AC/DC UK, Soul Battalion and Calling Planet Earth line up for north Derbyshire's Rail Ale Festival

Rock, soul and Eighties pop will be the major soundtracks at this year’s Rail Ale Festival.
By Gay Bolton
Published 6th Mar 2024, 05:30 BST
Updated 22nd Mar 2024, 08:44 BST

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Tribute act AC/DC UK will be performing at Rail Ale Rock Night on Thursday, May 16, 2024 (photo: Big Rivers)Tribute act AC/DC UK will be performing at Rail Ale Rock Night on Thursday, May 16, 2024 (photo: Big Rivers)
Tribute act AC/DC UK will be performing at Rail Ale Rock Night on Thursday, May 16, 2024 (photo: Big Rivers)

The party at Barrow Hill Roundhouse will start with a bang on Thursday, May 16, with an incendiary show from AC/DC UK, one of the most renowned AC/DC tributes in Europe. A full-sized production features six firing cannons, inflatable Rosie, a Hells Bell and a wall of Marshall stacks.

Soul Battalion, a Sheffield-based soul and Motown band, will bring blazing brass, driving rhythm and soaring vocals to Rail Ale on Friday, May 17.

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Eighties music fans will be drawn to Calling Planet Earth and the New Romantics songs of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, Tears For Fears, ABC, Japan, Human League and more, performed by singers and musicians on Saturday, May 18.

Soul Battalion will entertain the Rain Ale crowd with soul and Motown music on May 17, 2024.Soul Battalion will entertain the Rain Ale crowd with soul and Motown music on May 17, 2024.
Soul Battalion will entertain the Rain Ale crowd with soul and Motown music on May 17, 2024.

Real Ale revellers will be treated to a wide range of live music in the marquee and on the main stage from jazz and brass through acoustic, funk and soul to rock and roll.

Thousands of people are drawn to the annual festival which combines the unique atmosphere of the UK’s only operational railway roundhouse with an unsurpassed range of cask beers, craft ales, ciders and gins, live music and train rides.

This year there will be more than 400 real ales from around the country, a great range of ciders and craft beers, an impressive line-up in the Rail Ale Gin Palace and a sprinkling of sparkle with the Prosecco & Wine bar.

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The Street Food Court and Roundhouse Café will be on hand to provide a tasty range of food to suit every appetite from pork pies to pizza, bacon baps to burgers and hog roast to noodles, tempting snacks and complete meals.

Between 12noon and 5pm on Friday and Saturday, the popular Rail Ale train will be running for everyone to enjoy a trip on, beer or gin in hand, through the Roundhouse yard and up and down the Springwell branch line.

A bus service will operate between Chesterfield railway station and the Roundhouse on all three days of the festival.

Tickets are now on sale from www.seetickets.com and local outlets in Chesterfield, Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham. For more information on the event, visit www.railalefestival.com.

Related topics:DerbyshireBarrow Hill RoundhouseSheffield