THE festival season will not loosen its grip on Gloucestershire as a number of annual shindigs look set to boast their most exciting line-ups ever.
With Glastonbury on the immediate horizon, gig-goers' excitement levels are rising – and there's plenty for them on offer in and around this corner of Britain.
Barn on the Farm is set to continue its tradition of showcasing the best young talent in the wake of bringing Bastille, Ed Sheeran and other star acts to music lovers across the county in recent years.
"It is not long now," said Joshua Sanger, organiser of the event which will be held at Over Farm from July 4 to 6. "Things are going really well and each year it goes up a notch. With Ed Sheeran, Bastille and Ben Howard we have had a good roster of artists come through. The good thing is we find talent while it is still young and fresh as we like to be part of artists' careers while they are on the verge of being signed by labels.
"It is difficult to find the next successful artist but we have been successful to this point and this year we have the most successful line-up as a whole. We wanted to put together an incredible line-up that encompasses all of the stages."
Joshua said one of the highlights of the event this year will be the "phenomenal" up and coming Jack Garratt who will play alongside top billing acts which include Catfish and the Bottlemen, Hozier, Dan Croll and Chloe Howl. Barn on the Farm comes a week before Cheltenham's 2000 Trees Festival, which will feature Blood Red Shoes, Band of Skulls, Tall Ships, Frightened Rabbit and a range of other artists at Upcote Farm, Withington.
A trend of showcasing top acts will continue just over the Gloucestershire border into Wales when the Green Man Festival in the Brecon Beacons will host a whole range of artists including Mercury Rev, Neutral Milk Hotel, Beirut, The Waterboys and many more in August.
Those with an interest in jazz, jive and classical music will also be well catered for.
This year's International Upton Jazz Festival, which kicks off on Friday June 27, is hoped will be the best yet in its 29th year. The three-day festival in Upton-upon-Severn has for the past three decades attracted the cream of the jazz crop. But now, with a fresh focus, new internationally-renowned bands and talented musical director Rachel Hayward at the helm, June's festival in the heart of the riverside town is set to be better than ever. Jazz fans can expect the usual mix of New Orleans and Dixieland, modern, European and gypsy jazz along with a lively fringe festival and party atmosphere.
Rachel said: "I am excited about this year's line-up. On the Friday, Keith Nichols is playing. He's not only the master of classic jazz, he has a fantastic band and is a top-class showman."
Festival organisers are also on the look out for amateur musicians – from clarinet and banjo players to budding double bass and drum maestros – to join in with the jam sessions at Upton Social Club.
Cheltenham Music Festival is launching its first ever Town Hall Proms as part of celebrations marking its 70th year this July. The Proms will feature performances from some of the world's hottest classical music stars, including violinist and Artist in Residence Nicola Benedetti, guitarist Milos Karadaglic and the John Wilson Orchestra.
The music events scheduled for the rest of the summer follow on from the success of the second SportBeat festival which brought Razorlight, Soul II Soul and other artists to Gloucester. Tickets are already available for 2015's event which mixes sport with music and more details will soon be available.
