Stamford Riverside Festival was an annual music festival in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. It was held for over 10 years, with previous event names being 'Rock on the Rec', 'Rock on the Meadows' and 'Music on the Meadows'.
About The festival was held on the riverside meadows of the River Welland for 10 years from 2001 to 2010. Previously the event had run occasionally as Rock on the Meadows and Music on the Meadows (the first event was in 1980), while another iteration was called Rock on the Rec, which was held on Stamford's Recreation Ground - the first Rock on the Rec took place on 30 June 1990 and was headlined by the Dancing Wu Li Masters. The latter still continues as an annual event organised in association with the Stamford Lions.
The free not-for-profit event was run by the Riverside Association of Music & Arts (RAMA), which was a registered charity set up to run the event. The organisers worked closely with Stamford Town Council, who own the site, and South Kesteven District Council.
The festival principally provided for a range of music genres on a variety of stages, including rock and acoustic, Punk, Indie, Acoustic and later on, Dance, and featured artists such as Midget, Enter Shikari, Hazel O'Connor and The Levellers.
The capacity of the event grew from around 3,000 to up to 15,000 by 2010, attracting people from across the East Midlands. The 2012 festival, which was to be the first ticketed event, had to be cancelled just before the date due to a waterlogged site.
Origins & Aims
The festival was inspired by the Strawberry Fair free festival held annually in Cambridge - one of the organisers, Martin Smith, had previously worked on the Strawberry Fair committee, running a stage for students at Cambridge Regional College. Smith also had experience of music promotion via Global and Big Bubble, a partnership with Steve Andrews, which promoted bands at Quayhole Kates in Stamford (including Back to the Planet, Radical Dance Faction and Bushfire) and at The Shamrock in Peterborough (including The Verve and Ride).
The aim was to create a free open-access music and arts event as part of the annual Stamford Festival to include 'a diverse range of musical entertainment, arts and children's activities'.Riverside Festival Programme, 2001 The aim was to primarily promote new and original music, but occasionally feature a tribute act.
Riverside Festival 1 - Saturday 30th June 2001 The first festival featured 40 musical artists performing on 3 stages, with a workshop marquee for kids activities, a beer and cider festival, fairground rides from Ted Taylor's Amusements, a variety of stalls and a firework finale. The organising committee was Richard Clark, Darren Cummings, Sarah Minty, Simon Robinson and Martin Smith. A printed colour programme, which can be viewed here:,Programme 2001 PDF file https://online.fliphtml5.com/dirjj/aitr/ was produced, designed by Martin Smith, and these continued through subsequent events.
The festival's main stage, called Riverside Stage, was an open-air arena at the far end of the site across the entrance to the 2nd meadow. This stage's aim was to host a diverse range of quality acts and the running order was Dan Britton, Take Six, Vikki Clayton & Friends, Analyze, Tunguska Butterfly, Buried Trevor, Skinny Sumo,https://dev.leftlion.co.uk/features/2005/04/interview-with-sharkboi-of-skinny-sumo/Skinny%20Sumo Michael Jackson Smith, Amelia, Funkmaster Wu Li, an offshoot from the Dancing Wu Li Masters, Kissmet and Are You Experienced?, a Hendrix tribute.
The Marquee Stage was a 140' x 40' covered arena in the centre of the site which specialised in rock and indie music. The line up was Millichip's Locker, Dr Rich Prescribes, Upshot, Junk Puppets, The Contrast, The Hounddogs, Manzerik, Chekira, Mondo, Midget, Sckism and March to the Grave.
The Acoustic/Dance Stage featured singer/songwriters, folk and world music, with dance music in the evening, and was a marquee located at the point of the meadows towards the Town Bridge. The line up was Dominic & Manish, Sheenagh, Pete Finlay, Aware, [ Dick Appleton, Chris Laverick, Galen, Beatkeepers, Herbie Lamb Quartet, Woven Chords and Andy Croft & Friends, with dance music from 8pm featuring DJ Desire, Martin 'MJ' Harrison, Mike 'Spike' Harwood, Jonathan Doughty and Little Boy Wonder.
Riverside Festival 2 - Saturday 6th July 2002 The 2nd Riverside Festival brought in a main festival sponsor, Crestwood, along with Ideal Shopfitters and Newage AVK. The RAMA team consisted of Paula Birbeck, Richard Clark, Darren Cummings, Mike Harwood, Blair Heyden, Sarah Minty, Simon Robinson, Martin Smith and Kev Thurlby. The main development for this year was providing a dedicated dance tent on the north side of the site, towards Bath Row. The festival cost £17,000 to stage.Riverside Festival Programme, 2002 The attendance was estimated at 8,000, with 5,000 on site at any one time.The Citizen (Stamford, Bourne & The Deepings), Tuesday 9th July 2002 Again a free programme, which can be viewed here:,Programme 02 PDF file:https://online.fliphtml5.com/dirjj/desv/ was produced in return for donations.
The Riverside Stage featured G2, Cutback, Junk Puppets, Plastic Hip, Silverspace, Zilch, One Eyed Cats, The Contrast, Kissmet, Skinny Sumo, Micawba and Celtica. The firework finale was provided by 1605 Fireworks of Kings Cliffe.
The Marquee Stage moved into a wider 100' x 60' marquee and featured Martricyde$, up, Fox Force Five, Qual, Wasted, Amelia, Neo, Atticus Finch, Little Nikita, Janus Stark, March to the Grave and Sckism.
The Acoustic Tent line up was Look My Shop, The Courtney Fish Trio, Carole Palmer, Angry Man, Christian Laverick, Cold Overture, Gemma Lakin, Caravan, Bouveman Brothers, Trenchfoot, Dick Appleton, Paspatou and Blue Room.
The inaugural Riverside Dance had sets from DJ Vapour, Ian Alvey, Mike Harwood, DappaG and Gas Chasney, Red Raw Headstretcher, Martyn Harrison and Nicky P and Stuart Paul Robbins.
Other features included Antwilloart, a giant metal sculpture made from car and motorcycle bits, a free Tai Chi workshop, a funfair from Taylor's Amusements, musical instrument making and the Watermarks art project.
Riverside Festival 3 - Saturday 5th July 2003 For 2003, Crestwood and Ideal Shopfitters became joint main sponsors and the programme thanked many artists and bands for playing for free, or for costs. Artists this year included Lion Train and Hazel O'Connor. Event costs had risen to £25,000 with an estimated 10,000 people attending and there was a request for generous donations - again donations were asked-for the free programme, which can be viewed here:.Programme 03 PDF file:https://online.fliphtml5.com/dirjj/ngpu/ Absence of support for the event from South Kesteven District Council and Lincolnshire County Council was referenced with a desire to work with them in future. The RAMA committee consisted of Richard Clark, Darren Cummings, Mike Harwood, Blair Heyden, Sarah Minty, Martin Smith, Ted Taylor, and Kev Thurlby.Programme 03 introduction
The Riverside Stage featured Within, Plastic Hip, Slipstream, Trufflefoot, Moosejaw, Tony Hill's Fiction,Web reference:https://www.reverbnation.com/tonyhillsfiction/song/20679737-non-sense-fatigue Chancer, Liquid Laugh, David Wyatt, Kissmet, Mr Gone, and Lion Train. 1605 Fireworks again provided the finale.
The Marquee Stage line up was Neo, Qual, Millichips Locker, Kingcow, Don't Look Down,Online track:https://dontlookdownuk.bandcamp.com/track/this-is-war Atticus Finch$, up, The More I See, Victims of Noise, Wasted, March to the Grave and Big 10.
The Acoustic Stage hosted The Bouveman Brothers, The Have-Nots, Blue Room, Gina Dootson, Neon Love, Dick Appleton, Bryter Later, Cold Overture, Butterfly Polite, Vikki Clayton, Paspatou Hazel O'Connor and the City University South African Jazz Orchestra.
Riverside Dance was run in partnership with Spanked Events and the running order was DJ String, Red Raw Headstretcher, Ian Alvey, Kid Sample, Stooshka & MC Delight, and G Rolla.
The beer and cider festival was housed in a 60' x 40' marquee and was run by the Green Man pub in Stamford - this also housed a Busker's Stage run by Paul Caffrey. Other attractions included Ted Taylor's funfair, Vander Brothers Big Wheel, Bill Brookman's Circus, Antwilloart and kids activities including Walkabout creating Aboriginal style art.Programme 03
Riverside Festival 4 - Saturday 3rd July 2004
The 2004 festival expanded the status and popularity of the event within the East Midlands, with The Levellers headlining the main stage and The Demon Barbers on the Acoustic Stage. Taylors Amusements were credited as a 3rd main sponsor. New for 2004 was bringing the beer and cider festival under the full control of the festival, working in partnership with Bourne Round Table, who ran the annual Bourne Festival. This was a key move in generating funds for the event. Over 40 real ales were on tap. Concern was expressed that South Kesteven District Council still refused to support the event, while factions in Stamford Town Council, who were opposed to the event, created a scaremonger campaign claiming thousands of new age travellers would descend on the town - the reality was that local hotels and b'n'bs benefited! The RAMA organising committee consisted of Richard Clark, Darren Cummings, Mike Harwood, Blair Heyden, Sarah Minty, Martin Smith, Ted Taylor, and Kev Thurlby.Programme 04 Introduction The colour programme featured the big wheel from the previous year's event and can be viewed here.Programme 04 PDF file:https://online.fliphtml5.com/dirjj/jyhb/ The Riverside Stage running order was Hills of Eyes, Under Age, Delta Red, Z00, The Lightyears, Lenard, Mr Mojo, The Instigators, David Wyatt, El Mahico, The Dead Rabbits, and The Levellers Acoustic. The Marquee Stage line up was Teens of Thailand, Argento, The Brays, Tauracine, Dutch Oven, Kubrick, Matricyde, Djevara, March to the Grave and Big 10, Victims of Noise, Kid Conspiracy and Don't Look Down.
The Acoustic Stage had Bod, Angry Man, Andy Griffiths Take 6, Christian Laverick, Billinomates, Paul McClure, Skatz, Harlem Bogtrotters, Baroque Blues Band, Chris Conway & Dan Britton, Paspatou and The Demon Barbers.
Riverside Dance featured Outer Dark, Red Raw Headstretcher, Ross Johnson, Ian Alvey, Stooshka, Kid Sample and G Rolla.
Other attractions included a Busker's Stage in the beer tent, an Art & Sculpture tent featuring the work of local artists, Bill Brookman's Circus, Antwillowart, kid's activities with wire sculpture and serpent mosaic and a 1,000 balloon launch.
Riverside Festival 5 - Saturday 2nd July 2005 The programme references the 25th anniversary of the first Music on the Meadows in 1980. Headlining the event were Pink Floyd tribute, Think Floyd, while there were performances from the Band from County Hell, Frank Benbini from the Fun Lovin' Criminals, Blast from Moscow and Sonja Kristina, formerly of Curved Air. The date coincided with the Live 8 concert in London's Hyde Park at which Pink Floyd performed. An estimated 15,000 people attended over the day.Stamford Mercury, 8th July 2005
The overall cost for the event had risen to £33,000 and the principal sponsors remained the same, but there was still no support from local authorities. The RAMA organising committee consisted of Richard Clark, Mike Harwood, Blair Heyden, Sarah Minty, Tony Rawlinson, Martin Smith, Ted Taylor, and Kev Thurlby.Programme 05: Introduction The 05 Programme can be viewed from this link.Programme 05 PDF file:https://online.fliphtml5.com/dirjj/sxxn/
The Riverside Stage featured Soulflower, Thurston Lava Tube, The Lightyears, The Surgens, Chris Watson, JB's Wiretag Band, Expansions, March to the Grave, Uncle Frank & the Ideal Food for Love, Novocain, Lazy Habits, and Think Floyd. The fireworks were again supplied by 1605 and their previous year's display, during the Levellers set, featured on the programme's front cover.