Solfest - Huge Mainstage Announcement!!!

Solfest 2006 - mainstage artists announced!

Cumbria’s biggest and most vibrant music and arts festival (this year taking place from 25th-27th August 2006) has just announced the names of headliners and other acts booked for this years festival.

This year the festival will be graced by the appearance of Scottish folk-rock giants The Proclaimers. When the Scottish duo of Craig and Charlie Reid emerged in 1987, they were immediately compared to the Everly Brothers. Considering their energetic, melodic folk rock the comparison made some sense, even though the Proclaimers didn't really sound like the Everlys. Instead, the band was a post-punk pop band, aggressively displaying their thick accents on sweet, infectiously melodic songs about love, politics, and life in Scotland. After two albums and two massive hit singles Letter From America and I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) and two chart albums This Is the Story (1987), Sunshine on Leith (1988), the band disappeared for several years, suffering from personal problems and severe writer's block.

When their 1988 song I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) was used in the 1993 film Benny & Joon, the duo began to receive massive radio airplay in America, sending them into the Top Ten in the U.S., as well as the rest of the world; it was their first taste of real success. Luckily, the band was close to completing their third album at the time; Hit the Highway, leaving them in a position to capitalize on their success. The single Let's Get Married received little attention, and the band pretty much disappeared. The new millennium exuded a much more fresh sounding Proclaimers. They inked a new U.S. deal with Nettwerk, and Persevere (2001) marked Craig and Charlie Reid's fourth album. It was a return to form; singing about the grime and glory of their native Scotland, but also a sign of the prime of life. The band's fifth effort, Born Innocent, appeared on their own imprint Persevere in 2003. Restless Soul followed it in 2005. The duo is at present creating and performing at the top of their game.

Also appearing are the irrepressible Black Country nutcases The Wonderstuff, fronted by UK music legend Miles Hunt. Formed in Stourbridge in the West Midlands in 1986, releasing their debut single to critical acclaim the following year, along with the likes of Pop Will Eat Itself and other Midlands hopefuls Crazyhead and Gaye Bykers On Acid, they were soon pigeonholed under the banner of "grebo rock" by the national music press. Despite this ill-fitting description, the Wonder Stuff's strengths always lay in melodic pop songs braced against an urgent, power-pop backdrop. The Wonder Stuff's vital debut, The Eight Legged Groove Machine, which followed later that year and established them in the UK charts. It's Yer Money I'm After Baby, also from the album, continued to mine Hunt's writing talents and began a string of UK Top 40 hits. Who Wants To Be The Disco King? and the more relaxed Don't Let Me Down, Gently, both from 1989, hinted at the diversity of the band's second album, Hup. Aided by fiddle, banjo and keyboard player Martin Bell (ex-Hackney Five-O), the album contrasted a harder, hi-tech sound with a rootsy, folk feel.

Subsequent low profile was broken in April 1991 with the catchy The Size Of A Cow. A UK number 5 hit, this was quickly followed by a single Caught In My Shadow and album Never Loved Elvis. Once again, this third album revealed the Wonder Stuff's remorseless progression. The extent of the Wonder Stuff's popularity was emphasized in October 1991 when, in conjunction with comedian Vic Reeves, they topped the UK charts with a revival of Tommy Roe's Dizzy. The band made a swift return to the Top 10 in 1992 with the Welcome To The Cheap Seats EP, the title track's post-punk jig (with Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals) typifying the direction of the following year's Construction For The Modern Idiot. Splitting in 1994, and occasionally reconvening until today with Miles Hunt fronting the band in acoustic and rock mode, touring America and gracing the stage at festivals like Beautiful Days, and now Solfest.

Gracing the main stage also are UK ska/two-tone legends The Selecter The Selecter formed in 1979, spearheading the 2-tone movement alongside The Specials. The band, fronted by lead singer Pauline Black enjoyed chart success, with the singles, Missing Words, Three Minute Hero, The Whisper and the classic On My Radio. Two albums were also released; Too Much Pressure and the critically acclaimed Celebrate The Bullet. The Selecter also contributed 4 songs to the cult film ‘Dance Craze’, which also featured The Specials, The Beat, Madness, Bad Manners and the all-female The Bodysnatchers. The band split up in 1982, with Pauline pursuing a career in TV, radio, theatre and film, as well as recording as a solo artist on Chrysalis records. In 1993 Neol Davies parted company with The Selecter, just before the band’s high profile ‘Skavoovie’ tour with the founding fathers of ska, The Skatalites and the newly formed Special Beat. Since then the band have released seven studio albums of new material, which also feature contributions from original Jamaican legends, Prince Buster, trombonist Rico Rodriguez and ‘Mr Double Barrel’ Dave Barker. In 1999, The Selecter was commissioned to record 45 songs from the illustrious back catalogue of the renowned reggae label Trojan Records. The Selecter remain one of the true originals of the 2-tone era; always diversifying their music and never afraid to try something new. They still influence artists today, as shown by Basement Jaxx’s sampling of On My Radio for their track ‘Same Old Show’ and Gwen Stefani’s invitation to the band to tour the U.S arena circuit with No Doubt.

Simon Friend, longtime guitarist of the Levellers and composer of one of the bands most outstanding songs Battle Of The Beanfield will also perform on the main stage. Already renowned for his show stopping solo performances at the Levellers own ‘Beautiful Days’ festival, his set includes a selection of his own material and Levellers classic stripped back the their acoustic roots. Touring, recording and performing with The Levellers for over a decade he has been from the start an integral part of the Levellers machine bringing to the band his own, not inconsiderable songwriting skills.

Others appearing throughout the weekend include are dynamic 11-piece folk band Bellowhead, Barcelona’ very own masters of Latin, rhumba and more, 10 piece act Costo Rico, Irish folk singer supreme Cara Dillon, the powerful contemporary folk trad sound of The Demon Barbers and more surprises. Watch this space!!!

Tickets will go on sale at 9.00am on Monday 3rd April 2006, where you can purchase via 01900 602122 or in person at The Carnegie Box Office, Finkle Street, Workington, Cumbria.

Adult weekend Tickets are first 2000 sold £42 remainder £49

Children’s weekend tickets: under 5s – free Children 5-12 £10.

Solfest operates a WYSIWYG policy on tickets. We have NO hidden charges, NO carriage fees, NO booking fee and NO credit card charges!