blues news – blues reviews – blues gig guide
My old mate from way back Neil Partington is doing a couple of gigs with top Liverpool drummer Lance Donnelly, the son of Supercharge’s Albie Donnelly.
You can see the collective band that they have assembled on Thu 04 Mar at The Swinging Arm, Birkenhead. Expect a night of rock, blues, funk and soul.
Free Admission.
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
You can have a Bluesy New Year celebration with Liverpool slide guitar/bass guitar blues duo Blue C and harmonica player Dylan on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31st.
It’s at the Royal Hotel, Birkenhead/Oxton. More details nearer the time – meanwhile, put the date in your 2009 diary!
Blue C are Raphael Callaghan, vocal, slide guitar and harmonica, and Christine Purnell, bass guitar.
www.myspace.com/bluecblues or 0151 709 5484.
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.
Gary Murphy Solo
11 Nov 2009
An acoustic performance at Williamson Art Gallery Gary Murphy returns to the International Guitar Festival after his sell out performance of his hit show Guitar Legends last year. Returning as an ambassador of The International Guitar Festival, Gary returns to the Williamson Art Gallery for a very special solo acoustic performance, stripping down to his roots. Expect Gary to show his diverse style and techniques flowing through blues, country, jazz, rock and various other styles in what should be a night to remember! Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions) and are available from www.pacificroad.co.uk or from The Floral Pavilion Box Office TEL: 0151 666 0000 For more details on the show please visit www.myspace.com/garymurphyband or www.bestguitarfest.com
A mammoth tour as ever for Catfish Keith. Here are the ones in Northwest England and North Wales.
October 28th – Bluefunk, Poynton
October 31st – Community Hall, Poulton-le-Fylde, nr. Blackpool
2nd November – Victoria Hotel, Menai Bridge, Anglesea
3rd November – Guitar workshop, Menai Bridge, Anglesea
4th November – Theatr Harlech, Harlech
5th November – The Ironworks, Oswestry
17th November – Pacific Road, Birkenhead (part of the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain)
21st November – Powis Hall, Bangor University, Bangor
Full details at www.catfishkeith.com
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.
Woody Mann – UK Tour 2009
We have a handful of dates in the region for the renowned guitarist and performer Woody Mann.
| 16-Oct | - | Theatre Clywd, Mold |
| 06-Nov | - | Worthenbury |
| 11-Nov | - | Bluefunk, Poynton |
| 13-Nov | - | Grand Theatre Studio, Blackpool |
| 21-Nov | - | Guitar Festival, Birkenhead |
| 22-Nov | - | Guitar Festival, Birkenhead |
Not only was Woody taught by the peerless guitar picker the Rev Gary Davis, but Mann has played with Son House, Bukka White and John Fahey and has studied jazz under the great Lennie Tristano…. don’t miss a chance to see him; you are unlikely to hear anything – or anyone – better..” – The Times
He is one of the world’s most renowned guitar masters and song story tellers – updating the past with his own unique contemporary improvisational style. He’s a teacher, producer, and writer who also taught Paul Simon to play guitar !! He’s been a faculty member at the New School in New York City, conducted master workshops, founded International Guitar Seminars and Acoustic Sessions Inc, and schooled countless guitarists through his acclaimed books and DVDs including the series “The Art of Acoustic Blues Guitar,” “The Complete Robert Johnson,” “The Blues Fakebook,” and the recently published “Lisboa – the Guitar Of Woody Mann” a collection of original compositions.
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.
Steve James is playing Mojos in West Kirby on 24th June 2009as part of his UK tour. All welcome to this free gig.
Described by the Houston Chronicle as an “underground legend”, Steve’s finger-picking and slide guitar playing coupled with his exuberant stage persona have won over audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
A well known name for devotees of American folk and blues Steve has a lifetime’s experience of playing gigs alongside such luminaries as John Hammond, Bo Diddley and Buddy Guy. His recording credits include slots with James McMurtry,Maria Muldaur and Jesse “Baby face” Thomas.
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