RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL,

CHARLBURY, OXFORDSHIRE (20-21 JUNE) – PRE-FESTIVAL TICKLERS

Oxfordshire’s favourite free music festival is fast approaching; and the Riverside Festival team is organising two great pre-festival events to give a taste of what’s to come and to raise a spot of cash to keep Riverside free for all for the fourteenth year running. First up is the Riverside Benefit evening on Saturday 9 May at the Memorial Hall, Brown’s Lane Charlbury, headlined by Americana band Two Fingers of Firewater.  Tickets on the door cost £5. Music starts at 8.30pm with the bar open from 7.45pm. The evening will feature a raffle with great prizes and an auction with fantastic goodies going under the hammer including: two tickets for Oasis’ sell-out Wembley concerts in July; two tickets to see the filming of Top Gear at Dunsfold Aerodrome; four first class train tickets from First Great Western and two tickets for the Wychwood Festival in Cheltenham at the end of May. On the following weekend is the delicious Riverside Taster starting at 3pm on Sunday 17 May at top music and comedy venue Fat Lil’s in Witney’s Cornmarket. For just £3, there will be a chance to hear six bands that will be making a big noise at Riverside on 20 & 21 June, and on the Riverside Stage at the Cornbury Music Festival on 11 & 12 July. Tickets on the door.  On the stage will be Blackhats; Thin Green Candles; WAM; 1000 Mile Highway; billypure and King B.   AND DON’T MISS THE MAIN EVENT…   RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL – 20-21 June 2009 Oxfordshire’s Island Festival   Riverside is one festival not to miss this summer. It may not have the starry Iine-up of that other  island festival on this June, but when it comes to the feel-good factor Riverside beats the Isle of Wight Festival hands-down and you don’t need to get on a boat to get there! Riverside is just a few minutes walk down a country lane from Charlbury railway station, on the  picture postcard Millfield, surrounded on all sides by the River Evenlode. If it wasn’t for music pounding out from the two stages, this must be one of the most peaceful spots in England. But it’s not just the scenic location that makes  Riverside so special, nor the easy-going atmosphere, great music and good food. In these straitened times what makes it even more special is that it’s totally free!   With over 30 acts playing over the two days, expect a real mix of sound, majoring on rock, with plenty of indie, folk, blues and world music; and some of the best new Oxfordshire bands. Festival promoter Andy Pickard has a real ear for talent – many of Oxfordshire’s top bands, including the Young Knives, have cut their teeth at Riverside. So far this year’s line-up includes: The Epstien; Winnebago Deal; Death of a Small Town;   Sextodecimo; The Bangalore Torpedoes; Two Fingers of Firewater; billypure and Smilex – keep an eye on the website, riversidefestival.charlbury.com , for a full rundown.   How to get there: Entrance to the Festival site is down Mill Lane, off Dyers Hill, virtually opposite Charlbury railway station. The station is on the London Paddington to Hereford and Worcester line, 15 minutes from Oxford. On the Saturday there are buses from Oxford, Woodstock, Witney, Chipping Norton and Banbury to the centre of Charlbury, five minutes walk from the Festival. For more info on how to get there For local bus info For local trains For local taxis http://www.traveline.org.uk/ Where to stay: As well as local hotels and B&Bs  there is the Cotswold View Caravan and Camping Park on the outskirts of Charlbury – cotswoldview.co.uk  For places to stay For local golf courses Festival opening times Saturday 20 June: 12.00pm – 10.00pm Sunday 21 June: 11.00am – 8.00pm   Bars, food stalls (including a pig roast, burgers, baguettes, crepes, curries, and noodles) and all the regular festival merchandise are available onsite, as well as a sectioned off children’s activity area. In common with all music festivals, festival goers cannot bring bottles and cans into the arena, although picnics are welcome. As well as the regular Riverside bar offering some excellent real ales, there’s a Pimms and Tins bar, and a range of other refreshment stalls selling soft drinks at very reasonable prices.   Bands keen to appear at Riverside have until the end of April to send in demos – CDs and details should go to: Andy Pickard 2A Clarendon Court Charlbury Oxfordshire OX7 3PT   For more information on Fat Lil’s visit fatlils.co.uk or call 01993 703385 To get the latest on Riverside visit riversidefestival.charlbury.com And for Cornbury Music Festival  visit cornburyfestival.com   Key contacts: Festival Promoter Andy Pickard on 07788 524 283, email  billypure@googlemail.com For Fat Lil’s contact Paul Spink on 01993 703385, email  fatlils@live.co.uk  http://www.oxfordprospect.co.uk/OxfordJazz.htm

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