Stone gets ready to rock again!

Two of Britain’s top tribute bands will headline the 2012 Stone Music and Arts Festival, which starts  on Monday 9th July. For the first time in Stone, the legendary Sean Cannon from The Dubliners will be performing with our much-loved Murphy’s Marbles.

They’ll be part of a packed weekend and will perform free concerts on stages in the town’s High Street in front of audiences expected to be more than 3,000-strong on July 14th and 15th.

This year’s headliners include Slyde – a Slade tribute band who wow their audiences with their sing-along tunes, glam and glitter excess and the raw rock ‘n’ roll power that was the calling card of the ever popular Black Country rock band during the early seventies.

Meanwhile ‘Re-take That’ are one of Europe’s most popular Take That tributes and have been playing at sold-out venues to audiences for the last five years.

The bands will be supported by a variety of other musical and performance acts over the weekend as well as arts and crafts displays. Local venues will also offer live music throughout the week. Great value tickets are also available for the Jimi Hendrix tribute Are You Experienced? launch party on Friday 13th July at the Crown Hotel.

For classical music lovers, Duncan Honeybourne, one of the UK’s most renowned concert pianists, will give a piano recital on the evening of Saturday 14th July at the Wedgwood Visitor Centre, Barlaston. This superb venue belonging to main sponsor Wedgwood, will host an evening of beautiful piano music by Brahms, Liszt, and Chopin and guests will be invited to a pre-concert wine reception starting at 7.30pm and a post-recital wine and canapé reception – all for just £6 per ticket. Tickets for this concert can be purchased from Tim Toft Violins, Station Road, or from the festival team at farmers’ markets in the town.

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For more details of ticketed events and a full rundown of this year’s programme log on to www.stonemusicandartsfestival.org, or head over to Facebook (facebook.com/smafs) or Twitter (@stone_maf).

Stone Music Festival is the West Midlands’ biggest free music festival and last year more than 30 groups and solo artists delivered nearly 20 hours of live music and performance. This year is even bigger and better.

“Our team are now fully geared up for this year and it’s going to be the best festival yet,” says Steve Brookes, who chairs the voluntary group which raises the money to fund the event and organises it. “We don’t get paid – in fact getting all the support and funding we need is hard work – the reward is to see thousands of happy faces singing (and sometimes dancing) along to the musicians we put on the stages. It’s Stone’s music and arts festival and we are keen that everyone in the town joins in to make it an event to be proud of.”

Programmes have now been delivered to every home and business in Stone and the surrounding areas and the scene is set for a great weekend.

The organising team meet regularly and are already looking ahead to 2013 having booked an original headline band for the Sunday finale – The Christians. The organisers rely entirely on donations, grants and hands-on voluntary support, so if you want to get involved give Steve Brookes a call on 01785 818487.