Joe Mullan
Missed out on Glastonbury and Reading? Catch the big names in Frimley Lodge Park instead...
It’s not every day that your local music venue has Madonna, Kylie and Adele on the very same bill. Take a trip to this month’s Frimley Lodge Live, however, and that’s exactly what you’ll find, as Surrey plays host to one of the biggest tribute events in the land.
Now in its sixth year, the Frimley Lodge Park festival has grown in popularity, spanning the whole of the first weekend of August and attracting more than 6,000 revellers. Big-name tribute headliners aside, it also features a host of local choirs and unsigned bands, plus children’s activities and a range of great food and drink.
Saturday’s line-up includes The Bohemians (Queen tribute), Some Guys Have All the Luck – in homage to Rod Stewart – and Abba Fever. Then, on Sunday, the focus shifts towards female superstars with The Amy Winehouse Experience, Madonna Vogue, Kylie on Show and Black Magic – The Little Mix Show. It’s a programme designed to avoid the accusations of male bias that have been levelled at some of the country’s ‘traditional’ festivals this year.
“We wanted to celebrate some of the biggest tribute female acts around,” says Andrew Edmeads, Camberley Theatre Venue Manager and organiser of Frimley Lodge Live. “And the local bands on the Sunday are either all-female or female-fronted too.”
The tribute market is incredibly strong in the UK, with acts such as The Bootleg Beatles, Bjorn Again and The Counterfeit Stones selling out theatres in their own right. Andrew attributes their success not only to musical ability but also to the fact that they play what the audience wants to hear. And with the likes of ‘Amy’, ‘Freddie’ and ‘Kylie’ on board, you can count on plenty of smashers to get the Frimley festival crowd going.
“To be honest, what you want at a festival is the hits. No matter how much you like an artist, your heart sinks a little when you hear them say that they are going to play some ‘new material’. No one wants that.
“Tribute events also give people the opportunity to hear the music of those who are no longer with us. And then there’s the admission price: with other gig tickets often around £100, it may be just too expensive to see the real thing.”
Frimley Lodge Live is very family-friendly too. Little Mix tribute act aside, there will be plenty of games and goings-on to keep little ones amused.
“There is also a lot of space for them to run around while you relax and enjoy the sounds,” says Andrew. “And there’s plenty of food and drink too. People are also welcome to bring picnics, which again keeps the budget down.”
Frimley may be a world away from Wembley, but Andrew insists that the acts are all incredibly talented, with many having played sell-out gigs at Camberley Theatre.
“We get a lot of recommendations from staff, or the management companies with whom we work. We’re looking for people with charisma – last year Blobbie Williams played at the festival and he’s fantastic. Same stage presence as the real thing.
“It’s all just a wonderful way to hear some great songs and great singers and have a lot of fun in the process.”
Can’t say fairer than that.
Aug 3 & 4; tickets and further info at camberleytheatre.co.uk
