The Award-Winning West Sussex Festival

Pump Bottom Farm, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 7EH

Fri 22nd to Sun 24th June 2012 

21 Bands to Play

21st Anniversary Festival in 2012 

World-Class Music in a Big Party Atmosphere! 

21 of the leading Blues, Rock and Roots acts from around the UK and from the US will be wowing music fans next month at the 21st anniversary Blues on the Farm music festival. 

Voted ‘Best British Blues Festival’ in 2010, and now in its 21st year, this famous festival is staged in a laid-back rural setting on the Sussex coastal plain two miles south of Chichester. Commenting on this year’s extraordinary line-up, organiser Julian Moores said, “Blues on the Farm is all about world-class music in a big party atmosphere! This award-winning festival stages some of the best blues, blues-rock, soul and roots music you’ll hear anywhere in the World … often from bands that haven’t hit the charts, but are as good as (if not far better than) any on the mainstream festival circuit!” 

Headlining Friday night are two of the UK’s leading Blues acts - King King and The Blues Band. Featuring musicians formerly with Manfred Mann (including their frontman Paul Jones), Family and McGuinness Flint, the individual members of The Blues Band were already highly admired by generations of R&B fans when they formed in the late 70s. Three decades later, they are hailed throughout Europe and beyond as one of the very finest bands around. Meanwhile the stunning blues-rockers King King return after their sell-out performance last year which prompted this review in the acclaimed Blues Matters magazine: “A performance that should, without doubt, put them firmly up with the best on the British circuit and probably the European circuit too” (Blues Matters magazine review of King King’s 2011 performance at Blues on the Farm) 

For Saturday evening, the mesmerising Dana Fuchs will be flying in from the US to perform here for the first time, while headlining the night is Earl Thomas with Paddy Milner & The Big Sounds – hailed by The Times as “impressive and original”! 

Another Blues maestro flies in from the US for Sunday night. In his only UK performance this summer, the modern and legendary blues icon Joe Louis Walker joins forces with ‘blue-blooded bluesman’ Todd Sharpville, who went down a storm last year and is described by MOJO Magazine as “one of our best blues guitarists”!

Across the weekend the festival is also presenting a number of terrific rising female stars from around the UK, including The Toy Hearts, Grainne Duffy, and Sussex-based singer-songwriter Jo Harman. Described on the BBC as “Real singer … real music … real deal” Jo’s evocative voice, and exciting stagecraft, has seen her dubbed one of the most compelling singers of her generation.

The diverse line-up across each of the three days of the festival include a bit of funky-blues with the ever-popular Sam Kelly and Station House, three-times winner of the UK Blues Harmonica Player of the Year award, Errol Linton, powerhouse rock from The Jon Amor Blues Group, plus country blues from Rag Mama Rag and stripped-down no-nonsense blues from The Bare Bones Boogie Band

Other artists include The Wildcards, Woody Mann, Doug Macleod, King Mob, Dave Kelly, Giles Robson & The Dirty Aces, and The Revolutionaires, plus local Chi College band New Routes which showcases some of the finest young talent from students studying popular music at Chichester College. 

“I’m really pleased to be bringing all these top acts to Chichester for our 21st Anniversary Blues on the Farm”, said organiser Julian Moores. “There’s no doubt in my mind that, if you love live music and want to experience some of the best live rock, blues, soul and roots music you’re ever likely to hear, then we have the just the right line-up of bands and musicians.” 

With three full days of music opening at 12 noon each day, the 2012 Blues on the Farm Festival will run as follows: 

  • Friday 22nd June             12 noon to 12 midnight
  • Saturday 23rd June        12 noon to 12 midnight
  • Sunday 24th June           12 noon to 10pm 

In addition, there will be a pre-festival gig for campers on the evening of Thursday 21st June from 7.30 pm to 12 midnight. 

Staged in a 40 acre setting, Blues on the Farm offers full camping for caravans, campervans and tents, plus masses of car parking. 

Tickets to the 21st Anniversary Blues on the Farm are now on sale! Phone 01243 773828 

“We know that times are a little tougher, so all tickets have been kept at 2011 prices. In fact, for those buying online or over the phone, we’ve been able to reduce our administration costs, so our modest Postage & Admin Fee is even lower this year!”