Enjoy Milford on Sea: Dire Straits Bass Guitarist to Headline Milford Music Festival

John Illsley of the legendary Dire Straits will be headlining the Milford on Sea Music Festival which takes place on the village green from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd July 2023.

Over the weekend there will be 19 local music acts performing for our free entertainment.

John is best known as bass guitarist of the rock band Dire Straits with whom he received multiple BRIT and Grammy Awards. In 2018 Dire Straits were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Today, he is also an accomplished artist.

The Milford on Sea Music Festival is organised by a well-connected team of volunteers (musicians, writers, designers, event organisers, sound and stage crew) who have come together to make this festival an event to remember. This year the festival will have its highest production values yet, with top quality staging and sound system.

There’ll also be a well-stocked and well-staffed bar, a range of wonderful local food trucks, and all other facilities you’d expect from a professional festival, including attention paid to disabled access.

A Programme will be on sale in July, which will provide full details of all the bands & acts performing and their stage times. Please buy a copy, as this funds the Milford on Sea Music Festival.

There are number of tiered sponsorship packages for local businesses and individuals to support the Music Festival:

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Sponsorship starts from £100, so whatever the size of your budget it is hoped that there is something that will suit you, and allow you to become part of the Milford Festival family! This isn’t just about displaying your name and branding, but about becoming part of the fabric of the festival – and the village itself.

To see full details on sponsorship please click here.

For more information, please contact: info@milfordonseamusicfestival.co.uk

About John Illsley

John Illsley is an English musician who rose to fame as the bass guitarist of the critically acclaimed band Dire Straits. With Dire Straits, John has been the recipient of multiple BRIT and Grammy Awards and a Heritage Award. As one of the founding band members, with Mark Knopfler, his brother David and drummer Pick Withers, John played a major role in the development of the Dire Straits’ sound.

Throughout it all, John and Mark were the only founding members to remain in the line up of Dire Straits right through from 1977 until they decided to call it a day in 1995. They still remain close friends and recently produced a programme “Guitar Stories” for Sky Arts.

During their time together as Dire Straits they sold over 120 million albums and toured extensively across the world. When Dire Straits took a couple of well earned breaks John released two albums; Never Told a Soul (1984) and Glass(1988). Both featured Mark Knopfler as a guest musician.

Dire Straits were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

As a musician John also has 8 solo albums to his credit since Dire Straits stopped touring. John will be playing all the Dire Straits classics and a few new songs from his new album VIII.

Today, John is also an accomplished artist.

To find out more about John and his current music and paintings, please visit: www.johnillsley.com

Milford on Sea Music Festival