FROM BRIDGEFEST TO BUXTON

 

 

FROM BRIDGEFEST TO BUXTON

August bank holiday concludes every year with a visit to Bridgefest. A music festival at The Old Crown Inn, Cavendish Bridge near Shardlow in Derbyshire. This year had a double ‘Carrot Nappers’ connection. One of the festival organisers is the multi-talented musician, magician, actor Gabriel Lockwood who plays Onion Head in the fantastic trailer we filmed last month https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18KQeS7Mp14

Peter McManus (Vinnie in the same video) took to the stage as lead singer of punk group Brand Zero. Charisma personified, Peter donned his trademark gold coat and Fred Astaire style top hat as he enticed the audience onto their feet with an energetic mix of original numbers and sing along covers of punk classics. Featuring alongside him on guitar was the fast fingers of Matt Peach who appeared again later in the evening performing his solo act. As local artists go Matt Peach is a personal favourite of mine. Any guitarist who gets invited to perform on stage with Mike Peters of The Alarm fame, attracts my attention. Matt Peach’s Bridgefest set comprised crowd pleasing cover versions amongst his own numbers. Particularly memorable was a fantastic version of David Bowie’s ‘Rebel Rebel’ which saw Matt standing on a table in the audience, surrounded by a chorus of dancing festival goers. He also performed ‘One Guitar’ the number he regularly duets at Mike Peters Flowerpot Derby gigs. Complemented by some of Matt’s self-penned songs including the catchy ‘Liberation Radio’. I’d personally like to hear more of his own material as I think Matt Peach is an artist who has the talent to follow the last band I saw in Shardlow who went on to make it big, They were The Struts http://thestruts.rtouring.com/ who  less than 3 months after I saw them at Shardlow’s Smithy’s Bar went onto to support The Rolling Stones in front of 80,000 people in Paris http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/struts-derby-band-support-rolling-stones-paris/story-21152518-detail/story.html

Earlier in the day, I’d spent the bank holiday travelling to another magical Derbyshire place, the beautiful spa town of Buxton, home of the UK’s third largest Fringe festival. I’m pleased to announce I’ve secured a venue to take Carrot Napper Productions back to the Fringe in 2017. Following on from our last screen appearance there, with the Gabriel Lockwood starring film ‘The Crisp Strike’  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnZRg_-QvOY

This time it will be a stage performance (or performances). What show (s) or actors we’ll be taking there is yet to be decided. Though expect a return for Gabriel Lockwood. How can we not take him after securing a backstage area with it’s own bar? Yes that was a deal clincher in choosing the venue. After landing the perfect place for our after show party, I can say this bank holiday began and ended in the best traditions of Rock ‘n’ Roll.