New bands join big names at Osfest
Bands from Shropshire and Wales will be taking to the same stage as some of the biggest names in the music world appear at the Osfest festival next week.
They include Stayawake, a four-piece band with two musicians still at secondary school.
They wowed the judges at the Osfest Battle of the Bands competition.
Organisers of the event, which runs from May 24 to May 27, say that their decision to have two stages at Osfest at the Park Hall Showground, means they can showcase local talent as well as bringing big names to the area.
Local bands include Like Fires, Shameless Faith, Blindsyde, Not Completely Blonde and Danny Gruff and the Peacemakers, who will keep the 5,000 festival goers entertained on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
With all the band members educated at The Marches School in Oswestry Stayawake recently "topped the charts" at the competition to attract local young talent and select a band to play the main stage on May 25, shortly before the headliners, JLS perform.
Harry Davies and Jack Hesketh, who are still studying at the school, and past pupils, Kieran Jones and Jamie McGowan, performed two of their own songs to impress the judges at the competition.
Harry Davies, who sings and plays rhythm guitar, said: "We are very excited to be playing at Osfest and to be involved in such a big, local event".
Carly Jackson, Osfest event director added: "It is great to see young people with so much talent and I am very excited for their future.
"We can't wait to welcome them to Osfest."
The evening performers include Charlie Brown, I am Titch, AME, Wiley, Lawson and JLS on the Saturday and King Charles, Lucy Spraggan, Lewis Watson, The Pigeon Detectives, James Arthur and The Enemy on the Sunday.
