Steve Knightley, the song writing force behind popular folk/roots duo, Show of Hands, arrives in the Ribble Valley later this month.

Steve’s Grow Your Own Gig tour, takes him on a mammoth solo tour of village halls and community centres, performing in remote locations, from Cornwall to the tip of Scotland as he returns to the rural roots of his music.

Knightley said: “Having written so many songs over the years about people who live and work in the countryside and the day-to-day issues they face, it will be great to actually perform them in their spiritual homes.”

Recent converts to Steve’s song-writing include BBC rural affairs correspondent Tom Heap, who said Knightley’s anthem Country Life said ‘more in three minutes than I could in a 45 minute programme.

Jeremy Vine, Andrew Marr, Simon Mayo and historian Michael Wood have also featured his songs on their shows.

With several BBC folk awards and four sell-out appearances at the Royal Albert Hall Knightley says he is looking forward to getting up close to a new audience.

“It should be a great social occasion as well as a lovely musical event,” added Knightley.”

Meanwhile, James Lavelle is the latest superstar DJ signing confirmed to spin the decks at next month’s Beat-Herder festival (July 18-20) Lavelle’s legendary MO Wax Label released DJ Shadow’s classic album Entroducing and Lavelle has since worked with The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft, Thom Yorke from Radiohead and Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh Homme.

Techno supremo Dave Angel is another big name added to the three-day festival feast, while indie posters Sunshine Underground and dubsters Nucleus Roots are also booked to perform on a bill that already boasts headline Manchester mayhem merchants The Happy Mondays, The Orb, Goldie Looking Chain, K Klass, The Freestylers, Boney M, Mr Scruff, The Utah Saints and the Dub Pistols.

Beat-Herder co-founder Nick Chambers said: “It’s an absolute monster of a bill, I just can’t wait to see it all in action.

“As ever, we’ve kept a few little treats back, our little secret.

“It wouldn’t be Beat-Herder if we didn’t have a little surprise or two on the day.”

  • Steve Knightley, Langho and Billington Community Centre, tomorrow. £16. Available from www.wegottickets.com or 07724 118575.