RUNNING ORDER:
SATURDAY /
SUNDAY
Arthur
Brown is synonymous with his 1968 hit “Fire” and the
Hammond-driven “Crazy World” line-up which spawned it. However,
his ‘God of Hellfire’ burned out fast and, in 1970, he returned
with a new project: the prog-festival freak-show Kingdom Come
followed by a varied solo career. Those initial four band
albums, by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and by Kingdom Come
are thrilling, as tend to be Brown’s cameos on other peoples’
projects.
Best known for his
flamboyant theatrical performances and his powerful, wide-
ranging operatic voice. He has been a major influence on a wide
range of musicians due to his outstanding vocal ability and wild
stage persona and concepts. He is considered a pioneer of shock
rock and progressive rock and influential on heavy metal music.
He associated with Jimi
Hendrix, The Who, Frank Zappa, Hawkwind, Klaus Schultze and
Alice Cooper and made a cameo appearance in the cult film “The
Committee” and also “Tommy”. His countless collaborations
include The Alan Parsons Project, The Stranglers and The
Prodigy.
His best-known single
“Fire” hit number 1 in the UK singles chart and Canada, and a
number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album “The Crazy World
Of Arthur Brown” had top ten success on both sides of the
Atlantic. Following “Fire”, the press would often refer to Brown
as “The God of Hellfire”, in reference to the opening shouted
line of the song.
Arthur shows no signs of
stopping or slowing down and continues to record and release
hugely inspiring music, including his most recent release “Long,
Long Road” (2022) and the launch of his new multi-media show “A
Human Perspective”.
Dom
Martin is a Belfast born multi award winning artist who burst
onto the music scene in 2019
with a
unique guitar style and voice, captivating audiences everywhere.
BBC
Radio 2
presenter Cerys
Matthews -
“Absolutely
wonderful
stuff” Classic Rock
Magazine - "The Belfast guitarist is a sprawling talent" Walter
Trout - "Dom Martin is amazing! A unique, genuine, vital artist"
makingascene.org
- "The
likes
of Dom’s
talent
only
comes around
once in a
lifetime"
Blues in
Britain Magazine -
"Now and again you stumble across a rare
talent of such sheer genius
that
you actually
wonder
whether
what
you have
witnessed
can
possibly be
for real.
Dom Martin is one such talent"
Music-News.Com -
"Dom Martin is an absolutely fabulous
performer"
Rock
& Blues Muse
- "It’s
obvious
that Dom
Martin is
the
next rising
star in the
global roots scene. Jump
aboard now before he passes you by"
AWARDS
Instrumentalist of The Year - 2023 UK Blues Awards
Instrumentalist of The Year - 2022 UK Blues Awards
(Inducted
into
the UK Blues
Hall of
Fame
for
his third
successive
Acoustic
Award) Acoustic Act of The Year - 2022 UK
Blues Awards
Acoustic
Act of The Year - 2021 UK Blues Awards Acoustic Act of The Year
- 2020 UK Blues Awards Best
Solo/Acoustic
Act -
European Blues
Awards 2019
Dom is
fairly unique in that he is an extremely talented multi award
winning performer both as a solo acoustic act (Dom Martin) and
as a power rock trio (Dom Martin & Band). His ability to perform
both shows at large festivals is attractive to festival
organisers looking for quality shows for different stages.
This
unassuming musician is another fine product of the Belfast music
factory responsible for Sir Van Morrison, Gary Moore, Paul
Brady, Brian Kennedy, Foy Vance and many more.
Hamilton
Loomis
has released his first-ever
Christmas album, This Season. With covers of five Yuletide
classics and five originals destined to become seasonal
classics, the album offers something for everyone. "When I was a
kid," he recalls, "my mom always had Christmas records playing
in the house. There's such a great tradition of Christmas albums
across just about every genre of music. It's something I've
always wanted to do, and when I started writing these new songs
I realized this was the time to do it."
Loomis not only shows off his songwriting
and musical chops here, but his production skills are also on
deft display as originals and classics seamlessly blend together
to create an almost-perfect holiday vibe.
THE
HITMAN BLUES BAND
The Hitman from New
York City and his Hitman Blues Band play original
Modern/Alternative Blues and inspired versions of blues classics
= blues for the 21st century! The common thread for every tune
is the blues - from soulful blues ballads to foot tappin' music
to make you want to dance. Powerful vocals, ripping guitar, a
solid rhythm section, stirring backing vocals, plus a little
humour in the narrative. This is a blues show like no other.
Vocalist, guitarist and and band leader Russell ‘Hitman’
Alexander has New York City in his veins and the blues in his
heart, The man in the shades, top hat and sharp suit is playing
real blues, informed by 50 years of mastery of New York City’s
thousand styles while imitating no one.
The Hitman Blues
Band constantly get great album and live reviews, and feature in
the top of the blues charts around the world. Their latest album
'Hey Can You Guys Play...' has received superb reviews and they
have a new studio album for 2024:
" An album that
delivers great pleasure with a genuinely innovative, bold
approach that works fabulously. " Blues Matters magazine
“Fine musicianship and strong song writing – a winning formula!”
Blues in Britain magazine
“Led by New York guitarist
Russell ‘Hitman’ Alexander, Hitman has a striking, charismatic
personality and knows how to entertain and put on a show with
superb danceable blues and great covers. Born to play and with
real personality, as he tells stories, jokes with the crowd,
proudly features his excellent band and plays a spiky guitar
with great panache and soul. What a find you may think and you’d
be right” – Blues Matters magazine.
Alice
Armstrong is a multi-award nominated singer-songwriter and
entertainer from Surrey, UK, known for her impressive vocal
range, dynamic songwriting and unmatched stage presence. Her
voice and songs vary widely in emotional tone and are a common
addition to Joe Bonamassa’s personal Spotify playlists.
An Alice Armstrong show promises a soulful, genre-busting
performance packed with world class musicianship and wry British
repartee. Her personal and provocative content is heavily
infused with soul, blues, funk, rock and jazz, and is served
with an enigmatic performance reminiscent of the likes of B.B.
King, Koko Taylor, Janis Joplin and Tina Turner (with a touch of
Maria Callas), leaving the awed audience laughing, crying and
tapping their feet in equal measure.
A
3-piece band from Birmingham, use Riff based Melodic Blues Rock
from a reservoir of influences, including Beatles, Cream,
Zeppelin, Brit Pop 90’s, more recently Rival Sons and Vintage
Trouble, to create their memorable sound. Their songs are
delivered by three accomplished musicians, fronted with stunning
vocals. All backed up with impressive gig experience, stage
presence and great songs. They play top venues and festivals in
the major cities of the UK and further afield including two
tours of NYC’s Greenwich Village and Manhattan. They are equally
happy doing stripped down acoustic or fullblown electric gigs
Their most prestigious performances have been on the Main Music
Stage @ F1 British Grand Prix Silverstone, twice, and tours /
gigs with Dirty Thrills, Steve Conte (NY Dolls), Skid Row, Brian
Downey (Thin Lizzy), Von Hertzen Brothers, Virginmarys, Cats in
Space, King King, Daxx & Roxane, Kris Barras, The Record
Company, Sari Schorr and Chantel McGregor. Main support to
Toploader @ Rhuddfest and main stage slot @ Evoke Festival
Brentwood. The quirkiest was The Tramlines Festival Sheffield,
acoustic on a moving Tram.
True
Strays are lifelong friends, songwriters and country boys –
Joseph James and James Cameron – from Bristol, England who are
fast carving out a niche of their own in the UK Americana scene.
Their music is a cathartic celebration of alternative roots
americana and blues rock.
Their songs focus on the dirt that life
throws at you and how struggle can be transformed into something
better. The prolific songwriting duo draw influences from
classic sounds such as Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Fleetwood Mac
and modern retro inspired acts like Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark
Jr and the Black Keys.
From the rock and roll circumstances of
their first meeting, in a sand pit in playgroup 30 odd years
ago, they have completed countless UK tours, supported bands as
diverse as My Baby and Elles Bailey, been jump started by Keith
Allen, played by BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 4, played their
first European dates, survived 70+ festival shows at prestigious
festivals like Green Man, Boom Town, Larmer Tree and Shambala
and have been featured on the Spotify’s Nu-Blue and Modern Blues
Rock playlists.
2021 sees a year’s hard work behind the
scenes coming to fruition. A recent invite to showcase at the
prestigious UK AmericanaFest, a debut album and a performance at
Black Deer Festival all on the horizon. With or without live
shows, True Strays are not giving up on their musical calling.
Young
troubadour Connor Selby signed to Provogue Records in December
2022 and has released his major label debut, the self titled
Connor Selby to critical acclaim. One of the brightest talents
on the UK blues scene. He has been voted “Young Artist of the
Year” at the UK Blues Awards for the last three consecutive
years (2020, 2021, 2022) and he already has an impressive venue
checklist, including Wembley Stadium, where he opened for The
Who in July 2019 and has since gone on to play Hyde Park,
London, with Pearl Jam, Stereophonics and Johnny Marr in the
summer of 2022. Connor has also had a productive 2023 touring
the UK as the opening act for Blues and Rock Luminaries Robert
Cray and Beth Hart. Connor is also due to embark on a headline
tour in October of 2023.
There’s a timeless
melancholic quality to his music. Relatable in its honesty and
openness, he draws from anxiety and vulnerability but delivers
it with a world-worn elegance. The sky is the limit for Selby,
who, along with awards, has picked up numerous plays on BBC
Radio 2. It’s easy to see why with his soulful blend of blues
and his emotionally introspective songwriting, which sits
alongside his impressive armoury of guitar playing.
Over
a decade ago Backbone Blues Band’s story began in a field. Two
bandmates having a beer and talking music at the Blues on the
Farm festival. ‘My sister’s been going to the King Biscuit
Festival for years’ says one. ‘We should go!’
Later
that year the fledgling band made its first trip to the
Mississippi Delta, cementing a love for the music and firing a
desire to make Backbone a band that plays the blues in its own
style - faithful to the genre but distinctive and entertaining
in its delivery. More than ten years on, and with as many trips
to the Biscuit in that time, the band has earned friends and
plaudits both sides of the Atlantic.
Their fourth album, ‘old new borrowed blues’, enjoyed extensive
radio coverage on blues shows and was extremely well received.
Something of a watershed recording, it represents an homage to
much missed lead singer Duncan Highet, whose passing left the
band mourning the loss of a great friend. It also signposted the
band’s way forward, with guitarist Tony Seaman stepping in to
the lead vocal role, and new members Luke (Duncan’s son) on
bass, and guitarist Martin Spellman bringing their own talents
to the Backbone sound. Steve Pearce on keys and Martin Jezzard
on drums complete the band personnel.
This year’s trip to the Delta sees the band making their second
main stage appearance at the Biscuit - we believe the only
non-US band to have played the festival more than once - and
includes a return to Morgan Freeman’s iconic Ground Zero blues
club in Clarksdale, where the band’s performances have enjoyed
an enthusiastic following.
In the U.K. the band have built a reputation for delivering
their blues in an entertaining and engaging style, with
performances at a number of festivals and blues clubs, including
the award-winning Tuesday Blues at the 100 Club. They’re already
booked for the Looe festival on their return from the States,
and for Blackpool’s inaugural blues festival in early ‘24. Catch
them if you can, live or on record - you’ll like what you hear!
Raw
power country, blues, southern rock and Americana delivered by
four highly experienced and dedicated musicians. A decade of
touring the UK and the EU, to celebrate the band's 10th year,
they are looking to tour new and old venues nationwide. Since a
young age, in his native South Yorkshire, Tom has been hailed a
guitar prodigy.With high profile support slots including Dr.
Feelgood, Danny Bryant, Lawrence Jones, as well his own headline
shows and major rock, blues and country festivals across the UK
and EU.
Described as an all round performer, whose skills are beyond his
years, with nods to rock, blues, country and Americana, with
southern soul infused in its core. The live performances are
delivered with passion, heartfelt soul drenched musicianship and
explosive drive, with guitar firepower. “If you see Killner
listed as playing in your town or city anytime soon, go and see
him – I know I will”
Since forming the band, Tom has recorded three albums, two
studio albums, a live album and an EP. This on top of appearing
on recordings with Dr. John, Iggy Pop, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore.
The 2018 album Get Back Up was described as the album that
bigger names spend most of their career working towards, fresh,
vital, intense, soulful and rock hard. Hard Road, released in
2015, described as a retro sounding blues rock album with
southern influence, interspersed with passionate playing from Tom
and the band.
Giants of Rock reviewer, festivals for all, said he had
witnessed one of the best sets he could remember for a long
time. Tom's throaty vocals were not only tremendous but
incredible, with exceptional guitar playing. Slide guitar, and
“honky tonk” returns from the keys player Wes, was a thing of
beauty. In such hallowed company, to be picked as one of the FFA
sets of the festival is simply an indication of the quality of
the talented musicianship.
The
influences are firmly set in the southern rock vibe and that’s
where the bands passion clearly lies. Trying to do something
familiar but with a twist that keeps the audience engaged and
interested, whilst focusing on what serves the song. Guitarist
James Ives and Lead Singer / Guitarist Ross Connor are clearly
tone chasers and that is very transparent in ‘Separate Ways’
where the rhythmical and sonic element is so important.
The bands previous singles ‘Mind Your Own Business’, ‘Better
Than Me’ and ‘Jester’ all display the very ‘rootsy’ foundations
of what ‘Ramblin’ Preachers’ are about. The band also won the
Introducing Stage at the Great British Rock & Blues Festival
2022 which helped the band in becoming what is one of the
hottest live bands around.
With Arena like power, relatable song writing and a face melting
live show they aim to continue their success with their debut
album ‘Sins & Virtues’. With the excellent minds of producers
Wayne Proctor & Oli Brown now intertwined within the band’s
productions and compositions it’s a good time to get behind them
and join the journey.
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