Up to 100 bands and soloists are being lined up to perform at a host of venues in the first ever Blackpool Music Festival next month. The not-for-profit event is seen as the launching pad for an annual festival which it is hoped will attract thousands of people to the Fylde coast.
Blackpool Music Festival is the culmination of two years’ planning by Jon Bamborough and Brian Reddington, two keen live music fans who were inspired by the growing success of the Salford Music Festival (which is currently running) . The enthusiasm of the Salford organisers, Ed Blaney and Paul Ashton encouraged Jon and Brian to form Toxic Events Management, staging and promoting local gigs and festivals.
They have gone from strength to strength and following the hugely successful 2012 Salford Music Festival, Jon teamed up with Ed and Paul to produce the Blackpool Music Festival to be held over the weekend of October 10 to 13. The festival is being run by a committee of volunteers drawn from the local community and including business people and members of the music scene. Their combined experience and skills include business management, event organisation, artistic programming, public relations, marketing and web design. In addition, the committee is assisted by a wider network of co-optees.
“Our vision is to establish an annual, family-friendly music festival in Blackpool that offers inspirational music while bringing shared benefits to the town and its community,” says Jon Bamborough. “The festival aims to embrace an ethos of putting the music first in everything it does. It will offer an inspirational programme of traditional and contemporary music with the best possible performers within the available budget.”
“It is also seen as promoting the economy of Blackpool and the Fylde coast by establishing an annual event which will become internationally known and established”, he added.
The festival will also raise awareness of local music venues and encourage more people to visit them. It will involve schools, youth groups, charities and other groups to bring cultural, social, economic and educational benefits to the community. Funding this year will come from sources including specific grants from public bodies and business organisations, income generated by trade stalls, programme sales and advertising, sponsorship for specific areas (such as children’s entertainment), fundraising events including a wristband campaign and donations as well as support in kind, such as donations of equipment.
Any profits will be reinvested in future festivals, used for community benefit or donated to local charities. The festival’s key elements include a vintage/craft fair with a musical theme, dance acts performing in the streets and open spaces, bands performing at the official venues and fringe events, musical drop-in sessions and children’s activities, culminating in a free family concert in St John’s Square. The Lancashire Dead Good Poets Society will also be hosting a spoken word event as part of the festival.
It’s hoped the festival will attract 3,000 to 4,000 extra visitors to visit Blackpool town centre in addition to people attending the gigs.
“We are confident that the festival will build on the reputation that Blackpool already has as a place where up and coming bands want to play,” says Jon “We want to work closely with everyone involved in the tourist and entertainment business sector to build up a top rate reputation and facilitate making long term profit from the opportunities available. The festival will end with thousands of music enthusiasts going home and telling all their friends that Blackpool is a great place to see up and coming bands and performers.”
A website has been launched to provide up-to-date information, online wristband sales, applications for volunteers and trade stalls and contact details for enquiries.
Details of performance locations and times will be released soon but a provisional list of acts which have expressed interest in appearing includes:
Savage Jaw, Sinister Chuckles, Jess Roberts, Naomi’s Blood Diamonds, Kelly’s Heroes, James Hirst, The Maddisons, The Shakers Blues Band, Veasey, Screw Master G, Stolen Haven, The Forgotten Saints, Rogue Frequency, Glyn Bailey, The Drop Out Wives, April Keen, Mikey T’s Boogie Band, Death To The Strange, Marbles, Organic, Laura Catlow, Bill Orrick, Johann Kloos, The Cornelius Crane, The Denial Twist, The Cobras, Jess Harwood, Ed Blaney’s Red Stars, Lewis Dale, Goonies Never Say Die, Dinosaurs Are Shit Dragons, The People, Annoying the Neighbours, Severance, Ring Ring Rouge, Pinhead, Jamie Bosanko, Purge, Jester, Freshman, Richie Syrett, Chuks Tabe, Higher Ground, Taser Puppets, The Carnagemen, Stephen Molyneaux, Flossie, Time of the Mouth, Dysphonia, Wonderland Trip, Positronik, Litterbug, Jonny’s Lunchbox, The Senton Bombs, Moose Patrol, Ronin, Slutch, Gabrielle’s Wish, Belvadere, The Big Red, Jekyll, Ryan Cregan, Pink Torpedoes, Jeremiah Ferrari, Ska Face and Spiral Scouts.
You can get more details from Jon Bamborough on 0771 4497382, jon@blackpoolmusicfestival or at www.blackpoolmusicfestival.com.
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