Idlewild are to play their only mainland UK festival date at Purbeck Folk Festival in August. The Scottish band released their last album Post Electric Blues in 2009 and since then frontman Roddy Woomble has released two solo albums, while guitarist Rod Jones has released material under his own name and with his band The Birthday Suit, most recently the excellent A Hollow Hole Of Riches in March.
The band used Twitter to announce they were about to start recording a new album earlier this year and have since announced a date at the tinyIona Village Hall Music Festival in July and a series of acoustic dates in the Highlands and Islands in October, making Purbeck their only English date confirmed so far.
Running over the Bank Holiday weekend, 21-24 August, on a 600-acre sheep farm in the heart of the beautifulIsle of Purbeck, the Festival – which won the Fatea Music Award for Countryside Festival Of The Year –is four days of fine music, great food, fancy dress, comedy, film and magic on Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coastline.
Idlewild join previously announced headliners Lloyd Cole, Eddi Reader, The South, Chris Wood and Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo.
“These are not ‘comeback’ gigs and I hope people don’t think that they are,” says Roddy Woomble. “To me anyway, it’s much more an opportunity to open the songbook again – to revisit and re-imagine old songs, to play new songs and ideas, and generally just have some fun singing and playing, in a relaxed, all-acoustic way in some lovely (and unusual) venues and places.
“We are still writing and recording the new album (it will be released in 2015) so it is a chance to take a break from that process, while also using the gigs as part of that process, if you see what I mean.
“We have had a line-up shift too, only to be expected when you all go and do other things for five years – Gareth Russell has left; he is semi-based in Australia now, so family and work commitments deem it impractical to say the least. Of course we wish him all the best. We’re delighted to be joined by multi-instrumentalist and friend Lucci Rossi. Lucci has made a big difference to the new record already, so it will be cool to get out and about and play some concerts together.”
Guitarist Rod Jones added the new album is “shaping up to be a really interesting record.”
Idlewild formed in 1995 and have released six studio albums to date including the breakthrough 100 Broken Windows (1999), The Remote Part (2002), which spawned the hit singles You Held The World In Your Arms and American English and Warnings/Promises (2005) with the top 20 single Love Steals Us From Loneliness.
Roddy Woomble released his first solo album My Secret Is My Silence in 2006. Produced by John McCusker and featuring the likes of Kate Rusby, Karine Polwart and his wife Ailidh Lennon, it topped the UK folk charts and was followed in 2008 by Before the Ruin, recorded with John McCusker and Kris Drever, featuring Radiohead drummer Phil Selway and Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub. His third album, The Impossible Song & Other Songs (2011) has a sleeve drawn by Mairi Hedderwick, creator of Katie Morag, and his latest solo record, Listen to Keep, came out in March.
Now in its sixth year, Purbeck Folk Festival’s inclusive booking policy ensures an eclectic mix of outstanding, original young folk, established roots, traditional and world music in a fun, family-friendly environment. The four stages are contained in the farm’s barns and a marquee venue that hosts the Purbeck Rising final and open mic sessions.
But there’s much more than music on offer with a host of additional entertainment that includes a comedy line-up, an on-site cinema programme, art interventions and workshops, a fancy dress parade, a poetry slam, kids’ activity pen and a beer festival with 40 local real ales, 20 ciders and even a Dorset pils lager!
Weekend tickets (Fri-Sun) include free camping and are on sale at just £90 (£45 12-17 years, £10 4-11 years, under 4s free). Day camping is available on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at £10 a night on arrival. A limited number of Festival day tickets will also be available.
Located in the village of Langton Matravers between Corfe Castle and Swanage, the land at Wilkswood Farm is devoted to conservation and environmental protection of a wide range of habitats. There’s a handy bus to Corfe Castle/Wareham and Swanage every hour both ways; while Harmans Cross station is a 15-minute walk away where you can catch the steam train to Swanage or Corfe Castle.
Purbeck Folk Festival, 21-24 August, Wilkswood Farm, Langton Matravers, Swanage, BH19 3DU.
Box office: 023 8071 1818
