Review: Don't Stop Me Now, Henley Festival

Don’t Stop Me Now | Henley Festival | Sunday, September 19

A SUNNY Sunday evening in the company of thousands was the ideal way to bring to a close the triumphant return of the Henley Festival after the pandemic gloom.

The title of the main stage event for the evening summed it up: Don’t Stop Me Now.

This rock and symphonic show featured a full rock band and the 52 musicians of the English National Orchestra conducted by Steve Sidwell with a quartet of rock vocalists: Cassie Compton, Rob Fowler, Joel Harper and Sharon Sexton.

The festival is sometimes criticised for appealing to a limited audience but on Sunday evening every age group from young teens to their grandparents and everybody in between was there - out of their seats and dancing to the songs of Abba, the Bee Gees, Queen and more besides.

As always the festival had much more to offer than just this energy-packed main stage event.

Earlier in the evening, in the Jazz Tent, an enthusiastic audience had enjoyed the delights of the Ferio saxophone quartet, featuring locally born artist Huw Wiggin on soprano sax.

Their beautiful ensemble playing of Piazzola, Bach and Bizet, to name a few, was a treat to listen to. Here’s looking forward to next year.

Amanda and David Sadler