Plus THE GROUNDHOGS, CAPTAIN SENSIBLE BAND, HANK WANGFORD & THE LOST COWBOYS, THE MAGIC TOMBOLINOS, DELROY WILLIAMS & THE JUNCTION BAND, SWANS IN FLIGHT, ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER and more

(Note: Rhythm Festival, held as a single event in Bedfordshire since 2006, becomes 3 linked festivals in 2012 with the addition ofRhythm Folk and Rhythm & Blues and takes place at Old Warden Park in Bedfordshire over the Bank Holiday Weekend ofAugust 24-26th.)

More acts are today announced for the Big Rhythms & Happy Rhythms stages including Stax Hammond organ superstar Booker T Jones and his full American band – famous for such iconic hits as "Green Onions", "Time Is Tight" and for playing with Otis Redding and producing Bill Withers – and a rare outing for an occasional supergroup featuring cult guitar hero Chris Spedding, original Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, Pretenders drummer Martin Chambers, Sharks vocalist Stephen W Parsons (AKA Snips) and new guitar talent Sixteen, calling themselves King Mob (both Saturday). Appearing on the Sunday are Boomtown Rats, led by original guitarist Garry Roberts and drummer Simon Crowe, the driving force behind the original band. Other great acts announced for these stages include the Captain Sensible Band, The Groundhogs, featuring Tony (TS) McPhee, Eddie & The Hot Rods,Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys, Delroy Williams & The Junction Band, The Magic Tombolinos, Swans In Flight,Attila The Stockbroker, Macavity's Cat and Virgil & The Accelerators. 

THE COMPLETE RHYTHM & BLUES FESTIVAL LINE-UP WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK

There will be 4 main music stages: Big Rhythms and Happy Rhythms with the two new events, Rhythm Folk and Rhythm & Blues each having their own areas, dominated by huge big-top stages. Camping and lots of other attractions (see below) will be shared. 

The emphasis in 2012 is on bringing gifted young performers into Rhythm Festivals, joining the veteran acts who have always been its main-stay.

Also NEW for 2012 and available to ticket-holders for all three Rhythm Festivals are Fringe Theatre performances in the The Old Dick Theatre and a huge programme of Literary & Poetry Events. Details of BIG NAME attractions on these stages will be announced soon. Comedy (again programmed by Jesterlarf Comedy Club of Cambridge) will return in 2012 as will other old Rhythm avourites, including the Groovy Movie Picture House (free sola-powered cinema), DJ Wheelie Bag in the Tavern Bar and even more children's entertainment, including Panic Circus and the Junior (London) Olympics. Many more new attractions will be added and announced in the coming weeks.

TICKET HOTLINE NOW OPEN: 01767 626 262Credit Card Hotline operated by The Mansion House and operates during office hours, 9am-5pm, Monday to Saturday. 5% booking fee will be added to all telephone orders.No booking fee (£1 handling charge per order) on tickets bought from the official website HERE

The confirmed line-up so far:

Friday 24th August:
RHYTHM FESTIVAL: Hawkwind, The Slackers (USA), The Beat, Three Bonzos & A Piano, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Swans in Flight

RHYTHM FOLK: Peatbog Faeries, The Men They Couldn't Hang (Acoustic), Lucy Ward, Jamie Smith's Mabon

RHYTHM & BLUES: Wilko Johnson, Mitch Laddie Band

Saturday 25th August:
RHYTHM FESTIVAL: Booker T, The Damned, Denis Alcapone (Jamaica), King Mob, The GRoundhogs, Here & Now, The Captain Sensible Band, Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys, The Magic Tombolinos, Virgil & The Accelerators, The Barker Band, Leatherat, Pearl Handled Revolver.

RHYTHM FOLK: The Strawbs, The Ian McMillan Orchestra, Richard Digance, David Knopfler, Travelling Band, Wishing Well (Aus), Faeries Wear Boots

RHYTHM & BLUES: Big Boy Bloater, Chantel McGregor, Lucy Zirins

Sunday 26th August:
RHYTHM FESTIVAL: Ken Boothe (Jamaica), Crazy World of Arthur Brown, David Rodigan, Boomtown Rats, John Otway Big Band, Delroy Williams & The Junction Band, Mystery Juice, King Hammond, Macavity's Cat, Attila The Sockbroker, Barnstormer, Intensified, Big 10

RHYTHM FOLK: Show of Hands featuring Miranda Sykes, Lau, Scott Matthews, Moulettes, Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts, Damh The Bard 

RHYTHM & BLUES: Crosstown Lightnin' (featuring Charles Shaar Murray), Cherry Lee Mewis, Bare Bones Boogie Band

TICKET PRICES: 
ALL FESTIVALS EARLY BIRD ADULT WEEKEND PASS: £99 includes one free child/ youth (5-16). Extra kids £60 each. Under 5's free.
RHYTHM FOLK ADULT WEEKEND TICKET (only): £70 until May 31st, then £80. Includes one child/ youth (5-16 years) free. Extra kids £35 each.
RHYTHM & BLUES ADULT WEEKEND TICKET (only): £70 until May 31st, then £80. Includes one child/ youth (5-16 years) free. Extra kids £35 each.
CAMPING (any festival): £36 per tent, £50 per campervan/ caravan.
Tickets will be sent out from March.