Proving there’s no such things as a ‘festival season’ any more, Hastings Fat Tuesday is taking February by the horns and challenging anyone who thinks you have to wait until the summer to enjoy a tonne of great music with friends think again.
Showcasing some of the UK’s best emerging artists over five days across multiple venues in Hastings, Hastings Fat Tuesday Music Festival (9-13 February) has announced its latest wave of artists – and a cracking good list it is proving to be.
Mixing up the genres and laying down a marker for other festivals to try and match, Fat Tuesday 2018 has elicited the services of Canadian harmonica and beat box bluesman Son of Dave (formerly of Crash Test Dummies), horn-driven ska kings Chainska Brassika, fiery folk-punkers Matilda’s Scoundrels, and indie four-piece Sisteray – who combine upbeat melodies and lyrical observations of 21st century Britain with high-octane live shows.
Also just added to the bill are:
Blusette, Chan Read, Chantelle Duncan, Cheap Dates, Equatorial Group, Fat Fingers Of Funk, Glashin, Hannah Bradbeer, Jacob Aaron & The Reign, Luvia, Mardhys, Polar States, Quiet Boy, Rob Picazzo Band, Sam Wills, Silent Natives, Silver Hill, Stone Junction, Strum & Bass, The Kimberleys, The Pearl Harts, The Wingmen, United Stoats, Vocal Explosion, Xavier Ralph, and Xylaroo.
Previous announcements included local alt-folk stars Skinny Lister, emerging rapper Chiedu Oraka, singer-songwriter and troubadour Sean McGowan, Brighton punk pop outfit Jetstream Pony, Hastings’ indie rockers Kid Kapichi, and many more.
“I saw more great bands in one night at Hastings Fat Tuesday, than I have in the last three years of music festivals” – John Robb, journalist, TV presenter and radio commentator
Hastings Fat Tuesday has been rapidly gaining ground over the last nine years and as the UK’s largest Mardi Gras celebration now boasts a huge programme of featured events (most of which are free) – showcasing more than 150 acts, and hundreds of individual performances.
One festival favourite that shouldn’t be missed is the vibrant Umbrella Parade on Sunday 11 Feb, which brings hundreds of people onto the streets in New Orleans-style, and this year featues The Bollywood Brass Band and Mr Wilson’s Second Liners.
UnConvention, on Monday 12 Feb, is a free one-day music industry conference that returns for its fourth year to Hastings Fat Tuesday, while the festival climax is the wild Fat Tuesday Tour (Tuesday 13 February), with 24 bands touring Hastings Old Town venues, performing three 20-minute sets each – that’s a solid 24 hours of brilliant entertainment.
New for 2018 is Under the Radar, which takes place on Sunday 11 February. Four venues will host the best emerging talent from across the UK, all curated by BBC Introducing, the Joe Strummer Foundation, Off Axis Network, and Incubate (from The Eggtooth Project).
Tickets for Fat Friday with Skinny Lister (9 February), Le Grand Mardi Gras Ball (10 February), and The Great Fat Tuesday After Show Party (13 February) are available online now at hastingsfattuesday.co.uk/tickets.
For more information including full event details, line-up and set times visit hastingsfattuesday.co.uk.