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Latest Press Release 2019 - STARS ALIGN AT SOUTHWELL IN JUNE

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Los Pacaminos featuring Paul Young are among the headline names at this summer’s Gate To Southwell Festival in Nottinghamshire (June 6th to 9th).  Joining an eclectic international line-up that already includes Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, Skipinnish, Nancy Kerr, Blue Rose Code, Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys and many more brilliant folk roots and acoustic music artists, Paul Young - one of the UK’s best-loved vocalists (“Wherever I Lay My Hat’, ‘Love Of The Common People’, ‘Every Time You Go Away’) - has been the charismatic front-man of the highly-entertaining Tex-Mex show band Los Pacaminos since 1993.  Steve Harley, famous for worldwide hits such as ‘Judy Teen’, ‘Mr Soft’, ‘Sebastian’ and ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)’, has been producing great albums for over 40 years. Both play Southwell for the first time. This year’s festival kicks off with a wildly western theme on Thursday June 6th.  A host of top Americana acts will get the party started at Southwell Racecourse.  Topping the bill will be Los Pacaminos and supporting them, tall in the saddle, there’ll be the award-winning young Californian bluegrass band Blue Summit, featuring acclaimed female vocalist AJ Lee and guitarist Sullivan Tuttle, plus last year’s festival favourites, Truckstop Honeymoon from New Orleans.  Also returning will be rootsy rock & roll Californian Joshua Cook.  Building on this theme, Gate To Southwell will also be marking the 50th anniversary of the famous Woodstock Festival of Summer 1969; a specially created 'house' band plus guests will perform iconic songs from the ground-breaking “peace love and music” festival.  Plus there’s Sunjay’s Tribute To Buddy Holly and a special Continental celebration featuring diverse European acts such as Mallorca’s brilliant BOC, Spanish Basque folk dance band Korrontzi, Austria’s acclaimed Hotel Palindrome, the beautiful Dutch harmonies of SYA (Suddenly Years Align) and French-born favouriteFlossie Malavialle The increasingly-popular festival at Southwell Racecourse welcomes back Leicester’s “woke folk” activist Grace Petrie, Brighton’s young folk stars Hickory Signals, Jim Causley (“the finest singer of his generation,” according to Mojo) and the multi-instrumental virtuosity of Ranagri.  Plus “Princess of Cajun” accordionist Sarah Savoy, the fantastic folk rock dance bandBlackbeard’s Tea Party, famous punk veterans Otway & Barrett, Nottingham’s own gypsy jazz hot clubbers Maniere Des Bohemiens, world fusion crowd favourites The Activators, the highly-acclaimed Bird In The Belly folk collective, the rich harmonies of Norwich’s Alden Patterson & Dashwood and the vibrant young Welsh band Calan. And there’s more: Irish bluegrass from Jigjam, 3 Daft Monkeys (acclaimed as one of the highlights of Glastonbury 2016 by Mark Radcliffe), BBC award-winners Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar, Yorkshire singer-songwriterKatie Spencer, Liverpudlian troubadour Rosenblume, Canadian folk-meets-bluegrass from Jessica Pearson & The East Wind, Nottingham’s rising star Ruth Notman, Kim Edgar (singer-songwriter from Scotland’s multinational folk band Cara) and the sweet-voiced addictive songs of pop rockers Morrissey & Marshall Over the four days, Southwell will present a perfectly eclectic mix of more than 50 roots, World, acoustic and folk acts across four stages plus ceilidhs, dance sides, comedy, street theatre, poetry and top class children’s entertainment (including the return of genius juggler Dan The Hat). With more artists being lined up for this brilliantly diverse, “incredible festival” (according to Cara Dillon), discount-priced tickets are on sale now from www.gtsf.uk

3rd to 6th July 2025

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