'Huge names' to perform at little-known festival

A South Gloucestershire town will host "huge names" from the music industry in the coming years.

That is what James Murden, co-founder of Good Times Live, said forms his "ambitious" three-year plan for the string of music and comedy shows in Chipping Sodbury.

Having started with tribute bands as they "couldn't afford to book anyone proper", Mr Murden said he and his brother-in-law, Tom Campbell, were not believed when they announced McFly would be playing at the 2024 event.

He believes the 2025 festival, which will welcome the likes of Billy Ocean and Craig David over the late May bank holiday weekend, is bucking the trend seen among festivals due to its "accessibility and affordability".

Good Times will move to The Ridings in Chipping Sodbury this year, having previously taken place at Yate Town Football Club.

This year's music line-up includes Jools Holland, Billy Ocean, Skunk Anansie, Craig David, Will Young, and Natalie Imbruglia.

Mr Murden said the idea of holding the festival began in a pub when he and Mr Campbell, who works in stage lighting, decided South Gloucestershire needed something "big and amazing".

But Mr Murden said "one of the biggest challenges" was moving from tribute bands to original artists.

"Last year, we had McFly - actual McFly - and people said, 'It's not the real McFly is it?'," he said.

"People didn't believe us. They thought we were going to have a tribute band to McFly."

Researching the event, the organisers looked at the challenges and positives experienced by other local music events.

"Unlike a festival where you've got the commitment of camping or taking a weekend off work, these are a series of separately ticketed shows," Mr Murden said.

"We've tried to make it as accessible and affordable to everyone as possible and it's in an easy to get to area, I think that's why we're bucking the trend to the events industry as a whole."

In 2024, 15,800 people attended Good Times, and Mr Murden said the shows are "on track for even more" now the venue has moved.

"Our three-year plan, it's ambitious but we're going to do it," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"The names we're going to have, we're talking huge names that you would usually go to the O2 or Wembley to see, they will be in BS37 and it is going to be incredible."

Good Times also hosts comedians, with this year's line-up including Katherine Ryan, Gary Delaney, and Henning Wehn.

The various events will take place between 21-26 May.

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