This is Essex -- Bay Days is back at the Golden Fleece, Chelmsford, on July 26-27 but organisers are warning this could be their last festival.The raucous rock weekender is one of the most popular events on the Essex music calendar and this year is promising a mixture of acoustic acts, full band sets and DJs as well as a silent disco on both nights.
The festival kicks off on Friday, July 26 with former F451 frontman Jez Kemp returning from New Zealand to open proceedings and play his first ever Bay Days. He's followed by Kerrang favourites Anavae, the super-heavy and super-good Earthmass, and a triple headline bill that includes Villains (featuring ex-members of Never Means Maybe), the much lauded The Younger, and Hey Vanity, the new project formed from the ashes of Fei Comodo.
After the live music, there'll be a silent disco until 4am and the fancy dress theme for Friday is military attire, so get your berets on and your boots polished!
Saturday has a less rock feel with Colchester's Buddy Lee Dickens getting things started, veering between his Glaswegian rapper routine and his Louisiana bluesman persona... and perhaps mixing them together!
Buddy is followed by the excellent Lemoncurd Kid, Underline The Sky, ska popsters Jellycats, the marvellous and mischievous Creme de Chevre and headliners, ska band New Town Kings, who'll get the crowd in dancing mood before the silent disco takes over again until 6am.
Co-organiser Lloyd Rust says that more acts and special guests will be booked in the coming weeks and that there may well be a new brew alongside the now traditional Bay Days Bomber at the bar. Entry will be free but as ever Bay Days will be raising money for charity.
Lloyd points out that he and fellow organiser Dan Rankin have concentrated on getting local acts this year and really want to champion Essex's music scene, as well as bringing exciting new bands to the event.
"It's a more concentrated festival this year and Friday night is going to be very big," said Lloyd. "I think it's going to be a really strong festival."
He says that the festival may well be the last Bay Days that he and Dan organise but they're determined to make it as much fun as previous events.
"You've just got to make it happen," said Lloyd. "We just want everyone to have a really good weekend and a really good laugh. Most of all, we want it to be fun."
Bay Days is at the Golden Fleece, Duke Street, Chelmsford on Friday-Saturday, July 26-27. Look out for more news and announcements on the Bay Days 2013 Facebook page. Reported by This is 7 hours ago.