Up and coming musicians will be on show at a free Twickenham-based music event this summer.
High Tide Festival will take place on July 28, 2024, after five years of success.
The festival has been integral in bringing the Twickenham community closer together through its love of music, and draws upon inspiration from the legacy and spirit of Eel Pie Island in the 1960s, famously known for bands such as The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.
Festival organiser and co-owner of Eel Pie Records Kevin Jones said: “I do think it’s important that we celebrate that legacy and also use it as an inspiration for the next generation and future generations.”
This year, several artists are coming together to reignite this spirit. Jones said: “There are a number of reasons why I think it [the music spirit] is important and why we should celebrate it, and hopefully High Tide is just one element of that which gives it some visibility.”
The festival will feature a variety of music genres, from jazz to punk, Jones said: “It appeals to people across a whole broad spectrum.”
A large part of the festival’s aim is to promote younger, emerging artists who come with the hopes of boosting their career.
“We do get quite a lot of younger bands coming and saying ‘we’re just starting out’,” Jones said.
“We ask them to send a video of them performing, and if we like it, maybe we’ll put them on.”
Joining up and coming bands like Clamber are old classics such as Ska band The Beat.
Jones said: “They’re playing on High Tide and I can’t believe [it] I’m still pinching myself that I managed to book them.”
The event received £13,701 this year in public support. Jones said: “[The festival] is achieved through crowdfunding, by local business sponsorship, and by the council, because they recognise that it’s very good for the town.”
The event will take place across multiple venues within the town with the main stage being within Arragon Road.
Visitors can also enjoy food from local independent shops, and merchandise sales will help fund the festival.
With popularity from recent festivals it remains accessible to all ages, and fosters a strong sense of community in Twickenham.
You can find out more about High Tide Twickenham here.
Image credit: Kevin Jones
