Folk star set to rock Festibelly

A FOLK artist is set to rock a music festival organised by two young entrepreneurs from Harpenden.

Festibelly, a one-day festival set up three years ago by a team of students including Tom Barltrop of The Uplands and Andy Bell of Kinsbourne Green, will take place on Saturday and headliner this year is Johnny Flynn and his band, The Sussex Wit.

Johnny, 27, said that this was the first time he will play Festibelly: “It’s only in its third year, but I’ve already heard great things about the festival. I like the location – right in the heart of the New Forest – especially because I grew up near there in Hampshire.”

He added: “My band and I play loads of music festivals every year and it’s quite a crazy time in the summer. I’m really busy at the moment too, because I’m acting in a film, The Lotus Eaters, which is about well-to-do Londoners and is shot in black and white.”

Johnny, who includes Shakespeare among his influences, has so far released two albums and said that the latest, Been Listening, would form part of his Festibelly playlist: “I want to play half and half really; a mix of the new and the old. I can certainly promise a great show – they’ll be fireworks when we perform!”

Johnny, who landed his record deal four years ago, is one of many artists taking to the Festibelly stage, including The Big Pink, Man like Me, Lulu and the Lampshades and Marmaduke Dando. There will also be a selection of local and exotic food stalls on site, and plenty of room to pitch a tent.

Festibelly, which features in The Daily Telegraph’s Summer Festival Guide, is held in Lymington and gates open at 9am with music starting at midday.

The site will close at 2pm the next day, and a car parking charge of �5 applies. Tickets cost �30 plus a booking fee and Festibelly welcomes people of all ages.

To find out more about the event, visit www.festibelly.com and for more information on Johnny visit www.johnny-flynn.com