Tickets are now on sale for the 10th anniversary staging of an award-winning Cumbrian music festival.
Organisers of Music on the Marr have revealed the first headliners and other acts who will appear at the special anniversary from July 18-21. This year’s line-up is set to have a strong Celtic connection with Scotland’s Blazin’ Fiddles and Tide Lines confirmed as headliners for Friday and Saturday night.
To help music-lovers with the cost, organisers have reversed the trend of increasing prices with a full weekend ticket pulled back to £79. Day/Night tickets are also available.
There’s a return as Sunday night headliners for Wigan-based Merry Hell after their triumphant success at their previous festival appearance fours ago.
Blazin’ Fiddles are a contemporary fiddle band from the Highlands and Islands who have been wowing audiences with their original material for 20 years.
Tide Lines are a talented four-piece also from the Highlands who have achieved 3m Spotify streams and include in their ranks singer Robert Robertson and multi-instrumentalist Ross Wilson of former festival headliners Skippinish.
Other leading names in this year’s line-up are renowned Danish duo Andreas Tophøj and Rune Barslund, multi-award winner Martin Simpson, fellow BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, colourful musical collective Zimbaremabwe and Irish four-piece Lankum.
There’s also another date for one of the hits of last year’s festival, Opera-lele, who specialise in singing opera and musical theatre accompanied by the twang of the ukulele.
The not-for-profit festival will kick off on Thursday 18th with its traditional opening ‘give what you can afford’ evening. Acts will include The Trials of Cato, a trio hailed as ‘The Sex Pistols of folk’.
The festival will also feature a special tribute to patron and folk music legend Roy Bailey, who died in November. Details are still being worked on but it’s expected it will include celebrated artists whose work the singer covered.
Headliners for Thursday are still to be announced.
Festival organiser Richard Johnstone said: “Over the years we’ve had some amazing performances from bands north of the Border, including Skerryvore, Skippinish and Wolfstone to name just three. So it’s fitting in our 10th year that we again have a strong Celtic flavour, something that our audiences really warm to.
“We’re delighted – and somewhat amazed – to have made it to festival number 10 and we’ll be doing all we can to make sure this year is every bit as good as the previous nine.”
The festival will again operate at four venues within the village of Castle Carrock. As well as the music there’ll be an Artisans’ Market featuring local crafts, the Magnificent Tea Emporium will be serving refreshments throughout and a range of real ales and street food will be on offer at The Duke of Cumberland pub.
Camping, weekend and single day tickets are available from the Box Office on (01228) 670329. Check out www.musiconthemarr.com for details on more confirmed acts, including biographies of many of those who’ll be playing.
Local businesses or organisations able to offer financial support are also being sought with a range of sponsorship packages available.
The festival has received plaudits from across the world of folk music and was named Best Community Arts Initiative at 2018’s Carlisle Living Awards.
