‘Queen of Motown’ to headline festival

AMERICAN singer Diana Ross and pop-rock band McFly will be among the headline acts at this year’s Henley Festival.

Other performers who will take to the stage include Rick Astley, pop and classical singer Matteo Bocelli, jazz pianist and singer Jamie Cullum and the orchestral clubbing project Haçienda Classical.

Ed Byrne, Ivo Graham, Matt Forde and Rob Auton top the list of comedy acts while saxophonist Ellie Sax also returns to perform dance sets in Pure Heaven, the festival’s on-site nightclub.

Ross, 80, known as the “Queen of Motown Records”, will perform on the “floating” stage on the opening night of the five-day festival on Wednesday, July 9.

On the following night, it will be the turn of McFly, which comprises lead singer Tom Fletcher, lead guitarist Danny Jones, bass player Dougie Poynter and drummer Harry Judd.

The band has sold more than two million albums and had 18 consecutive UK top 20 singles and seven number ones.

This is the 43rd year of the festival, which will also feature entertainers, a sculpture garden, galleries, children’s activities as well as bars and restaurants and the return of a cabaret area which launched last year.

The line-up was revealed by Jo Bausor, the festival’s chief executive, at a launch breakfast for about 50 patrons and supporters at Leander Club on Friday last week.

Mrs Bausor, who lives in Bix, said: “To get an iconic performer like Diana Ross on the banks of the river in Henley is absolutely incredible. We are thrilled and buzzing. This is up there with one of the best
line-ups we have had.”

Ross will perform “A Symphonic Celebration” which she is touring the UK with this year. She will be accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

Her tour will feature her first UK shows since 2023 and will perform her biggest hits, including Ain’t no Mountain High Enough, I’m Coming Out and Upside Down.

Ross came to fame in the Sixties as the lead singer of The Supremes whim whom she had 12 number one hits, including Baby Love and Stop! In the Name of Love.

She launched her solo career in 1970 and had hit the top of the charts with Touch Me in the Morning and Endless Love.

Ross starred in films including the 1975 film Mahogany and Lady Sings the Blues as Billie Holiday where she was awarded a Golden Globe for best actress.

The Friday night of the festival sees Astley headline with a swing band.

The 58-year-old became famous with his number one hit Never Gonna Give You Up in 1987.

Mrs Bausor described him as a bit of a “national treasure”. She said: “He has been to the festival before but a long, long time ago. He’s had a bit of a resurgence in the last three or four years, especially following his incredible Glastonbury set. He’s going to be doing a really upbeat show.”

Later that night, Jo Whiley, a radio and television presenter, will DJ in the festival’s on-site club, Pure Heaven. The 59-year-old shot to fame in the Nineties where she became a voice for indie and alternative music.

Mrs Bausor said they were “lucky” to have her back. She said: “Jo really wanted to come back because she had so much fun last time and she loved the audience. She’s incredibly popular.”

The Saturday night of the festival will have a club and dance theme with music from Haçienda Classical. The act is curated by Graeme Park and brought to life by the Manchester Camerata Orchestra, alongside vocalists and special guests who will play dance anthems.

Closing the festival on Sunday is a double header. Matteo Bocelli, 27, the son of the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, will sing classical music inspired by pop as part of his European Summer Nights tour.

He has performed at venues including the Sydney Opera House and recently collaborated with the Oscar-nominated artist Sofia Carson with the single If I Knew.

Bocelli found fame with the release of Fall on Me in 2018 which was an original duet with his father from Disney’s The Nutcracker and The Four Realms.

Singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum, 45, will also appear with his fusion of jazz, pop and rock.

His album TwentySomething, released in 2003, was one of the UK’s best-selling jazz albums of all time with hits including These Are The Days, What a Difference a Day Made and All at Sea.

Jazz and swing acts will perform at the Paradiso tent throughout the week, including Northern Irish singer Megan McConnell, European swing band Natty Congeroo & the Flames of Rhythm and six-piece band Jazz & The Tonics.

Also performing will be Yolanda Brown, who will perform a tribute show of songs to the late Bob Marley in Pure Heaven. He would have been celebrating his 80th birthday this year. Her show will bring a mix of jazz, reggae and soul.

There will be a RISE stage to promote up and coming artists and provision of work experience. RISE was a charity set up by the festival in 2022 to provide opportunities for aspiring musicians to perform.

The line-up includes the winner of the Rising Star Award Hetta Falzon, a singer-songwriter from Somerset, Welsh R&B singer-songwriter Leila McKenzie, Jazz-Pop artist Darcy Winter, Bath-based indie folk singer-songwriter Jonny Morgan, South London based R&B vocalist Naima Adams, Birmingham three-piece Indie rock band The White Lakes and guitarist and vocalist Tony Mac.

World and folk music will be performed by Wonder 45, a London-based soul ensemble, four-piece rock, swing and soul band The Dominos, singer and pianist Luisa Santiago, who draws on her roots in Latin music, Datura Roots Collective, Andres Cruz, The Revue, Tor Hills, No Limit Street Band and Kavalla in the Bedouin Tent.

On Sunday, there will be a programme to cater for families including character comedian Mr Sleepybum who will perform his show in the Spiegel Tent, circus skills, magic tricks from Fred in the Shed, a juggling street show, live balloon sculptures, face-painting, and children’s music entertainment with YolanDa for her “Band Jam”. As usual, the a fireworks display, by Titanium Fireworks, will conclude each night of the festival.

Mrs Bausor said it has been challenging to get this year’s acts together but they’ve worked “tirelessly” to get a programme together to make sure there is something for everyone.

She said: “We are a small but beautifully formed independent festival. We don’t have big agencies behind us but we do have the benefit of longevity.

“We have been around for 43 years so the agents do know us and, of course, lots of artists have been to Henley and word gets around what an amazing place it is to perform. The fact that Diana Ross is also coming to Henley is incredible.

“We think she will love it. It is such a special place and it just feels like the perfect home for Diana. This is up there with one of the best line-ups we have had to get a big name like Diana, but every night there are really quality names, household names who are brilliant performers.

“I am a classical musician so it is important for me to try and get that in our programme and Matteo Bocelli will be amazing.”

Andrew Granger, from Shiplake and a former Savile Row tailor, described this year’s line-up as one of the best in years.

He said: “Every act is fantastic. I’m really looking forward to seeing Diana Ross and Matteo. It’s going to be brilliant on Sunday because of Jamie Cullum as well.”

Zoe Wilson, a friend of the festival and an exhibitor, was also pleased. She said: “I don’t think they could have gone any higher than Diana Ross. She is the Queen of Pop. It’s an absolute thrill. If you consider her timeline and her longevity, to have her here is pure gold.

“She led the way. The wait and the launch and the anticipation of the reveal has been fantastic. The line-up covers so many generations and everybody loves McFly — they are such lovely guys.”