A new music festival is coming to Camden later this year
The Music Walk Of Fame has announced it will honour 11 more music icons in a week-long event, ending with a new festival next month.
Launched in 2019, the Music Walk Of Fame covers a square mile in Camden and features Award Stones embedded in the pavements, celebrating artists and other important pioneering figures in music. Previous inductees include The Who, Madness, Soul II Soul, Amy Winehouse, David Bowie and more.
The trail will recognise more pivotal figures in music with a five-day-long celebration. This year’s recipients are Janis Joplin, Harvey Goldsmith CBE, UB40, Gordon Mac (Founder Of Kiss FM), Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, Sugarhill Gang, Eddy Grant, Buzzcocks, Billy Bragg, Shalamar and The Kinks. From September 4 until September 8, the MWOF will hold red-carpet ceremonies with artists, friends and family, while fans are also invited to attend.
On September 9, there will be a new free all-day event that will see parts of Camden High Street play host to an entire day of live entertainment and music. With the main stage on Hawley Crescent, the Camden Music Festival – supported by the Music Venue Trust – will welcome performances from Buzzcocks, Billy Bragg, Shalamar, Jazzie B (Founder of Soul II Soul), Rusty Egan (Blitz Music Machine) plus special guests.
On Camden High Street, there will also be a sound system hosting DJs throughout the day, programmed by Mi-Soul Radio and is supported by NTIA.
Talking about his honour, ‘Electric Avenue’ star Eddy Grant said, “It will be great to be back in Camden, where I grew up. To be honoured with a stone plaque that will be laid in the street where I walked, rode and drove from childhood to manhood.
“It is especially satisfying to be receiving this honour in 2023, the year of my 75th birthday and the 40th anniversary of my ground-breaking album ‘Killer On The Rampage’.”
He continued: “My grandmother, who gave me all my sensibilities after coming out of the womb, always told me that when someone gives you something and it’s something good the most important thing to say is thank you.”
Janis Joplin’s siblings, Laura and Michael, also commented on their sister’s achievement of being the first American inducted into the MWOF: “Janis’ music resonated with a generation hungry for authenticity. Her legacy is a reminder that vulnerability can be a source of strength, and her voice continues to inspire countless others to embrace their true selves. At moments like this, it’s a pleasure to see her legacy being honoured in this way.”
In future years, the Camden Music Festival will be expanded to the rest of the borough including Granary Square, Regent’s Park, Hampstead Heath, Denmark Street, and Camden High Street over three days.
Lee Bennett, Founder of The Music Walk of Fame says, “I’m very excited that once again we’ll be progressing the project to a new level of integration and fan engagement by incorporating what will become an annual borough-wide festival utilising all the venues and open spaces that the London borough of Camden has to offer.”
The Camden Music Festival is set to happen on September 9. You can find out more information at the Music Walk Of Fame’s official website.
London’s prestigious @MusicWalkofFame will be awarding 11 more music icons from 4th – 9th September
Amongst this year’s recipients are Janis Joplin, UB40, The Sugarhill Gang, Eddy Grant, Buzzcocks, Billy Bragg, Shalamar, The Kinks and more…
pic.twitter.com/oZY9e4iriG
— Outside Organisation (@outsideorg) August 10, 2023
The Who were the first-ever recipients of an Award Stone on the Camden Walk of Fame in 2019. In a statement, the band said: “Camden has always been vital to London’s thriving music scene and is, as we all know, a world-renowned hub for the arts. As Londoners, it’s very surreal to be immortalised in stone on Camden High Street, and it’s quite something to know that people can pop by and see us anytime, albeit virtually!”
In 2020, Madness received their award stone on the MWOF. Speaking at the unveiling, frontman Suggs joked: “We did single-handedly turn Camden Town from a shithole into one of the greatest tourist destinations on the planet.”
The same year, Amy Winehouse’s family were invited to celebrate the late singer being honoured with her own Award Stone. Her father told NME: “Amy was an integral part of Camden, and now she’s an even more integral part of Camden.”
Last year, David Bowie was awarded his stone on the coveted walk. Among those paying tribute to the late innovator was Spiders From Mars drummer Woody Woodmansey, who told Reuters: “It’s another landmark for his legacy basically music, the films, the videos, and everything he did for the culture.”
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