A blue butterfly

 

 

TICKETS
Book tickets for these events or get yourself a Rover Ticket for just £20

Want to know how?
Just
click here!

Back to the home page
Where you are now! How to enter the song writing competition Want to know more? Her's how to contact us. Go to the links page

Concerts / Dance / Workshops / Pub sessions / Showcase / Full programme
Concerts and Other Performances
The following are booked so far. To find out more click on the images.

 

 

Concert artistes

 

 
Friday 6 June
Saturday 7 June
Last Night's Fun  - our Friday night concert band
Dick Gaughan - our Saturday night concert artist

Last Night's Fun
supported by

Dick Gaughan
supported by
Nigel Canter - fiddler supreme, session etiquette supremo....
Paul Openshaw - guitar player extraordinaire
No Fixed Abode - supporting Dick Gaugham on Saturday night and on our open stage over the weekend
Camilla and the Can Openers
No Fixed Abode
 

 

Artistes appearing on the open stage and elsewhere

 

 
Jodie Jones - appearing on our open stage over the weekend
The Tree Fellahs - appearing many guises over the weekend
Jodie Jones
(Saturday)
Three Tuns o' Grass
(Sunday)
The Tree Fellahs
(Saturday)
Wareham Whalers - not wailing, but singing!  On the open stage over the weekend and running a shanty session
Triskele
LeDPiN - Appearing on the open stage over the weekend
He's back! Stompin' Dave Allen
Wareham Whalers
(Saturday)
Triskele
(Sunday)
LeDPiN
(Saturday)
Stompin' Dave Allen
(Sunday)
Tramps Like Us - They'll be setting the open stage alight with their amazing sound and energy!
Local Strangers - hosting the Saturday showcase
Jigsaw
(Sunday)
Tramps Like Us
(Saturday)
Local Strangers
(Saturday)

Bag of Rats
Way Out West come way out East from Tuscon to Weymouth

Bag of Rats
(Sunrday)


Djambo
(Sunday)
Celtic Confusion
(Sunday)
Way Out West
(Saturday)
Doey's Daughters Finnian McGurk  
Doey's Daughters
(Sunday)
Finnian McGurk
(Sunday)
A Minor Fiddle Orchestra
(Sunday)

 

Last Night's Fun


Opening the festival on Friday night in Hope Church

Quotes and photo (c) and courtesy of Last Night's Fun website

Last Night's Fun have an audience pinned to the wall with breathtaking virtuosity and creative arrangements, and falling off their chairs with a loveable line in patter that is their trademark. They embody a fire, passion and feel for traditional Irish music not seen since The Bothy Band and Planxty at their peak. The key to the unique Last Night’s Fun sound however, is the electric, spontaneous interplay between musicians very much at one with each other.

"They make you laugh. They make friends with you. They make you feel at home. THEN they pin you to the wall with blistering, soulful music..."
Roots around the World

Back to images  

Dick Gaughan

Dick Gaughan - our Saturday night concert headliner
Our main concert headliner on Saturday night in Hope Church.

Quotes and photo (c) Gaelweb2005 and courtesy of Dick's website

With quotes like these what more can we say about this man except that we are thrilled to welcome him to the Wessex Folk Festival.

"He has one of the finest and most sublime voices on the planet, capable of capturing the heart with the most tender of traditional ballads in one moment and stirring the fire of the spirit with his uncompromising commentary on social injustice in the next . . . an unforgettable artist, able to change the way that you think and feel through the power of music" (Appleseed Recordings)

"how music from the gut really sounds" (The Guardian)

"In any style, on any stage, Gaughan is one of folk music's guitar geniuses as well as one of Scotland's finest singers" (Dirty Linen)

"You go home from a Dick Gaughan session feeling exhilarated, not just at the wonderful skills of the most potent singer ever to emerge from the Scottish folk-music revival, not just at the astonishingly fluent and explosively eloquent guitar playing, but by the sense of the stark exposition of wrong and the tremulously argued legitimacy of right. Even those who disagree profoundly with his view of life recognise the conviction and the supreme artistry." (Alastair Clark - Scots music journalist)

 Back to images  
Jodie Jones
Jodie Jones - Appearing over the weekend
Appearing on the Hope Square stage
Quotes and photo (c) and courtesy of Jodie Jones' website

Jodie Jones, is a 21 and a singer-songwriter from Devon, whose song 'It's Like Love' was in the Top Ten Winners of the BBC Talent Showcase at the beginning of 2006. She plays piano and guitar, and appears with her husband, Joff Alexander-Frye, who sings and plays guitar/ percussion. Jodiehas performed alongside such acts as Van Morrison, Roy Wood, Midge Ure and Supergrass. Her music is catchy, with a slightly folky feel, and always quirky and original. Live, she stuns her audience with a rare and totally honest performance!'

'Jodie possesses the voice of an angel' - National Gig Guide

'There's something a little different about it that intruiges me..." - Bandman.co.uk

Back to images  
LeDPiN

LeDPiN - appearing on the open stage over the weekend
Appearing on the Hope Square stage
Photo (c) and courtesy of LeDPiN's website


LeDPin are Neil Martin, David Roger, Louis Hemsley and Phil Wilcox who, between them, play guitar, bodhran, cello, flutes, whistles, accordian percussion and bass guitar as well as singing! In other words they're generally all-round smart a***s who are well worth a listen.
In their own words their music is "mainly of Irish origin, however we are known to throw in a few surprises along the way. Our first CD was published in August 2007 and you can buy a copy online if you like! "
Back to images  

No Fixed Abode

No Fixed Abode - supporting Dick Gaughan on Saturday night

No Fixed Abode are fronted by Una Walsh singing in her own lilting Irish accent and Tony Dean supporting on acoustic guitar. They captured the audience's hearts last year and we're very pleased to welcome them back in 2008.
“Una’s voice soars mixing tender emotions and raw power into a heady mixture, the interplay between Una and Tony is absolutely charming” (John O’Regan, Irish Music Magazine)
Back to images  

Tramps Like Us

Tramps Like Us - appearing on the open stage

Tramps Like Us formed in April 2007 with four friends at Bath Spa University linked by a desire to play their music, their way. The sound that has been released is one of pure honesty and emotion with more than a dash of youthful exuberance thrown in! Be sure to catch a unique and unforgettable experience before they get too old and crotchety...

Back to images

 

The Tree Fellahs

The Tree Fellahs -appearing many guises over the weekend!
Appearing in various guises all over the festival weekend.

Much more than a ceilidh band! Brilliant musicianship to get your feet tapping, your body swaying and your hands clapping.
Back to images  
Triskele

Appearing on the open stage on Sunday and hosting our Sunday Showcase session
Triskele Local 5 piece band with a unique sound featuring a wide range of instruments and choice of material. They'll be hosting the open mic sessions and appearing on the open stage on Sunday (3rd June).
Back to images  
 Wareham Whalers

Wareham Whalers - thar they blow!!
Appearing on the Hope Square stage as well as at the shanty session and who knows where else.......
Quotes and photo (c) and courtesy of Wareham Whaler's website
Around Easter 2004, Wareham Whalers was formed from an idea of Dave Wheatley. The plan was to form a shanty group that would keep the tradition alive around the river Frome and Purbeck in Dorset. A group of blokes started to get together in the local pub, have a few drinks and then decamp to one of their homes for a sing along. The drinking part was easy, the learning of songs was to take a little longer (Drinkers with a singing problem).....but they certainly seem to have mastered a few now and we're delighted to have them at the festival.
Back to images  

Three Tuns o' Grass



A truly impressive line-up for this high octane, bluegrass band. They'll set the open stage alight!
DAVID HATFIELD - Double Bass. Founder member of the Kursaal flyers and sometime sidesman to Ry Cooder, Peter Rowan, Country Joe MacDonald and Arlo Guthrie to name a few.
NIGEL CANTER - Fiddle. Has worked with Geoff Harris, Derek and Hazel Sarjeant, Nick Dow, Peter Rowan and Country Joe and, last year, toured the USA playing (amongst other places) the Station Inn, Nashville (in the first full British Bluegrass band to play at this prestigious venue) and the Jerusalem Ridge Festival (the home and founding place of Bluegrass music).
CHARLIE BOSTON - Guitar and Mandolin (in one instrument). Winner of TWO BCMA awards for his fine solo albums, the last of which was recorded in Nashville. Charlie has a fine family musical tradition as he is the Great - Nephew of Sir Thomas Beecham.
JEREMY COZENS - Mandolin. Yet another occasional sidesman to Bluegrass/Tex-Mex legend Peter Rowan. Never happier than when he's out in his aeroplane wot he built himself...
JERRY NORMAN - Guitar. A Splendid and solid guitarist (and gardener). He also plays for the clog team 'No Mean Feet'.
RAY SMITH - Banjo and Guitar. Rock Solid and Dexterous. Ray's songs have been recorded by Ginny Hawker,Tracy Schwarz, Bob Black, Chris Brashear, Peter McLaughlin, Forest Rose and Jody Stecher. Ray is an amazing artist and has had works commissioned by companies and authorities all over the UK. Oh yes, and he was also responsible for the album covers of Heaven 17, The Skids and Fred Frith (among others).

 
Djambo

is a six-piece Bournemouth-based acoustic roots music band playing a fusion of celtic, latin, folk, rock and jazz
for revellers and dancers

They take their material from influences worldwide - South America, Eastern Europe, South Africa, Ireland, Greece among other places. Djambo are not interested in trying to copy the originals, rather they adapt the songs, riffs and tunes to their unique style.

Back to images  
Jigsaw


Waiting for biog (!), but we can say that they're back by popular demand after their stunning sets on last year's Hope Square stage.

Back to images  

Camilla & the Can Openers

Three individually acclaimed performers come together to support Last Night's Fun on the opening night of the 2008 festival. Singer/guitarist, Pam Dentith, sings like an angel - her voice captures everyone's attention. Paul Openshaw is a member of the Tree Fellahs. He's a singer/guitarist/
songwriter and in this trio he shows us just how fine a guitarist he is. Nigel Canter has played his fiddle with many famous names both here and abroad. In this mix he shows off the full range of his styles from sensitive to savage!
Back to images  

Stompin' Dave Allen

He's back! Nifty footwork, express banjo picking, tuneful singing - this amazing man does them all at the same time and he never seems out of breath! If you haven't seen him before, prepare to be astounded and hooked!
Back to images  
Way Out West

They're called Way Out West, they're from Tucson in Arizona and they take you there with classic songs of the cowboys, songs of Hollywood's singing cowboys, and their own mix of cowboy and Western tunes played with their bordergrass sound!

Way Out West is Emmy Creigh, guitar and vocals; Slim Rost, bunkhouse bass and vocals; and Tom Poley, banjo, guitar and vocals

Back to images  
Local Strangers
Local Strangers - hosting the Saturday showcase
From songs of sinful sailors to lyrical laments and toe-tapping tunes by way of hilarious poetry this talented group all hailing from Portland (but with only 1 true Portlander!) will be running the Saturday showcase and appearing in many guises throughout the weekend. They are Julie Matthews, Pauline Clenshaw, Pat Green, Jon Diaper and Alan Evans.
Back to images  
Finnian McGurk
Finn is a popular regular on the Weymouth pub scene with his humour, warmth and blend of music that's guaranteed to get audiences eager for more.
Back to images  
Celtic Confusion First appearance at the Wessex Festival for this band that have audiences eating out of their hands.
Back to images  
Bag of Rats
Bag of Rats took the place by storm in 2007 so we've asked them back for more of thier ultra-high energy music.
Back to images  
Doey's Daughters
Doey's Daughters are Nesta and Josie, sisters who have been playing music together since they were young. Flute, guitar and vocal harmonies feature in their original compositions which have a modern-folk style. They also cover artists such as KT Tunstall, Sister Hazel, Counting Crows and others and have played at various venues and festivals including Trowbridge.
Back to images  
A Minor Fiddle Orchestra Will be playing for us on Sunday in Hope Square to entertain us all in between the open stage acts.
Back to images  

 

Site last updated 5 May, 2008

Home / What's On / Contacts / Links / Full programme

 

 

 

Want to be a part of the team that makes the festival happen? Then find out how by clicking on this button.
Stewarding