Local Music

Mark E Smith's band, thought to be a favourite of the late Radio 1 DJ John Peel, will play the main stage on Saturday night.

Since their formation in the mid-1970s, the band has been through more than 50 line-up changes, recorded 26 studio albums and featured in 24 Peel sessions.

Sunday's entertainment features ex-Blur frontman Damon Albarn featuring with his latest band The Good, the Bad and the Queen.

Also on Sunday, Enter Shikari will play the Amphitheatre, Horace Andy and Dub Asante Band will feature in the Bigger Top and there will be a Quantic DJ Set from Will Holland.

Bristol names to look out for across the weekend include Fortune Drive and Gravenhurst on Saturday, the very excellent Kid Carpet, Laid Blak, The Cedar, Crippled Black Phoenix, The She Creatures, Rose Kemp, Beth Rowley and RSVP.

Stephen Fretwell  can also be seen live on the Amphitheatre stage on Saturday.

John Stapleton, one of the festival's committee, told the ACF website: "I think this year’s line up could be the best yet  - it really shows off the calibre of music you can expect at Ashton Court Festival now."

Elsewhere at the festival, a student from Bristol has been booked to open the WKD stage.

The singer/songwriter, real name Jo McNab, is currently completing her National Diploma in Music Practice course.

"Opening on the WKD stage at The Ashton Court Festival is a real thrill as I've been working up to it for a couple of years now."

Ticket details

The tickets prices for 2007 are:

• Weekend ticket – £20 advance plus booking fee. More on the door, subject to availability.
• Child ticket (aged 10-16) - £10 advance plus booking fee. More on the door, subject to availability.
• Day tickets – £12 advance plus booking fee. More on the door, subject to availability.
• Child day ticket - £6 advance plus booking fee. More on the door, subject to availability.
• Under 10’s free.

Parking passes, price £8 per day, are available, but  only in advance. And remember the Clifton Suspension Bridge will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic from 9.30am on 14 July to 5am on 16 July.

Tickets available from the Bristol Ticket shop on 0870 44 44 400/0117 929 9008 or www.bristolticketshop.co.uk and Colston Hall box office on 0117 922 3686 or www.colstonhall.org

The Ashton Court Festival takes place at its new home, closer to the estate's Mansion House, on Saturday, 14 and Sunday, 15 July. A new 3.4m high fence will surround the event and organisers have asked that alcohol not be brought onto the site.

And make sure you check back here after the festival for all the pictures and Ashton Court news. We'd also love to see your pictures, send them to us at bristol@bbc.co.uk and we'll publish the best.