After announcing the first three main stage artists, organisers of a Hatfield music festival have confirmed three more acts for next summer’s event.
CC Smugglers, Stick in the Wheel, and trio Alden, Patterson & Dashwood will all appear on the Acorn Stage at Folk by the Oak in Hatfield next July.
The all-day folk and acoustic showpiece will return to the grounds of Hertfordshire stately home Hatfield House on Sunday, July 15, 2018.
• MORE: Folk by the Oak 2018 first line-up announcement
Festival director Adam Slough said: “Since we introduced the Acorn Stage in 2012, enabling us to create a whole day of back-to-back sublime music, we are very proud to have showcased some incredible new talent over the years.
“We have seen the Acorn Stage grow from humble beginnings of a small marquee surrounded by hay bales and happy music lovers, into a much bigger yet still intimate setting for our audience to enjoy some of the best new live acts around.
“We curate this stage as carefully as our main stage, looking for the vibrant and passionate artists that will bring something special and memorable for all to enjoy at our festival.
“2018 is going to be no exception, and we are delighted to announce three incredible acts for the Acorn Stage.”
Headlining the festival’s smaller second stage will be CC Smugglers.
In their journey from humble, honest beginnings as ‘guerrilla buskers’ to the tidal wave of critical acclaim they are now riding, CC Smugglers have developed a reputation for exceptional live performances.
They got their big break by busking the crowds outside every UK tour date of two-time Grammy Award-winning Old Crow Medicine Show, who were so impressed with their street performance they invited them to share the stage for their remaining gigs.
Since then they have stolen the show at some of Europe’s biggest festivals, and much closer to home at Cambridge, Cornbury and Glastonbuy.
A festival organiser said: “Their dedication, showmanship and passion for what they do, combined with some serious musical talent, make their live performances so standout, and make them the perfect fit for the headline slot on our Acorn Stage.”
• MORE: Hatfield music festival tickets on sale
Also appearing at FBTO 2018 will be Norwich-based trio Alden, Patterson & Dashwood.
“When we saw this folk/Americana trio live we were completely captivated, and knew we had to bring them to Folk by the Oak and share them with our audience,” said Adam Slough.
Alden, Patterson & Dashwood weave rich vocal harmonies, fiddle, dobro, guitar and mandolin around beautifully written original songs and melodies.
Their music takes influence from folk traditions from both sides of the Atlantic, with uplifting instrumentals and self-penned songs depicting tales of young travellers, sleepy seas and their affection for home.
Their debut album, Call Me Home, was fRoots’ 2016 Album of the Year, Editor’s Choice, and the title song is simply a joy to behold.
Stick in the Wheel will also play Folk by the Oak.
If you have not heard of this five-piece East London folk/punk band, their live reviews have seen them described as frank, uncompromising, raw, minimalist, unapologetic, no-nonsense, urgent, tragic and triumphant.
Driven in large part by Nicola Kearey’s strong Cockney vocals, accompanied by accomplished dobro, guitar, fiddle and flute playing, Stick in the Wheel give us a contemporary and standout twist to much-loved traditional tracks.
Their original material is just as uncompromising and tend towards the same tales of hardship that have long been the backbone of the folk canon.
More recently they have introduced electronic and found sounds into their sonic palette, creating yet more intriguing layers in their unique take on the folk tradition.
A festival organiser said: “This is truly an exceptional act and one we look forward to sharing with you.”
The latest names join the already announced Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band, The Young’uns, and Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, who will all grace the main stage in the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Oak Field.
• For Folk by the Oak tickets, visit www.folkbytheoak.com
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