Highest Point festival has just added a raft of new artists to its line-up for its 2023 festival in the grounds of Williamson Park.
Joining already-announced headliners Bastille, Anne-Marie and Hacieenda Classical will be the likes of Sub Focus, Sigma, Friendly Fires and Freya Ridings.
Half of the Highest Point tickets have already sold even before the Lancashire music event dropped the full line-up for its weekend of music, food and activities.
Set to take place between 11 and 13 May, the festival will bring together more than 100 artists and some of the biggest names from pop, indie, funk and soul.
Joining the line-up this week was Lost Without You singer Freya Ridings, just in time to debut her new album Blood Orange.
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Dance floor icon and Coronation Street legend Craig Charles is also joining the Highest Point bill with his Funk and Soul night, headlining The Woods stage.
Also added to the festival’s list of artists are indie band Friendly Fires, British drum and bass DJ duo Sigma, drum and bass legend Sub Focus, DJ Mag Breakthrough winners Girls Don’t Sync alongside the legend that is Skream, plus Manchester-based indie band, The Lottery Winners, known for their top 40 hits Young Love and Hawaii.
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Hacienda Classical will open the festival on the Thursday night, with their first live performance since their sold out performance in 2018.
Bastille will also be taking to the main stage performing their hit singles like Pompeii and Happier on the Friday night.
Saturday night will be headlined by ten-time BRIT-Award nominee Anne-Marie, known for her chart-topping singles CiaoAdios and 2002.
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Highest Point Festival. Credit: Robin Zahler
Other acts joining the festival line-up include Radio 1’s Danny Howard & Charlie Tee, DJ Paulette, Gok Wan, House Gospel Choir, Elvis Fronted Nirvana, Toploader, General Levy and The Cuban Brothers with Guilty Pleasures taking over The Woods on the Saturday. Chris Hawkins (6 Music) will be hosting The Dell Inn, a pub in the woods, in collaboration with Manchester Union Brewery.
The Dell Inn, soon to be everyone’s favourite festival pub, will be the home of comedy, poetry slams and acoustic sets across the weekend, as well as opening its door, or branches, to some well-known stars. This is one of the many changes the festival has made this year as part of its ambitions to become bigger and better, as well as Bushrocker Hi-fi roots reggae takeover at the Waterfall and a new look to the much-loved Sundial stage.
Highest Point spans across six stages in the beautiful 54-acre grounds of Williamson Park, with music running alongside a premier regional street food and craft beer offering.
Festival Director, Jamie Scahill, said: “We are always looking for new ways to make Highest Point bigger and better every year so there will definitely be a few changes this year. The team behind the festival are working really hard to make this year the best one yet with new and exciting experiences added to the festival, as well as a much more diverse lineup of acts.”
Tickets for Highest Point festival are available via Skiddle’s website, costing £145 per adult. Day tickets are also available from £39.50 per adult for Thursday, and Friday and Saturday tickets each costing £69.50 per adult.
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HIGHEST POINT 2023 LINEUP
Hacienda Classical / Bastille / Anne-Marie Arielle Free / A Little Sound / Charlie Tee / Chris Hawkins / Craig Charles / Cuban Brothers / Danny Howard / DJ Paulette / Elvana / Freya Ridings / Friendly Fires / General Levy / Girls Don’t Sync / Goddard / Gok Wan / Guilty Pleasures / House Gospel Choir / K-Klass / Lottery Winners / Skream / Sigma (DJ set) / Sub Focus (DJ set) / Toploader / Turno / AMA / Beth / Bklava / Buckrocker Hi-Fi / Eldon / Emily Makis / Funkademia / Ki Creighton / Matt Thiss / Matrefakt / Mike Garry / Murphys Law / Nathan X / Nico Balducci / Phoebe Hall / Pirate Copy / Sam Redmore with many more…
Olivia Dean at Albert Hall – star stuns in every way in Manchester
Abbie Bartlett
24-year-old neo soul singer Olivia Dean was in Manchester last night performing her Mercury prize-nominated album effortlessly with a voice and style made for the stage.
Fans of the star have watched her go from strength to strength over the past year, from being nominated for three Brits, performing at Coachella and now preparing for this year’s Glastonbury festival.
As someone who frequents gigs like they’re going out of fashion, it’s a bold statement but I think this may be one of the best I’ve ever experienced, and Olivia Dean can only be described being a star.
Before we dive into the performance, it’s only fair to take a minute to shoutout what an incredible venue for music the Albert Hall is. The former Methodist hall projects and echos acoustics perfectly and the raised stage and balcony area mean everyone in the building has a good view.
It’s no surprise that given her recent success the show at the Albert Hall was a complete sell-out, appearing on stage in a stunning floor-length silk dress the sea of fans filled the venue with admiring applause.
Olivia looked stunning in a floor length dress.The crowd was mesmorised.
With a seven-piece band behind her, the star jumped straight into an atmospheric UFO before a cheery ‘How are we Manchester?’ and raising a can of Red Stripe. She quickly follows with Ok Love You Bye – a track that gets the whole crowd singing along and contemplating their past love decisions (maybe that last bit was just me).
The singer seamlessly glided through her set with ease, tambourine in hand, wowing fans with gorgeous melodies and relatable lyrics.
Gracefully sitting at the piano the room fell to silence as we heard Everybody’s Crazy and ICould Be a Florist, I’d predict I wasn’t the only person crying at this point.
As the evening rolled on and the songs kept coming the genuine talent Olivia has, not just as a singer but as a lyricist, had the crowd hooked on her every word. Of course she ends with Dive, the standout track from the album that perfectly depicts how it feels to fall in love.
Olivia Dean 2024 setlist
UFO
Ok Love You Bye
Echo
Danger
Cross My Mind
Be My Own Boyfriend
What Am I Gonna Do on Sundays?
No Man
Messy
Touching Toes
Everybody’s Crazy
I Could Be a Florist
Ladies Room
Reason to Stay
The Hardest Part
Carmen
Saying her goodbyes with a ‘I’ve had such a lovely evening’ and telling the crowd how happy she is to be back home in the UK after recent shows in America.
Experiencing Olivia Dean at Albert Hall felt genuinely special, the star is destined for a life time of deserved fame but her voice was made to be experiences in an intimate venue. The opportunity to enjoy her talent in such a perfect venue was nothing short of a divine evening.
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A big party in the park is coming to Poynton and an iconic disco group is headlining
Danny Jones
Poyton’s Party in the Park is back for 2024 and has an announced legendary disco act as their biggest headliner ever.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the cult favourite event, the old Cheshire town which neighbours the likes of Stockport and Macclesfield is hosting its biggest party to date at Poynton Park this summer in partnership with the local Rotary Club, promising a jam-packed day of live music and more.
Confirming classic New York disco group and vocal trio Odyssey and the main event, with millions of records sold worldwide and some of the most iconic tracks of the 1970s and 80s to their name, this little one-day festival is set for a massive year.
Better still, as a fundamentally not-for-profit event raising money for local charities and community groups, you can party all day and all night whilst doing your bit for a good cause.
They’re best known for tracks like ‘Native New Yorker’ and former ‘Use it Up & Wear it Out’ (Credit: Supplied)
Alongside Odyssey, the lineup for Poynton’s Party in the Park 2024 includes critically acclaimed cover bands like The Soul Providers and Soulvation Band, performing some of the greatest soul, funk, Motown and disco hits of the 1960s.
There’s plenty of local talent from around the North West on show too, such as Manchester singer-songwriter Imogen Paige, Liverpool-based indie band The Garnetts and, returning due to popular demand, Party in the Park favourites and Poynton’s very own Monkey Harris Band.
Great name and an even greater stage presence.
They’re the stuff of legend around the local area, regularly playing the likes of the Poynton Beer Festival and this is by no means their first turn around the park.
This year’s Party in the Park is being put on by local festival organiser and Hale Barns Carnival creator, Max Eden, working alongside Poynton Rotary – who founded the event two decades ago – to deliver what they’re calling a “refreshed and updated event for all the family to enjoy”.
The one-day festival also promises to feature lots of new and exciting additions for 2024 including traditional funfair rides for all ages, alongside an extended showcase of the amazing local food and drink, as well as a new VIP area offering premium seats, table service and exclusive meet and greets.
Local station Happy Radio UK will also be covering the event as the official radio partner, broadcasting in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and across various other parts of the North West, with well-known presenters like Steve Penk, Darren Proctor and Chelsea Norris all set to be involved.
Speaking ahead of the fundraising festival, Odyssey lead singer Steven Collazo said: “We’re so excited to be headlining Poynton Party in the Park this June. We’ve heard you guys know how to party and we can’t wait to get our groove on with y’all!”
As for organiser Max Eden, he added: “I’m thrilled to be working with Poynton Rotary this year to stage the biggest Poynton Party in the Park to date.
“We have an incredible headliner alongside outstanding local musicians and performers, amazing family attractions and the best food and drink from the local area – it’s the perfect lineup for a really good party!
“We hope to raise vital funds for Poynton Rotary to enable them to continue the incredible work they do locally in supporting charities and community groups in our area.”
Party in the Park starts at 1pm on Saturday, 8 June with tickets starting from £28.50 for adults and just £15 for 5-16s – not to mention kids four and under going completely free. You can grab your general admission, or VIP passes if you’re feeling a bit posh, right HERE.