ROCKING the stage at big festivals such as Glastonbury and BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend is a way of life for Stornoway, but the quartet say Larmer Tree is one of their favourites.

The group will be performing a mixture of songs, from their albums, when they step onto the main stage at Larmer Tree.

“It’s such a beautiful setting, which is very pristine, and there’s a real mix of music there. We love it,” said lead singer and guitarist Brian Briggs. “And it’s incredibly civilised. There’s always a fantastic crowd, who give you a great response.

Briggs formed the group more than eight years ago with keyboard player Jon Ouin after they met during fresher’s week at Oxford University. Bassist Oli Steadman and his brother Rob on the drums, complete the quartet.

In 2005, Stornoway were the first unsigned act to appear on Later...with Jools Holland, alongside Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Sting and Norah Jones.

The group, named after the Scottish town on the Hebridean Isle of Lewis, signed with current label 4AD in 2010 and produced their debut album, Beachcomber’s Windowsill, followed by Tales From Terra Firma, along with a mini-album, You Don’t Know Anything.

Briggs said: “Time has flown by and we’re looking forward to the next album release now.

“For me, the two highlights are performing and songwriting.”

Tomorrow’s performance at the Larmer Tree main stage starts at 7.55pm.

A YORKSHIRE folk duo are looking forward to their fourth trip to Larmer Tree Festival this weekend.

O’Hooley & Tidow - Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow - are returning fresh from Glastonbury and with their latest album receiving rave reviews.

O’Hooley said: “We love Salisbury and the Larmer Tree Festival; it’s our fourth now. It’s a great festival and so diverse.

“Larmer Tree brings lots of different people together. You might get a lot of people who have never heard of you before who want to give it a try or happen to be passing. It’s a really good place for new people to hear your music.”

The pair met on the Huddersfield music scene and their first album, Silent June, was released in 2010, their second, The Fragile, in 2012 and their third album, The Hum, was released this year.

The latest album is about the optimism and mettle of migrating people, the oppressed and the disenfranchised.

The Hum has garnered high praise in the national press. The Guardian called it one of the albums of the year and the duo received a personal invitation from Billy Bragg to perform at Glastonbury.

Their new single, Summat’s Brewin’, is out on Monday.

n O’Hooley & Tidow play the ARC on Saturday at 5.15pm and The Social on Sunday at 11am.