Sun 4th August – National Youth Folk Ensemble + Finn Collinson
Celebrating excellence in youth folk music, the National Youth Folk Ensemble brings together talented young musicians from across England. They create and perform inspiring and exciting new arrangements of folk music, working with leading folk artist-educators. This is their last gig under the direction of Sam Sweeney, Artistic Director 2016-19. Plus recorder player extraordinaire and English folk musician Finn Collinson.
Tues 6th August – Token Women + Jeff Warner
Born at Sidmouth, and labelled the ‘divas of the dance world’, Token Women are celebrating 30 years of playing this year. Especially for Sidmouth, former members Carly Rose and Kathryn Locke will join Jo Freya, Alice Kinloch, Heather Horsley, Jo May, Jackie Allen, Fi Fraser and Linda Game. One of North America’s foremost interpreters of traditional music, Jeff Warner opens the show.
Thurs 8th August Living By The Sea
Building on its popular debut last year, this feast of words and music re-unites storyteller Matthew Crampton and musical director Paul Sartin with the band Faustus and a choir of festival goers and townsfolk. With specially researched local stories, Sidmouth town takes centre stage in this exploration of communities who live or depend upon the sea.
Mon 5th August Sounds of Modern Scotland: Ross Couper & Tom Oakes and OBT (Oakes, Bews, Thorpe)
Shetlander Ross Couper and Devonian Tom Oakes are a fiddle and guitar duo deeply rooted in the traditions of Scotland and Ireland whose dynamic mixture of power and fragility, and warmth and humour, leaves audiences exhilarated and entertained. OBT is a trio drawing on the music of Scotland but combining it with world music influences and new composition.
Wed 7th August Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys + Alice Jones
BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winning Bristol-based singer, song-writer, producer, and multi instrumentalist, Sam Kelly heads up The Lost Boys, a formidable instrumental force, breathing new life into traditional music, contemporary originals, with a mix of youthful exuberance and instrumental virtuosity. The concert opens with folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and dancer Alice Jones from Ripponden in West Yorkshire.
Fri 9th August Festival Workshop Showcase
A chance to see the fruits of some of the week’s workshops.