More than 1,000 acts apply to play at the Icebreaker music festival for unsigned artists

MORE than a 1,000 acts have applied to take part in a music festival dedicated to putting on unsigned bands and solo artists from across the region.
Ever performing at the Fat Fox, Albert Road, Southsea.


Picture: Allan Hutchings (160139-000)Ever performing at the Fat Fox, Albert Road, Southsea.


Picture: Allan Hutchings (160139-000)
Ever performing at the Fat Fox, Albert Road, Southsea. Picture: Allan Hutchings (160139-000)

Organisers of next February’s Icebreaker Festival were left stunned when they totted up the numbers after the deadline for applications had passed.

The festival, coming up to its fourth year, will put on 140 acts in 11 venues along Albert Road and Elm Grove in Southsea, from The Wedgewood Rooms to The Honest Politician, with one wristband giving access to all of the shows.

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Co-organiser Mike Hartley said: ‘It was dead on 1,100 in the end, which is incredible. I didn’t know all of these bands existed. The good thing about the majority of the applications is that they are from our region, it’s not like we’ve had 500 from London or Liverpool or something.

‘Most of them do come from Portsmouth and the surrounding area, which is brilliant. It’s great to have all of this homegrown talent applying for our festival.’

Today, the team behind the festival is also announcing a whole raft of acts playing the event, which is expanding to two days for the first time.

Electronic pop act Minque will close Friday at the One Eyed Dog, while Archie Langley headlines The Royal Albert on Saturday.

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Temples of Youth co-headline the Wine Vaults on Saturday night with the acoustic, high-energy instrumental band The Machete.

Also added are The Paul Dillon Band’, Mint Gun Club, Fainites, The Collision, Dirty Diesel Outlaw Orchestra, Old Sarum, Gloo and Winters Hill.

Mike added: ‘Providing people keep coming to our festival, we’ll keep putting it on.’

Icebreaker takes place on February 2 and 3. Tickets cost £8 for Friday, £12 for Saturday, £15 for both days. Go to icebreakerfestival.com.