A place for music and books
Delighted that Shawn James and the Shapeshifters will be kindly using social media to plug Fifty Gigs In A Day and the work of Nordoff Robbins. Check out the song below, superb bit of blues…
shawnjamesmusic.com
facebook.com/ShawnJamesSoul
twitter.com/ShawnJamesMusic
youtube.com/ShawnJamesSoul
ShawnJamesSoul.bandcamp.com
Two great bands touring later this year and Cats In Space release their second album ‘Scarecrow’ in August 🙂
BAD TOUCH + MOLLIE MARRIOTT
9/11 Plug, Sheffield
10/11 Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek
16/11 The Tunnels Bristol
17/11 The Ruby Lounge, Manchester
18/11 The Cluny, Newcastle
19/11 The Bodega, Nottingham
23/11 Stereo Glasgow
24/11 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
25/11 The Empire Coventry
26/11 O2 Academy Islington London
1/12 The Waterfront Norwich
2/12 The Talking Heads, Southampton
CATS IN SPACE
September
Weds 06 The Borderline, London
Tues 12 The Globe, Cardiff
Weds 13 The Borderline, London
Fri 15 Rock City Basement, Nottingham
Sat 16 O2 Academy 2, Birmingham
Sun 17 The Fleece, Bristol
Tues 19 The Haunt, Brighton
Mon 25 G2, Glasgow
Tues 26 O2 Academy 3, Manchester
Weds 27 The Borderline, London
3/12 Planet Rockstock 2017
My first time at the Borderline since its recent refurbishment and it was looking impressive, with trendy seating and bar. Luckily it keeps the same atmosphere for live gigs with the audience crowded round the small stage area.
William the Conqueror was the support act and he took to the stage with his acoustic guitar and bass drum. He did mention he normally toured with a full band but tonight he joked they were replaced by said bass drum. He had an easy going style, both in the music – a mix of blues and Americana – and between song chat – he thought the revamped venue looked like the set of ‘Blake’s Seven’ (I’d wager this refit cost more than that creaky old set!). His new album is due out on August 4 and will be one to investigate further based on tonight’s impressive performance which went down well with the crowd.
Matt Andersen is a Juno Awards nominated Canadian blues guitarist/singer, and tonight’s gig was his final date on his UK leg of his current European tour. Where to start? Let’s just say you need to see Matt Andersen live to fully appreciate him as his acoustic guitar playing is stunning and then there is his voice. I have rarely seen a singer pour so much passion into his singing, a real joy to behold and reinforces why live music is good for your soul and well-being. Take ‘Make You Stay’, he was all over his guitar, his head thrown back, eyes closed as he got into his own groove and took the audience along with him. Amazing to watch and hear.
He has a very laid back, friendly on stage presence and can even slip in some unexpected fun as could be heard on ‘Have You Got The Blues’, where midway through he started playing the theme tune ‘The Pink Panther’. There was audience participation on his version of the classic ‘People Get Ready’, as he has the “guys and gals” singing different backing parts and it made for a one of the evening’s highlights. Needless to say Matt had the audience on his side from the moment he walked onto the stage. Interestingly the audience was made up of a younger crowd than I expected with a few hardened blues fans dotted around the crowd, proof that good blues music and musicians, like folk and country, has the timeless sound and appeal to carry on through generations.
Go see Matt Andersen play when he is town near you as you won’t be disappointed.
Review by Jason Ritchie
Listen up blues fans, HRH have announced the line-up for HRH Blues 2018: a heady swig of the Brandy of the Damned, to be held up at the O2 Academy, Sheffield between Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th April, 2018.
Bernie Marsden and King King will be headlining the event, which boasts a talent-packed line-up.
Best-known as founder member of the iconic Whitesnake, Bernie Marsden wrote or co-wrote many of the group’s hits, such as ‘Fool For Your Loving’ and ‘Here I Go Again’. To call Bernie a major player in rock and blues is an understatement. “There are only two men can play the blues, Eric Clapton and that bloke from Whitesnake,” said B.B. King in a 90s radio interview. High praise indeed!
“King King are setting the Blues world on fire!” proclaimed Classic Rock. That flame is coming to HRH Blues. No smoke and mirrors – just a fist-tight line-up delivering killer songs.
The ‘Pat McManus Band’ are a powerful three piece blues/rock Trio, headed up by Pat McManus (a.k.a. ‘The Professor’), the former Mama’s Boys’ and Celtus’ guitarist/violinist virtuoso.
Glaswegian Steve Nimmo played in The Nimmo Brothers, with his brother Alan (now of King King), but is a strong solo artist, songwriter, guitarist and vocalist. “Man, this guy can sing!” said Storyville, and sing he shall at HRH Blues 2018!
Other great bands announced include:
Danny Bryant
Geoff Achison
Pontus Snibb’s “Wreck of Blues”
Sari Schorr
Ben Poole
Del Bromham
The Danny Giles Band
Chris Antonik
Catfish
Rainbreakers
Jim Kirkpatrick & Heavy Weather
Sugarman Sam and the Voodoo Men
Brian Rawson Band
The Della Grants
Kris Barras Band
Tom Killner Band
Big Canyon
The Black Thunder Revue
Like all HRH events, HRH Blues will be a close-knit community experience, where fans of the music get to meet up, absorb great music, and party with friends old and new. Great acts, chosen by the fans. Quality accommodation, with all hotels on the doorstep to keep the community spirit intact. This will be a two day experience with hotels and breakfast included, as well as entrance to the event over the weekend.
Found this band Low Society via Twitter follow and if you like female fronted blues rock Low Society tick the boxes and then some! Check out the singing and slide guitar on this little beauty…
Their new album, ‘Sanctified’ is out now.
For those on Twitter I have set-up a Twitter page for the Rockin’ Chair blog. You can follow me @rockinchair17
Tristan Mackay + 50ft Woman + Finish On 2
Saturday, September 17 at 7:30pm at Saffron Walden Town Football Club
Concert in aid of Cancer Research.
Get along if you can and it is being organised by my Facebook pal Martin David Porter and he can fill you in more why he is doing this:
“I had a large section of my arm removed due to cancer and my Sister Zoe was also very lucky to beat a aggressive breast cancer, she was very lucky that the research had moved things on a lot in recent years and she would most certainly not be with us without them. I have sworn to raise as much as I could for Cancer Research without holding my hand out all time. I feel that the Pink Hair challenge is far enough in the past to do my bit again….but not begging for donations but by providing a evenings entertainment (if you want to donate because you cannot come then yes I will set up a giving page by all means).
The date will be Sat 17th September at the Saffron Walden Football Club who are supporting the event. I am lucky in my gig photography to have become friends with some great musicians one being Tristan Mackay. Tristan is a very talented singer song writer, not only is he a regular on Radio 2 and regional BBC tv, his work can be heard on a episode of Channel Fours ‘Skins’. Discovered as a busker and since has worked with many of the industrys big name such as Paul Carrick, Don Airey, he has toured with Beth Hart, Eric Johnson and more. Album wise both his albums have reached no1 in the Itunes blues charts sitting above the likes of Seasick Steve and Joe Bonamassa and are critically acclaimed with great reviews.
Tickets will be a competitive £10. Thanks for reading my War and Peace length post with it’s bad grammar..looking forward to seeing you there..Martxxx
https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/start-order/rid/92J3YGYW/language/en
