First blues festival is up and running

10:44am Friday 9th May 2008

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ACCLAIMED blues musicians will descend on a small Worcestershire pub this summer.

To be precise, they will descend on open space behind the pub. The nationally celebrated performers will be taking part in the first Wichenford Blues Festival.

Eight bands will ensure the inaugural event at the Masons Arms in Wichenford, near Martley, on Saturday, July 5, will be one to remember. Organising the entertainment is Midlands blues vocalist Oliver Carpenter.

Carpenter, who fronts the Big Blues Tribe, has his fingers crossed for good weather.

"Andy (manager of the Masons Arms) and I thought let's just do it. We've no idea what the audience will be like. I hope that local people come out in droves to support it.

"It's a great venue with a great big open space behind it. This hasn't been done before. I'm promised good weather and there'll be quite a few festival-type stalls. If people come along on the day the atmosphere will be fantastic."

Carpenter's Tribe will headline with a performance at 9.45pm. Preceding the nine-piece blues band will be genre-defying Memphis in The Meantime; highly danceable Alma Latina; jump jive foursome Cracker & The Wookpeckers; experienced blues man Chris Gibbons; and husband and wife duo The Blues Toones. Gates open at noon with live blues from 1.20pm.

There will be a host of stalls, good food and beer. For tickets, priced £10 for adults and £2 for under 12s, visit, www.wichenfordblues fest.co.uk.

Win tickets Your Worcester News has teamed up with the organisers to give away two pairs of tickets to the festival.

To be in with chance of winning just answer the following question - Which Midlands blues band does Oliver Carpenter front?

Send answers to Lauren Rogers, Worcester News Editorial, Berrows House, Hylton Road, Worcester, WR2 5JX, or e-mail lr@worcesternews.co.uk.

You can also text - start your message BLUES and then send to 80360.

Messages cost 25p plus your normal operator text charge.

The competition closes on Friday, May 23.