Ticket sales strong for 'brilliant' Otley Folk Festival (From Wharfedale Observer)

Ticket sales strong for 'brilliant' Otley Folk Festival

2:16pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News By Jim Jack

Otley is preparing once more to resound to the sound of mandolins, fiddles and guitars.

Thousands of traditional music fans are expected to converge on the town next week to enjoy the 2012 Black Sheep Otley Folk Festival.

Running for four days from September 20 to 23, this year’s festival will once again see dozens of different acts playing a variety of venues, including the Methodist Church Hall, Otley Courthouse and Korks Wine Bar. The rugby and cricket clubs, Labour Rooms and the Horse & Farrier pub will also be hosting shows.

The 2011 festival, boosted by big-name acts like Chumbawamba and John Kirkpatrick, exceeded expectations and defied the difficult economic conditions by attracting big crowds.

Organiser Steve Fairholme says the indications so far for this year look just as promising, with several star acts – including acclaimed singer, guitarist and concertina-player Lucy Ward – set to enthrall.

And ticket sales for the shows and campsite are going well.

Mr Fairholme said: “Tickets are selling well and we’ve got a really strong line-up again this year.

“Since we booked Lucy Ward, she has won the BBC Radio 2 Horizon award for best newcomer, so that’s been a bit of a bonus, and I think she’ll be one of the standout performers.

“And Kris Drever, from the Kris Drever Trio, who are playing on the Saturday, was also nominated for a BBC Best Folk Singer award last year.

“Then we have the likes of Belshazzar’s Feast, who are just one of the finest duos in the country and are always brilliant.

“On top of that, we have a lot of acts who are Otley favourites and play nearly every year, by public demand, including The Hall Brothers and The Duncan McFarlane Band, who always go down a storm.”

Other artists in this year’s line-up include Grace Notes, Phil Snell & Gerry Cooper, The Phil Langran Band, Dave Vermond, Lime Scurvy, Nat Morven and Monkey’s Fist.

The festival will also feature some Morris dancing, musical workshops, a ceilidh with callers and, of course, plenty of real ale.

The event’s campsite at Knotsford Nook, off Pool Road, will be open from the evening of September 20, and includes toilets, washing facilities, a catering outlet and security.

Visit otleyfolkfestival.com, e-mail OtleyFF@hotmail.com or call (01943) 464858 for further information about the shows, tickets and camping.

Full festival gig listings

September 20
8.15pm Korks Wine Bar – Mark Lunn Introduces Robin Garside, Dave Vermond, The Hall Brothers and The Gerry McNeice Band.
September 21
7.30pm Otley Cricket Club – Plumhall, Lucy Ward and Flossie Malavialle
7.45pm Korks Wine Bar – Flossie Malavialle, Luke Hirst and Sarah Smout plus Something Nasty In The Woodshed
8pm Rugby Club – Patsy Matheson and Becky Mills plus Lucy Ward
8pm Labour Club – The ReVerb Project concert with Ross Spencer, Nat Morven and the Phil Langran Band
8.15pm Horse & Farrier – Acoustic concert with Luke Hirst and Sarah Smout, Harry Scurfield and Dave Vermond
September 22 
Noon Korks Wine Bar – The Gettysburg Hymnal, Pilgrims Way, Gavin Davenport and the Kris Drever Trio
1.50pm Horse & Farrier – Acoustic concert with The Hall Brothers, In No Particular Order, Phil Snell and Gerry Cooper the Phil Langran Band
2pm Cricket Club – Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer plus Belshazzar’s Feast
7.15pm Methodist Hall – Gavin Davenport, Kris Drever Trio and Belshazaar’s Feast
7.15pm Cricket Club – Anna Shannon, Dave Vermond and Pilgrims Way
7.15pm Rugby Club – Phil Snell and Gerry Cooper, Anna Shannon plus Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer
7.30pm Courthouse – Ceilidh with Jigjaw
8pm Korks Wine Bar – In No Particular Order, Gumtrio and the Duncan McFarlane Band
8.30pm Labour Club – The ReVerb Project concert with Emma Thorpe, Plumhall and Torn Sail
September 23
Noon Cricket Club – Sea songs with Jim Lawton, Zeke Deighton and Monkey’s Fist
12.30pm Korks Wine Bar – Blackwater, Gloria, Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer plus Tyde
1.40pm Horse & Farrier – Acoustic afternoon with Les Barker, Gloria and Blackwater
2.15pm Cricket Club – Picnic on the pitch with Philip Cockerham and Dave Bowey, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman plus Luigi Ana Da Boys
6.30pm Methodist Hall – Tyde, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman plus Cathryn Craig and Brian Willoughby
7pm Korks Wine Bar – Philip Cockerham and Dave Bowey, Dave Vermond and Les Barker
This list of events includes main concerts. It is not yet finalised, so keep checking the otleyfolkfestival.com website for latest updates.