Folkstock Open Air Concert

A host of bands featuring a range of acoustic music from folk to blues, pop and world music, will head up a free outdoor concert to be staged in Hatfield Town Centre on Saturday 11 May from noon til 3pm.

The gig, arranged by the Folkstock Arts Foundation, with assistance from the Hatfield Town Team, will be showcasing many new bands in the town’s White Lion Square.

Between 12 noon and 3pm, nine different acts will take the stage, spanning the age range from 11 years old to 58 years young ! The music is aimed at all ages and includes a mixture of instruments, from acoustic and resonator guitars and saxophones to ukulele, clarinet and a rare instrument called a Soundsculpture or Handpan.

Many of the artists are singer songwriters and will be playing with a band or solo.

The talented line up for the afternoon includes Josiah, aged 11, a child prodigy from Broxbourne, who has been playing percussive instruments all his life. Josiah is the only child known to play the very unusual Handpan, which resembles an inverted steel drum and when played produces lovely hypnotic, rhythmic sounds.

Many of the musicians are local and include 19 year old singer/songwriter Daisy Mae Lewis, from Hertford; the Tritones, a three piece band from Hertfordshire; Karl Barham from Hatfield and University of Hertfordshire Students’ Union Ukulele group plus the UHSU Acapella group, who will both be performing a selection of their arrangements, along with 20 year old solo acoustic artist Natalie Denise, who is a songwriting and music production student at the University.

As well as three hours of music, there will be face painting fun for youngsters and a chance for concert goers to browse around Hatfield’s twice weekly market which has just been brightened up with new blue and white stalls.

The bands will be appearing on the Town Team’s newly purchased mobile stage which has been provided from the Portas Pilot scheme funding, with financial help from Hatfield Town Council.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Councillor Tony Kingsbury, Chair of the Town Team Steering Group said: “This is an exciting event and a great opportunity for us to try out our new stage with such a talented line of musicians. I hope this will be just the first of many live events to come in Hatfield, providing a much needed source of entertainment for the town.”

This concert is the first of several in the area by organisers, the Folkstock Arts Foundation, a new community interest company set up recently to help bring real music to people and create opportunities for aspiring acoustic artists.

For more information about Folkstock and the artists taking part on May 11 please go to: www.folkstockartsfoundation.com

For more information visit http://www.folkstockartsfoundation.com/?p=572