Ramsbottom Festival Preview

Ramsbottom Festival 2012 is almost here, don't put away your festive wellies just yet as we have time for one more festival. Located 12 miles North of Manchester and with transport links that include a steam train to the festival site, this has to be one of the best small festivals around. The site is located at Ramsbottom Cricket Club and this year hosts 3 stages, plus a Real Ale Bar, Funfair and Silent Disco.   

We have put together our must see acts for Ramsbottom Festival:

I Am Kloot - Manchester's IAK are fronted by singer/songwriter Johnny Bramwell and have released 5 studio albums. Their last album 'The Sky At Night' was produced by Guy Garvey and Craig Potter from Elbow which was Mercury short listed. The band are currently in the studio recording a new album so you may hear a couple of new tunes. 
Saturday Main Stage 21.15

Thea Gilmore - Acclaimed singer/songwriter Thea Gilmore has established herself as one of the greats of her generation. She released her first album when she was 17 and has gone on to release a total of 12 albums. 2011 saw the release of a collaboration with the late Sandy Denny entitled Don't Stop Singing and, in 2012, the CD single "London" was released from the album as an exclusive Record Store Day 7″. It was also featured on the coverage of the 2012 Olympics montage of team GB medal winners. 
Sunday Main Stage 19.30

Inspiral Carpets - The Inspiral Carpets reformed recently with the original line up that has not played together in over 20 years. The band were part of the Madchester explosion in the early 90's The bands debut album 'Life' charted at No.2 in 1990 and they went on to release a number of hit singles. A new album from The Inspirals should be released next year.   Friday Main Stage 21.15 

Roddy Woomble - Roddy is best know as the front man of Scottish rock band Idlewild. He has also built up a very successful solo career. In 2006 he recorded and released a solo album 'My Secert Is My Silence' as a one off but due to its popularity he continued his solo project alongside Idlewild. Roddy is due to release a new solo album next year.
Saturday Main Stage 15.30

Miles and Erica (The Wonder Stuff) - Miles Hunt is the only original member of The Wonder Stuff still playing with the band. Miles has also released material with 'Vent 414' & 'The Miles Hunt Club' more recently he and Erica Nockalls have toured and released their own music as Miles & Erica. Expect a mixed of the pairs own music along side some classic 'Wonder Stuff' hits.  Saturday Main Stage 17.50 

Check out our recent interview with Ramsbottom Festival's Victoria Robinson here

Tickets:
 
Tickets are still available for the festival from www.skiddle.com by phone: 0844 8842920 or in person from the following outlets:
 
A&L Music, 4 Bolton Street, Ramsbottom BL0 9HX
The Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW
Piccadilly Records, 53 Oldham Street, Manchester, M1 1JR
The Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE
The Parlour, 60 Beech Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 9EG
The Eagle Inn, 18 Collier Street, Salford, Manchester, M3 7DW
 
Camping:
 
Off site camping is availble about a mile from the festival site. Check www.ramsbottomfestival.com
for more information of www.skiddle.com to book camping.

Transport:
 
Travel by Steam Train from the centre of Bury and arrive at Ramsbottom Station next to the festival entrance.
 
Return coaches are available from Manchester City Centre and Chorlton.

Train and Coach tickets can be booked in advance at www.skiddle.com

Follow Ramsbottom Festival:

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Ramsbottom Festival 2012

In 2011 Ramsbottom made it's debut on the festival circuit. It featured a diverse line up of acts and entertainment for all the family. The festival is set under the shadow of Holcombe Hill and Peel Tower at Ramsbottom Cricket Club. 2011 included appearances from, Mark Radcliffe, Badly Drawn Boy, The Waterboys, Guillemots, Kid British and Otis Gibbs amongst others.

Away from the music, Ramsbottom hosted an impressive line up of food outlets including Tibetan kitchen and a beer tent featuring many locally brewed beers, including the festival's own brew. With rides for the kids and performance areas that included an appearance form the Whalley Range All Stars, you could be forgiven for thinking Glastonbury had been compacted and move in to the Cricket Club for the weekend. 

The festival returns this year with a strong live line including headline performances from The Inspirals Carpets, I Am Kloot and Roddy Frame. With reasonably priced tickets and perhaps the best mode of transport to arrive at any festival, Victoria Robinson told us more about Ramsbottom Festival.

Why did you decide to hold a festival in Ramsbottom?

The Festival is organised by The Met and as a venue and organisation serving the community in Bury we needed somewhere local to the area. Ramsbottom was an obvious choice for us. It's a fantastic town with lots to offer visitors and the Cricket Club is bang in the centre and a great venue for music!

Is it important for the festival to work with local community?

Absolutely. Although we are a small festival with big ambition we quite simply would not have got to our second year without local support. Both the sell out early bird tickets and the army of volunteers have proved that the community want this event to work as much as we do, which is a lovely feeling!

How would you describe the festival in one sentence?

Very difficult question. "The very best Manchester and Lancashire has to offer in music, comedy, workshops, food and booze in a stunning riverside location and the only Festival in the the UK accessible by steam train."

Would you say the festival has something for everyone of all ages?

Of course! We've worked very hard to make the Festival as inclusive as possible, from ticket price to travel. Kids and adult tickets are as low as we could possibly make them and under 6s are free. There will be tons of activities for kids (young and old!), great food, great music, great comedy, workshops, a funfair and a silent disco if the choice is just too much! Arriving by steam train is an absolute must for families or there is also camping available if you want to get into the full festival vibe.

What makes Rammsbottom festival different to other festivals?

We've tried to balance established names with really talented rising stars. So for example you have the Inspirals and I Am Kloot with being supported by the likes of the Janice Graham Band and people like Liz Green (winner of Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition) who are bursting with talent. We've also got a bit more to offer - it's fun, affordable and friendly for kids so no need to get a baby sitter.

The atmosphere of the Festival last year was amazing - people genuinely loved the weekend and wanted more. This year we've lowered the ticket price and increased the entertainment - other festivals couldn't say that! As mentioned above we're the only Festival where you can take a step back in time and arrive by heritage steam train - we might be the only festival in the world to offer that!

The real ale bar was great last year, will there be a 'festival ale' again this year?

Local to Ramsbottom, Irwell Works Brewery are currently hard at work brewing tons of the Festival ale. We are all looking forward to sampling the goods before the weekend!

Which artist are you most looking forward to seeing this year?

For me it's the Inspirals. I've been listening to them from the age of 13 and never seen them live. Although I'm actually looking forward to every day so can I also add Liz Green, Leisure Society, I Am Kloot, Seth Lakeman, Magic Arm, Molly Bloom, Louis Barabbas and the Bedlam Six and Harp and a Monkey? Oh and dancing in the Silent disco with Mike Joyce and Clint Boon DJing. So pretty much everyone!

Is there any artists you would have like to have had playing this year that couldn't make it?

I love the line up this year but it would be an absolute dream to have Elbow headline one day.

Rain or Shine this year?

Shine - we haven't had any summer yet! Although the weather doesn't really make any difference - it's tons of fun rain or shine.

What's the long term future for the festival?
We want to make this an annual event and are keen to do so. If we continue to get the level of support from the community, Council and police and The Met still has capacity and enthusiasm to organise it I can see it lasting long into the future. 

Victoria Robinson is Marketing Manager for Ramsbottom Festival & The Met, Bury.

Tickets are still available for Ramsbottom Festival online, over the phone and in person here

As well as arriving by steam train at the festival, transport is available from Manchester and Chorlton. The festival also offers 'off site' camping. For more information about Ramsbottom Festival visit the official website

Follow Ramsbottom festival on twitter and facebook

For more information about The Met, Bury visit the venue's website