Festival news from SpiralEarth.co.uk,
featuring folk roots and alternative festivals in the UK and further afield

27/06/2012

Show of Hands - Abbotsbury cancelled

UPDATE - The 2012 event was cancelled due to atrocious weather - Show of Hands hugely popular annual signature festival on the Dorset heritage coast celebrates its 15th year next month – fielding some of the hottest young acoustic roots acts in England, Wales and Germany in one of its best ever line-ups. Just three months after another celebration - the duo’s 20th year “Big Gig” at the Royal Albert Hall - Show of Hands will mark 15 years of their unique family festival at Abbotsbury’s glorious Sub Tropical Gardens near Weymouth on Saturday, July 7, close to the Jurassic coast’s Chesil Beach.

Together with regular guest Miranda Sykes on double bass and vocals, singer songwriter Steve Knightley and his multi instrumental partner Phil Beer will spearhead over six hours of non-stop open-air entertainment on Abbotsbury’s West Lawn. Joining the outdoor party this year will be a raft of special guests topped by the innovative, sometimes controversial, always electrifying Jim Moray – one of the most exciting talents to hit the English folk scene.

Hoping the rain clouds won’t be gathering over Abbotsbury will be the newly-crowned winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Horizon award for the Best Newcomer - Derbyshire singer-songwriter Lucy Ward.
She was also nominated for Best Traditional Track for her Maids When You’re Young

Also joining the impressive line-up will be another award-winning young act -the high energy, much feted Welsh band Jamie Smith’s Mabon. “A top band led by one hell of an accordion player and arranger”- Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2

Fellow Devon musicians Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, rapidly making waves on the roots scene, will also be heading to Abbotsbury, following their tour with Steve Knightley this spring. Steve first saw the duo busking on the seafront during the 2009 Sidmouth Festival and a year later they were firmly on the festival’s bill. Henry and Martin went on to join Show of Hands for some dates on their 2010 “Spires and Beams” tour.

Completing the line up will be the Germany-based acoustic duo Broom Bezzums (Andrew Cadie and Mark Bloomer) who Steve Knightley describes as “just about the best young duo on the circuit”. Songwriters, vocalists and multi instrumentalists, between them they play fiddle, guitar, mandola and Northumbrian pipes and have supported Show of Hands on German tours.

The event starts at 3pm. Tickets are available on 01305-871130, price £25 (adults); £15 (children) or a great value family ticket for two adults and up to three children for £55. The Abbotsbury Tourism box office is open 9am-1pm and 2-5pm Mondays to Fridays Further information on
www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk or email info@abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk