We are delighted to welcome open the festival with the three winners of Marlborough school's battle of the bands to open the festival. Get ready for amazing musicianship from these super talented youngsters. Join us to watch the next generation set out on their musical journey.

A lively acoustic duo bringing a mix of folk and rock classics from the 60s through to the 90s. With rich harmonies, rhythm guitar, and lead flourishes, they shift seamlessly from easy background listening to upbeat, singalong party favourites. Guaranteed to bring energy and great tunes!

The Nightjars are an Oxford-based acoustic folk group with a rich, eclectic sound, blending influences from bluegrass to French jazz. Featuring cello, violin, mandolin and accordion, they bring together intricate arrangements, warm vocal harmonies and a distinctive, lively energy.

The Ponderosa are Rod Craig (mandolin/vocals), Kate Saunders (fiddle/vocals), Simon Stafford (vocals/guitar), Colin Tester (percussion) and, hopefully, John Winterbottom (bass). Hailing from the gently rolling hills and river valleys of Oxfordshire, they play an infectious blend of the familiar, unfashionable and obscure: traditional and contemporary acoustic music and Americana played with passion and energy, by turns sublime and rabble-rousing. Rod Craig and Simon Stafford were the very first performers at the very first Woodstock Live!

Under the creative guidance of Dr P. A. Francis, O.W.T.O. is what happens when real musicians, with real instruments, get in a studio and press record. No smoke, no mirrors, no autotune and no machines. It’s all live, and in an age when what you see may not be what you get, O.W.T.O. seeks to remind its audience why authenticity still matters. Their funk-soul pulse sits somewhere between nostalgia and evolution, and the project describes itself as a large G&T - Grooves and Tunes. Live, the project hits hard and true, and without doubt, they'll have you saying, ‘To hell with it, where’s the dance floor?

A band to be seen live, Americana-indie group, The Autumn Saints, are described as “The Band meets War-on-Drugs”.

Signed by Nick Stewart, who discovered U2, The Long Ryders and Killing Joke, they have just finished recording their new album. Lead-singer/bass player Britt Strickland brings soulful-southern-storytelling from his North Carolina home to the UK. He explores the tradition made famous by the likes of Dylan and Cash and it lives in the band's rich music: tales of hurricanes sweeping through the Appalachian Mountains and late-night encounters at lonely crossroads. The British influence is also unmistakable. Melodic, ethereal guitar and shuffling drums create atmospheric British indie depth, while Hammond organ, lap steel, guitar, and harmonies add bright roots flavour and soul.

MARYSGARDEN are celebrating twenty years in the business having been formed in 2005 by Oxford singer Laima Bite. Laima the sole original member of the band appears with their current line-up of Andrew Brown (bass), John Bosley (guitars), Darren Hasson-Davis (drums), Pete Lock (backing vocals) and Robin Morris (keys). MARYSGARDEN have wowed audiences at major venues and festivals across Oxfordshire and been supported by local press outlets Nightshift Magazine and OMS and are hotly tipped by the local BBC Ox and Berks introducing show.

Boneyard Jukebox are an Oxford collective formed by seasoned local musicians who collided from different musical eras to resurrect the wild, direct sounds of early-to-mid 20th century American music. Their roots span rockabilly, rhythm & blues, jazz and blues, giving the band a broad palette to reinterpret vintage material with bite and authenticity. Their live show blends tight horn arrangements, upright bass drive and raw guitar work to create a dancefloor-first experience that nods to Louis Jordan, Louis Prima Johnny Cash, Bo Diddley, Wynonie Harris and Johnny Burnette, delivered with a raw, un-sanitised energy the members describe as “like a live jukebox!”

Formed in 2010 and returning to Woodstock Live once again, Counterfeit Hit have developed a reputation as one of Oxfordshire's best live party acts, booking up on gigs every year simply by recommendation and word of mouth. Their act has been refined through hundreds of gigs and continues to develop as new songs and new requests come to the fore. Thriving on the thrill of live performance Counterfeit Hit's energetic playing, bold stage presence and audience interaction are sure to get a party started!