Festival of music and dance

Rock hits - covers & originals - from Kaiser Chiefs to Green Day to Pearl Jam. Don't miss the local lads from Easingwold, Sutton and Stillington opening the Festival.

Scots-born guitarist, the brilliant singer and writer David Ward Maclean, now based in York, has guested for John Martyn, John James, Dougie Maclean, Jack Bruce, Ralph McTell, Martin Carthy, Edwina Hayes, Chris Helme, John Otway and Jethro Tull. "An utterly enthralling performance." (Sandman Magazine). "Great stuff." (Ian Anderson)
 

JiggaWatt is an extraordinarily-talented four piece folk band with members aged just 16 and 17. They consist of Sarah on fiddle, Danny on guitar, Rob on djembe and Josh on bass. They play a lively mix of traditional music, ranging from Irish and English folk to Bluegrass. One of the Galtres Festival organisers came across them busking in York and immediately booked them for an event in Sutton - they went down a storm and we're all really looking forward to their second Galtres return in August.

Visit JiggaWatt's MySpace page

The Levharts play a clown's pocket of music in their distinctive style - a mix of popular covers as well as foot-stomping self-penned bronco-bustin' cowboy songs. Wshheeah!

Listen out for folked-up versions of That's Entertainment, Dirty Old Town, Wall Of Death, Ring Of Fire, Sweet Child Of Mine, Oh What A Night, Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Love Is All Around, Dance The night Away. Then I Kissed Her.

TestTone3 are a Yorkshire-based band formed in December 2004 and specialising in a marriage of drum machines, classic breaks and phat synthesisers with funky basslines, loud wailing guitars and catchy rock vocals to create the bastard offspring of dance music and rock.

See also www.testtone3.com

"An outstanding, emerging talent - harbouring the depths of Dylan and performed with a contemporary edge.” - Hilary Robinson Producer, BBC Radio 2

We're looking forward to Dan's Galtres debut!

Skylights, the latest band to emerge from the York music scene, formed to play their brand of Indi Rock/Pop. The music ranges from strong stomping dance tunes to slower, thought-provoking music and lyrics that the audience will clearly identify with. All band members contribute to the writing of the songs and this melding of ideas gives the band a unique style of writing. This individual approach gives Skylights a varied sound and the audiences an anticipation of a song that they know “just where the writer’s coming from”.

Joe Solo began his musical life playing punk covers in a school band. Performing his first original song live in 1987, he discovered folk music through the punk leanings of The Pogues, The Men They Couldn't Hang and Billy Bragg. Inspired by their songs and stories, Joe hit the road travelling and busking, soaking up the sights and sounds of everywhere from Birmingham to Berlin, eventually hitch-hiking his way round England, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and Belgium. We welcome him back after a very warm Galtres debut in 2008.

Death Defying Life formed in York, UK back in 2003 and have been playing, writing and performing ever since. Death Defying Life play an intense but melodic flat-out style of punk rock. They incorporate a fusion of technical music, thoughtful lyrics and soaring vocal harmonies - most importantly however, all five members of the band love music.

Death Defying Life are pushing punk rock music to new levels - there's no big image or ego, just a belief, a passion, and a flair for musical creativity.

Don''t miss their amazing juggling and unicycling show. And join them afterwards for a workshop - learn some circus skills for yourself!

Following the demise of many bands, York was given new hope by the formation of indie superstars-in-waiting Captains of Industry. Their infectious drum beats, razor edged riffs and anthemic choruses give way to some truly great songs. Embrace them all and feel privileged to be discovering a band so promising. So stand and salute your Captains of Industry.

Formed in 2008, GLASS represent a new dark sound of hope. With a unique approach to both the visual and sonic, they will transport you to new, strange places for 30 minutes before dumping you dazed and emotional by the side of the road. Likened to Pixies, The Cult, Roxy Music, The Cure, Editors and Joy Division among others, they specialise in haunting, melodic and driving dark rock.

Having cut his teeth in larger than life and louder than hell, now legendary punk rock n rollers THE NOSEDIVERS, GT, upon the inevitable implosion of aforementioned band, reinvented himself as a hard gigging, hard living, high and lonesome troubadour, writing a wealth of songs and playing many, many solo shows and gigs all over the UK with his band/musical family/collective BOSS CAINE . While BOSS CAINE continue to go from strength to strength, individually and as a group, GT continues to gig solo, running acoustic songwriter nights in York and now also plays in a duo with York's legendary blues guitarist MARK'BLIND DOG'WYNN called THE WAYFARING STRANGERS - they both made their Galtres debut last year.

Street dance and jazz from some amazing York-based dance groups.

Holly Taymar is one of York's most well known and respected singer/songwriters. At just 23, Holly has been gigging professionally for five years, with her third full length album ‘Waking Up Is Hard To Do’ (produced by York legend Carl Hetherington) released in May 2009. Holly's natural stage presence, mellow yet uplifting songs and beautiful voice have recently gained the attention of industry professionals, having been chosen from 3000 entries to take part in BBC2's New Songwriters programme. Holly is a veritable veteran of the Galtres Festival having played in 2006, 2007, 2008 and now 2009. Phew!

"York garage blues rockers The Buccaneers, punching out 3 minute knockout tune after knockout tune, reminiscent of early Kings Of Leon."  Fibbers
 
"Close your eyes and you could be at a free festival in the 70s with Edgar Broughton and the Groundhogs or an early Status Quo when they really were Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon fodder. York's Buccaneers specialise in galleon busting, cannon firing send-‘em-to-Davey-Jones-Locker big ‘ole dirty garage blues - and bloody great musicianship. It's The Doors meets Dr Feelgood, it could even be Kings Of Leon. Get out the Rory Gallagher checked shirt, thumbs in belt and shake your head."   THE DUCHESS - YORK
 
"The Buccaneers unique southern rock sound would not be out of place in any Quentin Tarantino film."  BBC Radio York
 
"Like the indie offspring of White Stripes and Kings of Leon."   The Talk

Don't miss all the amazing kids' parade round the Festival site as they demonstrate their amazing skills in juggling, stilt-walking, unicycling and diablo. With the Tholthorpe Jugglers, Ron Wood, and others.

Rock/blues/funk from one of York's most exciting bands. "These guys not only know, but can work their instruments to create a sound not only mesmerising, entertaining, pleasing to the senses, but challenging."
The Talk Magazine

'Light and Dark acoustic’. "I just sing about what I know, about what’s real to me, and where I’ve been, be it good or bad. Human emotion plays a big part in my music and I can’t help but leave a piece of myself in all of my writing."

 Formerly known as The Usual Suspects, the Dilfs made their debut at Galtres Festival 2006 and have since been touring pubs and clubs of Yorkshire, playing rock covers modern and classic - anything from the Who to the Arctic Monkeys. These local lads from Sutton and Stillington will be enjoying a warm welcome from the home crowd.

Acoustic Country Blues. Dave played a wondrous set at Galtres Festivals 2006 and 2007 and we're delighted to have him back this year. If you think you can play the guitar you'll be humbled by this maestro...

It’s rare, but every so often the generic boundaries of rock music are unexpectedly challenged by an original band, with a unique voice, that can be heard way above the rest – Rage Against The Machine, Faith No More, The Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails, Pendulum etc.
Well, get ready to punch the air and get your ears bruised by the infectious hooks and thumpin’ sounds of DEAD REBELLION, a groundbreaking collective with killer grooves, tight rhymes, filthy basslines, phat beats, dirty electronica and cut-throat guitars. Described as “...musically volatile and the mutts’ nuts!” and already tipped by the Barfly as “quite possibly the best live band in the area right now”, the DEAD REBELLION live show dictates an abundance of frantic energy, impounded in a wall of epic sound.

Wanna have your perceptions challenged? Can you take in Beefheart plays Pearl Jam, The Doors and Mogwai??? Oh, and a bewildering array of persona and musical creation, instrument-swapping, powerful riffs and ... er ... theremin. Robert Loxley Hughes, Simon Himsworth, Jacob Hammerton and twins Robert and Michael East are truly mind-boggling, both live and recorded!  Blending epic Soundgarden / Zeppelin style riffage with Tom Waits / Danny Elfman influenced instrumentation, their collective array of very different personalities and musical preferences combines subtle strands and powerhouse volume and presence. A rare live appearance!!

'Expecting to Fly' was the debut album by The Bluetones, released in 1996. It knocked Oasis’s 'What’s The Story Morning Glory' off the number 1 spot in the UK album charts. The album delivered three Top Twenty singles 'Bluetonic' (19), 'Slight Return' (2) and 'Cut Some Rug' (7).

Singer Mark Morriss explains the band’s thoughts on playing 'Expecting To Fly' live in it’s entirety at the Galtres Festival 2009:

"After listening to the voice of our fanbase we decided that now would be a good time for us to revisit our debut album in the live 'arena', the record that was where most of our audience will have first become acquainted with the band.

"Our intention is to play the album chronologically with a few extras added at the end (b-sides from the time and some of our other hits) and hopefully remind people just why they fell in love with that sweet, sweet Bluetones sound."

With their nonchalant style and muscular guitar pop anthems, The Bluetones have amassed three Top Ten albums and 13 Top 40 singles.

Visit The Bluetones' MySpace page.

JiggaWatt is an extraordinarily-talented four piece folk band with members aged just 16 and 17. They consist of Sarah on fiddle, Danny on guitar, Rob on djembe and Josh on bass. They play a lively mix of traditional music, ranging from Irish and English folk to Bluegrass. One of the Galtres Festival organisers came across them busking in York and immediately booked them for an event in Sutton - they went down a storm and we're all really looking forward to their second Galtres return in August.

Visit JiggaWatt's MySpace page