blues news - blues reviews - blues gig guide
I have added a new feature to the bluesinthenorthwest.com site. We now feature an interactive blues venue map.
You can access the map from the page header links above or the links menu to the right hand side of the screen.
Please feel free to contribute to the map by suggesting new venues or correcting details on existing venues.
Bluefunk Rhythm and Blues Club
Royal British Legion Social Club
Poynton. Cheshire.
We would like to mention this Club having recently discovered its existence by spotting a gig date in December last year in the excellent publication Blues in Britain.
The gig in question was Bernie Marsden with the brilliant Stoke based Jim Kirkpatrick band Heavy Weather. We travel regularly to Warrington Blues Club, The Harbourside in Liverpool and many other venues large and small. Corrie, Eastenders et al are no competition when there is live music to be had! Anyway, back to the Bluefunk club, as with all these venues it is organised by one or two enthusiastic people who have a great interest in keeping music live and introducing live entertainment to the public at large. Gary and his Son - both in Bands of their own - are the main guys here. The venue itself is renowned for its Real Ale and is featured in the Good Beer Guide, the club room has its own bar and in house sound system. Generally gigs are monthly on a Thursday evening but extra gigs are often organised giving young bands, for instance, an opportunity to play in front of an audience also fund raising events. Capacity is around a hundred and for the Bernie Marsden gig it was packed to the gunnels. Bernie and co had a great time and the atmosphere was perfect for all concerned. We have been again in January to see the Cheshire based Dave Richmond Band, a four piece with Dave providing main vocals and some very slick Fender guitar. Own penned songs and some classic covers were presented to the appreciative audience, the presence of a wonderful old Leslie speaker gave the keys that lovely authentic Hammond sound and the solid rhythm section kept the band nice and tight. Its about a 30 minute drive from west of Bolton where we live and is pretty central for easy access with plenty of free, safe car parking. Check this place out you won’t regret it. See you there.
http://www.myspace.com/bluefunkblues
Andy and Chris
Andy and Chris later added…
The club is run by a guy called Garry White. The club did have a website up until recently but something happened and he has lost everything. So until it is up and running again he can be contacted at garrywhite10@yahoo.co.uk.
I have been contacted by a new venue for the blues in Oswestry, Shropshire.
We are a relatively new venue [Dec 06] covering a range of music, but with an emphasis on blues/roots music
The promoter Craig can be contacted on 01691 679123 or info@the-ironworks.co.uk.
Upcoming shows are
Location: Worthenbury is situated near Wrexham in North Wales on the B5069 between Bangor-on-Dee and Malpas. The village hall is in the centre of the village (post code: LL13 0AW)
Promoters:
Pete Evans (tel: 01948 770215 pete@hookerblues.co.uk)
Paul Taylor (paul@hookerblues.co.uk)
Ian Wiliams (ian@hookerblues.co.uk)
Club Profile: the Worthenbury venue is under the aegis of the promoters of the well-established Hooker Blues Club that meets at Wrexham Rugby Club. The venue is home to the extremely popular Going Up The Country series of acoustic gigs. Artistes who have already appeared at the club include Otis Taylor, Eddie and Frank Thomas, Kent Duchaine and Lisa Mills (all from the USA) and Phil Bates (of ELO Part 2 fame), The Hokum Hotshots, Harry Skinner & Dave Saunders and Michael Messer from the UK. The club provides limited bar facilities, which usually include a barrel of real ale.
Please note that the picture above is atypical of the venue. Normally the seats are arranged less formally, around small intimate tables; the picture above shows a particularly high ticket sales night when Otis Taylor was featured recently . For this event, to satisfy a higher than normal demand for tickets, the seats were arranged in rows.
Forthcoming Gigs
Friday, 8th February: The Spikedrivers
Friday, 22nd February: Jim Crawford
Friday, 28th March: Roland Chadwick
Saturday, 5th April: The KingBees and Tommy Allen
Friday, 18th April: The Mojo Buford Band
Entry Fee: varies but usually £10
Website: www.hookerblues.co.uk/
Location: The Citadel, Waterloo Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1PX
Map
Venue Profile: The Citadel Arts Centre promotes a wide range of musical and non-musical events. The latter have consistently included a significant number of high quality blues artistes: Eric Bibb, Connie Lush and Blues Shouter, Charlie Musselwhite and Michael Hill’s Blues Mob, to mention just a few.
It is a terrific venue, which invariably provides a great atmosphere. There is a comprehensive bar and parking is available in nearby public car parks.
Contact: tel: 01744 735436
email:info@citadel.org.uk
Entry Fee: varies
Website: http://www.citadel.org.uk/
Location: Warrington Town Football Club, Loushers Lane, Latchford, Warrington WA4 2RS
Promoter: Ray OHare, 6 Cawdor Street, Stockton Heath, Warrington WA4 6LU
Tel: 01925 601347/07835 176528
Club Profile: the Warrington Rhythm and Blues Club meets every three to four weeks in the very pleasant surroundings of the function room at Warrington Town Football Club. The venue provides excellent bar facilities and ample car parking.
Gigs feature a range of top class British, American and European bands, which have included Simon Honeyboy Hickling, The Nimmo Brothers, the Ruddi Rotter Band, Marcus Malone, Paul Lamb, Nicky Moore, Hamilton Loomis, Russell Hitman Alexander, The Stumble and Ian Siegal.
In addition to the regular gigs at the club, special events are organised from time to time at a larger venue (Alford Hall, Manchester Road, Warrington WA1 3NJ).
Forthcoming Gigs:
Friday, 25th January: The Blues Blasters
Friday, 15th february: Ernie’s Rhythm Section
Friday, 7th March: The Stumble
Friday, 28th March: The Backbones
Other acts booked for later in the year:
Johnny Mastro and Mama’s Boys
Ian Siegal band
Hamilton Loomis Band
The Revolutionnaires
The Cadillac Kings
Entry Fee: normally £10 per head.
Website: www.wrbcblues.co.uk
Location: Liverpool Marina, Coburg Wharf, Sefton Street, Liverpool L3 4BP.
Promoter: John Welsh
Telephone: 0151-428 2855
Email: johnswelsh@hotmail.com
Club Profile: The club promotes a broad spectrum of top quality music ranging from Delta and Piedmont acoustic styles through Chicago and West Coast influences to Texas rocking blues. The venue boasts extensive bar facilities and provides ample parking. Performers at the club have included Ben Andrews, Little Toby Walker, the Rocky Athas Band, Doug MacLeod and Kent DuChaine from the USA, UK favourites The Stumble and Honeyboy Hickling and, from Liverpool, Albie Donnelly’s Supercharge.
Forthcoming Gigs:
Thursday, 21st February: The John O’Leary Band
Thursday, 3rd April: Doug MacLeod
Thursday, 1st May: Hamilton Loomis
Wednesday, 2nd July: Phil Bates (at Allerton Hall Club)
Thursday, 4th September: Little Toby Walker
Entry Fee: Normally, £10 a head
I just stumbled across a listing of a lot of UK blues clubs at electricbluesclub.co.uk. This may be useful if travelling or if you are a band looking for gigs outside your main areas.
Location: the Village Inn is situated at 206 Green Lane, Leigh, Lancashire WN7 2TW.
Promoters: Mick Healey and Barbara Burt (tel: 01942 670491)
Club Profile: the club was formed in 2006 and puts on monthly gigs. Booked artistes include Adrian Byron Burns, Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull/Blodwyn Pig) and Dave Onions.
Entry Fee: varies, dependent on the status of the artiste, between £3 and £8.
Website: http://www.thevillageinnleigh.co.uk/
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