HERE’S THE FULL RUNNING ORDER for this year’s Diggers’ Festival
Here’s the final running order for Saturday’s 8th Wigan Diggers’ Festival which includes our best ever line-up of entertainment alternating between our main and acoustic stages; two fringe meetings; and an educational talk on Gerrard Winstanley in Wigan Parish Church. Also, for only our second year, the opportunity to hear some excellent speakers from a range of unions and campaign groups, etc, explain what they’re about and why they’re in Wigan on Saturday, via our ‘third’ town centre ‘Speakers’ Corner’ stage.
All this of course, is in addition to a Diggers’ award presentation to Joe Solo; Diggers’ Flag unfurling; symbolic St. George’s Hill 1649 ‘digging re-enactment’ and more than 50 food, book and other stalls; all day children’s entertainment, and our ever popular ‘Occu Pie Wigan’ beer tent,
10.00 am – 11.30 am – LOCATION – Top of Millgate/Standishgate (second session between 12.15 pm – 1.00 pm at same location)
Wigan Diggers’ Festival Speakers’ Corner
Speakers are already confirmed from a range of organisations. including the Diggers’ Festival Committee, the RMT Keep the Guard on the Train campaign, BFAWU Fast Food Rights campaign, WASPI, Frack Free & Fossil Fuel Free Greater Manchester, Unite the Union Community Membership, Morning Star Newspaper, Manchester People’s Assembly, Momentum, Peterloo Memorial Campaign, Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance, Labour Party, Socialist Party of Great Britain and others.
11.30 am – 11.45 am – LOCATION – Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
St. George’s Hill 1649 Digging Re-enactment
In The Wiend area, the festival will kick off as usual with a symbolic digging re-enactment in which this year, guest actor Sean McGlynn will play the role of the Wigan born radical, and repeat some of his famous words from April 1649.
As on previous occasions he and our other diggers will be accompanied by members of the Bolton Clarion Socialist Choir who will lead the singing of Winstanley’s “Diggers’ Song” and “The World Turned Upside Down” by Leon Rosselson, a song which tells the story of the 17th century Diggers, and which was made famous by Billy Bragg.
11.45 am – 12.00 noon – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
Official Opening of Festival & Diggers’ Flag Unfurling
A representative of the North West Regional Committee of Unite the Union, who are the main sponsors of this year’s festival, will officially open the festival before the unfurling at noon of this year’s Diggers’ Flag designed by the pupils of the Deanery High School, Wigan with the assistance of their arts teacher David Brown.
MAIN STAGE + SONG & STORY (ACOUSTIC) STAGE at a glance (from 12.00 noon)
Full Running Order including fringe meetings and Winstanley talk in more detail from 12.00 noon.
12.00 noon – 12.40 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
BAND – The Amber List
If The Amber List were furniture, you might describe them as pre-loved. This Lancashire band, formed in March 2017 in a Works Unit Only layby on the M6, has members who have clocked up many music miles between them. Peppered with harmonic interludes and touched with atmospherics, their songs range from
60’s folk-tinged ballads to indie pop.
More info at www.theamberlist.net
12.00 noon – 1.00 pm – LOCATION – Wigan Parish Church, Town Centre
FRINGE MEETING organised by COPS
Martyn Lowe and others from the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance, (which exists to help co-ordinate, publicise and support the quest for justice for people affected by politically motivated undercover police spying and to ensure such abuses do not continue) will give a talk and answer questions about how the victims of ‘spycops’ were pried upon, and the effect it has had upon a very large range of campaigners. This will include one of the women affected by long term intimate relationships with undercover police officers who have infiltrated environmental and social justice campaign groups.
More information @ http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/
12.00 noon – 1.00 pm – LOCATION – Museum of Life, Library Street, Wigan
FRINGE MEETING organised by Wigan & Makerfield WASPI (Women Against State Penion Inequality)
12.40 noon – 1.00 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
SOLO ARTIST – Patrick McKenzie
Patrick is a Yorkshire born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Manchester. His music is made up of intricate, winding chords and powerful stories hidden in his quirky lyrics, all underpinned by his deep rich voice and a variety of instruments.
More info @ www.patrickmckenziemusic.com
1.00 pm – 1.40 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
BAND – The Jupiter Blues
The Jupiter Blues are a four piece, blues rock band straight out of Liverpool. Known for their high energy shows, impeccable musicianship and infectious stage presence, they wow their audience with a host of original songs and unique covers.
More info @ https://en-gb.facebook.com/thejupiterblues/
1.00 pm – 2.30 pm – LOCATION – Wigan Parish Church, Town Centre
FESTIVAL TALK – “Gerrard Winstanley from St. George’s Hill to The Law of Freedom in a Platform”
Wigan Diggers’ Festival Committee member Stephen Hall will give a talk and answer questions on the development of Gerrard Winstanley’s ideas from his early ‘Digger Writings’ in 1649 to his later ‘Law of Freedom in a Platform’ work, which might be regarded as Winstanley’s personal manifesto for a genuine ‘Commonwealth of England’.
1.40 pm – 2.00 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
SOLO ARTIST – Gerry Ffrench
Gerry’s Liverpool/Irish roots make her a wonderful performer, songwriter and recording artist of rich contemporary folk music. With their strong local flavour, Gerry’s own songs make many references to Liverpool’s maritime history while their style is firmly rooted in traditional folk and shanty. She gives a voice to the hard lives of the women left behind when the sailors went off to sea in songs such as The Other Maggie May, When The Wind Blows Up From The Mersey and Cunard Yanks, being written from the point of view of the wives and their families.
More info @ http://gerry.helloplaza.uk/
2.00 pm – 2.40 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
SOLO ARTIST – Joe Solo
Joe Solo is an award-winning musician, writer, poet, activist, broadcaster and washing machine engineer from Scarborough. Live, Solo has a growing reputation as both a performer and raconteur, being both thought-provoking, comical and punch-the-air political often in the same breath. He is not an artist you forget in a hurry.
We are additionally pleased to present Joe this year’s Gerrard Winstanley Spade Award for his contribution to the socialist cause.
More info @ joesolomusic.com
2.40 pm – 2.50 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
2.50 pm – 3.15 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
POET – Sharon Lowe
It seems there’s nothing Diggers’ Festival Committee member Sharon can’t turn her hand to, and today it’s an appearance as one of our three poets on our Song & Story Stage.
POET – Robin Welsh
Robin Welsh is Hull born, residing in Oxfordshire. Robin is a published poet, political activist and active campaigner for human rights and feels strongly about the abuses and intolerances within society. Everybody needs a voice and he raises issues that bring those who are silent and downtrodden to the fore delivering honest, poignant and often brutal spoken word with passion.
POET – John Wilmington
John is a regular performing poet on the North West open mic scene mixing romantic verse, political commentary and classical style poetry.
3.15 pm – 3.55 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
BAND – Barnstormer 1649 (featuring Attila The Stockbroker)
Although there’s always been an element of music in his set, 2018 is the year when spoken word performer, songwriter and multi- instrumentalist Attila the Stockbroker prioritises his musical side for the first time after 37 years and over 3000 gigs primarily working as a poet. He’ll be touring all over the UK with his unique band Barnstormer. A description not used lightly. They literally don’t sound like anyone else. Barnstormer aim to do with early music & punk what the Pogues did with Irish music & punk. Attila describes their sound as ‘Roundhead Renaissancecore and Baroque ‘n’ Roll’.
More info @ attilathestockbroker.com
3.55 pm – 4.20 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
SOLO ARTIST – T. E. Yates
Unassuming, unusual and enigmatic, T. E. Yates is a multi-disciplinary Wigan-raised artist of rare and disarming qualities that must be seen and heard to be believed. Quoted as being a “modern day Woody Guthrie mixed with a little Bob Dylan and a little Tom Petty, creating socially charged commentary with a rockier folk sound” he writes about a plethora of real world problems.
More info @ teyates.com
4.20 pm – 4.30 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
4.30 pm – 4.55 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
SEX PISTOLS/HOUGHTON WEAVERS MASH UP – Bard Company
The North’s answer to the Young Ones! In yer face poetry, music and comedy with a socialist edge from the oldest boy band on the circuit. Let Rocky, Punky, Cheezy and Bolshie tickle your political funny bones.
More info @ whiteleyian.wixsite.com/bard-company
4.55 pm – 5.35 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
The Commoners’ Choir
The Commoners’ Choir is a rag bag assortment of ne’er-do-wells, misfits, and troublemaking cake-eaters who have come together from all corners of the globe to sing harmonious insurrection, to rouse the rabble and to raise a smile or two. They are a singing newspaper: singing about stuff that happens, stuff that should be happening, stuff that matters. Their songs and arrangements are written by Boff Whalley, songsmith for the likes of Chumbawamba and Red Ladder Theatre, with inspiration, input and interjections from choir members.
More info @ commonerschoir.com facebook.com/commonerschoir
5.35 pm – 6.00 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
BAND – Rare Oul’ Times
Headed by Lawrence Hoy, the band combine traditional Irish folk music with Lawrence’s own original material. Lawrence won the Diggers’ Orwell-inspired songwriting competition in 2017.
6.00 pm – 6.40 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
Brandon Lee Webb Band
This collective of talented musicians play mainly original material whose influences include Van Morrison, John Martyn and The Doors. They are regulars on the local music festival scene and have recently played at Strummercamp.
More info @ www.facebook.com/BrandonLeeWebb
6.40 pm – 7.05 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
BAND – Eliza P & The Disco Misfits
Eliza P started off in Manchester’s underground music scene many moons ago, through punk, reggae, rock and psychedelia. Later she becaame known on the folk circuit for her irreverent observational songs. She joined forces with Tony Oz, Damian Browne & Derek (Delvis) Thompson who have a wealth of musical history between them. Together they play gigs and festivals and have a right good musical time! Expect a bunch of themes: badgers & foxes, Jeremy Kyle, trams, Wetherspoons, School history lessons, fracking, bonkers stuff that goes on in the world, from funny to not funny in a punky-folky style!
More info @ www.facebook.com/EPandtheDMs
7.05 pm – 7.45 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
BAND – Wigan’s very own
As proud purveyors of energized folk-rock and original songs, award-winning NW band, festival favourites Merry Hell bring their uplifting, joyful music to the Diggers’ main stage once more.
More info @ www.merryhell.co.uk
7.45 pm – 8.15 pm – LOCATION – Song & Story Stage, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, The Wiend
BAND – Joe Astley & The Back Pages
Joe Astley is a fast rising musician and singer-songwriter, bringing a poetic folk-rock style and sound to the stage and was very well received on the acoustic stage in 2017.
More info @ www.facebook.com/backpagesofficial
8.15 pm – 8.30 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
8.30 pm – 9.30 pm – LOCATION – Main Stage, Believe Square, The Wiend
Starting out as the band behind Ian Dury, the Blockheads are a legendary outfit that has grown in stature from the early days of the Stiff tour in 1977, right up to the present day. Backing up Ian Dury’s poetic lyrics, this is the band that brought you ‘Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick’, ‘What A Waste’, ‘Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 3)’, and ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’, among many others. Rarely off the road since the demise of Ian Dury in 2000, but now with Derek Hussey fronting the band, The Blockheads are still one of the most underrated British bands of all time, with a legion of fans of all ages. See full feature on page 8 of this year’s festival brochure.
More info @ www.theblockheads.com
9.30pm FESTIVAL ENDS – See you next year. Don’t forget to like our facebook page and website and/or join or facebook group to keep in touch.
We still need volunteers to help with clearing up after the festival on Saturday evening as well as from 10.00am on Sunday. Email: wigandiggers@gmail.com if you can help.
EACH year the Wigan Diggers’ Festival Committee presents a Gerrard Winstanley Spade award to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the socialist cause. Previous winners include Tony Benn, Ken Loach, Maxine Peake and Jimmy McGovern. This year the Diggers’ Festival Committee have decided that the socialist singer/ songwriter Joe Solo receive the award. Through his music and dedication to helping others, Joe works tirelessly across the nation and in the Committee’s opinion undoubtedly deserves it.
Much more than digging …… much more than a music fest!
Wigan Diggers' Festival 