Gate To Southwell Festival, held at Kirklington, hailed a success by organisers
The 16th Gate to Southwell Festival was a resounding success, according to audiences, artists, dancers, traders and the festival’s committee.
More than 5,000 people visited Southwell over the long weekend and more than 3,000 enjoyed the music, dance, comedy and family entertainment at the Kirklington Lakes festival site.
“We were absolutely delighted with the response from locals and visitors, particularly during difficult economic times,” said festival director Mike Kirrage.
“Massive thanks to everyone involved – our artists and performers, our site crew, sound stage and lighting, our caterers, traders, stewards, volunteers, sponsors and everyone who supported GTSF 2023. Special thanks also to our landowners and local residents for having us here again.”
The event kicked off on Thursday with a Blues Night, featuring R&B headliners Nine Below Zero enhanced by Charlie Austin’s vocals, the highly-rated Martin Harley Band, a line-up of strong local bands including the Phil Ashmore Band and the Charlotte Moon Band, plus a Folk Club hosted by Winter Wilson followed by a warmly-received choral Big Sing.
Friday’s star turns included the eclectic Dog Show Sessions - a collaboration between English roots favourites Show of Hands and the versatile Latin-Americana-World fusion of the Track Dogs. They were ably supported by the youthful Leeds four-piece Helian and the acclaimed John Smith Trio, led by one of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters and guitarists.
Meanwhile, there was plenty of good music on both the Folk and Frontier stages, such as the New Mexican banjo bass and fiddle of the Hoth Brothers, the rising roots music of Jon Doran & The Northern Assembly, talented emerging artists like George Boomsa and Francesca Louise, the eccentric country blues and ragtime of Italian duo Veronica Sbergia & Max Bernardi and the wildly Welsh “trash trad” sounds of NoGood Boyo.
Saturday’s highlights included the wide variety of dance sides, such as Retford’s Rattlejag, Nottingham’s Whip The Cat and Northampton’s Witchmen, who performed on the streets of Southwell before heading for the Kirklington festival site.
Saturday headliners on the Lake Stage were the Raghu Dixit Project from Karnataka in South West India.
Gate To Southwell has always presented a diverse and eclectic mix of international talent and this proved to be the case again.
Veteran Americana songsmith Tom Russell, politically-charged Welsh singer-songwriter Martin Joseph, instrumental fireworks from Birmingham’s Bonfire Radicals, fine English folk from Tarren and powerful black American roots music from Jake Blount were among many artists who contributed to the rich global mix on offer.
When the rain came on Sunday evening it couldn’t dampen the onstage energy of the young Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, led by Joe Broughton. Renewably fuelled by young talent from Birmingham Conservatoire, their repertoire stretches from classical to funk to reggae to rap and beyond, with excellent spirituals thrown in for good measure. They built on the collective joy of earlier performances by award-winning West Country folk star Seth Lakeman, the high-energy Fela Kuti-inspired London Afrobeat Collective and the gentler, moving Scottish sounds of The Kris Drever Band. Other notable performers included the young singer-songwriter Jason McNiff, the immensely talented Bristol folk-rock duo Foreign Affairs, the Northumbrian harmonies of The Brothers Gillespie and South African soul from the Stone Jets.
“According to audience feedback, Gate To Southwell is fast becoming one of the best roots music festivals in the country,” said Kirrage, “Alongside the music performances, so much other great stuff goes one, including the ceilidhs, the workshops, the comedy – David Eagle and Jonny Awsum in particular – the poetry and of course the kids and family entertainment organised by Becky Syson. It’s been a fantastic festival and we’re already planning for July 2024.”
