MOSELEY Folk & Arts Festival is set to return to the beautiful Moseley Park in 2019 from August 30 to September 1.

Every year people from across Birmingham and beyond flock to the park to witness a healthy mix of traditional, contemporary and downright experimental Folk, World and Roots music.

This year will be the 14 edition of the festival, which showcases unsigned acts amongst well-established international artists, making for a truly exciting bill.

In recognition of all the other non-musical entertainment featured across the weekend, organisers have changed the name of the festival to Moseley Folk & Arts.

So for 2019 you can not only expect the usual high calibre of music, showcasing the best in folk, world, roots and americana but also a rich programme of arts and crafts, comedy and cabaret, poetry and literature and talks and debate.

FRIDAY AT MOSELEY FOLK & ARTS FESTIVAL 2019

On a quest to inform, educate and entertain audiences, Public Service Broadcasting will bring their uniquely spell-binding live AV transmissions to Moseley Folk & Arts Festival. They co-headline with legendary Liverpool band, The Zutons, who have reformed in celebration of the 15th anniversary of their seminal album ‘Who Killed The Zutons’.

Ivor Novello and Ivor Inspriation Award winner, Edwyn Collins is a musician, producer, record label owner, illustrator and more. He last performed at Moseley Folk Festival in 2013; 6 years on, he returns for a Main Stage slot on Friday 30th August. Exploring the boundaries between acoustic and electronic music, Tunng have become synonymous with the folktronica genre. They continuously move into territory that manages to both evade that label and continue to redefine it.

Only a few shows in, Saint Alto have gathered attention for ‘hauntingly beautiful’ songs paired with the drive of indie folk found in artists such as Ben Howard and Bon Iver. Similarly beautiful, Adam Day aka County Line Runner uses his unique lyrics and storytelling to convey universal feelings from another angle.

Field Music’s Peter Bewis has teamed up with Sarah Hayes to create new duo You Tell Me, described by MOJO as “a brilliant and original collaboration”. Joining them on Friday will be Charlotte Carpenter with “fiery, soulful vocals” (NME), DOF providing a good time and a drop of the ridiculous and MUHA with Eastern European folkore, North Indian Kathak rhythms and Cuban beats.

SATURDAY AT MOSELEY FOLK & ARTS FESTIVAL 2019

BRIT, NME, Ivor Novello and Mercury Prize Award-nominated, Jake Bugg, headlines the Saturday night in Moseley Park. His most recent album, ‘Hearts The Strain’, was recorded in Nashville with The Black Key’s Dan Auerbach and Gene Chrisman and Bobby Woods who have previously worked with the likes of Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick.

In the pre-headline slot is Lucy Rose. After starting her career singing for Bombay Bicycle Club, Lucy has gone on to release 4 solo albums, the most recent of which incorporates 70s flourishes, no drums, a rich fretless bass and light percussion to create a sense of intimacy in the songs.

The Independent described Israel Nash as “the real deal for the next generation” with MOJO heralding his music as “cosmic poetry”. Gwenifer Raymond has also released music to rapturous response. Her influences included punk and grunge in her early years, but now include pre-war Blues and Appalachian Folk.

Ex-Trembling Bells band member, Alex Neilson, returns as Alex Rex with sophomore solo album Otterburn. written in response to the sudden death of his younger brother. Also on Saturday’s bill is versatile multi-instrumentalist Hannah Read who is best known for her fiddle playing and songwriting. This talent resulted in her most recent album being released to critical acclaim.

Joseph Hicklin aka Death By Stampede provides a simple folk/Americana style with hints of punk and soul, with Haitain folk artist Germa Adan and the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band with their Rajasthani folk songs also appearing.

SUNDAY AT MOSELEY FOLK & ARTS FESTIVAL 2019

Don McLean was announced as the Sunday headliner back in November – this resulted in the highest Earlybird Ticket sales in the festival’s history. Those attending the festival can expect to hear hits such as “Vincent (Starry Starry Night)”, “Castles In The Air”, “And I Love You So” and “Crying”, as well as the anthemic “American Pie”.

Richard Thompson has been described as the finest songwriter after Bob Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix. The Ivor Novello Award winner and Grammy nominee has also received an OBE and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Americana Music Association and the BBC Awards.

Another legend on the line-up is the queen of folk and political song, Peggy Seeger. She’ll be performing alongside her son, Calum MacColl, a superb musician in his own right. Also from the world of political songwriting, Thom Ashworth combines inventive musicality and a powerful tenor voice accompanied by an acoustic bass guitar.

BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner, Daoiri Farrell, will perform as the Daoiri Farrell Trio. Daoiri performed at Moseley Folk Festival in 2016, so 2019 marks a welcome return for this Irish Folk artist. Originally a member of Slow Club, Charles Watson has now branched out on his own, recording his first solo album featuring Fyfe Dangerfield and Hot Club De Paris’ Paul Rafferty.

Boat To Row will be celebrating a decade of live performances at the festival. The band has earned an outstanding live reputation, winning a dedicated fanbase who have supported the release of two albums through crowd funding.

Also at Moseley Folk & Arts on Sunday are award-winning lively folk duo The Drystones, Bird In The Belly who’s most recent album was Sunday Express’ folk album of the year, Zirak Hamad’s Daholl Kurdish Ensemble, Zimbabwean group Harare and vivacious ceilidh band, the Ceilidh Liberation Front, liberating the dance floor for the Moseley Folk & Arts annual Hay Down.

For tickets and more information, visit the official website.