By Chris Story

Last updated at 12:02, Monday, 11 March 2013

Maximo Park are to headline this year’s Solfest music festival.

Maximo Park at Kendal Calling last year

The Geordie band joins Northern Irish punk rockers The Undertones on the bill for August’s three-day festival.

Tickets are on sale for the event, which is now in its 10th year and held at Tarns, near Aspatria.

Organisers are promising more acts to follow.

A spokesman said: “As in all previous years, Solfest has endeavoured to compile a richly varied and superb line-up that includes both the contemporary and the classic of the music world and runs that gamut from rock to roots and folk to dance.

“This year promises to deliver the best festival experience in Solfest’s decade long-history.

“Whatever your particular musical taste Solfest 2013 has something guaranteed to put a smile on your face.”

Maximo Park, formed in Newcastle in 2003, are no strangers to the Cumbrian music scene.

They held one of the headline spots at Kendal Calling last year. They’ve also played The Brickyard in Carlisle.

Also lined up for Solfest are Edinburgh’s nine-man manic ska-band Bombskare, punksters The Roughneck Riot, the R&B and blues sounds of The Boston Tea Party, The Minx, and Carlisle bands 13 Stars and Life In A Glasshouse.

On the folk and roots-based Drystone Stage, will be Home Service – last year’s winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Live Act – The New Rope String Band, Sid Wright and the Paddy Garrigan Band.

The festival runs from Friday August 23 to Sunday August 25.

The main stage will feature Afro Celt Sound System and the Oysterband, who played at the very first Solfest 10 years ago. Dance tent acts include Utah Saints, Eat Static and DJ Yoda.

Tickets are on sale at www.solfest.org.uk.

The festival spokesman added: “Since its inception in 2004, tickets for Solfest have sold out completely each year. We expect Solfest 2013 to do the same. We recommend getting your tickets early.”

It is lining up to be a tasty summer of music in Cumbria with Primal Scream, Basement Jaxx and The Charlatans already announced as headliners for this summer’s Kendal Calling festival, which takes place from July 26-28 at Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, near Penrith.

Meanwhile, Scots songstress Amy Macdonald has been named as the Saturday headline act for this year’s Wickerman Festival in Dumfries and Galloway. She joins a line-up that includes The Enemy, KT Tunstall, Dexys, Primal Scream and Bellowhead. The event – famous for its burning of a massive effigy, as in the cult film – takes place in July.

First published at 11:46, Monday, 11 March 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk