Folk on the Pier

Cromer’s popular music festival ‘Folk on the Pier’ returns to the town’s Pavilion Theatre on 10, 11 and 12 May once again with a line-up of some of the UK’s most loved folk and roots music artists. What started as a toe in the water 26 years ago has grown into one of the UK’s most enduring and notable annual events, attracting some of the best known artists on today’s folk-rock music scene and beyond.

Headliners this year include festival favourites While and Matthews who have appeared at the event in a number of incarnations over the years including Daphne’s Flight and Blue Tapestry, as well as just the two of them as a duo. The six piece Sandy Denny Project on Friday evening features Sally Barker, a finalist on the popular TV programme ‘The Voice’ and honours the music of Fairport Convention’s late female singer. Joe Topping another ‘Voice’ finalist also appears earlier in the afternoon concert.

Medieval ‘progressive’ band Gryphon close the Saturday afternoon concert, their appearance re-scheduled from 2023 due to unfortunate illness, and a raucous energetic finale to Saturday evening is on the cards with the return of festival favourites Truckstop Honeymoon and ending the night, the mighty Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, which features around fifty young, talented and somewhat energetic Birmingham Conservatoire musicians!

Another energetic end is on the cards for Sunday afternoon when ever popular Gerry Colvin brings his unique blend of poignancy, humour and anarchic antics to the stage and on the final evening of the festival, the stage will be handed over to the now legendary duo Show of Hands. They will not only close the 2024 festival but will be performing ‘Full Circle Part II’ in its entirety, one of their last shows as a duo. Their appearance at Folk on The Pier is part of a final tour that will mark the end of an era, performing as the duo they started out as at the beginning of their thirty year career. Before the final show there will be a short set from this year’s Folk on the Pier showcase winners John and Pauline Pearce.

Supporting the headliners is a wide choice of acts, from soloists, duos and trios offering a stunning selection of musical styles. Everything from heavy folk-rock from Blair Dunlop’s new band and Celtic/Irish fusion from Lagan who are visitors from Brittany, to traditional airs and reels from Elizabeth-Davidson Blyther and Daniel Quayle from the Isle of Man, to Americana and acoustic singer-songwriter plus a good dose of anarchy and comedy featuring Keith Donnelly as well as the now traditional visit from the one and only Richard Digance.

The Sunday night has seen one of the fastest sell-outs since the event began, however a modest amount of tickets for the other five concerts are still available to order online or directly from the box office. There are also a very limited number of six concert discounted season tickets available to order only by contacting the box office on 01263 512495 or by email boxoffice@cromerpier.co.uk.

As always there will be free fringe events in town running in tandem with the main event on the pier which will once again be curated by 1.3 East. There will also be a new series of ‘formal’ concerts at Cromer Community Centre arranged by Folk on the Pier producer Scott Butler, which will attract a modest charge of £5.00 per concert; they will however be free entry to anyone who has a full weekend Pavilion Theatre festival wristband pass.

More information about the fringe events will be available at www.folkonthepier.co.uk in the coming weeks.