Originally planned as a 3 day festival and now scaled back to 2 days. The Hook and Sling is a festival named after the Eddie Bo 45 of the same name.

The festival focuses on the best of vintage funk, soul music alongside the best of todays generation.

UK promoter Adrian Gibson has managed to pull together a pretty impressive lineup with many of the acts performing for the first time in Europe.

Headliners:

**WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE** – The Poets of Rhythm are the Godfathers of the Deep Funk Scene. Formed in the early 1990’s in Germany, The Poets of Rhythm were their first band to authentically recreate the Funk sound for a modern audience. Their 1993 album “Practice What You Preach” is now, quite rightly, regarded as an all time classic. Their 2001 “Discern/Define” album on Ninja Tune took the funk in a new direction. Compilations from DJ Shadow and Daptone Records in recent years have followed. The Poets of Rhythm are back for ONE NIGHT ONLY.

**EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE** – The Sugarman 3 were founded by Daptone Records co-owner Neal Sugarman as a Boogaloo/Soul Jazz combo back in the 1990’s along with Rudy Albin (Drums) and Adam Scone (Hammond B-3 Organ). The Sugarman 3 have worked with Charles Bradley, Lee Fields, Naomi Davis and Bernard “Pretty” Purdie.

**EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE** – Will Sessions hail from Detroit and are arguably the best funk group in the world today. A slew of killer 45’s on the Funk Night record label with Billy Love, Rickey Calloway & Amp Fiddler have sent the funk/breaks world into overdrive with copies of some of these singles already selling for big money in the collectors world. Will Sessions have also collaborated with Mayer Hawthorne, Black Milk, Elzhi, Danny Brown and more.

**WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE** – Emil Carter from Mickey and the Soul Generation is flying in from Texas, USA to perform the music of arguably the definitive Deep Funk group. Emil Carter is the Vocalist/ Saxophonist with Mickey and the Soul Generation who existed between 1969-1977. DJ Shadow released a compilation of their entire catalogue in 2004 including “Iron Leg, ” How Good is Good”. “Get Down Brother”, “Southern Fried Funk” and more. This will be Emil’s first ever show in the UK.

**EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE** – Rickey Calloway is the self-proclaimed “King of Funk” who released his debut single “Tell Me” in 1970. After Kenny Dope re-mixed and re-issued the single in 2004 Rickey has joined forces with The Dap-Kings, Will Sessions and The Soul Surfers to release singles on the Funk Night and Kay Dee labels. This will be Rickey’s first ever show in the UK.

The New Mastersounds are Eddie Roberts, Simon Allen, Pete Shand and Joe Tatton. Their debut album “Keb Darge presents” was released in 2001 and since then the band have released over 10 more albums and become a huge live draw all over the USA and Europe.

**EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE** – Renaldo Domino hails from Chicago and released a bunch of 45’s on the Twinight label including the Deep Funk monster “Let me Come Within” and the in-demand Sweet Soul tune “Not Too Cool to Cry”. Renaldo Domino is appearing in the UK for the first time ever.

Other artists appearing over the weekend include:

RENALDO DOMINO – full live band
THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS – full live band
MUSIC MAN MILES ( Breakestra ) – DJ set
SPEEDOMETER – full live band
FUNKSHONE – full live band
SNOWBOY – DJ set
LIAM BAILEY – Live
DJ FORMAT – DJ set
NICK PRIDE & THE PIMPTONES – full live band
PUSH – full live band
FRANK RAINES ( Funk Night Records ) – DJ set
THE GETUP & RIA CURRIE – full live band
THE SOUL IMMIGRANTS – full live band
GEMMA AND THE TRAVELLERS – full live band
EDDIE PILLER – DJ set
ADRIAN GIBSON – DJ set
PERRY LOUIS – DJ set
ATHENS OF THE NORTH – DJ set
CROWD COMPANY – full live band
DJ ONEOFAKIND – DJ set
GREG BELSON – DJ set
FUNK E FISH ( HOT DAMN! ) – DJ set
DEAN RUDLAND – DJ set
RAINER WINDIC – DJ set

Buy tickets for the Hook and Sling festival here.