Morecambe Music Festival set to be town’s ‘biggest weekend of the year’

Thousands of people will party all over the town when the third annual Morecambe Music Festival kicks off on ?Friday night.
Matt Thiss at Morecambe Music Festival. Picture: Mike JacksonMatt Thiss at Morecambe Music Festival. Picture: Mike Jackson
Matt Thiss at Morecambe Music Festival. Picture: Mike Jackson

More than 50 acts will perform in more than 20 venues across Morecambe town centre, the West End and Westgate, including pubs, cafes, the Midland Hotel, the Festival Market, the Platform and for the first time this year, the Soul Bowl diner and 10-pin bowling centre.

The festival – running from July 12 to 14 as a three-day event for the first time - traditionally brings a real party atmosphere to the town and boosts the local economy as revellers spend money in the town’s pubs and shops while enjoying the great live music on offer.

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Stuart Michaels, festival founder, said: “Morecambe is a town on the up and festivals are one of the reasons why because they bring the community together, boost the economy and put smiles on people’s faces.

Festival goers at Harry's Bar during Morecambe Music Festival . Picture: Mike JacksonFestival goers at Harry's Bar during Morecambe Music Festival . Picture: Mike Jackson
Festival goers at Harry's Bar during Morecambe Music Festival . Picture: Mike Jackson

“Thanks to the support of the organising team, our wonderful sponsors, venues and local people, the Morecambe Music Festival is already a key event on the town’s festivals calendar in only its third year, and it’s getting bigger and better each time.

“This year’s is shaping up to be the best yet, so make sure you take Monday off work and come out to enjoy the fantastic live music, the amazing pubs, cafes and other venues, and everything that our amazing town has to offer!”

Bru Wood, manager of festival venue The Palatine pub, said: “The Music Festival to us at the Palatine is singly the most important and biggest weekend of the whole year. The reach of the festival is growing and with that attracting new people to our town and its venues. For me having music all day and night is amazing.”

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Some of the best-known names from the town’s thriving live music circuit – including DJ Matt Thiss, The Reggie Mental Band, Twenty Four Seven, Sold to the Sky, Carlie Mai, Mark McKenna, Jason Stardust, Jay Blackburn, The Lancaster Bombers, Melanie Horabin, The Howling Clowns, The Dead Puppeteers, The Section, Corvidae, Two Stroke Diesel, ‘Soul Man’ Mark Yates, Away from the Numbers and more – will perform alongside up-and-coming talent and acts with huge followings from around the North West.

They include one of the county’s best emerging bands who will open the festival at the Royal Bar on Friday night (July 12).

Rock band Building Giants, from Preston, are fresh off a UK tour, have appeared at the Camden Rocks festival and are also lined up for this year’s Kendal Calling.

Known for their lively stage presence, catchy riffs and raspy vocals, Building Giants were recently voted ‘New Band of the Day’ by Louder Than War.

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Also on Friday night look out for DJ Summer J from the acclaimed Escape team spinning the tunes at Harry’s Bar (7pm), The Seals and Jay Blackburn form the line-up at The Exchange, Andy and Cameron will be live at the Masons on Queen Street (10pm) and Andy Coultas, front man of the biggest Jam and Paul Weller tribute act in the UK, will be at the Palatine from 9pm. There will also be music at the Crown, Davy Jones’ Locker, the Chieftain and the Park Hotel in the West End.

Saturday July 13 is the first of two full days of live music at all the festival venues, starting at the Festival Market with Rock It Man from 10.45am.

Highlights will include a varied Saturday line-up in the idyllic Morecambe Hotel beer garden of the amazing Gathered Voices Choir, and fantastic rock bands The Rest and Sold to the Sky.

One of the best vintage rock ‘n’ roll acts in the business, CJ Stewart will bring the Ultimate 50s and 60s Experience to the Soul Bowl (2.30pm).

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The Exchange also has a packed bill throughout the day including the always-popular ska sensations The Reggie Mental Band (4.30pm).

Newly-reopened pubs the Park Hotel (Corvidae, 5pm) and the Bath Hotel (The Dead Puppeteers, 9pm) will host some great acts, the Wellington will welcome singers Jennie White (5pm) and Chloe Pitchford (7pm) while the Masons has live music from Melanie Horabin (7pm).

DJ Steve Middlesbrough will play Iconic pop music hits at the Midland Hotel (7pm), the Howling Clowns will round off a full day of music at the Palatine (9pm) and Morecambe’s Ibiza DJ Matt Thiss and Friends will be in residence at Harry’s Bar from 2pm until 10pm.

Highlights on Sunday July 14 include a full day’s Freestage event at The Platform with nine acts, the Lancaster Bombers next door at the Station (2pm), ‘Soul Man’ Mark Yates will sing at the perfect venue of the Soul Bowl from 2pm, Sold to the Sky are on at the Midland (2pm), TwentyFourSeven will have everyone in the party mood at The Exchange (4.30pm), two more of our area’s top singers Jason Stardust (Davy Jones’ Locker, 5pm) and Mark McKenna (Crown Hotel, 6pm) will perform, and the festival will continue into the night rounding off with Sold to the Sky at the Palatine and Corvidae at the Chieftain from 9pm.

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Lewis’s Coffee Shop, Rita’s Café and the Clock Tower Café are among the new festival venues for 2019, joining Jo ‘n’ Lees Café on the Westgate Precinct as the café locations. Throughout the weekend live music will include Rachel Parga (Jo ‘n’ Lees, Sunday 2pm), Leah Silva (Clock Tower Café, Sunday 3pm), Daniel Liptrott (Lewis’s, Saturday 2pm) and Dave Metcalf and Dave Kellett (Rita’s Café, Saturday and Sunday, 2pm).

A special festival ale, called Festivale, will be on sale in many of the venues.

Morecambe Music Festival was founded in 2017 by local singer and entertainer Stuart Michaels.It began as a one-day event in 2017 and after rave reviews from the public, grew to two days in 2018.

The festival is sponsored by Local Choice, Printex Solutions, M6 Media, Beyond Radio, Morecambe BID and Parkdean Resorts.

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Morecambe Music Festival was Highly Commended in the 2019 Sunshine Awards run by The Visitor newspaper.

Festival guides are available from venues and Morecambe Visitor Information Centre.

Full information on the festival can be found at www.morecambemusicfestival.uk

FULL FESTIVAL LINE-UP

BATH HOTEL

Saturday July 13: Dead Puppeteers 9pm

Sunday July 14: The Section 4pm

THE CHIEFTAIN

Friday July 12: Dave Wright, 9pm

Saturday July 13: Dave and Sandra 3pm, Ronnie String 9pm

Sunday July 14: Corvidae 9pm

CLOCK TOWER CAFÉ

Saturday July 13: Gathered Voices Choir 3.15pm

Sunday July 14: Leah Silva 3pm

CROWN HOTEL

Friday July 12: Jennie White 9pm

Saturday July 13: Carlie Mai 9pm

Sunday July 14: Mark McKenna 6pm

DAVY JONES’ LOCKER

Friday July 12: Karaoke with Kev 8.30pm

Saturday July 13: Jamie Walker 6pm, Corvidae 9pm

Sunday July 14: Jason Stardust 5pm, Carlie Mae 8pm

THE EXCHANGE

Friday July 12: The Seals 8.30pm, Jay Blackburn 12.15am

Saturday July 13: Joe Publix 2pm, Reggie Mental Band 4.30pm, The Reaction 7pm, Sensational Hit Soul Band 9.30pm

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Sunday July 14: Away From The Numbers 2pm, TwentyFourSeven 4.30pm, Chris Taverner 7pm

FESTIVAL MARKET

Saturday July 13: Rock It Man 10.45am

Sunday July 14: Trickle Charge 11am

HARRY’S BAR

Friday July 12: DJ Summer J 7pm

Saturday July 13: DJ Matt Thiss and Friends 2pm to 10pm

Sunday July 14: Andy and Ady 1pm to 7pm

JO N LEES CAFÉ, WESTGATE

Saturday July 13: Jay Blackburn 2pm

Sunday July 14: Rachel Parga 2pm

LEWIS’S COFFEE SHOP

Saturday July 13: Daniel Liptrott 2pm

THE MASONS

Friday July 12: Andy and Cameron, 10pm

Saturday July 13: Northern Soul DJ 3pm, Melanie Horabin 7pm

Sunday July 14: Jefferson Moore 8pm

MIDLAND HOTEL

Saturday July 13: Gathered Voices Choir 2pm, Steve Middlesbrough DJ 7pm

Sunday July 14: Sold to the Sky 2pm

MORECAMBE HOTEL

Saturday July 13: Gathered Voices Choir 12.30pm, The Rest 1.30pm, Sold to the Sky 4pm

THE PALATINE

Friday July 12: Acoustic Malice 9pm

Saturday July 13: Jamie Walker 1pm, Rock It Man 4pm, Howling Clowns 9pm

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Sunday July 14: Olta Ego 1pm, Mark Yates 4pm, Sold to the Sky 9pm

PARK HOTEL

Friday July 12: Danny Liptrott 7pm

Saturday July 13: Corvidae 5pm

Sunday July 14: Maggie McCreathe 3pm

THE PLATFORM

Sunday July 14: Chris Price 2pm, Them Too 12.40pm, Benni Beard 1.20pm, Flissy-Lou Harris 2pm, The Broken Hearted Few 2.40pm, Me and Fred 3.20pm, Andy Reaus 4pm, Intovision 4.40pm, Deccan Traps 5.20pm

RITA’S CAFÉ

Saturday July 13: Dave Metcalf and Dave Kellett 2pm

Sunday July 14: Dave Metcalf and Dave Kellett 2pm

ROYAL HOTEL

Friday July 12: Building Giants 7pm, Bedlam 9pm

Saturday July 13: Chasing Visions 6pm, Two Hoots 9pm

Sunday July 14: Flip 3pm, Rock It Man 6pm

SOUL BOWL

Saturday July 13: CJ Stewart 2.30pm

Sunday July 14: Mark Yates 2.30pm

THE STATION

Saturday July 13 Two Stroke Diesel 2pm

Sunday July 14: Lancaster Bombers 2pm

THE WELLINGTON

Saturday July 13: Jennie White 5pm, Chloe Pitchford 7pm

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