Edward II, Rory McLeod and the Familiar Strangers, The Beekeepers, Aluminio Roots and Wille & The Bandits are among the latest acts to be confirmed for Off The Tracks Summer Festival.

The festival, celebrating its 24th anniversary in 2012, takes place at Park Farmhouse, Isley Walton, Derbyshire, from August 31-September 2, with headliners The Beat, Dodgy and Banco De Gaia, plus a further headline act to be announced.

Splicing dance tunes of old England with the sunny sexy grooves of reggae and lovers’ rock, Edward II transcended superficial notions of “crossover” to forge a truly original synthesis from their far-flung musical roots. Featuring a seven-piece line up that saw melodeon and sax, fiddle and trombone nestling snugly cheek-by-jowl, their repertoire strolled expansively from reworked folk standards like “Wild Mountain Thyme” or “La Russe” to Caribbean classics like Gregory Isaacs “Night Nurse”. They were long renowned as one of the freshest, funkiest acts on the circuit; they sent crowds from Shetland to Sri Lanka, Brazil to Bangladesh into a jigging, skanking frenzy with their superlative live shows. In 2012 they’re back, and ready to light up Off The Tracks.

Ex-circus clown and fire eater Rory McLeod is a one man soul band, poet and storyteller, singing his own unique upbeat dance stories. A modern travelling troubadour using tap shoes, a cappella, harmonica, guitar, trombone, spoons, finger cymbals, bandorea, djembe and various percussion instruments. He’ll be joined by the Familiar Strangers for his OTT appearance.

The Beekeepers burned brightly from 1995-1998 in a sparkle of pop-rock with immense choruses, before splitting in a whirlwind of handbags at dawn. The band reformed for an amazing reunion gig in their hometown of Derby in September 2011 and are now reuniting again for Off The Tracks.

Aluminio Roots, from Brazil, is leader of the internationally-renowned reggae movement in Bahia and direct from the biggest street carnival on earth – bursting with Brazilian vibe and rhythm. Likened to Gregory Isaac and Don Carlos, he’s a major reggae reference in Brazil and fast becoming an international name following successful festivals and gigs in Britain. Serving original roots-rock-reggae, the flamboyant Rastaman guarantees that sunshine festival feel.

Wille and the Bandits’ music covers genres from folk and world music to blues and rock. With the versatility of Wille’s lap steel and guitar playing, the rhythmic diversity of percussionist Andrew Naumann and the sonic range of Matt’s upright bass and six-string electric bass, they always keep audiences guessing. Often likened to the greats of the ‘70s such as Led Zeppelin, Santana and Pink Floyd, this comparison, although bold, only scrapes the surface of the band’s influences and sound.

The Lucky Strikes channel blues country and gospel into their own brand of cinematic Americana. The songwriting vision of Matt Boulter (lead vocals and guitar) and Dave Giles (piano and guitar) focuses on literate ragged alternative country influenced by the Band, Tom Waits and the spaghetti westerns of Ennio Morricone.

Also added to the bill are The Roughneck Riot, Hallouminati, Grace Petrie, Boat To Row, Horses Brawl and Dream Circuit.

Off The Tracks offers more than 40 artists on three stages, impromptu acoustic sessions as well as 80+ real ales, ciders and perries, excellent camping facilities and a relaxed, family friendly atmosphere.  Food on offer includes venison reared in the venue’s own historic deer park.

Full details and playlist HERE!