Tower and Town, August 2018 (view the full edition)Marlborough RisingAn interview with Robin Pritchard, one of the organisers of Marlborough Rising, which takes place 7th-9th September. 
How would you describe Marlborough Rising? It's a live music event with broad musical appeal - folk, pop, blues and more - that the people of Marlborough will want to own and sponsors will be proud to support. What prompted you to organise it? I was on the organising committee of the Jazz Festival and, following the announcement that it was to close, I and a number of likeminded people who all live in the town decided that was a shame and if we could do something about it then we should try and here we are! So many people tell us they really want a music festival again. It's not just us who think it's a good idea. This sort of thing is important for the health of our high streets. Putting the town on the map is good for business.  Which venues are you using? The festival will have four main venues: marquees in Priory Gardens and in the Castle & Ball car park, and St Mary's and St Peter's churches. What acts are taking part? Headlining the festival will be Scouting for Girls - the popular group who caused a sensation in the town when they made a surprise appearance at the Christmas lights switch on in 2015 - and used the event as the basis for their Christmas video. Other big names include: Joe Stilgoe, an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and songwriter; Tina May, a singer with an unerring instinct for how to treat a song and on the folk side of the music spectrum, Turin Brakes who are described as "a band in a league of their own - their musicianship is nothing short of mind-blowing." We are determined to make the festival inclusive and, thinking long term, we will be holding a Marlborough Rising Stars event for young musicians - probably on the Saturday morning in the main marquee. St John's, Marlborough College, Dauntsey's and St Francis have already expressed interest in taking part. Further information on the line-up, venues and tickets will be shown on the Marlborough Rising website. Volunteers to help with the festival - including stewarding - are asked to contact the organisers as soon as possible at: Robin Pritchard |