New uploads from Shertila. Wilko Johnson, originally uploaded by shertila.

New uploads from Shertila Guy Tortora, originally uploaded by shertila.

This was the second Carlisle Blues Festival, following the spectacular success of the first festival twelve months ago. The venue was the Swallow Hilltop Hotel, which was fully booked for the event and substantially supplemented by a large number of non-resident punters. The festival was opened on Friday evening by the Sean Webster Band with [...]

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/24161972/page/103 Some good blues names in there.  I’d have liked to have seen John Martyn in there myself, but that’s just me. The debating chamber is open.

Buddy Guy ain’t singin’ the blues over Obama http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=68c940b5-bca5-4294-8dec-7a83ca2ff8b5

Matthew Stubbs – “Soul Bender” -Vizztone MS1001 Now this is a refreshing change, here’s a guitar-led CD by a young man that is not a power chord, rock-blues frenzy.  UK guitarists please take note. Matthew Stubbs is a 25 year old native of New England in the U.S.  He has an excellent CV, having played [...]

The Swing Commanders are one of the most original bands in the region.  You just don’t get to see Western Swing music played live these days.  Apart from at the following list of gigs that is….. Friday 19 December – The Grand, Clitheroe Sunday 28 December – Fort San Antone, Warton Thursday 15 January – [...]

There is some interest in the new film Cadillac Records in the US as it is released soon. Check out the clips. The official trailer. and a clip from the film on MySpace. Can anyone spot who is really playing the harp? Cadillac Records Exclusive Clip [annoying embedded video removed]

Harper UK Tour 2008 Here are the tour dates in the bluesinthenorthwest.com region. Thu Dec 18 – The Green Room, Macclesfield -www.myspace.com/bluefunkblues Fri Dec 19 – Worthenbury Village Hall, Worthenbury,  www.hookerblues.co.uk Sat Dec 20 – Fogherty’s Function Room, Liverpool, 1 Blenheim Road, L18 1EH BLIND PIG RECORDING ARTIST “HARPER” BRINGS WORLD BLUES FUSION FROM AUSTRALIA [...]

Here’s a couple of ‘lost’ gems, courtesy of Richard Chalk of TopCat Records in Dallas, Texas: “Bocce Boogie – Live 1978″ (featuring Big Walter Horton, Guitar Johnny Nicholas, Ronnie Earl and Sugar Ray Norcia) (TopCat Records – TCT7082) http://topcatrecords.com/read-press-release/bocce-boogie.htm Unbelievably this cracking vintage recording comes from a reception at The Bocce Club in Rhode Island [...]

It was reported on Blues-L this morning that Robert Lucas has passed.  There are no other details at the moment other than a suspicion that the death was drug related.

On Saturday Dec 6th, Ian Parker & his band are at the Raikes Hall, Liverpool Road, Blackpool FY1 4EH. £8.00 on the door. Phone Alan on 01253 890927 for info.

Another of the northwests legendary bands are back playing together again.  You can see The Winchesters at Alexanders, Chester on Thu 27 November. Their MySpace site sums it all up nicely. The Winchesters burst onto the scene in 1991. Little did they know at the time that their journey from the blood-tubs of Lancashire would [...]

Smokehouse Blues – Buckley Academy – 22 November 2008 Let me first of all apologise for the writing style and the lack of pictures.  Unfortunately Grahame could not make the gig, this means that the review was left to me – not one of my strengths – everyone knows this.  My camera travelled to Leicester [...]

On Friday November 28th the Aynsley Lister Band will be playing at the YMCA Hall, Breck Road, Poulton le Fylde FY6 7PU. This is a joint KiteClub/towerblues promotion owing to the unfortunate closure of the original venue Riffs in Blackpool. Tickets are £10 on the door. Telephone Stuart on 01772  683684.

Great to see some pictures rolling in early from the Carlisle Blues Festival this weekend. Flickr photo Kyla Brox , originally uploaded by He and Fi.