The SupaJam Stage, returning for its fifth year at Black Deer Festival, the UK’s festival for Americana, announces its artists performing on stage for the June 2024 line-up, at Eridge Park in Kent
In association with Folklore Sessions and Local&Live, headline performances on the SupaJam Stage include Orange Circus Band (Friday), Toby Sebastian (Saturday), with Blues Rock Artist of the Year winner, Toby Lee closing the stage on Sunday.
Nineteen-year-old Lee, who self-taught guitar at the age of eight, has starred in the School of Rock at the New London Theatre, appeared on The Ellen Show and was personally invited by Joe Bonamassa (Black Deer’s festival exclusive headliner on Friday) to perform with him at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019.
Lee has just come off the back of Jools Holland’s winter tour and is heading off after Black Deer to be on Glastonbury Festival’s Acoustic Stage. He became a global sensation after playing guitar at B.B. King's Blues Club in 2015, when he was just ten years old. Sponsored by Gibson Guitars, Lee has received over 350 million views on YouTube.
As well as performances from SupaJam students, the SupaJam Stage will also be hosting music by Noble Jacks frontman Will Page, The Roebuck, Edie Bens, Message from the Ravens, Sorrel Nation, Duskhouse, The Folly Bros, Doris Amy, The Ackerleys, Jacko Hooper, Memorial, Brooke Law. Folklore Rooms in Brighton, Local&Live in Tunbridge Wells have been instrumental in curating the weekend’s line-up.
David Court, joint CEO and SupaJam co-founder commented:
“Black Deer Festival is always the highlight of the year for our students. To offer students across all three colleges, the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in roles such as artist liaison, photography and journalism, live sound and performance is just incredible.
“We believe learning through music and firsthand experience instils confidence, engagement and experience and wisdom students can carry for a lifetime. We are so grateful for everything Black Deer Festival has done for the students since the festival started five years ago.”
SupaJam, that has music and media colleges in Brighton, Swanley, Canterbury, provides inclusive award-winning education for vulnerable and neurodiverse music students, who wish to pursue careers in all aspects of the music industry.
Black Deer Festival Co-founder, Gill Tee, who has been instrumental in producing this year’s SupaJam stage commented. “The SupaJam stage grows yearly, which has now led to artists contacting us asking if they can get involved. It has always been so important for me and to see firsthand what the festival brings to the students means everything. The stage is extremely popular with festival-goers and we are humbled to be able to present such a line-up of talented and well respected performers from across the globe. 2024 is going to be the best year yet!”
Now in its fifth year, Black Deer that takes place welcomes nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow (recently inducted into the globally esteemed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), on to its main stage on Saturday (15 June). American blues rock icon Joe Bonamassa was announced as the festival’s second headliner, as he appears for a UK Festival Exclusive, taking to the stage on Friday 14 June. The legendary guitarist, singer and songwriter has topped the Billboard Blues Albums Chart an unprecedented 26 times, whilst garnering three Grammy Award nominations.
Celebrating five years, Black Deer Festival continues to welcome a diverse range of names to Kent’s Eridge Park, partnering with The Independent for the second year running.
It runs from 14-16 June. Tier 4 tickets (day and weekend) are on sale now - purchase here.
Notes to Editors:
For SupaJam press inquiries, photography, or interviews, please contact Sarah Jones at Wilderness PR on 07775 582 497 or sarah@wildernesspr.co.uk.
About Folklore Sessions:
Folklore Sessions is a Brighton & Hove based company, founded by Jacko Hooper in 2014, dedicated to highlighting the best songwriters from across the globe.
About Local&Live:
Local & Live is a charity with a mission to promote and provide education for homegrown music and the arts in Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area.
About Black Deer Festival:
By music lovers, for music lovers, Black Deer is at the heart and forefront of the rapid and
influential rise of Americana in the UK and beyond - whether that be the biggest and best
across Americana, Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Roots or the Blues, or the exciting emerging
artists of the genre’s renaissance.
Wholesome food and drink, artisan wares, the festival’s own tattoo parlour and custom-built motorcycles - just some of the things sitting alongside the music and paying homage to the cultural heritage of America.
A festival for all ages; the young are given endless opportunities to explore, whether that’s through music, craft, or the great outdoors. Meanwhile, the corner of the festival is home to The Roadhouse, where you’ll feel the growl of the Americana counterculture, discovering after-show late night shenanigans. Black Deer is flavoured by the smoky tastes of America’s Deep South; expect gospel brunches, craft beers, expert demonstrations on foraging, butchery and knife making from master craftsmen, through to the very best authentic low ‘n’ slow BBQ and live-fire cooking from industry leading chefs.
A celebration of a way of life that is both timely and timeless, Black Deer festivalgoers will find the best of a bygone, rural era, made fitting for the modern day. Across the weekend, a diverse bunch of passionate roots-inspired artists story tell through song, showing the audience what Americana truly is, where it came from, and where it’s heading.
Find out more and buy tickets here: https://www.blackdeerfestival.com/