The Blockheads to headline Musicport 2016

Musicport 2016

Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd October 2016
Whitby Pavilion, The Spa, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3EN, England MAP
£99 adult weekend ticket

Last updated: Mon 17th Oct 2016

The Blockheads will now the new headliners on the Friday night of the 17th Musicport, happening from Friday 21st until Sunday 23rd October, as the event returns again to Whitby Pavilion, in North Yorkshire.

Due to a scheduling conflict the previously announced opening night headline act The Magic Numbers have had to withdraw from this year’s festival.

Also newly confirmed are Moussu T E Lei Jovents, The Harty Family, The Peace Artistes, Well Dressed Gentlemen, John Smith, Manjula, Joe Solo, Fie! Fie! Fie!, The Skandals, Commoners Choir, comedian Jeremy Hardy, Flamenco Con Fusion, and Runaway Samba.

They join Kathryn Tickell & The Side, Soupsongs (Songs Of Robert Wyatt), Don Letts, Quraishi, Maz O'Connor, Sarah Jane Morris & The Bloody Rain Band, Jess Wright & Delia Stevens, The Carrivick Sisters, Coope, Boyes & Simpson, Moscow Drug Club, Jamie Smith's Mabon, Edd Bateman Trio, Bob's Blundabus, Black Umfolosi, Martin Alvarado, Roper Bar, Bayou Gumbo, John Smith, Mister Tooley, Varldens, The Flying Chili Beats, Mahotella Queens, Lemn Sissay, Martin Taylor, Michael Messer's Mitra, Maia Barrouh, Project 12, Adam Ben Ezra, Himmerland, Harpeth Rising, Arstidir, Lynched, Ragged Union, and Geoff Berner.

With six stages in one indoor venue (Whitby Pavilion) it is guaranteed mud-free but with a festival bazaar and outdoor food stalls, a DJ café, films, workshops and children’s activities Musicport offers the feel of a summer festival in an indoor space.

Now in its 17th year it is always trying to develop and build on what it has previously done year on year and a major new development this year is that the Monday & Tuesday following the main event sees the festival going out on tour to nearby towns and villages. As the festival coincides with half term this year it is hoped this will appeal to family audiences in the area and it will replace the usual fringe events that have previously happened in Whitby.

Full detail of this is still being confirmed, but festival director Jim McLaughlin said, "We are aware that there are lots of towns and villages that are geographically and socially isolated so we think this is a great opportunity to take some really high quality acts to places that don’t often get a chance to see such things."

It is hoped that the Sol Cinema the world’s smallest solar powered cinema will accompany the tour showing short films to small audiences with popcorn & ushers/ usherettes to complete the experience.

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Early bird tickets are no longer on sale. Adult weekend tickets are priced at £99, a Junior (aged 11-17 years) weekend ticket is priced at £42, and children aged under 11 years can attend for free.

Tickets for individual days of the 3-day festival have also gone on sale - Friday tickets are priced at £28, a Saturday ticket is priced at £48, and a Sunday ticket is priced at £25. Youth day tickets are half price.

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