Punters shun Magna blues festival

The Yorkshire Blues Festival—set for Magna later this month—was due to feature a host of household names including former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor.

He was due to appear alongside renowned Californian axe man Stephen Dale Petit—who has worked with Jack Bruce and Bob Dylan—at the three day event.

Petit has been a top ten blues best seller and his music was named in the top 50 albums of the year by Classic Rock magazine.

Other artists due to appear included The Animals and Friends, Sandi Thom, Wishbone Ash, Andy Fairweather Low, Nine Below Zero and many others.

But the event, due to be staged by Magna Trust and Brave New Arts Ltd— has been scrapped because of poor advance ticket sales and lack of sponsorship.

A statement said: “The first year of the festival had received great PR and interest in the international line-up but advance ticket sales were, unfortunately, too slow and the organisers had to make the difficult decision to cancel the event.

“We had to make the decision as the financial implications of running the event without the support of advance ticket sales were too great.

“The festival’s core aim was to raise money for really deserving local and national charities so this decision was certainly not taken lightly.”

“People who have purchased advance tickets to the event will be contacted and ticket money will be reimbursed in full.”

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