Northampton Music Festival returns next week with nearly 100 acts playing across nine stages

​The Northampton Music Festival returns next Sunday and nearly 100 acts will play on nine stages across the town.

Singer songwriter Billy Lockett will headline the main stage which will also feature performances from acts including Maddox Jones, Anti!i, Chargr, Kelli Blanchett and Great Adamz.

The event, on Sunday, September 10, kicks off at midday and is free.

Festival co-ordinator Tommy Gardener said: “This has been a long journey to reach this point, lots of hard work and challenges but we are almost there and I am very excited for all of our plans and ideas to become a reality.

“I am very pleased with this year’s line up, our amazing team of stage curators have done an incredible job. The line up is filled with variety and there is definitely something for everyone.

“We all know that the town has a great and varied music scene and this festival will showcase and celebrate exactly that.”

The Main Stage will be in Abington Street, the New Boots Stage will be at The Black Prince, the Jazz Stage at Guildhall Courtyard, the Student Showcase Stage at Vulcan Works, the Classical Stage at Northampton Museum, the World Music Stage at All Saints Church and the Beats, Lyrics & Poetry Stage at the Guildhall Hotel.

There will also be acoustic pop-up stages outside The Fish and V&B – in tribute to both Stephen Jennings and Gary Hack.

Main stage headliner Billy Lockett released his debut album Abington Grove in February. The Northampton singer songwriter will embark on a six date UK tour this winter.

This year, organisers were forced to move the main stage because of ongoing work taking place in the Market Square which is currently being redeveloped.

Mr Gardner said: “I am excited to see Abington Street come to life with music, I think this alternative location will actually work very well.

“We’ve also got the historical NMF favourites back such as Guildhall Courtyard, the museum and it’s great that All Saints Church is back too.

“This year we have two new locations, Performing Rooms and Vulcan Works, both stunning venues - we cannot wait to work together with them.”

The New Boots Stage will be headlined by Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes, the Jazz Stage by the Jamie Glew-Osborne Quartet, the World Music Stage by T Bone Afrika All Stars, the Classical Stage by the Northampton Male Voice Choir, the Beats, Lyric & Poetry Stage by L3O, The Fish acoustic stage by Dunn Wiv Whiskey, the V&B Acoustic Stage by Mikee Carr and the Student Showcase Stage by Fred Roques.

Mr Gardner added: “This festival would not be possible without the help of so many people. Our Stages team consisting of Kerrie Cosh, Ray Meadham, Anthony Foreman, Miles Hancock, Leon Denton, Hannah Faulkner, Phil Moore, Sarah Thursby and Stace Constantinou and our comms coordinator Kate Owens.”

For more information, visit https://northamptonmusicfestival.co.uk/

The full line up for the Northampton Muisc Festival is:

THE MAIN STAGE – Abington Street

NMTC Singers / C15 / Eden Lole / Li-LIKEISAID / Kelli Blanchett / Growing NAI / Chargr / Madame Electrifie / Great Adamz / Anti!i / Alfie Castley / Fountain / Maddox Jones / Pure Genius / Billy Lockett

NEW BOOTS STAGE - The Black Prince

Freya Rose / Tu-Kay & Ryan / King's Gambit / Ray Gemini / Eddz / Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes

THE JAZZ STAGE – Guildhall Courtyard

Tad Newton's Jazz Friends / Peter Helmsley / Sheila Waterfield Trio / The Sam Montero Piano Trio / The Mat Day Band / Jamie Glew-Osborne Quartet

WORLD MUSIC STAGE – All Saints Church

The NUGS (Northampton Ukulele Group) / Mellow Baku / Nerissa Simmone / The Ivor Johnson Band / T Bone Afrika All Stars

CLASSICAL STAGE – Northampton Museum

Liam Carter / Kay Warcaba / Queen Eleanor Choir / Joshua S Daniel: The Tenor / Northampton Male Voice Choir

BEATS, LYRIC & POETRY STAGE - Performing Room

Tre Ventour / Mala / Power Positivity / Russell Heyworth / X-It / Silver / Enmity / LB / Reality / Brooklyn 4D / Riice / Nevmore / HalFlatz / Deuon Smith / Har-Q / J Carlyle / Hxrmz / Leo

THE FISH - Acoustic pop-up – in tribute to Stephen J Jennings

Emily Ashberry / Eliza Marshall-Waters / Leannån / Tyler Quantrill / Adam Hutchinson / Lizel / Andrew Jones / Paul William Gibson / Amber Kellond / Thomas Siddington / Bert Boleyn / Dunn Wiv Whiskey

V&B - Acoustic pop-up – in tribute to Gary Hack

Jordan Jones / Green Lights / Folkadot / Lufuno Ndou / Hannah Faulkner / Nicky Newman / Lola & The General / MA:RO / K and Wildflowers / Ruby Stamps & The Lost Wallets / Mikee Carr

STUDENT SHOWCASE STAGE – Vulcan Works

Perun / Odell Eady / Vivydd_ / Flowerpot Bois / Carys Peterson / Shoebill / Ourjay / Average At Best / Dana & Archie / Doorknob / Serena Parry / Ebony Mae Palliser / Kairo's Kiosk / Moon Haze / One / Way Ticket / Fred Roques