Radio 1 Beat Boxing Champion THePETEBOX to headline The Miners Welfare Stage

Headstock Festival which runs from Sept 9th-11th at the Newstead and Annesley Country Park just north of Nottingham, has just announced it’s BBC Introducing line up.  THePETEBOX will join SWIMMING, Ronika, Saint Raymond, The Money, Manière des Bohémiens, Silent Devices and a whole host of other regional and national rising talent on the festival’s third stage.
 
The Welfare Stage, which is hosting BBC Introducing, will also showcase DJ’s and comedians whilst the attached bar will be a traditional working mans club complete with landlady, darts board and bingo.  A member of The Welfare Member’s Committee said “Some of the best musicians around will be paying us a visit – right on the site of the Newstead colliery’s former pit tips.  Dean Jackson from BBC Radio’s The Beat will be introducing us to his pick of the best rising regional talent and we have over 20 acts appearing over the weekend on The Welfare Stage.  These include acoustic singer-songwriters, electro-swing, hip-hop, breaks, experimental, indie, ska and funk.  Add a little comedy, real ale and a tombola and you get the idea. Non-members are welcome.

Last year’s Headstock Festival can be seen on BBC One on Sunday 4th September at 4pm as part of the Village SOS series.  Newstead’s episode shows how the community have created not just Headstock, but a Country Park, eco-build visitor centre and angling lakes, on the site of the former colliery pit tips and have engaged many young people from the community to achieve their social aims.

Headstock is managed by the charity Newstead Enterprise and is run entirely by volunteers and musicians for the benefit of a deprived ex coal mining community.  Other acts playing over the weekend include Echo & the Bunnymen, African Head Charge, the Lightning Seeds, Dananananaykroyd, C.W. Stoneking, Nick Harper,  Craig Charles, the Herbaliser Band, Tunng, Chris Liberator, Ralph Lawson and over 80 more acts across 5 stages and dance arenas.

Tickets are £60 for the weekend with free camping in the stunning 230 acre community owned eco Park.  Discounts for young people apply and under 12’s go free when accompanied by an adult.

Other attractions include street theatre, burlesque, speed dating with a difference, light installations, circus acts, workshops for grown ups and real ale and cider at pub prices.  For children there is a dedicated area – Kidstock with their very own headliner – Johnny and the Raindrops - as well as plenty of workshops, craft activities, story telling, face painting and puppetry.

Saturday has a fancy dress theme of Pirates and Pit Men.