Festival of music and dance

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

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.

If you can imagine those performed in a light hearted jolly folky way, then you've got The Levhearts. Terrifically good fun.

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...

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.

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!

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.

Matt English and the Murders formed in summer 2008 as a three piece, country influenced, surf'n'roll outfit.  They recently added a fourth member to the line-up in the shape of ex-Tokyo Dragons guitarist Mal Bruk.  They've been gigging extensively in and around Brighton and have just finished recording their E.P with Push Switch productions at Brighton Electric studios.  They've appeared on Juice 107.2FM with Ace from the recently reformed Skunk Anansie and on Radio Reverb with Jeff Hemmings.

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

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”.

The Rising Hours rattle of their driving hook ridden 3 minute anthems and get crowds dancing as if they love them already. Solid bass lines and drums that leap away from indy blandness push forward such catchy songs that they do not let you keep still.

Formed in 2004 and arriving amidst a hail of energetic, new wave mischief, this band is picking up speed by the second. Crisp melodies weave amongst percussive guitar textures, drums flail and spin with hook-laden basslines completing the picture. Influenced by the likes of The Jam, The Lemonheads and many more, not to mention a good ol' fashioned sense of fun, Sandman Magazine say," Everyone should hear this band". Great songs, distinctive melodic vocals, and an engaging and energetic live show.

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.

"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

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

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

Honeytone Cody sit somewhere between love and hate, noise and silence. A contrast of beautiful vocal melodies against jarring guitar and dynamic drum beats, the result is something that earns their music a space somewhere far, far outside of genre.
Founded by siblings Elle and Elliot Nelson and recently joined by drummer Martell James, Honeytone Cody have years of collective experience under their belts. Claiming their influences range from David Lynch to Charles Bukowski, the atmosphere created by their music truly is as varied and dark as it is confident and poetic.
With a new EP to be released this year and more new music on the way, the band is going from strength to strength. From a band built around contradiction and juxtaposition comes music that lurks between dreams and consciousness, all with a natural style that is more refreshing than ever.

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.

'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.