Last updated at 10:35, Friday, 07 August 2009

WHITEHAVEN Food Festival organisers have also announced a tasty line-up of three bands for the event.

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On the Quay Street Car Park Stage, Salvador, one of the longest established Cumbrian bands who cover music by Queen, the Eagles and ELO, will open followed by Abba Gold and the top Beatles tribute band, the Backbeat Beatles.

The gig is free but holders of Here and Now tickets and wristband wearers will also have access to events on the Sugar Tongue.

Festival chief executive Gerard Richardson said: “This is a superb line-up and should be an incredible appetiser for our stadium gig the week after.

“This is what the festivals are all about – top class entertainment and fun for all the family.”

Abba Gold – two girls, two guys, great songs and a bright, colourful, fully choreographed fun show! From Waterloo to Dancing Queen, Abba Gold do great justice to the songs the whole world knows.

The Backbeat Beatles band was formed in 1994 by musician/actor Chris O’Neill, inspired by his successful acting performance in the Bafta-award winning Beatle film Backbeat.

The lads are all from the Liverpool area and have long shared a mutual admiration for The Beatles.

The Backbeat Beatles don’t just give a Beatles history lesson by preaching about song release dates and repeating every quip John Lennon ever made – they perform with an energy and spontaneity that makes for a fun, enjoyable evening for everyone involved.

On the CFM Stage over the weekend, the best of local and regional bands get to strut their stuff.

The line-up includes Feed Me, a young Cumbrian band with their own original take on the blues; South Quay, one of the best live bands in the North West, with something for everyone; and The Return, another great Whitehaven band on a quest to bring good honest, true music back to the masses.

A relatively new Whitehaven band, The Buoys is full of energy, life and passion, while classic rock is provided by Ruffkut, a band which believes music is for the audience as much as for the performers and should be fun. Highlights for Ruffkut came last year when they supported Status Quo.

The Marratimes have played up and down the UK bringing their distinct sound to crowds of thousands. Re-formed this summer after a long break the band are bouncing back with old-faves and new material, while Shore are a young band that have been on the go for what seems like years – and the average age of the band is still only 18.

From Whitehaven, Mazzoni have long been taking music venues near and far by storm. With gigs at prestigious venues like London’s Monto Water Rats, The Dry Bar in Manchester and local gigs supporting the likes of Detroit Social Club and Air Traffic, 2009 promises to be an even bigger year for the boys.

From further afield, Kinch is a young, exciting indie-pop band from Leeds whose sound contains elements of Motown, ska and early ’80s influences. They have been compared to The Kooks, The Jam, Vampire Weekend and Dexys Midnight Runners.

And from Manchester, The Shallow Call had this praise from Steve Lamacq: “Energetic, economical, unpretentious pop. Some of the most well-observed pieces of lyric-writing I’ve heard in years – quite special indeed”.

Over the last couple of years, Whitehaven has become a hotbed for good, local musical talent. There are lots of class acts from around here and many have come together to share their music all in the name of charity.

Lots of local musicians have come together to compile a second CD, Now That’s What I Call Whitehaven 2. Artists such as Gary Kennedy, Butch, Roy Robson, Eldon, Andy Winter, Gav McKew, Glover, Adam Amor and Luke Telford are just a few of the artists on the CD and lots of these guys will be performing on the CFM Stage – and CDs will be on sale.

Rock, dance, indie and ballads all feature as the organisers get their wish of producing an eclectic CD to showcase the best that Whitehaven has to offer.

“The diversity of this album should be a big selling point,” says Danny Maudling, one of the organisers. “It appeals to a real varied age group. The youngest performer on the album is 17 and the oldest is 67.

“We have all different types of music and there really is something for everyone. This album is brilliant by any standard.”

Last year’s project will be a tough task to follow. The CD was released in October and the fund was boosted by the gig in Gallachers and GL3 a month later. The £3,500 raised was donated in the form of toys, games, computers and books to the children on the Fairfield Ward of the West Cumberland Hospital just before Christmas.

But the organisers believe they can surpass last year’s total – with the public’s help.

Artist-wise, there are a few familiar faces from last year’s CD – messrs McKew, Mazzoni, Amor and Cockbain – but many of the names are new to the project. It followed a call from the organisers for any local artist of any genre to throw their name into the hat.

“Also featuring are The Buoys, a band who are making waves around West Cumbria at the minute. We are really pleased to have them involved.”

The beneficiary this year is the Great North Air Ambulance, although organisers will be donating again to the Fairfield Ward.

Also over the Festival, crowds can enjoy The Sea Dogs, established by the skipper Chris Merchant many moons ago whilst he was sailing the seven seas – this one was in South East Asia!

A veteran of the music scene, Chris decided to form a “motley crew” of individuals not only capable of playing the finest music on their instruments, but able to weather the storms and fury of the seven seas of the travelling musician.

And you can also enjoy Salvador, a three-piece harmony band who have had great success in Cumbria, the North East, Lancashire, Liverpool and Scotland for 25 years. Salvador have a large following, especially in Cumbria, and their vocal harmonies and repertoire appeal to all generations, covering hits by Eagles, ELO, Queen, Smokie, the Bee Gees, Frankie Valli and many more.

First published at 15:44, Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Published by http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk