2026 Band Information & Media
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Embrace's debut album, The Good Will Out, was released in 1998 and quickly became one of the biggest-selling debut albums by a British artist. With an ever-growing fanbase, festival headline slots, and large sell-out shows, Embrace wasted no time in establishing themselves as one of the country’s most exciting new bands. Numerous hit singles followed, along with albums Drawn From Memory (2000) and If You’ve Never Been (2001), before the band unexpectedly parted company with their label, Hut Recordings in 2002.
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Rather than slowing them down, this only strengthened the band’s resolve. In 2004 Embrace signed to Independiente and returned with their biggest selling album to date Out Of Nothing. Bigger anthems and sold- out tours followed culminating in the release of their third number one album This New Day, in 2006. Cementing the bands reputation as one of the UK’s most iconic and influential bands of their generation.
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With no signs of slowing down, a hugely loyal fan base, and looking to score their ninth top ten album in succession, Embrace head into 2026 rightfully celebrating thirty years of an extraordinary journey and a well- deserved place in the history of British music.
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Additionally, Embrace recently announced their return with details of their ninth album Avalanche, out 12th June (just 3 weeks before Minety Music Festival) via Cooking Vinyl.
For over three decades, the five-piece have been a key part of the British music scene, selling over two million albums worldwide. In addition to the new album, 2026 will see the band celebrate their 30-year milestone with a series of headline shows and festival appearances, a spoken-word theatre tour telling the story of the band, a new book, and the release of a brand-new studio album.
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Anyone pre-ordering the album will get access to artist pre-sale tickets on 4th Feb. General on sale begins 6th Feb.
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Lead singer Danny McNamara says the songs on the album feel more honest, open, and raw than anything the band have done before. Elaborating on the themes running through it, he says:
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'We came into this album with a really simple idea: that real, deep, honest- to-God joy doesn’t live in the big, dramatic moments we’re all taught to chase. It doesn’t live in huge, unattainable goals or impressive, life- changing achievements. It lives in the small, almost invisible flashes of magic that happen when you slow down and actually live in the moment. Lyrically, I was trying to capture those little magic moments. Ironically, I’ve spent most of my life not noticing them, and when I finally did, they all came at once — it’s been pretty overwhelming. Which I guess is why the title AVALANCHE felt so right.
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There’s also a deep acceptance running through the whole record — that life is fragile, ridiculous, beautiful, terrifying, and short, all at once. Once you really sit with that, a lot of the pressure disappears. We weren’t trying to write something definitive, or sum everything up, or make any grand statement. We just wanted the songs to feel honest in the moment they were written. Ironically the less you consciously try to say something, the more you end up saying. I got out of my own way. Maybe in a way I haven’t been since the first album. Musically, that meant choosing feel over perfection. We wanted the music to sound human — rough around the edges — because the little moments of magic are never polished. You don’t build them, they just arrive. And if you’re paying attention, you might just capture something real. If you’re lucky.
Lyrically, I wasn’t interested in distance or irony. I wanted to write from inside the feeling — whether that was love, panic, grief, obsession, or hope — and stay there long enough for it to tell the truth. A lot of the songs live in contradiction, but that tension felt honest.
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At its core, this album came from realising that life doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It just keeps happening — and you either show up for it or you don’t. The biggest change on Avalanche is that we stopped trying to figure everything out. This album probably asks more questions than it answers. We let songs stay uncomfortable. We let them say I don’t know, I’m scared, or this might never be enough. That felt more honest, open, and raw than anything we’ve done before."
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To mark the announcement of the new album, the band have shared a new single titled 'Road To Nowhere'. Going on to speak about the track, McNamara says:
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“It’s about the futility of a toxic relationship — the fact you don’t realise you’re on a road to nowhere until you reach the end of it. And really, all roads lead there eventually, so the only thing that matters is how you travel. That’s why the song feels uplifting as well as sad: because the intent was pure. There’s belief, optimism, a stubborn faith that love will get you somewhere better. In retrospect unfortunately in this instance that faith was deluded — the road didn’t lead where I thought it would — but the journey was real, and it was everything I had."
We are delighted to announce the The Bluetones will be headlining the Eames Laurie Main Stage at Minety Music Festival, Wiltshire, on Sunday 5th July 2026.
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The Bluetones first came to prominence in 1995, when their debut release ‘Are You Blue Or Are You Blind’ broke into the Top 40. The single proved to be the launching pad for a run that saw 14 hit singles and 6 albums follow on from it.
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From thereon, the band, made up of brothers Mark & Scott Morriss alongside Adam Devlin and Eds Chesters, enjoyed considerable UK and Ireland successes, extending out across into Europe and Japan, before taking a hiatus in 2011 that lasted for 4 years.
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Since then they have re-established themselves as one of the UK’s most consistently entertaining live acts, regularly touring their extensive catalogue to their army of devoted fans.
2024 saw the release of the first new Bluetones material in 14 years, and was to be as exciting a year for the group as they’ve ever enjoyed. A renaissance that saw the four original band members take in the summer festivals before a full UK tour in the autumn/winter of 2024.
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The release of 'London Weekend Television' in 2025 saw them reaffirm themselves as indie-pop royalty, and 2026 sees the band celebrate the 30th anniversary of Platinum selling album ‘Expecting To Fly’, famed for hit singles, such as ‘Bluetonic’, ‘Slight Return’ and Cut Some Rug’. We can't wait to welcome them to Minety Music Festival for the very first time... You're in for a real treat!!!
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“The Bluetones are a band tied to their Brit Pop past but with tunes that begin to transcend it too” – Louder Than War
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“The Bluetones run the gamut from classic indie-pop to psychadelic- tinged rock with unselfconscious ease” – The Scotsman​
Having a career spanning nearly 30 years and having released seven albums, the band recorded their most recent studio album ‘Anarchy & Alchemy’ in 2017 with producer Danton Supple (Who has worked with such musical icons as Coldplay, Morrissey, Dave Gahan and Patti Smith to name a few).
Echobelly kicked off their career in 1993 with their first EP Bellyache. The favourable response including gushing press reviews and sold out gigs ensured the securing of a recording contract with Sony via their subsidiary, Rhythm King. Their first single from their debut album E.G.O, was Insomniac and the album reached number 8 in the UK Album charts.
By the time they released their 2nd album ”ON” in 1995, they were rising up the ranks of the British music scene, with regular press, TV / radio and two world tours under their belt. The album celebrated the endless possibilities of the human spirit. In "Great Things", Madan sang "I want to do great things/I don't want to compromise/I want to know what love is/I want to know everything." The album's optimistic sound and feel provided an intriguing contrast with its witty and acerbic lyrics, many songs are now considered as classics of their era and are still regularly played on radio around the world.
2025 saw the Brit Pop icons take on a UK tour to mark 30 years since the release of their top 5 album ‘ON’ seeing the band perform the album in it’s entirety plus selected greatest hits... and now they're coming to Minety Music Festival 2026.​
​​How many bands have the career longevity to release ten albums? They might have been perilously close to falling apart on various occasions in their history, but the Dub Pistols have rolled with the punches and released their tenth album in early 2025. It’s been a long road travelled, full of twists and turns, but with their legion of faithful fans and numerous collaborators and friends the Dubs are in a better place now than they’ve ever been with a new album, their own festival, a documentary, a book and more international tours on the horizon. These renegade Pistoleros are unstoppable.
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The Dub Pistols grew out of the big beat explosion of the mid-1990s. Big beat was the anything-goes reaction to formulaic house music, where — thanks to the wonders of sampling technology — literally anything could be thrown into a dance tune. Taking a cue from the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, main man Barry Ashworth began making block rockin’ beats with pal Jason O’Bryan, and bombastic first offering ‘There’s Gonna Be A Riot’ was signed by Concrete Records, a subsidiary of DeConstruction. A string of missives followed in its wake — ‘Best Get Better’, the explosive ‘Westway EP’, and then a chipper ‘Cyclone’, which dented the UK national charts — and debut album ‘Point Blank’ was released in 1998.
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The Dubs were on a roll when big-shot US record exec Jimmy Iovine heard the album. He immediately signed the Dubs to Interscope Geffen and put them on the road. They’d become a fully-fledged band. They played some huge shows with the likes of Blink 182, Korn and Limp Bizkit, and recorded their second album, ‘Six Million Ways To Live’. But just as their second long-player was about to drop, the 9/11 terrorist atrocity happened in New York. Given that various album tracks contained explosive references to geo-political events that had seemingly just played out on the international stage, the project was reluctantly shelved. They had to return to the UK to lick their wounds, and rebuild from the ground up.
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The Dubs had remixed the likes of Moby and the Crystal Method by now, and Barry had become a fine party-rockin’ DJ. He started some club nights called The Truth in his native West London with pal Carl Loben, and was asked to mix the latest instalment of the acclaimed ‘Y4K’ series for Distinctive Records — blending a mixture of house and breaks tracks by Layo & Bushwacka, the Chemical Brothers, Adam Freeland, Soul Of Man and more. When he finally got the ‘Six Million Ways’ album back off Geffen, Distinctive signed it and led its release rollout with the ‘Problem Is’ single which featured Terry Hall, former singer of 2-Tone legends The Specials.
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​​As the noughties unfolded, Terry Hall started doing shows with the Dubs and featuring on new tracks such as ‘Running From The Thoughts’, ‘Peaches’ and their cover of ‘Rapture’ by Blondie. The rapturous reception Terry received when he appeared with the Pistols alongside his other former Specials bandmate Lynval Golding at the Rise anti-racism festival in London in 2008 — performing The Specials’ first single ‘Gangsters’, amongst other tracks — was a major factor in The Specials reforming at Bestival later that year.
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Now signed to Sunday Best Recordings, the Dub Pistols had become adept at co-opting people into their collective. For their next album ‘Rum & Coke’ they recruited former Freak Power man Ashley Slater, Lindy Layton from Beats International, DJ/producer Justin Robertson and UK hip-hop pioneer Rodney P. The album was part-recorded in Barbados, where — like their friends Happy Mondays before them — “the wheels fell off the band” while they were out there, according to Barry, due to a riot of hedonism on the island.
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Next album ‘Worshipping The Dollar’ was more political in places, tracks with Akala and Red Star Lion demonstrating how the band still had a social conscience, while rowdy rabble-rouser ‘Mucky Weekend’ — a tale of living for a weekend of excess — was given a first airing. Long-term co-producer Jason O’Bryan left for pastures new as the second decade of the 21st century saw them consolidating their position as festival-rocking favourites, due to a lot of hard graft and touring virtually non-stop.
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The next two albums, ‘The Return Of The Pistoleros’ and ‘Crazy Diamonds’, reflected their increasingly off-the-chain, exhilarating live shows, with much more jungle/drum & bass incorporated into their dubwise sound and the permanent recruitment of rapper Seanie T into the fold.
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Ambitiously, the Dubs threw their first festival in 2019 — Mucky Weekender in the Sussex countryside. Featuring Leftfield, Stanton Warriors, Don Letts, Manasseh Soundsystem and many more, it caught the tail-end of the summer sun and was raved about by all attendees. The success of the first Mucky set it up nicely to become an annual event.
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Barry has been very open about his addictions and mental health issues over the years, and in 2019 he did his first Wing Walk — strapped to the top of a bi-plane — to raise money for Tonic Music For Mental Health. This has evolved into an annual Flying Circus fundraiser, involving friends from the music world such as Bez from the Happy Mondays, and Barry has now become a patron of the Tonic organisation.
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The Dubs had readied their next album, ‘Addict’, just as the Covid pandemic struck in 2020. The solidarity single ‘Stand Together’ — featuring 2-Tone legend Rhoda Dakar (ex-Bodysnatchers/Special AKA) — dropped just as the Black Lives Matter protests were commencing worldwide, while tracks with soundsystem stalwarts the Ragga Twins, newcomer Natty Campbell and more kept their pot on the boil. The album shot into the top three of the UK dance charts and the top ten of the UK indie charts.
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As 2021 began and the pandemic saw little sign of waning, the Dub Pistols released their cover of New Order’s seminal ‘Blue Monday’ on the third Monday of January to raise funds for the Tonic Mental Health Trust. A couple of months later they released their ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ mix album on Jungle Cakes, featuring a whopping 50 tracks by various dubwise jungle associates as well as artists like Deekline, Ed Solo, King Yoof and the Beat Assassins remixing some choice Dub Pistols cuts. This release also shot to the upper reaches of the UK dance charts.
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Once Covid restrictions were lifted in mid-2021 the Dubs were delighted to get out touring again. They rocked an assortment of festivals and also staged the second iteration of Mucky Weekender, this time on a new site in Winchester, Hampshire. Groove Armada, Leeroy Thornhill (ex-Prodigy), The Freestylers and the Ragga Twins were just a few of the acts to nice up the dance over the long weekend.
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The Dubs released ‘Frontline’ in 2023 on their own Cyclone Records, the label named after one of their early singles 25 years previously. ‘Frontline’ — featuring the likes of Horseman, Natty Campbell, Cheshire Cat and the Ragga Twins — reached No.3 in the UK independent album charts, and singles received radio play from the likes of Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq, Chris Hawkins, Craig Charles and Don Letts, plus numerous international spins.
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They did some remixes from the album with long-term friends The Freestylers, and the partnership proved so fruitful that they have now recorded their next album with The Freestylers. Entitled ‘Enter The Sound’, it’s dropping in early 2025 and will see the Dubs embark on an international tour again, maintaining their position as one of the hardest-working bands in show business. The Dubs have already played Holland, France, Germany, Romania and Bulgaria in 2024, with many more international dates to follow over the next 12 months.
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That’s after the fifth edition of their Mucky Weekender festival which features Dutty Moonshine, LTJ Bukem, General Levy, Dreadzone, Bez & Rowetta, Irvine Welsh, Marshall Jefferson, Krafty Kuts and many more. Of course, the Dubs take centre stage on the Saturday night in their traditional slot, joined by a heap of friends who they’ve collaborated with over the years.
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They’re also sneaking out a live reggae album in 2025, and re-releasing their 1998 debut album ‘Point Blank’ on vinyl to cater for the collectors amongst their fans — new and old. With a documentary and a book to follow sooner rather than later, the stage is set for them to carry on uproariously for many more years. Like we said: unstoppable.​​
Featuring the ballads, the beats, the ginger hair, the loop pedal magic and now a live band! Ed Sheeran Experience is a live show consisting of all the hits. Jack Shepherd has been performing as Ed since 2014 and has even been credited by the man himself in which he was told “I think what you do is awesome.” Sing-alongs, slow songs and all the hits the Ed Sheeran Experience is a show not to be missed.
Young British guitarists Mikhail Asanovic and Jake Wright, together known as The Showhawk Duo, have dazzled audiences worldwide with their spectacular approach to playing the guitar. Their playing style has broken down barriers between acoustic and electronic music. Whether playing old-school trance classics or modern funky house, their live show knows no boundaries and will leave you amazed.
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Mik is a classical guitarist at heart, having studied at Manchester's RNCM whereas Jake is an electric junkie and grew up playing in numerous rock and metal bands. Mik's classical foundation shines through in the music with Jake's raw percussive approach always keeping the crowd moving. Together they create a truly unique and impressive sound, and have turned many "acoustic" nights into a thumping rave.
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Together, they started out as buskers and have since gone on to play all over the globe. They have appeared on BBC Radio 1 on Nick Grimshaw’s Breakfast Show and BBC Radio Bristol, done a broadcast for LADBible, appeared on Sky Arts TV, given a talk at TEDx Klagenfurt in Austria and much more.
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They have performed at nearly all the UK’s large festivals including Main Stage at Bestival, Glastonbury, Isle of Wight Festival, Secret Garden Party, Wilderness, Creamfields, Boomtown and Lost Village, to name a few. They are in their 11th consecutive year of touring, having sold out venues throughout the UK including Koko in London, The Boiler Shop in Newcastle, and numerous O2 Academy venues across the country. They had five-star reviews and official sell-out status at Edinburgh Fringe.
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International performances include at the F1 Grand Prix in Singapore. Multiple club tours in Spain, Switzerland and Austria, and they have played numerous times at Zero Gravity in Dubai. They also did a twenty-date main-stage residency at Pacha in Ibiza.
Dub Catalyst are an 11 piece dub reggae hip hop band from the south west. They quickly found their footing on the uk reggae scene after playing support slots alongside Dub Pistols, Prince Fatty, Gentlemen’s Dub Club and Undercover Hippie.
The band are set to release new EP later this year and are touring and gigging extensively across the UK. Get your skankin' shoes ready... you're going to love this!!!
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One of the most energetic, exciting and powerful live sounds to hit the South West of England in recent times, The Dirty Smooth are no strangers to the festival circuit, having quickly gained a reputation for playing original, anthemic pop songs, in addition to being tighter than a pair of Lizzo’s hotpants.
Following the release of their debut EP ‘Rise’ accompanied by a number of sold out local shows and radio interviews, the band quickly looked to expand their horizons. The band continued doing what they do best, writing catchy songs and making countless appearances at some of the biggest and best festivals across the South West of England, supporting a seemingly endless list of household names.
In 2017, The Dirty Smooth helped set up and organise Minety Music Festival, Wiltshire which in its first year, was shortlisted at the UK Festival Awards (Best New Festival category) and has since become a well established festival, now into its eighth event, hosting acts such as Ash, The Feeling, Scouting For Girls, Reef, Cast, Sleeper, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Space, Dodgy, The Brand New Heavies, Stereo MCs, EMF, Jesus Jones, Toploader, Republica & Chesney Hawkes.
The success of their singles ‘Seed To The Spark’ and ‘Black Jack City’ (available on all major platforms) demonstrated the band’s unerring talent to pick out rhythmic grooves and strong vocal hooks, offering their fan base a sneak peak of what was to come, but in 2024 the band decided to take a much needed hiatus, but 2026 saw them back in a rehearsal room, trying to remember their setlist. Three rehearsals later, it was like they had never been away. Minety Music Festival 2026 will be their first live performance in nearly 2.1/2 years, and very likely their only performance of the year, as they add the finishing touches to their much anticipated debut studio album album ‘Running From The Radar’ currently in post-production. …They’re back!!!
ACROBVT are a UK alt rock-pop band delivering anthemic hooks, soaring vocals and emotionally
charged songwriting.
Fronted by Ben Edwards, their sound sits between the cinematic sweep of bands like Nothing but Thieves and the Killers mixed with the modern edge of Imagine Dragons .
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The band are currently putting the final touches to their soon to be released debut album. Following their well received appearances as special guest on multi-million selling US artist Anastacia's
European tour last year the band arenow gearing up for a busy year with slots on multiple festivals already announced and more dates to be
announced imminently. Watch this space!
We're so, so lucky to have them at Minety! This is one of those opportunities to say you were there in 15 years time... NOT TO BE MISSED!!!
The Jam UK are the definitive tribute to The Jam, capturing all the raw power, passion and attitude of the original band. With a set packed full of classics like Going Underground, Town Called Malice and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, they deliver an authentic live experience that takes you right back to the height of the Mod revival. Even Paul Weller himself has praised their sound, saying: “That sounds like me when I was 19.”​
Blending classic rock, pop, indie, and crowd-favorite anthems into their shows Cirencester based Seven’77s bring some of them forgotten tracks and iconic hits from past decades to the stage with their unique style . The band is known for tight musicianship, powerful vocals, and an infectious stage presence that keeps audiences engaged from the first note to the last encore while drawing inspiration from legendary acts like INXS ,Bowie,Duran Duran, and many more. Seven’77s have crafted dynamic live shows that appeal to all ages—whether it’s a packed buzzing pub or a large festival stage and with a growing reputation for unforgettable live shows and festivals the Seven’77s don’t just play songs—they create an experience to remember.
Legendary UK festival offenders delivering infectious energy and uniquely reimagined party bangers.
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Backed by an impressive festival CV and zero interest in playing it safe, Plucking Different are a proven crowd-pulling live act, turning every performance into a euphoric festival sing along party.
The Crystal Wolf Project is an alternative/fusion electronic trio from Wiltshire, UK, known for blending the organic warmth of traditional instrumentation with the expansive possibilities of electronic sound. With Emma Doupé on lead vocals, Neil Willis on guitar and live arrangements, and Marco Alves on decks, and backing vocals, the band weaves together haunting melodies, driving rhythms, and cinematic soundscapes that defy easy categorisation.
Their live performances are immersive journeys, where ethereal vocals intertwine with layered synths, guitars cut through atmospheric textures, and electronic beats pulse beneath it all. The result is a sound that feels both contemporary and timeless—rooted in tradition yet pushing forward into uncharted sonic territory.
As a distinctive act, The Crystal Wolf Project offers a captivating experience that resonates with audiences across genres. Their music is at once intimate and powerful, drawing listeners into a shared space where the boundaries between acoustic and electronic dissolve, leaving only emotion, energy, and connection.
WTHR is a Swindon-based artist creating heartfelt, genre-blending music that sits somewhere between indie rock and soulful pop. Writing songs since the age of 13, WTHR’s sound is built on real emotion, catchy melodies, and a passion for storytelling.
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Since launching, WTHR has released 7 music videos generating over 800,000 views on YouTube, with “You & I” leading the way at 230K+. From selling out a headline show to performing at various different festivals in a year and gaining local radio support, the journey is just getting started.
Follow along and be part of what’s next.
All Ears Avow are one of the UK’s most exciting rising alt-rock acts — blending punchy pop hooks with stadium-sized riffs and unapologetic honesty.
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Fronted by powerhouse vocalist-guitarist Claire Sutton, alongside Jake Willcock (guitar), Joe Bishop (bass) and Sean Ivens (drums), the Swindon quartet have carved their own path through relentless touring and an unshakeable DIY ethos. Every song is written, produced, and mixed in-house at their own Western Audio Studios — capturing their raw emotion and fierce independence.
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Their debut album Horrors (out October 2025) is their boldest statement yet: a self-produced concept record diving into anxiety, social pressure and self-empowerment — wrapped in thunderous
guitars and soaring choruses. Featuring standout singles “Bird On A Wire”, “A Night Like This” and “Dark Skies”, the record cements All Ears Avow as a band unafraid to confront darkness head-on and turn it into an anthem.
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Praised by Kerrang! as “well on their way to creating stadium-filling rock music,” All Ears Avow have shared stages with Mallory Knox, Milk Teeth, and The Xcerts, and brought their explosive live show to festivals including Download Festival 2025.
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With Horrors marking the start of their next chapter, All Ears Avow are ready to take their empowering, hook-driven rock to a global audience.
Melody - Rhythm - Beat
Be Like Water - an original three piece band based in Wiltshire, UK. A cosmic creative compote of musical influences: from classical, blues, jazz, to rock, metal, World, and a healthy chunk of theatre...
An eclectic gathering of musical personalities, Be Like Water brings together singer songwriter Lee Knott - with his powerful soulful vocals and rock/blues/romantic-punk roots; Adriana Saliu (aka Adriana’s Keys) - a classically trained pianist, jazz and World music inspired soundtrack composer, and…Gav Lar - the rocket of a drummer, rhythmic shape shifter, metal head and the king of polyrhythm
Top Cover are a high‑energy 7‑piece band blending pop, rock and funk to fill the dancefloor all night long! Formed in 2022 and hailing originally from Marham, Norfolk, they’ve quickly built a reputation for big performances, tight musicianship and a setlist packed with crowd favourites.
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In just a couple of years, Top Cover have supported chart legends The South at Norfolk’s Festival Too, headlined the closing party at the Royal International Air Tattoo, and entertained more than 10,000 people at East Anglia’s biggest free fireworks display.
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When not making sweet music and having a blast on stage, you’ll find Top Cover dotted across the UK and overseas, as they’re all serving members of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
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Follow the band on Instagram and YouTube at @topcover_band, and listen on SoundCloud.
With energy, driving rhythm and heart felt melodies The Shudders combine their melee of music influence to produce a refreshing brand of indie-country-rock. Vocal harmonies, screaming guitar, warm acoustic and a commanding rhythm section with which to weave their rich tapestry of noise. It’s a tapestry which could be a described as a Crazy Horse - Bright Eyes - Wilco for those weaving enthusiasts out there.
After a succession of live performances, sharing the stage with the likes of Miles Hunt of The Wonder Stuff, Chris Helme of The Seahorses, The Young Republic and Ox ~ to mention just a few ~ The Shudders soon found themselves headlining festivals such as The Radio 1 Big Weekend Fringe Festival and the Swindon Shuffle, and playing in venues across the country, including The Borderline (London), The Troubadour (London), The Cavern Club (Liverpool), The Hobbit (Southampton) and The Fleece (Bristol).
Their debut album, produced by Nick Beere at Mooncalf Studios in Wiltshire, was released in December 2009. “The Unfortunate Career of Stede Bonnet, 1688-1718” enjoyed a 3rd place spot in the Amazon folk download chart and established the band as one of the hottest up and coming UK bands.
The follow up, “No Angels in the Slipstream” was recorded between the towns of Skara in Sweden (Dark Secret Ingredient Studios), and Shrivenham in Oxfordshire (The Ladder Factory) during 2015 and was released on 22nd February 2016. The record showcased a darker sound whilst losing none of the bands trademark melodies and harmonies.
Both albums continue to sell well, and are available digitally from the usual places (iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.) and on CD from www.theshudders.co.uk.
Early 2026 has seen the band finish tracking their third album under the guidance of Jon Buckett at Earthworm Recording Studios, due for release later in the year!
Mixing math rock smarts and emo hooks, Parkii are a band that encapsulate skate park spirit and sweaty basement shows. Three neighbours from the same town that became friends after hearing each other practice over the fence, Parkii is thriving in the DIY scene here in Bristol and the South West.
Having released their first demo (girls room) February 1st and now their first single (bad boys) April 30th, Parkii is continuing to grow with every show filling up with people screaming and kickflipping.
Praise be! For one night and one night only, you - the audience - will become the congregation of the 1st James Brown Church of Sweet Soul Music, and the Reverand Phil Harmonic will save your soul, he’ll save their souls, hell he’ll save all our souls, lemmie hear y’all say “our-souls” More of a tribe than a band, the Mighty Soul Destroyers have been playing their mix of cheese tinged, horn driven soul since Adam was a lad – and now their spiritual leader – the Rev Phil Harmonic – has returned from the wilderness to lead his 12
(coincidence?) musical disciples in a quest to save the beating heart of festivals and live music throughout the land, with their firmly tongue in cheek, high energy, horn fuelled musical onslaught – lemmie hear y’all say “hell yeah!”.
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A 13 piece line up, with 6 awesome horns, 2 powerhouse female singers and a rock solid rhythm section, plus the Reverend himself at the altar of sweet soul music. It’s an unnatural phenomenon of truly awe-inspiring musical power dubbed “Best Party Band in Bristol” by Venue Magazine So yes it’s sort of soul covers from all the usual suspects (Motown, Stax, Atlantic) but don’t be surprised if you end up at some very unexpected musical destinations, all designed to get the crowed up, dancing and laughing - because as the one true James Brown once said, “you gotta get up to get down”
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But the music is only part of the story, think Marvin, Aretha and James Brown all jamming under the influence of laughing gas – all fronted by a stand up comedian (sorry – man of the cloth) with a rasping soul voice and the comedy timing of Peter Kay and you are getting close to the full Soul Destroyers experience.
The thing is every event or festival needs a full on party vibe at some point - but sometimes you need to wrap it up in a cooler package than a dad band playing Oasis covers right? The Mighty Soul Destroyers exist to fill exactly that slot – lots of “party” but with enough “arty” to satisfy all comers.
"Good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll, funk, soul, blues, country — and a whole lot of good times — served up by a band of seasoned musicians who’ve clocked the miles and kept the friendships intact.
All original songs but if it helps give you an idea then imagine this if you will: Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Black Crowes, Funkadelic, Gangstagrass, Pearl Jam, Gomez, The Rolling Stones, Galactic, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, G. Love & Special Sauce, Bruce Springsteen and Ben Harper all pile into the same room, crack open a few drinks, and just jam.
No egos. No polish. Just grooves, grit, soul, and songs that roll on long after last orders."
The Blink 182 Show is the ultimate tribute to the iconic pop-punk legends, Blink-182. With a high-energy performance that mirrors the wild, fun, and rebellious spirit of Mark, Tom & Travis.
The Blink 182 Show brings to life all the hits that defined a generation. From the fast-paced riffs of “All the Small Things” to the emotional depth of “I Miss You,” their show celebrates the music, the attitude, and the fun that made Blink-182 a global phenomenon.
Death Pop formed in the 1980s and released a 3 track ep Rogers Gone Mad, also featuring Ghosts and Picture. The band played extensively in Berkshire and London and achieved radio airplay on the John Peel (Radio One) show.
Jim, Jon. Vic play guitars, write and sing their original songs, ably assisted by Minety Music Festival co-organiser, Rich on drums, and saxophone provided by South Cerney’s very own Saraan Deguise.
The band have gigged with Glen Matlock and Wayne County of the Electric Chairs, and have gone on to release 3 studio albums - “The Siege of Sebastopol” is available on Spotify and Prime Music and more recent albums "Psychomania" and "Petrol & Glue" have also received cult acclaim status.
Enjoy their post punk and swamp rock songs live at Minety Festival 2026.
Gordon Wood is a songwriter, singer and guitarist with a wealth of experience. Starting out as vocalist and bass player with various bands from the South West of England, he moved on to become part of the UK blues scene, performing alongside such artists as Dr Feelgood, Wilco Johnson, Norman Watt-Roy, Steve Gibbons, Geno Washington, Edwin Starr and Steve Marriot of the Small Faces. Nowadays his music has evolved to include a much wider spectrum of influences - Americana, country, rockabilly, folk and more.
A seasoned musician who knows the ropes, Wood is not only a vocalist of raw power and deep conviction and a rousing rocker with the best of them, but also a deft composer of finely crafted songs with memorable lyrics and hook-lines you just can't get out of your head.
At MINETY MUSIC FESTIVAL, Gordon Wood will be playing Acoustic Versions of His Songs accompanied by bass player and lead guitarist.
Mike Morrissey's
Free Spirits Band
We are Mike Morrissey's Free Spirits Band - A group of experienced local musicians playing our own style of 50s Rock & Roll and 60s/70s/80s classic up tempo sing-a-long songs. Expect to hear well known songs from music icons like Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Elvis, The Monkees, Bob Dylan, CCR, The Drifters, Dire Straits, ELO + many more...
Mike is a familiar figure on the local music scene and is a regular performer at The Wiltshire Blues & Soul Club.
We are proud to be associated with our sponsors Kandu Arts and are regularly involved and supportive of many of their community fund raising events.
We're absolutely delighted to welcome back Minety Music Festival favourites 'Bottle Of Dog'.
Bottle Of Dog are a 3 piece indie rock band hailing from Chippenham, Wiltshire.
What all started as a one-off gig has become tonnes of gigs and counting! They combine the 70s classic rock and punk sounds with modern day indie.
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Live Electronic Fusion | Uplifting DJ Sets | High-Energy Performance
LoWRN brings a fresh, electric energy to the stage, producing live remixes of dance, electronic, and drum & bass tunes. By fusing live vocals and heavy bass with a professional DJ set, we create an immersive, uplifting experience designed for the festival circuit.
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The Line-up
Their sound is built on the synergy of three distinct performers:
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Tom Beasley (DJ Atom): DJ.
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Lauren Walker (Damsel in Distress): Vocals.
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Paul Marshall (from The Egg): Bas​
Malmesbury supergroup the LONG PLAYERS make a triumphant return to Minety Music Festival.
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Bringing together talented musicians from the sprawling metropolis of Malmesbury and the surrounding areas, this brilliant band is united by a love of performing live.
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Every six months, they quite literally re-form. Undergoing a remarkable biannual metamorphosis, they assume a new stage persona as they take on an iconic album and play it live to the masses.
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And they're back, this time strutting their stuff as the Rolling Stones.
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Following sell-out performances at Malmesbury Town Hall, the rock ‘n’roll circus thunders into Minety. Here, they’ll be performing prime cuts from the Stones’ classic LP, Sticky Fingers, plus a hedonistic head-long tour through some of Mick & Co’s greatest hits.
BRADLEY COWTAN
Bradley Cowtan is a multi-instrumentalist with an engaging show. He uses live-looping to record parts on each instrument, recreating songs you know and love in a captivating way. Known for climbing obstacles in venues (mid-song) and live-looping his audiences, you never know what you're going to get. This is a performance you wont want to miss.
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TruGrit are firmly rooted in country, blues & americana music (maybe a bit of folk-rock too!) with an energetic, rocky edge. They draw on material by the likes of The Eagles, The Dobbie Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle and Linda Ronstadt. Some classics, some songs you’d forgotten you know and some gems you might not have heard before!
The band are fronted by Trudy from Grittleton on lead vocals (hence the band’s name!) and also include:
Sue – Fiddle & Vocals
Doug – Electric & Acoustic Guitars & Mandolin, Vocals
Josh – Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals
Steve – Drums
Sam – Bass
With an american lead guitarist (and, to balance things out, a Canadian-born fiddle player), it seems right to be playing some great songs from the musical melting pot that is North America for you on July 4th.
UNDER THE COVERS... the ultimate party band!
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Under The Covers are brand new... formed in late 2024. They are the ultimate party band for your party, wedding or music festival. Made up of four highly experienced musicians, they bring fun and energy that will keep the dance floor bopping all night long.
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The members of the band are: Casey on vocals and keyboards, Ash on guitar and vocals, Pete on bass and vocals and Steve on drums and vocals.
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They steer away from the mundane, cheesey songs most other party bands play. Instead they play hits from Deacon Blue, Fleetwood Mac, Blondie, Roxette and The Pretenders to name just a few.
A relentless and crushing 3 piece band from Wiltshire, South West England, formed in 2024, showing other bands in the scene what it means to be loud. The band draws inspiration from Metal titans such as Testament, Pantera, Lamb of God and Exodus, blending elements of Thrash's technicality and speed with Groove Metal's chunk and heaviness. The group have just been in the studio to record their debut single "Call The Exorcist", which was released on march 6th, 2025, with hopes to be back in the studio soon to release an EP.
One of their most notable gigs would be opening for Subhumans and soon to be playing the second round of Metal 2 The Masses in Bridgwater. With performances that are only increasing in precision and accuracy.
Truck are a band from Cheltenham, UK that combines Indie Rock, Country, Britpop, Emo and more to deliver a fresh take on the music they grew up listening to. In their short time as a band, they've secured festival slots up and down the country including Dot to Dot Festival and London's Burned Out, support from BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio and This Feeling, as well as the opportunity to record at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
Evolution are a ‘hybrid’ band from Wiltshire, ‘hybrid’ as in they play original material & covers.
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Lead singer and guitarist Ian Barrett’s passion is song writing and has been penning original material for over 20 years, with a number of album releases - such as This is where I’m from, Reflections from Moredonia and recently Ghosts of this town. Ian was also the lead guitarist in Kramer back in the 1990s (long hair days).
Ian’s songwriting has taken him to perform at lots of national and international festivals & led to meeting many artists such as Peter Gabriel, where Ian also recorded a number of tracks at Peter’s Studio (Real World Studios) whilst signed to a subsidiary of Sony records.
Sarina Parsons, who ‘keeps the beats’ in Evolution has also featured on Ian’s original material so would obviously be the natural choice for the touring outfit…she has been playing in bands for over 15 years and is also a drum instructor endorsed by many drum companies.
Ian and Sarina are joined by Steve ‘Jock’ Hendry on lead guitars (who has been on the local music seen for over 30 years) playing in bands such as Roundabout, Nova & MDQ. His influence is a raw guitar sound which really does fill the live sound of the band.
Kev Cole plays bass in Evolution and has been gigging for over 30 years. He has played in a variety of original, function and cover bands playing everything from pop, indie, rockabilly to rock. Kev is the newest member of the band but very experienced and has slotted in perfectly.
So go and check out an Evolution show for their first ever outing at Minety Music Festival.
Band of brothers are a Jamaican reggae and ska band based in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, delivering a vibrant and authentic celebration of two of the worlds most influential music genres.
Built around a shared passion for timeless rhythm and feel-good energy, the band brings together experienced musicians with a clear and simple vision: to introduce audiences of all ages to classic reggae and ska, while also reimagining a well-known songs from outside the genres and giving them a fresh new identity under the ska and reggae umbrella.
The line-up features:
Neil Bates - Vocals
Lukey Dodd - Bass Guitar and Vocals
Bradley Jones - Lead Guitar
Tim Downes-Hall - Drums and Percussion
Together they deliver a tight energetic performances rooted in groove, melody, and audience connection. The band of Brothers mission is straightforward but powerful – to keep the spirit of reggae and ska alive, while expanding its reach to new audiences through familiar songs reworked with authentic island flavour and upbeat ska energy. From classic reggae rhythms to high energy ska reworks, their sets are designed to get people moving, smiling, and singing along
Trippy bring together the spirit of their 90s roots with a fresh, modern edge, blending sixties-inspired grooves and Britpop colour with a set that moves easily between their original material and old favourites. Reborn from Bristol’s lively music scene, the band’s diverse musical heritage, chemistry and new creative spark give their shows a warm, infectious momentum.