ORGANISERS of a market town's annual open-air music festival have announced an impressive line-up for this year's event.Top of the bill at the Gig in the Park, at Halesworth from August 3-5, will be Echo and the Bunnymen who hit mainstream success in the 1980s with a single called The Cutter.
By David Green
ORGANISERS of a market town's annual open-air music festival have announced an impressive line-up for this year's event.
Top of the bill at the Gig in the Park, at Halesworth from August 3-5, will be Echo and the Bunnymen who hit mainstream success in the 1980s with a single called The Cutter.
The group's subsequent album Porcupine made it to number two in the charts, spawning the hit singles The Killing Moon and Seven Seas.
Echo and the Bunnymen will be supported at the Saturday gig by a blues/rock outfit called The Hamsters, returning by popular demand following a “show-stopping” performance at the 2005 festival.
The Dojo Drummers, a Japanese drum troupe with an excellent reputation, also appear on the Saturday.
Friday's star turn will be Neville Staple and festival organisers say he is guaranteed to have the crowd dancing.
The former singer with The Specials and founder member of Fun Boy Three has been credited by critics of changing the face of pop music.
Supporting him will be Ska Acoustica - playing a selection of music in what organisers call an “unplugged” style.
Audioporn also make a welcome return to Halesworth after presenting its show, Tank, at the 2005 festival to critical acclaim.
Sunday's star turn will be The Blues Band. Formed by former Manfred Mann vocalist Paul Jones in 1979 the band will need no introduction to blues fans with some 16 albums to its name.
There will be a full supporting line up over the three days on three stages featuring both local bands and those from further afield.
Organisers say they have again been “deluged” by bands wanting to appear.
Advance tickets will go on sale at the end of June and full details will appear on the gig website www.giginthepark.co.uk as they are confirmed.
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