The Malvern Rocks Music Festival is back for its 2023 event after a break of seven years. The three-day, multi-venue festival will take place over the weekend of July 28 – 30 and will feature over 70 bands and performers playing in eight venues around the Worcestershire town of Malvern.
The venues for the weekend are Bar Limon, Bellevue Island, Malvern Lounge, The Morgan, The New Inn, the Newtown Club, The Red Lion in Malvern and The Red Lion in Stifford’s Bridge.
The musical acts and performers range from solo acoustic artists to full bands, with genres ranging from funk to folk and from jazz to punk. There is something to satisfy every musical taste. Malvern is renowned for its musical history and musicians, and the Malvern Rocks festival is a great showcase for their talents. However, the festival also features acts coming from further afield.
Biskee Brisht are from the Isle of Man while Paurosi has recently moved to Malvern from Zimbabwe.
On Friday night Midlands-based festival favourites Cantaloop will finish at the Newtown Club while at the Red Lion you can catch The Oohz with their original blues noir and dystopian chic. With coconuts! In other venues over the weekend, you will find an eclectic field of, amongst others, the Kitchen Island Band, Linkwells, Polly Edwards, The Hill’s Angels, Nothin’ but Dust, Hennesea, Topaz, The Arboretum and many, many more.
Jem Vipond the festival’s musical director said “We’ve tried to get a cross-section of musical styles with the hope that everyone will find something they like. If funk is your thing, we’ve got it, if you like punk we’ve got it or if you like listening to solo acoustic performers on a sunny afternoon, we’ve got that too”.
The festival is part funded from the sale of merchandise which is available from the website shop. T-shirts, badges and wristbands all help to pay for the performers and crew over the weekend of the festival. There will also be QR codes prominently displayed in each of the venues so that visitors are able to use their smart phones to support the festival. It’s the first time that is the organisers of the festival have undertaken to pay the performers. In previous years, the festival operated in a charity support model with the performers playing for free.
Festival director Ralph Tittley said “The organisers ask that visitors to Malvern Rocks who enjoy the music, give generously to support the festival through the sale of merchandise or through virtual entrance fees, using QR codes. With the support of our audience, we can make sure the festival thrives, and that Malvern becomes the destination for music”.
The festival will be held rain or shine and those who wish to camp or campervan can do so at The Red Lion, Stifford’s Bridge and at Newland Meadows Campsite. Malvern Rocks is a family friendly affair so bring the whole gang.
Image Credit: Troy Tittley
