Upton Blues Festival – 2009-2019
Upton Blues Festival is a remarkable free festival in the streets of the lovely Worcestershire town of Upton upon Severn. With every performer paid and every performance free to attend the festival attracts 20,000 visitors, brings almost £1M in revenue to the Worcestershire town and is Festival of the Year 2015 and 2016 in the British Blues Awards. A Registered Charity, the festival has grown rapidly both in terms of numbers and its contribution to the town’s economy and recently donated £40,000 to improve the town’s facilities.
Oliver was Chair of the Volunteer Organising Committee from 2009-2016 (the festival’s growth years) and a Trustee of the festival until 2019.
Blues at The Fold – 2009 – 2015
Oliver launched Blues at the Fold in 2008 and ran it for seven years before handing it over to the venue to run in 2015. It grew to its target figure of 700 and built a very strong reputation for its relaxed style and the quality of the music, food and drink. Oliver replaced it with World in a Day Festival, a test World Music festival that ran at the same venue.
It formed a key part of Oliver’s not-for-profit festival company Jigsaw Community Festivals along with the Jinney Ring and Broom Hill festivals and the hire of JCF’s marquee and stage equipment which is available for hire at very low cost to a number of local community organisations.
Nest of Voices – 2017 – 2019
An eclectic a capella festival held in a yurt, featuring everything from Nordic songstresses singing in Swedish to sea shanties (The Longest Johns who have since hit a rich vein in lockdown), male voice choir and close harmony comedy.
Jinney Ring Blues Festival – 2009 – 2018
Jigsaw Festivals suggested to the Jinney Ring (a craft centre and restaurant complex) that they could hold a music festival in their grounds with Oliver providing the music, planning and some of the marketing activity. Primarily run by the Jinney Ring, the event has now been joined by a Folk Festival at the venue.
Broom Hill Music Festival – 2013 ongoing
Working in conjunction with exceptional local promoter Tim Porter, Oliver helped develop this event held in a field in South Warwickshire. The goal was to set up a family friendly music festival on a completely blank canvas. Now setting off on its fourth year and now in Tim’s hands it is a very ‘local’ and charming event.