Events

First Names Unveiled For Womad Festival Charlton Park’s 10th Birthday

Published

10 years ago

February 28, 2016

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28-31 July 2016, Charlton Park, Wiltshire, UK
Line-up includes GEORGE CLINTON, BAABA MAAL, IBRAHIM MAALOUF and much more
Early-bird tickets sold out, general release on sale now

This July, WOMAD Festival will be hosting its global party in the grounds of Charlton Park in deepest Wiltshire for the TENTH time from 28-31 July. Time flies when you’re having fun putting on the most eclectic and far-reaching music event on the UK festival calendar. And now it’s time to announce the first wave of artists who’ll be heading for this particular corner of paradise this summer.

If ever there was a man and band who know how to get a party started, it’s surely George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic. The commander-in-chief of the psychedelic end of the funk spectrum, George has been an extraordinary showman for the best part of half a century now and shows no sign of taking his foot off the gas. Come July, he’ll be putting one festival under a groove, for sure.

George says: “It would be ludicrous to think that we are new to this, we do this cos we got that doo doo.”

For such an important milestone in WOMAD’s 34-year history, the festival welcomes the return of the Senegalese musician, statesman and icon Baaba Maal. Since making his WOMAD debut several decades ago, Baaba has become one of African music’s most globally celebrated superstars – as well as being the recipient of the ultimate accolade: becoming a castaway on Desert Island Discs. His performances on our stages are always powerful occasions.

Baaba says: “I’m so excited that my new band will finally experience the incredibly diverse and inspirational festival that is WOMAD. It’s always such an incredible weekend.”

When his playing isn’t adorning the records of Sting, Salif Keita and Amadou & Mariam, the French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf is busy collecting plaudits and acclaim for his own work. A beautifully expressive player, this is a man who adds Arabic flavours and textures to the jazz trumpet canon. His performance promises to enchant, beguile and inspire in equal measure.

Guaranteed to raise the roof wherever they play, New Orleans’ magnificent Hot 8 Brass Band are currently celebrating their 20th anniversary as one of the city’s hardest-blowing outfits. Expect a set of many highs, including their takes on Sexual Healing and Ghost Town.

Aziza Brahim knows what it’s like to make music from adversity. Her songs are shot through with the bitterness of life in the refugee camps of Western Sahara, albeit enhanced by the warm colours of her adopted home of Barcelona.

We’re also delighted to welcome the latest incarnation of Sidestepper. Originally just a producer (Richard Blair) with a flair for fusing Colombian vocals with firing electronics, the band have since shifted towards a more percussive sound, as heard on their new Real World album Supernatural Love.

Another artist to play a significant role in Real World’s evolution was the Celtic fusionist Martyn Bennett, who died tragically young in 2005. The Grit Orchestra will revisit Martyn’s magnum opus, the album Grit, ambitiously setting the work to a full orchestration.

The Congolese polymath Baloji (rapper, poet, composer, actor, video artist…) represents the throbbing pulse of Africa’s current musical output, his sharp sense of history and heritage meshing brilliantly with up-to-the-minute electronics and words of defiance.

In recent years, several veteran musicians from the golden age of African music in the 1960s and ’70s have grabbed some belated attention from the wider world. The sweet-voiced Ghanaian singer Pat Thomas is the latest to bathe in the glow and he’ll be bringing his groove-heavy highlife and Afrobeat sounds to Wiltshire in the company of his Kwashibu Area Band.

Another veteran musician is the former Ry Cooder collaborator VM Bhatt whose latest project, Desert Slide, showcases how the blues sound in the wide-open expanses of Rajasthan. Bhatt is the inventor – and thus naturally the world’s leading player – of the mohan veena, a beautiful-sounding creation that’s somewhere between a traditional Indian stringed instrument and a Western slide guitar.

This Is The Kit is the shape-shifting, 6 Music-approved musical alias of Kate Stables, whose delicate, warm songs sound equally effective played in an acoustic duo or with a rockier full band. Guy Garvey was an early fan, declaring that the second This Is The Kit album, Wriggle Out The Restless, should have been nominated for the Mercury Prize.

Of course, ever since its birth in 1982, WOMAD has been all about the music you don’t yet know. Here’s the inside track on some unknowns who could become favourites this summer…

Afriquoi
Exhilarating London five-piece, fusing Congolese guitar, Gambian kora, Mandinka percussion and UK electronics.

Blick Bassy
Cameroonian troubadour with a gorgeous woodsmoked voice and a bagful of skin-pricking tunes.

Dom La Nena
Soft-voiced, cello-playing singer-songwriter from Brazil via Paris who’s been described as “the bossa Joanna Newsom”.

The East Pointers
Terrifically lithe and dextrous traditional trio (fiddle, banjo, guitar) from the Canadian stronghold of Celtic music – Prince Edward Island.

Ethno-Trio Troitsa
This tradition-protecting trio from Belarus blow plenty of life into handed-down folk tunes, aided by an arsenal of 50 (!) instruments.

Luna Pena
The owner of one of the most distinctive voices in fado, the deeply mournful folk music of Portugal.

Moh! Kouyate
Guinean guitarist and bandleader who applies a contemporary edge to that timeless, liquid West African sound.

Muzykanci
Dizzyingly brilliant, hurdy gurdy-enhanced folk supergroup from Poland setting dark fables to exhilarating tunes.

Tetish
Musically ambidextrous duo from Tel Aviv with a very fine line in noirish indie-pop.

These names represent a mere drop in the ocean when it comes to this summer’s complete line-up, just a few bars of the entire WOMAD symphony.

Watch this space for more announcements, including details of art exhibitions, installations, family entertainment at the World of Kids, relaxation at the World of Wellbeing, and sumptuous food, including from the artists themselves at the one-and-only Taste The World stage, all rolled in to the only event that can truly call itself The World’s Festival.

Related Topics:First Names Unveiled For Womad Festival Charlton Park's 10th Birthday

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Events

Soultasia Brings a Night of Soul & Disco to Reading This August

Published

2 weeks ago

July 30, 2026

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Soul and disco fans are in for a treat as Soultasia makes its Reading debut with a spectacular open-air concert at Prospect Park on Friday 14 August 2026.

Running from 5:00pm to 10:30pm, the event promises an evening packed with timeless anthems and legendary performers, as one of the UK’s fastest-growing soul and disco concert brands brings its acclaimed live show to Berkshire.

The star-studded line-up features some of the biggest names in classic soul, funk and disco, including The Real Thing, Gwen Dickey – the iconic voice of Rose Royce – Odyssey, Loose Ends, and Phil Fearon & Galaxy. The evening will be hosted by Ian Reading, with DJ Darren Bull keeping the party going throughout the event.

Since launching in 2021, Soultasia has become one of the UK’s leading touring soul and disco festivals, attracting thousands of music lovers with its nostalgic celebrations of classic hits and legendary artists. The brand now stages events across the country, combining iconic live performances with a vibrant festival atmosphere.

Held in the picturesque surroundings of Prospect Park, the Reading edition is expected to draw fans from across the South East for an unforgettable summer evening of live entertainment. Tickets start from around £23 plus booking fees, with VIP Golden Circle upgrades also available for those wanting front-of-stage access and exclusive facilities.

Tickets are still available, but with strong demand expected, organisers are encouraging fans to book early to avoid disappointment.

With feel-good classics, singalong favourites and some of soul music’s most celebrated performers all on one stage, Soultasia Reading is shaping up to be one of the area’s standout live music events of the summer.

Soultasia Reading takes place on Friday 14 August 2026 at Prospect Park, Reading, from 5:00pm until 10:30pm.

Events

Just Ten Days to Go Until Stowaway’s 5th Birthday Celebration!

Published

4 weeks ago

July 21, 2026

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Stowaway Festival - main stage at night 2 (c) Alastair Brookes 2024

There’s just two weeks to go now until one of the UK’s fastest growing music festivals Stowaway Festival celebrates its fifth birthday. An independent, family-friendly festival, Stowaway is happening over the weekend of July 31st – August 2nd in idyllic surroundings near Stowe, north Buckinghamshire. Weekend tickets are still available starting from just £249, with adult day tickets costing £90 – purchase here.

On Friday July 30th, the incredible Brooklyn trio Say She She will top the bill, preceded by a stacked list of dance music luminaries including Eris Drew b2b Gallegos, Dr Banana, Move D, Alex Kassian, and DJ sets from Gabriels and Ishmael Ensemble. Legendary drum‘n’bass label Hospital Records will celebrate their 30th birthday with a takeover of the Shake Off stage with sets from London Elektricity, Lens, DJ Zinc and Makoto.

Saturday August 1st will see drum‘n’bass legend Skream headline Stowaway on a day which includes sets from Ewen McVicar, Calibre, Scientist, Francois K, 1-800 Girls, Nicky Blackmarket plus live performances from Emma-Jean Thackray and Joshua Idehen.

Sunday August 2nd will see the mighty Nightmares on Wax (DJ Set) & Kokoroko bring Stowaway to a close, preceded by Hot 8 Brass Band, WheelUP, Rohan Rakhit, and the hilarious Loco Cricket, which happens on the green on Sunday afternoon and always draws a huge crowd.

As well as its eclectic musical mix, Stowaway offers wild swimming, canoeing & paddle boarding, wellness & relaxation, kid’s activities (all included in the ticket price), and a lakeside woodland spa. The artisan food & drink available on site is carefully curated, with healthy and not-so-healthy eating options and no-and-low drinks as well as craft beers and cocktails.

Founded in 2022 by Duncan Wheeler, who grew up on Blackpit Farm, Stowaway is 100% independently owned and has no corporate sponsors. The festival’s inclusive mix of eclectic dance music with family friendly vibes is proving ever more popular – in 2025 they increased their audience by over 20%, bucking the trend in a very difficult market for the festival sector.

Created by friends, for friends, Stowaway is a secret world for you to discover.

“What makes Stowaway unique isn’t just their music or food, it’s the vibe. Everyone is there to have fun, smile, and make memories” ★★★★★ (Fab Festivals)

“Not only does Stowaway have a musical bill which is the envy of many bigger festivals, but it has clung to its roots as an intimate, laid-back, uncommercial family-friendly event” (Yahoo News UK)

For a taste of what to expect watch the Stowaway 2025 Aftermovie

Events

Reading Festival Unveils Biggest Arena Overhaul in Its History

Published

1 month ago

July 14, 2026

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Pepsi MAX presents Reading and Leeds Festival have announced major new plans for the on-site festival experience at both shows this summer, with a completely revamped stage layout that marks the biggest staging and arena overhaul in the festival’s 37 year history. This year’s Reading Festival is now SOLD OUT with only remaining Sunday Day Tickets available now at https://www.readingfestival.com/ with final Leeds Festival tickets available at https://www.leedsfestival.com/.

Synonymous with unforgettable weekends and always looking ahead to pioneer the next chapter in modern culture, this years’ Reading and Leeds Festival will see new stages with their own new identities offering an experience never seen before. These include:

The Grid

The home of the festival’s main stage, The Grid is where iconic headline moments happen. The greatest place to watch live music for the whole of summer, it’s a crowning platform that welcomes the biggest artists on the planet and those leading the way in the here and now. Expect to witness headliners Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C., Dave, Raye, Florence + The Machine and Chase & Status alongside Sombr, Skepta, Role Model, Loyle Carner (Reading only), Blossoms (Leeds only), Declan McKenna, Jade, Maisie Peters, Keo and more soundtracking The Grid this year, with Kasabian making history in Leeds as the first ever Thursday night headliner of Leeds Festival.

The Gallery presented by Budweiser

A brand new stage for 2026, The Gallery is an undercover immersive stage. Innovative LED screen lights and immersive production runs throughout the entire stage. The Gallery is ready to create iconic moments from Josh Baker, Geese, Kneecap, Skye Newman, Kettama and Holly Humberstone amongst others with Gunna, Chris Stussy and Viagra Boys adding to proceedings in Reading whilst Jamie Webster, The K’s and Rose Gray add to the lineup in Leeds. The Warehouse

Previously announced, The Warehouse is a brand-new purpose-built home for dance music with viewing platforms in front and behind the decks, plus huge screen production welcoming special sets from Skepta b2b Prospa, Hybrid Minds, Hedex, Silva Bumpa and Rossi. amongst others. Max Dean goes b2b with Luke Dean as well as Bou, in what will be the first ever custom built, experiential dance stage for Reading and Leeds.

The Ballroom

As the name might suggest, for the first-time ever, Reading and Leeds Festival will have a transformed stage complete with unique chandeliers and draping that plays host to artists who are defining and dominating 2026. Mixing together genre, styles and moments – The Ballroom is primed for legendary breakthrough sets from YT, Florence Road, Niko B, Paris Paloma, Bassvictim, Overpass, SPEED, Frost Children, Bleech 9:3, Westside Cowboy, Chloe Qisha, Radio Free Alice, dexter in the newsagent, WHATMORE and Clementine Douglas amongst others.

The Canopy

New music has been at the core of Reading and Leeds Festival since the very beginning, and in 2026 The Canopy will usher in a new chapter for new music – with a stage dedicated to festival fans’ next favourite artists. It will play host to the likes of Violet Grohl, Villanelle, December 10, Camille Blackman, Kibo, Finessekid, Cruz Beckham and The Breakers and more.

The Yard (Reading Only)

The Yard will bring the industrial edge of alternative club culture. Situated in the open-air with shipping containers The Yard this year will offer something completely different to any other stage at the festival.

These new stages are joined in Leeds Festival by the return of much-loved fan favourites LS23 (lineup for which was revealed last week and sits as one of the most popular late-night destinations) and Piccadilly Circus, with full programming to be revealed in the coming weeks. Leeds Festival sits as the only opportunity for fans to still secure their spot at Reading and Leeds Festival this summer to experience the full weekend’s programming, and ticket buyers are encouraged to purchase now to avoid disappointment.