Admiral Fallow are a band from Glasgow with four beautifully diverse albums to their name: Boots Met My Face (2011), Tree Bursts In Snow (2012), Tiny Rewards (2015), and The Idea Of You (2021). In 2018 they developed an ambitious new opera, Navigate The Blood (co-written with Gareth Williams and Sian Evans).

The Idea Of You (out now on Chemikal Underground) can be Streamed / downloaded here.

Purchase from Chemikal or Bandcamp (includes T-shirts, tote bags and electric blue vinyl).

Admiral Fallow’s line-up consists of:

• Louis Abbott – vocals, guitars
• Kevin Brolly – clarinet, keyboards, vocals, percussion
• Philip Hague – drums, percussion, vocals
• Sarah Hayes – flute, piano, accordion, vocals
• Joe Rattray – bass, vocals

Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers is one half of the legendary joint vocal strike force of UK folk rebel rockers TMTCH.  Audiences around the world from Cairo to Reykjavik, Brisbane to Vancouver and Berlin to London have submitted to his effervescent and heartfelt vocal style in stadium, theatre, hall and after hours lock in.

His writing style tells life stories with a conscience and a heart and he addresses political issues of inequality, unfairness and a political system that rewards the rich and penalises the poor.

By the time John Spiers and Jon Boden had hung up their highly regarded hats as the Spiers & Boden duo in 2014 they had earned a place in the hearts of the folk audience that few could rival. Described by The Guardian as ‘the finest instrumental duo on the traditional scene’, Spiers & Boden first rocketed onto the music scene in 2001, quickly winning a clutch of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and went on to become one of the best loved duos on the English folk scene and beyond. John and Jon were also founding members of the pioneering and hugely successful folk big band Bellowhead, whose stellar career increasingly came to dominate their time. But now, after exploring solo projects, the duo is back with a the album ‘Fallow Ground’ (Hudson Records), plus festival appearances and a 23 date UK comeback tour in October ’21, which included the sold out Spiers & Boden Festival at Cecil Sharp House, London.

‘It’s all exquisitely played – the pair are still the dons.’
The Observer

‘Boden’s impassioned singing brings fresh life to little-heard songs, along with the perfectly balanced pairing of his fiddle with Spiers’s melodeon.’
The Scotsman *****

‘This is traditional folk delivered with modern verve’
EDS

‘I guess we were looking for songs during lockdown with a sense of fun and light relief. I realise that there are zero songs about death on this album, which is probably a first and may get us expelled from the English Folk Dance & Song Society. Yes, traditional songs with a joyous edge’.
Jon Boden.

Despite the impact of Covid-19 on live music audiences in autumn 2021, the Spiers & Boden tour went on to numerous sell outs and ‘Fallow Ground’ reached number 3 on the UK & Ireland Official Folk Albums chart for September ’21 and is a Mojo magazine top 10 album of 2021.

Town of Cats will be bringing their dance rhythms to Wickham on Saturday 6th August 2022, their first visit to our Festival.

Grabbed by their scruffs, thrown in a rough hessian sack and tossed in the lake shortly after birth by some farmer or other, Town of Cats shoulda been goners before they even got started. But attempted euthanasia’ll do funny things for friendships — that, and lack of oxygen. Rescued from the water’s numbing embrace by Mama Biscuits and her pack of feral moggies, Joe, Adam, Barney and Ben were shoved unceremoniously behind instruments, mewling and dripping. Ol’ Ma took up her trusty sax, and told the four to play up or pack it in.

FOS Brothers will make their Wickham debut on Saturday 6th August 2022.  The force behind the FOS Brothers has always been Dave and Sam McCrory. Born in Belfast during the height of the troubles their influences derive from hard schooling on the streets and strict Northern Irish evangelical church attendance, sometimes 6 days a week.

Dave left Ireland at the age of 19 to study at Oxford Polytechnic and Sam came over 4 years later to form the band. They met Rom Dobbs and have collaborated with him for 25 +  years. Rom started out in punk bands and developed an fascination with world music when living in Devon near Dartington College where his dad was head of music department. Pete Bingham is best known for his band Waulk Elektrik who became very popular on the Roots music circuit in the 90’s.

They are a right bunch of characters all weird in their own way but managing to merge into a wall of sound when let loose on stage.

Hard to button hole their appeal sometimes as they move seamlessly from tear jerking Irish ballads to full on rocked out floydian space rock – they are equally happy with a pin drop silence Arts Centre or a bouncing Festival Marquee. They adapt their set to suit the audience always aiming to have a shared experience and an uplifting evening.

The Marching SKAletons are a horn led Day of the Dead group that can perform either as a street or electric band, being equally at home on stage or weaving through a festival crowd. They can play a set of traditional ska instrumentals for diehard ska fans or mix it up with surprising ska versions of hits from Depeche Mode, Taylor Swift, Kraftwerk and even Europe. The line up features a powerhouse horn section, guitars, marching drums and bass. The music is a celebratory energetic fusion of ska, Latin, electro, pop & mariachi that guarantees audiences will be dancing.

The band have performed at a varied selection of events and head a regular ska night at The Pelirocco in Brighton. They have entertained crowds at festivals and council events throughout the UK. Past performances include Glastonbury Festival, Together the People festival, Elderflower Fields festival as well as supporting Madness at the Brighton centre. They perform annually at Hove County Cricket grounds bonfire night and have entertained at the National Trust carnival at Montacute House as well as arts council funded Basingstoke’s Day of the Dead. Media appearances include Channel 4 News & BBC Hampshire.

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.
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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”.

Still playing and touring the World, Li’l Jimmy Reed is the last of the original Louisiana bluesmen.

The blues was born in the deep South, a wild outcry against segregation, poverty and hard, back-breaking work. Sadly most of the great musicians who created this vibrant, influential music have passed on, leaving only their recordings to testify to their genius. However, one man, whose career stretches back to the time when rhythm ‘n’ blues was just bursting onto the popular music scene, is still with us and playing better than ever.

Leon Atkins, better known as Lil’ Jimmy Reed, is the real deal, as will be attested to by anyone who has been privileged to hear his stinging guitar work, gritty vocals and haunting harmonica. A tall charismatic figure, Lil’ Jimmy epitomises the classic Louisiana down-home blues tradition. Born in the late nineteen-thirties in a shot-gun shack in Hardwood, LA, a small cotton and sawmill town on the Mississippi River, Leon grew up near a club where every night he absorbed the wail of the blues from across the street. At six he had his own guitar, made from a cigar box, and by the time he was a teenager he was proficient on both guitar and harmonica, playing local clubs around Baton Rouge. Filling-in one night for blues star Jimmy Reed earned him the sobriquet Lil’ Jimmy Reed and started him on the long path to success.

After years of playing small clubs and taverns, Lil’ Jimmy took time out to serve his country in the military. Since his return to civilian life his career has blossomed. He has shared the stage with B. B. King and Bobby “ Blue” Bland and head-lined festivals in the USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Belgium, France, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. His many fans recognise that Lil’ Jimmy’s performances are almost the last chance to hear the raw, unadulterated sound of authentic Louisiana blues.

In the sixties, the blues came to Britain and inspired a generation of teenagers who in turn took the music to international success. Prominent amongst these young men was the critically-acclaimed pianist Bob Hall, whose distinctive blues and boogie style on hundreds of recordings has influenced a host of others. Bob and his wife, the dynamic singer and rock-steady bassist Hilary Blythe, have joined forces with Lil’ Jimmy to form The Lil’ Jimmy Reed Band. Over the past five years this tight little outfit has given a series of show-stopping performances all over Europe.

Lil Jimmy Reed continues to play all over the US and Europe and as he happily says “life just get better with time”.

Securely ranked among Scotland’s most skilled and imaginative contemporary folk acts, Breabach unite deep roots in Highland and Island tradition with the innovative musical ferment of their Glasgow base. They have released six increasingly acclaimed albums, whilst fuelling their creative appetites in collaborations with indigenous Australasian artists Moana and the Tribe & The Black Arm Band, Quebec’s Le Vent du Nord, video game composer Big Giant Circles and as artists-in-residence at the 2019 Celtic Colours festival with Cape Bretoners, Beolach. 2020 saw the introduction of the supremely talented, multi-instrumentalist Conal McDonagh to the band which coincided with the production and release of ‘Dùsgadh’, a newly commissioned short film in with original score in collaboration with BAFTA award winning animator Cat Bruce.

Their 17 year adventure has included live performances from Sydney Opera House to Central Park NY. They have racked up an impressive array of accolades including five Scots Trad Music Awards, nominations as ‘Best Group’ in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and ‘European Album of the Year’ in The Songlines Music Awards.

Breabach show no sign of slowing their creative endeavours with imminent tours and festival appearances across the UK, Europe and the US to mark the release of their 7th studio album ‘Fàs’ produced by renowned musician Inge Thompson (Karine Polwart, Hen Hoose, Northern Flyway).

Breabach are; Megan Henderson (Fiddle, Vocals, Step Dance), James Lindsay (Double Bass, Vocals), Calum MacCrimmon (Bagpipes, Whistle, Bouzouki, Vocals), Conal McDonagh (Bagpipes, Whistle, Vocals) and Ewan Robertson (Guitar, Vocals, Cajon). Acknowledging and respecting the origins of both the music they play and the roots of the band whilst embracing the future with new ideas, energy and belief is a key attribute of the band and has remained a constant theme throughout their 17 years.

“As polished as it was passionate, matching fiery intensity with exquisite finesse, this was a magnificent set”
The Scotsman ★★★★★​

“Breabach are in an electrifying new phase – one that illustrates the band’s strength and interest in experimentation. Exhilarating, energetic and accomplished”
Songlines ★★★★

The Undertones emerged from Derry in 1976, the result of five friends (John O’Neill, Damian O’Neill, Feargal Sharkey, Billy Doherty and Michael Bradley) learning how to play basic rock and roll.  They’ll be performing on Saturday 6th August at Wickham Festival 2022.

Even by the standards of that decade Derry was not the rock and roll capital of anywhere. With no live bands worth watching, they learned by listening to mail order records, reading one of the few copies of NME that made it to Derry but most of all from listening to John Peel’s wonderful show on BBC Radio One. Practicing in their bedrooms eventually led to the band recording John O’Neill’s ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978 on Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label in Belfast. The legendary DJ John Peel received a copy and liked it so much he played it twice in a row on his radio show.

The Undertones signed with Sire Records and ‘Teenage Kicks’ was re-released, resulting in the band’s first appearance on Top Of The Pops. Over the next five years, John O Neill, crafted further pop gems such as `Here Comes The Summer`, ‘Jimmy Jimmy`, `You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It)’ and ‘Wednesday Week’ whilst Damian O’Neill and Michael Bradley contributed ‘My Perfect Cousin. They also recorded four highly acclaimed LPs. Indeed, they almost enjoyed the life of professional musicians. In 1983 Feargal Sharkey left the band to pursue a solo career and the remaining members decided to call it a day. The Undertones were to remain silent for the next sixteen years.

In 1999 The Undertones reconvened, without Feargal Sharkey, to once again perform their two-minute, three and a half chord songs to a new generation of fans in Derry. Fellow Derryman Paul McLoone replaced Sharkey on vocals and his vocal prowess and electric onstage presence soon convinced any doubters that he was more than capable of doing the job.

After much consideration the band released an LP of new songs called `Get What You Need’, which was critically acclaimed by Q magazine, Uncut, Rolling Stone and Hot Press. Songs like ‘Thrill Me’, ‘I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be’ and ‘Everything But You’ showed that the art of writing short, sharp songs had not been lost over the previous two decades.

In 2003 ‘Thrill Me’ was released as a limited edition 7” vinyl single and found its way to John Peel’s turntable. He introduced it on his show commenting, “And these are words I thought I would never be saying on radio again, a new single from The Undertones”. He liked it so much he played it twice, just as he did with ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978.

The band marked Record Store Day 2013 with a 7” vinyl only release, recorded in the famous Toe Rag studio in London. A return to their punk roots, ‘Much Too Late’ sold out the 1,000 copies before the day was out.

In 2016 the Band released vinyl remasters of ther first two LPs; ‘The Undertones – The Undertones’ and ‘The Undertones – Hypnotised’ along with a 7” vinyl remix of the 1979 single ‘Get Over You’. Remixed by Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine/Primal Scream). Michael Bradley also published his book Teenage Kicks: My Life As An Undertone’.

2018 marked the 40th Anniversary of the release of their most influential and famous song, ’Teenage Kicks’.  On 21st April for Record Store Day 2018 the band released a Vinyl Singles Box Set containing the 13 x 7” original Undertones singles from the classic early period: 1978-1983.

2021 and 2022 will see The Undertones roaring back with dates to promote the release of “ Dig What You Need“, on Dimple Discs. This sees selected tracks (many remixed) from the post reformation Albums available on vinyl for the first time. There will be a matching CD and download release.

Ferocious Dog will be performing at Wickham Festival 2022 on Saturday 6th August.  They’ve been hailed as “a representation of our gut feeling, savage and merciless” and at the same time, called “folk in the grand tradition of it being the peoples sound.” Ferocious Dog, however are all those things.

More than a band, they are a family. “To listen to the Ferocious Dog as it snarls and growls at the world is to show responsibility” said a Louder Than War review of their brilliant, recently released and Fake News And Propaganda album, but this is an outfit that shows compassion too. And that, in a world where the lines of truth are blurred by the rich, powerful and corrupt, is priceless.

“Ferocious dog are a very socially conscious band and their music and lyrics are designed not only to make you smile and sing along but also to make you feel something.”
Folk-Metal.NL.

A band that does drives for foodbanks – not for headlines, but because it was the right thing to do – a band that welcomes Hunt Sabs and conservationists Sea Shepherd to their shows, but a band where none of that really matters.

No, here the feeling is important. Ferocious Dog is the group where fans are tattooed in the shop belonging to the lead singer, Ken Bonsall, where the violinist and band leader, Dan Booth prints the posters, and Les Carter (ex-Carter USM) plays the lead guitar. They can wow a punk festival one minute, a folk festival the next – and fit right in anywhere.

With Bonsall and Booth and Carter combining and John Leonard playing just about everything with strings, while the rhythm section of Alex Smith and John Alexander bring the power and energy, you have a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

“9/10 Earning a reputation as the UK’s most exciting Folk Punk band for good reason”
Vive Le Rock·

It is more than social commentary too. “My politics are my politics,” explains Bonsall and “we’ll sing those songs about what we believe, but whatever side of the political divide you are from, we want you to feel welcome at an FD show.

“We always say you’re never alone at one of our gigs and that is the most important thing to us.”

Now, they head out on the latest run of shows, with Bonsall promising some surprises. “There’s a reason we’ve called this run more Fake News” he smiled. “We have songs on this album that we haven’t played yet and we really want to, stuff like “Yellow Feather” about a Hell Hound that is no longer with us….”

Those Hell Hounds are their fans. Except, they’re not. They are as much part of the band as the six on stage. And they’ll hit those stages at the dates below. They’ve been reckoned as the “best live band in Britain.” Go and see why.

“This is serious social commentary with superb tunes and Dan Booth’s sublime violin takes the listener on a rollercoaster of emotion”
W.D Emsley

“Without doubt Ferocious Dog are one of the best bands on the UK folk punk circuit as they brought Rock City to life with their stomping, energetic sound. Not only are they one of the most hardworking bands around, but as their fans will testify, they are also one of the most approachable”
Nottingham Post. Kevin Cooper

We welcome back Alistair Russell as one of our comperes for Wickham Festival 2021.

Singing and playing folk music since his teens, and over thirty years a professional musician and sound engineer, Alistair sings songs mainly from his family homeland Scotland, its neighbour Ireland, self-penned songs inspired by his world-wide travelling with Battlefield Band, and any other song that takes his fancy.

Alistair grew up in the North-East of England, with Scottish parents who had a rich fund of songs of their own—music hall favourites, Harry Lauder songs, sentimental ballads and stage Irish songs which his father brought back from working on contract.

The sixties’ beat boom saw Alistair and a few like-minded school friends exploring folk music. By the late seventies, his band was playing extensively throughout NE England, with frequent forays into Germany and Poland. In 1978, he teamed up full-time with Tom Napper, and they released their first album, “Tripping Upstairs”. The next four years saw Tom take his leave, and Alistair set out on a solo career. His album “Getting to the Border” (with a star-studded guest musician list) was released.

Then came that rare thing in the world of folk music—the “big break”. Alistair joined Scotland’s legendary Battlefield Band. The next thirteen years were a whirlwind of touring—one million miles of it!

Nine Battlefield albums and two videos later, Alistair jumped off the global tour bus to “recharge the batteries”. His spell in Battlefield had not only developed his playing, singing and songwriting skills, but his role as “front man” in the band had honed the skill of relaxed communication which is so vital to putting the music across.

He didn’t remain idle for long. Knowledge gained on the road and in the recording studio got him jobs in management (Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley), album production and CD recording (over 60 commercial projects released), tour management (Magnetic Music),  stringed instrument setup and sales (The Music Room), stage management,compering and live sound engineering at major UK festivals (CV Audio and freelance), and tuition DVD production (Mrs Casey Music).

Alistair Russell has recently written a book! It’s a light-hearted look at life on the road as a travelling musician & sound engineer. It’s received rave reviews from the critics and copies can be ordered online here:

https://www.alistairrussell.co.uk/shop/

Levellers are still going strong after over 30 years in the game. They have long been, and still are, one of the best live bands around and in 2020 they released new studio album ‘Peace’ which entered the UK Official Album Charts at #8 – the band’s highest charting entry since 1997’s Mouth to Mouth reached #5 and improving on previous release We the Collective’s #12 position in 2018.

Over the years, Brighton folk-rock band Levellers have worn many masks; most self-made, some imposed upon them. But while their status has evolved over the decades, the basic humanity underpinning their music has remained constant.

The band are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal platinum-selling, album Levelling The Land in 2021. During the summer of 1991 the album redefined the UK’s musical landscape.

Levelling the Land features the hit singles One Way, 15 Years and Far From Home plus The Game, Liberty Song, Sell Out, Another Man’s Cause, Riverflow, Boatman and the incendiary Battle Of The Beanfield.

The band consists of:

• Mark Chadwick – lead vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica
• Jeremy “Jez” Cunningham – bass guitar, guitar, bouzouki, backing vocals
• Charlie Heather – drums, percussion
• Jonathan “Jon” Sevink – fiddle, violin, tin whistle, sequencer, sample loop
• Simon Friend – guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, vocals
• Matt Savage – keyboards, backing vocals
• Stephen Boakes – digeridoo

Growing up in South London it all started when Gary started to play around with his sister’s humble Spanish guitar. Though left handed and unaware that guitars were ‘handed’ he didn’t let the fact that the instrument was a right handed one stand in his way, and to this day plays a guitar strung for normal right hand use – left handed, ie upside down. Few others play this way although the late, great, blues player Albert King was similarly afflicted.

On the basis of knowing no more than the riff to Willie Dixon’s Spoonful, Gary got the job in his first band, The Breath Of Life. Together with a bunch of local Streatham musicians, his next band, Garfield Row, was formed …. a semi-acoustic folk rock band who played regularly in a local pub owned by the father of the late ex-Jethro Tull bassist, Glenn Cornick. Glenn gave the band much encouragement, lending them some top class amps & guitars. They eventually went their separate ways when Glenn pinched the band’s vocalist/guitar player Jon Blackmore and Gary went on to sustain work as a musician in a variety of bands from Blues/Rock to Folk/Rock to Soul, to playing in a Country band at Wembley Arena, to writing/performing in Rock band Panama Scandal.  He then joined long running Blues/Rock band, Sam Apple Pie, later known as The Vipers. Alongside this, Gary and his old mate and songwriting partner, Steve Gurl, landed a separate recording contract and together with the third partner in the songwriting team, Hilary – Gary’s late ex-wife, a publishing contract.

Gary met Dave Kelly when they both played in a band put together by Wilgar Campbell, the ex Rory Gallagher drummer, called The Wildcats.  He then played bass on a track on Dave’s Willing album and was suggested by Dave for the bass job when, together with Paul Jones & Tom McGuinesss (ex of Manfred Mann), plus ex John Mayall/Eric Clapton drummer Hughie Flint, The Blues Band first got together.  The success of The Blues Band was almost instantaneous and they were soon playing to packed houses, releasing their first album, appearing on TV and radio regularly, including the celebrated Euro-wide Rockpalast, and headlining at Glastonbury. Twenty plus albums & countless tours later the demand continues to grow for their special & personal interpretation of the blues, thousands of excellent reviews have appeared in a variety of publications and early editions of their first album are now collector’s items. Still going strong, new chapters are still to be added to their story in the 21^st century.