A New Day Festival featuring Jethro Tull, Colosseum, The Sweet, Focus, Hugh Cornwell, Groundhogs, Ten Years After, Stray, Atomic Rooster & more

A New Day Festival featuring Jethro Tull, Colosseum, The Sweet, Focus, Hugh Cornwell, Groundhogs, Ten Years After, Stray, Karnataka, Bonham-Bullock, Atomic Rooster, Skinny Molly, John Verity, Solstice, Edgar Broughton, John Hackett Band, Dee Palmer & Stuart Wood, Heavy Metal Kids, Gryphon, Department S, Ides Of Sedition, Skylines, Cuprum, Rory McLeod, Big River, Rodney Brannigan, N’Famady Kouyate, Kaprekar’s Constant, Blackbeard’s Tea Party, Kaz Hawkins.

Now running for its 7th year (6 if one deducts the Covid year) A New Day Festival is one the very best music festivals England has to offer. Set in the beautiful Mount Ephraim Gardens near Faversham in north east Kent the site is a place of beauty with orchards, vineyards, a lake, Manor House, pub and of course beautifully manicured gardens. The setting is truly idyllic.

Add to this place of beauty some very decent food stalls, a bar that sells reasonably priced local beer and ciders and mix with a sometimes eclectic mix of musical styles and this becomes a beautiful setting for connoisseurs of classic rock, folk rock and a number of other styles that compliment this idylic setting.

This is a festival that is becoming a ‘must visit’ on the circuit.

So how did the bands fare over the three days?

Day one: Friday arguably had the Big Draw with Jethro Tull on the bill but the other acts seen were certainly something to behold. Decibel Report missed some early openers due the chaos getting out of London due to National Rail and tube strikes on day one. Nonetheless Big River (by all accounts delivered the goods brilliantly as an opener). Likewise Rodney Brannigan, Rory McLeod, John Verity Band (whom colleagues raves about) and Heavy Metal Kids who’s recent appearances have been well worth witnessing. Arriving to the beautiful garden setting as the last notes of Hugh Cornwell were echoing over the lake we will certainly try and see the missed acts somewhere else over the ensuing months. Brilliant billing choices by the AND team nonetheless, a theme that was apparent throughout the weekend.

In the late afternoon sun Kaz Hawkins delivered a penetrating set on the Sabine Jerram Stage. This is the smaller stage (although gladly it has been increased in size from the very small stage used in 2021)

Main act Ian Anderson and his latest incarnation of Jethro Tull arrived on the main stage (Canterbury Ales Stage) and delivered a fantastic set of old classics along with several new tracks off the bands latest excellent release The Zealot Gene. Ian and his new crew gave the audience exactly what they wanted and the only complaint one could make was Ian’s refusal to let photographers get up close and personal in the photography pit to get stellar shots. A decision that we all found bizarre frankly as the band were all in fine fettle.

Stray played a blistering set with Del Broham and Co. delivering the heaviest set of the day. This is a band that never fails to impress and this reviewer can’t wait for their new album based on the few new numbers they previewed.

Not to be outdone by the flute-man Ten Years After tore the place apart with fantastic renditions of classic TYA material. To have founder members Chick Churchill and Ric Lee on stage augmented by the wonderful bass playing of Colin Hodgkinson and the capitulating guitar bending skills and vocal talents of Marcus Bonfanti was pure joy. If you have not witnessed TYA play in recent years (or ever) then now is the time, they simply excelled this evening.

Day two: Saturday commenced with Dee Palmer & Stuart Wood, Cuprum, Skylines, The John Hackett band and Solstice all delivering unique sets for fans on the the warm summers day. The variety of music put on at this festival really is one of the highlights of the weekend as so many styles one may not have otherwise listened to are so freely available. Add to that the more than fair beer and cider prices (for a festival anyway) and whiling away a warm summers afternoon beer tasting whilst listening to such variety really is a joy.

And did we mention the food stalls? Really, the best ever seen as a festival with Tasty Thai, Glorious Vegan (we never knew such a thing existed and verdict will remain open on that one) and the amazing Godmersham Grill definitely being a highlight each evening with their fresh venison and wild boar burgers. Plenty of others too and the standard is in the main better than any other festival we’ve attended.

Early evening gave us Kaprekar’s Constant and Karnataka setting up the atmosphere for Colosseum who simply blew everyone away. Colosseum is a band reborn with Malcolm Mortimore formerly of Gentle Giant actually managing to replace the irreplaceable. The standard of musicianship in this band from the unique sound of Clem Clempson on six strings through to the masterly playing of Mark Clarke on four strings and vocals is just stunning. Add iconic Chris Farlowe’s vocal prowess and you have a recipe that will knock you off your feet. This is a band not to be missed and could easily have delivered double the set length and the punters would not have blinked.

The irrepressible Edgar Broughton delivered a thought provoking one man and his guitar show (supplemented by a few blue lights and wafting stage smoke). Never a dull moment when this man does his thing.

Focus were the finale for the day and they delivered an exciting, often frenetic delivery of heavy keyboards, exotic vocals including yodelling and humour from the grand old Dutch master that is Thijs Van Leer. Add in the stunning drumming talent of Pierre van der Linden, Akkerman acolyte Menno Gootjes on guitar and the vibrant bass playing of Udo Pannekeet on bass and this is a band to be reckoned with. A superb delivery of classic Focus tunes to a highly appreciative crowd.

Day three: Sunday kicked off with a bit of punk (yes I said punk) with Ides of Sedition delivering the goods to wake everyone from their Sunday slumber. Certainly a band to keep an eye on. Followed by the highly unique Gryphon and their usual array of ‘weird’ instruments. Gryphon are a band every musician should see. Department S broke the silence and reminded us to try catch this band at a gig of their own sone time in the future.

Bonham & Bullock were next and did not disappoint. Deborah Bonham’s and her band just gets better and better every time I see them. Blackbeard’s Tea Party followed with their excellent eclectic set that included a few numbers that simply floored me. I must remember to try locate their albums somewhere for future listening.

An enthralling set from west African musician N’Famady Kouyate gave everyone a real appreciation of the wooden xylophone. Watching this man and his band play was an education and it’s yet another band to grace the stages of this fine festival that I must try and catch elsewhere as well.

Ken Pustelnik’s Groundhogs played a frantic and captivating one hour set (I could quite happily have listened to another hour and some). The classics by this band really are second to none and they are one of the ultimate old school classic rock bands on the circuit. Don’t miss them!

Next up were the irrepressible Sweet fronted by Andy Scott. A brilliant one hour of absolute classics ensued as the sun was setting. It’s great to see they’ve finally dropped the needless Emersonesque keyboard noodling from their late seventies classic Love Is Like Oxygen. This may have been because they only had an hour to deliver the goods but let’s hope it stays this way as the set was a million miles better because of this onmision. After-all we all get one more Sweet song (new or old that’s a bonus either way) A classic band that is always fun to see. Personally I’d love to see an album of completely new material make an appearance and with the amazing Paul Manzi on vocals there’s never been a better time to do this. Hats off to the member of the road crew that subbed on bass on the day. My verdict; keep him, he made a positively thumping difference that’s for sure.

Skinny Molly delivered a fine set of Lynyrd Skynrd and Molly Hatchet covers that would’ve kept the locals rocking on a Sunday evening. Great stuff.

Atomic Rooster were the band to close the proceedings and Pete French, Steve Bolton and Co. played an ear shattering set topped off by an excellent rendering of Arthur Brown’s Fire. A fantastic way to end a fantastic three days of classic music.

Hats off to Dave Rees and his amazing team who put this festival together. Not only is this another year of job done well, it’s another year of job done so well it gets our vote for music festival of the year in the UK. Do not miss it in 2023!

I cannot overstate what an entertaining three days of music, fun and fanfare A New Day Festival really is.