For two summers running, Lower Castle Park has hosted some of the biggest names in music. And both years, Colchester bands got to share the stage with them. A lot of those acts are friends of ours, and many of them rehearse and record at Black Cactus.
2025: our scene on the bill
The 2025 Summer Series brought The Smashing Pumpkins, Busted, Craig David, UB40, Tom Jones, Texas, James and Madness to town, on the West Holts stage straight from Glastonbury. Local artists played across the series too, including Pet Needs, Lianne Kaye, Ben Brown and Evy Frearson.
As AJ put it at the time, the best part was seeing these artists take the time to support the local scene and put Colchester acts on their bills.
2026: local supports for every big night
In 2026 we worked with our production company, Cactus Production Intelligence, to bring local talent to the Summer Series stage:
- The Lamplight Club opened for Billy Ocean
- She's In Parties and Peonie supported Becky Hill, both using Black Cactus Studio kit
- Dylan Flynn And The Dead Poets supported Bastille on kit we loaned them
- Jeanie From The Mountains supported Richard Ashcroft
- Grace Calver supported JLS
The party after the party
Both years, Three Wise Monkeys Colchester hosted the official Summer Series afterparties, keeping the night going after Hollywood Vampires, Billy Ocean, Becky Hill, Bastille, Richard Ashcroft, JLS and Fatboy Slim in 2026.
From rehearsal room to Castle Park
Every one of those sets started in a practice room somewhere. If you want your band ready for a stage like that, book a rehearsal or talk to us about recording. Then see what we're putting on next.
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