Jack's back to Blackthorn

Jack Taylor

A MASSIVE shout-out today goes to Jack Taylor who, despite only turning 20 last week, has just secured a THIRD appearance at the prestigious Blackthorn Festival ­- with his third different band!

Oldham lad Taylor, who works at the Music Direct store in Chadderton, is lead guitarist with hotly-tipped indie outfit Corella, and they were confirmed to appear at the Blackthorn last week.

The festival, which this year features Reef, Space, and top unsigned acts like No Hot Ashes, the Blinders and the Jade Assembly, takes place at the picturesque Whitebottom Farm outdoor venue near Stockport between July 21-23.

It's one of the hottest events on the music calendar each summer, but already Taylor has "been there and done it" having played with Indigo Empire in 2015 and Cruel Kingdom last year.

Taylor told me: "I'm buzzing that Corella have got on the Blackthorn this year.

"It's a top quality festival. The crowd are really knowledgeable and the atmosphere is brilliant.

"It's a festival that people go to purely to hear quality music. It's a great weekend and I can't wait to go back. I feel quite proud of myself to be on it again. None of the other Corella lads have played it before, so I've been telling them all about what it's like and what the sound's like.

"Right now I just want to make sure I don't end up going back next year with a fourth different band!

"I say that because Corella is going great for me at the moment. There's loads of good stuff going on."

Corella ­- who also feature front-man Joel Smith, bassist Ben Henderson and drummer James Fawcett ­- supported Larkins at the Gorilla in Manchester last weekend and now have their own headline show at the city's Deaf Institute venue booked in for Saturday, April 29.

Spring dates in Sheffield, York, Leeds, London and more, are also in the pipeline.