Deer Shed Fest: Richard Hawley looks ahead to N Yorkshire show

North Yorkshire’s family-friendly outdoor music, comedy, literature and science feast Deer Shed Festival is pulling out all the stops this year.

Running from July 22-24 at Baldersby Park near Topcliffe and Thirsk, the event has invested in more music, more comedy, more arts, and more workshops than ever before; it’s even opened up a field dedicated just to sports.

This year’s music line-up reflects the festival’s growth with Richard Hawley, Everything Everything, and Beth Orton all taking the top spots

The full line-up also includes the likes of Scottish Legends Steve Mason and C Duncan; mesmerising solo artists Rae Morris, Anna Calvi, and Lone Lady; and ever-popular northern bands Field Music, Eagulls, and Money.

One of the headliners, Richard Hawley, whose most recent album is Hollow Meadows, said he was looking forward to playing Deer Shed.

As befits such a friendly, non showbizzy festival, he makes no claim to be offering a different show to normal.

The Mercury Prize-nominated singer aid: “It won’t be fireworks or anything like that. It’s just five blokes on stage playing rock and roll but if you can connect with just one person in the audience, that’s great.

“But I hope that we’ll connect with at least two or three people at Deer Shed Festival!”

His last album was recorded after the Sheffield troubadour was hit by a major health scare.

Richard said: “The album came from being immobile. It was really bad. Six months is a really long time when you’re not able to walk very far or for long periods of time.

“On the one hand, doctors are telling me “you’ll never walk, you have to have surgery” and on the other hand, I was given a lot of hope by my mates and physios.

“I could still play the guitar a fair bit and jot down lyrics. I used the Dictaphone quite a lot too. But, I’ve been writing things in my head more. I’ve got this idea that if a song survives the night, then it’s good.”

More information at www.deershedfestival.com