Weyfest at The Rural Life Centre, Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DL (Map here)
WEYFEST, the increasingly popular local music festival, returns in style this year with some big name bands boasting many huge hits between them. The festival runs over two days during the first weekend of September each year, with two outdoor stages plus an indoor acoustic stage and on-site camping.
WEYFEST has always had a great reputation for its variety of musical acts with artists ranging from Mungo Jerry, Mike Sanchez, Spank the Monkey, Glen Cornick of Jethro Tull and The Steve Gibbons Band to the masters of rhythm, Osibisa.
Held in the wonderful surroundings of The Rural Life Centre in Tilford, near Farnham, dates for 2008 are Saturday 6th September and Sunday 7th. The Rural Life Centre's beautiful 10-acre site is home to around 40,000 artefacts of village life from 1800 - 1960 housed in reconstructed historic buildings amongst field and woodland, including an arboretum of over 100 tree species from around the world.
Headlining the Saturday is Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel who will be performing hits such as Mr Soft, Sebastian, Judy Teen and of course the massive worldwide hit (Come Up And See Me) Make Me Smile.
Support on Saturday comes from rock'n'roll legends The Pirates, the only band entitled to go by that name since the death of the iconic front man Johnny Kidd. The Wildcards, one of the hottest blues/rock bands in the UK are also on the bill, alongside madcap John Otway, folk-rock sensations Leatherat, folk stars Vikki Clayton and Anna Ryder, local favourites True Deceivers and the manic Splodgenessabounds of 'Two Pints Of Lager' fame. Other highlights promise to be the up and coming destined-for-stardom Studio Arcade and the welcome return of The Dayglo Pirates, a Jethro Tull tribute band of unnerving accuracy.
Sunday's line-up is no less impressive; local hero and Weyfest regular Jackie Lynton returns, along with his friends of many years the great Chas'n'Dave. The UK's busiest band The Hamsters will be there, Ric Sanders from Fairport Convention, Angela Brown and the Mighty 45's, Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, Anna Phoebe and a host of others.
Headliners on the night are the mighty Dave Edmunds Rockpile (I Hear You Knocking, Girls Talk, Queen of Hearts, Crawling From The Wreckage and many more hits), and The Beat, the finest of the ska influenced bands to make it big in the 80's with their hits such as Mirror In The Bathroom, Hands Off She's Mine and more.
Altogether there will be around 60 bands and solo performers across 3 stages. The usual attractions of the Rural Life Centre will all be available over the weekend, including the working light railway and museum. In keeping with the family friendly environment there will be an extensive children's entertainment area with activities throughout the event, and the organisers promise plenty of surprise guests from the world of sci-fi!
Why not have a weekend break at the festival? Take full advantage of the beer tent by booking a camping pitch with your two-day ticket!
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