Broadcast Partner
Tuesday 19 March 2024
Yet more incredible artists have been announced for this year’s Cambridge Folk Festival, including names from across the entire span of folk, country, Americana, and roots music. Some fresh, some familiar, some bluesy – and all propelling their genres forward while being part of this significant programme, which marks 60 years since the Festival was established in 1964. Taking place from 25-28 July in the beautiful grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall, tickets are now on sale at:
Adding to 2024’s rich programme are: duo Allison De Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves on banjo and fiddle, who won Instrumental Group of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Brighton-based singer-songwriter, Bess Atwell, is supporting The National in June and July – and the fast-rising folk-rocker’s latest album ‘Light Sleeper’ is produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner.
Scottish quartet, Birdvox, are a shapeshifting supergroup of female musicians – Sarah Hayes, Jenny Sturgeon, Inge Thomson and Charlotte Printer – gleefully fusing the traditional with the electronic.
Well-known from their previous bands – Teenage Fanclub, Suede and Love & Money – Butler, Blake & Grant, aka Norman, Bernard and James are creating something special together, especially live.
If you’ve heard Darlingside before, you won’t need telling that they’re four of the finest multi-instrumentalists around, who also bring wit, wordplay and the most sumptuous harmonies.
Irvine Welsh calls Dean Owens & The Sinners “the pulse of all our lives” and the multiple Americana UK award-winner, dubbed “Edinburgh’s finest” really knows how to delight a live audience.
Orkney female fiddle trio FARA also boast Highland pianist Rory Matheson, making them a four-piece again, and foregrounding their passionate vocals and violin-chops on their Cambridge return.
French Canadian three-piece, Genticorum -aka Pascal Gemme, Yann Falquet and Nicholas Williams – bring their entwining flute, guitar, fiddle and accordion to the fiery, foot-stomping folk party.
Daughter of Sex Pistol Paul Cook, Hollie Cook was in the final line-up of the Slits, and has worked with Ian Brown and Dennis Bovell, so it’ll be fun joining in with her self-described “tropical pop.”
Classically-trained composer and tenor Jeremy Dutcher can’t be categorised simply, as he dips into all kinds of genres, embraces his First Nation roots – and wins the major Canadian music awards.
Uganda-born Jon Muq now calls Austin, Texas home, and has Dan Auerbach producing his debut album – with Muq devising these songs to be “small gifts” to provoke reflection and resilience.
Born in New York City to Haitian emigrants and activists, Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from her past and present– her music vibrates with three centuries of history and influences from around the globe. McCalla possesses a stunning mastery of the cello, tenor banjo and guitar and, as a multilingual singer and songwriter, has risen to produce a distinctive sound that reflects the union of her roots and experience.
Harpist, guitarist and singer-songwriter Lizzie No sits somewhere between Americana and indie folk, and has also hosted the Basic Folk podcast, so she’s bound to have the stories to match her music.
If you like a Latin beat, Locarno are here for you. Embracing Tom Landa’s dual roots of Mexico and Canada, and spreading into everything from African soukous to Brazilian forro, this will be a total joy.
Hailing from Clare Island, County Mayo, Niall McCabe, melds his tender, traditional Irish singer-songwriter background with a love of rock and soul gleaned from growing up in his family’s pub.
Sometimes referred to as the “Los Lobos of Canada”, The Paperboys are said to reinvent their show every time they step onstage – so instead of a setlist they just read the room and the journey begins.
Hailing from remote Newfoundland, Rum Ragged have a youthful exuberance that belies the quartet’s instrumental prowess on everything from bouzouki and bodhran to banjo. Blissful.
Korean folk fusion band, Sangjaru are bound to turn heads with their chosen instruments of gong, zither, hourglass drum and guitar as they deliver distinctive swing, funk, rock and improvisation.
Celebrated pianist, Sarah Hagen comes from Canada, and is just as happy rocking a bit of Bach and Schumann as she is touring with her one-woman musical comedy routine. Expect the unexpected…
Guitar duo, Smith & Brewer Band, aka Ben and Jimmy never meant to form a band, but nine years after supporting Joan Armatrading they’re inseparable and have played hundreds of shows together.
Straight from supporting Robert Plant, South Carolina native Taylor McCall plunges deep into his roots with music and lyrics that embrace the legacy of his grandfather, who gave him his first guitar.
With two decades of albums and tours under their belts, not to mention being shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, Turin Brakes promise to get you up and grooving to their new and timeless classics.
Alongside the world-class music, there is so much more to enjoy over the Festival weekend, including dedicated children’s activities; workshops on instrument making and song writing; a silent disco, storytelling, clog dancing, tai-chi, and an incredible selection of mouth-watering food trucks and bars from some of Cambridge's finest food merchants. The Festival is also proud to have been deemed “Outstanding” at the Greener Festival Awards.
