Festival Preview // The Cambridge Folk Festival

19 July 2010, 11:00 | Written by The Line of Best Fit

(News)

The Cambridge Folk Festival is now, incredibly, in its 45th year. This eclectic event – one of the longest running events of its kind in the UK – has always taken a somewhat, let’s say, elastic approach to its definition of folk, taking in bluegrass, gospel, cajun, zydeco, jazz, world, klezmer and the odd ceilidh. The lineup this time round looks set to provide much musical diversion for fans of musical diversity.

Big mainstream names this year include Kris Kristofferson, The Wonder Stuff, Natalie Merchant, and Seasick Steve. Folk music of both the nu-folk and older school variety is represented by Seth Lakeman, Lissie, The Unthanks, Stornoway and Johnny Flynn and the Susex Witt, whilst music from around the world is provided by artists of the calibre of Rokia Traoré from Mali, the Balkan Boban and Marko Markovic Orchestra, and even a special “Scottish Showcase” running throughout the weekend.

The event, running from 29th July to 1 August, is set in the compact environs of Cambridge’s Cherry Hinton Hall grounds. Check back here in early August for a full report into the acts that caught our eyes and ears this year, as well as those that just, well, folked us off a bit. (I’m so, so, sorry.)

For more information, head over to the official website.