Gloucester International Cajun & Zydeco Festival 2008

27 January – The Gloucester International Cajun & Zydeco Festival is back for the fifteenth year running, with a three-day line-up of performances, jam sessions and workshops guaranteed to pull in the crowds from far and wide.

The year 2008 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Gloucester International Cajun & Zydeco Festival, and tickets are quickly being snapped up for what organisers claim is the biggest festival of its kind in the UK.

Having established a truly global following of artists and fans since its inception in the 1990s, the festival is a non-stop party bringing the hottest bands and musicians from Louisiana and across the US, from France, Germany and the UK to Gloucester – gathering to perform an unrivaled mix of music and dance with Cajun and zydeco routes.

For those newcomers not familiar with Cajun and zydeco music, the former has roots in the ballads of the French-speaking Catholics of Canada, while the latter is rooted in American folk music, evolving during the late 1800s – with both being fast-paced, infectious genres boasting plenty of accordion, guitar and fiddle.

This year’s festival will not only feature a line-up of performances from some of the world’s most acclaimed Cajun and zydeco performers, but visitors will also be able to join in on jam sessions and take advantage of a series of both instrument and dance lessons.

Music performances at the Cajun & Zydeco Festival 2008

The scheduled headline act for Friday 25 January is the Dutch, German and UK collective The Cajun Roosters, whose music hails from the Louisiana swamps and prairies north west of New Orleans. Audiences can expect to hear pure Louisiana dance music, from Cajun and zydeco to blues and swamped-up rock ‘n’ roll. The band was voted Best European Cajun Band at the Cajun and Zydeco Awards in 2006 and 2007, with their Gloucester performance expecting to prove extremely popular.

While Saturday 26 January’s performance is equally anticipated, as The Racines will be flying in from Louisiana to take to the stage with a legendary line-up including Steve Riley of the Mamou Playboys fame. The Racines’ rich, rootsy sound encompasses Cajun, zydeco, Creole, swamp pop, blues and more – in an addictive blend which is sure to be the very heartbeat of the festival.

Full listings, times and prices for the festivals’ music performances are as follows:

Friday 25 January 2008

The Cajun Roosters and Petite Et La Grosse will be playing in the Guildhall Theatre at 8.30pm, tickets £16.

Saturday 26 January 2008

The Racines will be playing an unplugged set in the Guildhall Cinema at 11am, tickets £10.

Pain D’Mais will be playing the Guildhall Theatre at 1pm, tickets £9.

ZFunk will be playing the Guildhall Cinema at 4pm, tickets £7.

The Racines will make another performance, this time alongside the Joe Le Taxi Zydeco Band, in the Guildhall Theatre at 8.30pm. Tickets £18.

Sunday 27 January 2008

Hottboxx will be playing in the Guildhall Theatre at 12.30pm, tickets £9.

The Whipoorwills and the Racines, plus special guests, will be playing the Guildhall Theatre at 7.45pm. Tickets £14.

Jam sessions at the Cajun & Zydeco Festival 2008

The Guildhall’s Cafe-Bar area will be set aside for another year running, where performers, budding-artists and fans will get together to jam, eat and drink. Guests are welcome to bring their own instruments and join in, or take advantage of one of the smaller rooms set aside if you’re not yet ready for public performances.

Saturday 26 January’s afternoon session will take place from 3pm, hosted by The Cajun Roosters and friends. While Sunday 27 January’s afternoon session, also from 3pm, will be hosted by Gavin Lewery and friends. Both jam sessions are free to enter.

Instrument workshops at the Cajun & Zydeco Festival 2008

Gloucester’s Cajun & Zydeco Festival provides followers of the genres a rare opportunity to take advantage of expert tuition.

On Saturday 26 January, a fiddle workshop will be hosted by Kevin Wimmer and friends in the Guildhall Meeting Room from 2pm to 3pm, tickets £7. This will be followed by an accordion workshop, hosted by Steve Riley and friends, in the Guildhall Meeting Room from 3pm to 4pm, tickets £7.

On Sunday 27 January, a guitar workshop will be hosted by Chris Stafford and friends in the Guildhall Meeting Room from 3pm to 4pm. Tickets £7.

Dance workshops at the Cajun & Zydeco Festival 2008

Led by US experts in Cajun and zydeco dance, the festival will once again host a series of workshops.

On Saturday 26 January, Kay Anderson will lead a Cajun dance workshop in the Guildhall Theatre from 10.30pm to 11.30pm, tickets £7. On the same day a zydeco dance workshop will be held by Phil Underwood in the Guildhall Theatre from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, tickets £7. Another Cajun dance workshop will be held by Kay Anderson in the Guildhall Theatre at 5pm, tickets £7.

On Sunday 27 January Phil Underwood will lead a zydeco dance workshop in the Guildhall Theatre from 10.30am to 11.30am, and from 3pm to 4pm, with each session costing £7. In the afternoon Kay Anderson and Satu Philipps will host a Cajun dance workshop in the Guildhall Theatre from 4.30pm to 5.30pm, tickets £7.

Don’t miss what is set to be one of the biggest and best Gloucester International Cajun & Zydeco Festivals yet.

Event: Gloucester International Cajun & Zydeco Festival 2007
Venue: The Guildhall
Date: Friday 25 to Sunday 27 January 2008
Times: Vary per specific event, see above or contact organisers for more information.
Tickets: Cost £15 for a Weekend Cinema Concert Pass or £12 for concessions, £30 for a Weekend Dance Workshop Pass or £24 for concessions, and £55 for a Weekend Theatre Concert Pass or £45 for consessions. Individual event ticket prices quoted above. Available from the Guildhall box office on (01452) 503050.

SoGlos.com
9 December 2007