9 May 2023

Big Loud Records country songstress MacKenzie Porter is setting off sirens with a perfect mix of timeless country and shimmery pop, forming the F5 level summer jam, ‘Chasing Tornadoes.’ Returning with more of her “mesmerizing vocals and hook-driven songs” (Billboard), her newest adrenaline-filled offering is an addicting twist-and-turn-filled tale of a wild lifestyle and an unpredictable relationship. Written by Emily Landis, Jamie Moore, and Lainey Wilson, and produced by studio mastermind Joey Moi, the song’s electric lyrics find Porter spiraling: ‘Cause baby I’m a sidewinder Storm rider I’m going down like a telephone wire You’re a mustang runaway Two lane drifter I must have a thing for twisters Hot as Arizona Cold as Colorado Trying to catch that feeling like lightning in a bottle I’m gonna go where the wild wind blows Tearing up the road Chasing tornadoes Ignoring the tornado warnings, Porter stares into the eye of the storm, running a hundred miles an hour while slinging her lightning strike vocals around the whirlwind. Throwing caution out the window, the international triple threat embraces the fast life on the supped-up track, perfect for a summertime drive down a dirt road. “‘Chasing Tornadoes’ is the first song off of my full-length, debut album with Big Loud,” beams Porter. “We have so much new music coming, and this is the perfect intro to what the rest of the record feels like. It’s such a fun, feel-good song, and I can’t wait to play it live!”

Moya & Beth Taylor started the adventure with the first Chickenstock in their back garden (close to the present site) in 2018, which grew from them hosting large garden parties ……and the immortal words from a friend saying “you should put this on for the public!”. So they did! With plenty of help from friends and family, including Simon & Sophie Giles. Both Moya & Beth had worked in the Entertainment Industry for many years, both on and off stage. Moya has been Assistant Manager of a Cabaret Club, including running the Karaoke stage, has acted in many productions, including a production that toured France, Produced & Directed and worked backstage as Prompt, Props and as a follow-spot operator. She then moved out into business and trained as a Financial Adviser before becoming a Finance Officer for a Multi-Academy School Trust in South-East London. Beth, despite a few brief appearances acting on Stage, prefers the technical aspect of the industry. She worked as Production Manager in the same Cabaret Club as Moya. She also ran her own Sound & Lighting Company in the mid 1990s which including managing bands. So between them they have a considerable amount of experience to run a business, as well as a love of music and music festivals. The first Chickenstock was really good fun, and everyone had such a great time, they decided to keep going. It was clear that their garden – a good size though it is, – would not accommodate a larger stage and facilities. Moya & Beth’s neighbour kindly offered them one of his paddocks, so in 2019 they moved the Festival to Pett Farm. The larger space meant more people could attend, increasing the number of food and other concessions, and most importantly more music! 2019 was another great event, so they knew 2020 must be planned! Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 outbreak the Festival had to postponed until 2021, but this gave the opportunity to get Simon & Sophie much more involved and to increase the amount of music even more to cover three and a half days. Moya & Beth met Simon and Sophie, through their daughter, Mila, as she and Simon were Scout leaders together and had become best friends. Sophie and Simon together with Mila and her wife Ella ran the bar for the 2018 and 2019 festivals. However, Simon & Sophie’s knowledge of production gained through their Preforming Arts degrees, meant that they were keen to help in a bigger way, and Moya & Beth were very happy that they joined the main organising team for putting on 2021 and beyond! They all hope that you will enjoy the friendly atmosphere of Kent’s BIG little festival, being suitable for all ages, and in a spectacularly picturesque location, and that it will become a regular on your festival calendar year after year. The number of tickets available are strictly limited – so get yours early to avoid disappointment! We also aim to make the festival site as accessible as possible to everyone. Having a son in a wheelchair Moya & Beth understand how limiting festivals can be, and if he is anything to go by, being abled bodied is not a requirement for a love of music. If you have any specific requirements, let us know of these in advance, and we will do what we can to the best of our ability for you, to make your festival experience as care free, easy and enjoyable as possible. Please see our Accessibility page for more details! Between the four they have all aspects of the Festival covered, along with the little army of volunteers, who without the wheels of the Festival would not turn. They looking forward to seeing you in the Paddock!

Nashville-based band Boy Named Banjo has released their uplifting new track “What Keeps Me Going” via Mercury Records Nashville. Over tender, harmony-laced production, the quintet shares a positive anthem of gratitude that was written following what our world has experienced over the last several years.  “‘What Keeps Me Going’ is essentially our answer to the question, ‘What is important to us?’” shares banjo player Barton Davies, who penned the song with guitarist and harmonica player William Reames and Pat McLaughlin (John Prine, Loretta Lynn). “We wrote this song as we were coming out of the pandemic and reflecting on how that whole experience had shifted our focus. Like many others during that time, we found the most meaning from the simplest things – being outside, watching the sun go down, going fishing, and spending quality time with our loved ones. That’s what kept us going then and what keeps us going today.” Reames adds, “The song highlights why we do difficult things – whether that is going to a 9-to-5 every day or covering miles in a tour van, the goal is the same: To enjoy life. We work hard to enjoy life.” Davies continues, “The song sounds like it could’ve been written about 50 years ago, and I love that about it. It’s definitely got a bit of that Laurel Canyon folk-rock feeling to it, but with our contemporary BNB approach. I love the message of the song too. It just seems kinda timeless in the sense that I could look back on this song when I’m older and say, ‘Yep, I still feel that way.’”  “What Keeps Me Going” arrives on the heels of Boy Named Banjo’s Grand Ole Opry debut in March, a momentous milestone for the band that was documented over at People.com. In a time when the popular choice is to chase the double yellow line down the road to country radio, Boy Named Banjo thrives on its fringes. The Nashville-raised five-piece is a fusion of contemporary country, Americana and folk-rock stacked on a foundation of bluegrass. The band, which has been together in some iteration since its members were in their teens includes Barton Davies (banjo), Ford Garrard (bass/standing bass), Sam McCullough (drums) Willard Logan (mandolin, acoustic/electric guitar) and William Reames (acoustic guitar/harmonica). Reames and Logan played in a middle school garage rock band together, but it wasn’t until Reames met Davies in high school that Boy Named Banjo started taking shape. Garrard and McCullough joined later and together the five guys comprise the band Boy Named Banjo that we know today.  At sold-out shows marked by audiences singing along with every word, Boy Named Banjo tells their stories with an incisive, emotional and roots-driven perspective. In 2020, Boy Named Banjo signed to Mercury Records Nashville and released their debut EP, Circles, the following year. The band spent 2022 on the road playing some of country music’s largest festivals including Dierks Bentley’s Seven Peaks and Country Jam and Kip Moore’s Fire on Wheels Tour, and made their CMA Fest debut playing at the Ascend Amphitheatre Nighttime Concert as well as a sold-out hometown show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl. The group most recently released the tracks “Whiskey Dreams,” “Heart In Motion” and “Heart Attack,” which earned support from Billboard, CMT, MusicRow and more. Boy Named Banjo is currently prepping their next project to be released later this year.