FREEDOM Festival

Spiritualized, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Circus Ronaldo, Comic Strip, Doug Segal, Abandoman, Lili La Scala

Spiritualized and Martha Reeves & the Vandellas to headline FREEDOM!

An eclectic line-up of music acts are set to play at this year’s FREEDOM with major artists Spiritualized and Martha Reeves & the Vandellas headlining the Festival on Friday 7th September and Saturday 8th, respectively.

The international stars top the bill of a varied music programme which forms part of the cultural extravaganza running at various venues across Hull city centre from Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th September. The music shows will complement a number of indoor and outdoor free and ticketed events that are also taking place as part of the Festival including comedy, cabaret, family entertainment and street theatre.

A diverse range of music performances can be enjoyed for free on two stages in the Fruit Market during the festival on Friday evening and early afternoon until late Saturday.

The Pier Stage on the waterfront at Nelson Street will be headlined by Spiritualized and Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, with the latter topping a day of Northern Soul and Rock. Both bands will be supported by a great line-up of acclaimed and up-and-coming acts - from the surrounding area and across the globe - including:
• Little Barrie who have played live with Primal Scream and feature on two Paul Welller albums
• Windum Earl: well known on the Hull underground scene and likened to early Sonic Youth or My Bloody Valentine
• The Milk: hotly tipped newcomers playing soulful pop
• Smoove and Turrell who are quickly becoming the nation’s favourite funk and soul outfit
• Hope & Social – described as ‘Brilliant, uplifiting’ by Michael Eavis after their Glastonbury Festival performance

Making a pit stop at Wellington Street, the E20 Yellow Bus Stage will be transporting a variety of artists from the north of England and Europe to FREEDOM. Over Friday and Saturday, this stage will deliver genres including ska, dance, soul, jazz, folk and gospel to name but a few. This area of the Fruit Market will also feature street artists, food, drink and lots more entertainment.


Fruit will be hosting a variety of live music, DJ’s, visual artists, VJ’s and films on the Friday night and Saturday day and evening concluding with the FREEDOM Festival Closing Party on Sunday featuring a performance by former Bluetones singer, Mark Morriss. A number of other venues in the Fruit Market area – such as Brewery Wharf, Ruscadors and the Minerva - will be hosting additional music programmes during the festival.


Spiritualized, led by Jason Pierce have been broadcasting their interplanetary indie space rock since the 1990’s to great critical acclaim. Martha Reeves is one of Motown’s brightest stars and has produced some of the most infectious R&B of all time with tracks such as ‘Nowhere to Run’, ‘Dancing in the Street’, ‘Heatwave’ and ‘Jimmy Mac’. She continues to thrill audiences around the world.

Tickets are now on sale for the leading cabaret and comedy acts and the Yorkshire-premiere of spectacular European circus/theatre hybrid, Circus Ronaldo, that are also due to play FREEDOM. Tickets are priced from £5.50 to £11.00 with family tickets available. Visit Facebook at ‘Freedom Festival Hull’, www.seetickets.com and www.freedomfestival.co.uk for further information and to book or call 0871 220 0260.
Councillor Terry Geraghty, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Hull City Council said: “It’s great news that the music line-up for this year’s Freedom is ready to be announced. The lively and eclectic mix will bring the waterfront and fruit market to life, and will add to the other Freedom acts that will, once again, bring new experiences to the streets of Hull.”

Cluny Macpherson, Regional Director, Arts Council England, said: “FREEDOM does a great job of bringing fun artistic experiences to people, as well as making a significant contribution to cultural tourism for the area. Projects like this, where the whole community benefits from arts and culture, are something for the whole of Yorkshire to be really proud of.”


Further programming details will be announced soon, visit Facebook at ‘Freedom Festival Hull’ and www.freedomfestival.co.uk , for further information.