Review - Alfold Rock & Blues Festival 2024

Review – Alfold Rock & Blues Festival

Springbok Estate, Alford (July 4^th – 7^th, 2024)

Reviewer / Photographer: Paul Dubbelman

The fourth Alfold Rock and Blues Festival (hereafter known as “The Wet One”) took place at the Springbok Estate, Alfold, Surrey, over the first weekend of July. In its short history it has already been nominated twice for the UK Blues based festival of the year by the UK Blues Federation, and attracts some of the big hitters on UK Blues circuit such as King King, Hugh Cornwell and Dr Feelgood, along with bands like The Cinelli Brothers, Brave Rival and Dom Martin that are now well-established, and rising talents and local bands to deliver a schedule that is both full-on and eclectic.

The Festival proper starts on Friday, but Campsites and Bar are open from Thursday so that early festival-goers can get themselves set up and relax into the festival vibe before the mayhem begins, with entertainment provided by local bands on the bar stage to get people up and dancing into the night. A crowd of several hundred endured a weekend of rain, high winds, and unseasonably low temperatures for the time of year. Dom Martin and Brave Rival in particular delivered storming sets that cemented their reputations on the grass roots scene and will surely see them headlining festivals and playing much bigger venues in the near future. Of the newer bands, Thomas Heppell, Big Wolf Band, and Sons of Liberty were particularly outstanding although every act brought something different and interesting to the party, from the Afro beats of Kanda Bongo Man to the Two-Guitar playing Rodney Brannigan and the sheer insanity of Otway & Barrett.

One of the things that make this festival so special is the organisation. The single Stage turned around in 30 minutes between acts without a hiccup, which gave festival goers time to grab a drink or a bite to eat from the multiple food stalls, the consistently good sound for every act, and the load-in and load-out for every band handled by the unsung heroes backstage. The other thing that shines out with Alfold is the friendliness of the crowd, everyone was out for a good time, and that ensures that people do have a good time.

This was my first visit to the Alfold Rock & Blues Festival, and it will not be my last. Exceptionally well-run from the moment we arrived on site, great organisation throughout the weekend, fantastic sound and truly one of the friendliest crowds you are ever likely to meet. The 2025 Festival will run from 3^rd to 6^th July 2025 and tickets are on sale now – here

click on photos to enlarge