Wickham Festival News
Line Up Year: 2014
Tankus the Henge
Tankus the Henge have built their reputation on unforgettable songwriting, spectacular live performances and relentless hard work, playing hundreds of shows across Europe and building a devoted fan base along the way.
Their new album, “I Crave Affection Baby, But Not When I Drive” was released in November 2018.
Musically inspired by bands from the British invasion of the 60s and artists such as Tom Waits, Blur, Randy Newman and Queens Of The Stone Age, and with lyrics influenced by 20th Century American Literature, specifically the Beat Generation and Gonzo journalism, Tankus the Henge defy categorisation. Their hair-raising show, like no other, has to be seen and heard to be believed. Like a psychedelic, rock n roll octopus – only with four more legs.
Their funk-fuelled repertoire is wildly eclectic, ranging from New Orleans inspired swing to heavy rock riffs, and since their beginnings in the ratty alleyways of London’s Soho, the band has evolved into a wild groove machine.
The Dhol Foundation
Whilst some acts transfer well to TV / on-line viewing, others you can only truely appreciate live when your body shakes … we’re welcoming back The Dhol Foundation. Over the years they’ve proved a real Wickham favourite so it’s another bhangra bonanza on for 2022. These guys know how to put on a stunning show … Wickham, you want vibrant enery? They’re back!!! We’re not sure any other festival could claim to have a bhangra based house band. On Saturday 6th August 2022 we’ll be welcoming some unique Indian culture to get us jumping on our feet. You can also catch Johnny Kalsi’s DJ Set on the Friday.
Established in 1989, The Dhol Foundation began as a small class in slough with only a few friends asking Johnny Kalsi for Dhol drumming lessons. A couple of weeks went by, and those friends bought friends of friends and so on… One class turned into several! Before we knew it we became the first-ever dhol class/academy in the UK, creating a new breed of modern dhol players that became quickly in demand!
With a strong team of dhol players built up, it was time to hit the road! So Johnny Kalsi and The Dhol Foundation began workshops internationally and then tours across the globe, Slowly expanding along the way.
In 2001 TDF released our debut album, ‘Big Drum Small World’ which was another milestone for the British Asian music industry. With backing from Peter Gabriel’s Real World Publishing, the album grabbed mainstream attention and was quickly picked up by Hollywood directors. TDF collaborated with Martin Scorsese on ‘Gangs of New York’. This collaboration was then followed by more silver screen work with the likes of, Ang Lee on ‘Incredible Hulk’ and Sean Macleod Phillips on ‘Sea Monsters 3D’,
As the years have flown by, The Dhol Foundation continues to grow. As through the lockdown months, they have started writing new material for their 6th installment. As the saying goes… Watch This Space!
Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston
A regular performer with Show of Hands since 2004, Miranda Sykes formed a duo with Rex Preston in 2009 and in just a few years they have developed into one of the most sought-after and acclaimed duos on the English folk scene.
A superb vocalist and double bassist, Miranda surprises audiences with her versatility on the guitar and with her unique interpretations of songs.
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Nice write-up from Kimberley Barber and picture gallery from Stuart Martin for the Hampshire Chronicle
www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/20608178.45-pictures-wickham-festival-2022-thousands-enjoy-hamp...
7,000 seems a bit low - is that per day? Were numbers a bit down in previous years? If so they missed a treat. A special year indeed!
Check out photo 5 Scott Doonican and Alan Doonican
All good things must come to an end... but oh what a wonderful Wickham weekend this was! We hope you enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. Don't forget you can save £100 by booking 2023 earlybird tickets now via www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/tickets
Ooh and can I request 3 Daft Monkeys for next year please, thank you! 😁😍❤️
Thank you for a fab weekend. Very impressed by cleanliness of the site due to the diligence of the volunteers. Lovely to see the wooden picnic benches everywhere. Will these be a permanent fixture as we loved them and I'm sure others did too. Only downside to weekend was cost of drinks at the bars. £6 a pint was over the top.
John and I would like to thank you for a wonderful festival and for all the volunteers that made it possible. We made a point of thanking litter pickers who did a sterling job, and other operatives (both volunteers and paid people as they worked tirelessly in scorching conditions. Talking of ‘scorching’ we’d like to see The Trouble Notes return with their high energy high impact set. They & so many other bands showed their thanks and appreciation for inviting them to Wickham and after recent years it seemed even more heartfelt 💕 You’ve put on a great festival Peter and we look forward to next year with excitement and anticipation. Well done. 👏👏👏👏
Great festival disappointed no quay West tent acoustic tent was great as was tea rooms Hope they will be there next year alongside Quay West...
Thankyou to everyone involved x We had a wonderful few days. The location is so beautiful and the organisation fantastic. Wonderful to listen to such talented musicians. My first ever music festival ( A bit sad as aged 55 😩!!) Will definitely return x
Well done all involved - lots of fun 👌👌 - fave moment was the a-cappella version of Donna by 10cc, just magic 🤩
A fabulously well organised and run festival with something for everyone. It struck me on Saturday how clean the site was which was testament to the hard working litter picking volunteers. I made sure to thank them when I met them as it made such a difference.
We had a fantastic weekend! Bounced back with vengeance after last year. Probably the cleanest and tidiest festival we've ever been to. Thankyou and well done!
Well where do I begin so many people I want to thank especially Peter and to say I had a really amazing time seeing some incredible music and food and drink and seeing fiends and meeting some new people and chatting to lots of nice people but that’s only the beginning once I get myself together again after just getting back now I’ll do More comments and posts about this years and I been thinking just as an idea there needs to be some sort of wickham festival Facebook group where we can all chat about this amazing festival and also keep in touch with everyone who we meet there and post videos and photos form this year and previews years and talk about are dream line up just an idea for now see what you all make of it
A great festival, from the bands, to the volunteers, to fellow festival goers,excellent food choices, rhubarb cider ❤ & great weather. We will back next year for sure!
So enjoyed it 3rd time and although last year was so wet I still enjoyed it but this year was just great loved 10cc
I am so lucky to live 20 minutes away for this absolutely wonderful festival..Saw so many great bands that I have never heard before..loved cut capers who I saw at Jurassic fields festival a few weeks before,such a friendly festival,apart from the few who put there chairs right in front of some so they had no leg space,,which I also saw with a few other people,my only gripe.
1st time at Wickham Music Festival ....bloody brilliant ... 👌 Music, volunteers, staff, tradespeople & nearly all the other festival goers - shame about the 2% that feel they're more entitled than everyone else. Was great to have so many places with seating and some much needed shade... thanks for all the help from the stewards, see you next year!
Fabulous weekend! Thanks so much team..so much fun on so few stages! Wonderful. The atmosphere was so positive and protective too, so thank you all! 😍🥰🥳
We loved the whole event. Great to see this fabulous festival back to full strength. The layout was perfect and intimacy returned. I loved Undertones Show of Hands Waterboys and the magical sharon shannon whom i have followed since Out The Gap in 1994. I will be buying tickets for next year confident it will be as good as this year.
Wickham Festival over for another year 😢.....but we have had a great festival; thank you to Peter Chegwyn and everyone else involved with the planning, organisation, stewarding and performances, etc over the four days, we so appreciate all your efforts and hard work. See you next year, tickets already purchased!! X
Absolutely brilliant festival - thank you. Lots of highlights but The Men They Couldn’t Hang were fantastic. Looking forward to next year.
Was sad to leave last night after arriving Wednesday afternoon.. as always a great time had, great festival, great organisation and nice to see all the staff and helpers were so helpful.. Will be back again next year without a doubt! Such a friendly venue even seeing Johnny Kalsi and Steve Knightley spent a few days out with the rest of us... Well done Peter Chegwin and all the staff that make this one of the best festivals going and the volunteers that keep it so clean compared to a lot of the other festivals that have the mindless litter strewn everywhere by the 'other persons job to clean up after me' mentality of the majority now ... well done all ... see you next year rain or shine.
My first music fest at 70 and I doubt I could have chosen a better one. From the line up to the stage crew, the volunteers, the staff, the atmosphere, the weather and the reason I came. .. The Saw Doctors. Incredible. God willing I'll be back next year. Thank you to all concerned.
Brilliant weekend, thank you everyone who put so much effort into all the planning and making it possible 😁👍🎵
It was simply Brilliant! Well done to all the organisers, volunteers and musicians, it really is the BEST! X
Wonderful fest, hope the fields were pristine when we all packed up.
It was utterly amazing thank you 🙏 and tickets already bought for next year 😃😃🍻
Another great weekend Thanks to Peter and everyone involved in being such a complex event together. See you all in 2023 😊
Awesome weekend and well worth todays 5 hour sweltering drive back to Devon. Thank you Team Wickham!
Big shout-out to MLD Event Management group whose staff worked so hard to build the site, to run it, to keep us all safe... and whose staff are now toiling in blistering heat to dismantle it all. Huge thanks too to all the volunteers from the ticket office and entrance staff to the production team, backstage crew, lighting and sound engineers, stewards, litter pickers and everyone else.
A big round of applause for the guys and gals who kept the toilets and showers clean and topped up with loo roll. A horrible job for them but a fabulous effort on their part. Some peoples toilets habits have a lot to be desired !!!! 👏 thank you 😊
My first year volunteering as a steward, great team, wonderful experience and will definitely be helping out again next year! 😊
Excellent organisation and friendly helpful Stewards. We live locally so drive in daily but had such a good time! Thank you1😉
A big thank you to everyone involved, it was a great festival. 👏👏 Looking forward to next year and need to book it asap x
I have been working alongside the MLD Guys Providing the Medical Staff since they became part of the Hampshire Festivals Team at Stokes Bay a good few years ago. They are so hard working and efficient, Ihave witnessed them deal with many problems quickly and efficiently and despite how busy they have been they have always been there to assist us whenever required
Our first festival bringing our motorhome... was very impressed with the organisation, all the staff and volunteers. The site was so clean. You all worked really hard and it was amazing!! Just booked for next year!!! 🙌 thankyou!!!
They have done an amazing job. I think this year was one of the very best.
I watched 2 guys from MLD heaving the picnic tables onto their backs from infront of Stage 2 on Thursday afternoon, couldn't believe they were doing that, let alone in the heat, clearly superfit!
You're all amazing 👏 ❤
Agreed it was excellent and awesome and so mi d and friendly ♥️
Richard Charidge bihar up for mld
Well said thank you
Such a sad sight. Just a few hours ago the party was in full swing, now the clear-up is well under way 😭
We had a blast!
Don't worry, we'll do it all again next year August 3-6. Book now and save up to £100 on a weekend season ticket. Book online at www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/tickets or print off this form and send it in to save even more!
We had an absolute blast! Superb organisation, great mix of music, friendly atmosphere- can’t wait for next year! Any chance you could separate the stages so the sound doesn’t transfer? The heavy base from Big Top 1 drowns out the quieter acts in the other big top. Also site plan in the programme please.
Great chilled out festival made even better by the weather ☀️ thank you. And a HUGE thank you to the guys controlling the traffic ensuring we all got across safely 👏👏 to campsite 🏕
Hi, this is how festival sites should look at home time!Just saying!! Proud of my generation .
can we have less volume next year many acts were distortedly loud! And more sun please
Massive thank you to all the crew, security, toilet cleaners, bin emptiers, litter pickers, and anyone else I’ve forgotten. The atmosphere was amazing.
Thank you sooo much for an amazing, brilliant,fantastic festival. We enjoyed ourselves very much 😀. So much choice of music and things to do. Well done to everyone involved, you excelled our expectations again. Looking forward to next year already. Xxxx
it was a fantastic festival. East Kent Morris were privileged to dance during the weekend. We hope you will have us back! A special shout out to the paramedics who looked after my wife yesterday when she tripped (over someone's bag in an aisle, ahem!) and dislocated her finger badly. They were brilliant.
Wonderful as always!! Cheque's in the post for next year. If you missed my earlier post, I 'm sure all attendees will join me in thanking the wonderful comperes, Alistair and John who did sterling work as always but rarely get the thanks and applause that they should.....
Thank you all so much, had a wonderful festival, discovered new bands to listen to. The grass site and the sun were brilliant( especially the sun ) such a change from last year, my Wickham wellies sulked at being left at home !! See you all next year xxxxx
Brilliant festival well done to everyone involved enjoyed all the bands and the magic teapot had some good times in there and Folk Orc as well as the story teller the kids had a great time with the silent disco only one thing could you supply a site plan please . Will be booking for next year 🥰
Fabulous festival - Fantastic Acts- Friendly staff and visitors - No aggro - No massive police or security presence ( though I'm sure some undercover boys in blue about 😘) Couple of requests for next year please: NO chairs whatsoever in Big Top 1 & 2 ( so many people "reserved" their "spot" by leaving chairs never to return for the night - with crowd pullers such as The Levellers, the tent, being packed with empty chairs not people, was very frustrating !!) A block of toilets positioned to the left hand side of Big Top 1 would be really appreciated for the less mobile Consider placing the guests who paid most for their tickets ( campers/tents with EHU) closest to the festival arena - not furthest away. Adopt a more relaxed approach to a reasonable amount of personal food and drink being allowed inside festival - when you are there from Midday to Midnight - 12 hours worth of bought food and drink really adds up financially over 4 days for those on a budget ( and would probably fill up the festival with people sooner in the day 😊) Thank you.
Fantastic weekend. Glad you kept the acoustic stage, saw some great local acts on there. Just one thing….. I think the magic teapot and the twisted tea rooms were too close and it affected the magic teapot a lot as they were being drown out by amps etc. the magic in the teapot is the sing alongs. It can have an amazing unique atmosphere. Please consider separating them if they return next year. 😁
We had a great time! For me, the Spooky Mens Chorale were the highlight. Please make sure you get them back here as soon as possible! But please do something to reduce the sound from Big Top 1 leaking through to Big Top 2. Maybe (perish the thought!) turn down the volume on Stage 1. Oh, and it would be great to have a big screen outside Big Top 2.
Fantastic weekend, thank you to all you lovely people who make it happen 👍
Another fantastic Wickham. My highlights were Grace Petrie, Levellers, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Dhol Foundation, Ferocious Dog. Best new find was The Trouble Notes - cracking high energy set. Tickets booked for next year already. Thanks to everyone.
Superb festival. Been volunteering for ten years now come rain or shine. Having experience at seeing a little of what it takes to hold the festival behind the scenes is enlightening and quite scary. Every team backstage work really well together to keep the festival rolling. Hats off to everyone involved 🎩
It was fabulous! I've been to six festivals this year and this one was the best. Well done to the organisers, the artists, the crews, and the volunteers! xx
Fantastic from start to finish! Thanks to all concerned, I’m sure it took a lot of work from everyone, but hopefully it was a good deal less stressful than last year.
Not until you stop the chairs in the stage area!!! And move the big stage down in the dip ! Much better! ✌️☀️
It was a brilliant one - the best yet ...we really loved playing it this year ...x Thank you for having us ...
What a fantastic weekend. Thanks to all the organisers and artists. Just bought next years tickets 😀👍
My first festival and what an experience. Thank you to everyone involved in making this a success. And not a grumpy face from any volunteer.
Another well organised festival with great artists and superb staff. Heard lots of people complaining about the high volume levels inside both main stages from Friday onwards and I agree. I've never seen so many people with earplugs and ear defenders. This must be a major contributor to the sound "bleed" between main stage 1 and main stage 2. Does it really need to be so loud. Some may tell us to sit outside instead but that wasn't a realistic option in the sunshine and heat.
Thank you to the organisers and team of helpers who put on this amazing festival. We had an amazing time again this year and will be booking our tickets for next year. Highlights for me were Oysterband, The Saw Doctors, The Levellers and Grace Petrie. All put on a fabulous show! Sounded and looked brilliant (well done to the sound and lighting teams!). Thank you also for providing the grass site (and for booking the sun!) much easier to get around 😊 See you next year x
It was the best day out we’ve ever had our first festival we’ve ever been to we are both in our 80s. It was well organised and a wonderful atmosphere thank you 😊
I had such a great time at Wickham Festival... but somehow I got separated from my owner 😭
If you recognise me please message these nice people who are looking after me very well.
(They also found this tankard, it's not mine... I'm not old enough to drink) t.co/0I5AvxuvuQ
I hope you find your friends soon 🤗 I wonder if you could ask the nice people if they have some brown sunglasses please 🙏
Hi , I hope you find your friends/ Owners soon too 🤞
Anyone seen my ducks? They all flew when the Donicans played but never came home!!!
i saw him and a few others flying round the doonicans mosh pit
I lost a few pound and two pound coins, so if find any of those….. there all mine! 😉
