Weekend of tribute act fun expected as popular Wolverhampton festival returns

The WV1 Fest event will bring a wide range of cover bands to two stages across a wide arena at West Park in Wolverhampton on Saturday and Sunday.

It will be the eighth time the event has taken place in the park and brings the sounds of bands and artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, The Killers, Marilyn Manson, Pantera, Madness, The Smiths, Blink-182 and Status Quo to the park, with around 10,000 people expected over both days.

Tickets are selling fast for the event, which will be headlined on Saturday by AC/DC cover band Whole Lotta DC and on Sunday by Queenesque, who will bring the sounds of Queen to the big stage.

There will be 14 bands in total, alongside a range of other attractions including a market place, fun fair and children's area, as well as a diverse mixture of food and drink items and several fully stocked bars.

Event organiser Jools Taylor from UK Tribute Festivals said the line-up paid tribute to the rock scene in the region, with the Saturday line-up a heavy mixture.

He said: "I think Wolverhampton is very receptive to the rock genre and the line-up on Saturday reflects that, with a lot of rock and metal bands, as Birmingham is the home of both and I don't know what it is, but there's definitely an energy for it here.

"The Saturday is going to be a lot more rock and metal, whereas the Sunday will be a lot more diverse with Elvis and the likes of Madness and the Killers."

Mr Taylor said the festival had grown in popularity over time and said Wolverhampton was the friendliest city out of all the cities the festivals group visited.

He said: "The people make it as they keep coming in greater numbers and it gets more popular every year, with younger and younger people coming now, with families making a weekend of it.

"We also get people travelling in from all over the country to be part of it, not just the local area and I think the pricing helps as it's very good value, costing £11 per day for adults and just £3 per day for children.

"The thing is the tribute bands play all the hits as well, so you're not going to sit and have to listen to new stuff and you know the band is putting on the big hits.

"The bands put on an amazing show and have a lot of production to them and, to be fair, I plan all the bands, so I'm looking forward to hearing them all while I'm out and about across the field."

WV1 Fest starts at 11am on Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18 at West Park and tickets must be pre-booked for each day.

To find out more and to book tickets, go to wv1fest.com.

Saturday line-up

• Rage Against The Machine by Machine Rages On

• Status Quo by State of Quo

• Biffy Clyro by Iffy Clyro

• Korn by Korn Again

• Megadeth by Megadeth UK

• ZZ Top by EZ Top

• Linkin Park by Link N Park

• Killswitch Engage by Self Revolution

• Rob Zombie by Robbed Zombie

• Marilyn Manson by Spouky Kids

• Ghost by Popestars

• Pantera by Pantera UK

• Metallica by Metal Militia

• AC/DC by Whole Lotta DC

Sunday line-up

• The Police by 5'0

• Queens Of The Stone Age by Kings Of The Stone Age

• Blink-182 by Wink 182

• Alanis Morissette by Alanis Moreorless

• The Smiths by Smiths Utd

• Elvis Presley by Tommy Holland and Rising Sun Band

• Daft Punk by Daft Punk Experience

• Fatboy Slim by Fatboy Kidd

• The Chemical Brothers by Chemical Dance

• Red Hot Chili Peppers by Red Hot Chili Peppers UK

• Madness by Mainly Madness

• The Killers by The Killaz UK

• Queen by Queenesque