The Riverside Festival in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, returns after a COVID-enforced break for its belated 25-year silver jubilee edition. It is Oxfordshire’s latest free music and arts festival with three music stages along with lots of food and drink stands, a wellness centre (new for 2022), and crafts such as metalwork and a stone mason demonstration.
The event is set on Mill field ‘island’ next to the River Evenlode and close to Charlbury station (though on the Saturday the station and the line were quiet due to a rail strike!) and is in the picturesque Cotswolds.
Image Gallery: Riverside Festival 2022
The main stage on Saturday featured a wide range of local and further afield bands including a 5-piece indie-rock band The Font from Cheltenham/Gloucester, Oxford’s The Knights of Mentis, an acoustic 9-piece band playing
Pun featuring Jennie “Bellestar” Mentis
Americana, country, and roots, then Von Braun a 3 piece band from Oxford, and then Oxford’s amazing The August List playing their style of folk/rock with a twist with their very expressive lead singer.
Then following on from their well-received set at Cornbury we had Jonny Payne & The Thunder. Following them was another band that appeared at the Cornbury festival, to great review, Self Help. Then to finish off the evening were The Deadbeat Apostles and Kanadia.
The Ock Street band
On the Fringe stage, there were most mellow acoustic acts such as Trev Williams and the Ock Street band.
At the far end of the venue close to the mobile Hook Norton Brewery trailer (the main beer tent was close to the main stage) was the Gary Stage. Both stages had a large photo of Gary Walker, a very active volunteer for the festival who sadly passed away since the last edition.
On the Gary stage were more alternative acts including Pun featuring the expressive vocals of Jennie “Bellestar” Matthias, Adamski featuring Sonny Eriksson, Tiger Mendoza, and Means of Production.
We also had the busking Stand run by the local Charlbury school with some great local singers/guitarists performing.
