Monday 23 October 2017
Monday evening: Hellesdon & Sprowston Brass Band
Back again for the 2017 Festival is the Hellesdon and Sprowston brass band! Formed in 2005 with the merger of the former Sprowston Brass Band and the Enterprise Band, resulting in the creation of a Band that is proud of their multiple years of experience and libraries. The former Sprowston Band was created from the old Lads Club Band in Norwich from the 1950s!
Tuesday 24 October 2017
Tuesday lunchtime: Dixie Mix Jazz Band
Headed by cornetist Simon Nelson, Dixie Mix bring together many of the region’s best jazz players. Their talent, knowledge & enthusiasm for traditional jazz has led them to become East Anglia’s hottest Dixieland jazz band. Dixieland is a style of jazz developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. (Just try not to destroy the double bass this year?)
Tuesday evening: music-free session
Wednesday 25 October 2017
Wednesday lunchtime: Klezmerised
New for 2017 are a four-piece band, from Norwich and the band title says it all! Klezmerised will be playing a wide selection of Klezmer and Balkan music from eastern Europe.
Wednesday early evening: John Ward Band
The John Ward band will be delighting visitors to the 40th Festival on the Wednesday early evening. John Ward turned to folk and acoustic music in the mid 80s and, by 1988 had become a full-time songwriter and musician on the folk and roots music scene. Since then, he has performed in countless venues in the UK and overseas and has guested on numerous radio shows and on British television. He has released 7 albums and has published a book entitled the Iron Bridge. The John Ward Band creates a rich sound, full of harmonies. The music might be described as 'folk rock' though is hard to label due to the musicians’ versatility and John's eclectic repertoire.
Wednesday late evening: Hayley Moyses Britgrass Three
The Hayley Moyses Britgrass Three is an innovative three-piece of Norfolk musicians playing a wide range of material from old pop classics to songs plucked from contemporary charts mixed with classic bluegrass breakdowns. They seem to straddle several musical styles with three part harmonies, guitar, fiddle, banjos & mandolin.
Thursday 27 October 2017
Thursday lunch: Hushwing
Hushwing was formed in 2014 to celebrate, Norfolk folk singer, Walter Pardon's 100th birthday. They have since played at numerous local celebrations, pubs and festivals and for the Mid Norfolk Railway Folk Dance Train each year and have produced a couple of CDs and are currently working on 'Foundlings' - a collection of hitherto largely unknown Norfolk tunes. Hushwing play only tunes from Norfolk, from people like Walter Bulwer, Harry Cox, Billy Bennington, Billy Cooper and Herbert Smith. Hushwing is a Norfolk dialect word for a Barn Owl.
Thursday early evening: The Harvs
The Harvs are a father and son duo. They generally like much the same things and approach harmonies in a spookily similar way whilst one plays mandolin and the other plays guitar. They love to sing and to have a good laugh and they like hecklers, so get your sing-along and heckling voices at the ready!
Thursday late evening: Cawston Brass Band
Formed way back in 1886, originally named Cawston & District Silver Prize Band, they first rehearsed above the Bell Inn in Cawston, Norfolk. To maintain a high standard, the band enjoys competing as well as concerts. Brass band contesting is not new thing. The band have won 176 prizes in 11 years and once secured 14 prizes in 4 days. They have made several appearances at Crystal Palace and they have risen to the 1st Section nationally. They are a favourite with visitors to Norwich Beer Festival, particularly for their Queen tributes.
Friday 27 October 2017
Friday lunchtime: Dave Thomas Band
Dave Thomas is entering the 50th year of his professional career and is the guitarist and bandleader of choice for many of the big blues names visiting from the U.S. He also has a number of critically acclaimed albums in his own right that are as varied as they are classy. If you have an interest in blues music that has a clear lineage from its 1950s and 60s roots then you owe it to yourself to check the Dave Thomas Band out.
Friday early evening: Punch House Band / Tim Lane
Probably best known as the composer & guitar player for the top local theatre company Crude Apache. Tim Lane is a Norwich-based song-writer and composer, guitarist, singer and music technology addict who's been making music since he was a youngster. Pop along to the Festival on Friday night to enjoy The Punch House Band playing a mix of country, bluegrass, blues, folk and Americana.
Friday late evening: The Good Times
Formed in 2013 as Sophie G and the Good Times, The Good Times are a professional UK party band, offering a dynamic selection of music for celebrations and events. They perform all around the country with a wide range of popular music from the 1950s to current chart hits. From Taylor Swift to T-Rex and from Adele’s Rolling In the Deep to Valerie by Amy Winehouse. In other words, if you are 18 to 80 they will have something in your era, well played and a lot of fun!
Saturday 28 October 2017
Saturday lunchtime: Blakeney Old Wild Rovers
New for 2017, the Old Wild Rovers from Blakeney will be transporting you back in time during Saturday lunchtime. A Shanty and Folk band from the North Norfolk coast, the Old Wild Rovers started life some years ago over a few pints in a local pub. Since then they have organised and performed at many fundraising events, raising over £200,000 for charity, with their chorus of maritime songs, traditionally sung by sailors as they raised the mainsheet and set sail on their long journeys at sea, to humorous songs from the local area.
Saturday early evening: Invidia Voices
Invidia Voices are a big, strong and powerful sounding rock and soul choir in Norwich that allows all members to have fun whilst enjoying singing great hits from that past 5 decades, anything from Aretha to Queen, to Abba to Katy Perry and anything in between. Invidia voices was born in 2012, when Matt Emerson decided to set up a choir for his students. He felt that many of the existing choirs lacked an emphasis on fun and wanted to bring back the social, enjoyable side to performing as part of a vocal group. The first sessions started off as the Carolling & Christmas Choir, which turned into a roaring success. As a result of the enthusiastic response from all involved, Matt and Alex Emmerson decided to turn the choir into a full-time group. By March of 2012, well over a hundred new members had signed up to join the newly named Invidia Voices Rock & Soul Choir.
On Saturday the festival will be open all day from 12noon with last entry at 9pm – no ticket is required and admission is only £3 on the door for non-members.
Bands will also soon be announced for the Great British Beer Festival Winter, which is hosted by Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA in Norwich at the Halls from 20th to 24th February 2018. The festival, which offers beers of every season, shade and style, and will have music nights on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This festival will stay in Norwich for 2019 before moving to a different CAMRA region. There will be free entry for CAMRA members. For more information see the Great British Beer Festival Winter website.
