From the exuberance of the massed voices of Rock Choir in the beautiful and atmospheric Spiegeltent to the beguiling vocals and big band ballads of chart topper Jack Savoretti (Sponsored by Paul Roberts) the Festival once more brings the best of contemporary popular music to Canterbury this year.  Young and up-and-coming musicians are represented in the Track Record Showcase (Sponsored by Direction Law), a great place to spot Kent’s future talent.

Anoushka Lucas (Sponsored by Barretts) makes a welcome return. If you saw her excellent support to Sophie Ellis-Bextor during last year’s Festival, you’ll want to catch her again in the Spiegeltent. The Festival also welcomes Belfast-born singer-songwriter Dom Martin to play the Spiegeltent with his combination of swing and driving rhythms. Regularly featured on BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, catch this rising star; we’re lucky to have him in Canterbury. Equally, one of the UK’s most popular touring bands, Los Pacominos Featuring Paul Young (Sponsored by KIT) stops off in Canterbury to play the best in Tex Mex party music rocking the tent on our opening Saturday evening. American supergroup Orphan Colours bring driving rock and a punchy Californian sound in a high energy set in the tent on the Festival’s middle Saturday night. Blow away the autumn blues with an evening with The Dime Notes, a stylish, reed- and piano-driven homage to one of New Orleans jazz, one of the great eras in musical history.

Pour some African sunshine over a dark Canterbury evening with Sous L’Arbre Acoustik. Dakar artist BIG visits Canterbury to perform Afro traditional music blending many different rhythms with modern styles in our beautiful and atmospheric Spiegeltent. 

 Fans of the Scottish funk and rhythm and blues group the Average White Band will not want to miss their locomotive Festival gig as guitarist Hamish Stuart (Sponsored by Astra Sound) is joined by fellow original band member Malcolm ‘Molly’ Duncan and a full horn section to close this year’s Spiegeltent in true rock style.

Early booking is, of course, essential for our headline acts at the Marlowe. Innovative British singer-songwriter Laura Mvula (Sponsored by Canterbury BID) plays a special Festival performance in the wake of her award-nominated albums and appearances on the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage. Leading lights in the country scene Ward Thomas (Sponsored by Quinn Estates) bring their sharp, observational sound from the No 1 album Cartwheels and the punchier vibes of the most recent Restless Minds to brighten a Canterbury autumn evening.  Juan de Marcos’ Afro-Cuban All Stars come to Canterbury with a programme in the Marlowe from the golden age of Cuban music. Expect Bolero, salsa and more boosted and refreshed with contemporary sounds and rhythms. 

Finally, we are thrilled to welcome Jack Savoretti to begin his autumn tour live in the heart of our city.  Celebrating his sixth studio album, Singing to Strangers, selected as BBC Radio 2’s Record of the Week and charting at number one for six weeks, he has co-written with Kylie Minogue and Bob Dylan.  Unfortunately, all tickets for Jack Savoretti and Los Pacaminos are now sold out. However, it is still possible to be added to the waiting list for these events.

Don’t miss out on the best of contemporary music at this year’s Festival – book your tickets now.

Canterbury Festival Box Office: 01227 457568 canterburyfestival.co.uk

Events at The Marlowe,  Box Office: 787787 marlowetheatre.com