Worcester Music Festival News Archive

Thursday 2 September 2010

Well, Worcester Music Festival is over for another year and what a weekend it was!!! Over 200 live acts, some fantastic workshops and demonstrations, open mic events, buskers... It was a wonderful event.

We really want to say thank you to absolutely everyone who helped make WMF2010 a MASSIVE success: the musicians, the workshop organisers, the promoters, the venues, stage managers, sound engineers, roadies, lighting techs, the dozens of volunteers, the raffle ticket sellers, the media, sponsors, advertisers and everyone who has supported Worcester Music Festival this year.  We could not have done it without you and we are extremely grateful.

We also want to thank everyone who came to the venues and supported the live music: Those of you who just came out for that one band that you wanted to see; those of you who came into town for a bit of shopping and ended up staying all day and night; those of you who spent many hours carefully going through the running order and mapping out your entire weekend’s timetable and, of course, those of you who just wandered from venue to venue sampling the many musical delights that were on offer.

Sunday 22 August 2010

All local and mostly all free!  The last day of Worcester Music Festival has begun...  Today's venues are:

AiR, The Art House Cafe, The Boston Tea Party, The Cricketers, Drummonds, Elgar School of Music, The Firefly, Ginger Pig Cafe Bar and Bistro, Guildhall, The Hand in Glove, Keystones, Marrs Bar, Monroes Cellar Bar, The Old Rec, The Pheasant, Severn View Hotel, St Swithuns Church, St Swithuns Institute, Swan with Two Nicks, Tudor House Museum, Worcester Arts Workshop, Worcester City Youth Centre.

Friday 6 August 2010

Saturday 21st August
6pm onwards at The Marrs Bar, Pierpoint Street

If you’re into industrial/metal/goth/electro music, or if you’re just into having a great time, this gig promises to be one of the many treats of the Festival weekend!  Last year, V2A’s gig at the Pig n Drum was so popular that the place was overcrowded and there was a party in the street. So get down to this one early if you want to guarantee you’ll see them! 

6pm - WEAK13

WEAK13 is a British industrial / metal / grunge act, founded in 1999 by Nick J Townsend in Kidderminster. As its main singer, producer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Townsend is the only official member of WEAK13 and remains solely responsible for its musical and artistic direction. WEAK13's music is every genre with metal overtones.

6.45pm - ATTRITION

ATTRITION are pioneers in a darker electronica. Formed in 1980, influenced by a mix of punk ideology and experimental art aesthetics, they emerged as part of the early '80's UK Industrial scene alongside contemporaries Coil, Test Department, Legendary Pink Dots, In The Nursery, Portion Control et al.
Founder Martin Bowes has steered the band through a 25 year career, fuelled by a succession of critically acclaimed albums... selling over 70,000 to date.

7.30pm - KOMMAND & KONTROL

KOMMAND+KONTROL is a a dark elektro project from Angus Hobbs (DJ Virus) & David Chapman (Terminal). Both are heavily involved in the industrial/alternative scene. Aggressively melodic and thumpingly original, they distil the best from the likes of industrial godfathers Front Line Assembly and Skinny Puppy, and EBM pioneers Nitzer Ebb.

8.30pm - OAK

OAK, an English industrial-metal outfit from Kidderminster, were first formed in 2001 as a dark metal band.  They have broadly been described as Industrial Nu-Metal, whilst carrying some melodic undertones of Electronica, and therefore appeal to a wider audience, as they have witnessed during some impressive live gigs.

9.15pm - DEVIANT UK

Deviant UK has established itself as a star of the European Dark Alternative stage, spearheading the newly resurgent British scene. The band unleashed debut album 'Barbed Wire Star' in October 2006, spawning the anthemic club hits 'Raptured Saints' and 'Access Denied!'.  Their unique sound is powerful, distinctive & instantly accessible.

10pm - V2A

V2A is an EBM / Industrial / TBM / Electro / Cybergoth project which was founded by Kevin Stewart (304) and Ines Lehmann (316).   Their first album, EBM, was released in Autumn 2002 via the German label, Trisol.  Since then they have taken over dancefloors and clubs worldwide and consistently make the lovers of hard electronic music beat faster! 

Friday 6 August 2010

Sunday 22nd August, 1pm-3pm, Worcester Arts Workshop

If you’re in a band and have a demo, bring it along to this event and let a panel of experts give you their feedback and advice. Paul White, editor of Sound on Sound magazine will be on the panel along with Scott Garrett from MAS Records and other industry experts.

Friday 6 August 2010

There’s something for everyone at Worcester Music Festival and for fans of folk...

Friday 20th August

Somers Traditional Folk Club
8:30pm to 11:30pm
The Abion, 48 Bath Road, Worcester.
"a place where traditional song is at home". 
Arrive early to get a slot, or just enjoy fine tradional folk music at its best.
£2 to visitors.

Saturday 21^st August

Folk Club
1.00pm to 5.00pm
Tudor House Heritage Centre, Friar Street Worcester 
Featuring: Driftwood, Julia Davies, East West Infusion, Rex Waldron, Deadmoney Duo, Makale, The Rawmarsh Mashers 

Sunday 22^nd August

Sunday Extra
1.00pm to 2.00pm
Tudor House Heritage Centre, Friar Street Worcester 
Featuring: Flatworld (the acoustic trio)
 
Folk Club Concert
12.00pm to 2.30pm
The Guildhall, High Street, Worcester
Featuring: Jennie Harwood, Loxley, Ouj’a, Foxtail Soup, Eric and Eileen Payne.  

This will be followed at 4.30pm by a special one hour concert performance from Uiscedwr featuring Anna Esslemont, Cormac Byrne and Nick Waldock.

Monday 2 August 2010

Worcester Music Festival posters, flyers, car stickers and novelty mankinis are now available for collection from Keystones Cellar Bar. Feel free to drop in, have a quick beer, pick up some stuff and distribute it far and wide to help raise awareness of the Worcester Music Festival cause.

We're aiming for a car sticker in every car in the West Midlands, and a poster on every village notice board from the Welsh border to the M25. Now I know that's a big ask, but if you don't aim high your darts never hit the ceiling.

Any other ideas for pushing the fest please get in touch via the website, email, or Facebook, or just take the initiative....

Monday 19 July 2010

Alternitve and new wave of indie rock and roll are sure to be one of the highlights of this years WMF.

Saturday 21^st August, from 3pm. FREE ENTRY

Monday 19 July 2010

One of Worcester's premier live music venues will, once again, play a key role in the Worcester Music Festival.

Friday 20th August
7pm – 10pm : BBC Hereford & Worcester Introducing …
LIVE ON AIR : The Cohen Brothers, Laura Broad,
Sons Of Beaches, Carrie Hayden, Just Sweet Theft, Dastards, Robinson & Naked Remedy   10.15 : Calm Like  A Riot (Not On Air)

Saturday 21st August
1pm : Free Workshop - Jason Bowld Drum Clinic
6pm – 11pm : The Dark Side Of Worcester. featuring ...
V2A, Deviant, Oak, Kommand + control, Attrition, Weak 13

1pm : Worcester School Of Rock & Performance
4pm – 9pm : One For The City, (singer/songwriter event)
9.30 : Jon Gomm

Sunday 18 July 2010

We are pleased to announce that Worcester Music Festival will be taking over the stage at Worcester Beer Festival on 12^th August!  It will be just one week before the Music Festival begins so a great excuse for three of our bands to warm up and drink some beer, cider and perry (who needs an excuse for that?).  The bands playing will be Stuntdog, Tallulah Fix and Calm Like A Riot so come along and say hello!

To find out more about this year’s Beer Festival, please visit their website at: www.worcesterbeerfest.org.uk  

Sunday 27 June 2010

Keystones is the birthplace of a brand new original music night, The Bunker. There are two special shows featuring a host of wonderful local music. just for the festival.

Friday 20th August - Stuntdog & guests
Sunday 22nd August -  Alex Chapman, Dan Greenaway, The Amateurs, The Sarah Warren Band, The Misers

more info coming soon.

Sunday 27 June 2010

The opening night of the festival sees the BBC Introducing stage at the Marrs Bar.
The lineup is now complete.

19:05 The Cohen Brothers
19:25 Laura Broad
19:45 Sons Of Beaches
20:05 Carrie Hayden
20:25 Just Sweet Theft
20:45 Dastards
21:05 Robinson
21:25 Naked Remedy

Live & The Marrs Bar - 7pm till 10pm

The show will be broadcast live on air on BBC Hereford & Worcester.

Tuesday 1 June 2010

We’re looking for local singer songwriters who want to write a song about Worcester (or surrounding areas), perform it on stage on the closing evening of the Festival and have the song recorded live by Dave Draper from FFG Studios.

The performance will take place at the Marrs Bar on Sunday 22^nd August from 4pm. Each artist will be asked to write and perform three songs - two songs from their normal set and one specially written Worcester themed song. You can join the Facebook group at http://tinyurl.com/oneforthecity

If you’re interested in being involved, send us a rough recording of the song, post it on your page or notify us of a date you are playing it live to info@worcestermusicfestival.co.uk

Tuesday 1 June 2010

If you are one of the 565 artists who have registered to play at the Festival then sit back and relax and somebody will be in touch with you soon… Give us a bit of time though as there are a lot of acts to get through! If you didn’t register, it might not be too late – email info@worcestermusicfestival.co.uk soon to let us know and we’ll see what we can do…

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Sunday 6^th June sees us getting together at The Swan with Two Nicks and Drummonds to listen to live music and have some food and drink whilst raising money for the 2010 Festival.

Worcester Music Festival is free to attend and is run by volunteers, with bands playing for free. But there are still costs to be met for insurance and promotion as well as a variety of other things. So what better way to help us to raise some money for this than to come and celebrate some great local bands at a fab local venue?

The event will start at 2pm and finish at 10pm. There will be a Silent Auction and a raffle with a selection of good quality prizes. Look out for the event page on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/wmf6thjune

Confirmed Acts are:

Larm
Bob Jones
Foxtail Soup
Narcoleptic Penguin
Deadmoney Duo
Imprint Zero
Babajack
Careful Jetsun
Autumn Lily
Evilwitch
Rich Clarke
Ancient Addicts
Case Closed
Dastards

Tuesday 1 June 2010

This year you can not only watch some bands, listen to some fine music and take part in a number of free workshops, but you can also, for the first time, drink the official beer.

Our friends at Teme Valley Brewery have agreed to create a special real ale for the Festival, but we need your help - WE NEED YOU TO NAME IT!! The person who gets to name the beer will win one gallon of the stuff.

The ale will be a summery 4% Pale Ale, lightly bittered, refreshing with cascade hops, and it’s going to taste fantastic!

If you can think of a name for the beer, email it to info@worcestermusicfestival.co.uk or ‘like’ the page on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/wmfbeer) and post it on the wall. We will gather all the suggestions, and maybe put the best ones to the vote. Deadline for entries is 31st May 2010. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.

www.temevalleybrewery.co.uk