Pre-Festival Warm-Up Night in Weymouth Harbour Pubs 29th May

Wessex Folk Festival

Weymouth Harbour  30th and 31st May 2020

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acts that appeared on the Stages in 2017

Kadia

Kadia are an unsigned acoustic contemporary folk trio from Bournemouth who have a created a refreshing brand of foot stomping modern folk combining inventive guitar patterns with three part harmonies, layered with the warm tones of the cello and eight string ukulele. 
The Kadia trio have also made a name for themselves with their creative arrangements of traditional folk songs and their infectious ‘folkified’ versions of modern pop songs.

Bow Legged Skeeter

The band plays authentic American Bluegrass and Old Time songs and tunes. The Instrumentation is classic Bluegrass line­up of Double Bass, Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle with Harmony Vocals.

State of Undress is a rocky rootsy 'fiddlesome' band from Dorset playing a distinctive and exuberant brand of original music.State of Undress are a difficult band to pigeon­hole. Their songs move from the poignant and provocative to the downright shamelessly foot­tapping!

The Jigantics are creating quite a stir on the UK festival and club scene thanks to their acclaimed debut album Daisy Roots which is currently being played on radio stations around the world. Between them the band members play, and on occasions swop, a whole range of musical instruments, fiddle, mandolin, slide and acoustic guitars and together with stunning five part harmonies .



Galley Beggar’s music sets out to imagine the next phase of English Folk Rock. Their live performances bring the intensity of a rock band to electric folk from music found within the collections of Cecil Sharp and Francis Child through to electrified psychedelic freakouts.



The Galleons

The Galleons are a band from Brighton.  Their music wanders a line between folk and indie stopping off to visit rock, blues and occasionally prog along the way.  The songs are often simple and direct but the band also love creating huge musical soundscapes, whilst appreciating the often forgotten importance of a catchy hook .  As at home playing in a candle-lit cellar as they are in a sunny festival field, their music takes the audience from foot stomping folk-rock, to mellow, mysterious lullabies and back.



Island Voices is a community based Portland choir singing original songs about Portland and the Sea

Black Water County 

Black Water County formed in Bournemouth, UK during late 2012, with a Celtic-Punk mindset hooked on the likes of Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys. During the two years that followed, audiences have witnessed the band’s energetic gigs across the south of England, as well as two E.P. releases: Welcome To The Black Water County (2013) and The Fellowship Of The Craic (2014).

Demonstrating their love for all things Folk, Black Water County have forged a strong live set of bar-storming original tracks, and reworked Traditional tunes, guaranteeing the audience will have a great time.

The infamous "Wild Rover" Set

What can we say about this 'perennial' festival favourite, other than if you've never heard of it then you weren't warned, were you? Last act on the main stage on Sunday is the Wild Rover Set. They will bring to you a warm hour of popular ‘sing along’ songs from around the UK and beyond (Ireland) The band is

made up of performers from the local Sailors Return Acoustic

Session, few of whom regularly perform together outside of this circle. The Sailors Return Acoustic Session raises a significant amount of sponsorship for the festival each year through its weekly raffle.

Two Peas

Two Peas are Pat Green and Pauline Clenshaw singing

songs with humour and heart, They will be running a folk club

in the ’Sailors Return’ Sunday afternoon. All are welcome,

see festival map for location.

Darren Hodge
Darren Hodge is a young man who is regarded by his peers as one of the top young guitarists in the country. After picking up his first guitar only six years ago he has been astounding audiences up and down the country with his instrumental style of playing. He is completely self taught and from very early on it was clear to those around him that he had a unique gift. After five years of hard work and dedication he is still perfecting his talent but what you will hear will leave you astounded for such a young man just starting out.

Something About Mondays have been dubbed as a "Folk-Pop" band from the Isle of Wight. Comprising of 3-Part harmony vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, violin, bass and drums, with the occasional mandolin thrown in, think the Bangles meet the Levellers for their songwriting style. Likenesses have also been drawn with R.E.M., Oasis and even the Beatles and Who with their guitar riffs and sounds. 2015 sees the release of their Debut EP "Is It You?" and also the creation of new originals and a vast array of covers.

Through sales of the EP and the Launch Event, the band are donating proceeds to the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, based on the Island. Performing at festivals and venues along the south coast and Isle of Wight, these guys hope that this year will kick-start many more things to come.

Hiproute

Three piece roots band from the Soth West. Part of the UK Roots movement – using the old working ethic of playing live as much as possible – Feel. Write. Play. Play dsome more. We are just trying to do the same as everyone else – play as much as possible to as many people that will listen

Ninebarrow are a multi-award-winning folk duo, who are impressing audiences across the country with their innovative and captivating take on the folk tradition. Described by Mike Harding as sounding ‘damn fine’ and by Seth Lakeman as ‘a fantastic duo’, Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere combine breathtaking vocal harmonies and melodies, delivering original songs that are inspired and rooted in the landscape and history of the British Isles.


Wes Finch plays a mixture of blues, country, jazz and folk, and has been played on local radio. He has played at many venues around the country

Moonshine

Formed 7 years ago with people who had been dancing for many years and the team have added two new members in 2014. We dance at Folk Festivals, Fetes and other events bringing high energy & high speed dances backed up by our

band. Some highlights of 2013 were dancing at Tredegar Folk Festival and our 1st Appearance at Wessex Folk Festival.


Alex Roberts

Songwriter, storyteller and poet, Alex Roberts will be blending traditional genres into his web of song

Weymouth Ukeleans at the Wessex Folk Festival 2014 - Thanks to Stephen and Helen Jones for this photo

They were the surprise hit of the festival last year (not least because the Stage did not collapse with that number of people of it!) so we have brought them back. Sit back, enjoy the fun and count how many Ukeleans we can fit on the stage this year!


 Dorset Wrecks

Joining us for the first time are local sea shanty revivalists the Dorset Wrecks so for those of you who like to dream of the sea breeze and a force 9 gale this one is for you.
Dorset Wrecks sing traditional sea shanties and songs of the sea and were formed in 2013. They have sung at many festivals in Poole and Weymouth, at openings of sea related shops, weddings, at Weymouth Pavilion and in local pubs. They have also supported many charitable events such as those for the Mayors of Weymouth & Portland, Poole, and Portland. Singing on tall ships such as Le Marite and the Pelican were highlights. There are currently 11 singers most of whom are well over 60.
Acoustic Rooster
They are back. All the way from Bridport  - Chris Deacon; Lead Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Alan Twelftree; Button Accordian, Banjo, Mando and vocals, Maurice Blogg; Bass and vocals Rob Malpas; Banjo and Mandolin, the Rooster are back with us again
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