There is a great atmosphere at the monthly blues jam at the Red Lion in Malpas. The Tommy Allen band provide great backing to a great night. The atmosphere is lovely with good playing and no monster egos.
This month we were graced by a regular visitor – one of the finest blues musicians in the country Johny Hewitt from Runcorn whose great playing and monster tone is an aspiration to all us harp players. There was also a great slide guitarist hailing all the way from Leicester – my apologies though, I don’t remember the name.
Second Thursday of every month. The next session is Thu 08 April.
Two highly regarded blues artists will be playing dates in the region this autumn. Little Toby Walker is playing Liverpool on 28 Oct and Geoff Achison is playing Warrington on 08 Oct.
There are gaps in the schedules of these two excellent performers and agent John Adams is looking for dates around the dates above to fill the schedule and to make the tours more viable.
If you have any leads or you are a theatre or club owner with available dates then please contact John at john.adams@mail.com.
I have never seen Geoff Achison, but I have heard some great reports. I was lucky enough to see Toby Walker at a brilliant gig in Worthenbury last year.
On Saturday 20th March, 60’s legends The Animals & Friends make their debut performance at the Citadel.
Animals & Friends will be performing songs from the animals catalogue such as ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’, ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’, ‘Baby, Let Me Take You Home,’ and the bands’ multi-million selling anthem and Number One hit across the world – ‘House of The Rising Sun’.
Be sure that the Citadel will turn into the swinging sixties by these fantastic musicians recreating the sounds note for note that will no doubt send a shiver down your spine! With original members John Steel and Micky Gallagher who are joined by John Williamson and Peter Barton. Animals & Friends are still very popular internationally and they stop off in St.Helens for an exclusive North West show.
Animals & Friends will be performing at The Citadel on Saturday 20th March. Tickets are £14 / £12. Doors open at 8pm.
For further information or to book tickets call the Citadel box office on 01744 735436 or visit www.citadel.org.uk
The excellent blues jam is on again this week at the Red Lion in Malpas. Hosted by the talented Tommy Allen Band, there is often a mixture of players from well known local bands and an array of lesser known musicians.
The atmosphere is great and more importantly the quality is very good indeed.
Free entry, plenty of parking, good beer, 9pm start.
Award winning Blues band ‘The Producers’ return to play in Carlisle on the 27th March following a top notch performance at the excellent Blues festival last November.
Dave Saunders and Harry Skinner formed The Producers in 1990. They went on to be one the most popular blues outfit in the country at that time winning the ‘Blues Band of the Year’ award an incredible Four times, releasing 7 CD albums one of which ‘Ain’t No Love in the World’ was nominated for the ‘Best Blues Album’ award.
Throughout the 90’s the Producers regularly sold out venues around the country and appeared at countless major festivals including Colne, Burnley, Stanley Blues, Dublin Templebar, Cork, Farnham, North Wales Blues Festival. Belgium, Ireland, Holland and France played host to Producers tours and a month long tour of New Zealand in 1998 was also undertaken. In fact the Producers became the first band since the Rolling Stones to be banned from New Zealand in 1999 when the musician union refused them entry because it would take work from local artists. They certainly would have done as the history of the band testifies to their raw talent and unmistakeable professionalism that few bands could hope to meet.
They were featured in session on the Paul Jones Blues Show on BBC Radio 2 and have been praised by both Johnnie Walker and Bob Harris. Playing at the Alexis Korner Memorial Concert at Buxton Opera House they were spotted by Peter Greens management during Peters first major gig and asked to support the Fleetwood Mac guitar legend on his first national tour for 25 years, The Producers also featured on the BBC documentary of the Buxton concert.
The Producers gave their last concert on New Years Eve 2001/2 after undertaking a 6 month farewell tour of the UK, needless to say it was a complete sell out.
They returned in 2009 and are touring to sell out crowds yet again. Harry and Dave still front the band ably assisted by Ray Drury on Organ and Piano and Biff Smith on the sticks and percussion. New songs have been written and loyal fans will recognise some reworked stage favourites as they move on from but definitely not forget the past musical history of the band.
The Carlisle gig is being held at the excellent live music venue – The Brickyard – on Fisher Street with support being provided by exciting young Cumbrian band ‘Feed Me’. Doors open 8.00 with Feed Me starting at 8.30. Tickets are £10 in advance from Ticketweb, £12 on the door or ring Chris on 077930 19958.
This gig was booked six months ago before Carlisle football club reached a final at Wembley which is being held the next day! Bad news for Chris – good news for the 20,000 plus who will be going to London so please support the gig and keep music live!
With the light mornings and our temperatures now exceeding 5C, the summer festival season is approaching. Upcoming, we will have some big publicity from our local festivals at Worthenbury, Warrington, Maryport, Colne and Burnley. To whet you appetite though how about some great festival outside the area.
Linton Festival have released a video to show their 2010 delights.
Blues on the Farm, the annual four-day West Sussex based festival, has announced its dates for 2010 as 17th to 20th June, running as follows:
· Thursday 17th June 6.30 pm to 12 midnight
· Friday 18th June 6.30 pm to 12 midnight
· Saturday 19th June 12 noon to 12 midnight
· Sunday 20th June 11.30am to 10pm
Staged in a 40 acre setting on the Sussex Coastal plain a couple of miles south of Chichester, Blues on the Farm has a big reputation for offering a family friendly, safe and relaxed festival atmosphere. In 2008, it was featured by The Sunday Times who dubbed it “The friendliest festival in the UK”; while The Independent has also reported very favourably on the festival, highlighting in particular the “astounding precision” of the event’s organization!
Announcing the dates for 2010, festival organiser Julian Moores said “Blues on the Farm is one of the biggest and longest running festivals in West Sussex and our simple objective is to stage high quality music from world-class musicians, in a warm and friendly festival atmosphere. We try not to be overly commercialised and there’s no huge ticket prices – Just great music, great food and drink, and a great mid-summer atmosphere!”
Always well attended, with a weekend capacity of c. 8,000, Blues on the Farm is now in its 19th year. The festival attracts families and people of all ages. The majority of festival-goers live in and around West Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire but a significant number arrive from all over the UK and Europe.
Over the years Blues on the Farm has also been known for a bit of ‘celebrity spotting’. The Rolling Stones Keith Richards is just one of many names from the world of music and showbiz who in recent years have mingled comfortably with other festival-goers in the Sussex sunshine!
Musically, the festival always features world class talent offering different musical styles centred around classic and contemporary blues, blues-rock, soul and roots music. “We’re gearing-up for another terrific festival”, said Julian, “and we’re just putting the finishing touches to a superb line-up, so we’ll be announcing the full programme of bands for this year’s festival in early March”.
Tickets for Blues on the Farm 2010 are available now by calling 01243 773828 and will shortly be available online at www.bluesonthefarm.co.uk. Early bird tickets, offering a 10% saving off all tickets, are available until 31st March.
Here are details of Ray O’ Hare’s next gig and a personal message from Ray.
The blues club has been loosing money for some time now.
Unless audience numbers improve we are seriously considering closing.
So we are asking you to please rally any blues lovers you know
if you just bring one extra person it will make a vast difference.
Otherwise sixteen years will be the last.
Friday March 12th
Paul Lamb and The King Snakes
At Burtonwood Catholic Club
Phipps Lane
WA5 4HQ
01925 444332
Doors Open 8pm
£10 On The Door
‘The Lymm Festival Committee is holding a number of Winter Warmer events in February and March as a prelude to the main festival which commences at the end of June.The Winter Warmer events include a reprise of the popular Festival Blues Night which will take place at Lymm Golf Club on Friday 19th March starting at 8:00pm.
The evening will be headlined by the fabulous Smokehouse Blues who will be returning to the festival for the first time since their sell-out show in 2007.Support will be provided by the superb Tom Doughty who played at the first Festival Blues Night in 2005, also a sell-out.
Tickets priced at £10 will be on sale from 20th February and demand is expected to be high, so please call Alison on 07890 392535 or e-mail your order to tickets@lymmfestival.org.uk as soon as possible.
High Octane R&B of the highest order from this band who have been delighting audiences where ever they perform with their own brand of new wave infused music A no nonsense approach with great covers and original material including a ‘killer’ version of Gloria makes this band a ‘must’ see in your diary !
On Saturday 6th March the True Blues Club are welcoming BBC Radio Lancashire’s “Lancashire Bluenotes” presenter Nick Dow and his band to their unique venue!
Nick’s love of the “Blues” and his passion for live music are second to none. Steve & I are licking their lips in eager anticipation of another terrific night in the “Chicago style Blues Lounge”
“One of the finest venues I have played in 40 years” – Cliff Stocker
“Fantastic set up” – Mark Thornley
“Unbelievable” – Robin Hoare
The resident band, Crossfire, will open the evening’s entertainment once again at 8pm.
Doors open at 7.15pm and tickets are £10 each www.truebluesclub.co.uk
A night of scintillating Rhythm & Blues from one of Britains` top blues bands
“WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO OTHER WORTHY CONTENDERS, THERE IS
NOW NO BETTER BLUES BAND IN THE UK” Blues in Britain April 2008
8pm. Tickets £12.00
Tel. 01228 531951 www.thestumble.com
New event(s) going live on our box office this week… get tickets whilst you can!
General Sale: Friday 26 February
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings
Monday 3 May 7.30pm
£25, £30
Rock n roll icon, author, and former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has seen it all and continues to live life to the full. His latest musical rebirth as the driving force behind the fabulous Rhythm Kings sees him return to his musical roots. This set of virtuoso musicians superbly bring back to life the kind of classic rhythm and blues that first inspired Wyman to pick up the guitar as a teenager. A show imbued with quality.
To purchase tickets, please call the box office on 0151 709 3789 or order online at www.liverpoolphil.com.
Doctor Truth are a relatively new band, formed from the ashes of the Salford Legends “The Roach Twins Band.” Mike Bowden, the singer, Rick Lacey and Chris Roach have been joined by an internationally acclaimed keyboard player, Paul Ashton and an astonishing bass player, Dave Luvin from Kansas.
As part of the Roach Twins Chris, Mike and Rick gigged all over the UK and international festivals. Chris and Rick have (independently) played at Blues Clubs in Chicago, Rick has played festivals in Denmark, Sweden and France and toured with visiting artists from the USA. Mike also gigs with Dave Williams from the Animals and co writes material for them. Paul and Chris have gigged at a huge festival on Italy. Paul plays all over the world, especially in the USA. Dave Luvin has too many credits to write. They have been around!
The live show will appeal to both blues purists and those who prefer their music with a more contemporary edge. The material is very modern in its content, it is funky modern blues played with a smile. Discussing the perils of internet dating (Down The Line), highlighting the corruption in politics (Look After Yourself) and the credit crunch (The Dealings Of The Dollar). The band tell us why we need to be careful about holiday choices (Redneck Riviera) and explain that the blues started in New Orleans in the early 1920’s and not with Gary Moore!
A great triple header is set for Academy 3 Manchester on 12 Mar.
UK sensation Ian Siegal will appear with his top rated band supported by Oli Brown Band and The Harpbreakers.
British blues singer and guitarist Ian Siegal has been an active contributor to the UK blues scene for many years. His style reflects on the more rootsy side of the genre, drawing on influences such as Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddly, Junior Kimbrough and Tom Waits.
It has been said that had Siegal been around in the sixties he would today be accorded the same reverence as artists such as Van Morrison, Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton. Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters) was quoted as saying (with reference to Ian Siegal) “You should be very proud to have this young man in your own country. You have someone right here who can really sing the deep blues. He got church in his voice. If my daddy were alive today he’d say “That’s my boy!”
bluesinthenorthwest.com is your one stop shop for blues information for the northwest of the U.K.
________________________________________________
We feature news, reviews and a comprehensive gig guide. Contribution, discussion and feedback is positively encouraged.
RSS feeds are provided for posts and comments.
________________________________________________
We publish a comprehensive gig calendar, this can be accessed using the CALENDAR page above or by using the shortcut in the links menu.
Latest Comments