We feature the Grateful Dead from time to time here on AUK, and if you’ve ever grooved to “Live Dead”, “American Beauty” or “Europe 72” then the Playing on the Farm Festival, at the wonderful Abbey Home Farm near Cirencester in the Cotswolds, will feel like coming home. Billed as a celebration of Grateful Dead music, this chilled-out weekend which takes place this year on July 12th-14th sees a convergence of Deadheads of all ages from across the UK and Europe gathered together for a weekend of “love , peace and dancefloor freakery.” The Grateful Dudes and Franklin’s Tower provide the sonic backdrop accompanied by Big Sky Orchestra, rising stars of the jam band scene.
Sited on the organic farm’s campsite, with beautiful views over rolling hills, a big top marquee hosts the main stage with a smaller tent for all are welcome acoustic jam sessions. Ticket prices including camping range from £45-£55 which to our eyes makes it one of the bargains of the summer. In true Grateful Dead tradition all proceeds are going to Medecins Sans Frontieres which for obvious reasons are needed more than ever right now. Early bird tickets have already sold out and numbers are limited – oh and Jerry Garcia’s songwriting partner Robert Hunter played on the next door farm back in the day – how’s that for GD synchronicity!
Full details and tickets are available from the Abbey Home Farm website which you can find here. And even if you can’t get along, their being a social enterprise with their slogan “The land is ours, it belongs to the future and we should leave it in good heart”, you should probably pay them a visit anyway. Long may they continue!
Our favourite gig (well, gigs, since we play twice) of the year! On behalf of Frankin’s Tower, we are looking forward to seeing everybody there.