blues news – blues reviews – blues gig guide
The multi-talented, Liverpool blues, rock, funk and groove merchants Forty4 make a rare appearance on the Wirral side of the Mersey this coming week at Stanley’s Cask, Wallasey/New Brighton.
212 Rake Lane, Wallasey, CH45 1JP
Free admission.
http://www.myspace.com/scarygoodmusic
Blue C and Guests
Fort Perch Rock
New Brighton
13 Dec 2009
The final gig of the year for Liverpool slide guitar/bass guitar blues duo Blue C is this Sunday afternoon, December 13th, at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral.
It’s the Blues On The Rock Christmas special with resident duo Blue C and a surprise sitter-in or two. Lots of live music plus a bumper raffle, a blues quiz with top prize, blues ‘pass the parcel’, all with wonderful prizes for blues music fans. Plus a free mince pie for everyone!
Music from 1pm-4pm, cafe/bottle bar. Admission £5. And this is the last Blues On The Rock for a little while, as Blue C are in the studio in the New Year recording their new album. But Blue C will be back!
Just a reminder, too, that the fort has double booked Blue C’s Blues On The Rock blues club with an event for ex-Everton player Dave Hickson. Dave Hickson will be in the room that Blue C usually play in, while Blues On The Rock is in the basement room next door, with access down the stairs immediately BEFORE the cafe. Both events are going on at the same time.
PLEASE BE SURE TO ASK FOR A BLUE C/BLUES ON THE ROCK/BLUES MUSIC ticket at the door – they are £5. DAVE HICKSON TICKETS ARE £10.
Hope to see you there.
More information, www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
A weekend of acoustic blues is in store for blues fans courtesy of Liverpool blues duo Blue C and special guests at their two clubs.
Their brand new club the Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge on Friday, November 6th, has Bill Hackney as special guest. Bill is an impeccable guitar player and singer with a lovely repertoire. His appearance at Blue C’s club in New Brighton a few months ago attracted a full house and Bill brought the house down with a fabulous set.
That’s Bill Hackney and Blue C, Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge at View Two Gallery, Mathew Street (next to Lennon’s Bar), doors 8pm, music 8.30pm, admission £5. The gallery has one of the best rooms for live acoustic music in the north-west.
Blues On The Rock, Blue C’s successful club at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral, takes place on Sunday afternoon, November 8th, from 1pm-4pm, with special guests Wirral-based guitar/harmonica duo Barramacca.
Barramacca hides the identity of the two frontmen of blues band Smokestack 6, guitarist/singer Craig Mackintosh and harmonica player Joe Barrow, who present their acoustic blues duo for the first time at the club. Craig and Joe are staunch supporters of the club – expect a lively set of superb blues from these seasoned players!
Music from 1pm-4pm, with blues memorabilia, chance to win CDs, cafe/bottle bar. As usual the message is to get there on time for a seat as space is limited!
More information, www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
The 21st International Guitar Festival of Great Britain is being held at various venues in Wirral for three weeks in November.
As usual there are blues and rhythm and blues performers, including Woody Man, Catfish Keith, Tom Doughty, Peter Price and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings with Georgie Fame and Albert Lee.
The opening concert is on Tuesday November 3rd at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead. It’s the Brendan McCormack Celebration Concert in memory of Brendan, Merseyside guitar, lute and bass virtuoso whose idea the guitar festival was back in 1988. Brendan died early this year and his daughters, Frith and Ana, have organised with the help of the festival staff a memorial concert in his honour.
Appearing are Blue C, John Harper & Les Bolger, Anne Jackson Quintet, Modjango, Capo Fiasco (featuring Carl Chase, Ches & Al Cherry, Brian ‘Saxophone’ Jones) and Ricki & The Redstreaks.
Raphael Callaghan of blues duo Blue C says:
“Brendan and I were friends since school days – he was a prefect and he remembers taking my name when I was a first year for being late! “Years later, in 1991, he gave me my first break on the guitar festival with a solo concert at Birkenhead Town Hall. This was also the beginning of Blue C, as Christine joined me on bass for the encore.
“We were so pleased to be asked to play the celebration concert and we’ll be doing a number specially composed for the event.
“But we are really looking forward to Ricki & The Redstreaks – this was Brendan’s group in the Merseybeat days and John Lennon is on record as saying they were his favourite band and, by default, Brendan his favourite guitar player.”
Tickets are £10, box office 0151 666 0000 or book online at www.bestguitarfest.com
Blues On The Rock, Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral
Sunday, October 11th, 1pm-4pm
Blue C and Graham Robinson
Liverpool blues duo Blue C are pleased to announce that their special guest at Blues On The Rock on Sunday October 11th is Graham Robinson.
For fans of acoustic blues this is one not to be missed. Graham is a regular at the Great British R & B Festival at Colne, and this year went down a storm on the Acoustic Stage.
He has an authentic ragtime and blues repertoire, and the authentic guitars to play on – ancient resonators and a Stella. Yes that’s right, Leadbelly played a Stella 12-string, and Graham has a Stella six-stringer. How many of those have you seen?!
Blues On The Rock kicks off at 1pm. There is a chance to win blues CDs and there’s blues memorabilia on show. Cafe/bottle bar too.
As usual the message is to get there on time for a seat as space is limited. £5 admission, includes entry to the fort’s fascinating museum.
More information, www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
The 21st International Guitar Festival of Great Britain is coming this November which will be featuring a range of concerts of international quality from some of the most talented guitarists ‘on the circuit’. As part of the festival, the Floral Pavilion is hosting two of the concerts – James Burton (22 November) and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings (12 November).
For more information on the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain , visit the website at www.bestguitarfest.com or alternatively get in touch with our box office.
BILL WYMAN’S RHYTHM KINGS
Friday 12 Nov November, 7:30pm
All Tickets: £26.50
Rock and roll icon, author, restaurateur, – legendary 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 absolute quality. There will be no support act – just two sets by Bill Wyman and the Rythmn Kings.
The monthly Blues On The Rock club at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral, is this Sunday afternoon, September 13th, when Blue C introduce special guests Forty 4.
It’s a return gig by demand for this fine band featuring Neil and Paul on twin lead guitars and a superb rhythm section. And be warned – they can get funky!
Music is from 1pm-4pm, and there is also a chance to win blues CDs plus there’s a display of blues memorabilia. Cafe/bottle bar too.
Admission £5 which includes admission to the fort’s fascinating museum.
Last month’s session was a sell-out for the wonderful Bill Hackney, so the message is to get there on time for a seat.
And there will be details available about the Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge, a brand new acoustic blues club opening in Liverpool on Friday, October 2nd.
Be there!!!
http://www.myspace.com/scarygoodmusic
STOP PRESS
Blues on the Rock hosts Blue C play at Smokey’s Jazz & Blues Bar in the basement of the New Tavern, Mesnes Street, Wigan, this Friday, September 11th, from 9.30pm.
Al Willard Peterson and Blue C
Blues on the Rock, New Brighton
12 July 2009
Blues At The Rock, the monthly blues club held at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton, Wirral and organised by Liverpool blus duo Blue C, is one year old this month!
The first anniversary show, on Sunday afternoon July 12th from 1pm-4pm, features Blue C with their special guest Al Willard Peterson. Al was the club’s very first guest last July, and has a great blues pedigree as he was a member of the Almost Blues, Supercharge and his own long-running R & B band the Lawnmower. Nowadays he is an acoustic guitar picker and harmonica blower with an entertaining solo act.
Al is also a photographer of renown, and he will be selling a photo collage of all the artists who have played at Blues On The Rock, including the esteemed supremo of bluesinthenorthwest, Ken Peace, playing fabulous harmonica with Down At Antones.
There will be a bumber birthday raffle with blues CDs and DVDs to be won, a display of blues memorabilia too. There is a cafe/bottle bar and admission is £4. The Wirral Show is on that weekend, so the advice is to definitely get there early for a seat and a spec in the car park!
Music from 1pm-4pm. Information, www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
Blues On The Rock, Friday June 12th, 7.30pm
Blue C and Joey Shields & The Wheels
The successful monthly Blues On The Rock blues gig at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral, has a radical change of day and time this month only!
Instead of a Sunday afternoon, the next one is on Friday, June 12th, from 7.30pm-10.30pm. And the special guests of host duo Blue C are Joey Shields & The Wheels, who are back by demand.
Last time Joey & The Wheels played the fort, Liverpool’s most down-home blues band drew a capacity crowd so the message is to get there on time for a seat!
Blues memorabilia will be on display, plus a chance to win blues CDs. Cafe/bottle bar open as usual. Admission £4.
More details, www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
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The enigmatic Z Z Birmingham is the special guest of resident duo Blue C at Blues On The Rock on Sunday afternoon, May 10.
Z Z is travelling up from the south-west of England for an exclusive date at the blues club at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton. But he is no stranger to the Wirral. He was actually brought up there and made his performing debut at the old Black Horse Folk Club in West Kirby in the early 60s.
He lived in Derby for many years, from where he and his band made regular forays to the Burnley and Colne blues festivals where they became firm favourites.
Blueprint magazine wrote: “Possibly the most pleasant gig of the entire Burnley Blues Festival . . . Z Z Birmingham has an engaging stage prersence which immediately communicates itself to an audience.”
And Folk Roots said: “Z Z rattles and moans like a freight train with its cow catcher come loose.”
With guitar and harmonica as his main instruments, expect songs, ballads, harmonica breakdowns, stories and chat from the highly-regarded travelling bluesman.
And in the popular Talkin’ Blues segment, Z Z may reveal his true identity and more of his Wirral roots.
That’s Blue C present Z Z Birmingham, Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, 1pm-4pm, Sunday, May 10, admission £4 which includes entry to the fort’s fascinating museum.
As usual, the message is to get there on time if you want a seat as seating is limited.
More details, www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
http://www.zzbirminghamband.co.uk/
Flickr photo Max Molyneaux
The next monthly Blues On The Rock blues club at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral, is an Easter Sunday afternoon special!
Blues duo Blue C have as their special guests Smokestack 6, a Wirral band who are fast making a name for themelves. With a guitars and harmonica frontline, and a repertoire featuring choice covers and quirky, interesting original songs, it remains to be seen whether they can fit on the tiny stage at the fort.
Music is from 1pm-4pm and, as usual, the message is to get there on time if you want a seat. There’s a chance to win CDs, blues memorabilia on display, a cafe/bottle bar. Admission £4, which includes entrance to the fort’s fascinating museum.
That’s Blues On The Rock featuring Blue C and Smokestack 6, Fort Perch Rock, Easter Sunday, April 12th, 1pm-4pm.
More details, 0151 709 5484 or www.myspace.com/bluecblues
Blues fans who were around in the ’60s may remember the Liverpool acoustic duo Jim James & Raphael Callaghan. They appeared on the Liberty label LP Gasoline along with the likes of Jo Ann Kelly and Tony McPhee and their two tracks were critically acclaimed on its release in 1969. They also did sessions for the Mike Raven Blues Show, John Peel In Concert and Alexis Korner’s World Service radio show Blues Is Where You Hear it.
Jim has lived in the USA for many years, but he is flying over for just 3 gigs with Raphael to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Gasoline recordings.
First is this Sunday afternoon, March 8th, for Blues On The Rock, the monthly blues club hosted by Blue C (Raphael Callaghan & Christine Purnell). Music is from 1pm-4pm and there will also be blues memorabilia on display, and a chance to win blues CDs. There is a cafe/bottle bar. Admission is £4, which includes entrance to the fort’s museum. As usual with Blues On The Rock, the message is to get there on time if you want a seat!
The duo are also guests of the Everyman Folk Club (acoustic) in the Everyman Bistro, Hope Street, Liverpool, on Tuesday, March 10th at 8.15pm. Again, seating is limited so get there early.
Their final gig is a blues concert at the home of the Bothy Folk Club, the Park Golf Club, Park Road West in Southport (just around the corner from the top end of the prom). This is on Thursday, March 12th, doors open 7.30pm, music from 8pm. Support act Blue C. Admission £5.
The original Gasoline vinyl LP is valued at £80 in collector circles, but Jim & Raphael will have copies of the CD re-issue for sale at the gigs at a much more modest price . . .
More information: 0151 709 5484, or www.myspace.com/bluecblues
BLUES ON THE ROCK
Blue C & Down At Antone’s: Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton: 08.02.09
The latest of Raphael Callaghan’s Sunday afternoon gigs in the unusual surroundings of the Fort Perch Rock saw the return to action of top North West blues band, Down At Antone’s – back out with original frontmen Neil Partington, on vocals and guitar; and Ken Peace on harmonica – ably abetted by Glen Lewis (keyboards), Steve Brown (bass) and Nick Lauro (drums).
The rust was shaken off in a sparkling hour set of some old favourites and some new choice arrangements – kicking off with the Howling Wolf chestnut “Riding In The Moonlight” – which saw Ken Peace give the valves on his old trusty Fender amp a good workout with his big tone to the fore, and obligatory fine guitar and vocal from Neil Partington – who soldiered through the set despite being stricken with a heavy cold.
The funky “Shakey Ground” saw the band hit a great groove, until the power was lost! Undeterred Nick Lauro continued with a drum solo, accompanied by Ken Peace on acoustic harmonica, and a quick walkabout. The slow blues of Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Cross Your Heart” was definitely a set highlight – tremendous soloing here from Messrs. Partington and Peace, and nice keyboard work from Glen Lewis.
Other treats in an all too quick set were the jazz standard “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” – which worked very well with the harmonica – and the rumba of “Poor Boy”, which actually featured on the band’s Paul Jones blues show session way, way back, as did the rollicking encore “Biting The Bullet”.
Great to see these guys out and about again – with further gigs to come at Warrington, Fleetwood and Colwyn Bay, with hopefully more in the pipeline.
Opening up proceedings was the genial host, Raphael Callaghan (guitar, harmonica and vocals), with partner Christine Purnell (bass), together they make up Blue C, delivering a lovely varied set, starting with Raphael a cappella on the new song “Too Much Rain”, about the perils of global warming.
An old favourite was the great Skip James tune, “Illinois Blues”, with KC Douglas’s “Mercury Blues” – another long-time favourite, being given a rousing airing. A most surprising cover, which worked really well, was a song Raphael had taken a fancy to and decided to have a go at – chart-topping Duffy’s “Rockferry” – given a folky blues feel, and none the worse for it!
GRAHAME RHODES
Raphael just sent me the flyer for this weekend’s Fort Perch, New Brighton – Blues on the Rock session.
Down at Antones
Blue C
Blues on the Rock at at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton
Sunday February 8th – Afternoon Gig
Raphael Callaghan the gig promoter has written in with details of the next Blues at the Rock gig coming up in New Brighton a few short days away.
There is a real buzz about the next Blues On The Rock session at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, on Sunday afternoon February 8th. For the hosts, Liverpool blues duo Blue C, have as their special guests Down At Antones, who are remembered with great affection by blues fans in the north west for their blistering performances in the 90s. Down at Antones have been “resting” in the millenium years, but the original frontline of Neil Partington on gritty guitar and vocals and Ken Peace on big-toned amplified harmonica are back for selected gigs with a crack rhythm section.
This is a rare one and not to be missed!
Music is from 1pm-4pm, and there is also blues memorabilia on display, a chance to win blues CDs and the ever-popular Talkin’ Blues section where Raphael Callaghan of Blue C will interrogate Neil and Ken. Cafe/bottle bar, too. Admission £4 which includes admission to the fort’s fascinating museum. Be early for a seat! Enquiries, 0151 709 5484, or www.myspace.com/bluecblues.
Flickr photo of the fort by The Bat-Max.
Crop of Ken Peace by Shertila.
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