Black Deer – Americana and Country Music Festival

Black Deer Festival, the UK’s premiere Americana and Country music festival is now just days away, taking place at Eridge Park in Kent June 17-19. Never been before or a bit rusty after a few years away, here’s our guide to the festival from our very own Black Deer fanatic, Cory Blose aka The Hobo on the Radio.

What can I say about Black Deer festival? From the moment I heard about the festival in the lead up to their first year, I knew it was going to be a firm favourite before ever stepping foot in the historic and beautiful Eridge Park in Kent. It seemed to hit almost every button of interest for me: Americana; Desert Rock; authentic low and slow American barbecue; custom motorbikes; cooking demonstrations; cowboys and good outdoor fun for my young family.

Black Deer festival is billed as an Americana and Country music festival but it’s so much more. It’s a lifestyle festival for those that love the rustic down home Americana culture. Of course, there’s the music – both British and American all of which would be at home in Nashville. plus Americana’s dirtier, crazier desert-based cousins over at the Roadhouse area of the festival. There’s also the food, oh the food; the best you will find at any music festival in the UK. Real authentic American low and slow style barbecue (not to be confused with the British BBQ equivalent of flipping burgers) but more on that in a minute. You also have the custom motorbikes, live-in cowboys, the mercantile area swarming with DIY creatives selling their vintage americana style creations, axe-throwing and not to mention the activities for the “young folk” as the festival affectionately calls them. When you enter Eridge Deer Park for the weekend, you enter a magically and passionately curated world hidden away from the grind of everyday life. At Black Deer Festival you get to truly live your best rural life, even if just for a few days. Here’s my guide to what you need to know about this wonderful event.

Camping

Set in the sweeping grounds of one of Britain’s oldest and most beautiful deer parks – Eridge Park, there are few better places to set up home for the weekend. There are plenty of options when you do so too. Of course, like most festivals you can roll up with your own tent and make camp for the weekend within the sprawling grounds. Get there early though as the pitches fill up quickly. There’s plenty of entertainment within the campgrounds too. There’s a scattering of campsite shops and eateries, including the magical tea and coffee hut, where the tea and coffee is brewed over a roaring woodfire with a scattering of music instruments for those impromptu campfire sing-alongs. Truly magical, in the witching hours, when coming down from all the days fun. There’s also the organised campfires scattered around the site creating a true community spirit.

For those who like the luxuries in life there are plenty of “fancy camping” options, with the exclusive fancy camping area with canvas bell-tents, a concierge service, premium toilets, showers and pampering facilities and an exclusive lounge bar. There’s also pre-pitched vintage tents in the general camping area, using rescued abandoned tents from other festivals, waiting pitched and furnished for when you arrive.

There’s also there’s the live-in vehicle option for those that like to bring their home on wheels. Just reserve a part of the deer park and roll on in for the weekend.

Music

Most of the festival is dedicated to Americana, Country and Blues based music with the Main stage, featuring some of the biggest worldwide Americana and Country artists. This year boasts, Van Morrison, James and Wilco as it’s headliners, backed up by the likes of Jake Bugg, Imelda May, Drive-By Truckers, The Waterboys, The Dead South, Jack Broadbent and more.

The Ridge, housed next door to the Live Fire Arena, hosts the best up and coming talent, as well as a few legends. Some of my highlights of the festival come from this stage including Kris Kristofferson, Broken Witt Rebels and Hayseed Dixie. Definitely worth a visit or two over the weekend.

Named after organiser Gill Tee’s late brother, who “filled their house with the sound of Country Music growing up, Haley’s Bar is where the party happens, full of good times and great music. Effectively the festivals resident barn dance where the drinks flows and music rolls.

For those that like their music a little fuzzier and their liquor a little harder, The Roadhouse is the festivals home of Americana counter-culture where the horses are of the steel variety, lovingly built by some of the top custom builders, flanked by mammoth vintage trucks set against the backdrop of music borne of the desert. Here you can enjoy some of the best desert, stoner and doom bands on offer, curated by Desert Scene London, the folks behind Desertfest in London.

 

Food

One of the things in the Live Fire Arena run by Grillstock founders Jon Funch and Ben Merrington. The home of Black Deer’s own barbecue cookout competition featuring pit masters from across the UK and even France. Some of the best smokehouse cooking is on display here and if your nice enough to the teams, you’ll even get to try some of their competition grade cooking, with gloriously and lovingly smoke ribs, pulled pork and more on offer. This year there’s also the addition of the chilli-eating competition for those with lead stomachs. The Gospel Brunch is a highlight of the weekend. Even if you’re not the religious type, the combination of great food, joyful congregation and glorious song are hard to resist.

There’s also the best selection of food stalls at any festival, with some of the best burgers, pizzas, mac n cheese and more options I’ve experienced at a festival.

Culture

There’s something for everyone culture wise with the something for Bikers, would be-cowboys and crafty folk all catered for. You can admire the custom bikes, get a taste of cowboy living by visiting the live in cowboys and even have a crack at the lasso. Like something a little more hard-edged? Then try your hand at axe-throwing and if you’re looking for creative inspiration, have a chat with the makers and creators over at the mercantile area and gaze at their vintage and rural inspired creations. There’s also various workshops and whiskey tasting classes to try out. Enjoy life at a slower, you can of course just find a place under the shade of one of the ancient oak trees, pull the bill of your hat over your eyes and enjoy the music and atmosphere.

Families

For those with young ones, the Young Folk area is magical with the Woodland Tribe area where kids have the opportunity to build their own play area safely and supervised, using hammers, saws, screwdrivers and reclaimed timber.

Within the parks glorious oak trees, kids can try their hand at Tree climbing, a zip wire, slacklining or conquer the climbing wall. There are Arts and crafts on offer led by members of the Black Deer team as well as music workshops and a tribal drum circle. This year the team have also added skateboarding workshops, the school of noise and a Deer (scavenger) Hunt.

 

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