A SPRINKLING of live music in the park struck the right note

with hundreds of revellers at the weekend.

Nine home-grown bands and eight acoustic acts gave Burslem

Park a Glastonbury makeover for the day as the Mother Town took

another step towards becoming the Potteries music capital.

Saturday's festival – which had two stages, clowns and other

attractions – was organised to launch Stoke Sounds, a website

to promote local talent across the world.

But it was such a hit, organisers are already looking to

make it a permanent date on the city's music calendar.

It follows a growing number of gigs which have been drawing

crowds into Burslem pubs all summer – and even the production

of a CD of Port Vale supporting artists due to be released free

with club's Beano fanzine next week.

According to co-organiser Simon Bamford, there is currently

an explosion of young bands in the city looking for a break to

show off their work.

He said: “We hope the festival will help do that and last

month there was also a successful line-up at the Leopard Hotel

in the town which we hope to repeat at Christmas.

“We want to give these bands the opportunity to showcase

their songs.”

Fellow organiser Melodie Forrester added: “It's been

relentless quality from 1pm to 8pm and we definitely want to

repeat it next year.”

To add to the festival fever, the highlights were even

filmed by Burslem-based video production company 15 in the

style of the famous coverage of Woodstock. The final footage

will go under the name, Woodstoke.

Relaxing on the grass, crowd members also gave the day a big

thumbs-up.

Angela Falkner, aged 47, of Gillow Heath said: “The music

has been brilliant and they should really put more stuff on

like this in Burslem. There's so much talent waiting to get

out.”

Andy Smith, aged 28, of Burslem said: “This is a great way

to put the spotlight on Burslem.”

And Michael Harrison, aged 52, of Burslem, added: “It's the

loudest outdoor music in Burslem since Motorhead played at Vale

Park more than 20 years ago.”

Bands including The Control, Morning Sparks, Here's To The

Atom Bomb, The Title, The Fears, The Riot, Nemo, Audiomill, and

The Seconds were the line-up.

And the acoustic stage was graced by M S Thomasson, Ant

Mayer, Giro Junkie, William Feech, Donny Wrench, from The

Lines, and Yoz, with The Trent Vale Poet introducing the

acts.