Organisers of the inaugural Gloucester Folk Trail have released their much-anticipated line up for a weekend of free live music in the city. Gloucester pubs, bars and cafes will play host to the county’s finest folk musicians from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 February.  The venues will throng with gig-goers as more than forty live performances take place across the city ranging from traditional folk acts and Morris dancers to thoroughly modern folk rock.

The Gloucester Folk Trail is one of the first events to be delivered by the Gloucester Business Improvement District with the aim of supporting the city’s night time economy.

Just some of the highlights amongst the stellar line up are:

Harpers Ferry

This thoroughly modern folk-rock band from Gloucestershire have graced the stages at the Phoenix Festival, Wychwood and Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival. The band’s sound with a mix of folk, rock and country, has earned rave reviews from BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Johnny Coppin, the Gloucestershire Echo and SoGlos.

The Jigantics

A super group featuring top Gloucestershire Bluesmen Rick Edwards and Mark Cole from Sons of the Delta, along with another favourite of the Gloucester Rhythm and Blues Festival, Keith Thompson. They are joined in this folk-roots project by vocalist and ukulele star, Sarah Kelly, and drummer, Martin Fitzgibbon.

Gruig

A rip-roaring, foot stomping band are infamous in the pubs and beer festivals Gloucestershire for their sing-along traditional Irish songs and fast-paced jigs and reels to get you up on the dance floor.

Way Out West

The wonderfully eccentric Way Out West bring their folk non-sensibilities to world of pop. On accordions, fiddle, guitar, banjo and ukulele, the hilarious three-piece help us discover the country roots of the Pet Shop Boys, the folk origins of the Spice Girls and The Smiths and what the Pussycat Dolls sounded like when Julie Andrews was still in the line-up.

Life O’Reilly

Life O’Reilly grew out of the live Irish music sessions held in and around Gloucestershire. Their mixture of guitar, fiddle, bodhran, tin whistles and stunning vocals recreate the much-loved feel of Irish folk music and their live performances show off their love and passion for the songs and tunes of the Irish tradition.

Natasha Roumian, of Marketing Gloucester who are organising the event on behalf of Gloucester BID, said: “Building on the successful model of the Gloucester Rhythm and Blues Festival, we are really excited to bring the Folk Trail to Gloucester. Although this is the first one, we are treating the Folk Trail as a test, and if successful, it will become a welcome addition to the Gloucester events calendar.”

Nick Brookes, Chair of the Gloucester BID, said: “Gloucester BID has been set up to support all of its business members across all sectors including those in the evening economy. The inaugural Gloucester Folk Trail is the first of many events that the BID will be supporting which we believe will drive footfall, improve the profile of the city and bring real benefits to the BID’s business members.”

Concertgoers are also invited to the Gloucester Folk Trail Preview Night on Thursday 22 February with a gig at TANK and an Open Mic event at The Old Bell.

For more information visit https://www.glosucesterfolktrail.com or search for ‘Gloucester Folk Trail 2018’ on Facebook.

For more information contact Ben Hau at ben@marketinggloucester.co.uk

ENDS.