Burnham-On-Sea’s music festival BOSfest continues today (Saturday, September 5th) as the popular three-day community festival marks its 10th anniversary with live music, poetry and entertainment.
The opening night at the Ritz Social Club on Friday was well supported with performances by Bridgwater indie band Petitions, Cornish outfit Venice Treacle, and the J E Vistic Rock ’n’ Roll Sound System,
Today, Saturday, will see Victoria Street and Princess Street closed to traffic for Kidzone, facepainting and the Nommies Dog Show, with refreshments available for visitors and their four‑legged friends.
Inside the Ritz Lounge from noon, Curly will host a poetry and spoken word stage featuring a line‑up of talented local performers.
At 2pm, music begins outside The Victoria Hotel with Wiveliscombe folk trio Diving Duck, followed by Glastonbury‑based Welsh soloist Bob Gallie and then Maddie D, a popular local vocalist performing both classics and original material.
The music will then move indoors where Weston’s Two Days as a Chimp will bring lively acoustic folk‑punk, followed by punk/metal band Federal Blackout, young mods The Koppers, and Dorset’s The Surfin Birds with their mix of Americana, psychedelic sounds and alternative rock‑pop.
Headliners Karl Philips and The Rejects will close Saturday night with their high‑energy fusion of ska, punk, grime and hip hop, influenced by The Clash, The Specials and Mike Skinner.
The Ritz will also host a full Saturday line‑up starting with Jack in Drag, followed by Ilk Elk, Chelsey Dee’s Wildhearts, and BOSfest favourites The Kahunas. Indie‑anthemic band Talk in Code will then take to the stage, described as “Daft Punk meets The 1975,” before local punks Vermin return with well‑known favourites including Anarchy in the West County and Emo Jeans. Bristol‑based Lacross Club will bring fast‑paced punk rock ahead of the night’s headliners Trampolene, the acclaimed Welsh alternative rock band who have toured with The Libertines and supported Liam Gallagher, PIL and others. Known for their poetical lyrics and mix of garage rock and spoken word, organisers say it’s “a fantastic coup” to have them in Burnham-On-Sea.
Sunday’s programme moves to the Manor Gardens with a celebration of West Country life. Rock Choir will open the day, followed by local folk singer‑songwriter Timothy Dean with songs inspired by Somerset folklore. The Chalice Morris Men will perform through the afternoon, while Two Man Ting will bring their “Sunshine Afro‑roots” grooves.
The Delta River Blues Band will return with their popular mix of covers and originals, followed by energetic rock/punk/funk outfit Giant Robot Bodies. This year’s headliners will be Wurzels tribute band The Twice Dailies, who performed at the unveiling of the Adge Cutler memorial statue in Nailsea.
Chair Tanya Dyer adds: “BOSfest is entirely not‑for‑profit and free to attend, with every penny going into staging the event. Donations from venues and the Town Council help support the festival, although the council’s grant has been reduced for the second time in three years. Whilst we are of course very grateful, it has had an impact which has reduced. Rising costs mean the majority of funding must be raised by the team and through public donations.” All performers are paid, with organisers saying they “value them all,” while the volunteer committee receives no recompense for the year‑round work involved.
They say the festival is built on a belief that music should be accessible to everyone and that original grassroots artists deserve support. Previous BOSfest line‑ups have included acts such as Get Down Services, who recently sold out two nights at the Bristol Beacon, and GANS, who have toured with American giants Pixies. “You never know where the band you saw in the Ritz, Vic or Manor Gardens might end up,” the team added.
