Rhythm Festival

The Rhythm Festival is an outdoor music festival held at Twinwood Arena, near the village of Clapham, Bedfordshire, England, during August since 2006 [ [http://www.rhythmfestival.net/ Rhythm Festival 2008 ] ] . Rhythm Festival was founded by music promoter Jim Driver and promoted since 2008 with Twinwood Events. Music performances take place in three venues: the Main Stage, the Alternative Stage, and the Marquee Club Stage and there are comedy events, a solar-powered cinema, 1950s funfair, Therapy Zone and children's and other events. In 2007 Rhythm Festival was put forward for five categories in the UK Festival Awards [ [http://www.festivalawards.com/index.cfm?section=awards.nominees&method=view&year=2007&eventid=665 UK Festival Awards (2007) :: Rhythm Festival 2007 ] ] . The festival is limited to an attendance of 5,000, and (according to director Jim Driver) is deliberately kept smaller and personal, aiming to be 'higher quality' than events like the Glastonbury Festival and the Isle of Wight Festival, and "aimed more towards the customer". In an interview with the BBC in 2006, Driver claimed to that "The musical policy of Rhythm Festival is simply to feature good music" [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2006/06/28/rhythm_festival_2006_feature.shtml BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Entertainment - Beds gets Rhythm ] ] . Weekend tickets in 2008 are £95 for adults (16+), one child (5-16) is free with every adult and under 5s are free. Day tickets are available at £40 (Fri) and £45 (Sat/Sun).

History

*2006 (3-5 August 2006) - Performers included Jerry Lee Lewis, Donovan, Arlo Guthrie, Roy Harper, Roger Chapman and the Shortlist, Seth Lakeman, Cara Dillon, The Blues Band, John Cooper Clarke and Jah Wobble [ [http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/rhythm/2006/review-overview.shtml overview - Rhythm Festival 2006 ] ] . Famous Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was due to play but was recovering from surgery at the time and was thus unable to play. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2006/06/28/rhythm_festival_2006_feature.shtml BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Entertainment - Beds gets Rhythm ] ]

*2007 (4-6 August 2007) - Performers included Alabama 3, Dr John, Levellers, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Joe Bonamassa, The Yardbirds, Prince Buster and Terry Reid who appeared with former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor. Ike Turner was due to play but pulled out of the festival.

*2008 (29-31 August 2008) - confirmed acts will include Jefferson Starship, Saw Doctors, Richie Havens, Michelle Shocked, Big Star, Steve Cropper, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Zombies, Alton Ellis, Chas and Dave, Jah Wobble, The Pretty Things, Nine Below Zero, Neville Staple and The Foxes. [ [http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/rhythmfestival/2008/ Rhythm Festival 2008 ] ]

References