Edward II

Manchester-based Edward II have been rocking festival stages for over 30 years and, still upbeat, and with rock-steady rhythms, blazing horns, fabulous harmonies and fiery melodeon melodies, the band continue to amaze audiences across the UK and Europe with their unique blend of rhythms from the Caribbean with English morris dancing tunes and traditional folk songs from the British Isles.

They have decided to take a break throughout 2024 and this Christmas concert will be a celebration of their second coming and will feature all the festival favourites, old and new, along with many of the friends who have been there along the way.

Originally formed in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1980, back in the nineties the band toured extensively across the globe touring world music, reggae and folk festivals on almost every continent before finally calling it a day in 1999.

In 2015 the band reformed, specifically to produce the Manchester's Improving Daily project and CD, which was designed to celebrate a collection of tunes written in Manchester during the Industrial Revolution. The album received a plethora of positive reviews, including Four Stars in both Mojo Magazine and The Guardian.