This Years Line Up

The Wessex Folk Festival is pleased to announce the acts appearing at this years Festival and the Morris Sides that will be dancing around Weymouth on 4th and 5th June 2022.

MUSIC ON STAGE STARTS AT 11am on Sunday 5th June

and goes on throughout the Afternoon.

The Wight Hot Pipes

The Wight Hot Pipes will bring a lively finish to Sunday’s music on the stage in Hope Square. With a reputation for energising audiences, the six-piece band from the Isle of Wight uses bagpipes to fuse music from all genres from Celtic to dance and rock and claim to have taken piping “to the next level”. 

The Wight Hot Pies

A six-piece Celtic Rock band playing covers from all genres with vocals and bagpipes, playing large functions to theme nights, New Years eve parties and international events. With a prime slot on the Glastonbury Croissant Neuf Stage in 2019 (where Ed Sheeran made his Glastonbury debut), and their album ‘Any Time It Rains’ released in June 19, Wight Hot Pipes are really making their mark. Hailing from the musically-creative shores of the Isle of Wight, Wight Hot Pipes are an internationally acclaimed six-piece band who commanded a standing ovation at the BBKing Club in Broadway Manhattan in 2017.

Read More About the Wight Hot Pipes Here

Murphy’s Lore Trio

Murphy’s Lore Trio are a Bournemouth/Dorset based ‘Celtic’ band, performing a mix of traditional Irish, English and Scots music plus a few tunes of their own, composed by their ‘box’ player Richard. They are a must anniversary or any excuse to have a Hooley. 

Murphy’s Lore

Read More About Murphys Lore Trio Here

Amy Hopwood and Raven

Amy and Tobias will be playing songs from Amy’s new album “Into the Woods” – a mixture of original and traditional folk songs with a forest theme, and modern re-interpretations of old fairy tales. You can expect fun songs to join in with, pretty ones to send you a bit misty eyed and others with lyrics interesting enough to get your teeth into! “Gorgeous!” – Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 6 Music. “Good music makes you think, and this is good music” – Folking.com.

Amy Hopwood and Tobias Raven

Read more at www.amyhopwood.co.uk

The West Somerset Morris

West Somerset Morris Dancers

Quayside Cloggies

Quayside Cloggies

Sing-around Session with Malc and Gill

3-5pm at the Sailors Return Saturday 4th June

Malc and Gill

Malc and Gill have over 100 years experience between them of singing on the folk scene and the wider music scene. They have been performing as a duo for over 15 years, and have been an integral part of the Midlands folk scene singing solo and in various other line-ups since the mid-sixties!

David Gordon

David Gordon is a singer-songwriter from Manchester, where he was a familiar figure on the acoustic music scene until seven years ago when he moved to Weymouth in Dorset. He now plays regularly across the South West of England, winning praise from audiences for his melodic songs and their often poignant lyrics.

His most recent CD is a four-track EP, Silver Thread, produced and recorded by Tom Toomey, lead guitarist with legendary band, The Zombies, at his studio in Yeovil.

The Ukeleleans

The Weymouth Ukuleleans are a group of like minded people who were brought together by their shared enthusiasm of the ukulele.Beginning with weekly ukulele jam sessions the group formed in 2013 for an initial series of Christmas Charity Events.The groups mantra of “Strum for Fun” seems to have captured the public’s affections and with their infectious sound of foot tapping, sing along family entertainment the group are going from strength to strength and can be seen sharing the fun of the ukulele at many local festivals and events.

The LeftOvers

The LeftOvers are a 6 piece eclectic folk musical band from Weymouth and surrounding areas. Most of the members are LeftOvers from an earlier band, Doc Clarke’s Remedy who have performed at earlier Wessex Folk Festivals and raised money for local charities and now have new members that add a new and exciting tint to their sound including vocal harmonies, fiddle and accordion/concertina. The LeftOvers are looking forward to entertain the Festival audience on the 5th June with their new set.

The LeftOvers

Tree Fellahs

The Tree Fellahs can perhaps best be described as a “loose arrangement” of traditional style musicians, with Mike McDaid (piano accordian) and Paul Openshaw (guitar) at the core. They combine their talents to play at ceilidhs, festivals, pubs and parties. They have been described as “something more than just a ceilidh band” and their music is “guaranteed to give your spirits a lift, and to set your feet tapping”.

For the Festival on 5th June, we will be joined by Care Tarling on fiddle and Dave Newson on bass guitar. Teresa Williams will be calling dances.

“Just a  line to thank you for playing for us on Friday.”  “Everyone enjoyed it and your group were fantastic, we shall definitely be repeating the event.” (Weymouth Operatic Society Barn Dance in Hope Church).   “Can I thank you for Saturday evening, it rounded off a great day, perfectly and was well received by all those present.” (Enmore Golf Club Irish Music Night).

The Dorset Wrecks

Dorset Wrecks sea shanty group were formed in the middle of 2013 whilst drinking in our local public house. The members consisted of Bob, Grahame, Selwyn and Jon. Jerry and the rest were conscripted later and after some practice sessions we started gigging in April 2014 at the Weymouth Pirates Festival. Later 2014 appearances included Weymouth :- Wessex Folk Festival, Fayre in the Square, Waterfest, Mayor of Weymouth Charity Fete, Wyke Fest and four nights at the Son et Lumiere at the Nothe Fort, and regular gigs at the Wyke Smugglers. Sailors Return Pub 1pm-3pm Saturday 4th June.

More coming soon ……………..