Maryport Blues Festival 2008

The Maryport Blues Festival takes place from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th July 2008.

Chuck Berry will headline the Friday night, with US blues diva Shemekia Copeland playing earlier that evening. Legendary blues guitarist, Jimmie Vaughan with Lou Ann and the Tilt-a-Whirl band, will headline the Saturday night with an exclusive UK performance.

Jools Holland and the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra will headline the Maryport Blues Festival on Sunday July 27th with Marc Almond and Ruby Turner the special guests performing with Jools Holland. The Sunday will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Maryport Blues Festival, featuring some of the artists who have appeared at the festival over the last decade.

Other confirmed artists include Earl Thomas, Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Derrin Nauendorf and Jeff Lang, Lisa Mills and Ian Jennings, and Scandinavian blues band Little Jenny and the Blue Beans. Many more acts are still to be announced - click here for the details to-date.

Alvin Youngblood Hart's Muscle Theory will perform at the Maryport Blues Festival on Friday July 25th, supporting Chuck Berry and replacing the previously billed Shemekia Copeland.

The musical bill will be complimented by dance/drama from the Kathakali Theatre Company from Kerala, India. As well as two main stages there will be a DJ room, a visual arts and workshop area, a festival club, film programme including Norma & Mike Waterson presenting a film about their early days as folk musicians in Hull, children's festival, an expanded market festival bazaar, and Musicport's first silent disco.

There are also numerous stalls selling musical instruments, crafts and so forth, Fair Trade goods, and information stalls on issues of global interest. This year, the workshops include drumming workshops run by the Sam Kelly, and guitar workshops run by Robin Bibi. The drumming workshops will be held in Maryport's prestigious new cultural and community centre, The Wave and the guitar workshops will be held in the main marquee on Netherhall rugby ground.

Tickets are on sale a weekend ticket is priced at £99.75. Day tickets are also available. Friday tickets are priced at £38.50, Saturday or Sunday tickets are £49 for both afternoon and evening sessions. To buy tickets, click here.

Festival transport provision has been increased following success of last year. Return journeys are available on the Friday, Saturday & Sunday between Carlisle, Egremont-Whitehaven and Keswick with drop offs en route, in addition to Silloth. The routes are Carlisle - Wigton - Aspatria - Maryport, Silloth - Allonby - Maryport, Keswick - Cockermouth - Maryport, and Egremont - Cleator Moor - Whitehaven - Workington - Maryport.

Bands from local secondary schools will perform on the main stage in the marquee on Netherhall Rugby Ground on Thursday. This will be an opportunity for local bands to experience performing in a 2,000 capacity venue. Entry is free and the performances start at 6pm and finishes at 10.30pm.

There will be more information here when available.

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