Stage in the Square
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Rob Clamp
‘It’s not often you come across a voice with such controlled power: even at the emotional heights and depths of the songs, Rob’s voice retains a purity and focus that is all too rare. Wherever his songwriting leads him, his voice adapts to the genre, from pop through folk and roots. A classic voice for classic music.’ Having released his debut single ‘Wind In My Hair’ in 2020, Rob has gone on to be featured on BBC introducing, has won the highly regarded ‘Purbeck Rising 2022’ imprinting himself onto the UK folk scene, and most recently has gone on to win ‘Sofia International Singer Songwriter Festival 2022’ in Bulgaria.Heavily influenced by the likes of; Ben Howard, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Bruce Springsteen – Rob’s music is filled with real life experiences, performed in his own compelling style, with acoustic guitar accompanied by a variation of foot percussion. The start of 2023 has already gotten off to a bang, accompanied by his band, Rob sold out the notorious, Joiners Arms in Southampton and within days went on to sell out Heartbreakers, also in Rob’s hometown.’
Dorset Wrecks
Dorset Wrecks sea shanty group was formed in 2013 and had its first gig when five of the initial six members sang in Weymouth harbour opposite the Kings Arms on board MV Freedom to support it taking disabled people for sea cruises.
Since then, they have sung at weddings, social events, funerals, Trafalgar nights, Poole Fireworks and Sea Food Festival, Camp Bestival and Weymouth Sea Food Festival. Other festival appearances have included the inaugural Lymington Sea Food Festival, the Bridport Folk Festival, the Teign Shanty Festival and the 2021 Weston-Super-Mare Festival, where they were proud to kick off the Festival while being broadcast live on local BBC West TV.
Last year, Dorset Wrecks sang at the naming ceremony for the new Weymouth Inshore Lifeboat, Jack & Phyl Claire, as well as singing at Greenhill Gardens where the public generously donated £840 for the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
In 2016 they recorded their first CD of sea shanties and songs of the sea, entitled Bright Eyed ‘N’ Stiff’, alluding to how to determine their freshness when buying fish. A Covid-postponed second CD called Mackerel Skies should be coming out in time to buy at the Wessex Festival.
“We are extremely happy to be singing again at the full post-Covid Wessex Folk Festival,” say the band. “It’s been a tough few years but we are here to entertain you and have some fun.”
Since then, they have sung at weddings, social events, funerals, Trafalgar nights, Poole Fireworks and Sea Food Festival, Camp Bestival and Weymouth Sea Food Festival. Other festival appearances have included the inaugural Lymington Sea Food Festival, the Bridport Folk Festival, the Teign Shanty Festival and the 2021 Weston-Super-Mare Festival, where they were proud to kick off the Festival while being broadcast live on local BBC West TV.
Last year, Dorset Wrecks sang at the naming ceremony for the new Weymouth Inshore Lifeboat, Jack & Phyl Claire, as well as singing at Greenhill Gardens where the public generously donated £840 for the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Harbottle & Jonas
Partners in life and in music, the Devon-based folk duo Harbottle & Jonas are one of the most exciting acts on the UK circuit today, combining a love of the richness of traditional folk with their own original and powerful songwriting. Dave and Freya have developed a distinct and compelling signature sound, blending concertina, harmonium, banjo, stomp box, acoustic guitar and cittern with their beautiful and closely intertwined vocal harmonies.
Their subject matter covers the historical as well as the more personal. Their engaging live shows are full of stories as well as beautiful songs. People, places and events are brought to life through their intimate, timeless music.
Their fourth album, The Beacon, entered the top 30 of the Official UK Folk Chart, whilst Songs Of Love and Death (a collaboration with Reg Meuross) achieved the same feat. Their video series, Saving the Good Stuff, has reached over half a million people (and counting) on Facebook.
Releases in 2023 include a collection of covers, Saving The Good Stuff: Vol 1, and a highly anticipated new album of originals coming this Autumn.
Nine Dead Mice
Brighton based Nine Dead Mice describe themselves as a “foot-stomping English and Celtic folk trio for the 21st century”.
Generating momentum with raucous, foot-stomping energy one minute, then slowing down for a gentle ballad or two the next, they offer a deep dive into the trad-folk repertoire, surfacing now and again with unexpected arrangements, traditional and well-loved tunes, and energetic performances.
Combining violin, cello, guitar and vocal harmonies into a rattling, rolling folky omnibus, they are comfortable leading ceilidhs, barn dances and folk dances as well as offering bagpipe interludes, acapella numbers and multi-instrumental switches, so you’re never quite sure what to expect next.
Reg Meuross
Award-winning Reg Meuross was introduced onto the stage of the Albert Hall by Mike Harding as ‘one of the finest singer-songwriters this country has produced’. With 14 solo albums to his name, Reg is a true modern troubadour, representing contemporary English folk writing at its best while captivating audiences with his beautiful tenor voice and a breadth and depth of material that is unparalleled in contemporary folk.
Accompanying himself on his ‘44 Martin six-string guitar, harmonica, tenor guitar, banjo and dulcimer, Reg produces music that has an unrivalled power to reach and move the listener. His songs tell stories that need to be told, relating struggles that need to be known, injustice that needs to be uncovered and social conscience that needs to be celebrated.
In April this year, Somerset-based Reg releases a new song cycle, Stolen From God, focusing on the transatlantic slave trade and uncovering its hidden history from a South West England perspective. Also due for release later this year is Fire & Dust, a song cycle that delves into the life story of Woody Guthrie.
Reg will be performing on the festival’s main stage on Saturday and Sunday and will also be leading a songwriting workshop.
State of Undress
From Cornwall to Scotland, State of Undress have been taking stages by storm for the past 17 years with their exuberant and infectious fiddle-fuelled music. Performances include Glastonbury, Sidmouth FolkWeek, Looe Music Festival, Swanage Folk Festival, Wessex Folk Festival, Saltburn Folk Festival and The Tall Ships Festival in Waterford, Ireland. With original songs that embrace the thought-provoking, joyous and shamelessly foot-tapping, plus traditional songs played in their own idiosyncratic style, State of Undress promise you a rollercoaster of a gig! They’re delighted to be back at this year’s Wessex Folk Festival.
The Trials of Cato
BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners, The Trials of Cato, make their Wessex Folk Festival debut this year. The Welsh/English folk trio won Best Album for their debut release, Hide and Hair, in 2018 and are back in the Folk Album Charts in 2023 with their second album, Gog Magog. The trio are Tomos Williams and Robin Jones, who play a range of banjos, bouzoukis and guitars, and mandolin player and vocalist Polly Bolton.
Welshmen Tomos Williams and Robin Jones formed The Trials of Cato, along with Yorkshire’s Will Addison, while working as English teachers in Lebanon. Returning home in 2016 they focused on building the band’s reputation, culminating in the award for their début album. When they emerged from lockdown it was without Will Addison, whose replacement, Polly Bolton, kept up Yorkshire’s representation.
Their music has been described as “trail-blazing” and the Spirit Earth website reported that their debut album “served up adventurous new takes on the traditional folk repertoire whilst throwing down the gauntlet with their own arresting, genre-hopping self-penned tracks”. The BBC’s Mark Radcliffe has hailed the band as “one of the real discoveries on the folk circuit in recent times”.
The Trials of Cato are promoting their new album in America with 12 dates in March and April after which they’ll hit the road in the UK , reaching Weymouth in June.
Wight Hot Pipes
Wight Hot Pipes are a five-piece Celtic band who play original songs alongside covers from all genres. The powerful vocals of Tori Blain and the unexpected sound of bagpipes combine to make their music unique and exciting.
Diverse and eclectic, Wight Hot Pipes deliver a mix of musical genres which fuse in their melodic melting pot to create an exhilarating cocktail of flavours, spanning the entire spectrum from Celtic all the way through to contemporary dance and gritty rock. Highlights include Thunderstruck with the twist of the spectacular fire breathing bagpipes!
Hailing from the shores of the Isle of Wight, Wight Hot Pipes played a prime slot on the Glastonbury Croissant Neuf stage in 2019 and their album Any Time it Rains has added to their growing reputation. They drew international acclaim with a standing ovation at the B.B. King Club in Manhattan, New York and their UK appearances have included headlining the Lincoln Asylum Steampunk Festival at the Engine Shed. Their appearance at last year’s Wessex Folk Festival drew an enthusiastic response and we are pleased to have them back this year to bring Sunday’s programme on the main stage to a lively conclusion.