Uncategorized – Somerstock

Fleetwood Mac tribute band to play at St Michaels Church

February 13, 2024

Following the announcement that Somerstock will be headlined by super-star jazz-funk band Shakatak, more events have been added to the Somerton Music & Arts Festival calendar.

During the run up to Somerstock, festival opens on the 4th July with Fleetwood Mac tribute act FLEETWOOD BAC playing at St Michael’s Church. The music continues on 5th and 6th July with a weekend of live music in Somerton’s hostelries. There will also be a quiz, history walk and ukulele band amongst other attractions being planned during the week.

FLEETWOOD BAC were the world’s first and are regarded as the UK’s most authentic Fleetwood Mac tribute show, endorsed by Mick Fleetwood himself, raved about by Peter Green’s biographer, and were the first Fleetwood Mac tribute band to fully replicate the classic Stevie, Lindsey, Christine, John & Mick ‘Rumours’ line-up.

“This promises to be a very special event,” said festival chairman Cliff Bassett, “and we are delighted to be bringing some fantastic music to Somerton this July”.

Somerstock, which is the flagship festival event, takes place on 12th and 13th July and tickets are on sale now. “Somerstock was a sell-out last year,” continues Bassett, “so we recommend buying tickets early”.

Please go to www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk for details of all events and tickets.

For full information about the Somerton Music & Arts Festival please go to www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk or watch out for announcements on social media

Somerstock announces 2024 line up

December 6, 2023

Somerstock has announced its musical line-up for 2024, to be headlined by super-star jazz-funk band and household name Shakatak.

Somerstock opens on Friday 12th July with an evening of specially selected live bands, and continues on Saturday 13th with a full day and evening of continuous live music. Each day will bring its own special vibe to the festival.

The Charlie Miller Band, with its dance and soul sounds, is the main act for the Friday evening entertainment, which runs from 6.00pm to 11.00pm with food stalls and bar. Supporting Charlie Miller will be local favourites Twisted Vinyl, passion and power from Bristol based blues, rock and soul band Florence & The Bare Souls, plus a surprise act to be announced.

Saturday’s headliner, Shakatak, will be joined by ten more live acts providing continuous music across two outdoor stages and a big top marquee from 1.00pm to 11.15pm. Also on the outdoor stages will be Matt Owens, formerly of Noah and the Whale and now with the Delusional Vanity Project, who delighted festival-goers in 2023. Alongside him will be Harri Pick, Standalone Empire, Cabarats, Get Loose, That Brit Pop Band and Grizzly and the Grasshoppers. Also back by popular demand are Classic Rock Revival, reggae from The Bare Foot Bandit and Somerstock’s own magical mixer, DJ Slighty, will provide a warm up set of mixes from popular tunes before the headline act.

There will also be children’s activities, retail stalls, food stalls and bars. The silent disco will be in full swing on the Friday evening for the adults with live DJs, and a special kid’s session on Saturday afternoon.

Somerstock is a two-day family-friendly music festival in the heart of the picturesque Somerset town of Somerton. The Somerstock site sits at the edge of the town and provides on-site parking and camping facilities.

There is a wide range of ticketing options, with a great value for money family ticket and children under 12 go free. Tickets are on sale now, with the advice to book early to get the cheapest deals.

First Somerstock 2024 Tickets to go on sale at Somerton Christmas Lights switch-on

October 16, 2023

The first tickets for Somerstock 2024 will go on sale on 3rd December at Somerton’s Christmas Lights switch-on.

A limited number Tier 1 Tickets will be released for sale at the Christmas Lights Switch-On in Somerton, where those attending the event will be able to download a special access code to get the tickets online during the day. Any remaining Tier 1 tickets will be available on general sale when the event closes.

Once all the Tier 1 tickets are sold, more tickets will be released at Tier 2 prices, finally moving to Tier 3 standard prices tickets.

“We are delighted to be back with Somerstock in 2024 and we will kick things off by offering our cheapest tickets to people attending the Somerton Christmas Lights event”, said festival chairman Cliff Bassett. ”We will also be confirming details of our line-up of fantastic bands.”

Somerstock was a sell-out in 2023 and the organisers recommend buying tickets early for this growing festival so as not to miss out.

For full details of Somerstock, including band line-up details as they become available, please go to www.somerstock.co.uk or watch out for announcements on social media

Somerstock is the flagship event of Somerton Music and Arts Festival, which will take place at venues throughout Somerton in July. However, an early event has been added to the schedule with the festival hosting a Christmas Table Decoration Workshop on Saturday 2^nd December from 2-4pm.

Please go to the Music & Arts festival website for all the details and tickets.

Air Ambulance selected as partner charity for 2023

April 18, 2023

Our charity partner for 2023 will again be the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, a registered charity established to provide relief from sickness and injury for the people of Dorset and Somerset by the provision of an air ambulance service, with an air and road-delivered critical care capability.

Somerstock chairman Fred Bassett presented a cheque for £1000 to the Air Ambulance following last year’s Somerstock and is confident that the organisers will be able to match that sum following this year’s event.

The organisation receives no direct funding from the Government or the National Lottery and relies on the generosity of the public for support. Their operational costs are over £5 million a year and the approximate cost per mission is £3,000.

Since their launch in 2000 they have flown thousands of missions. They are tasked as part of the normal ‘999’ emergency process by a dedicated Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) desk located at Ambulance Control (paid for by the South West Air Ambulance Charities) and can attend up to eight or nine incidents in a single day.

Their airbase is situated at Henstridge Airfield on the Dorset/Somerset border. From there, they can be at any point in the two counties in less than 20 minutes. More importantly, the helicopter can, if required, then take a patient to the nearest major trauma centre in the South West within a further 20 minutes.

Find out more at www.dsairambulance.org.uk

The Festival also presented a cheque for a similar amount to the Somerton Recreation Ground Trust in recognition of the help and support they provide for the festival.

Somerstock dates announced for 2023

January 12, 2023

Somerstock is a family friendly music festival in the heart of Somerset. 2023 sees the introduction of a Friday night of music on the 7^th July, before a full day of bands and family fun on Saturday 8th July. The festival site is on the edge of the town of Somerton, with on-site parking and camping available.

Dance and soul band Area 52 will headline the Friday evening entertainment which runs from 6pm to 11pm, with food stalls and bar. Al O’Kane opens the evening with fiery alt/folk-rock, followed by up-beat covers from Not Like The Others and great new music from Young Martyrs.

Headlining the Saturday, rock legends The Blockheads will be joined by 13 other live bands providing continuous music from 1pm to 11:30pm over three stages with the evening’s entertainment rounded off by a silent disco. There will also be children’s activities, retail stalls, food stalls and bars.

Joining The Blockheads on the outdoor stages will be Tom and the Clementynes who delighted festival goers in 2019, Matt Owens (formerly of Noah and the Whale) with the Delusional Vanity Project, upbeat country folk from the Jamestown Brothers, stunning rock covers from The Classic Rock Revival, Ska from the Decatonics and high energy from Nick Parker and the False Alarms – once described as ‘A British Arcade Fire’. The festival also includes soul from the Charlie Miller Band, reggae from the South West’s Bare Foot Bandit along with acoustic acts and alternative as well as the now famous silent disco.

There is a wide range of ticketing options, with a great value for money family ticket and children under 12 go free. Check the festival website www.somerstock.co.uk for all the details, to buy tickets or to ask us any questions.

New look for 2023 Festival

November 27, 2022

Plans for Somerton’s music and arts festival are already underway for July 2023. As a precursor, the Art & Photography exhibition will take place at the Parish Rooms from 27th May to 3rd June, with an array of exhibitions and work shops spanning a wide range of arts and crafts. The exhibition attracted over 1000 visitors in 2022 and the organisers are looking to expand on this success for 2023.

The main festival will kick off on 30th June, with events at venues throughout Somerton. “We have lots of exciting events in store,” says festival chairman Cliff Bassett. “Details of all our events will be added to our website as soon as they are confirmed, along with details of how to purchase tickets.”

The festival programme will culminate in Somerstock, Somerton’s family-friendly music festival, which this year will include an additional evening of music on the Friday. Somerstock will take place at the Recreation Ground on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th July. “We will be offering a limited number of Tier 1 tickets at budget prices in time for Christmas” adds Bassett. These super early bird tickets will be available from 4th December at www.somerstock.com and details of the bands will also appear on the website as soon as they are confirmed.

The Somerton Music & Arts Festival, which includes Somerstock, is a not-for-profit event run by a small team of unpaid volunteers to benefit the local community. The festival donates money to local charities and organisations which in 2022 were the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Somerton Sports and Recreation Ground. The organisers would welcome any new volunteers who would like to help with the organisation of events or the running of the festival. Anyone wishing to get involved should contact volunteers@somertonartsfestival.co.uk.

New look for Somerton Festival

November 11, 2022

Plans for Somerton’s music and arts festival are already underway for July 2023. As a precursor, the Art & Photography exhibition will take place at the Parish Rooms from 27th May to 3rd June, with an array of exhibitions and work shops spanning a wide range of arts and crafts. The exhibition attracted over 1000 visitors in 2022 and the organisers are looking to expand on this success with more events in more venues across the town.

The main festival will kick off on 30th June with events at venues throughout Somerton as well as music at many of the local hostelries. “We have lots of exciting events in store,” says festival chairman Cliff Bassett. “Details of all our events will be added to our website as soon as they are confirmed, along with details of how to purchase tickets.”

The festival programme will culminate Somerstock, Somerton’s family-friendly music festival, which this year will include an additional evening of music on the Friday night. Somertock will take place at the Recreation Ground on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th July. “We will be offering a limited number of Tier 1 tickets at budget prices in time for Christmas” adds Bassett. These super early bird tickets will be available from 4th December at www.somerstock.com and details of the bands will also appear on the site as soon as they are confirmed.

The Somerton Music & Arts Festival, which includes Somerstock, is a not-for-profit event run by a small team of unpaid volunteers to benefit the local community. The festival raises money for local charities and organisations which have included St Margaret’s Hospice, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Somerton Sports and Recreation Ground. The organisers would welcome any new volunteers who would like to help with the organisation of events or the running of the festival. Anyone wishing to get involved should contact volunteers@somertonartsfestival.co.uk.

Family Fun Day

September 30, 2022

The Somerstock organisers have announced that the annual Family Fun Day will no longer take place in its current form.

The growing popularity of the event and increasing visitor numbers mean it must now operate under an official, council approved, event plan. “As a small team of volunteers we are disappointed that we are no longer able to resource this community event,” explains Bassett. The organising committee would, however, like to see the event continue in another guise, and have said they would be happy to advise any other community group or organisation who would like to run a similar event.

The loss of the Fun Day will enable the organisers to place more emphasis on the popular Art & Photography Exhibition and on providing more events around the town during festival week.

Boost for Somerton Recreation Ground

August 18, 2022

The organisers of the Somerton Music and Arts Festival who run the popular Somerstock Music Festival have presented a cheque of £1000 to David Osmond, Chair of the Somerton Recreation Ground Trust from funds raised by the 2022 Festival. Festival Chairman Cliff Bassett said ‘We are very pleased to make this donation to help the Trust continue its work in supporting sport and activities for all in Somerton’. David Osmond responded saying ‘It was great to see so many people enjoying the Festival this year. We welcome this generous donation which will be put to good use’

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance was presented with a cheque for a similar amount.

David Osmond, chairman of the Somerton Recreation Ground Trust, receives a cheque for £1000 from festival chairman Fred Bassett.

Fortnight of Festival Frolics in Somerton

March 28, 2022

Such is the success of the annual Somerton Music & Arts Festival that the event has now been extended to cover two weeks in July, as well a prelude event in the form of an art and photography exhibition to kick things off at the end of May.

The festival fortnight itself comprises a wide range of events to be held across the town, with bands playing in the local hostelries, talks, walks, musical recitals and various food and drink themed workshops.

The flagship of the festival however is Somerstock, Somerton’s own family-friendly music festival, which is shaping up to be a corker! As well as headline act The Hoosiers leading the charge of ten live bands providing continuous music all day, the festival offers a much wider array of food outlets, multiple bars, the return of the silent disco and entertainment for the children.

“All our performers can’t wait to show off their amazing talent and entertain you, so why go elsewhere when you have all this on your doorstep, right here in Somerton!” extols festival chairman Cliff ‘Fred’ Bassett.

The organisers would like to clarify that the family fun day, which is now part of the Somerstock weekend, will take place the day after Somerstock on Sunday 10^th July on the sports and recreation ground and will be free to attend as usual. Fun-day activities will include the traditional blend of displays, family activities, food, bars, classic cars and live music, but bigger and better than before!

The events to be held across town from the 1^st to 14^th July include:

Bath Gilbert and Sullivan society will be performing songs with a nautical theme mainly from G&S but also from other well-known composers (Friday 1st July, St Michael’s Church)
Not like the others playing rock, dance and indie covers from across the years (Saturday 8th July, Unicorn)
Quiz Night The infamous Festival Quiz returns – show off your knowledge and win prizes. Maximum of 20 teams of up to six people. (Monday 4th July, Sports Club)
Somerton Ukulele Band and Singers A U3A group of 30 members playing all the old favourites for the residents of Wessex House (Monday 4th July, Wessex House)
Jive Night Featuring Ray Warry teaching the jive along with Strictly Jive and Twisted Vinyl who will jive your socks off! (Thursday 14th July Edgar Hall)

The Art & Photography exhibition runs from 28^th May and run until 4^th June, opening daily from 10am to 4pm (closed on Sunday 29th May). Alongside the exhibition, the festival will be hosting talks and interactive workshops including digital art, felting and drawing, as well as workshops for children in bracelet making and sewing, plus an afternoon of crocheting.

The exhibition is free to visit and provides an opportunity for all amateur photographers, artists, sculptors and needle-workers to display their work. Exhibitors need to reserve a place to enter their work and will need to book early to avoid disappointment. Entries can be made at www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk/exhibit

For more information on all the events go to www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk