The Great British R&B Festival 2025

BUSKERS COLNE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

Members of this band have played with Chuck Berry, Denny Laine, Atomic Rooster, Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse, among many others, and half of them are from Colne! They brought the house down at Colne Town Hall last year and were widely regarded as one of the best bands on the Official Fringe. We just had to give them a big stage. I say it every year but it never ceases to amaze me just how much musical talent there is in Colne, along with opportunities to see and get involved with the live music scene. Every weekend will see five or six bar gigs around the town. Our two well-established Open Mic nights have recently been joined by by a Sunday night jam at Mojo’s, hosted by new local super-band, Eggs. Colne Municipal Hall have been offering local bands the opportunity to stage shows in their newly refurbished theatre. And this year has seen the formation of Soundhouse, a collaboration between local musicians and the Colne Youth Action Group which gives local 10 to 16 year olds the opportunity to get involved with music. Our bonnie town has so much to offer budding musicians and our iconic festival lies at the heart of it all. Before I sign off I must mention English Teacher, fronted by Colne’s own Lily Fontaine. Right outside the door of Colne Town Hall is the World’s Biggest Paving Slab, immortalised in their song and, from 2026, the new name for the Town Hall’s outdoor stage. English Teacher played a bar gig for us in 2022, this year they played Glastonbury. See what can happen!

Simon Shackleton Festival Coordinator

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