• The Divine Comedy
• Orchestra Baobab
• Duffy
• The Blockheads
• School of Language
• Spiers and Boden
• Palladium
• Kissmet
• Chris Letcher
• Piney Gir
• Stornoway
• Mor Karbasi
• Marcus Bonfanti and the Bad Boys
• The Quiet Men
• Heavy Load
• Desperately Not Yoko
• The Loungs
• Dirty Fakirs
• Breaking the Illusion
• Islands Lost at Sea
• The New Delamores
• Dan Collins & Dave Rigg
• Rachael Kichenside
• We See Lights
• Ivan Campo
• The Nearly Men

The Divine Comedy is Neil Hannon. Over the years, the name has encompassed other musicians, but the driving force of the band and its main (sometimes only!) member has always been Neil Hannon. He chose the name The Divine Comedy aged 18, almost at random. He and two Enniskillen school friends needed a new name for their band and Neil spotted a copy of Dante's epic poem on the family bookshelf. It stuck, and a year later it was the name under which the trio signed to Irish run indie Setanta Records. They left Northern Ireland, moved into a squat in London, released a mini-album Fanfare for the Comic Muse and '91's Europop E.P. then split up. Neil's bandmates went to university and Neil returned home.

From that beginning rose a musical career that has spanned over ten years of wonderful song writing, musical collaborations and top ten hits. From '93's Liberation to more recent Choice Music Prize (the Irish equivalent of the Mercury Music Prize) winning Victory for the Comic Muse, Neil Hannon's songwriting continues to delight audiences across the world.

www.thedivinecomedy.com

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Raised in Nefyn on the Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales Duffy didn't find her voice until she was 15, and started singing in various local bands. Quickly gaining confidence she even auditioned a Welsh alternative to Pop Idol on S4C where she was expected to win, but eventually came second.

In August 2004 she was introduced to the part-owner of Rough Trade Records Jeanette Lee. Lee quickly orchestrated a meeting between Duffy and Suede's ex-guitar player Bernard Butler, who then co-wrote her debut album 'Rockferry' which was released in March this year.

Duffy has already been tipped in a poll of Industry experts as the Sound of 2008 and is often described as a new Dusty Springfield.

www.myspace.com/duffymyspace 

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The initial line-up of the band comprised: Ian Dury (vocals), Chaz Jankel (guitar/keyboards), John Turnbull (guitar), Mickey Gallagher (keyboards), Davey Payne (saxophone), Charley Charles (drums) and Norman Watt-Roy (bass). Stiff Records signed Ian in 1977 and his first single (co-written with Chaz), "Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll, became their signature tune at every gig.

The Blockheads have just had their 30th Anniversary and we welcome them to Wychwood on Saturday

www.theblockheads.com

www.myspace.com/theblockheads

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His previous band Field Music performed at Wychwood in 2006 and we are delighted to welcome David Brewis back with his new project School of Language.

If you were wowed by the unassuming wonder of Field Music, then this ought to strike a warm chord. School of Language is pop with existential flourishes a go-go.

Check out his album 'Sea from Shore' released on 4 Feb this year.

www.schooloflanguage.co.uk

www.myspace.com/schooloflanguage

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John Spiers and Jon Boden have been consistently wowing audiences up and down the country for the last 5 years with their unique blend of traditional English folk song with a contemporary twist and hi-octane dance tunes which get everyone dancing.  Winners of the Best Duo category at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in both 2004 and 2006, and founders of the Big-Band folk phenomenon that is Bellowhead, Spiers & Boden now find themselves at the forefront of the new folk revival.

Jon Boden (singer, fiddle, guitar, stomp-box) follows in the footsteps of many of the great folk-singers with his theatrical style that can tell the story of a 20 verse ballad from the 18th century while maintaining the audience's attention throughout every twist and turn of the story and then sing a roaring sea-shanty with enough gusto to get everyone joining in.  All the time Jon plays fiddle "with an earthy vigour that's utterly compelling".

John Spiers (melodeon, concertina) has taken the traditional squeezebox styles and blended them with his knowledge of contemporary dance music to create an infectious acoustic groove which sounds like folk music but has an amazing effect on the uninitiated.

www.myspace.com/spiersandboden

www.spiersandboden.com

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It's time you met Palladium four talented musicians who demand you build them a brand new pigeon hole. They make music that is epic, joyful and ludicrous, with influences ranging from Pink Floyd,The Police, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, Hall & Oates and The Who. On paper they sound like the worst band on earth, right? But then who ever enjoyed a band on paper?

http://palladiumofficial.com

www.myspace.com/palladiumofficial

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Kissmet is an East West band at the very forefront of the British Asian fusion scene that combines elements of Bhangra, Rock, Raags and Funk to create a truly unique blend of 'grass roots' Anglo Indian music.  

An exciting roller coaster blend of the East and West, Kissmet capture that all elusive bhangra vibe and will have the whole audience joining in to become part of the spectacle, part of the experience, part of Kissmet.

www.kissmet.co.uk
www.myspace.com/kissmetband 

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Chris Letcher is a singer-songwriter and film composer based in London.

Chris achieved his first critical and commercial success with Urban Creep, one of South Africa's biggest bands during the late 90's before going solo. In an enigmatic and singular career arc he has continued releasing stunning solo and collaborative projects, recently working with Dave Matthews and Xavier Rudd on a track for Vusi Mahlasela's album, as well a Chris has recently completed the music for the Zentropa-produced film My Black Little Heart.

Last spring the band played SXSW in Austin, following up with a sold-out tour of South Africa and attending the South Africa Music Awards where Chris had been nominated twice, including "Best Rock". They have since showcased at Popkomm in Berlin and launched their album 'Frieze' in the UK on 23rd October 2007.

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Once upon a time there was Piney Gir and she was asked to play a show at a working men's club supporting some country-ish band that speak in fake American accents. She couldn't work out why they'd ask an electronic-pop-jazz-chanteuse to play in such a place with such a band, and so she got her chums together to do country covers of her own songs just for fun. This went down such a treat that they played more and more shows, collecting friends and fans everywhere they went. So they ventured into the studio and recorded the old songs in a fresh country style, and made some new songs in an old fashioned way, and behold... the album "Hold Yer Horses" is out in the UK on Truck Records! How do you like them apples?

Piney is now in the studio working on her next electronic album with the Age Of Reason. Which is so very nearly done. Catch Piney and her various incarnations on Saturday.

www.pineygir.com

www.myspace.com/pineygir 

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Up and coming Oxford band Stornoway will be delighting us with their folk-tinged pop on Saturday. They have already achieved mentions and plays on 6Music and Radio 1 so make sure you catch this young band now!
 
In their own words...

The band consists of an Ornithologist, an occasional Russian translator, a South African Pirate Captain, and a human radio. They were first united in a snow-encrusted garage in Oxford early in 2006 and have since attracted the attention of Dr & Mrs Killjoy the neighbours and their android children. They occasionally invite an equine guest onstage.

None of the band have ever been to Stornoway. But Brian once got to within 37 miles of it.

www.myspace.com/stornoway

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Described by London's Jewish Chronicle as a purveyor of "Spine tingling Gypsy Music", young London-based Israeli singer Mor Karbasi sings in Ladino, Spanish, Hebrew and on rarer occasions, English.  Fortune has brought her a wonderful singing voice and she puts it to most excellent use.

Not many songs still survive from 1492, when the Ladino speaking Jewish population in Spain fled the Inquisition - only the most beautiful are kept over such a period.  Mor is bringing some of these songs back to a wider public.  Her writing has been considerably assisted by her interesting lineage.  She is directly descended from both Moroccan and Persian Jews.  She has been and indeed is, an avid supporter of Flamenco which provides a strong flavour throughout all her songs.

This heritage already made for an inspirational Middle Eastern melting pot, when Mor met British guitarist Joe Taylor three years ago who is now an important element in the artistic offering which is Mor Karbasi.

Her debut album is due early 2008 with special guests Trilok Gurtu, Kai Eckhardt and Ronu Majumdar sown together by Grammy Award winning producer Matt Howe.



www.myspace.com/morkarbasi

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Marcus was born in Kings Cross London and from an early age was played Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and an array of blues and folk by his mother and father who made him tapes of old LP's he owned, Marcus proceeded to break these tapes through over playing quicker than his dad could make them till he was given a guitar made from a shoe box and elastic bands to keep him occupied. It wasn't till 12 years later at the age of 15 he actually picked up a real guitar.

Heavily steeped in delta blues his music combines elements of folk, rock and soul. He has been likened to a modern John Martyn, Seasick Steve and Tom Waits.

Marcus learnt his trade as a front man by playing 3 sets a night, sometimes being on stage for up to 3hours or until people could physically dance no more and got into a few scrapes with bar owners for playing longer than their licenses would allow. At the festival he will be joined by the band he played with for the last 5 years before moving from Liverpool to London. His Debut EP will be released later in this year.

www.myspace.com/marcusbonfantimusic

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The Quiet Men are Oxfordshire's hardest working ceilidh band, playing  a unique mix of traditional Scottish and Irish music and contemporary material ... such as REM, Crowded House, Snow Patrol, Radio Head ...

Not many ceilidh bands play instrumentals and sing rock and pop covers. Even fewer pull it off with such professionalism and sheer FUN

Don't let our name fool you - it's ironic because we're not quiet, nor are we all men ... not since Tara joined us on fiddle

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We can't wait to welcome back Heavy Load to Wychwood. Some you may have caught their astonishing performance in the Wickwar Tent on the Friday at last year's Festival, but if you missed it make sure you catch them this year.

Fresh from their starring role in a documentry that is being shown at SXSW no less they are the self styled UK's only disabled punk band, the hardest working band in social care, they are too hardcore for radio 4 (but that's another story) and they invite you to 'get in or get out'!

Make sure you catch Heavy Load in the Big Top on Saturday.

www.myspace.com/heavyloaduk

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Early birds at Wychwood 2007 may have caught an excellent act on our third stage on Saturday at noon. The charming Hugh McGinlay came all the way over from Austraila to do a couple of gigs in 'the old country' and Wychwood was delighted to host him for the weekend. Well now he has returned and was so enthusiastic with his experience he managed to persuade a band mate over too!

Australian folk duo Desperately Not Yoko brings their close harmonies and lush arrangements to Wychwood to kick of their first European tour. Already a sensation down under, they have been hailed as the southern hemisphere's answer to the cowboy junkies and 'a stark reminder of the beauty in gentle things'. With stripped back guitar laying a bed for the seductive vocals of Louise Kent, this is a performance not to be missed.

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The Loungs formed in 2004 and in late 2005 the band signed to Akoustik Anarkhy Records (Manchester) and released their debut single "I'm Gonna Take Your Girl" in March 2006.

On the back of the self produced album, 'We are the champ' the Loungs were invited down to play slots at the Glastonbury, Knowlsey Hall, Lounge on The Farm and Bestival festivals.

Their performance at the latter impressed Huw Stevens enough for him to get the band down to the Maida Vale studios to record a session for his BBC Radio 1 show. 2007 also saw The Loungs' music appear on BBC 1's prime-time drama "Waterloo Road". 

The Loungs are currently holed up starting to work on album number two. Only the good lord knows what it will sound like but rest assured..it definitely won't be trendy.

The Loungs will be headling The Doghouse at Wychwood programming on the Wickwar Stage on Saturday

www.myspace.com/theloungs

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Dirty Fakirs are a 6 piece band from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire who formed in August 2006 and  have been winning audiences over ever since with their unique blend of funk/rock/blues/jazz.

They create a sound which draws influence from a diverse range of musical genres and cannot be likened solely to one style.

From their inauspicious beginnings - practicing above a local pub which was shut down the day after their début gig there - the band has amassed a large, loyal fan base rapidly built on their hard-earnt reputation for performing engaging material with energy, originality and talented musicianship.

Dirty Fakirs feature as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming

www.myspace.com/dirtyfakirs

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Leeds born Tom Stewart's alter-ego Breaking The Illusion has come a long way in the last 18 months, not only playing as a brilliant 4-piece at Glastonbury twice as an emerging talent finalist and BBC "Introducing..." featured artist, Radio 1's Maida Vale Live sessions, but also playing critically acclaimed sets with Lilly Allen, Calvin Harris, Remi Nicole & Pigeon Detectives to name a few. It looks like there's no stopping him!

Breaking the Illusion are performing as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming.

www.myspace.com/breakingtheillusion 

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Formed in 2006 with the sole aim to experiment with different sounds, styles and genres, Islands Lost At Sea quickly made a name for themselves putting regular gig/club nights on in their hometown of Bolton. Things soon picked up for the band mid way through 2006 when they put pen top paper and signed a record deal with Manchester label Akoustik Anarkhy, the deal was signed on a dustbin in the back alley behind Akoustik Anarkhy's regular venue, the Gardens Hotel. 2007 & 2008 will see ILAS franticly trying to learn how to make and record an album on a shoestring budget and shot nerves. If you see them, give them a hug.

Islands Lost at Sea feature as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming

www.myspace.com/islandslostatsea

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Formed at the end of spring of 2006 the New Delamores are a three piece from the outskirts of Leeds and Wakefield,

Imagine if Brian Wilson joined The Sonics. It's remarkably polished, but without losing that raw exciting edge.- Sandman Magazine

Often described as 60's influenced, the songs have a darkness to them in both melody and lyrically which makes them sound anything but dated.

an individual sound in the current time, very off kilter, but very listenable, charm and great sing-along potential. wonderfully crafted songs - Yorkshire music collective

The New Delamores feature as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming

www.myspace.com/thedelamores  

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Inspired by the whole spectrum of blues masters from the last 60 years, Dan Collins and Dave Rigg place the emphasis on rhythm. Whilst clearly paying their dues to the legends - to Fred McDowell, to Bukka White to John Lee Hooker - they have found a sound that is all their own - blistering harmonica fuses with rough and ready electric guitar in a highly original set packed full of energy.

Dan and Dave feature on the Wickwar Stage as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming.

www.myspace.com/dancollinsdaverigg 

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Rachael Kichenside has been writing her own music from the age of 8 and performed her first gig at 15 in a little festival tent, where she was pronounced act of the week and dragged back on the last night to play her second ever gig in front of 500 people.

In 2007a major label heard her voice on an album and got in contact. This spurred her on to continue recording her own music and to start gigging again, and that year with some friends, she took to the venues again.

Rachael Kichenside is performing on the Wickwar Stage as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming.

www.myspace.com/rkichenside

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We See Lights are the alpha and omega. Parliamentarians of pain, slipping into the slipstream of schadenfreude and having sex with it while wearing their shoes. We See Lights travel the Scottish highlands in search of the cure for anger, pain, loneliness, and trousers.
Pulling influences from the great songwriters, We See Lights have created the bastard child of modern alterative Americana and traditional Scottish music whose babysitter is Brian Wilson on a good day.

www.myspace.com/weseelights

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Based in the Northwest of England, Ivan Campo produce interweaving melodies combined with a musical unpredictability influenced by artists as varied as Devendra Banhart, Nick Harper and Arcade Fire. The effect is a unique style infused with echoes of films, snatched memories and a healthy sense of the absurd. 

Ivan Campo are performing on the Wickwar Stage as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming

www.myspace.com/ivancampo 

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The Nearly Men are a four-piece guitar pop band inspired by the swinggroups of the 50s and the melodies of the 60s - using guitar, bass,organ and percussion to create a rhythmic sound that combines soulfullyrics and memorable hooks

The Nearly Men are on the Wickwar Stage as part of The Doghouse at Wychwood programming

www.myspace.com/thenearlymen

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