THE blues are coming to town on Friday, July 16 when the annual Upton Blues Festival kicks off for its third year.

A total of 28 bands from across the UK have been confirmed for this year's festival, including headliners Lightnin' Willie and the Poorboys, The Official Receivers and local lads The Fabulous Boogie Boys.

The Official Receivers are a soul band who play covers of classics by artists including Otis Redding, Spencer Davis and Tina Turner, while Lightnin' Willie is a Los Angeles-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who plays blues, R'n'B and Rockabilly.

Other bands set to play include The Barflys, a Worcester-based four piece who play gipsy jazz, ragtime, blues and R'n'B and American Michael Roach, who plays East Coast blues in a style originating in the 1920s.

Also playing are Hacksaw, a punk rock outfit described as a cross between The White Stripes and The Wurzels and The TS Blues Band, who cite John Coltrane, Muddy Waters and James Brown as influences.

The bands will perform in nine venues around Upton, including The Anchor Inn, The Plough and The King's Head, as well as under the bridge and in Upton Social Club.

The festival attracted more than 2,000 people to the town last year and organisers hope to top the figure this year.

The festival has been awarded a grant from the Arts Council, which has allowed it to subsidise the venues where the bands perform, to ensure a high quality of music.

Committee member Rachael Willoughby said: "This year we have made a concerted effort to improve the quality of the bands. We have a fantastic line-up and I am sure that there will be something for everyone to enjoy."

The event starts on Wednesday and runs until Friday.

The festival is free but programmes announcing the times and venues where each band will be playing help to fund it.

These cost £2.50 and are available at The Anchor Inn, Upton Tourist Information Centre or by calling 01242 704429.

For more information on the festival or accommodation, visit www.uptonbluesfestival.org.uk