This year’s WATCHET FESTIVAL was a complete success with all camping tickets selling out leading up to the event.
Festival-goers in their thousands had snapped up tickets for this year’s Watchet Festival in order to see the likes of Sir Bob Geldof’s The Boomtown Rats, The Selecter, Seth Lakeman and Big Country amongst the stunning surroundings of the West Somerset Coastline.
Three live stages hosted more than 70 live acts, bringing a wide range of high-calibre musical acts not normally found performing in West Somerset.
The Boomtown Rats have been storming festivals since the ‘classic’ line up of Bob Geldof, Simon Crowe, Garry Roberts and Pete Briquette re-formed in 2013. With a huge back catalogue of Top 10 hits including 'Rat Trap' (the first UK No.1 by an Irish band), 'Someone’s Looking At You', and of course the ubiquitous multi-million selling 'I Don’t Like Mondays', this was the biggest Saturday night performance that Watchet Live Festival has ever hosted.
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
Seth Lakeman is a multiple BBC Folk Award-winner and former Mercury Music Prize nominee. One of Devon’s finest musicians, Seth’s uplifting modern takes on classic Westcountry folk songs, shanties and legends captivated the audiences throughout his set.
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
The Selecter are an iconic 2-tone Ska band. Fronted by the original singing duo of the legendary Pauline Black and ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, the dynamic and impeccable duo took centre stage in what is arguably the band’s best ever line-up. The Selecter’s performance featured all the classics such as '3 Minute Hero', 'On My Radio' and 'Too Much Pressure', alongside tracks from their incredible new studio album, Subculture.
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
Sunday night’s headliners were the magnificent Big Country. Formed in Dunfermline in the early 80’s the band went on to have a string of hits and four Top 10 albums, including 1984’s 'Steel Town', which went to Number 1.
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
The capacity crowds also enjoyed the likes of 80’s New Wave legends The Blow Monkeys, the always entertaining Dr & The Medics, double-necked guitar wizard John Otway along with long-term collaborator ‘Wild’ Willy Barrett, Merry Hell, Tankus the Henge and many many more.
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
© Andrew Hobbs Photography www.andrewhobbsphotography.co.uk
Once again, taking place on the August Bank Holiday Weekend, Watchet LIVE Festival showcased the very best music, food and entertainment from the Westcountry and beyond. We'll see you all next year!
Friday Lineup
Doctor & the Medics
Dry White Bones
Ghosts of Men
Muddy Summers & The Dirty Field Whores
Pretty Little Enemy
Pretty Soul
Skeg
The Blow Monkeys
The New Mind Benders
The Selecter
The Summertides
The Thatchers
White Pigeon
Saturday Lineup
Abdoujaparov
Bare Knuckle Parade
Bemis
Boomtown Rats
Deliah
Doozer McDooze
Flight Brigade
Gary Law
JD Revelator
Jess Handley
Kizzy Crawford
Luke Potter
Merry Hell
New Groove Formation
Ryan Hawkings
Sam Green & The Midnight Heist
Tankus the Henge
The Aces
The James Clode Band
The Red-hillbillies
Toadstool
TwoManTing
Worry Dolls
Sunday Lineup
Abi Ewles & Phil Tipping
Barbarella's Bang Bang
Barnacle Buoys
Big Country
Bigtopp
Company B
Jo Langdon
Kiera Osment
Merry Hell
John Otway & Wild Wille Barrett
Ned Dylan
Seth Lakeman
Sound of the Sirens
Stevie One Bloke One Mandolin
The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican
The Leylines
The Blue Horizon
The Sweetchunks Band
The Wurzels
West Somerset Brass
For LOADS more images from the event, please visit our GALLERY