June 6th - 9th Southwell, Nottinghamshire

With the 13th Gate To Southwell Festival on the horizon, over five thousand visitors are expected to visit the famous market town from June 6th to 9th.  There’ll be a rich mix of well-established, international and talented local music acts performing on four main stages over four days including headlners Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Los Pacaminos (featuring Paul Young), Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys and Celtic dance act Skipinnish.  Also on the eclectic bill there are diverse stars such as protest singer Grace Petrie, punk veterans Otway & Barrett, acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter Blue Rose Code, upcoming Californian bluegrass band Blue Summit and top quality Canadians Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys.

There’ll also be a timely celebration of European culture starring Korrontzi and Dinamo from Spain, SYA from the Netherlands and Hotel Palindrone from Austria; plus a special house band marking the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival in 1969 and also a timely Tribute to Buddy Holly (60 years after the rock & roll pioneer’s tragic death aged only 22).

Thursday 6th: the festival kicks off with a wildly western theme. Topping the bill will be Los Pacaminos (led by Paul Young) and supporting them, tall in the saddle, there’ll be award-winning young Californian bluegrass band Blue Summit plus last year’s festival favourites Truckstop Honeymoon from New Orleans.  Also returning will be rootsy rock & roll Californian Joshua Cook.  Plus a showcase of East Midlands’ based acts.

Friday 7th: the festival welcomes Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, supported by Leicester “woke folk” protest singer Grace Petrie, punk veterans Otway & Barrett and Hotel Palindrone from Austria.

Saturday 8th: Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys headline with great international support from Canadians Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys, Welsh starsCalan, former BBC Folk Singer of the Year Nancy Kerr and acclaimed ceilidh band Blackbeard’s Tea Party.  After past successes marking the Summer of Love and Dylan@75, this year the festival celebrates 50 years since Woodstock in 1969; a specially created ´house´ band plus guests will perform iconic songs from the ground-breaking “peace love and music” festival. 

Sunday 9th: With top quality artists appearing across the weekend, the festival will present a special European concert (led by Korrontzi and Dinamo from Spain) followed by a Celtic finale with Scottish stars Skipinnish, the excellent Edinburgh singer-songwriter Blue Rose Code and Irish favourites Ranagri. Plus there’s Sunjay Brain’s acclaimed Tribute To Buddy Holly.

There’ll be dance sides from all over the UK – the traditional procession through Southwell takes place on Saturday 8th – plus children’s entertainment, workshops, storytelling, ceilidhs, poetry, comedy, craft fairs and food stalls, and a European-themed beer and cider festival. (A subsidized Festival Shuttle Bus will link the town to the festival site near Southwell Racecourse.)   

Tickets available from www.gtsf.uk