Cambridge Folk Festival has already announced several headliners for 2018 including First Aid Kit, Patti Smith, John Prine, Janis Ian and Rosanne Cash. This, together with the news that they have partnered with Newport Folk Festival and that Rhiannon Giddens festival curatorship is to include Amythyst Kiah, Kaia Kater, Birds of Chicago and Peggy Seeger has kept folks eager to see what else the festival has in store this year.
They have just announced the next batch of incredible artists to be added to the bill. In line with the Cambridge Folk Festival’s continuing commitment to showcasing the finest traditional folk across the weekend, 20 new acts are set to perform this summer.
Dublin singer Daoirí Farrell scooped two major titles at 2017’s Radio 2 Folk Awards and has been hailed as one of the most important traditional singers to emerge in the last decade. Fellow Award winner Robert Vincent is a singer-songwriter from Liverpool. His sound has been described as “Compelling and introspective LoFi Alt Country meets Folk.” Robert has released two studio albums so far: Life In Easy Steps, and, I’ll Make The Most Of My Sins.
First bursting onto the folk scene in 1991 The Poozies, were at the forefront of a wave that revolutionised traditional Scottish and Gaelic music. Throughout the years they have toured worldwide with an ever-growing fanbase for their eclectic choice of material, exciting arrangements and beautiful vocal harmonies.
For some of the freshest, savviest and most original songwriting around, look no further than three of the busiest musicians in Scotland, newly in cahoots as a trio: Kris Drever, John McCusker and Roddy Woomble. With their respectively distinguished pedigrees ranging freely across the folk and rock spectrum, each brings a wealth of diverse experience to the table, in a collaboration impelled primarily by that most magical of musical catalysts: pure enthusiasm.
Also set to take Cambridge by storm, are East London five-piece folk band Stick In The Wheel, who combine original material with new interpretations of classic English folk songs, to deliver an energetic and vibrant set.
Delivered with warmth and wit, Grace Petrie’s view of life, love and politics, has won over audiences everywhere, quietly making her one of the most respected and prolific songwriters working in the UK today. Honeyfeet is undeniably Manchester’s finest Folk-Hop outfit fronted by the remarkable Ríoghnach Connolly, melding blues and pop, jazz and disco and Irish traditional influences to soul.
BBC award-winning Luke Daniels was recently described by fRoots magazine as “genius” for his intriguingly varied songs and ingenious compositions for his electrophon machine, which combines Victorian music technology with digital samples via specially manufactured steel discs with which Luke plays guitar, piano, melodeon and sings.
Moore, Moss, Rutter are previous winners of the Radio 2 Young Folk Award. Hailing from Norfolk, Somerset and Yorkshire, the trio rework English songs and compositions, to produce precisely engineered musical beauty. Glaswegian, all female, five-piece folk group come in the form of Kinnaris Quintet. Mixing together new compositions, traditional Scottish and Irish, Bluegrass, Old-Time and Classical music, their musical styles form an uplifting, fresh, honest and powerful sound.
Winner of the 2016 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, and 2017 Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Up and Coming’ nominee, Skye musician and piper Brighde Chaimbeul is one of Scotland’s fastest rising stars. Bravely original duo Edgelarks are made up of Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin. Their unique take on traditional music from around the British Isles, mixed with Indian slide guitar and the stomping roots party of Phil’s beatbox harmonica, adds an edge to their beautiful original song-writing.
For over a decade, the Acadian trio Vishtèn has dazzled audiences with a fiery blend of traditional French songs and original instrumentals that fuse Celtic and Acadian genres with a modern rock sensibility and indie-folk influences. Lauded as “traditional but fiercely up-to-the-moment” this band from Canada’s east coast has been recognized as an ambassador of Francophone culture around the world.
More international artists added to the line-up include William Crighton, the folk artist from Australia who has just announced his second album Empire earlier this year. Whiskey Shivers is a Trashgrass Bluegrass band from Texas. Voted #No 1 Country/Bluegrass band in Austin 2018, they infuse their songs with punk rock energy and a darkly comical light-heartedness, stretching the bluegrass genre to fit whatever they feel is right.
Critically acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter, lyricist and storyteller Mark Lang (of Indie band Skipping Girl Vinegar) will be performing tracks from his soon-to-be released solo debut album. The outlandish techno punk nutters Punk Floyd will be bringing their unique twist to Cambridge’s finest, Pink Floyd’s hits.
Back with home-grown talent, Panellists’ Edinburgh Comedy Award winner and founder of the Free Fringe Edinburgh, Peter Buckley Hill, will deliver a set of musical comedy brilliance sure to go down a storm with the Cambridge crowds. Seven member strong Morganway was founded by twin brothers Callum (vocals/guitar) and Kieran Morgan (lead guitar) in Norwich. Distinctive Americana, charismatic multi-layered harmonies and powerful riffs are set to wow the Festival crowds.
Finally, bringing a taste of original Americana music, inspired by Country and Bluegrass, Swamptruck are a formidable live act with genuine no-nonsense performances and good time tunes that get toes tapping and dance floors pulsating.
Critics’ favourites First Aid Kit are Friday’s headliner, Saturday’s headliner is the iconic Patti Smith and her band and Sunday’s is the legendary John Prine who wraps up what is set to be an unforgettable weekend.
Tickets on sale at www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk