Music / Bristol Beacon
Amy Helm, Judy Collins and Lee Fields to headline River Town festival
River Town, a celebration of roots and American music, is returning to Bristol and Bath after a three year hiatus.
Bringing the sounds of the Deep South to the South West, the six-week festival will showcase blues, gospel, country and blue grass from across America and beyond.
Ones to watch include Richard Hawley (who’s accolades are wide-ranging, from being Pulp’s guitarist to collaborations with Artic Monkeys, Paul Weller and Elbow, as well as playing with Robbie Williams and All Saints) and Judy Collins, who has spent over 50 years carving out a unique musical legacy).
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Richard Hawley, who has collaborated with the likes of Pulp, Arctic Monkeys and Paul Weller, will be performing at Bath Forum – photo: Chris Saunders
Also on the line-up is Lee Fields, the North Carolina musician who cut his teeth as a teenager on the stages of juke bars in the 1960s before collaborating with Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley. Now in his sixties, Fields stands at the helm of the soul revival.
The festival will take place across Bristol venues, including The Louisiana, Thekla, The Wardrobe Theatre, Marble Factory and The Fleece, before closing at the Redgrave Theatre on August 1 with Dustbowl Revival, an ever-evolving group of strong and brass players who are pushing the boundaries of American roots music.
Rivertown will be bringing barn-storming Americana to Bristol throughout the summer from June 11 to August 1. You can buy tickets and see the full line-up here: www.rivertown.com
Main photo: Ebru+Yildiz
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