Abbeyfest music festival hailed a huge success
Jack Bruce on stage at Abbey Fest in the Abbey Gardens Bury St Edmunds
THE Abbey Gardens were filled with funk, soul and rock at the weekend for this year’s Abbeyfest.
Thousands of people poured into the gardens for the three-day festival of music which had a surprise appearance from last year’s headliner – The Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman.
And, although the crowd kept in good spirits on the Friday as the heavens opened, the weather held out for the rest of the weekend.
Friday’s fun kicked off with a performance by local singer-songwriter Freya Roy, Bury’s own girlband The Cutouts and funk-rock band Merry Hell.
Then, the hilarious Idiot Bast**d Band – made up of Adrian Edmondson, Phill Jupitus, Neil Innes and Rowland Rivron – hit the stage with their unique blend of comedy and music.
Bellowhead completed Folk on Friday with an energetic headlining performance.
Saturday saw Heatwave, Gwen Dickey and the amazing 12-piece Ultimate Earth Wind and Fire take to the stage for the Midsummer pop Soul Jam.
Sunday began with a poignant performance by the Military Wives, singing their jubilee smash hit Sing, before classic rockers Steve Hackett, Paul Carrack and Jack Bruce and his Big Blues Band finished off a terrific weekend of music.
Event organiser John Hessenthaler said the weekend had been a huge success.
He said: “It was brilliant, the Abbey Gardens looked just beautiful over the weekend.
“And I have to say we were very lucky with the weather.
“It had turned during the latter part of last week so we were very fortunate.
“All three nights were excellent and very well received by the big crowds.
“Bury St Edmunds has begun to establish itself nationally as well as locally as a great place for events like this.
“People had come from far and wide to be part of it.
“There were some really great moments during the weekend.
“When the Military Wives sang their song Sin’, considering their husbands are currently in Afghanistan, it was a very poignant and touching moment.”
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North west
