Celebrity chefs Tom Kerridge and Simon Rimmer will be hosting the festival which is held in Dunorlan Park July 8 -10. If you’ve not been then I can honestly say that Pub in the Park has a lovely, relaxed family friendly atmosphere and outside of the superb live music there are plenty of activities taking place. These include numerous chef demonstrations, top quality shopping from a multitude of stalls and stands and a children’s area to keep any little ones entertained.
Pub in the Park has always boasted an incredible line up of pop and rock superstars and internationally renowned chefs since it first launched in 2018. And the good news is the music line-up for 2022 doesn’t disappoint – in fact I’d go so far as to say that it’s quite something!
On the bill for Friday evening are Faithless who will be doing a DJ set alongside the queen of the kitchen discos Sophie Ellis Bextor. Saturday afternoon has a distinct Brit-Pop feel as it will be headlined by feel-good pop-rock band The Feeling who will be joined by ultimate rock ‘n’ roll tribute act Noasis.
Saturday night promises to be an awesome affair with English rock royalty Supergrass topping the bill alongside renowned British rapper and songwriter Professor Green.
Sunday is headlined by none other than Melanie C of The Spice Girls. In the build up to her set there will be performances from reggae sensation Aswad and house and garage duo DJ Luck & MC Neat.
But amongst this stellar sonic line up I am delighted to announce that four Local & Live acts (all from Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas) have also been chosen to perform on the main stage at this year’s event. Opening for Faithless and Sophie Ellis Bextor will be up and coming local band Two Weeks In Nashville.
The four-piece have enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last two years and have performed all over the UK supporting the likes of The Hoosiers on numerous occasions. Their high energy pop/rock sound takes influence from the likes of The Killers, U2 and Kasabian. Two Weeks In Nashville drummer Ian Wilson revealed: “This gig is going to be amazing! We are so excited! Opening for Sophie Ellis Bextor and Faithless is a dream come true.”
On Saturday afternoon, popular local singer-songwriter Charlie Rivers will be taking to the stage before The Feeling and Noasis. Charlie’s songs are rich in pop sensibilities and inspired by the likes of Jason Mraz, George Ezra, Dave Matthews Band and Paulo Nutini. On his forthcoming appearance Charlie Rivers commented: “Pub in the Park will be my highest profile gig to date, I cannot wait to share the stage with so many iconic music stars, I have butterflies already!”
Ramping up the grooves on Saturday night will be local rockers Suncharmer. The popular local four-piece are due to headline The Tunbridge Wells Local & Live Music Festival in August at Calverley Grounds and will be opening for the likes of Supergrass and Professor Green at Pub in the Park. Suncharmer’s dynamic sound mixes an array of influences which span generations from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones right through to The Artic Monkeys and Blossoms. Suncharmer’s frontman Paul Crisp told me: “We are so pumped about playing Pub in the Park! The main stage is incredible and features a world class line up, we can’t wait to open for Professor Green and Supergrass… to play at Pub in the Park is a real honour and privilege!”
Finally on a personal note, I am delighted to announce that my own group The Paul Dunton Orchestra has been invited to open the Sunday live music sessions. We are absolutely thrilled to be opening for the likes of Melanie C, Aswad, DJ Luck & MC Neat. We have lots of new songs to play and will be bringing a lively mix of our cinematic pop style songs to Pub in The Park!
And for all of the aforementioned acts, it’s an incredible opportunity to open for such esteemed performers on a professional festival stage in front of thousands of people in their home town. I can definitely say on behalf of all the musicians, we all feel very elated and fortunate to have been invited to play. These are the type of gigs you dream about and nothing is more motivating then knowing you have a world class act following your performance. Time to get rehearsing! Huge thanks to Tom Kerridge and his team. Why not come and join us for the weekend?
Pub in The Park is on from July 8-10 2022. For more information and to book tickets visit www.pubintheparkuk.com
