Friday’s shaping up real nice! Limekiln Field, Moor Lane, Croyde, Devon, EX33 1NZFri 15th to Sun 17th June 2012

With NEWTON FAULKNER headlining Friday night 15th June, it looks like the 14th GoldCoast Oceanfest is going to continue the vein of introducing new and fresh talent to North Devon’s idyllic shores! Supporting Newton this year is DRY THE RIVER – don’t call them the next great folk band, just call them the next great band, full stop.

This five-piece band has all the hallmarks of the latest folk sensation: elemental name, beards, acoustic guitars, even a violinist. But what sets Dry the River apart is a background in hardcore and post-punk bands, hence the tattoos, lyrics that read like a Steinbeck novel and a sonic palette that sweeps from gentle to giant like an incoming storm. (Sounds like last years Oceanfest! Lets hope not, let the sun gods shine and let it be – Dry the River.)

GoldCoast will also be introducing 18-year-old sensation GABRIELLE APLIN; a shining example of a 21st-century star with a remarkable talent and impressively loyal following. A self-taught, multi-instrumentalist, this ambitious self-starter, has already played to sold-out audiences on three headline UK tours, appeared at a number of festivals – including Glastonbury and Secret Garden Party.

Born and bred in the historic town of Bath, Gabrielle’s pared down blend of sweetly romanticised, introspective pop-folk hovers somewhere between Ellie Goulding and Ed Sheeran and with her fresh, new sonic perspective, clings fast to the adage that less is more.

Gabrielle reveres time-honoured folk mavens Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake but there’s a decidedly modern twist to this olde English tale: her YouTube hit count has surpassed the six million mark, with her rendition of You Me At Six’s ‘The Liar and the Lighter’ receiving over 500,000 plays alone. She currently has the 73rd most subscribed channel on the site.

For this 21st century star, things are only really just beginning…

Also in the mix on Friday is North Devon’s band of the moment SMALL TOWN JONES, headed up by singer/songwriter Jim Jones and back with a brand new album – Freight ships.

Recording as Small Town Jones, Jim has once again collaborated with the prodigiously-talented multi instrumentalist and long time friend David Little to create a remarkable new record – recorded by top producer Kevin Prosch at his studio, Third Ear Music, in Amarillo, Texas. With his cracked, emotional, English voice playing against the widescreen sounds of a Texan setting, ‘freight ships’ combines the best of both nations: classic Anglo-Americana.

Set to make even bigger waves performing live at Oceanfest, Small Town’s Jim Jones & Dave Little have been making a real impression since invited on to Dermot O’Leary’s Radio 2 show and subsequent album launch at Petroc’s Factory back in February.

Tickets now on sale via the festival HERE