Festival beer in new home
GET ready to raise a glass to Nottingham’s Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival 2018 as preparations get under way to transform the Motorpoint Arena into an oasis of beer, booze as tunes for four glorious days.
The change in venue while Nottingham Castle is under scaffolding has resulted in quite a few changes this year – but believe it or not the event will still mostly take place outside.
The festival is open from Wednesday to Saturday (Wednesday 5pm-11pm; Thursday 11am-11pm; Friday 11am-11pm; Saturday 11am-11pm). Evening tickets are valid only for 7.30pm-11pm.
The Arena has no parking of its own, but there are several public car parks in the vicinity. It is a 15-minute walk from the train station and Old Market Square.
The ticket prices are: Wednesday evening: £10.80; Thursday (all day): £16.20; Friday and Saturday (all day): £21.60; Saturday evening: £10.80. All paid tickets include a commemorative glass and nine beer tokens. Glasses are refundable at £2.50 on the day. A limited number of beer tokens can also be refunded at 55p each.
Tickets are available from Nottingham Tourism Centre, beerfestival.nottinghamcamra.org, or at motorpoint arenanottingham.com.
Most beers will be priced at two tokens for a third and three for a half. Tokens are 55p each so the majority of beers will be the equivalent of £3.30 a pint.
Gluten-free and vegan beer will be available.
More than 1,000 different beers will be available and the festival will have, for the first time, a craft beer bar, with unusual and rare beers. There is also a brand new cider barn, just off the ice, which will offer a large selection of ciders and perries plus seating alongside the return of both the gin and wine bar.
The ticket price includes this year’s new glass tankard which for the first time displays the outline of the Motorpoint Arena on its crest. If you don’t want to keep it you can get £2.50 by returning it on your departure.
This year there is going to be double the live entertainment across two new stages:
WEDNESDAY Backstage Village Stage
The Food Doctors, 1.30-2.30pm: Expect a mix of oldies and current covers with the emphasis on getting everyone up and dancing. Their sets range from Cee Lo Green to The Beatles, Bruno Mars to the Killers, Van Morrison to Maroon 5... and back again. Mandarins, 3.30-4.30pm: Mandarins are a three-piece live rock covers band playing an eclectic mix of music from the 60s to the present day. Jack’s Got A Plan, 5.30-6.30pm: Pop/ rock songs based on stories from reallife experience.
Husk, 7.30-8.30pm: Southwell-based four-piece covers band playing well known and upbeat rock, pop, punk and indie tunes. The Undergroundhogs, 9.30-10.45pm: A Portsmouth-based band dedicated to the music of Tony TS Mcphee and the Groundhogs.
Bolero Square Acoustic Stage
Evie M, 2.30-3.30pm: A singer songwriter and musician from Nottingham with a passion for all types of music.
Fun Chorus, 4.30-5.30pm: A weekly choir for fun and laughs. Matt Turner, 6.30-7.30pm: A solo acoustic artist specialising in soul, rock and popular covers from the 50s to the modern day.
Rose Devine, 8.30-9.30pm: A glamorous vintage singer with stunning vocals, effortless style and an incredible repertoire. Rose covers the classics of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra but also has a love of the new retro-style artists Postmodern Jukebox, Caro Emerald and Imelda May.
THURSDAY Backstage Village Stage
Pesky Alligators, 1.30pm-2.30pm: Their twisting guitar and raunchy drum beat is nothing but explosive and if it does not set the pulse racing then you need to make an appointment at your local undertakers. Stagefright, 3.30-4.30pm: A rock covers band formed in 2009, their first gig was for Help the Heroes at the Red Lion pub in Hucknall supporting Gatecrasher. Backline Blues, 5.30-6.30pm: A lively blues/rock band playing covers by Joe Bonamassa, Santana, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others. Verbal Warning, 7.30-8.30pm: A mix of politics and humour rub shoulders as the band tries to make live shows as entertaining as possible. Dawson & the Dissenters, 9.30-10.45pm: Comparisons with Los Lobos, Creedence, Steve Earle, ZZ Top, Feelgoods, Blackberry Smoke are usual and welcomed.
Bolero Square Acoustic Stage Richie Muir, 2.30-3.30pm: Old and new classics give the band an acoustic unplugged Radio 1 Live Lounge/ Mumford and Sons feel .
Ant Macandrew, 4.30-5.30pm: A singersongwriter who specializes in folk-pop. His original songs are often compared to the likes of Mumford & sons, Ed Sheeran, The Fray, Scouting For Girls. He covers anything from The Drifters to Ed Sheeran.
Dean Thomas – Sounds of Swing, 6.307.30pm: A one-man tribute to all things swing. Dean covers songs from the likes of Old Blue Eyes Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis J, Bobby Darin and many more.
Pistol Pete Wearn, 8.30-9.30pm: Armed with an acoustic guitar, a stomp-box and occasionally a harmonica, Pistol Pete rips through both witty originals and homages to his blues heritage.
FRIDAY Backstage Village Stage Stampede. noon-1pm: Rockabilly and rock’n’roll. Sheroks. 2-3pm: A rock group catering for all tastes by covering various music as well as producing their own. The Business, 4-5.30pm: A three -piece covers band playing pop and rock classics from the mid-1960s to 2014. Acoustic Union, 6.30-8pm: A four-piece band from the East Midlands area playing a wide variety of pop and rock classics, as well as a sprinkling of their own material, bluegrass and traditional songs and instrumentals. The band have been influenced and inspired by musicians and artistes like The Beatles, Abba, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Alison Kraus and Union Station. Water For Dogs, 9-10.45pm: An inventive, original, instrumental threepiece band playing electronica, dance, groove, funk, reggae and rock.
Bolero Square Acoustic Stage
Nick Aslam, 1-2pm: A Burton native singing about the journey from the dark murky back streets of his hometown to the romance and magic of our very own city.
Coulton Brothers, 3-4pm: Topical and socially aware lyrics with melodic guitar work is a feature of their sound. Notable home shows include supporting Scottish rockers Idlewild and indie act The Pigeon Detectives
Two Hombres, 5.30-6.30pm: A percussion guitar duo currently covering songs from Rodrigo y Gabriela. Jake Burns, 8-9pm: A young singersongwriter playing acoustic gems. His first two originals, Don’t You Know and What’s Going On, were picked up by BBC Introducing East Midlands who debuted both songs earlier this year.
SATURDAY Backstage Village Stage Ghetto Blasters/hot Dog Brass Band, 11.30-12.30pm: The New Orleans-style brass outfit will play a 30-minute set during this period before moving to the Bolero Square Acoustic Stage area for another 30-minute set. Blues Bursters, 1.30-3.30pm: Bluesy harmonica and keyboards covering rock’n’roll, oldies, standards and a bit of jazzy blues.
The Lapels, 4-5.30pm: A band influenced by the great of the 60s. Nightwires, 6.30-8.30pm: Acoustic rock band.
UK Chicago Blues, 9-10.45pm: Drake (Steve Gentry) & Alwood (Alan Squires) been playing at pubs and clubs for many years, independently as solo guitar vocalists.
Bolero Square Acoustic Stage
The Lunchbreakers, 3-4pm: A Nottingham band playing rock and pop covers.
Flint, More & Byrne, 5.30-6.30pm: A three-piece acoustic band playing Americana, rock, pop, country and country rock classics. Booba Dust. 8-9pm:-foot-thumping, real rhythm and blues.