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| Confirmed Main Stage Acts for 2025 - Timings are not yet sorted but
will be announced asap |
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Headlining Saturday - Anarchy In The Ukulele:
Striking harmonies, dynamic rhythms, catchy songs and witty
banter, come together to form a formidable and energetic live
act, that is taking the ukulele scene by storm.
Formed as part of their Anarchy in the Ukulele YouTube channel,
this seven piece band is made up of professional musicians and
multi-instrumentalists from around the UK.
With influences from the world of americana, country, a little
bit of rock and a sprinkling of cheesy pop, Anarchy in the
Ukulele take songs you think you know and twist them into
something new and unexpected.
This is ukulele, but not as you know it.
click here to
check out their website |
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Headlining Friday - Phil
Doleman
Phil’s love of
vintage blues, swing, and jug band music shines through as he
blows the dust off obscure old songs and gives new life to
classics. With just his big voice and driving rhythms on both
ukuleles and banjos he'll take you back to the juke joints of
the 20s.
“massively
entertaining... If you think blues can't be done on a banjo or
ukulele, think again" Blues Matters Magazine |
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Currently in the midst of their “Not Quite There Yet”
Tour 2024/25, Not Quite Dead Yet are traveling the country
playing festivals wherever the stages are big enough, and some
that really aren’t!
There’s plenty of opportunities to catch them playing in a field
somewhere this festival season...
What’s the worst that could happen? |
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Where he came from, where he’s going, no one knows.
Some say he was lost
in the wilderness as a child, and raised by a pack of feral jazz
artists.
Took schooling
amongst the blues guitarists and the gravestones of a Memphis
cemetery.
Some say he hid in a
long lost speakeasy when prohibition arrived and no one told him
it was over till last year. All this whilst owning a ukulele
that identifies as a banjo.
Either way, Lester T
W (LTW) is a songwriting fluzy that dances with all genres of
the roots that would tell his stories the best.
Having released two
albums to date and riding on the critical acclaim of Never
Sinking Sun, Web has brought down the house at Galway uke fest,
Winchester and the Ukulele Fesitval of Great Britain.
He has as many
stories as he has songs and he believes his purpose is to not
leave the stage until his audience is truly happy.
https://linktr.ee/LesterTWeb |
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Paul is an author,
performer and ukulele teacher and one of the few people in
England to have an honours diploma on the Ukulele from the
Victoria College of Music.
Paul headlines at many of the ukulele festivals in England as a
performer and instructor and is a regular contributor to Uke
Magazine.
As an author Paul is signed to Kevin Mayhew Ltd and has
published 6 books on Ukulele; including teaching books and books
on playing classical music
on the ukulele.
Paul was the first ukulele player to ever feature on the cover
of BMG (Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar) Magazine and has played live
on The BBC.
Paul’s original compositions are featured in the Ukulele Exam
Syllabus
for both VCM and ABRSM exams.
Paul’s debut album
‘Me, My Ukulele & I’ on KM Records is a
mix of classical and contemporary pieces all played on the
solo ukulele.
For more info visit :
www.paulmansell.co.uk
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New to Shrewkfest for 2025,
we'd like to welcome Sarah Hughes a.k.a. Shiftypop
Sarah is a
34-year-old Singer, Songwriter and Baritone Ukulele player based
in Caldicot, South Wales.
She has been
performing on TikTok LIVE regularly since February 2024 and is
currently writing her very own ukulele pop album due to be
released in 2025.
Shiftypop began
playing guitar when she was 13 and started writing songs at 15.
She then bought her
first ukulele when she was 26 and it quickly took over as her
favourite instrument to play.
She has been a
full-time freelancer for 13 years producing jingles and songs
for businesses all over the world.
www.tiktok.com/@shiftypop
www.facebook.com/@shiftypop
www.shiftypop.co.uk
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Described by Geoff Lakeman as “a
one woman riot”
Tabitha prefers the less agressive (and
more apt) description of a
“budget Victoria Wood with a ukulele”
With self-penned songs covering important
first-world problems such as Bananas, Wasps and the gender
imbalance on the festival circuit,
Tabitha brings honesty and laughter to the
stage.
She can usually be found in a field and
her festival gigs have included Glastonbury, Bearded Theory,
Boomtown, Here For The Music and more. Outside of festivals,
Tabitha can usually be found somewhere nice having a cup of tea.
Tabitha has recorded two albums:
Classy AF (2023) and
Striving For Adequacy (2024)
both of which are available on Bandcamp. |
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Percy Copley started on the
ukulele at a young age and since then it has been a constant
companion.
He performs a variety of songs with a ukulele - entertainment
with fun and laughter.
Jazz, blues, country, folk - Fats Waller to Lyle Lovett,
Washboard Sam to Gillian Welch.
He also plays banjo,
guitar, and mandolin.
With a mixture of
styles he has something for all tastes.
He worked for 25
years at Disney, and also festivals and gigs all over Europe.
A recent highlight
was playing with Lester T Webb in Ireland.
He is a regular
tutor at the wonderful SoreFingers summer camps (amongst others)
and continues to teach groups and personal lessons, while also
performing with several groups around France and the world! |
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Matt Stead is a ukulele
performer and teacher based in the Forest of Dean, UK. He has
taught thousands of students for over 20 years and has one of
the biggest followings of any teacher in Europe with hundreds of
people tuning into his lessons daily via his App, YouTube
channel and website.
Last year Matt wrote and recorded an
award winning album ‘Pocket Symphonies’, which featured the
talents of many great musician friends including Grammy award
winning slack key guitarist Jeff Peterson. The album, as well as
associated Fingerstyle ukulele book won best album and best book
in the Ukies 2023 Awards.
Matt’s passion is for original
instrumental music and he has had tunes played on radio and
television around the world including by Steve Lamacq on BBC
Radio One.
Matt is also the director of the
Ukulele Festival of Great Britain and runs the Forest Ukulele
Retreats where he combines his love of ukulele and Mother
Nature.
https://mattsteadukulele.com
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Matthew Quilliam
Matthew returns once
again to Shrewkfest to share more of his favourite songs,
comical ditties and spectacular tricks.
You’ll never know what to expect next on this whimsical journey
of music and mayhem.
Matthew is one of the busiest ukulele players in the UK,
performing and teaching most days.
Matthew has supported us from the first Shrewkfest in 2018 and
has become something of an institution to us so we always love
to welcome him back
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F’uke Fighters are an East Midlands based band, that has
been steadily building a reputation for fun, high-energy
performances at uke and music festivals, pubs and clubs across
the country.
Featuring ukuleles, bouzoukis, bass and drums, the present
line-up of Tricia, Graham, Tony, Pete and Chris was completed in
2022.
Playing their own arrangements of songs from Foo Fighters, Iron
Maiden and Deep Purple to Judas Priest, and Led Zeppelin, they
also perform their own songs.
The F’ukes are very much looking forward to meeting up with
friends old and new at Shrewkfest 2025. |
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Iain Glencross has played many ukulele festivals, but
this is his first time at Shrewkfest.
He believes performance should be about entertainment and
communication.
Look forward to a fun session of original comic songs.
Iain went to school in Singapore in the early 1960s where the
only music available was his Dad's collection of Tom Lehrer,
Bach, Django Reinhardt and Fats Waller records.
And his Chinese three stringed fiddle.
He brings these influences into this songs.
Especially the Tom Lehrer comedy! |
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Rowan Bartram.
Rowan is a singer-songwriter from the Shropshire/Powys border
who’s unique style exudes both strength and vulnerability.
Drawing inspiration from personal experiences and the world
around her, her versatility knows no bounds.
Following a modern folk style, her lyrics are a bounty of
story-telling. They will take you on a journey ranging from
funny and quirky to poignant and thought-provoking.
She released her debut EP last year and works with a number of
bands but for Shrewkfest will be giving us her solo ukulele
repertoire.
With a rapidly growing fan base and incredible live
performances, prepare to be mesmerized as Rowan transports you
to a world where raw emotions and timeless themes collide. |
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Mark Stivvy appeared at Shrewkfest 2024 and we are very
happy to have him returning again in 2025!
Mark is sixty-six and still standing, sports a second hand suit,
sings and strums self-penned songs that scan the stylistic
spectrum. Some of Stivvy's songs are sad, some sagacious, some
sentimental, some simply silly, served with a small splash of
sauce. Some start with an 'S', some....not so much.
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The Exiles of Oz are made up of a collective of some of
the top performers in the uke circuit.
Built around songs of community and born from juke joints,
speakeasies, railroad trucks and front porches, The Exiles first
came together through their shared love of roots jazz, blues,
country and their love of making music in the spur of the
moment.
The Exiles performances are fuelled by firm friendship, over a
hundred years of experience in performing collectively and their
common deep knowledge of the roots.
For Shrewkfest 2025 three of the Exiles, Phil Doleman, Percy
Copley and Lester T Web will be gracing the stage with special
guest Josh Jewsbury on Bass. |
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The Galloping Alligators
A collaboration by Marco Sambolino and Josh Jewsbury.
Marco Was smitten by the ukulele having first heard Joe Brown
sing ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’ in concert for George Harrison.
A week later, Marco bought his very first ukulele and joined
local ukulele club ‘The Marmites’.
Gaining useful experience, it would not be long before he helped
co-found ‘The Invicta Ukulele Club’.
When not actually playing the instrument, Marco spends many
happy hours building his own ukuleles, usually from old cigar
boxes, biscuit tins and reclaimed Lego bricks...Ok, the bit
about Lego isn’t true! But you never know, maybe one day!
Josh became embroiled with the world of ukulele by
working on a project with good friend George Bartle, of
Opera-lele fame.
Whilst they continue to occasionally work together on projects
in the music industry, Josh felt the need to explore what the
ukulele had to offer and having met Marco at an open mic night
somewhere in the depths of the Kent countryside, soon came up
with the idea of working together.
With an eclectic set list of songs, chosen purely because they
like them, 'The Galloping Alligators' are well worth a listen. |
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Returning again after a very well received set at
Shrewkfest 2024 are “Born In The 50’s” acoustic band.
I know it’s hard to believe that we were born in the 1950’s but
it’s true. Well, for one of us anyway.
The other one of us missed the 1950’s by a just few months.
As we perform try and spot the ‘spring chicken’ amongst our
line-up. Be careful now, we are very easily upset!
We are Tony, and Susan, and come from the Shrewsbury area.
We play a variety of instruments; guitars, ukuleles, violin,
percussion and kazoo, to name but a few.
Our musical background is full and varied, reflected in the mix
of songs we play in our inimitable, harmonic style, making
classic songs ‘our own’, and putting our own stamp on songs like
‘Octopuses Garden’, ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘Blowing In The Wind’
to name but a few.
From the Beatles, Elvis and John Denver, to the Eagles, Carol
King and original songs penned by ourselves, we love to play and
sing, and enjoy sharing our music with anyone who will listen.
We enjoy the banter on stage, and welcome audience participation
in our songs. Being of a certain age our memories are not what
they used to be, so help in getting the songs right is very much
appreciated!
We are looking forward to sharing our music with you at
Shrewkfest 2025. |
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The inventors of boogalele, Hullabaloo are a Shrewsbury
uke-based band with added instruments.
They are much sought after, so also known as 'Band on the Run'.
Booked as support to The Who at Leeds Festival, they turned up
at the wrong venue and lost 4-0 to Leeds City under-12s.
Famously rejected a booking at the first Glastonbury, seen as “a
gig for no-hopers”.
Hullabaloo currently consists of seven or so Shropshire lads &
lasses, led by Rob “Don’t blame me” Bennett.
They are named after their washboard.
The boogalele style puts boogie, ragtime, dixie, rock and some
rap through a New Orleans wringer.
Influences:
Tuba Skinny, Dr. John, East River String Band, Leon Redbone.
Musical ambition:
to play ‘Baby Shark/Birdie Song/Boogalele Mash’. |
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Jeff Japers
Tolerable Comedy Performer
Winner of the Musical Comedy Awards 2022, Jeff Japers performs
comedy songs accompanied by a slideshow and a stuffed sheep.
It's an entertaining performance of inoffensive daftness
including songs about Tigers & Bees and the missing junction on
the M4 amongst many others.
Jeff delivers his songs with an energy perhaps unbefitting of a
man his age.
“The audience loved the daftness of it."
[Chortle] |
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Sad Ken appeared for the first time at Shrewkfest 2024
and we are delighted to have them back again for 2025.
If you ever wondered what heavily abridged metal classics from
the 80s and 90s in an acoustic, folky, pop punk style, on a uke
and guitar sounded like then Sad Ken have filled that particular
niche! After many years rocking out on guitar hero and
neglecting real instruments they decided to take the love of
metal to the next level by plucking and strumming real strings
instead of pressing coloured buttons on a guitar shaped
peripheral.
Alas Sad Ken were born.
Named after a 3 legged blind horse, they embrace the plucky
underdog spirit of their namesake and belt out a plethora of
Iron Maiden classics as well as other staples of the metal scene
from a bygone era.
If you like to raise a devil horned fist in the air and sing
along to infectious melodic classics like Run to the hills,
Breaking the Law or Ace of Spades, then Sad Ken might be up your
street |
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A local group that has supported us for many years is
Ukulele Fusion from the Newport area of Shropshire and we are
very happy to confirm that they will be appearing again at
Shrewkfest 2025.
Their accomplished playing and beautiful close harmonies make
for a really great set. |
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Sputnik Weazel – Ukulele Troubadour
Sputnik’s ukulele shows are a surreal/vaudeville experience…
audience participation is encouraged!
Sputnik has released 21 original albums (thus far) and played at
1000's of venues and festivals across Europe.
He’s busked with Eddie Izzard, jammed on stage with the likes of
Jools Holland, Ed Tudor-Pole and Screaming Lord Sutch, and
supported everyone from John Hegley to Alice Cooper.
From 2011-2015 Sputnik performed with 'The Men They Couldn't
Hang' (playing drums and piano on their acclaimed album ‘The
Defiant’), and in 2018 he produced and released The Dice Man
Speaks LP in collaboration with Luke Rhinehart (author of the
seminal novel "The Dice Man").
Sputnik's original songs have been aired on BBC Radio Two, Radio
Three, Radio Four, Radio Wales and Radio Cymru.
https://surrealism.co.uk/sputnik
https://www.facebook.com/SputnikWeazelOfficial/ |
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2ukes are a Shrewkfest institution !!
They have supported us from the very beginning in 2018.
With their fantastic fun playing outlook you will find them fun
and friendly.
They have now been performing for 10 years and have a lot of
followers on YouTube and face book.
They play Oscar Schmidt ukuleles most of the time and have
written a number of great songs.
They are in their fifties although they act twenty ha ha and
they are from the Midlands.
As well as appearing on the mainstage they will also be running
a Jam Session in the Paddocks Marquee as they did in 2024 which
was very popular ! |
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO
SEE VIDEOS FROM PAST FESTIVALS ON
OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Here's some photos from Shrewkfest 2024
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here)
Here's some photos from Shrewkfest 2023
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here)
Here's some photos from Shrewkfest 2022
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here)
Here's some photos from Shrewkfest 2019
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here)
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