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Among the acts so far booked, the three day weekend event boasts headline acts like the Hothouse Flowers, The Levellers, The Beat, Prince Buster, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm, The Blockheads and Neville Staple.

Organiser Jim Driver is no stranger to major music events, having been heavily involved in the early days of Guilfest and a fixture on the music scene since the early 1970s.

"Rhythm Festival is a small, friendly event aimed at people who enjoy festivals but who don't appreciate rip-off burgers, Middle Ages sanitation and flavour-of-the-month programming" he said.

The festival site includes a large, covered purpose-built stage facing a grassy man-made bowl set in beautiful countryside and with the oaks of Twinwood Forest at the rear.

It contains the control tower of Twinwood Airfield, from which Glenn Miller took off for his final journey in 1944, and is dotted with restored RAF buildings, housing such as the National Fire Engine Museum and (of course) the Glenn Miller Museum.

Jim also confirms that the organisers are aiming for a quality festival, with two stages and upmarket food and drink. The beers will come from Charles Wells Bedford brewery and all bars will heavily feature their real ales.

The number of food and retail outlets will also be strictly regulated and will be selling Indian and Asian specialities, rare breed and organic burgers, Mexican, two pure vegetarian caterers, gourmet ice creams, smoothies and lots more.

The 2007 Festival includes a hugely increased kid's field – including mini olympics, workshops, entertainers and dodgems – a much-enlarged Healing/Alternative Culture field, a Comedy stage (programmed by Ronnie Golden), a Folk Club and a solar-powered Cinema featuring an old-style kid's morning, mini-seasons of classic comedies, gangster movies and a raft of more cutting edge movies.

The value-added facilities include flush toilets (augmented by twice as many portaloos as the legal requirement!), luxury showers and supervised and secure campsites.

RHYTHM FESTIVAL LINE-UP BY DAY (subject to change) INCLUDES:

FRIDAY

HOTHOUSE FLOWERS
LEVELLERS
THE BEAT
BILL POSTERS WILL BE BAND
DEAN FRIEDMAN
NICK HARPER
THE MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG
THE NEW YORK FUND
3 DAFT MONKEYS
THE YARDBIRDS

SATURDAY

JOE BONAMASSA
PRINCE BUSTER
DR JOHN
STEVE HARLEY & Cockney Rebel
SETH LAKEMAN
TERRY REID
BUICK 6
CENTRAL RESERVATION
CHICKEN SHACK
REV. TED CHIPPINGTON
BARRY CRYER & RONNIE GOLDEN
THE DUALERS
EDDIE & THE HOT RODS
IAIN MATTHEWS
TONY McPHEE
MUNDO JAZZ
DAVE PEGG/PJ WRIGHT
THE ROLLIN' STONED
SKACOUSTICA
SWILL & THE SWAGGER BAND
KING NAAT VELIOV & THE ORIGINAL KOCANI ORKESTAR
WAKING THE WITCH
THE WILD UNCLES

SUNDAY

ALABAMA 3
JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUES BREAKERS
IKE TURNER & The Kings of Rhythm
ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER
BAND FROM COUNTY HELL
WILD WILLY BARRETT BARN DANCE BAD BOYS (& MARY)
EMILY BARKER & THE RED CLAY HALO
THE BLOCKHEADS
THE BLUESKINS
JOHN COOPER CLARKE
TRACEY CURTIS
DR FEELGOOD
KEVIN HAYES
LISA KNAPP
RICHIE MILTON & THE LOWDOWN
JUSTIN NOZUKA
JOHN OTWAY/WILD WILLY BARRETT
FRANK SIDEBOTTOM
NEVILLE STAPLE
TINY TIN LADY
THE TURNS