OPENING this year’s season of Forest Live gigs at Westonbirt Arboretum is Irish rock band The Script.

The trio are lead singer Danny O’Donoghue, guitarist Mark Sheehan and drummer Glen Power. The band are no strangers to the west having played at Swindon’s Oasis, North Star last August.

The Script are marking their 10th anniversary this year and their latest album, Freedom Child, topped the UK album chart making it their fourth number one.

The album came about through Mark’s son who was only seven at the time and attending drills for emergency assemblies at school. He asked his father what terrorists were!

“What do you say?’’ said Glen. “Freedom Child came out of that. It is the freedom to be who you are and allow others to do the same. The world is a big place, no need for killing and hatred. Love is the answer.’’

The Script have notched up five albums and hit singles with: We Cry, The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, Breakeven, For the First Time and their last hugely popular song Rain.

“We wanted to do an upbeat song to make people dance. We never get people dancing at our gigs and so we wanted something light. We are not changing musical direction but we wanted to mix in a bit of fun,’’ said Glen.

The drummer started out at 16-years-old, working as a technician for Runrigg and playing drums for the Irish singer Brendan O’Carroll.

Glen says The Script are strictly a democratic band, a three way split on decisions. When Danny was asked to appear on the TV series, The Voice, as a coach, it was a joint decision that he should go. “Danny being on The Voice made people more aware of who we are, which was a good thing for the band. But I think Danny likes being back as lead singer, it’s his music path,’’ said Glen.

Danny certainly enjoys playing at the forest gigs as The Script have already played at Thetford Forest four times and will be strutting their stuff at Tetbury on Thursday, June 14.

He said: “We love performing as part of Forest Live and are looking forward to making out debut at Westonbirt Arboretum and hope you can join us to rock in this unique atmosphere.’’

Supporting The Script will be Glasgow-born, Manchester raised, gravel voiced singer/songwriter Tom Walker. Tom is making his mark all over the globe with more than 90 million streams. His hit single Leave A Light On quickly became a favourite on the A List for BBC Radio 1. Tom shared a house with twelve other musicians who would jam together in their home-built studio. Tom also supported The Script on their US tour beginning in Connecticut.

It will be Happy Hour all the way on Friday, June 15 amongst the woodlands, when Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott from The Beautiful South take centre stage.

The duo’s latest album Crooked Calypso charted at number two following on from the success of their other two top five albums: What Have We Become and Wisdom, Laughter and Lines.

Paul began with pop band The Housemartins best known for hits such as Happy Hour and Caravan of Love. He formed The Beautiful South in 1988 and they notched up chart hits such as Rotterdam, Perfect 10, Don’t Marry Her and Dream A Little Dream.

Special guest on the night will be the English singer-songwriter and left-wing political activist Billy Bragg. Tickets are £33.50 plus booking fee.

On Saturday, June 16 Paloma Faith bursts through the trees with songs from her number one album The Architect, which spent eight weeks in the top 10, and includes the hits Crybaby and Guilty.

Faith was a judge for the fifth series of The Voice UK., but only remained on the show for one series due to her pregnancy.The singer is known for her retro and eccentric style. She has made feature film appearances in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Dread, the 2007 remake of St Trinian’s and Youth.

Paloma’s cover of the song Make Your Own Kind of Music by Mama Cass was featured in a TV commercial for Škoda. The advert stars Paloma having flashbacks about her musical career.

Bringing the curtain down on Forest Live will be George Ezra’s distinctive voice rolling out across the forest on Sunday, June 17.

George has become one of the biggest selling male artists of the decade with his debut album Wanted On Voyage reaching number one in the UK charts and spending 122 weeks in the charts over all. He was nominated for four Britt awards an Ivor Novello and a BBC Music Award and is now set on a series of summer festivals. For more details of any of the Forest Live concerts visit www.forestry.gov.uk/music - Flicky Harrison