Warrington Music Fest Will Return With a Headline Set By The Ambersons

Warrington Music Festival is back next month and this year it's even bigger with two stages in prime position in the town centre.

The free, open-air event will once again take place at Golden Square's Old Market Place on Saturday, 25 May, shining a spotlight on new and emerging indie rock talent from across the region.

But new for 2024 is a Second Stage at Time Square which will showcase a more diverse range of artists and music genres, aimed at bringing a wider audience to the popular annual event.

Kicking off at midday, there will be live music throughout the day culminating in a headline performance by The Ambersons.

It is the Warrington band's much anticipated follow-up to last year's Winter Songs, a special performance with an orchestral backing at Pyramid Arts Centre which was met with much acclaim.

Bassist and songwriter Andy Fairnington said: “We're totally buzzing. It was a great day when I got that call, let's just say it didn't take long to say yes!

“The event means loads to all of us. We've enjoyed some memorable shows on that stage from headlining back in 2012 and then as main support to The Happy Mondays in 2013 so we're absolutely thrilled to be back topping the bill in 2024. We're already working on a huge summer festival set, full of energy and surprises.”

Warrington Music Festival was founded in 2007 and is organised by Steve Oates, from music development company Score Creative, and Christian ­­Persoglio, from Culture Warrington, together with Golden Square shopping centre.

The event took a break during the pandemic but was relaunched in 2023 when thousands flocked to the town centre.

Steve said: “It's a great to see so many bands and musicians, either from Warrington or with strong ties to Warrington, coming together again in 2024 for this brilliant town centre event.

“The Warrington Music Festival is all about community building and it's a great opportunity for the people of Warrington to come out and see and hear for themselves what an amazing pool of talent we have in our midst. 

“We are also really excited to be bringing onboard Priestley College who, with funding through Accent Music Hub, will be running a number of music careers development opportunities for young people interested in a future in and around the music industry.”

Chris added: “We're proud to be a part of Warrington Music Festival. It not only offers a great, free day out for music lovers but provides an important showcase for the town's talent.

“Sadly, in the current climate, there are less live platforms for emerging bands coming through now and that's why we've launched things like our grassroots gigs at Pyramid Basement Bar and, of course, hosted The Ambersons at the end of last year.

“You only have to look at a band like The K's to see how far young, motivated musicians can go with the right support. It wasn't long ago these Earlestown rockers were playing tiny venues and now they're selling out Parr Hall!”

Planning and programming the festival is now well under way with the full line-up to be announced in the coming weeks.

Ian Cox, Director of Golden Square, said: “We're delighted to be a key part of Warrington Music Festival. Our association with the event goes back more than a decade now and it never gets old seeing thousands of people having an amazing time in Old Market Place.

“We've seen so many fantastic gigs here over the years and the atmosphere is always buzzing. What I particularly love about the event is that it brings everyone together – families, friends and couples of all ages. It has a sense of community about it.

“Having music at Time Square – just a short walk from Golden Square – will also bring a new dimension to the festival and we hope people will make a day of it by checking out what's happening on both stages.”

Over the years, Warrington Music Festival has helped launch the career of bands like Winachi and Slydigs. Winachi now work with some of the biggest producers in California, while Slydigs toured with The Who.

The festival team have also received funding in the region of £500,000 since 2007 which has helped them to train music leaders and deliver aspirational music projects for children and young people.

To post a comment, you must register and login.