Countdown to England’s newest winter festival as the cream of British folk acts line up for February extravaganza

Somerset musicians high on the bill 

More than 100 Morris dancers from three counties are due to flock to the picturesque Somerset market town of Frome for its first ever folk festival in just over three weeks time.

The mass Morris meet will include members of Rag Morris (University of Bristol’s side); Somerset Morris; Hips and Haws, the Wiltshire ladies clog-dancing side; Bathampton Morris Men, Bristol’s City Clickers, Wiltshire’s White Horse Morris and Priston Jubilee Morris, a Cotswold men’s side – plus the quirkily-named Mr. Wilkins Shilling (a women’s Bath-based clog side whose dances originate in the Lancashire mill towns) and the smallest side of all –Somerset’s Billy No Mates (one man and one musician!) 

Together with session musicians, they will get the two-day festival –one of the first of 2012 - off to a lively start at 9am on Saturday, February 18 whilst Somerset’s own popular young siblings band Dyer: Cummings will kick things off on the Sunday, along with another Morris programme.The funky ceilidh band features four top performers; Jon Dyer on bass guitar and flute, Penny Dyer on bassoon, Hannah Cumming (fiddle)and Alex Cumming on piano accordion and bouzouki .See them in a Songs from the Shed session 

An incredible roster of many of top names in British folk will appear at the winter festival including seven 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominees – the Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Manchester on February 8.
Situated at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, Frome boasts steep cobbled streets, old weavers’ cottages and historic Georgian buildings as well as the popular entertainment venue The Cheese and Grain which will be the main focus of the festival. 

The festival is the brainchild of West Country music promoter Jan Ayers, who successfully brought a folk festival back to Bristol after 32 years this spring.

Says Jan: “I can’t think of a more perfect place for a “banish your winter blues” festival. Frome has a great tradition for live acoustic music. Not only is it perfectly situated in the heart of Somerset close to the cities of Bath, Wells and Salisbury but it also has a number of characterful pubs and other venues we will use. Some of our biggest folk stars will be coming to Somerset and there will also be workshops, singarounds, market stalls and lots of warming winter soup. Frome will be fizzing in February!”

“The line-up is absolutely great – it looks like a fantastic festival” Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2

The whole town will be buzzing, with other stages at the nearby Westway Cinema, Masonic Hall and Round Tower as well as pub sessions at The Griffin, The Cornerhouse and The Bear featuring musicians including Leander Morales, Dizzi Dulcimer and Bath’s acclaimed cellist Beth Porter and The Availables.

And the festival boasts lots of local connections. Award-winning Irish songstress Cara Dillon, who lives in Frome, is festival patron and will be introducing the duo Winter Mountain, the first signing to her new Charcoal Records label. 

Hailing from the shores of Cornwall and Donegal, Winter Mountain are a folk harmony duo featuring Joe Francis on vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica and Martin Smyth on vocals and piano. 

Other Frome artists who will be appearing are feted bluesman Eddie Martin who was 2011’s Blues Artist of the Year Winner in the South West Music Awards and who has been called “the best blues guitarist Britain has produced since Clapton” and rising singer songwriter Jane Taylor, whose songs are attracting national airplay, including Bob Harris’s BBC Radio 2 show.

One of the most dynamic duos on the UK acoustic music scene will headline the first day of England’s newest folk festival - in a special double appearance.

The melodeon, fiddle and singing phenomenon John Spiers and Jon Boden are twice winners of Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, and also spawned the mighty 11-piece folk supergroup Bellowhead. They will host an afternoon ceilidh before performing their evening headline set. 

“Folk legend” Steve Knightley will be the Sunday headliner. Show of Hands’ inspired frontman, hailed as one of England’s finest songwriters, this year celebrates 20 years of his phenomenal professional partnership with multi instrumental wizard Phil Beer when Show of Hands play the Royal Albert Hall for an incredible fourth  time.

But the BBC triple award-winning songwriter is increasingly carving a successful solo career alongside Show of Hands and Frome Folk Festival will offer an opportunity to see him take to the stage of The Cheese and Grain in a display of inimitable one-man showmanship.

Also confirmed for Frome is the brilliantly inventive echno traditionalist” Jim Moray who has been making controversial waves on the folk scene since 2003 when his debut album Sweet England was described by Uncut magazine as “the most significant new development in English folk music since Fairport Convention’s Liege and Lief.

Credited with bringing about “the greatest leap forward in folk for 30 years” Moray is known for shaking traditional English ballads back to life in striking modern arrangements. He won both the Best Newcomer and Best Album titles at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. He is the brother of fiddle singer Jackie Oates, who is also appearing at Frome with her band. 

The main line-up is completed by Chris Wood, Jamie Smith’s Mabon, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, Bella Hardy, Tim Edey and Brendan Power, Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston, Pilgrims’ Way, Gren Bartley, Belshazzar’s Feast, Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, Jenna, Elfynn and phenomenal 17 year-old singer songwriter Luke Jackson. 

Frome Folk Festival will run from 9am-11pm both days. Great value weekend tickets, price £58 (£48 concessions).

A family weekend ticket for two adults and 2 children (aged under 15) is £190.No booking fees apply. Day tickets are £32 (£30 concessions).

For those wishing to camp, there will be provision locally for tents and camper vans. There are also numerous campsites, hotels and B & B’s in the area.