Box rocked

1:41pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

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The Box Rocks charity music festival went down a storm on Monday despite a late withdrawal from one of the headline acts.

The fifteenth anniversary Box Rocks, held at the Queen's Head Pub, was also the first Wiltshire festival to be streamed live on the internet.

Box Rocks organiser and Queen's Head landlord, Dean Creighton, was delighted with the event.

He said: "It was absolutely fantastic. We had a few setbacks but we still managed to have a fantastic day.

"At the last minute Troy Ellis and the Longshots had to pull out so the Rock Pirates stepped in and were the stars of the day.

"They finished a gig in Bath and then chucked their stuff in a van and drove up to perform.

"They are a great local rock band and stole the show."

As well as the Rock Pirates seven other bands played at the eight-hour concert including Yellotone, Straight Shooter and Corinthian Casuals.

Mr Creighton was thrilled to have reached a larger audience through the website.

He said: "We had about 1000 people turn up which was a great turn out.

"The weather was good and everyone behaved themselves.

"We also had a lot of hits on the website as people logged on from further a field.

"It was the first mini festival in Wiltshire to be broadcast online.

"I got text messages all day from people saying they were watching online.

"A few years ago Crowded House did a live gig online from Peter Gabriel's studio so it's turning into a bit of a Box tradition."

Box Rocks has raised money for the Forever Friends Appeal at the Royal United Hospital in Bath for the past four years.

This year Mr Creighton's nephew was born 12 weeks prematurely and he was looked after at the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

Baby Thomas was guest of honour at Monday's event.

Mr Creighton said: "Hopefully we've raised lots of money for the charity.

"We teamed up with the Forever Friends Appeal four years ago because it's a really worthwhile cause.

"It's story this year is that my own nephew was able to benefit directly from the money we have risen."

Although exhausted from the busy bank holiday event Mr Creighton has already pencilled in next year's Box Rocks.

He said: It's a lot of fun and the format seems to work so we're going to be doing it all again next year."