The Sound of the Shire is back….

Festival Crowd Header

This year’s Riverside stage at the Cornbury Music Festival will, once again, feature the very best acts that Oxfordshire has to offer.

After their show-stopping conga-causing debut last year, tonic-suited, flat-topped ska band The Inflatables are back by popular demand. And giving them a run for their money on the spontaneous dance-inducing front will be Oxford’s hot Cuban-style dance band Ran Kan Kan. 

Famous foodie and former punk Loyd Grossman's band The New Forbidden also returns to the Riverside stage this year with a sound inspired by the golden age of transatlantic New Wave tinged with a modern angst-ridden edge.

Other unmissable bands include the indie-pop Black Hats, The Brickwork Lizards, loved for their unique Turkabilly/hiphop mash up style (think jazz meets rap with a middle eastern flavour) and the curiously named seven-piece jazz combo The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band.

For those who like their music soft and melodic, acts to look out for include Ben Montague, who opened on Amy McDonald’s recent tour and secured the album of the week slot on Radio 2 in February, and the feelgood, Americana acoustic country band, The Knights of Mentis.

To get the party started, Riverside hands over the stage on Friday 5 July to popular London music venue The Bedford who are bringing some of their favourite acts to the Shire from their Balham homestead, including Blair Dunlop who recently won the BBC Radio 2 Horizon award at the folk awards and got a number 1 album on iTunes.

Published on 20 March 2013 by UKFG

Recent News More news

Upcoming Festivals Browse all

  • January Blues Festival

    2 January - 31 January 2026

    January Blues Festival is a month-long celebration of live blues music at the iconic Forge venue in Camden, London.

  • Rockaway Beach Festival

    2 January - 04 January 2026

    Immerse yourself in the exhilarating vibes of Rockaway Beach Festival, the ultimate music celebration set from January 2 to January 4, 2026. Featuring an eclectic lineup of bands and artists, this fes...

  • Luxury Soul Weekender

    9 January - 11 January 2026

    Experience the ultimate soul music weekend at the Luxury Soul Weekender from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th January 2026. Set on Blackpool’s iconic North Promenade, this annual festival offers a styl...