3/07/2016 - Lionel Playford

Cumbrian artist Lionel Playford will be capturing the feel of the festival through lively drawings inspired by the music and songs, displaying the results as the festival progresses. Look out for his portrait stand where you can sit and have your beautiful face recorded for family posterity. If you fancy a go yourself Lionel will lend you coloured pens and pencils so you can take home your own unique creative response to the musicians.

24/05/2016 - Hats

Music on the Marr has a long history of weddings; it all started with one when they left a marquee behind, a couple of drunken musicians stumbled in and MOM was born. There have been several since and more are planned. Farmers along the fellside think there’s “summat in the watter” others blame the real ale or DEFRA. Locals Richard and Laura will tie the knot in the middle of Music on the Marr this year so we are encouraging everyone to bring their most outrageous wedding hat to wear on Saturday. I can’t make my mind up which one to go with; I thought about something after Carmen Miranda with lots of apples, pears, bananas a plum or two with maybe a pineapple on the top. Then my eye was taken with a felt pumpkin shaped thing in puce with floppy diaphanous tulle over one eye. It’s so hard to strike the right note and you have to leave something for the frock.

The East Pointers, three rather fetching young men from Prince Edward Island in Canada, will certainly turn heads when they take to the stage at Music in the Hat, our ‘pay what you can afford’ concert and big warm up event on Thursday 21 July; they deliver a smart, stomping, Celtic, maritime, folk-pop, grassy country mix. They are joined by the newly renovated, completely refitted and fully refurbished Hadrain’s Union and the inspiring border singers The Brothers Gillespie.

Now I must get back to the the Old Cow (rubber gum) and the felt.

24/05/2016 - Beards

It began with Max Baker and Pete Miles, from Castle Carrock who have some fine growth. They were showing off their whiskers at one of our regular Saturday night music sessions in The Duke of Cumberland where they both play. We thought a competition was in order to see who could grow the longest beard given that hipsters are going out of fashion and the fine long beard may be lost. Not that either of them are hipsters, though I hear that Pete eats a lot of cereal. Max will be performing at MOM this year as a solo artist. He has a long and respected history as a singer and a long beard; he founded Skipton Folk Club and was a regular with Yorkshire band Jigsaw until he gave up a few years ago. Since he got some new hips his voice has come back along with the fuzz. It’s a minor miracle, you really can’t see his face at all. There are no competition rules, simply the longest beard on the day, measured by someone very bald, wins a prize. Women are encouraged to knit one.

Press Release

Music on the Marr 21-14 July 2016

Music on the Marr , Cumbria’s most friendly musical event, returns 21 to 24 July this year. The village festival with the feel good factor will feature Ray Laidlaw & Billy Mitchell together with The Lindisfarne Story Band who present’ Fog on the Tyne.’ Lindisfarne were the Newcastle lads who achieved international success with’ Lady Eleanor’, ‘Meet me on the Corner’ and ‘Run for Home’ ,and still their music continues to convey the spirit of Tyneside across the world. Arguably the best band to come from northern England in the last 50 years, with the possible exception of The Beatles.

Well loved Anglo-Australian duo and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners Nancy Kerr & James Fagan share the stage on Friday with young Welsh ambassadors, Calan who bring ancient Celtic tunes right up to date.

The traditional sounds of remote equatorial African villages comes to Castle Carrock with Congolese band Kasaï Masaï adding a unique and contemporary twist on the way. They are joined on Saturday by popular folk fusion outfit from Hexhamshire, Whapweasel so expect contemporary English roots music with colourful strands of rock, ska and East European sounds.

Other headliners include Penrith born claw-hammer banjo champion Dan Walsh and five piece, all woman fiddle band from Orkney, Fara, who were nominated for a Scottish Trad Award last year in the best new act category. Music on the Marr favourite, Jon Brindley returns on Sunday. Socialist singer and campaigner, Robb Johnson with festival patron, Roy Bailey sing Robb’s song suite ‘Gentle Men’ about the lives of his grandfathers through two world wars. The recently reconstructed Hadrian’s Union appear on Thursday.

Full weekend tickets are now on sale for £75.00. A variety of other tickets are available. From musiconthemarr.com All accompanied under 16’s have free access to the entire festival.

“It has a distinct spirit which you could bottle”- Tony Hendrey

Richard Johnstone 01228 670329 and 07802409770

Notes for Editors

  1. Music on the Marr was founded in 2010 when a marquee was left behind following a village wedding. A couple of drunken musicians stumbled in and Music on the Marr was born.

  2. Weekend tickets include our famous Friday hog roast.

  3. We provide Music in the Hat, a ‘give what you can afford’ concert on Thursday evening for early arrivals.

  4. We provide free access to all accompanied under 16’s exposing them to local national and international musicians. 171 children attended in 2015. Music on the Marr musicians work closely with our primary school to involve children in the festival.

  5. We provide a series of music learning and developmental workshops free to all ticket holders during the festival.

  6. We provide a showcase for young and emerging musicians drawn from local schools. This event is not ticketed and can be attended by anyone. We know of at least one individual who has chosen a career as a musician as a result of appearing in the showcase and another who was so inspired by watching the event last year, she has developed her own music to a standard where she was showcased this year.

  7. We provide opportunities for many musicians to play in sessions at the festival and to busk in front of an appreciative audience.

  8. We have achieved a high degree of integration and involvement with the local community for pleasure and recreation as well as injecting considerable amounts of money into local business and the wider economy.

  9. Partners in delivery include: Castle Carrock School, St Peter’s Church, The Watson Institute, The Duke of Cumberland Inn, Pennine Artisans and a wide variety of musicians, music teachers and the good people of Castle Carrock who give many hours of their time to help deliver the festival.

  10. The festival raised around £1800 last year towards the St Peter’s Church Restoration Fund and we provide a similar amount each year.

  11. Music on the Marr is produced and directed by Geltsdale Arts Ltd a not for profit organisation.

  12. Spin offs from Music on the Marr include the creation of ‘The Dukes’, a high achieving ukulele band under the direction of Ian K Brown; Geltsdale Soundwave, a village based choir who sing acpella songs in many parts and in many languages lead by Lulu Guinness; A fortnightly jam session which any musician at any level of competence can join. They meet on alternative Saturday nights in The Duke of Cumberland at Castle Carrock. Dates: Feb 6 & 20: March 5 & 19.

     

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July 20th-23rd 2017