Eastleigh Music Festival

General Festival Information
Described as “a bit of a hidden gem”, Eastleigh Music Festival is a far-reaching community & multi-cultural event which attracts over 15,000 people to a programme of live music, workshops, food and entertainment. Eastleigh Music Festival & Mela is an intimate family festival, with a friendly and relaxed feel.
Taking place over three days this music celebration and community event is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy great live music from both high profile international and local artists. There is also the chance to get involved with various dance, art and music workshops. During the day on Saturday and all day Sunday the site is FREE with open access to all. Friday night and Saturday open for a ticketed intimate experience, billing the best in British Folk and pioneering alternative artists on the music scene today.
Held on Leigh Road recreation ground, adjacent to The Point in Eastleigh, the park comes to life, with two covered big-tops, so even the irregularity of the British summer weather can’t dampen the spirits of this entirely inclusive community event.
There will be food stalls, full bar, workshops, craft stalls, climbing wall, circus skills workshops and many activities to keep the whole family entertained.

Ticket details:
Early Bird tickets until 31st May £15, after which weekend tickets are available at £32, or individual tickets £18 full price & £16 concessions. For full ticket details and rest of the line-up please go to www.eastleighmusicfestival.co.uk or phone 023 8065 2333
Saturday daytime is FREE access which sees a showcase of local bands across 2 stages.
Sunday is FREE access all day, and features the vibrant Eastleigh Mela.
Friday 9th July
Gates open at 6pm

BEMIS
Bemis are an acoustic harmony band from the South - winners of Breakthrough Artists for Forest FM - for reputation in the Dorset/Southampton area in 2009 and Portsmouth Guide award winners for best folk/roots act in 2008.

Known for our successful appearances at the Bearded Theory Festival last year (booked again this year) and events like the Secret Garden Festival in Farnham, The Longest Day Festival in Lewes and the Coalition Peace Festival at the Spitbank Fort - we have played many other festivals and appeared at venues like the 100 Club in Oxford Street, Cyder House Inn in Shackleford, the Boiler Room in Guildford, Halfmoon in Putney, The Brook in Southampton, the Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth and sellout headline nights at the renowned Cellars at Eastney.

Their first album got a 4 and a half stars out of 5 glowing review in Maverick magazine - and their next album, that features 2 members of The Men They Couldn't Hang and a member of The Ukrainians,was given the same in May this year.
Known for their lyrics, the vocal harmonies and the attack they bring to the acoustic scene, Bemis are well worth checking out.

JIM MORAY
One of England’s most innovative young folk artists

Jim Moray is a massive talent and has been hailed as the saviour of folk music by just about every broadsheet and monthly magazine up and down the land. You could be forgiven for taking all the hyperbole about Jim Moray with a very big pinch of salt. The thing is though; he really is every bit good as they claim.

Jim has taken songs from English traditional music and re-worked them to create some of the most startlingly original, contemporary recordings to come out of the folk world. He illustrates his trademark inventiveness combined with life-affirming freshness and confidence with his new album “Low Culture”, which is another high point in an already ground-breaking and fascinating journey that won him BBC Folk Album of the Year Award in 2004. Jim offers up a set of songs from his latest album that will delight folk traditionalists every bit as much as to his growing fan base.

“One beautiful melody after another hauls you in, hook, line and sinker” BBC Album Review

LAU
Three times winners of BEST GROUP at the Radio 2 Folk Awards LAU are a formidable trio of three of the finest & most innovative exponents of modern traditional music in Britain today. Their now infamous live shows are a must-see experience with an energy and musicianship which is spellbinding. Highly regarded musicians in their own right, the combined talents of Kris Drever, Martin Green and Aidan O’Rourke make for a fantastic and all-conquering trio. A Lau live performance will be an explosion of both traditional and self-penned songs which highlight their unique take on folk music.
“…quite frankly the best band in the world right now” Channel 4 Music

CARA DILLON (HEADLINE)
Cara has one of those rare talents you only come across a handful of times in your whole life. Her staggeringly beautiful voice has the ability to reach inside the soul of a song and imbue material not only with profound sweetness but also poignancy and depth. Her ability to interpret traditional songs, as well as the strength of her own material makes her one of the very strongest of all folk performers around today. You will be hard pressed to find a more emotive and captivating performer. Cara has been at the heart of UK folk music for the past few years, but the release of her 2009 album ‘Hill of Thieves’ has been a real breakthrough with it being recognised as one of the finest albums of the last decade and was the deserved Winner – 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards ‘Album of the Year’.
"A beautifully balanced production. It’s impossible not to be held spellbound... an artist this good deserves to be savored." BBC

Saturday 10th July
11am – 6.30pm – Local Band Showcase for further details please refer to www.eastleighmusicfestival.co.uk
Bands will include Scarlet Soho, Dlugokecki, Charley Macauley, Winterhours, Ardentes, Ben Goddard, Calhouen Owen, Broken Links, Chalky Gravell, Chris Ricketts & Mark Willshire, Jazica………..etc…….

Gates open 6.15 – 6.30pm

HAUNTED STEREO
Haunted Stereo are an alt-folk/ indie/ experimental six-piece line-up from Southampton.
Originally founded in late 2007, the band plays over 15 instruments between them. Creating intricate layers of sound with an array of melodic instruments – including banjo, mandolin, accordion, piano, violin, recorder, electric guitar, melodica and percussion - , Haunted Stereo are very much about the thrills and fun that is to be had from playing live music together.

Following their debut EP “In Bars”, Haunted Stereo released their second EP “Tree House” on 28th March 09 on Whoopsydaisychain Records, and the title tracks of both have been played on Xfm, BBC6 Music and BBC1, amongst others.
“A quirky mix of alt-folk, country and indie.” (Tom Robinson, BBC6)

PEGGY SUE
Peggy Sue (formerly known as Peggy Sue and the Pirates and Peggy Sue and the Pictures) are an indie folk band from Brighton in England.
Peggy Sue have toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK including Kate Nash, Mumford & Sons and The Maccabees.
Clash: “The dual female vocals transport and transcend into beautiful plateaus of heartbreak and hoedowns with a a gritty edge unrivalled by their peer”
N.M.E: “It’s in terms of sheer vocal prowess that Peggy Sue really come into their own, the duo’s spine-tingling harmonies elevating them from pretty damn impressive to all-out, head-over-heels brilliant”

FIELD MUSIC
Field Music is the main project of brothers Peter and David Brewis from Sunderland who appear alongside Kev Dosdale (guitar and keys) and Ian Black (bass).

Their 2007 album, Tones of Town, is an eclectic collection of 80's influenced indie pop.

Their new album Field Music (Measure) was recorded at 8 Music studio in the band's hometown of Sunderland. It began as a few tracks written by the Brewis brothers grew to a 20-song double album.

"Psychedelic vocals float hazily skywards yet guitar and drums converse with metronomic precision. The tension proves a profitable one, though and the transition from the Prince-aping funk of 'Let's Write A Book' into the dreamy, wistful pop of 'You and I' provides the record's most rewarding union of chalk and cheese." The Guardian

BADLY DRAWN BOY (HEADLINE)
Prolific songwriter and Mercury Music prize winner Badly Drawn Boy aka Damian Gough is set to relay some of his new material from his upcoming album and some of his greatest hits, bringing his acoustic sounding magic to Eastleigh.
In 2002, Q magazine named Badly Drawn Boy in their list of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". Don't miss him, it's as simple as that, this will be a real treat!

Sunday 11th July – Eastleigh Mela

The Asian Welfare & Cultural Association’s Eastleigh Mela promises a full day of FREE events for the whole family including live music, dance, workshops and stalls.

Full details of the programme will be posted on the website in due course but will see the likes of the Pheonix Dancers, Kasbiah Knights, Eastleigh Fusion Choir, Kala the Arts, Morris Dancers, Bhangra Competition, Taiko Drumming, Spanish Dance, Falconry Display, Batala Portsmouth, Fire Service Demonstration, Spanish Dancers, Bollywood Competition, Crestwood Steel Band, Lion Dancers and many more……on into the evening which will see international artists including Raghu Dixit, Baghdaddies and Shama.

RAGHU DIXIT
Raghu Dixit has fast become a shining beacon in the burgeoning Indian independent music scene. Raghu’s debut self-titled album was released through Vishal and Shekhar Music in 2008 and went on to become India’s highest selling non-film music release last year – with most of these sales being made at concerts rather than off the shelf.

BAGHDADDIES
Hop onto The Baghdaddies’ magic carpet for an amazing musical trip from Newcastle, England through Eastern Europe to the Middle East. The Baghdaddies have been astounding audiences across Europe for nearly fifteen years, on stages far and wide, big and small, on the streets, in village halls, the music appeals to all…. with their eclectic fusion of Balkan gypsy songs and rhythms with funky dance grooves. Throw into the mix a little punk, jazz, reggae and ska and you have one of the most danceable bands on this or any other planet.

SHAMA