be heard and when an unexpected drop-down to those glorious core melodies sneaks in the result is spine-chilling! In short, it rocks, and the audience becomes part of the experience.

2025 sees the Peatbog Faeries 34th year as a band.. with new materiel and a new enthusiasm. I see a world is the first new studio album from the Peatbog Faeries since 2015’s critically acclaimed ‘Blackhouse’.

Click here to listen to and buy their new alsbum, I see a world.

Since 1996, the Peatbog Faeries have pushed the boundaries of Scottish music.. combining traditional tunes with everything from Drum and Bass to Malian guitar, creating a sound that’s uniquely their own. Guest artists include the truly beautiful voices of Heather Macleod and Gina Rae, the incredible horns of Helena Kay, the Uilleann Pipes from Ireland’s finest, Ryan Murphy, and the talents of master percussionist Krishna Kishor all the way from Chennai in India.

The band is made up of Peter Morrison on pipes and whistles, Ross Couper on fiddle, Innes Watson on fiddle, vocals and acoustic guitar, Tom Salter on guitar, Norman Willmore on keyboards and sax, Innes Hutton on bass and Stuart Brown on drums.

Invariably the band travel with their own sound engineer, as well as a lighting engineer to ensure their famous shows become a truly memorable experience on every level for their audiences.

Peatbog Faeries have become firm favourites at festivals and venues across the UK and have toured the world with their inventive and unique brand of music never failing to fill the floor and delight crowds.

“Nothing prepares you for the high octane music of the Peatbog Faeries. Powerful melodies are dextrously pumped out with a smart degree of techno attitude, while cross-rhythms ricochet over a heavy bass that hits you forcefully like a massive heart beat.”
The Scotsman

Fisherman’s Friends

Fisherman’s Friends are a male singing group from Port Isaac, Cornwall, who sing sea shanties. They have been performing locally since 1995, and signed a record deal with Universal Music in March 2010. Whilst essentially an a cappella group, their studio recordings now often include traditional simple instrumentation.

Bound together by lifelong friendship and shared experience for more than 25 years the Fisherman’s Friends have met on the Platt (harbour) in their native Port Isaac to raise money for charity, singing the traditional songs of the sea handed down to them by their forefathers.

In 2010 they signed a major record deal and their album “Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends” went Gold as they became the first traditional folk act to land a UK top ten album. Since then they’ve been the subject of an ITV documentary, released the hit albums One and All (2013), Proper Job (2015) & Sole Mates (2018) and played to hundreds of thousands of fans at home and abroad.

They sang for HM The Queen at her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, they were selected to sing for Prince Charles & Camilla during their 2016 tour of Cornwall and were honoured with the Good Tradition Award at the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2011. 2019 saw the release of ‘Fisherman’s Friends’ a movie based on the group’s discovery and signing to a major record label. The film was an immediate hit, taking nearly 10 million at the box office. And this year sees the release of the second movie ‘Fisherman’s Friends One And All’ this autumn.

Other standout performances include the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival, Twickenham Stadium during half-time of England v Australia (an intimate crowd of 81,275!!), Cambridge Folk Festival, Beautiful Days, Sidmouth Folk Week, Looe Music Festival, Costa del Folk in Portugal and the BBC Proms in the Park.

Lindisfarne

Legendary Geordie folk-rockers Lindisfarne will headline our opening night on Thursday 31 July.

Tyneside folk-rock pioneers LINDISFARNE first grabbed the attention of the country in 1970 with their debut album Nicely Out of Tune. There followed a string of memorable albums and evergreen classics including Meet Me on the Corner, We Can Swing Together, Fog On The Tyne, Lady Eleanor and Run For Home.

In 2025 and in top form, the band is pleased to return with a series of UK concerts presented by a classic five-piece line up of long-time members fronted by original founder-member Rod Clements on vocals, mandolin, fiddle and slide guitar.

With a repertoire of unforgettable songs and a reputation for live performance second to none, LINDISFARNE’s power to galvanise festival and concert audiences remains undimmed and is guaranteed to get the crowd on its feet and singing along.

Lindisfarne members are:

  • ROD CLEMENTS (1969-present) Vocal, mandolin, fiddle, guitars
  • DAVE HULL-DENHOLM (1994-present) Vocal, guitars
  • STEVE DAGGETT (1986-present) Vocal, keyboards, guitars
  • IAN THOMSON (1995-present) Bass, vocal
  • PAUL THOMPSON (ex-Roxy Music) Drums

“Lindisfarne were the real surprise for me at Towersey Festival. Not being of their generation I had been unsure of just how they would go down, but they stormed it. Consummate professionals and great musicians, they surprised me with just how many of their great songs I knew, and those that I didn’t, felt familiar. Wonderful stage presence and rapport with the audience, who I should say came in droves to see them. A no-brainer booking for me. One of the year’s festival highlights.”
Joe Heap – Director – TOWERSEY FESTIVAL Ltd

Merry Hell

Merry Hell have firmly become a Wickham favourite, last performing in 2023.  Multi-award winning Merry Hell offer joyful, uplifting folk-rock, with a message for troubled times. Native to the North-West of England, the 8-piece musical charabanc was fuelled from the embers of the much-loved folk-punk band The Tansads, before developing a life and feel all of its own. Their energy and passion are complemented by their love of what they do and desire to share hope and togetherness with as many people as are willing to listen. Through 7 well-received albums and hundreds of gigs, they’ve offered voices of hope and beacons of light to anyone valuing spirit, energy, melody and positive humanity.

Merry Hell are a band founded on the ever evolving Folk tradition – music made by the people and shared by the people. Though their hearts and souls are tuned to the songs which came before them, they bring you new words and music forged from their own experiences, from the lows and the loves of theirs lives. Their art is energy and their hope is unity. Their pleasure is to please, let the audience be the acid test and let the music speak for itself!

During 2014, Merry Hell played over twenty festivals, including a highlight support slot to Richard Thompson at Towersey, undertook its first national tour in Spring, a further tour in October, plus a ten date acoustic jaunt around the folk clubs and arts centres of Northern Britain.  In March, 2015 they released their third album, The Ghost In Our House and Other Stories.

merry-hell-1

In 2017 they proposed an alternative National Anthem – Come On, England!  The single was released on 1st August 2017 and taken from their album Bloodlines. Words and music by Bob Kettle.

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    Were delighted to confirm The Magic Teapot will be back at Wickham this summer.  Super-popular venue with great entertainment and they brew a really good cuppa as well! 😀Image attachmentImage attachment

    We're delighted to confirm The Magic Teapot will be back at Wickham this summer. Super-popular venue with great entertainment and they brew a really good cuppa as well! 😀 ... See MoreSee Less

    19 hours ago

    6 CommentsComment on Facebook

    Great news

    My favourite place

    They are so good and with kids to sing and pay with them too

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    By popular request, Track Dogs will be returning to Wickham on Sunday 3rd August.  Same day as Kate Rusby; Oysterband; The Peatbog Faeries; Ian Prowse & Amsterdam; Reg Meuross Fire & Dust; & more.  Day & Weekend tickets now onsale www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/tickets

    By popular request, Track Dogs will be returning to Wickham on Sunday 3rd August. Same day as Kate Rusby; Oysterband; The Peatbog Faeries; Ian Prowse & Amsterdam; Reg Meuross 'Fire & Dust'; & more. Day & Weekend tickets now onsale www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/tickets ... See MoreSee Less

    3 days ago

    32 CommentsComment on Facebook

    Please please don't let them clash with peatbog faeries or oysterband 🙏

    Oh Wickham, now you are really spoiling us! So glad I got my earlybird ticket - I can sit back and woop at every announcement :-)

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    Our Twitter Feed

    Huzzah for @festivalwickham and Saturday 2nd August and another mighty HUZZAH for it is a particular favourite of ours, do thoroughly deserving of thrice Huzzah! http://Www.wickhamfestival.co.uk for tickets!! See you there. Is there time for one more Huzzah?

    We've updated the 'Line-Up' pages of our website to show who's playing (so far!) on which day. You can also view artist biogs & videos by clicking on artist photos.

    The wonderful singer-songwriter @NewtonFaulkner will make his #WickhamFestival debut on Friday, 1st Aug. Same day as @Fishy_Friends, @TaliskMusic, @FlookQuartet and many others.

    Another band confirmed! Legendary Geordie folk-rockers @lindisfarneband will headline the opening night of #WickhamFestival on Thursday 31 July.

    More artists confirmed! @IanProwse and Amsterdam will be at this year's #WickhamFestival on Sunday 3rd August. Ian toured with Elvis Costello last year and is touring with Levellers this Spring.

    We've kept Earlybird prices as low as possible for as long as possible but prices have to rise soon. You can still save £80 on every weekend ticket if you book before midnight on Sun Dec 5. A four-day ticket is currently just £180, that's just £45 a day http://www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/tickets