Colours Festival presents its debut outing at the stunning modernist De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill this summer, on Saturday 24th June. Situated on the outdoor lawns between the shore and the grade I listed venue, the all-day festival is set to celebrate and elevate female talent across a whole day of live music, with the Sussex coast providing the perfect setting.
Weyes Blood will bring the transcendent folk-pop of her much celebrated fifth album ‘And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow’ to headline this year’s event. The last 12 months have seen Natalie Merin’s music celebrated across the board, with the likes of Pitchfork describing it as “majestic… an idiosyncratic set of love songs and secular hymns with lushly orchestral arrangements”. An unmissable opportunity to see an artist at the peak of their powers.
The Big Moon are an indie rock band formed by lead singer and songwriter Juliette Jackson back in 2014. The current lineup features Juliette (Jules) Jackson (vocals/guitar), Soph Nathan (guitar/vocals), Celia Archer (bass/keyboards/vocals) and Fern Ford (drums). They played live in Sussex in April 2017, when they toured their debut album ‘Love In The 4th Dimension’. That album was shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2017. Since then, they‘ve played on Marika Hackman’s second album, ‘I’m Not Your Man’, and supported The Pixies on their 2019 UK and European tour.
The widescreen sound of Katy J Person will also descend on Bexhill, bringing her band and her infectious blend of indie, folk and country to the Sussex coast. Katy’s 2022 release ‘Sound of the Morning’ was hailed as “an album that nails introspective songwriting just as seamlessly as it does infectious pop” by Uncut magazine and has seen her tour and play festivals across the globe.
Completing this initial announcement (with much more to come) is the addition of Porridge Radio, with Dana Margolin performing a special solo set of material from the band’s thrilling catalogue. Hailed by The Guardian as the “convulsing heart of the band”, this intimate set is the perfect addition to the festival’s powerful and creative bill of artists.
Emily Barker is a friend of Frank Turner and has been touring with him on and off for eleven years. Emily is from West Australia, but has now settled in Stroud. She is best known for writing and performing the theme tune to the BBC crime drama ‘Wallander’, and also won the Americana Award for UK Artist of the Year in 2018. Barker encapsulates powerful and emotional girl power music.
Glowing reviews online talk about the fast rising Hastings-based teenage trio known as HotWax. The band is made up of Tallulah Sim-Savage (vocals/guitar), Lola Sam (bass/vocals) and Alfie Sayers (drums) and their music is heavily rooted in teen angst, but without knowing this, you’d peg them as far older and wiser performers.
Brighton based 3 piece CIEL are Michelle Hindriks (from Holland) on vocals and bass, Jorge Bele Jimenez (from Spain) on guitar and Tim Spencer (from Littlehampton) on drums. They met in Brighton formed a band and have been making music for over 4 years. They have supported the likes of Penelope Isles, She Drew The Gun and English Teacher along the way. They have had considerable support from Steve Lamacq at 6 Music.
Tickets are on sale at www.dlwp.com
The De La Warr Pavilion was originally conceived as a ‘People’s Palace’ and this experiment in democratic social enterprise is the prototype for the modern cultural centre and the blueprint for the Southbank. A pioneering centre for the arts, the Pavilion is a place where everyone can experience contemporary exhibitions, events and entertainment in an iconic Modernist building.
