It’s time to explore Huddersfield’s vibrant grassroots music scene with the dynamic and edgy ONWARDS Festival! Birthed from the concept of a ‘pub-crawl’ live music experience, ONWARDS Festival is the annual, multi-venue music festival opening its doors at six independent venues for its third year on September 23-24th.
With the help of Arts Council England and Kirklees Council Year of Music grants, ONWARDS Festival is back bigger and better than ever before, showcasing an electrifying program of 16 acts performing a captivating tapestry of genres. On Saturday, the spirited 8-piece band Klonk will headline, giving audiences the opportunity to indulge in some head-nodding, foot-stomping, toe-tapping musical journey through klezmer, balkan, funk, jazz, metal, and hip-hop.
Others performing during the day are soulful vocalist Ruby Wood, afrobeat funksters Plantfood, powerhouse blues stylings Wadcutter Blues, and Duncad Chapman and Supriya Nagarajan’s Amaya duo, melding Carnatic singing and flugelhorn with electronics. On Sunday, the town will be filled with acoustic performances and a newly commissioned collaboration between illustrious ‘bare knuckle soul’ singer Thabo and The Huddersfield Ukrainian Singing Troupe. Meanwhile, real-time sound artist Chris Ruffoni will bring an immersive, contemplative, and organically shifting texture of sounds with his sound installation hanging in the trees of New Street. The evening concludes with the mighty Mr Wilson’s Second Liners flexing their New Orleans brass and 90’s club classic repertoire.
Tickets start at £15 for Saturday festival, while individual tickets are available for Sunday, a steal for a weekend full of eclectic live music. So come join the town’s creative sector and community to experience ONWARDS Festival – two days of song, dance, and a vibrant pulse of unknown beats and melodies that will transport you to another world.
