Having earlier this year announced a strong line-up with Don McLean, Edwyn Collins, Jake Bugg, and The Zutons among the big names, Birmingham's Moseley Folk & Arts festival (a name change from just folk festival to emphasise their multi-disciplinary approach) haven’t let the grass grow under their feet. They've pushed to accommodate an immense array of additions for the festival happening 30 August – 1 September in Moseley Park.
The latest news in this week from the festival, which prides itself on “traditional, contemporary and downright experimental Folk, World and Roots music”, is the brilliant non-musical additions to the line-up can now be revealed.
BBC 6 Music’s Stuart Maconie will be giving a talk about his Sunday Times Bestseller A Long Walk From Jarrow: A Journey Through Britain Then and Now. The book’s a painfully accurate portrait of where Britain is at now, done in an original manner. Rewinding to 1936 when approximately 200 men from the Tyneside town of Jarrow marched 300 miles to London in protest against the destruction of their towns and industries, he similarly travels down the country to compare and contrast Britain then and now. A great speaker so expect an engaging presentation. Maconie will also be doing a Q and A with feminist icon and folk singer Peggy Seeger.
Adding to the multi-dimensional feel of the festival is a talk about a podcast which investigates the wrongful incarceration of a boxer: The Hurricane Tapes. Steve Crossman, its co-producer will speak about the wrongful conviction of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter.
More literary highlights include a talk with author Deeds Not Words author Helen Pankhurst great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, both leaders of the British suffragette movement. Her talk will be an historical overview of the changes in the lives of women over the last 100 years.
So with authors and podcast producers very relevantly picked – feminism, wrongful incarceration, and the state of the UK all sound vital – the other non-musical highlights are in comedy.
The acclaimed Glee Club Birmingham has curated the line-up and features Rob Auton, Andy Robinson, Bethany Black, Ian D Montford and Tom Binns.
Meanwhile, the Black Country Living Museum will be there giving the festival a rural and ye olde feel – great for kids. They’re promoting heritage skills of the Black Country; including woodcraft, storytelling.
Other highlights include Birmingham author Catherine O’Flynn, story teller Bernadette Russell. And there’s a panel titled Journey to Nutopia – an attempt at a positive look towards where the human race can go at a time when Armageddon discourse dominates the news. Author John Huggs, theatre director and performer Daisy Campbell, and journalist Madfa Knight will sit in on that.
As for the music, the full line-up is below.
FRIDAY
Public Service Broadcasting, The Zutons, Edwyn Collins, Tunng, Charlotte Carpenter, Saint Alto, County Line Runner, You Tell Me, DOF, MUHA, Simply Dylan, Son of John, Emily Mae Winters, Faux Pas
SATURDAY
Jake Bugg, Lucy Rose, E.B. The Younger, Israel Nash, Zooni, Gwenifer Raymond, Babe Rainbow, Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, Alex Rex, Hannah Read, Germa Adan, Death By Stampede, Nick Harper, Joshua Burnell, Rachel Croft, Wizz Jones, John Blek, Chloe Mogg.
SUNDAY
Don McLean, Richard Thompson, Daoiri Farrell, Peggy Seeger, Charles Watson, Thom Ashworth, Boat To Row, Ceilidh Liberation Front, The Drystones, Bird In The Belly, Zirak Hamad Daholl Kurdish Band, Harare, Kathryn Williams, Whitherward, Charlie Parr, JD Wilkes, Philippa Zawe.
Moseley Folk & Arts festival 2019: Takes place Fri 30 August to Sun 1 Sept and weekend and day tickets are available here
