The Churchfitters, Zeitz-Blues-Shaker, The Folk, The Whybirds and Kilto Take confirmed

Rhythm Festivals have announced that four new musical acts - The Churchfitters, Zeitz-Blues-Shaker, The Folk and Kilto Take have been added to the line-up of the three Rhythm Festivals.

The Churchfitters, the acclaimed Anglo-French-Irish folk band resident in Breton, with a huge cult following on the Folk Circuit, have agreed to open the main Big Rhythms Stage on Friday 24th August. Zeitz-Blues-Shaker are one of Poland's biggest bands, plus nearer home, hot young bands, The Whybirds, Kilto Take and The Folk have been added to the weekend line-up.

In the Comedy Theatre at Rhythm Festival, headliners John Cooper Clarke and Ardal O'Hanlon have been joined by the amazing Chris Lynam (who will be resurrecting 'The Greatest Show On Legs' first seen on late night TV show OTT in 1982 with a young Chris Tarrant and Lenny Henry - a vintage comedy treat awaits... plus Otiz Canneloni (who combines the illusion of magic and the logic of stand-up to produce a huge amount of laughter), Michael Fabbri (who reached the final of Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny), Mike Gunn, Duncan Oakley, Dougie Dunlop and Julian Deane.

The Churchfitters is a folk band like no other. A double bass made out of a saucepan. Heart-wrenching vocals accompanied by a musical saw. Foot-stompingly fast fiddle mixed with infectious funk-rock bouzouki. And traditional tunes reinvigorated with mesmerising jazz sax. The four virtuoso musicians from England, Ireland and France strut their stuff on a stage that bristles with instruments - adding flute, banjo, dulcimer, tin whistle, guitar, ukulele, electric hub-cap bass and a sackful of percussion to their ensemble. And let’s not forget the unique ‘bing-bong’ machine made out of hack-saw blades.

Throw in some exquisite harmonies, a slew of startlingly original songs and a few jokes that create instant rapport and you’ve got a high energy show that always leaves audiences cheering. How do you adequately describe such a musically diverse, uplifting band? You leave it to Mike Harding, a self-confessed ‘huge, huge fan’. He calls them 'totally brilliant and beautiful'.

Rhythm Festival, held as a single event in Bedfordshire since 2006, becomes 3 linked festivals in 2012 with the addition of Rhythm Folk and Rhythm & Blues and takes place at Old Warden Park in Bedfordshire over the Bank Holiday Weekend of August 24-26th.