The Burnley International Rock and Blues Festival
Published January 22, 2012 |
Doc Redeye Events and Burnley Council Presents
The Burnley International Rock and Blues Festival
In Proud Association with AMS-NEVE
4-6th May 2012
The Burnley Blues festival has been an icon of the international music scene for almost 24 years, bringing some of the world’s greatest artists into the town. Over the last few years the festival has struggled to maintain a three-day schedule, and it has been though the determination of a few local venues and the council that the event has continued to entertain enthusiastic audiences from around the UK.
Now, a new partnership between the Council and Doc Redeye Events has brought the festival back to its rightful 3 day status, and to take the festival to even further international heights, the Oscar and Queens award winning company AMS-NEVE have joined the team to make this one of the greatest events in the music calendar again.
This time the town will truly be involved, as Burnley is to be turned into ‘Little America’ for the weekend, with American themes across the town centre, cafes and bars. The fringe venues will all have their own identities, the Inn on the Wharf (The Chicago stage), the Talbot (The Austin Stage), the Coach and Horses (The New Orleans Stage) and the Bridge (The Memphis stage) are the first to be announced with more to follow. Cafes and restaurants will also be involved serving themed dishes and even pancakes and waffles in the mornings, with some hosting acoustic stages throughout the weekend.
The image of a North West English town becoming Little America for the weekend has already grabbed the attention of the USA with a major city having a real interest in sponsorship for the following year 2013. There will be fun events throughout the town as well as music and themed activities.
Councillor Jeff Sumner, the Council’s executive member for leisure and culture, said: “It’s great that the Blues festival is back to rocking the town over three days and there’s going to be a great party atmosphere over the whole weekend. You won’t have to be a Blues fan to love every minute of what promises to be a brilliant festival.”
The Burnley Rock and Blues Festival is also launching a dedicated website www.burnleyrockandblues.com over the next few weeks as the final contracts are completed and the full line-up announced. The festival team are determined to bring in young bands on the circuit as well to attract new audiences to the live music scene and put the new University town firmly on the map. Fresh from recording their album with producer Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals) Albany Down will be appearing at the festival alongside another ‘New Generation’ band Virgil and the Accelerators, who have just completed a sell out tour with Joanne Shaw Taylor and Oli Brown. One of the biggest Blues names in the US Jimmie Vaughan will be headlining the opening night in an exclusive UK appearance to keep the blues fans buzzing. More act confirmations coming More info
EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE 2012. Ben Poole, the winner in the BM Writers’ Poll 2011 is to represent the UK at the 2nd European Blues Challenge
Published January 19, 2012 |
2nd EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE
Friday, 16th March 2012
Saturday, 17th March 2012
location: Kesselhaus at Kulturbrauerei, Knaackstr. 97, 10435 Berlin
entrance: entrance: pre-selling: 19 € // box office: 22 € (partial provided with seats)
showtime: 20:00 Uhr
contact:Tom: tom@rufrecords.de
band coordination: Nassos: anastasilakis@yahoo.de
EUROPEAN BLUES UNION present the 2nd EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLANGE in Berlin
The European Blues Union (EBU), a non-profit organization launched by a handful of European blues professionals in 2010, is registered in Brussels, Belgium.
Festival and tour promoters, clubs, agents, specialist magazines, radio deejays, journalists, researchers, photographers, blues musicians and communities, independent record companies and distributors represent a dynamic scene characterized by idealism, personal commitment and a passion for honest, handmade music.
Few music genres may call on such a loyal fan base. To achieve our common purpose of bringing the blues into the public limelight, the European Blues Union has started a various activities. The annual European Blues Challenge (EBC) represents one of the organization’s main networking tool for an annual meeting of the European blues community.
On 16th and 17th March 2012 blues artists from nineteen different European countries, each of them winners of their respective national blues contests, will compete at the 2nd European Blues Challenge, which will be held once again at Kesselhaus in Berlin’s Kulturbrauerei, an industrial-style venue in a beautiful late 19th century brick stone building in the heart of Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district. At the end of a two-day blues marathon, the winner of this year’s competition will be announced.
For further information:
http://www.bluesoul.de/news.html
The winner of the challenge will have the chance to play on following festivals:
•Lucerne Blues Festival, Switzerland
•Blues Sur Seine, France
•Notodden Bluesfestival, Norway
•Vienna Blues Spring, Austria
•Roots & Blues Parma, Italy
Line-Up – Friday, 16th March 2012:
Ismo Haavisto Band (FI)
The Downstrokes (HR)
John F. Klaver Band (NL)
Lubos Bena (SK)
Roland Tchakounte (FR)
Marco Marchi & The Mojo Workers (CH)
Chehols (LV)
slavek wierzcholski i nocna zmiana bluesa (PL)
Lightnin` Guy & The Mighty Gators (B)
Line-Up – Saturday, 17th March 2012:
Vasko The Patch (BG)The Downstrokes (HR)
Dago Red (IT)
Slindin`Slim (SE)
Norbert Schneider (AT)
Rita Engedalen & Backbone (NO)
Mingo & the Blues Intruders (ES)
Ben Poole (UK)
The Blues Express (DK)
Michael van Merwyk (DE)
T. Blues Mob (GE)
afterwards:
announcement of the winner
show of the winner
Jam-Session of all artists
pre-selling link: http://www.rufrecords.de/catalogue/2nd-european-blues-challenge-2nd-european-blues-challenge.c2703.html
More info
TORQUAY BLUES FESTIVAL
Published October 7, 2011 |
It’s not too late to buy your tickets for the TORQUAY BLUES FESTIVAL November 4th, 5th, and 6th
The line up:
Friday tickets £30
Mike Whellans
Will ‘Harmonica’ Wilde
Todd Sharpville
Late night jam session
Saturday tickets £40
Workshops, with Will Wilde and Mike Whellans
The Untouchables
The Baddest Blues Band
Son of Dave
Ian Siegal
Big Joe Louis and his Blues Kings
Late night jam session
Sunday tickets £30
Catfish Keith
The Hamsters
Ben Waters Band
You can stay in for £165 ! including half-board accommodation and Festival entry, with an extra Sunday night for £30 (double occupancy) or £20 (single occupancy)
There’s a Bays Brewery real ale bar, swimming pool, and carvery and it all takes place in the Rainbow International Hotel’s nightclub, the Club Rainbow
Tickets: www.torquaybluesfestival.com 07855 307 556
More info
GET DOWN TO BLUES IN TOWN and help raise funds while watching a great line-up
Published September 14, 2011 |
The Venue
Chelmsford Social Club (rear of Tesco), Springfield Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6JG
Time and cost
Noon to Midnight doors open 11.15am. tickets £20 each
There will be catering on site with a large good quality festival catering firm for the whole event. The venue has a good bar serving a good range of range of real ales as well as everything else you would expect.
We have the fabulous Sue Marchant who will present for the day. We have 12 fantastic acts including Larry Miller, Bad Influence, Guy Tortora, Ben Poole and more playing and Blues CD Store will be there with a massive selection of CD’S to buy. I have been so lucky with the line up and know all the acts being a blues harmonica player and great fan of the music. I have been in and out of the music scene for over 40 years with many years as a guitar roadie with some great names. Now I am fundraising manager for The J’s Hospice who provide respite, hospice and end of life care and bereavement support for 18 to 40 year old patients their families and carers across Essex. This is the only service of its type in the UK to find out more visit www.thejshospice.org.uk. We need to raise this year £450,000 to deliver this very important service.
Tickets are limited so book online now to save disappointment at http://www.thejshospice.org.uk/index.php/events/1-uk/68-blues-in-the-town
Thank you for your help we hope to raise £10,000 on the day with your help and publicity we hope we can get there.
Blues in Town – Sat 22nd Oct Noon to Midnight
Jon Cook Blues Band 12 noon to 12.30
Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective 12.40 to 13.10
The Mighty Boss Cats 13.20 to 13.50
Timmy Moore 14.00 to 14.45
Back Porch 14.55 to 15.40
Ben Poole 15.50 to 16.35
Automatic Slim 16.50 to 17.35
The Heaters 17.50 to 18.35
Roy Mette 18.50 to 19.35
Guy Tortora 19.50 to 20.40
Bad Influence 21.00 to 22.00
Larry Miller More info
PLUMPTON BLUES FEST, UK’S NEWEST FEST KICKS OFF IN STYLE!
Published August 22, 2011 | 
AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY BLUES SPECIAL AT ABBEY FEST!
Published August 20, 2011 |
The forecast for August Bank Holiday is good and the music promises to be even better. The ever popular Abbey Fest at Merton Abbey MIlls in London SW19 has a great line up of classic blues & R&B, running from Friday 27th to Monday 29th August. Some of the finest up and coming acts in the UK will grace the stages of the bandstand and the lovely Colorhouse Theatre.
The Line-up includes -The Robin Bibi Band with guitar master Robin Bib, Bad Influence featuring the wonderful blonde bombshell Val Cowell, Crosstown Traffic with Charles Shar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith, Elephant Shelf featuring the boogie piano and red-hot fiddle of Diana Stone, Roadhouse with the elementally powerful guitar of Danny Gwylim, Incredible Blues Puppies with harmonica virtuoso Alan Glen, the Dave Raphael band with (yes you got it) Dave Raphael, B’Mused, and others.
Bandstand events are free Colorhouse Theatre events incurr a door charge – BOX Office is 0208 542 5511 and a full list of events is on www.abbeyfest.co.uk
More info
Cambridge Rock Festival 4th to 7th August
Published July 23, 2011 |
Cambridge Rock Festival 4th to 7th August
CAMBRIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL 2011 – The best ever!
This year’s Cambridge Rock Fest from 4th to 7th August looks like the best ever with a stunning line up that will appeal to Rock, Prog and Blues fans. For Prog rock fans there is a major coup with the booking of fabled Canterbury rockers CARAVAN, there’s also the prog-rock epic specialists THE ENID – for heavy rock there are THE HAMSTERS on their farewell tour, THE QUIREBOYS and ESSEX legends EDDIE & the HOTRODS. For Blues and Rock fans one of the festival highlights has to be LARRY MILLER – Larry always produces a peak performance for this festival – 2010 was a stunner and Larry promises an even better show for 2011- he’s at an artistic and creative peak. Blues & R&B fans are in for a treat – there’s rising star CHANTEL McGREGOR, circuit names include ROADHOUSE, BAD INFLUENCE, ELEPHANT SHELF, BEN POOLE, THE MUSTANGS and JAY TAMKIN. There are a host more bands, 70 real ales and its just £79 for four days. Not to be missed.
More info
Harvest Time Blues Festival 2-3-4 September 2011 Monaghan Ireland
Published July 18, 2011 |
The story of the Blues and the history of its people unfolds in the line-up at this year’s festival.
Press Release Harvest Time Blues
Boo Boo Davis from Drew, Mississippi in the heart of the Delta, raised in the richest Cotton land,which attracted some of the best blues players. The sharecroppers sang loudly to help pass the gruelling hours of work. Boo Boo developed his loud, bellowing voice based on the singing he heard in the fields as a young boy.
In the 1920’s, the Blues left the fields and went to Church. Hundreds of different Churches opened up, it was the only place of sanctuary the ‘Blacks’ (African-Americans) had. Within these walls the Blues developed into Gospel, known then as the Devil’s music, but it was God’s music first! Sharrie Williams unique style of “Rockin’ Gospel Blues” is surrounded by strong and powerful vocals and arrangements, with songs that grab your soul. Sharrie touches souls with her talent and passion for her music, combined with her smoky, sexy and imitable style. Out of church, heading to the industrial North went over 2 million peoples, the largest migration of people in the world, even today! It was on the streets and clubs of Chicago that the first Electric Blues sound was founded by the great Muddy Waters. The blues had left the church and went to the bars and juke joints. On Saturday, his eldest Son Mud Morganfield from Chicago performs, “he is so similar to his father’s vocal style and energy that it is downright spooky”. The South-Western states took this electric blues and created the Texas sound. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the blues scene began to flourish, particularly in the clubs of Austin. The diverse style placed particular emphasis on powerful lead guitars, Smokin’ Joe & Bnois King bring their scorching Lone-Star State Blues with their twin frontman line-up to late Saturday night.
Later on in the 1980’s, Jump blues was revived by internationally renowned bands such as
Roomful of Blues a swing revival big band. Duke Robillard one of the founder members, creating this new energised sound which was Duke’s calling card, Jump, Swing and blues !! Sunday gives you the chance to catch his groovin’ sounds…. B. B. King himself has called Duke “One of the great players, one of God’s guitarists”.
The festival closes with the new generation of Torch-Bearers of the Blues, Michael “Iron Man” Burks stands tall as a major contemporary blues, poised on the brink of
major stardom. A fierce flamethrower guitar slinger and an exciting soulful singer, his music has phenomenal firepower. He plays with a decidedly urban, contemporary blues style, and a soul-infused vocal style that suggests some down-home cooking. He is the proof that the blues is alive and well in the skilful hands of this Iron Man.
The Main Artists performing at the Marquee:
Boo Boo Davis Mississippi Friday
“This how Mississippi blues sounds in 2011”. Boo Boo remembers musicians such as John More info
Win 4 weekend tickets for the Hebden Blues Festival
Published May 25, 2011 |
Competition Question:
The headline act of the Hebden Blues Festival 2011 is Lance Lopez, from Texas. In an interview for www.hebdenblues.co.uk we learned that Lance was not born in Texas.
In which state was Lance actually born?
The winning entry will receive 4 weekend tickets for the Hebden Blues Festival!.
Please email with your competition answer, as well as your Name, Address and Contact telephone number to craig@hebdenblues.co.uk
The winning entry will be selected at random on Friday 27th May, with the winner contacted directly immediately after that.
More info
ABBEY FEST AT MERTON ABBEY MILLS 26-29 AUGUST 2011 LINE-UP ANNOUNCED BM FAVOURITES HEADLINING
Published May 20, 2011 |
This years Abbey Fest at Merton ‘BLUES AT THE MILL 2011′ will be held on the bandstand and in the wonderful Colorhouse Theatre over August Bank Holiday Weekend. Blues Matter favourites ROADHOUSE headline on the bandstand on Saturday Night 28th August, ELEPHANT SHELF headline in the Theatre on Monday night 29th – despite funding problems the organizers have pulled together a pretty goods line-up. More information soon.
Headline Acts are
FRI 26 ROBIN BIBI BAND – Bandstand
INCREDIBLE BLUES PUPPIES (Alan Glen) Theatre
SAT 27 ROADHOUSE – Bandstand
SUN 28 BAD INFLUENCE (Val Cowell) Theatre
MON 29 ELEPHANT SHELF – Theatre
Also appearing over the weekend are DAVE RAPHAEL BAND (Friday), B MUSED (Saturday), Crosstown Lightnin (Saturday)
Sunday nigh headliners are BAD INFLUENCE fronted by Val Cowell and the weekend will also feature
More info
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Another Harvest of the best of British Blues
Following the resounding success of this year’s UK-wide search for Britain’s best emerging Blues talent, the world-renowned Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in New Brunswick, Canada, is launching, for the second year running, its ‘New Brunswick Battle of the Blues’. The competition is looking for unsigned bands and artists creating original, quality music and the winner will be showcased on a world stage at the Festival in September 2012.
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