SOME top bands will be headlining this year’s Morton Stanley Festival in Redditch.
Topping the bill this year are The Rock Bottoms and Spiro on Saturday with The After Hours and Nizlopi headlining on Sunday between 3pm and 4pm.
Playing on Saturday are, Spiro, a contemporary acoustic ensemble who first came together through Bristol’s folk sessions scene in 1993.
They will be performing songs from their third album and will be joined on stage by The Rock Bottoms, originally from Astwood Bank, who were founded in 2012 as an acoustic duo with ex members of Ocean Colour Scene and Merrymouth.
On Sunday, Nizlopi and The After Hours will be playing. In 2005, Worcester-based band Nizlopi shot to fame with their number one hit ‘The JCB Song’ and are making a one off appearance at the festival after taking a break to focus on writing new material.
The After Hours are a 21st century band keen on redefining live dance music. The band weave the sounds of 1920’s New Orleans jazz, swing, Balkan and ska with ‘dance grooves’ to create their own style; eclectic electro-swing.
Councillor Pat Witherspoon, whose portfolio covers leisure services, said: “The annual festival gets bigger each year and looks set to be no different, with big headline acts and the opportunity for the local community to take to the stage. This is what makes our festival truly unique and is something to be really proud of in Redditch.”
The Festival will take place on August 20-21 at Morton Stanley Park bringing together a wide variety of live music as well as other activities to get involved in such as craft stalls, a mini food festival, children’s activities and a climbing wall from the army recruitment team.
There will also be a number of bands and groups playing over the course of the festival with 16 hours of local talent in the pipeline including: Mimosa, Lost at Home, Stuart Woolfenden, The Purple Shades, Redditch Gospel Choir, Black Tie Event, Ronin, Wychwood and many more.
To hear Spiro playing in Gran Canaria, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3P_NAgWvMM
To hear Nizlopi click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjQbdFglGe4
For more information, including links to headline acts, go to www.redditchbc.gov.uk/MSF
