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More than 1,700 people are expected to head for Christchurch Meadows in Caversham tomorrow for the biggest night of the Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival
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1,700 expected at Real Ale and Jazz Festival

By Alan Bunce
July 22, 2011

More than 1,700 people are expected to head for Christchurch Meadows in Caversham tomorrow for the biggest night of the Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival.

James Hunter, fresh from his 20-date tour of the USA, is the headline act as festival organisers seek to put on some of the best up-and-coming British talent.

Rhythm and blues star James, who has performed on Radio 2 programmes for Jools Holland and Mark Lamarr, has supported musical legends like Aretha Franklin and Van Morrison as well Los Lonely Boys and Boz Scaggs and is the big name of this year’s upgraded music line-up.

He and his band have earned rave reviews in the UK and the US, and will be off to Antwerp in Belgium to perform at the Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Festival on Sunday.

Supporting James Hunter is The Filthy Six, a band described as playing ‘a hip-shakingly powerful mixture of soul jazz, funk and boogaloo in the finest traditions of late 60s Blue Note artists’.

The Filthy Six have also performed on the Mark Lamarr Show, BBC Radio 2 and the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC 6Music.

The Chris Walker Swingtet, a festival favourite, will kick off the music tomorrow.

Festival chairman Barry Jukes said: “Ticket sales for the Saturday night are reflecting well. It’s the most expensive night but it’s the most popular.”

You can pay at the gate both for today and tomorrow.

Today’s line-up – ticket price £17 – is The Andy Dickens Band and the Red Stripe Band. Opening time, 6pm. Music starts 7.15pm. Closing time is midnight.

Tomorrow: ticket price £20 – opening time is 4.30pm. Music starts at 5pm. Closing time is 11.30pm.

Breweries supplying ales include Adnams, Ascot, Charles Wells, Fullers, Grain, Hop Back, Loddon, Marston’s, Mauldons, Meantime, Purity, Ramsbury, Rebellion, Ringwood, St Austell, Surrey Hills, Timothy Taylor, Tring, Two Bridges, Vale, West Berks, Windsor & Eton and Young’s.

There will also be a bar for wines and ciders, and chocolate will also be available. There will be a burger bar, a hog roast and, for the first time, Pieminister’s pies.

Visit http://raaj.info/ to find out more.

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Most recent user comments 8 of 8

Tickets were cheaper if you bought in advance and/or in bulk. Was cheaper than pub prices (with the exception of Whetherspoons)and there wasn't much in the way of "modern jazz", so the music was pretty good.

Massive hangover on Saturday tho.

Lester Crinklesack
24/07/2011 at 09:33

Moan Moan Moan!!!! Blimey, why can't people be positive. Its £20 to get, yes, but if you go to any sort of sporting event it would cost a lot more and it would be over in 90 minutes!!! We are lucky to have these events in Reading and they should be supported not moaned at.

Tim Beer, Reading
23/07/2011 at 11:49

Far too expensive guys!! I went a few years ago when it was cheaper, and I'll go again IF you bring the entry price down!!!! Too much profiteering is ruining this event.....

Me again, reading
22/07/2011 at 15:19

The web address is wrong, should be http://www.raaj.info :-)

cjw296
22/07/2011 at 15:04

That's way too much for pub priced beer and a band you probably don't want to listen to anyway. This used to be reasonably priced, but in recent years it's got silly.

DM
22/07/2011 at 13:52

Great. Another load of noisy p**sheads will be walking down my road for a couple of nights.

One who knows, Chaversham
22/07/2011 at 10:14

More rip off Reading with people paying over the odds to drink home brew in a tent while listening to five moustachiode bufoons playing different tunes all at the same time. Bring back Nine Below Zero.