Well, I wake up in the mornin’
feel so sick down to my shoes,
the box-office is jumpin’,
I got the Stage 4 Beverley Blues.
I got the blues
I got those February Festival blues,
I better pay my dues
I got those Stage 4 Beverley Blues.
So, all the venues will be buzzin’
and rockin’ to tunes old and new,
I’ll be shakin’ my booty
at the New York Brass Band too.
And after all the events have finished
don’t go down the pub,
when you can kick back with a beer or two,
at the Late-Night Festival Club
I got the blues
I got those syncopation blues,
don’t step on my blue suede shoes
(is the King here?) I got those Stage 4 Beverley Blues.
Now, I’ve been to Glastonbury,
Download and Tribfest too,
but I tell ya Stage 4 Beverley,
I keep a coming back to you…
and it’s not just about the line-ups
the fantastic acts you choose,
no, it’s also because you continue to have…
spotless festival loos!
I got the blues
those sweet jelly-roll blues,
have you heard the news?
I got those Stage 4 Beverley Blues.
Everybody’s clamoring
For Beverley Community Choir
plus Dankworth, Cambo and Bilston,
this festival’s on fire!
And I’m inspired by all this eclectic stuff
I’ll be attending the Harmony Singing Class,
I’m told I can hold a pretty good note…
more like a cat clawing broken glass.
I got those blues
I got those convoluted, rhyming blues,
I hope I’ve lit your fuse?
Now you can get the Stage 4 Beverley Blues.
So, finally,
as you navigate the upcoming festival,
just you remember this sad old blues boy
who’s got those…
Amazing headliners
and talented songwriters,
spoken word
that’s what I’ve heard.
Tickets I’ll be jugglin’
to see the Saltburn Smugglin’,
Nagasaka and Killen
will get us all chillin’.
The Horizon Stage,
that’s gonna engage,
from poetry to page
it’s all the rage.
Danny Bradley guitar pluckin’
Charlotte Carrivick bluegrass truckin’,
Gary Stewarts Graceland singin’,
Sea Shanty swingin’…
Yes, I think you know by now,
I got those blues,
I got those,
Stage 4 Beverley Blues.
On that rainy festival finale
we expected the gritty Bronx,
The Big Bad Apple,
transplanted into the East Riding.
But got North Yorkshire’s finest, a mix of Basin Street
thrown in, and a red-bereted lead guitarist
leading us on, ramping it up –
bringing the noise, the moves, the chaos.
And all thoughts of East Coast, USA were soon roared aside
as we were deluged by trombones and saxes
that roamed the stage in tartan shorts,
that gave us eclectic standards and offbeat originals –
Ellington & Monk, Ross & Whitney –
gave us a blast, funked us to our seats and to our feet:
a riot of horns, percussion, and pure party energy.
Then, the climax,
and we became the show.
A brass-cheeked audience snake,
pied-pipered out of the theatre,
marching with trombones through the foyer,
conga-ing down the corridor,
bursting through the café doors
to blasts of Walking on Sunshine.
The whole band scattered amongst the tables,
commanded us onto our haunches
then down onto our creaking knees.
Finally, a lone sousaphone
lead a looping, growling, call and response,
until our parched lips puckered and breath gave out,
and then calm descended,
and ‘last orders’ were called.
Taking our syncopation into the rain,
we were left with New Orleans’ soul
burning through our veins,
our feet weary and ears gently buzzing.
Enough to serenade us home, pull us into the pillow
and a cadenced sleep. Where we bottled the
night and conjured up dreams of future
festivals, with flamboyant big brass vibes.
Chris Sewart
Festival Poet – Stage 4 Beverley Festival 2026
@chriswriting.bsky.social
I observe that one minute
they are alone at the bar,
the next, two women are
buttering them like toast,
fluttering their egos
with the force of a typhoon.
And the pair
– being malleable men –
accept this unexpected attention,
along with the shared pints
and the shotgun
of innuendo, and easy chatter.
Then, a sudden leftfield
exchange about modern poetry.
Embracing incomplete
couplets, lavishing praise
on controlled assonance
and cool half-rhyme.
Eavesdropping this jumble of
surprising banter, I notice a couple
– snug in the corner –
amused at the flirting,
vicariously relishing
a slice of this fun,
whilst beating meticulous time
with their metronome feet.
Chris Sewart
Festival Poet – Stage 4 Beverley Festival 2026
@chriswriting.bsky.social
Sam Kelly is a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winning musician, singer, songwriter, and producer from Norfolk, UK. Described by legendary folk broadcaster Mike Harding as ‘one of my favourite singers ever’ and by Cara Dillon as ‘an amazing singer with so much soul’, Sam has become one of the most accomplished and well-respected performers on the UK folk scene, with an impressive discography of 4 full length solo albums, as well as numerous other collaborative works.
As an accompanist on guitar and Irish bouzouki, his portfolio includes playing with the likes of Kate Rusby, Seth Lakeman, John McCusker, Phil Beer, and Katherine Priddy. Sam has become respected by peers and audiences alike as a unique and innovative arranger and pioneer of traditional folk song, and he is one half of a published songwriting duo with long-term collaborator Jamie Francis, with their music being used on Sky Sports, Sky Arts, Channel 4, Channel 5, as well as BBC Radio 1, 2, and 3. A captivating and versatile duo capable of producing harmonically sophisticated music alongside raw and robust foot stomping tunes, Sam and Jamie showcase varied material from all the projects they have been involved with. With songs in the English language as well as Cornish and Gaelic, they have also become known for their self-deprecating, cheeky humour and amusing anecdotes in between songs.
Joining Sam and Jamie is one of the finest musicians on the UK folk and roots scene at the moment - Graham Coe. A virtuosic multi instrumentalist and singer who is known as one half of the duo The Jellyman’s Daughter, Graham has appeared on all of Sam’s albums, lending his unique and accomplished cello playing, and talents as an innovative audio engineer to the soundscapes.
With soaring harmonies and melodies, and instrumental performances of the highest calibre, this performance is not to be missed!
Maddie Morris Support
“Leading the next generation of socially conscious songwriters.” - Jim Moray
Maddie Morris is an artist who strives to make a difference in the world. Bold, insightful, and refreshingly unique, they take traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives on the world we live in today.
Winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Maddie has been described by Jim Moray as “leading the next generation of socially conscious songwriters.” Their music explores the way personal narratives in song can hold political importance. Folk songs have always told stories, but Maddie makes their mark by turning storytelling into action.
Recent collaborations include an artist residency at Ferens Art Gallery exploring trans re-telling of the Sirens myth, as well as commissions from Unlimited, Rural Arts, and the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
Maddie’s practice is rooted in the oral tradition: learning, sharing, and continuing folk legacies by listening, interpreting, and recreating. Their composition draws on tunes, melodies, and lyrics from British and Appalachian traditions, interwoven with their experiences as a trans, disabled person and stories gathered from communities they are part of. This meeting of tradition, personal identity, and community storytelling is at the heart of Maddie’s work—writing historically excluded voices and experiences into the canon so they’re valued and remembered.
Maddie released their debut album Skin to huge critical acclaim on the No Masters label. Skin was described by Tradfolk as “a folk fusion of personal tales, queer & feminist insights, and activism.” Passionately political yet gently understated, this is music that deftly treads the path between art and activism.
Press quotes
★★★★
"An insightful listen... Thrilling, glorious and inspiring." - Songlines
★★★★★
"Morris is a powerhouse performer with a rich voice and a gentle way with a guitar. Their lyrics are poignant and playful. Maddie is not shy about what they have to say – personal and political – but they celebrate, even as they mourn." - Folk London
“a folk fusion of personal tales, queer & feminist insights, and activism. A musical journey of voice and virtue.” - Tradfolk
“Skin is a musical journey into identity, activism and hope; the songs will resonate with anyone who’s felt marginalised for being who they are or made to feel uncomfortable in their own skin…while quietly understated, Maddie’s songs are no less potent in their vital messages.” - KLOF
“Morris is an unashamedly political singer-songwriter, their experiences informing some of the most life-affirming songs you are ever likely to hear..sung with a tenderness and honesty that immediately melts your heart.” - Bristol 24/7
“Skin is an album that extends beyond traditional folk music boundaries, a crafted narrative exploring identity, activism, and hope, aimed to both challenge and console listeners.” - Earmilk
