This Is How You Do Old School – Pig’s Big Ballroom Line-up Revealed

Programmed by the inimitable Greg’s Greats, Pig’s Big Ballroom is one of Camp Bestival’s best kept secrets. Home to the Shellac Collective, it’s a mind-blowing treasure trove of vintage dance beats and swinging grooves that will captivate anyone who enters the fray. Proving that original R&B, swing, skiffle, jazz, African, Latin, calypso, rock-a-billy, and rock and roll played by live bands or from authentic 78rpm shellac records is anything but antiquated, Pig’s Big Ballroom delivers irresistibly jitter-buggin’, hip swaying action.

Making a welcome return to Lulworth Castle, Northern Ireland’s finest Duke Special tops a bill of sonic treats that also includes a trio of top keyboard players – the legendary Tony Tunes, the lightning fingers of Tom Seals, and the Strangler’s Toby Hounsham who will showcase their boogie-woogie piano prowess. After their individual sets, they’ll join forces on Sunday aiming to perform a classic boogie-woogie three piano special, “Boogie Woogie Prayer” first played in 1938 by Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson.

And there’s plenty more with rhythm & blues from 4D Jones and The Untouchables, interactive singalong sessions with Karauke, acoustic harmonising from Sound of the Sirens, and Elizabeth and Jameson, powerhouse vocalising from Ffion Rebecca, the Shellac Collective’s own Obadiah Scrumpet Warblers Jug and Pot Wash Band, and ukulele-powered husband and wife duo, Hedge Inspectors.

“The Shellac Collective have been presenting sounds from the origins of popular music at Camp Bestival since the festival started in 2008 and this Year promises to be the best Yet. New talent and established artists steeped in modern music roots whether that’s blues, folk, swing, rhythm and blues, music hall or country. We are particularly looking forward to presenting our four keyboard maestros on Sunday. Where we’ve got a trio of Boogie-Woogie connoisseurs, Tom, Toby and Tony ripping up the stage followed by the beautifully crafted original sounds from the enigmatic Duke Special who may also hit the DJ decks with a selection of original 78s….” – Greg Butler

Defining the term classic music, don’t miss out on the sonic treasures that Pig’s Big Ballroom has to offer.