ARTISTS
We’ve got another stunning line-up put together for BanterFest Lincolnshire 2025
A BIT ABOUT OUR ARTISTS
THE YOUNG ‘UNS
The Young’uns’ live shows are renowned roller coaster rides. With heart-on-the-sleeve storytelling, beautiful lyrics, warm harmonies and relentless repartee, Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle (the award-winning stand-up comedian) write and sing folk songs for today.
Born from empathy, crafted with care, fired by hope, and shared with joy, The Young’uns’ songs have been described as ‘a heartfelt secular hymnary for these troubled times and a rallying call for humanity’ (The Scotsman). They have led the band to three BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (including Best Album in 2018 for Strangers) and the creation of the acclaimed international theatre show The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff (based upon their 2019 album of the same name).
Nearly twenty years after accidentally stumbling into the alien world of their local folk club as drunken teenagers, (and gaining their cureless name in the process) these three thirtysomething friends from Stockton and Hartlepool have never lost the joy of that first night of singing together. Whether performing at Glastonbury Festival, writing a song about pigs with a group of school children, or presenting a programme on Radio 4, Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle are just the same.
- “The harmonies are glorious, the wit is waspish. The songs are powerful, the banter is relentless and the audience is happy. What’s not to like?” ★★★★★The Guardian
- “The Teesside trio have captured hearts – and awards – with a magic combination of lusty acapella singing, memorable tunes and heart-on-sleeve storytelling with an unashamedly political cry for social justice.” ★★★★Songlines
Find out more at theyounguns.co.uk
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
STEVE KNIGHTLEY
Steve Knightley, a highly acclaimed and multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and musician, occupies a prominent position in the Folk/Acoustic and Roots music scene. As a founding member of the revered ‘Show of Hands,’ Knightley’s musical journey is deeply intertwined with a profound connection to geographical places, particularly the West Country, where he currently resides. His body of work, infused with a profound love of English traditional folk music, the songs of Bob Dylan and the poetry of Ted Hughes showcases a unique ability to craft compositions that authentically bridge historical narratives with contemporary themes.
A recurrent theme in Knightley’s extensive repertoire is his unwavering commitment to addressing social issues. The influential ‘Country Life’ not only earned him the title of ‘The gravel-voiced spokesman of the rural poor’ but also secured a nomination for the best song at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. His impactful anti-banking anthem, ‘Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed,’ went on to clinch the ‘Best Song’ award at the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Notably, ‘The Galway Farmer,’ one of Knightley’s compositions, has transcended its origins to be recognised as a ‘traditional’ Irish folk song, while ‘Cousin Jack,’ a Cornish anthem, is part of the educational curriculum for children in the Duchy.
Following the phenomenal success of his recent solo Winter Yards album and tour, his brand-new show has taken Steve back to many of the more intimate, out-of-the-way venues, where he honed his craft.
The ‘Winter Into Spring’ tour features songs from the critically acclaimed Winter Yards album, described as “a deeply atmospheric journey” (Spiral Earth) and “a must-have for anyone seeking unforgettable music” (Here Comes the Song). Alongside these new favourites, Knightley will revisit and reimagine some of his most iconic songs in a completely fresh performance.”
“A craftsman at the peak of his powers” — Tony Hall former Director General of the BBC
“The gravel voiced spokesman of the rural poor” — Robin Denselow – The Guardian
Find out more at steveknightley.com
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
EDWINA HAYES
Edwina Hayes is an Irish born English singer-songwriter. She grew up in Preston, Lancashire before moving to the East Riding of Yorkshire where she gained her first musical experiences playing at local folk clubs
Since 1999, she has played regularly in London and Nashville, establishing herself as an accomplished songwriter in the process.
She released her debut album Out on My Own in 2005. The album was co-produced by singer-songwriter Clive Gregson and featured Dr. Hook singer Dennis Locorriere on two tracks. Her single Eyes of a Stranger received regular plays on BBC Radio 2 courtesy of broadcaster Michael Parkinson.
In 2005, she toured extensively as support act to such notable performers as Jools Holland, Nanci Griffith, Ricky Ross and Loudon Wainwright III. In 2006 and 2007 she again supported Nanci Griffith.
Her second solo album, Pour Me a Drink, released in February 2008, was a simpler recording than her debut, most tracks just featuring her voice and guitar. The title track was later recorded by Nanci Griffith.
In 2009, her version of Randy Newman’s “Feels Like Home” was featured in the movie My Sister’s Keeper. During June 2009 Hayes supported ex-Byrd Roger McGuinn on his British tour.
Her third solo album, Good Things Happen Over Coffee, was released in 2011.
Find out more at edwinahayes.com
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
REG MEUROSS
Reg Meuross first emerged onto the acoustic music scene in the 1980s with The Panic Brothers and has, over the years of touring and playing solo as well as with many other acclaimed artists, developed a style that as Pete Townshend says “allows the listener to embrace the whole breadth of his work over many years without distraction… he sings in the neutral accent of an Englishman who travels the entirety of the British Isles, and tastes all its flavours, influenced by all its most profound national colours. In this he reminds one of Roy Harper or Ewan MacColl, recent greats who went before him.”
He was introduced onto the stage of the Albert Hall by Mike Harding as “one of this country’s finest singer songwriters”. He is a true modern troubadour, representing contemporary English folk writing at it’s best.
He captivates audiences with his beautiful tenor voice, winning Best Male Vocalist 2013 Fatea, and FolkWords Best Album 2014 for England Green & England Grey. His latest album ‘Fire & Dust: The Woody Guthrie Story’ is a journey into the heart and soul of one of America’s finest folk musicians. It was commissioned by The Who’s Pete Townshend in 2019 and this new work shows how the impact of Guthrie remains and how Meuross was the right man to tell this story through music and song. When Townshend called Reg to suggest the idea he saw how the project would “draw a direct line from Woody, through Bob Dylan, to Reg Meuross” and pledged his full support to realise this vision both as a studio album (which he co-produced and played on) and a series of live tours across the UK and beyond.
Reg is an accomplished musician, accompanying himself masterfully on guitar bringing beautiful songs from his highly acclaimed solo albums, performed with depth and spellbinding delivery.
Festival appearances include: Cropredy, Costa Del Folk, Folk on the Coast, Great British Folk Festival, Auckland Folk Festival, Illawarra Folk Festival (Australia) and many more, small and large. Reg is the patron artist of Priston Folk Festival in Somerset.
“…sounds like a forgotten, American 60s classic with echoes of Dylan, Tom Paxton & Leonard Cohen” Robin Denselow, The Guardian
“There’s something special about the way he writes and delivers a song” Townes Van Zandt.
Good Morning Mr Colston – single of the year 2022 – FATEA
Soloist of the Year 2019 – Folking.com Awards
Find out more at regmeuross.com
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
THE WILSONS
It seems unbelievable, though inescapable, that 2025 marks 52 years since Tom, Chris and Steve made their first, tentative foray into harmony group singing. Even more incredible is that it’s almost 47 years since sister Pat and brothers Ken and Mike joined in, and the line-up has barely altered in that time.
This incredible family group still consists of brothers Tom, Chris, Steve, Ken and Mike. They still record and release the odd album every now and again, the most recent being Stocking Tops produced by Steve Rusby. They still sing traditionally orientated songs in unaccompanied harmony, like to have a bit of a laugh and wash it all down with a few odd pints.
They have always thought of themselves as quite an unremarkable family, living quite unremarkable lives, indeed when festivals programme them to do a “meet the Wilson family” they are invariably at a loss for words.
Here are a few comments by some of their peers that show the esteem in which they are held and the legacy that they have created…
“There`s a musical honesty about them that links past and present together. They are among the people who go about singing traditional songs that move me – which I really love, because that’s what I try to do. But what appeals to me about them, apart from their musical skill, is their honesty. They are what they are and do what they do and say what they say and it’s very direct and I love that. They’re not pretenders.” – Dick Gaughan
“The Northern Wilsonia – a vocal orchestra…” – Peter Bellamy
“They have synthesised the qualities of all their major influences, which sets them apart as one of the foremost harmony groups entertaining folk audiences today” – Roy Harris
“Singing with the Wilson Family makes life a whole lot easier” – Louis Killen
Find out more at thewilsonfamilyalbum.co.uk
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
MEGSON
Four times nominated in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and double winners of the Spiral Earth Awards Megson, aka Stu & Debbie Hanna, draw heavily on their Teesside heritage to create a truly unique brand of folk music.
The husband & wife duo bring an infectious mix of heavenly vocals, lush harmonies and driving rhythmic guitars. Comprising Debs Hanna (Vocals, Whistle, Piano Accordion) and Stu Hanna (Guitar, Mandola, Banjo) Megson have gained fame on the British folk scene, not only for their arresting & intelligent songwriting, but for their exquisite musicianship and northern humour. As fRoots Magazine puts it ‘if you don’t like the music here then you have a problem’
Liking to keep busy, MEGSON have recorded thirteen studio albums across their twenty year career gaining four & five star reviews from THE GUARDIAN, MOJO, THE TELEGRAPH, UNCUT, THE FINANCIAL TIMES whilst THE OBSERVER pronounced them ‘A force in the folk revival’. Even lockdown 2020 couldn’t hold them back as they performed a hugely popular series of live stream concerts to their growing army of followers.
And during all this time, Stu even managed to be involved with other artists producing & recording award winning music for SHOW OF HANDS, ODETTE MITCHEL, LUCY WARD, FAUSTUS & THE YOUNG’UNS.
‘The most original duo on the British folk scene.’ Robin Denslow – The Guardian
‘A force in the folk revival’ Neil Spencer – The Observer
‘Simply Brilliant’ The Sunday Express
Find out more at megsonmusic.co.uk
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
URBAN FOLK QUARTET
Over their fifteen plus years on the international folk scene, UFQ have achieved something remarkable – garnering a reputation as a crowd-pulling, energising act, whilst also maintaining fierce commercial and musical independence. Their output is built on hearty fiddle-led music that draws heavily from celtic dance forms and traditional song – but from there on in it is unlike any folk band you’ve ever heard. UFQ’s approach to the folk ethos is to embrace any and every influence that genuinely makes sense of their time and place and makes sense in their music. From funk grooves to middle-eastern melodies, afrobeat to north Indian rhythms.
“A sizzling hot ensemble who fuse folk with elements of dub, house and rock with an ease that shouldn’t naturally follow that list of genres. Built on the rhythms of a cajón-wielding percussionist… the phenomenal fiddlers led the quartet in one of the tightest line-ups I have ever seen.” – Olivia Haughton, Songlines
The first of those phenomenal fiddlers is Galician Paloma Trigás, who has shared stages and recorded with the likes of The Chieftains, Sharon Shannon and Altan, during her tenure touring the stadiums of the world with Spain’s biggest folk star, Carlos Nuñez.
The second is Joe Broughton (Albion Band, Dempsey/Broughton, Joss Stone) long established on the folk scene as the fieriest English fiddler and showman of his generation.
Also an exceptional guitarist and mandolin player, in UFQ Joe deftly shares multi-instrumentalist duties (often mid-song) with Dan Walsh. Touted as one of the finest banjo players in the country as well as a gifted singer and guitarist, Dan (Seth Lakeman Band, The Levellers, Walsh & Pound) joined UFQ in 2014, as guitarist, oud player and founding member Frank Moon stepped out of touring life.
The lineup is completed by Tom Chapman, (Jacqui McShee, While & Matthews) widely considered to be the most accomplished and influential cajonero the UK has to offer.
With the vibrant and diverse Birmingham music scene as a fundamental influence, UFQ is a truly international band. Foreign touring and globally-influenced music have been at the heart of what they do since day one, when in June 2009 their first four gigs took place in four different countries.
Since then UFQ’s trail has blazed across the world, playing everything from secluded coves to 30,000 capacity festival fields, igniting audiences and winning them a devoted fan base from The Bay of Biscay to the edge of The North Pacific. UFQ’s cross-genre appeal sees them occupying a singular position, spanning scenes and continents and sharing bills with the most eclectic range of artists.
2024 saw the release of True Story, the band’s 4th studio album, which features guests such as legendary folk rock bassist Dave Pegg.
“UFQ are impossibly wonderful” – fRoots
“Seriously exceptional musicians” – R2 (Rock ‘n’ Reel)
“Up there with the best of them – amazing musicians.” – BBC Radio 2 Folk Show
Find out more at theufq.com
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
MIRANDA SYKES
Miranda started her career as a musician in 1996 at the age of 18, playing bass guitar in a country rock band. After 2 years touring and playing for line dancing in working mens clubs across Britain, folk-rock band Pressgang were looking for a bass player. Miranda spent the next 2 years touring internationally with them.
After a few years of musical promiscuity playing with Firebrand, Little Johnny England, Robb Johnson, Bill Jones, Steafan Hannigan, Reg Meuross, Kirsty McGee, The Phil Beer Band, Martyn Joseph and The Scoville Units; Miranda depped for Pete Zorn in the 2004 Show Of Hands festival band line up. She worked with them for the next 20 years.
Miranda also found time for a short tour and album with the Miranda Sykes Band in 2005, duo album tours with mandolin player Rex Preston and 2 solo albums. 2024 brought a second tour with Hannah Martin, a new Baring-Gould Centenary project with Jim Causley, summer festivals with vocal group Daphne’s Flight, a tour with The Phil Beer Trio and a new solo album and tour “Out Of The Woods”.
Find out more at mirandasykes.com
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
CHRISTINA ALDEN & ALEX PATTERSON
Christina Alden & Alex Patterson are multi-instrumentalists and songwriters from East Anglia. Their music is rich with intertwining harmony, sensitive accomplished musicianship and a creative song-writing style that is both delicate and moving. Deeply inspired by the world around them, they have a keen environmental eye to craft stories with the natural world at its heart, reflecting on the relationship between humans and the wild.
They have toured extensively in the UK and Europe including a 23 date support tour with Show of Hands, a show at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for Celtic Connections, headline and main stage performances at some of the UK’s most prestigious folk festivals and performances in Norway, Belgium, France and Ireland.
They have written and self-released four albums, composed music for a BBC Radio 4 documentary series and have had over a million streams on Spotify.
‘A bright, lively collection of songs that plays so sweetly it evokes the sensation of a summer folk festival’ – The Guardian
‘A milestone for contemporary folk songwriting’ – Bright Young Folk
‘Gorgeous harmonies and lush melodies’ – BBC Countryfile
Find out more at christinaaldenandalexpatterson.com
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
BANTER
Described as “The future of Folk”, Banter take English traditional music to the next level with their iconic interpretations of classic songs and dance tunes.
Following in the creative footsteps of the likes of Steeleye Span and La Bottine Souriante, Nina Zella, Simon Care, Tim Walker and Mark Jolley are lovingly reinventing what defines English Folk. Previous albums have received rave reviews from around the globe for both their live shows and studio albums. This year sees the release of their much anticipated fourth album HEROES.
“… wonderfully, powerfully dynamic. They really rock wherever they go.” – Mike Harding
“…full of Invention.” – R&R Magazine 4* review
“… really atmospheric and exquisitely done.” – Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2, The Folk Show)
“… Nina Zella…Easily comparable to Christine McVie” – Northern Sky
“…If you think there’s nothing new to hear in folk music these days, listen to Banter and think again.” – Folking.com
“…What the folk tradition is all about.” – Folk London Magazine
“…Trad is everywhere; it’s how it’s used that makes all the difference.” – Spiral Earth Magazine
“…Trad goes visiting the relatives.” – The Living Tradition Magazine
Find out more at banter.band
Get your BanterFest tickets here.
PREVIOUS LINEUPS
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