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A quick check of the publishing time (hurrah for auto-publishing) and if it’s one minute past midnight on the morning of Friday 6th May, then yep - it’s safe to publish the previously embargoed full line up of this year’s May Fair.

Phew.

With apologies to Wivenhoe fans of Weezer, Whitesnake and Stevie Wonder - sorry, but your boys won’t be rocking the KGV this year. No worries. It’s all about the local is a message that is true to my #hyperlocal heart, and whaddya know - Wivenhoe May Fair 2011 has an ACE line up of local acts.

Playing the Main Stage on 30th May, and in no particular order will be:

Roots Radagon

Charley Bird

Barringtone

Kuru Smile

Cav OK

Out of Nowhere

Ady Johnson

Housework

Murpy’s Lore

Standing out for me personally in this line-up are the hard working funk rock of Housework, the coolness of Cav OK (fresh (ish) from a recent London Indigo gig) and of course the simply ACE Ady Johnson.

Yer man Ady is creating quite a buzz around Sunny Colch and beyond with his quite brilliant Tell the Worry Dolls solo debut. His appearance at the May Fair is going to be one of those give The Greyhound a miss moments.

Meanwhile, over on the Sunrise second stage (still peeved that my masterful May B name suggestion wasn’t picked up…) and we have:

Ghost Train Porters

Drift_

Lady Bird and The Larks Choir

Hot Club Gitanes

Three Beards

Lou Terry

The Jasmine Ava Band

The B.Goodes

I’ve blogged before about the absolute brilliance of local Wivenhoe lad Lou Terry. Hot Club Gitanes are playing a May Fair warm up (oh yes!) at the Bookshop on Friday 27th.

Elsewhere around the site and the Open Mic stage keeps it very much with the Wivenhoe feel of things. Organised by the very good folk that make such a success of the Open Mic monthly night at the Black Buoy, the message for any performers is to turn up early on the day:

“Slots for the new Open Mic Stage will be assigned on the day to musicians who turn up on the day to play in front of the appreciative festival crowd. As the slots are expected to be quickly oversubscribed, those wishing to show their talents are urged to sign up with the open mic crew as soon as the festival opens at noon.”

Add in the excitement of the cycle-powered cinema showcasing local films, food and market stalls, circus acts and a programme for young children, is there anything else that the May Fair may need?

Um…

“The popular beer tent selling real ale from a local award-winning brewery will be back on the field…”

Chin chin.

As well as the Bookshop gig on the Friday, other May Fair related events that I am aware of include The Beatles set at The Station from the Pop Genius of this Parish on Sunday 29th, as well as a Moving Image Essex muso themed film night.

Any others?

And so less than a month to go before May Fair 2011, and less than a month of having to re-post the same May Fair stock photo that I have. I was slightly tired and emotional when this was taken this time last year - I had just agreed to a life-changing move to Wivenhoe…