Chiswick’s music festival headlines with Soul Police

groveSTOCK, Chiswick’s answer to Glastonbury, is to rock West London on Saturday June 19th in its fifth and biggest ever year.

Held in the verdant vicarage gardens of St. Paul’s Church Grove Park (corner of Hartington Road and Grove Park Road, W4), the festival will see a confluence of professional bands on the main stage, brilliantly talented children in the groveFACTOR competition, and the corralled choirs of Chiswick schools, while adults spar for fame in Chiswick’s Got Talent.

Celebrity judges at this year’s groveSTOCK will include famed musical director Mike Dixon and entertainment entrepreneur Maria Kempinska.

Beginning at 2.00pm with an opening act drawn from last year’s competition winners, groveSTOCK rolls through the afternoon and evening, culminating with the hugely talented Soul Police headlining on the main stage before a fireworks finale at 10pm.

Throughout the day the Kids’ Corner, Ken Hammond BBQ experience and bountiful bar promise to keep families, couples and even the “lonesome tonight” entertained and replenished.

Attended last year by over 600 people, the event has trebled in size since it began in 2005 and has hosted a succession of bands and musicians who later cruised to music industry success including the Lightyears, the A-Train and Samantha Heard, who returns this year.

“groveSTOCK is about as much fun as can be legally had on a Saturday in Chiswick,” said Julian Tanner, groveSTOCK event coordinator. “Superb professional bands, brilliant young musicians, inspired performances from our local Chiswick talent - and an atmosphere and camaraderie that’s thicker and more pungent than the smoke from the Ken Hammond BBQ.”

Leading the judging of this year’s groveFACTOR will be Mike Dixon, the highly accomplished composer, conductor and musical director, whose career has encompassed professional productions of We Will Rock You, Pop Idol, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Queen’s Jubilee Rock Concert. Mike is currently bringing the rock musical Hair back to the West End stage. Meanwhile, entertainment entrepreneur Maria Kempinska will lead the judging on Chiswick’s Got Talent.

Supporting groveSTOCK are some of West London’s most successful entrepreneurs including estate agent Andrew Nunn, the festival’s main sponsor; Maria Kempinska, the founder of the Jongleurs Comedy and Lockout Music brands; Lorraine Angliss, founder of Annies and Reef restaurants; Leo Addis the director and owner of Eurowines; and Mike Reed, the internationally renowned conductor and musical director. Local Chiswick businesses including the Roko health club have also signed up as event sponsors and will be running the Roko Rowing Challenge throughout the afternoon.

Tickets will be available in advance from www.grovestock.co.uk or 020 8742 8016 for £10 per adult, £5 for 13 – 18 year olds, with children under 13 free. Tickets purchased on the day will be £15 and £5 respectively, with children under 13 free.

April 29, 2010