Now we’ve just about recovered, it’s high time for some BIG ‘thank yous’ to everyone who has made this year’s festival possible.

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If you went along to Stow Festival, you probably spotted people (possibly people running around frantically!) wearing the handsome t-shirts pictured on the left. Our t-shirts, CDs, plus the Stow Festival mugs and record bag (our competition prizes) were all very kindly made by Richie303 from the band Helm of Awe.

Richie303 makes t-shirt and merchandise for a range of bands, so if you’re interested in having similar items for your band or event, email him at richie303@gmail.com. Cheers!

Well well well, what a festival. It is fair to say that Stow Festival 2012 rocked our socks off. The feedback that we have had so far has been really positive, it seems like everyone had a good time, and we can’t wait to get going on Stow Festival 2013!

There are of course things that we can improve on, and we’re really keen to hear what you liked at Stow Festival and what you want to see next year. You can comment on our Facebook page or tweet us!

Here are links to a few reviews that we have already seen. We’ll be posting videos and pictures from across the gigs on the site, but for now, check these out.

A review of the Walthamstow Acoustic Massive/Natural Voices event on the London With A Toddler blog.

Some photos of the Walthamstow Acoustic Massive/Natural Voices event on the Get Callaghan blog.

Photos by Jamer Bong of the Town Square event on his Flickr site.

Belter have got a short summary of their gig on their site.

Last but not least, NeilM23 has posted a number of videos of The Priscillas at the Rose & Crown on Saturday night, a most excellent show. Here’s ‘All My Friends Are Zombies’.

It’s the last day of Stow Festival! If you’re feeling a little tired and emotional, we have got some musical treats to help you through the day. Here’s your guide to Stow Festival Sunday!

Morning/afternoon

We kick the day off at 11am at the Walthamstow Farmers Market to celebrate their fifth anniversary! The Stow Calendonian Pipe Band will be playing in the anniversary cake, made by Le Moulin, at 11am. The Farmers Market, which is located outside the library, then features performances from Tom Lynch, Graham Larkbey and Emma Scarr, and a tea dance! You can get a cup of coffee and a sausage sandwich from the stalls too, if you need!

This afternoon we have got Robert Emanuel bringing some reggae vibes to the Rose & Crown, alongside Supa-T and Friends. Jazz singers Ileana Di Camillo and Antonio De Lillis will also be performing at the Rose & Crown. That event is free and runs from 1pm in the downstairs bar.

The Rose & Crown Singers will be doing a tour of the Sheltered Housing in the area from 2pm, performing for the residents. They might not be able to get to the festival, but we can bring the festival to them!

Evening

Tonight we have the Stow Festival Closing Party! Camden-based indie club Turned Away From Trash will be spinning ‘progressive indie’ from 8pm at Casanova Bar, opposite St James Street station. Entry is free, some of the organising committee and performers from across the festival will be there, so come on down!

If you fancy more of a cockney knees-up, Cosmotheka will be bringing the house down at the Walthamstow Folk night at the Rose & Crown. Entry is £10 on the door and the night runs from 8pm. If you turn up early to that show you could win some champagne!

Last but by no means least, Jonathan Rathbone will be presenting an orchestra of local musicians for Songs of Praise at St Mary’s Church from 7pm. Entry to that is free!

That’s your lot! Have a great day!

Having fun? Yes! Ready for more? Definitely! We have a whopping 16 gigs or events today, so here’s your guide to Stow Festival Saturday, broken down into bitesize portions.

Morning/Afternoon

Stow Festival has an early kick off today at Wood Street Indoor Market, with a Contemporary Cabaret event from Original Army at 11.30am. A little after that, the Family Music Workshops for parents and children aged 0-5 is running at The Mill. That features Jo-anne Cox, and runs at 12pm and 1pm, for 30 minutes each. Both of those events are free.

At 12.45pm in the Town Square, Walthamstow Acoustic Massive team up with Natural Voices for what promises to be a highlight of the festival. There will be a range of performances, including a big ukulele/acoustic/whole bunch of other things mash-up, which is going to be great! The Town Square event continues through the afternoon.

Elsewhere, the Rose & Crown get their groove on early, with Matt Churchill and The Cry Baby playing from 12pm until around 2.30ish. You can then pop across the road to Le Delice, where Naz Anine and The Uncommon Earth perform from 3pm. Or if you prefer, the Hornbeam Cafe has the Busker’s Brunch from 12pm, with a revolving line-up of performers. All of those events are also free!

As it’s a lovely day, you might also fancy a ball of chalk down the frog and toad. Perfect! ‘A Musical Tour of Walthamstow’ is a free walking tour of the musical history of Walthamstow! There will be special performances on the tour, and quite possibly a couple of stops in some local hostelries. Join the walking tour at 2pm outside The Standard, opposite Blackhorse Road station. The tour ends at the Rose & Crown. It’s also free!

Evening and into the early hours

After all that, you’ll need to get some dinner before the festival kicks off again in the evening. Tonight we’ve got 7 great events for you. The November Five play with The Priscillas, 1914s and Headfirst at the Rose & Crown tonight from 8pm, and entry is £5. At the Hornbeam Cafe, Maggi Ronson and Colin Lloyd Tucker, The Glenbuck Cherrypickers and Suzk Kasiri play from 8pm, with £6 entry (or £11 with a meal). You can win some champagne if you turn up early to those gigs! Tom Lynch is also playing a free show at The Coppermill, from 8pm.

If you fancy a bit of a dance, there’s plenty to choose from. The Nags Head has a silent disco in the form of the Antique Beats Headphone Disco from 8pm, the ever-popular Northern Soul club Walls of Heartache is at Arubar from 9pm til 2am (entry £5), and The Victoria has a cabaret night with Kelly Wild and Mandy Gap, also from 9pm.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is your day. Enjoy!

All timings are approximate. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates!

Helm of Awe and Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly have teamed up to give away merchandise from both bands at the Stow Festival’s first electro/dance club night! The club night is at Arubar tonight, doors open at 9.30pm and it runs until 2am (you can have a lie-in tomorrow!).

Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly are giving away Oyster card holders (pictured) and t-shirts. Helm of Awe are also giving away t-shirts, as well as vinyl, CDs, hoodies and some other bits. All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is turn up to the gig before 11pm tonight! Everyone through the door before 11pm will be in with a chance of winning something.

The club night also features DJ sets from Neil Kleiner and Juljan, and it should be a great night. Entry is £4 on the door. Here’s the Facebook event page for the club.

Arubar is on Forest Road, 30 seconds from the Bell junction. See you there!

All nicely warmed up? We hope so, because Stow Festival Friday is going to be an absolute stormer. Here’s your guide as to what’s happening when today.

Proceedings kick off around 8ish tonight, and there are plenty of gigs to choose from. Steve White & The Protest Family and Belter punk it up at the Waltham Forest Social Club in a free gig, while Robbing Eden and The Naked Apes also do a free show at the Queens Arms.

It’s the start of Stow Festival at the Hornbeam Cafe tonight, with Russell Swallow & The Wolf, Rhys Williams and Jessica Irvine paying at their singer/songwriter evening from 8pm. Entry is £6 for that one, or £11 with a vegetarian meal. Up at the Rose & Crown, Moses, From The Deep, Candidate, Blabbermouth and Bobbing For Apples are playing from 7.45pm for a fiver entry. For the Rose & Crown and Hornbeam gigs, if you get there early you might win some champagne.

Slightly later on, Stow Festival’s first dance night is happening! At Arubar, from 9.45pm, Helm of Awe and Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly will be playing live, with DJ sets from Neil Kleiner and JulJan. Entry is £4, and if you’re there before 11pm you could win some merchandise from the bands.

Last but by no means least, if you fancy a go at singing yourself, get down to The Victoria from 9pm for The Stow Festival Karaoke! Entry to that is free.

All timings are approximate. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates!

Today, Stow Festival 2012 is go! There is an eclectic range of events tonight to set the tone for the forthcoming festival. Here’s a guide as to what’s happening on Stow Festival Thursday.

Screen 17 are screening ‘Marley’, Kevin Macdonald’s 2012 Bob Marley biopic. Tickets are from £8 and are available here or on the door at the Orford House Social Club, and doors open at 7.45pm.

We also have some classical music from Collegium Musicum 90, who are performing at St Mary’s Church from 7.30pm. Entry is £12 on the door.

Ska/2 tone band The Irregulars are playing a free gig at The Duke’s Head on Wood Street (onstage around 8.30pm), while at the Rose & Crown, Rod Melvin and Graham Robins will be tinkling the ivories with a piano night. Entry to the Rose & Crown gig is £5 on the door, and the first 20 people in will be in with a chance of winning some champagne.

If you’re still going a little later in the evening, jazz outfit Los Otros are performing at The Victoria on Hoe Street from 9pm until late.

All timings are approximate. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates!

This year we have produced a limited edition Stow Festival CD! The CD features 12 of the artists performing at the festival, and will be available to buy at the gigs while stocks last.

The CDs features remixes, rarities and unreleased tracks from the acts. The track listing is:

1. ‘Here We Come’ by The November Five
2. ‘In Halves’ by The Cry Baby
3. ‘Shaken and Stirred’ by Helm of Awe
4. ‘Django The Hero’ by Moses
5. ‘The Ugly Man’ by Steve Thompson AKA Blabbermouth
6. ‘Can’t Stop Loving You’ by Robert Emanuel
7. ‘Christmas Eve’ by Russell Swallow & The Wolf
8. ‘Look To The Moon’ by Colin Lloyd Tucker and Maggi Ronson
9. ‘Circle Of Ash (remix)’ by Candidate
10. ‘(My Grilfriend’s A) Whore’ by Belter
11. ‘Dub City 1 (Stow Festival mix)’ by Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly
12. ‘Brisbane Road’ by Steve White & The Protest Family

The CD is limited edition and will be available from the most of the gigs for £3 while stocks last. The money will go towards helping cover the costs of putting on the festival.

All of the 12 acts have very generously donated their track free of charge, for which we massively grateful and owe them a big hug or a pint, whichever they prefer! Equally as generously, Richie303 from Helm of Awe has produced the CDs and artwork for us, the lovely man that he is.

Stow Festival sponsor Walthamstow Wine Club are giving away bottles of champagne at selected Stow Festival gigs! The first twenty people through the door at each of the selected gigs will be entered into a raffle to win a bottle of champagne on the night.

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Win Stow Festival goodies!

We have got some lovely, lovely limited edition Stow Festival 2012 goodies to give away! We have got three Stow Festival mugs, which are both attractive and keep your tea warm, and an extremely limited edition Stow Festival record bag! This is unlikely to ever be on sale, and is a very special item.

We will be giving away one prize of the record bag and a mug, and two prizes of a mug.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is to tell us which act you’re looking forward to seeing most at Stow Festival 2012, by either commenting on our Facebook page or tweeting us!

The competition closes at 1pm on Thursday 20 September, with the winners announced via Facebook, Twitter and this website. You’ve got to be in it to win it!

We have to say a massive thank you to Richie303 from Helm of Awe for the merchandise. Helm of Awe play Arubar on Stow Festival Friday from 10pm.

The Waltham Forest Guardian has previewed Stow Festival, with Nick from the festival team talking about the ethos behind it. Read the article here.

You’re never too young to learn how to rock. That’s why we’re delighted that The Mill are hosting some family music workshops for 0-5 year olds as part of the festival this year. Full details, including how to book a place are available here.

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One of the early highlights of this year’s Stow Festival promises to be the gig featuring Graham Robins and Rod Melvin at the Rose & Crown on Stow Festival Thursday.

Rod Melvin returns to the Stow Festival after his successful performance with The Capris in 2011. Rod was a co-founder of The Moodies, a musical and performance art project formed in the 1970s, who counted Brian Eno amongst their fans. Rod went on to join Kilburn & The High Roads with Ian Dury, and he co-wrote hits by Ian Dury & The Blockheads. Today, Rod regularly performs residencies at the Groucho Club and Le Pont de la Tour, and works with performers such as Lindsay Kemp and Immodesty Blaize. Here’s a recording of Rod Melvin and Guests performing ‘Baby It’s You’ at the Groucho Club, featuring Roland Gift from the Fine Young Cannibals on vocals.

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The official poster and programme for Stow Festival have been published. The poster above looks very handsome, and you’ll be seeing these all over E17 very soon!

The official programme has also been distributed to all our venues and various other shops and cafes. We have a special condensed version of the programme which you can view and download without it eating all your data and memory.

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As if what we had wasn’t enough, we’re delighted to announce several new additions to the line-up of Stow Festival 2012!

DIY electro/beats/noise outfit 1914s come from a recent support slot with DJ Yoda to join The November Five and The Priscillas at the Rose & Crown on Saturday night. If you’ve not heard then before, here’s the video to the single ‘Never Before’.

Elsewhere, The Glenbuck Cherrypickers will be returning to Stow Festival for a second year, joining Maggi Ronson at the Hornbeam Cafe on Saturday night. Their riotous brand of folk is not to be missed.

That’s not all. We are delighted that The Rose & Crown Singers will be touring various Sheltered Housing in Walthamstow, with songs and merriment for the residents. We’ve got some fresh R’n'B and rap from Bami Bailey, Shanika and Teeka, Dorcas Lubaki and Shower Sho in the Town Square on Saturday afternoon, while sleazy punks The Naked Apes and dark covers band Robbing Eden play a free show at the Queens Arms on Friday night. Last but not least, Supa-T & Friends will be joining Robert Emanuel and Ileana Di Camillo & Antonio De Lillis at the Rose & Crown on Sunday afternoon.

Find the full festival schedule here.

Stow Festival sponsor The Mall are giving away tickets to four of the festival gigs, plus CDs from some of the performers! They are giving away:

• Two pairs of tickets to see Moses, From the Deep, Candidate, Blabbermouth and Bobbing for Apples at the Rose & Crown on Friday 21st September, plus some CDs from the bands.
• Two pairs of tickets to see The November Five, The Priscillas and 1914s at the Rose & Crown on Saturday 22nd September, plus some CDs from the bands.
• A pair of tickets to see Russell Swallow & The Wolf, Rhys Williams and Jessica Irvine at the Hornbeam Cafe on Friday 21st September.
• A pair of tickets to see Maggi Ronson, The Glenbuck Cherrypickers and special guests at the Hornbeam Cafe on Saturday 22nd September.

Click here to see how you can win tickets!

We’ve put together a festival sampler on Spotify featuring some of the acts playing Stow Festival. Turn up loud and enjoy!

Welcome to the official announcement of the Stow Festival 2012 line-up. Check out the schedule, the performers, the venues, and have a look around the site for some other goodies!

In the run up to the festival we will be bringing you news, interviews, music and video clips, and maybe even announcing another band or two if you’re really lucky! Follow us on Twitter or ‘like’ us on Facebook for the latest news!

It has been a long time coming, but finally, the Stow Festival 2012 is live! The acts! The venues! The fancy new website! The playlist! All that, and more!

On this site, as of today, you’ll see the line-up and the schedule, with timings, ticket details, and links for all the acts. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting more content, interviews, features, this, that, the other, all looking forward to what will be a highlight in the musical and cultural calendar in E17!

You can follow us on Twitter and ‘like’ us on Facebook (go on, we love feeling popular) via the buttons on the right hand side for all the latest announcements. We hope you enjoy reading about what we’ve lined up for 2012. Now, we’re off for a glass of something red…

Welcome to the brand new website of The Stow Festival!

Building on the success of last years inaugural, award-winning Stow Festival, this year we are back with a bigger and better festival. From Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd September, music will take over Walthamstow. We will be having performers from across the musical spectrum performing in some of Walthamstow’s best venues.

The festival is just over two months away, and this is the central hub of information with all you need to know about the Stow Festival. We’ll be keeping you updated with who is playing when and where, bringing you interviews and exclusive content from the performers, and blogging our experiences as the festival comes together and comes to life.  Enjoy!