It’s the big Stone Music Festival this weekend on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July in the High Street. Lots going on, including a headline set on Sunday from The Christians.
Last year more than 30 groups and solo artists delivered over 20 hours of live music and performance – and it’s going to be another rip-roaring year.
For the first time, the main headline band for Festival Sunday is an original band – The Christians will be appearing on the High Street stage at 7.45 pm to wrap up the festival in style.
Best known for their cover of The Isley Brothers’ Harvest For The World and Ideal World, their 1987 debut album The Christians went double platinum. And they’re still going strong, with a new album released last year. Check their official website for lots more on them. Here’s a video of The Christians performing Harvest For The World in March this year…
Other performers during the main festival weekend include Honey Ryder, Soul Survivors, The Vanz, Kaiser Monkey Killers, Ben Owen and Murphy’s Marbles – once again featuring the Dubliners’ Sean Cannon.
There’s a busking competition and most of the day on Saturday is given over to young bands and performers from Stone, with a headline set from Soul Survivors.
The full festival programme can be downloaded at www.stonemusicandartsfestival.org – make sure you have a look!
Dr Steve Brookes, chair of the voluntary group that organises the festival – and raises the money to fund the event – said: “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 and other artists we put on the stage. It’s Stone’s music and arts festival and we want everyone in the town to join in to make it an event to be proud of.”
The festival’s main sponsor for the third year running is Wedgwood. David McCoy, sales and marketing director of Wedgwood Visitor Centre in Barlaston, said: “We are delighted to support this fantastic local initiative. The Festival has evolved and developed into a showpiece for the locality, through the hard work and dedication of a small number of enthusiastic people. I hope many families support this great event and have a fantastic weekend of fun and entertainment.”
Free car parking has been very kindly provided by ABB. If you can’t make the event, the whole festival is being streamed live on the web by Stafford Radio.
The organising team meets regularly and is already looking ahead to 2014. The festival relies entirely on donations, grants and ‘hands-on’ voluntary support, so if you want to get involved give Steve Brookes a call on 01785 818487.
- High Street
- Murphys Marbles
- Sean Cannon
- Steve Brookes
- Stone Music Festival
- The Christians
- The Vanz
- town centre
