Acts

KEN PUSTELNIKS GROUNDHOGS

Way back in the halcyon days of rock, there came a trio of 'superheroes' known as the Groundhogs, riding the blues boom into unchartered territory, they gained a reputation as one of the most dynamic live acts around, and are influential and inspirational to this day. The classic line-up of Tony McPhee, Ken Pustelnik and Pete Cruickshank toured the world for 6 years straight, including seminal shows with the Rolling Stones, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall and Canned Heat, and at the legendary 1970 Isle of Wight festival along with Jimi Hendrix. In this time they produced 4 renowned albums: 'Blues Obituary', 'Thank Christ for the Bomb', 'Split' and 'Who Will Save the World'...

Now Ken Pustelnik brings you a new and exciting line-up - Groundhogs, playing that classic material with verve and power, and giving performances of energy and excitement that are as fresh and relevant to the modern audience as the originals were back in the day...

CATFISH

nternational touring blues rock powerhouse Catfish are making waves on the music scene in the UK and Europe. In 2018 they won the UK Blues Award for Blues Act of the Year (England) to add to their 2016 British Blues Award. This year they were nominated for three UK Blues awards, winning two of them - Band of the Year and Blues Instrumentalist of the Year (Matt Long). In the last few years, they have played at almost every major UK blues festival and have established themselves as a real force in the British blues scene. They now tour regularly in Europe and, although their tours in March and April plus most of the summer festivals have been cancelled this year due to Covid-19, they still have a November tour of Europe in the diary.

Their first two albums 'So Many Roads' and ‘Broken Man’ both reached no. 1 in the IBBA airplay charts. The second of these, ‘Broken Man’, was also nominated for a UK Blues Award and was named album of the year by the IBBA. Their current album 'Burning Bridges' was released in May 2019 and has received excellent reviews from the UK and European music press. It was the third most played album by the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association in 2019 and has been nominated for a UK blues award for 2020 as album of the year.

'Catfish are one of the finest live bands in Britain today. The quality of musicianship is outstanding and in Matt Long, they have one of the greatest young guitarists on the scene today...' Blues Matters Magazine.

Stephen Dale Petit and his razor sharp band debut his highly anticipated new, sixth, album 2020 Visions along with some gorgeously familiar blues classics; expect dynamic, guitar-based excitement born of the blues, spiced with a refreshingly daring approach – as Petit, one foot planted firmly in the roots of deep blues and the other striding boldly into hitherto unexplored rock guitar excellence visits influences from Charlie Patton and Blind Willie Johnson to BB King and Chicago’s Chess, from Cream and Zeppelin via John Mayall’s Blues breakers right up to new millennium six string exploration. Stephen Dale Petit has performed and collaborated with a veritable Who’s Who of blues/rock alumni including Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, David Gilmour, Hubert Sumlin, Chris Barber, Walter Trout and Paul Jones. ‘Blues guitar sensation Stephen Dale Petit is the hot new ticket. Lily Allen, Ronnie Wood and Chris Evans are already fans.’ Daily Mirror ‘Petit has a fluidity missing from most modern guitarists’ The Sunday Times
JIM KIRKPATRICK

The ultra-dependable frontline wingman JIM KIRKPATRICK is to release a kajillion-watt, rockingblues, solo humdinger JIM KIRKPATRICK is about to release a virtuosic and rambunctiously rollicking new solo album — and it's an absolute triumph. “I started out as a teen guitarist in a high-school band...” Jim says. “I got into Rory Gallagher in a big way, but things started to click when I got crazy for Ry Cooder, then Duane Allman, Lowell George ( Little Feat) and Derek Trucks.” “I was a huge Robert Johnson fan, but my interest in blues really started with Jimi Hendrix, then the Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, and while I liked electric blues, I also loved the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney and Queen.” Since the 1990s the reputable, six-string, slide & glide gunslinger has been the hired vigilante of choice for the best rock ensembles on the planet: from the popular local band Heavy Weather, to a brilliant tour guitarist for English folk-rock superstar Thea Gilmore (this brought concert opportunities & radio shows across the United States and a tour with American folk-legend Joan Baez) onto earning a place alongside rock legend Bernie Marsden as his esteemed slide-guitarist in a Post-Whitesnake era, post Moody-Marsden band. “Although I am almost thirty years his junior, both Bernie and I come from the same place, musically...” Jim says, about their partnering. “We both love the sound of the twin guitar; we both yearn after gritty electric blues [...] we bond and overlap like barrel-house blood brothers...” “We have covered Rory Gallagher material together... and although I have made no attempt to emulate Rory, nor have I never been in a Gallagher tribute outfit, I have often been associated with the hero guitarist and I'm regularly told I sound and play like him.” But on Christmas Eve in 2004, he talked to the landlord (in the gentleman's toilet) at a canal-side bar in Cheshire. The landlord asked him if he knew Steve Overland. He had, of course, who hadn't? Overland was a rock giant. Overland had formed the quintessential AOR band of the 80's — FM. “Oddly, it turned out, the reason I was asked was because Steve lived just four doors down from me in the same village! And the pub landlord wanted me to invite the guy in for a gig! The end result was that I established contact with Steve and we became Drinking buddies! To be honest, as busy musicians, we were the only ones who wanted to get hammered on a Tuesday night! We are always playing concerts on the weekends and our mid-weeks were filled with rehearsals and band practice.” Being a mate of Steve, Jim went along to watch the famous FM reunion gig at Firefest in 2007 : “I thought, I'd love to be in a band like this...” It was an inspirational moment. “Yes, I loved my work with Thea and enjoyed my performances alongside Bernie, but this classic rock band captivated me.” By chance, FM's long-term lead-guitarist, Andy Barnett, said he couldn't commit to any long-term plans, even though — after Firefest — it seemed FM were headed once more into the big time: “So I asked Steve if I could audition for the lead guitar role.” “By then I was writing a lot with Steve, we became good mates, there was a bit of an age difference, but we lived next door to each other and Steve could travel with me (we got on) and we had the same ideas about rock. I learned the material they asked me to audition for, I learned all the live versions of their songs, all the studio versions of their songs... I even got hold of their bootleg recordings and learned those songs too. “I know all the songs...” I told them. And it's true. I did. I certainly didn't want an opportunity like this to slip through my fingers. After I'd done, they said: “that was easy...” and they hired me.” Jim has played with FM ever since (2008) and he significantly contributed to the 2010 album “Metropolis” co-writing three of the tracks, including the title song. Since then, Jim has toured & recorded with FM and has played on the biggest stages and at the most prestigious festivals, to support household names such as Thin Lizzy, Journey, Foreigner, Kiss, Whitesnake and Heart. And the hired-gun's work with Rhino's Revenge (Status Quo bassist John Edwards' band) and with the Grammy-award winner Mike Farris (of Double Trouble fame) as well as Robert Hart (Manfred Mann's Earth Band singer) Nev MacDonald (Phil Campbell) and famed rock vocalist Chris Ousey [plus many more] has brought Jim high praise and unwavering admiration, as he continues to add more impressive dimensions to a reputation that is already considered impeccable and indefatigable. Jim is the most appreciated riff-slinger in the business. “More recently,” he says “I've been working with the highly respected Chris Bevington Organization — a nine-piece, fast-paced, blues project, bringing together a lot of talent, including luminaries such as multi-instrumentalist Scott Ralph, Nearly Dan singers Kate Robertson & Sarah Miller, and the bandleader Bevington, who is a more than creditable bassist.” In 2006 Jim released his first solo album, titled: Changed Priorities. “I had been working with Thea and had got into Americana and I probably didn't know where I wanted to be and where I wanted to go properly at that stage — all I did know was that I didn't want to make another Stevie Ray Vaughan reproduction and I thought that any straight-down blues record that I might deliver would never do as well as anything by Kenny Wayne Shepherd. ” “Possibly, I didn't make it guitary enough for connoisseurs (short solos) but I wanted the album to be more song-based than guitar-based because that's where I was at the time.” Nevertheless, the 2006 album was much commended by the music press who thought it demonstrated Jim's more reflective side, and brought some wonderful, soft country-rock textures. But Jim's new album is not so “acoustical.” It's a masterpiece of technical bravado and driving rock... “I called in a drummer and a bass player — so it's more power-driven and electrifying. I know what people are expecting now and I know what I want from an album that has my name on the sleeve.” “Ballad of a Prodigal Son is a twelve-track, blues-rock outing with some songs co-written with friends and some fine contributions from many of my colleagues...” Contributors include: John 'Rhino' Edwards (Status Quo), Steve Overland (FM), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake) Sarah Miller (Chris Bevington Org), Jem Davis (FM), Neil 'Kegsy' McCallum (Chris Bevington Org), David Levy (Rory Gallagher) Richard Newman (Paul Rodgers), Scott Ralph (Chris Bevington Org), Didge Digital (FM), Neil Murray (Whitesnake) Paul Westwell (SinnerBoy) and wizard bass players Chris Bevington and Chris Cliff. “ The opening-song Ballad of a Prodigal Son (I'm partly the prodigal son of the yarn, so this is my cheery nod to a return to solo work) — though actually it's a semi-fictional portrayal of somebody else I knew, set in Florida, a guy I used to work with,” Jim says. “ Songs come into my head, I tend to write from inside then pick up a guitar later; lyrics start with a title and perhaps the first few lines...” “I have co-written songs with Scott Ralph, Thea Gilmore and Bernie Marsden (Always On the Road) and covered a much-loved John “Rhino” Edwards penned Status Quo number “Gravy Train” that is one of my favorite numbers to play live.” Neil Mach June 2020
JO HARMAN

AWARD WINNING RADIO 2 PLAY-LISTED ARTIST JO HARMAN Widely regarded as one of Europe's finest ever soul/blues fuelled voices, JO HARMAN is an international touring and recording artist who remains a genre-defying, independently minded artist of rare credibility. An artist who makes sincere and heartfelt music, The Mirror proclaimed her 'UK's finest female soul blues voice' who, according to Classic Rock, writes 'lip-biting beautiful songs'. Jo released her second studio album 'People We Album' to much critical acclaim (see accolades at foot of the page) and no little commercial success. Indeed the 'lead single', 'When We Were Young' (featuring Michael McDonald) achieved BBC Radio 2 play-listing, as well as play listing on other mainstream national stations across Ireland (RTE1) and Europe. The album has also made various 'best of' lists, internationally. Last summer Jo duetted on 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)' with Motown song-writing legend Lamont Dozier, the lead single from his 'Re-imagination' album which also features Gregory Porter, Graham Nash, Todd Rundgren, Rumer and other notable international names. A multi award winning/nominated performer, Jo has achieved considerable success at home and abroad, headlining prestigious venues and festivals throughout Europe and beyond, including playing as one of eleven artists to 300k people at Parkpop, in the Hague. Amongst many other highlights, Jo was asked to perform for, and alongside, Joan Baez at Amnesty International's prestigious 'Ambassador of Conscience' awards. Last Autumn Jo was asked by Festival Director Leo Green to open London's BluesFest performing a set at the 20k capacity O2 Arena. Last month Jo was asked to swap vocal licks with multi million selling US Soul Superstar Will Downing as part of an all star Charity version of the Isley's classic. 'Work To Do' as the only Brit to be invited to perform alonmgside a host of legendary US sidemen and artists associaed with Tower Of Power, Hall and Oates, Average White Band and more. Rag 'N Bone recently took to social media to proclaim her 'one of this country's finest talents' and soul super star Michael McDonald advised 'hearing her cover one of my songs was a spiritual experience'.

DIANA SILVEIRA

Incredible Portuguese born vocalist Diana Silveira, an exceptional talent who is turning heads and catching ears wherever she performs, both here in the UK and across parts of Europe. "Money Ain't No Truth" debut video with Redtenbacher's Funkestra has seen it's US premiere in Soultrack.com after an exclusive track debut play on Roger Mccormick and David 'Kid' Jensen Radio Show - The Blues Spectrum (UK). Diana’s ability to sing a wide range of genres with authority and her ability to switch from sweet tones to a full out rock and roll vibe makes her a force to be reckoned with!

Gerry Jablonski & the Electric Band An International touring band with a 10 year portfolio of festival, theatre and club gigs throughout Europe, Scandinavia and the UK. Gerry Jablonski & the Electric Band are a standout act with an energetic, noholds-barred stageshow. They have a unique, trademark Heavy Blues Rock sound and style producing gutsy music with hooks, melodies and an intense presence that wins over any audience, anywhere, anytime. Guaranteed.

• 2018 Blues Awards - UK Blues Act of the Year nominee
• Live UK TV performances on STV and
radio play on BBC Radio 2 & Planet Rock
• 10 years road experience throughout
Europe, UK and Scandinavia
• Sell out headline shows 2 years running
at Vienna and Edinburgh jazz and blues
festivals
• 6 albums to date, all reviewed and
recommended by Classic Rock magazine
• Double A side single recorded with
Robert Plant’s Grammy award winning producer
• Latest album, Live at the Blue Note on Classic Rocks’ most recommended list
• Festival, theatre and club gigs in Austria, Czechia, France, Germany, Poland and all over the UK in 2020
• Sell out appearances at Sheffield O2 HRH Blues festival and Rory Gallagher Festival
• Latest video / single release, Goddam, sponsored by Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head vodka
“Go see this band - the best band you never heard of!” Classic Rock Magazine

RAINBREAKERS are noted for their distinctively forlorn vocals and moodily contagious songs that explore the complex struggles of life. The U.K. based four-piece formed when Ben Edwards [lead vocals & guitar] put together a band with his brother Sam Edwards [on drums] and later finding friends Ash Milburn [on bass] and the truly phenomenal musician Charlie Richards [on lead guitar] to complete the vision the brothers had for a unique sound.

The band seeks to shape a musical marque for themselves as they continue to explore their unique brand of Rock and Soul and aim to cultivate the roots of their own introspective brand that's a subtle variety of brooding, English, roots-rock. Bottling the anger and frustration they witness in modern-day living and they siphon off their feelings into suitable musical containers that allow raw emotions to bleed out during passionate live performances and on high-quality recordings.

Having toured across the UK and mainland Europe, this tenacious four-piece from the West Midlands, have won over crowds with their unmistakable sound, sharing stages with artists such as The Temperance Movement, The Kris Barras Band, Samantha Fish, Devon Allman and Wille and the Bandits.

Rainbreakers have been playing to capacity crowds at iconic venues such as The 100 Club, The Borderline, The Sage and Rock City. Performances at festivals like the Great British Rock and Blues and Wilderness Festival have seen the band receive accolades including nominations for the UK Blues Challenge and Best Emerging Artist in The British Blues Awards. Cementing Rainbreakers status as one of the brightest acts to materialise in recent times.

Félix Rabin

Félix Rabin is a singer-songwriter and gifted guitarist
The French 23 year was inspired by musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Pink Floyd.....his style embodies these influences and blends contemporary Rock, with inventive riffs and moody melodies
Loving music as long as he can recall, the desire to play came suddenly and when Félix picked up his first guitar at 15.......this is when the story began.

After touring around France, playing several times at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where he was born and lived since childhood, Félix is now ready to take his music and open doors in new territories. Fortunately, one of these is the UK!

Given the amazing response he has received after only a handful of appearances in this country, he says; "As a French guy, I really can feel that music is much more into the culture of English people - I mean you can feel that Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and all the other great ones come from here !"

Plans are in hand to release his debut album in 2019 and it's fair to say; there are exciting times ahead for this young Frenchman....

Is the New Undisputed Female Rising Star of Blues Rock!
Manhaton Records is pleased to announce one of the most exciting Blues rock singers SARI SCHORR. Her debut album “A Force of Nature” is produced by the legendary Mike Vernon whose credits include Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall & the Blues Breakers, David Bowie, Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Christine McVie and Ten Years After.

The first leg of Sari's celebrated UK/European and US tour has catapulted Sari and her electrifying band The Engine Room into the spotlight. The Engine Room features stunning ex Robert Plant guitarist INNES SIBUN. Sari has been featured in Classic Rock Magazine, Rock Society Magazine, Blues Matters, Blues In Britain, Bluesnews, R2 Magazine, Fireworks Magazine, Downbeat, Guitar Techniques, Rocktopia and many more.

The critical acclaim for Sari Schorr & The Engine Room is unanimous!

Sari Schorr & The Engine Room have performed at many great festivals around the world. Highlights include the Guitar En Scene Festival in France, and Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, sharing the stage with Santana, Steve Vai and Twisted Sister and Nottoden Festival in Norway, playing the same stage with Walter Trout and The Supersonic Blues Machine, fronted by Billy Gibbons.

Sari was also featured on the Lead Belly Fest at Carnegie Hall with Buddy Guy, Eric Burdon and other legendary artists. Sari's performance of Black Betty was met with such rave reviews it became the lead singe for the album. Watch the official video:
A Force of Nature: "A hailstorm of an album sure to go down in blues history.”
– Blues Rock Review

The new album A Force of Nature features Walter Trout, Engine Room guitarist Innes Sibun, Oli Brown (RavenEye) and keyboardist John Baggott (Massive Attack, Portishead). The album hit #1 in the UKand was the highest new entry on the UK Official Jazz and Blues albums charts, which is no mean feat! It also cracked the Top 10 of the UK Americana charts too.

The reaction to the album has been extraordinary. Maximum Volume Music give it a 10/10 and said, "The quality of the record frequently touches jaw-dropping. Sari Schorr & The Engine Room have just made one of the blues records of the year.” Classic Rock Society magazine made it their featured Blues album of the month for Sept/Oct.

Futhermore, Sari was nominated for two European Blues Awards: Best Album and Best Singer.

THE SHARPEEZ

William “Bill” Mead had a cult following in the late 1970s with his raunchy London and Kent R&B band, Rebel.

They became hot favourites alongside Dr Feelgood and The Stranglers in all the major London pub rock venues of the time., such as The Hope and Anchor and The Marquee.

Today, Bill’s high energy rock and blues band The Sharpeez have established themselves as ‘a band for all seasons’, who can be relied upon to deliver a sizzling set on any stage across Europe and the UK.

The individual musicians in the five-piece line-up have fabulous playing pedigrees, but as a unit they have chemistry you could cut with a blunt knife!

Bill can pen a decent song too, and collectively they effortlessly transfer that on-stage power and energy to record, as evidenced on their critically acclaimed latest CD, “Wild One”, released in May 2018 on the 3MS label.

The album dented the upper reaches of the IBBA chart (Independent Blues Broadcasters Association) based on the vast amount of radio airplay the tracks attracted.

Their fifth album - named after the classic Marlon Brando movie. Recorded in France, where they teamed up with acclaimed recording engineer Paul Madden, who has worked with a myriad of stars including The White Stripes, Jack Bruce, Robin Trower, The Stranglers and many others.
The material, the performances and the production all have equal importance across the new record, but Bill’s innate story telling skills are to the fore in the song writing.
There’s groove galore, ample feel, and they get down and dirty with some sizzling slide guitar licks. But the boys can really rock out too.
The album’s formidable “A Team” of craftsmen/woman are: William Mead on guitar and lead vocals, Loz Netto on slide guitar, Baz Payne on bass, Brendan O’Neill on drums (who played with Rory Gallagher and Nine Below Zero), and Teresa Revill on backing vocals. The record was mixed by Loz Netto.
Bill penned six of the nine songs, co-writing the other three cuts: “Bullet” with Strawbs member Brian Willoughby and Nashville-based Cathryn Craig, “Stiletto Heels” with former Sharpeez guitarist Pete Goodey and “Desperate Man” with Pete Feenstra. The band shot a video for the opening track and radio hit, “Automatic Mode”.
The Sharpeez also scored with their previous albums, especially 2011’s “Open For Surgery” and 2014’s “Mississippi Thrill”.

Bill Mead released his first single “Rocka Shocka” with Rebel in the 1970s. He was signed by Fischer Z Management, and he wrote and recorded the album, “Strangers in New York” for Red Admiral Records.

Loz Netto is an internationally respected musician, composer, songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, producer and recording engineer. He began his professional career in the 1970’s and at 17, was hired to play guitar on tour for Drifters legend, Ben 'E' King.

Loz became a founder member of Sniff 'n' the Tears and by 1978 the band had a worldwide award-winning hit record with “Driver’s Seat”, from their acclaimed album “Fickle Heart”.

He recorded two albums with the band and toured the world, including a three-month tour of the USA, playing huge football stadiums. He appeared on Top of The Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and other major TV shows in Europe and the US.

In 1982, Loz launched a solo career signing to Polygram Records, and recorded his debut solo album at George Martin’s Air Studios. His first single “Fade Away”, appeared in the U.S top 40 for six weeks. The single went Top Ten in Holland and charted in most European countries. He recorded two albums for Polygram.

He was then signed to Atlantic Records by label founder Ahmet Ertegun, and his album for the label received critical acclaim, and various songs were used in U.S films and T.V shows. His songs have been covered by Chaka Khan, Joe Walsh, Rick James, Kenny Loggins and others, and used on many TV and movie soundtracks.

Today’s core ‘on the road’ line-up of The Sharpeez is Bill Mead on guitar and lead vocals, Loz Netto on guitar and vocals, David Tettmar on drums and Michael Steed on bass.

Bassist Michael Steed has a solid CV. He played with The Marmalade, The Rubettes and spent 18 years with hit pop band Love Affair. He has also been a sought-after bass player for theatre bands, in hit shows such as The Rocky Horror Show and The Blues Brothers. Drummer David Tettmar played in the acclaimed Rosco Levee Band.

The band’s sound unashamedly nods towards their main influences such as Rory Gallagher, Dr Feelgood, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, George Thorogood, Paul Kossoff, Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser.

But they mix that all up in the pot with their own recipe, and out comes a unique main course. Good time British R & B never tasted so good, as gig/festival audiences and “sold out” signs across Europe and beyond would confirm!

James Oliver has already rubbed shoulders with many of the greats of the guitar firmament. Now, having recorded three vital, very contemporary albums with his band Glas, he is preparing to write a new chapter of not only his career but also Welsh music history.

His progress since forming Glas in early 2012 has been steady rather than spectacular, playing every gig in the Valleys before expanding horizons beyond. See him on stage, though, and spectacular is very much the word. Little wonder the late, great Deke Leonard of Man/Iceberg fame was moved to say that ‘Speaking as a guitarist, James Oliver scares the hell out of me.’ Taff Williams and Tweke Lewis, who have played with him, were similarly impressed.
Oliver’s propulsive guitar won Glas an invitation to play the prestigious Monaghan Blues Festival in Ireland – the first Welsh act to do so – while other festivals at Tenby and Colne soon followed. His rootsy, Fender-fuelled music has been heard supporting the likes of Albert Lee . Bill Kirchen,and, only this year, Played London’s legendary 100 Club. Former Love Sculpture/Dave Edmunds bassist John David has worked with Jamesin the studio, further enhancing a more than respectable CV.

As music business veterans will tell you, success is 10 per cent inspiration and 90 per cent perspiration. As he enters the next stage of his career, James Oliver has a track record that shows he will not allow an ounce of his talents to be wasted. And with new musicians to interact with, chances are the music in store will exhibit hitherto unheard dimensions to delight his growing army of fans. Blues, rock a billy, rock and country…it’s all here in one explosive pickin’ package.

Brothers Keith and Stu Xander were discovered on YouTube by Gibson Brands CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and during their subsequent performances for the company at numerous international events from LA to Dubai the band caught the attention of not just an ever-growing collective of fans but also industry legends such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones) and Rick Allen (Def Leppard).

Defying all expectations, lead singer and guitarist Keith Xander was born without a right arm below the elbow and plays guitar using a prosthesis and hook with a pick attached at the end. Although many who have seen Keith play believe him to be an extraordinary guitarist despite of his perceived ‘disability’ he is a virtuoso musician in his own right and his playing rivals the best in the industry.

In 2014 the band ended their 5-year tenure as the resident band at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club pub and went on to support the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Temperance Movement, ex-Whitesnake’s Bernie Marsden and even Bon Jovi at Old Trafford Stadium to name a few.

2016 saw the band release their debut album, titled ‘11:11’, on V2 Benelux Records, recorded at the world-famous Wisseloord studios in Hilversum, outside of Amsterdam. The album went on to receive critical acclaim from the likes of Classic Rock, Planet Rock Radio and from BBC Radio’s Bob Harris.

With haunting riffs, genius melodies and a uniquely infectious charisma, Xander and the Peace Pirates continue to share their musical passion to standing ovations, while spreading a universal message of peace, love and harmony.

The Hitman Blues Band

The Hitman Blues Band is getting worldwide recognition. The new release “The World Moves On” is being hailed as "the best yet!" Their previous release, “Blues Enough”, was in the running for two Grammy nominations. “Two Minute Warning” (from “Angel In The Shadows”) is available as an add-on to RockBand.

They’ve had six successful tours of the U.K. and two in Europe, playing at clubs and festivals including the Great British R&B Festival at Colne, the Eel Pie Club, The Limelight Theater, the BluesExpress Festival in Luxembourg, the Maryport Blues Festival (Main Stage), and many others. Of course, at home in the U.S. they’ve played up and down the eastern seaboard, working clubs and festivals as a four piece or with their new horn section added.

With a live show that engages the audience with great musicianship, great music, and a liberal dose of humor, The Hitman Blues Band will light up your audience!

Mark Harrison has established a growing reputation for making a unique kind of all-original music, based on the style of the early blues and folk/blues artists, with a modern twist. His highly individual music, with its memorable tunes, striking lyrics and strong and compelling rhythms, has been going down very well with audiences of all kinds.

Mark’s songs all have something to say or a story to tell. They’ll make you move, make you think, make you smile. He is doing something genuinely fresh and different, tapping into the timeless quality of ‘old’ music to produce something brand new and totally relevant to the present day.

Mark is a thrilling, rhythmic, finger-picker and slide player, with a very distinctive style. He recently released his third album, The World Outside. Like his previous albums, Crooked Smile and Watching The Parade, it has been unanimously praised by influential and knowledgeable figures across a wide range of areas of the music world, receiving a very great deal of airplay and highly enthusiastic reviews.

SOLID ENTERTAINMENTS Presents... BUDE BLUES FESTIVAL