Our man in the Field – devizine.com

Is it time to start thinking about spring? I think so! Bath music promoters 7 Hills are moving their annual spring festival from the city to Trowbridge’s Old Town Hall. If you’re already buzzing for the 2026 festival season to arrive, check this March offering…..

7 Hills regularly organise music events at The Night Jar in Bath, a glorious bar upstairs at the Bath Pizza Company, part of the hip Green Park Brasserie close to the railway station. Many gigs there have a “pay if can” policy, and present the likes of Luke De-Sciscio, Elles Bailey and Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene. Their festivals are also usually held in Bath, but this coming year a spring one comes to Trowbridge.

Chris Hoar of Courting Ghosts explained he, “reached out to them initially to say I was planning a festival in the newly renovated Old Town Hall, just to check it didn’t clash with them, and Matt said let’s do it together in Trowbridge as a spring festival.”

It’s an all day folk-rock festival, happening on Saturday 21st March, tickets are on sale now at £39.50. There’s a number of acts new to me on the lineup, which is good; The Delines, Our Man In The Field, Joseph Arthur, Hannah White, Leander Morales Music, Chris Greenhalgh, Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours and Biff Country. Some to tick off my must see list, like AQABA, and others which I will never tire of witnessing, particularly Concrete Prairie, Thieves, Fly Yeti Fly and Matt Owens, with Chris’s band Courting Ghosts, of course!

Following an extensive and transformative refurbishment, the historic Old Town Hall will host this inaugural 7 Hills Spring Festival, a landmark cultural event marking a renewed era of artistic ambition for the region. Conceived as a celebration of world-class songwriting and contemporary creative excellence, the festival assembles an exceptional line-up of internationally esteemed performers and compelling new voices.

The Delines headline, widely regarded as one of the most evocative and accomplished bands of their generation. Praised for their cinematic soul, lush arrangements and profoundly humane storytelling, critics have called The Delines “one of the finest Americana acts working today” and hailed their work as “exquisite, elegant and utterly transportive.” Their appearance at 7 Hills Spring Festival promises a rare opportunity to witness a band consistently described as “among the very best songwriters and performers on either side of the Atlantic.”

They are joined by Our Man in the Field, whose transatlantic Americana and increasingly acclaimed live performances have captured audiences across Europe and beyond; the distinguished American singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur, celebrated for his poetic intensity; Matt Owens & The DVP, whose dynamic blend of modern folk, rock, and richly crafted lyricism promises one of the night’s most electrifying sets; and multiple AMA UK Award Winner, Hannah White, widely recognised as one of Britain’s most profound contemporary songwriters. Rounding out the bill are Courting Ghosts, an emerging band whose growing reputation reflects a bold and distinctive artistic voice.

Showcasing newly enhanced performance spaces, architectural restoration, and a revitalised artistic vision, the renewed Old Town Hall stands as a major cultural milestone. 7 Hills Spring Festival will not merely highlight the building’s transformation, but also usher in a bold new chapter for Trowbridge’s cultural landscape.

With the absence of Bradford Roots Festival this coming year, usually in Feb at The Wiltshire Music Centre, I think I can pad it out until then; maybe go into hibernation until March!

Tickets HERE.