CLIVIGER is joining the party for the 26th annual Burnley International Rock and Blues Festival this weekend.

From Friday to Sunday, the newly-refurbished Kettledrum Inn will host a bevy of American Deep South blues and modern acoustic rock.

Elsewhere in the festival’s line-up, chart-topping band Lawson, who support Jessie J on her next tour, will perform at Burnley College on Sunday, while veteran British blues band The Hoax, who stormed the scene in the 1990s, are on the main stage at Burnley Mechanics on Saturday night.

Top international performers will also grace the New Orleans stage at the Kettledrum in Red Lees Road for the first time, something new co-owner and festival organiser Steve Reid is very excited about.

He said: “The pub is a lovely edition to the festival. We’ve completely overhauled it and made it beautiful and quirky here, while still being a traditional pub with great real ales, ciders and lagers.

”I think the best way of bringing a town up is through the arts and media, and it’s great to be able to include Cliviger in the festival.”

Steve, who is also a music producer and had two Top 40 hits last year with boy band ReConnected, said this year’s festival would have something for everyone.

He added: “We’ve got a really good taxi service running so people will be able to have a drink and not have to worry about getting home. We’ve got camping at Burnley Rugby Club, so everything’s going well.”

At the Kettledrum on Friday, there will be unplugged sessions featuring Bear, Baxter Rhodes and melodic folk singer Maelor Hughes.

The following day, Serious Sam Barrett and Squeezebox Bob will open for Martyn Roper, a guitar and banjoist who works in blues, jazz and folk from the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s.

On Sunday, Lucy Zirins will support Tom Attah, an acoustic blues artist influenced by the rhythms of Howlin’ Wolf, accompanied by his barrel-chested vocals.

For tickets, visit www.burnleyrockandblues.com/tickets, or call 01282 664400.