A FREE Glastonbury Festival warm-up show is due to be held in Melksham next month at the King George V Playing Field (KGV) on Friday 21st June.
Somerset-based singer/songwriter, Sam Evans, will perform with his self-titled band ahead of their appearance at the festival the following weekend.
Sam and his band won the Pilton Stage finals in March, a competition for musicians to play on a main stage at Glastonbury Festival, beating more than 1,000 artists.
The band plays a mix of soul, rock and reggae. “We’re somewhere within those genres,” explained Sam. “I am really looking forward to playing in Melksham again. I have played around the area quite a lot, at Bradford Roots Festival in Bradford-on-Avon where I have played lots of times over the years. Also, I have played in the pubs in Melksham.”
Sam said he once played at a local resident’s 60th birthday in the town. “It was a really nice story. A lady saw me play – she was out with her husband and her mum was looking after her kids. They saw me play and had a really nice time and asked if I would play at her mum’s 60th birthday. She gave her mum one of my CDs; her mum really liked it and then on her birthday, we surprised her.
“It’s a nice place Melksham, and being from Somerset and Wiltshire, it’s all sort of one and the same.”
Playing a special show for the community before heading to Worthy Farm, the home of Glastonbury Festival, Sam said, “I have been to the festival twice before and performed one of those times on my own, playing a solo slot. But now, through winning the competition, it’s going to be much better and it’s the dream to bring the band along to these sorts of opportunities.”
The event is being organised by Melksham Town Council. At a recent committee meeting, cllr Jennie Westbrook said that there will be no stage for the event, but there will be a stage area created with a gazebo. If it rains, the event will be moved inside the Assembly Hall.
Cllr Jennie Westbrook also said that residents are invited to bring their own alcohol and refreshments, as the town council owns a licence enabling alcohol to be consumed in the park during events. She said that residents could also make use of the food and refreshments available in Jack’s Kitchen in the park.
The event will run from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.