There’s just a few days to go now until a festival celebrating the life of Redditch born, Led Zeppelin drummer, John Henry Bonham gets under way, and organisers are promising a fabulous day of music and entertainment in the town on Saturday 25th September, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust West Midlands.
A line-up of 7 well-known regional rock and blues artists, including Emerging Blues Artist of the Year 2020 James Oliver Band (from South Wales), Drifta (Wyre Forest), Ritchie Dave Porter & Debra Susan (Birmingham), Fearless Scoundrels (Alcester), Chimp on a Bike (Gloucester), The Haunted Souls (Worcs) and Vincent Flatts Final Drive (Birmingham) will take to the open air Arena Redditch stage, the former covered market area, in the town centre.
There are also two headliner shows at the Palace Theatre, featuring among others John Coghlan’s Quo and 70s rockers Geordie. Tickets available online via https://www.johnbonhamac.com/ or from the Theatre Box Office.
A FREE Fringe Festival has now been added to the 12 hour+ programme of music and entertainment, kindly supported by Arts in Redditch. It will run from 10.30am – 6pm on and around the Church Green in Redditch and feature local Musicians, Dance, Comedy, Poetry, Circus skills aswell as funfair rides, side-shows, community stalls, street food vendors and traders.
“It’s been a tough 18 months for everyone and we just wanted to do something for local people to enjoy in the open-air as we head into Autumn, and give the town and its traders an economic boost” says Fringe organiser and local Councillor, Joanne Beecham.
The town is, once again, preparing to welcome visitors from around the UK and overseas including the US, Italy and Norway. Many rolled over their theatre show tickets when last year’s festival, like most others worldwide, had to be postponed due to the pandemic.
But their wait to see some top names from the rock world is almost over. 70s hitmakers – John Coghlan’s Quo and Geordie will be performing live on stage along with current rockers Blue Nation and You Dirty Blue, Palace Drum Clinic’s Young Drummer of the Year 2019, Michael MacCourt with his band, and leading Led Zeppelin tribute band, CODA, in two thrilling shows in the Saturday afternoon and evening.
JBAC Festival Director, Ros Sidaway adds “We’re so pleased to be able to combine the Fringe with the main Bonham Festival as it means there will be something for everyone to enjoy, and more people will benefit – from the musicians, dancers, and various other entertainers to traders and local businesses. We have worked with the Council, the Safety Advisory Group and Palace Theatre to ensure the event is Covid-safe. Audiences will need to show proof of double vaccination or a negative lateral flow test taken within 24hrs” Tickets for John Bonham A Celebration, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, are available online via https://www.johnbonhamac.com/. Theatre show tickets are also available from the Palace Box Office while Arena Redditch Advance Tickets just £12 may also be purchased online via Ticketsource or in person (cash only) from Vintage Trax Records, off Church Green East.