The latest edition of the Upton Blues Festival took place in late July 2023 in the Worcestershire small town of Upton-upon-Severn.
The festival hosts three main stages – Riverside & Meadow (managed by Stephen 'Stein' Steinhaus) and Acoustic & Roots (In St Peter & St Paul’s Church & managed by Trevor Babajack Steger). There were also many pubs who were hosting bands officially as part of the festival. New for 2023 was a stage in the massive camping area with over 3,000+ campers in tents, caravans and motorhomes!.
You can review my images in my Festival Image Gallery
The music in the pubs starts from Wednesday 19th July with the three main stages hosting bands and solo artists Friday, Saturday & Sunday. There are also bands performing in the pubs on Monday 24th July.
On Friday the Riverside stage hosted Vincent Flatts Final Drive, Jack Blackman & The Beautiful Wreck, Brave Rival, with their massive following filling out the square in front of the stage, Eddie Martin and headlining with Hardwicke Circus.
The Meadow stage included Sloe Train, The Hitman Blues Band, Hollie Rogers with her powerful vocals and a brilliant headlining set from Catfish.
On the Acoustic Roots stage artists included Dave Ferra, The Rigmarollers with their speakeasy music, The Blood on Blood Springsteen Tribute with a performance of the Nebraska album from Stephen Steinhaus on vocals and Any Bunn on guitar and harp. The evening finished with lots of audience participation with The Washboard Resonators and headlining with King Size Slim.
On a very wet and soggy Saturday waterproofs and brollies were the order of the day but it didn’t put off the fans getting to see lots of great music.
The Riverside stage hosted Lucas D & The Groove Ghetto, Katie O’Malley, Five Points Gang with returned after being last minute substitutes in 2022, Sam Kelly’s Station House and headlined by Hamilton Loomis from Galveston, Texas.
On the Meadow Stage acts included James Oliver Band, Junco Shakers, Will Johns Band, Greg Coulson and headlined by Laura Evans.
The Acoustic Roots stage in the church was packed to capacity all day due to the wet weather outside and saw an international line-up including Greg Brice (Shipston-on-Stour, UK), Hannah Aldridge (Alabama), Sister Bohdi (Cardiff, Wales) with a guest appearance by Trevor Babajack Steger on harmonica, Claude Bourbon (France), Then British artists Alice Armstrong and Matt Long (who had performed as lead singer/guitarist with his band Catfish), Dave Arcari, Veronica & Max and headlined by Michael Messer’s Mitra from Hindustan.
The Upton Blues Festival 2024 will return 17th – 22nd July 2024.
