The place, outside The Swan Hotel!

The time, 7pm sharp!

The bands, Daniela Bove and Elevator!

So come down, chill out and meet the team, we’ll be waiting for you.

We’ve also got an after party on the way too, down at the Cannon from 9pm with The Kid With Crows Feet, Tombstone Bullets and the Dave Cattermole band around to give us some fancy tunes for you!

Craig \m/

After the session is over we’ll be refreshing ourselves with a pint at the Cannon, who said training sessions had to be boring!?

Craig \m/

Hot from their festival performance at Glastonbury, The Black Swan Effect are confirmed as the closing act on the Main Stage and winner of ‘Welsh Music Award’ for ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ for two years running Amy Wadge is confirmed to close the Acoustic Stage for Park Life 09.

To understand more of the sound and history of The Black Swan Effect it’s best to start at its core. Having spent 10 years as drummer in one of Britain’s most popular rock bands, Reef, Dominic went on to play with such musical legends as Peter Gabriel, Ray Davies and Mick Jones (The Clash) and chart bothering indie band Kubb. Song writing partner Gareth’s musical history is a little less glamorous with the guitar being brought out at parties and his song writing style evolving in the privacy of his own home without the usual pressures and attention of a struggling rock star to distract him.

A band was needed. Jesse Wood (son of Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood), Kenwyn House (former guitarist and Dominic’s band mate from Reef) and John Hogg joined and the band’s sound evolved in a very organic way with some surprising results. A feeling of importance that is reminiscent of Radiohead’s debut Pablo Honey and a yearning passion in Gareth’s vocals that hinted at Jeff Buckley came through. Also more classic and jovial moments appear that harp back to the likes of Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones and showed signs of the fun the band were have creating their new sound.

The Black Swan Effect have a very bright future ahead of them with the release of their debut album soon to be announced and the support of the industries most treasured and influential VIP’s behind them as they set off on their new musical Journey.

Closing the Acoustic Stage is Amy Wadge who is set to play some songs from her 5th album release called “Bump!”. Recorded with her band (Aled Richards ex- Catatonia on drums and Bobby Kewley on bass) along with special guest artists. Amy has four previous releases; The Famous Hour, (2002), Woj, (2004), No Sudden Moves, (2006) and Tougher than Love, (2007), by an all female, three part vocal harmony group called Hummingbird, in which Amy was involved and which toured extensively during 2006-7.

Amy Wadge moved to Wales to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama busking on the streets of Cardiff to pay her way through college. After graduating, Amy decided to commit to music, She signed with a small independent Cardiff label when she began to get many acclaids including ‘Best Female Solo’ title for two years running at the Welsh Music Awards. Amy has continued touring ever since, singing the length and breadth of the UK and playing at many of the UK’s prestigious festivals including Cropredy, Hay on Wye Literary Festival, Larmer Tree Festival and Glastonbury. She has also toured in Asia, Russia, Europe and the States.

Amy also writes for and with other artists including Marti Pellow, Chris Difford, Henry Priestman, Guy Batson, Amy Nuttel, Jade Gallagher and Lucinda Belle. A number of other artists will also be releasing songs by Amy during 2008.

Craig \m/

There will be two performance areas this year with the perennial Main Stage and an Acoustic Stage along with a host of stalls and exhibitions of local art and displays for you to explore. This year also introduces the Tea Tent where you can get refreshments during the day, the festival has barely even begun and it’s already sounding quite peachy!

We’re also looking for some enthusiastic stewards/marshals to help us through the festival, as ever, the festival needs a solid team behind it and that’s where you can help! Though this is on a voluntary basis (as most of us already are)  we will be offering out free festival packs that include food, drinks, cds and t-shirts. Plus you can also enjoy yourself being part of the crew that will be rewarding for yourself and your CV.

If that interests you, just hustle over an email to ryan@rustypromotions.co.uk and remember that there will also be oppurtunities to recieve training for stewarding. We always need all the help we can muster so why not be part of one of the most succesful local festivals in the area?

Also, if you’re in a school or youth group and would like to help us out with the decor of the festival, you can send over an email to helen@article19.co.uk to get involved.

On a final note, remember that the festival is a volunteer effort organised by a group of volunteers who are giving up their time and skills to get this thing on the road, we still need financial sponsors to help us with health and safety standards and providing quality entertainment that is free to the public.

If you feel you can help us realise Parklife’s potential and would like to sponsor, please get in touch.

Parklife will run on Saturday July 18th 12pm-9pm, Ousebank Gardens, High Street, Newport Pagnell. SPREAD THE WORD!

Craig \m/