Published on July 21st, 2016 | by Nigel Cartner
0Blackthorn Festival 2016 - 1 Day To Go
Only one day to go till Blackthorn 2016 kicks off where three days of fantastic music will grace Stockport over FOUR stages. The final line-ups and stage times have been confirmed and it looks a mouth-watering proposition now the schedule has been finalised. Is there any wonder why the festival has grown once again to its biggest yet?
Like last year it’s great to see a number of bands/artists we’ve featured on Sonic Bandwagon appear over the weekend, and similar to Sonic Bandwagon with our own diverse music tastes, the diverse tastes of show organisers, Karl Hancock, Dan Adams and Mr Peeps means that there will be quite an eclectic mix this year, adhering to the notion, ‘something for everybody’. Musical tastes could be broadened after this weekend, and after taking a sneak peek at some of the bands on offer who I haven’t heard before, that may very well be the case.
The cream of Greater Manchester talent has been chosen where possible along with a selection of bands from further afield around the UK, with famed indie rockers Maximo Park headlining the Sunday night, a real coup for Blackthorn that poses a lot of excitement and anticipation amongst those attending.
There is an abundance of highlights over the three days. The tribute acts on the Friday night are always a special section of the festival. Last year’s worked perfectly and with Antarctic Monkeys, Katzabian and Bootleg Beatles providing this year’s nostalgic trip, with DJ sets from Clint Boon and Craig Charles thrown into the mix, it’s sure to be another exceptional opening night.
Stereo MCs are now the main act on Saturday after the unfortunate news that The View have had to pull out, but Stereo MC’s will be more than capable of filling the void and drawing the crowd to the main stage. Famed artists originating from the 80s, Dub Sex and Stella Grundy will perform on The Meadow Stage before the main act arrives on Saturday. John Bramwell from I Am Kloot precedes these two acts in what promises to be quite the line-up on Saturday evening.
There’s a few bands I’ve seen before who I’m looking forward to watching again. Matchstickmen have been releasing a series of new songs lately and they have been promoted to the Main Stage this year so their classic rock sound will come across more powerfully. The Cornelius Crane are a genuine class act who have recently released their debut full LP. Hopefully the weather will suit when they take to the stage on Saturday to play their brand of Americana. Indie band, Barron were well received last year and their slot before Stereo MCs promises to be an exciting performance. The Tapestry received glowing reviews from headliners The Enemy last year and will be looking to put on the same level of performance this time around, similar to Not Hot Ashes who were also a highlight. The likes of Little Sparrow and Gary Quinn were huge hits last year and will provide the pinnacle of folk and country acts once again. Jess Kemp was arguably the best act of 2015’s festival in my opinion and with her star continuing to rise I expect a full house when she plays again on Sunday. ist ist are probably the band I’m most looking forward too and could be the hidden gem of Blackthorn this year. I saw them nearly a year ago and their menacing dark punk orientated vibe was tremendous. Sure to be a big hit!
There are of course several acts whose music I’ve heard but haven’t had the privilege to see live yet, which I’m hoping to change over the weekend. Most fall under the indie/rock genres, including, New York Tourists, The Barmines, Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles, Shadow Palace, Sly Antics, The Jade Assembly and Sixty Minute Man. Funky rock outfit Happy Daggers are going to provide some serious hip shaking to their set. The lyrical prowess of Rum Thief is an act I’ve longed to see live, and relatively new band Cabbage, who continue to make waves in the scene, will bring something a little different with their unique brand of neo post punk.
There are too many bands to mention that are worth watching, and I’m sure more will be on my radar after the weekend that I haven’t heard of already.
With the array of music, activities and food and drink on show, there’s something for all the family to enjoy at Blackthorn. Price ranges, more info and a list of all the bands performing can be found at http://www.blackthornmusicfestival.co.uk.
Last year I broke my festival camping duck, so now I return having learnt from one or two school boy errors of last year…maybe. I hope to see you down there. Stay tuned on Sonic Bandwagon’s Facebook, Twitter, and Web Page for constant updates over the weekend.
Ticket prices are as follows:
£55.00 - Weekend Ticket Single - £20.00 for 15s and under
£20.00 – Friday Solus - 5:30pm – 2:30am, £10.00 for 15s and under
£30.00 – Saturday Solus - 11:30am – 2:30am, £15.00 for 15s and under
£30.00 – Sunday Solus - 11:30am – 8pm, £10.00 for 15s and under
£15.00 – Camping Pitch Ticket - Camping for the weekend
6 and under enter for FREE
Tickets on sale from outlets May 1st
- Buy tickets direct from Blackthorn 07340 809204, or [email protected] Or get them from our local outlets
- - Inkbox Marple
- - Stationary Supplies Marple
- - Compstall Post Office
- - Romiley Post Office
- - Alternatively you can purchase from Skiddle
More information on Blackthorn Festival can be found on the official website, Facebook and Twitter.
Address: Whitebottom Farm, Etherow Country Park, Compstall, Stockport, SK6 5HZ
About the Author
Nigel Cartner Nigel is a huge fan of music from the 60s and 70s with an emphasis on rock, psych, blues and indie. This spreads to music of the same genre into the modern era. Being a Manchester lad he also has an affiliation with local music past and present. He has also recently released his debut novel, 'Lost in Manchester, Found in Vegas' which is available on amazon or njcartner.com
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