THE 19th annual Farmer Phl’s Music Festival in the border hills near Gatten Farm, Ratlinghope, include with local group the Paprika Blues Band opening the main stage at noon this Saturday, August 12.

With Lauren Scarlett on vocal, Moz on guitar, Rory Smith on drums and Billy Clapham on bass, the blues funk jazz band have a busy summer including more gigs at the Frankwell Wheatsheaf on August 19, and The Pour House on August 24 in Shrewsbury, and at the Bishops Castle Michaelmas Fair on September 23.

The Endings, Two Faced Tom and the Bootleg Boys, and Emma Heath are among local acts appearing at Farmer Phil’s with the Wayne Martin Band closing the main stage at midnight on Sunday.

The festival opens today (Friday) with an acoustic set by Ferocious Dog who return to headline the main stage on Saturday night, including guitarist Les Carter from the Unstoppable Sex Machine as part of the full-on six piece band that encompass folk infused with rock, reggae and Celtic vibrations.

Headlining tonight are Doctor and the Medics, of “Spirit in the Sky” hit fame, and The Quireboys.

Headlining Sunday night will be the Reverend Peyton and his Big Damn Band, crossing the Atlantic from Indiana in the USA to include the festival as part of a UK tour.

Singer guitarist Reverend Peyton is the bigger-than-life frontman who has earned a reputation as both a singularly compelling performer and a persuasive evangelist for rootsy country blues styles.

Having studied under Mississippi blues masters, that passionate inspiration has made the band America’s foremost country blues outfit and fuels their latest release “The Front Porch Sessions” released on Family Owned Records/Thirty Tigers.

Echo Town close the second stage on Sunday night and others appearing during the weekend include Gaz Brookfield and the Company of Thieves, Willie and the Bandits, Nick Parker and the False Alarms, Polly Money, and Treebeard,

There will also be the Something Else Cabaret Tent, children’s entertainment, market and food areas and many other attractions.

Raising money for causes the Shrewsbury Ark and Telford Crisis Centre, the festival tickets cost £40 for a day and £80 for the whole weekend at wwwfarmerphilsfestival.com or call Jessica on 07828 785219.