Introducing our Bands for 2023
UK. BLUES ROCK & RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE
We are delighted the very talented Aiden Pryor Brings his band back to Nantwich for another night of amazing rock and blues. Performing covers by Rory Gallagher, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Philip Sayce as well as his own music Aiden will blow you away with the passion and energy he brings to every live performance.
UK. BLUES ROCK & RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE
Jed Thomas Band / Press
Hand clapping, Foot Stomping Guitar based Blues/Rock It was a pleasure to welcome Jed Thomas back to Nantwich and he certainly didn’t disappoint with a set that was varied and exciting ranging from classic blues number Baby Please Don’t go to Bill Haley by way of Jimi Hendrix the Doors and a couple of self-penned songs such as Hangover Song and Psycho Blues. Jed is an amazing guitarist who gives 100% and this performance really rocked. There was no interval; just great blues and rock that deservedly had the audience eating out of his hand from the get go. Jed’s energy and versatility was an object lesson to any aspiring musicians in the crowd and he really knows how to put on a performance. The set – list was never dull and catered for every taste, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause and clearly loved every minute. Opening with Baby Please Don’t Go, a much played blues track first recorded in 1935 by Big Joe Williams and covered by the likes of Muddy Waters and Van Morrison
Jed Thomas – It’s About Bloody Time! Text: John Maes If you’re 17 years after your debut CD again until a successor releases can rightly speak of It’s About Bloody Time. Jed probably has completely focused in recent years on playing Rory Gallagher tributes because he was inspired by the Irish guitar god puts Jed does not hide the fact. The entire album is dedicated to our sadly remarked early famous native of Cork. Jed has also met some friends who have helped him produce this album (including Frank Mien). In the sleeve notes to be extended Klaas and Annette Nail thanks, who ensured that Jed was able to provide in the North of our country.
UK. BLUES ROCK
Jim Kirkpatrick is a renowned guitarist and musician from Cheshire, England. With over 20 years of professional experience Jim has become an in demand session player, writer and performer and is becoming recognised as one of the UK’s premier slide, blues and rock guitar players.
Jim has been the lead guitarist with legendary British classic rock band FM since 2008 appearing on the albums ‘Metropolis’, ‘Rockville’, ‘Rockville 2’, ‘Heroes And Villains’ and ‘Indiscreet 30’. Jim has also co-written the bands UK radio hits ‘Hollow’, ‘Bring Back Yesterday’, ‘Crave’, ‘Better Late Than Never’, ‘Story Of My Life’ and “Shape I’m In’ all of which were playlisted on BBC Radio 2. ‘Crosstown Train’, ‘Bad Addiction’, ‘Better Late Than Never’, ‘Cold Hearted’, ‘Runaway Train’ ‘That Girl’, ‘Digging Up The Dirt’, ‘Somedays I Only Wanna Rock & Roll’, ‘Black Magic’, ‘Synchronised’ and ‘Superstar’ have all been playlisted on Planet Rock along with several others. FM have toured the UK and Europe over the last twelve years playing at some of the worlds biggest and most prestigious rock festivals (appearing on the main stages at Download and Graspop as well as many others) and have also supported some of the biggest names in music (Thin Lizzy, Journey, Foreigner, Kiss, Whitesnake, Heart).
As well as releasing his own album ‘Changed Priorities’ in 2006 Jim has played guitar for singer/songwriter Thea Gilmore on and off since 2003 and toured Europe and the USA with her extensively as well as appearing on many of her albums.
Jim has also been onstage right hand man to former Whitesnake guitarist and hit songwriter Bernie Marsden since 2006 recently collaborating with him and several members of the late Rory Gallaghers band on a tribute to the legendary Irish guitarist.
In between all of this Jim can be found playing many gigs in his local area and also touring the UK and Europe with Rhino’s Revenge (a band fronted by Status Quo’s bass player John ‘Rhino’ Edwards)
Jim has performed all over the world and appeared at major festivals including Download, V 2004, Graspop, T In The Park, Sweden Rock, Cropredy and the Calgary Folk Festival and has supported on tour Foreigner, Journey, Thin Lizzy, Joan Baez amongst many others and has been fortunate enough to appear onstage with Foreigner, Zak Starkey, Bernie Marsden and Neil Murray (Whitesnake), Ian Paice (Deep Purple), Deacon Blue to name but a few.
Jims new album ‘Ballad Of A Prodigal Son’ was released in 2020.
Pickin on Rory (featuring ex Band of friends Gwyn Ashton)
The Zac Shultze Gang
UK. BLUES ROCK & RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE
In Sydney, Australia in the 80s Gwyn Ashton was one-time lead guitarist for Stevie Wright and Swanee and in the 90s he moved to Melbourne and played on two of The Masters Apprentices Jim Keays’ solo albums. Ashton opened for Rory Gallagher, Junior Wells and various blues bands from the USA when they came to Australia. Asked by Billy Thorpe if Mick Fleetwood could sit in with his band, Ashton was instantly on the short list as lead guitarist with according to Mick’s sound engineer “something big but we can’t say who it is”, but he was told to get his passport together! One can only imagine…
After relocating and playing the European circuit for three years by 2001 the now Virgin Records France recording artist Gwyn Ashton was nominated at third position as ‘Guitarist of The Year’ in Guitar Part Magazine. First and second positions were Jeff Beck and Gary Moore, fourth was Popa Chubby, fifth was Guns N Roses Izzy Stradlin. Ashton’s first gig in France was opening for Buddy Guy with ex Rolling Stones Mick Taylor on before Gwyn. Ashton questioned this and said ‘we don’t deserve to be on after Mick. It’s the wrong way around’ but the organisers insisted on this as his popularity in France had grown. Ashton then played the Paris Music Trade Show where Fender France presented him with a new Stratocaster.
With numerous worldwide radio appearances under his belt, in the ’90s Ashton appeared live on a radio show in Kent, England with Bert Jansch. He played on a derelict Dutch train carriage on the pirate station Radio London in the Netherlands and networks in Australia including various ABC stations and public radio. He was also interviewed and played a live performance in France on Paris Inter.
Ashton then co-headlined Garden Blues Festival in Marseille with Robben Ford and on the bill with Ray Charles at Cognac Blues Passions. At this time Ashton had two of his albums simultaneously in the Amazon France Top 100 charts. He has played many guitar and blues festivals including two appearances at the Acoustic Festival of Great Britain, Popkomm in Berlin, Guitar Heroes Festival in Germany with Mick Taylor and has conducted blues masterclasses at London’s Guitar Institute, Guitar X and Academy of Sound in Birmingham and Exeter, England. Ashton also played the 10th annual ’Thanks Jimi’ Festival in Wroclaw, Poland onstage with Bernie Marsden and Jimi Hendrix’s brother Leon Hendrix, leading 8000 guitarists playing ‘Hey Joe’ in the market square setting a new ‘Guinness Book of World Records’.
For five years Ashton was Gerry McAvoy’s choice for fronting the Rory Gallagher celebratory group Band of Friends, replacing Thin Lizzy/Motorhead guitarist Brian Robertson. They headlined the first two Ballyshannon Rory Gallagher Festivals with members of The Dubliners opening for them. Rory’s brother Donal was taken aback by Ashton’s interpretation of his late brother’s guitar playing stating ‘I like the way you put your own slant on Rory’s music, you don’t just copy him’. The band consisted of Gerry, Lou Martin, Brendan O’Neill, Mark Feltham and Dennis Greaves, all who at the time played in the band Nine Below Zero. Gerry and Brendan played on Ashton’s ‘Fang It! album with Greaves producing it. The album received great reviews and won many awards for ‘Album of The Year’ in a host of magazines.
Italian guitar company Liutart then asked Ashton to design his own signature guitar which he uses to this day with the configuration based on his favourite classic guitars – Gibson Firebird, Danelectro and Fender Telecaster pickups. Ashton called this ‘the ultimate slide guitar’.
Since then Ashton has been touring Europe with many acts including The Yardbirds, Johnny Winter, Peter Green, Slade, The Sweet, Canned Heat, Magnum, The Troggs and headlining his own shows. He has also played dates in England with Van Morrison, Robin Trower, Jeff Healey, Tony Joe White, Walter Trout and 15 arena shows, including Wembley, with the legendary Status Quo with Francis Rossi asking him about co-writing and Rick Parfitt wanting some slide guitar tips. Ashton has shared the bill twice with Joe Bonamassa, once at Birmingham NEC for Music Live and once at a guitar festival in Sweden. Ashton has performed at guitar shows appeared twice on Czech National TV, ZDF TV in Germany and in Bulgaria on Slavi’s Show, Slavi being the ‘Bulgarian Jay Leno’ with an audience of two million. This coincided with Ashton’s concert for the American Chamber of Commerce celebrating American Independence Day, 50 years of Bulgarian occupancy and the 50th anniversary of the Stratocaster, the show being organised by Fender Bulgaria July 4 2004.
Three years running he played at Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey’s charity show near Cambridge, England with members of Whitesnake Bernie Marsden, Mickey Moody and Neil Murray, plus Uli John Roth, Robert Hart and Jimmy Page’s first choice for Led Zeppelin vocalist Terry Reid. Don has played on two of Ashton’s albums ‘Prohibition’ (alongside Chris Glen and Ted McKenna from Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ian Gillan, Michael Schenker Group) and ‘Radiogram’ which also features guest appearances from Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Robbie Blunt (Robert Plant), Mark Stanway (Magnum, Phil Lynott’s Grand Slam) and Mo Birch (Robert Plant, Go West, Paul Rodgers, Culture Club). Ashton has recorded eight albums, some with special guests mentioned above.
Ashton has been invited onstage with some of the greatest blues and rock musicians including ex Black Crowes Marc Ford who also asked him to play lap steel on a studio session in Los Angeles. They also played three duo shows together. He jammed with Walter Trout, the legendary Canned Heat and Hubert Sumlin at blues festivals in England and Germany, bassist extraordinaire Jerry Jermott (BB King, Aretha Franklin) and Cactus and former Vanilla Fudge bassist Tim Bogert in Los Angeles and he even sat around David Crosby’s dining room table trading licks on acoustic guitar with the former Byrd’s legendary singer, songwriter. Jackson Browne and Robert Plant have both commented favourably on Ashton’s playing and both been part of his audience. Ashton has even been known to sit around former Rainbow and Alcatraz singer Graham Bonnet in his living room, playing and singing Beatles songs together! He’s also played with Steely Dan’s Elliott Randal and former Jethro Tull’s Mick Abrahams at a fund-raising show in England. Tull’s former drummer Clive Bunker was Ashton’s first UK drummer and Ashton played two shows with ex Rick Wakeman singer Gary Pickford-Hopkins.
During a tour of Spain, Ashton found himself jamming with former Wings drummer Geoff Britten who played on ‘Venus and Mars’. In Austin Texas, he was invited onstage with the hierarchy of the Austin scene including Derek O’Brien, Malford Milligan, Chris Duarte, Roscoe Beck and Frosty.
Eric Johnson’s bassist Chris Maresh joined Ashton on a 2018 German tour with Welsh drummer Chris Sharley from the 70s band Sassafrass. Budgie’s Burke Shelley gave Ashton a CD to learn their songs as they were possibly looking for a replacement guitarist at one stage. Shelley’s blues band opened for Ashton at a Christmas party at Tawe Delta Blues Club in Swansea, Wales. They were introduced by Dire Straits and Rockpile drummer Terry Williams.
Ashton’s first Czech Republic gig was with BB King at Golem Blues Festival, where he was the only other musician apart from King’s entourage allowed in the dressing room prior to his
performance. Ashton has recorded nine albums, some with special guests mentioned above.
Gwyn Ashton’s critically-acclaimed release ‘Solo Elektro’ saw him reinvented as an alternative progressive blues-rock solo artist with elements of 60s garage rock, psychedelia, acoustic roots and some good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll influences. The follow-up power-duo album – 2019’s Sonic Blues Preachers features ex Bon Scott Fraternity drummer John Freeman.
An inductee into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame for recognition of his contribution of sharing original Australian music with the world, Ashton’s show is retro with a modern evolution as he crosses the boundaries between indie rock and the blues, mixing his electric set with acoustic lap side and steel-bodied resonator guitars along the way. His two-hour show takes his audience on an eclectic musical mesmerising story-telling journey, as he engulfs and engages them in a hypnotic musical adventure, showing music has no boundaries.
BLUES, ROCK, RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE
Cloak and Dagger were back in action at Pure Rehearsal Studios.
This popular 3 piece band from Southampton are the masters of the Irish Blues perfected by the late Rory Gallagher. Chris, Adam and Mongo have played in a host of local bands over the past 25 years and know a thing or two about how to get the evening rocking.
ROCK BLUES, RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE
Formed in Gillingham in 2020, The Zac Schulze Gang have been storming the south-east scene with a mixture of up-tempo blues, rock and pop originals and covers ranging from the 50s to present.
Drawing influence from artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Beatles, The Who, Dr. Feelgood, Rory Gallagher, Eagles, 10cc and many more.
Available for pubs, clubs, venues, festivals, weddings, private events or any and all other functions. Inquire for prices and availability.
Deuce – A Tribute to Rory Gallagher
The John Angus Blues Band
SandraiseR
RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE BAND
About Deuce – A Tribute to Rory Gallagher
‘Deuce’ were formed when three friends met to go busking at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon in 2012. All three being huge Rory fans, they decided to build on their experience by forming a dedicated tribute band. They are committed to bringing Rory Gallagher’s fantastic music to the stage with their energetic live show. With a packed set featuring all the classic songs, ‘Deuce’ hope to play near you very soon!
BLUES ROCK
Original blues rock to blow away your sins!
We are a band based in Cheshire and Lancashire UK playing original blues rock material at blues rock venues and festivals. Our music is influenced by Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Robert Johnson and the seventies genre of blues artists including The amazing Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter and Paul Rodgers.
Our first album “It’s about Time” an eleven track album was released on Grove Music in March 2019.
Available on CD, Vinyl LP and download. We are taking our music as far as we can so let us know of any quality blues rock venues near you that we can contact to arrange gigs. find us on facebook.
Our latest release an EP on CD was recorded at Prism Studios Hanley and Sun Studios Memphis
includes our single, a very different version of Heartbreak Hotel with publishing rights by Sony ATV
BAND MEMBERS
The band now consists of John Angus on bass guitar and lead vocals, Bram Duckworth, lead guitar, Adam Hutchins on piano and keyboards, Andy Hurley on drums, Tim Hopkins on Bass and Stewart Speirs on harmonica.
JIMI HENDRIX / RORY GALLAGHER.
About SandraiseR
We are not a complete ‘tribute’ act as such although we are playing some Jimi Hendrix and Rory Gallagher tribute gigs. We do attempt to play the music that moves us most, and this does centre around the music of Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Cream and blues music. We hope you enjoy what we do and look forward to seeing as many of you at our gigs as possible. Get your dose of psychedelia and blues/rock music with us.
Mark Haigh-Drums
Nick Skelson – Bass guitar
Steve Jones (Pendle)-Guitar and Vocal
BLUES ROCK / RORY GALLAGHER TRIBUTE
Blues guitarist Innes Sibun began playing guitar at the age of 12 after hearing B.B King.
As a teenager he played in many bands playing punk, reggae, rock, folk & jazz learning from different musicians along the way.
His first band the “Blues explosion” recorded the album “Thats what the blues can do” with legendary producer Mike Vernon (Eric Clapton,Peter Green’s Fleetwood mac) in the producers seat. The album gained critical acclaim & was voted best blues album in Ireland that year. The band toured throughout the UK & Europe on their own & also toured with “Wild child” Butler, Jay Owens, Jesse “guitar” Taylor & Johnny Adams as well as opening up for Joe Louis Walker, Ronnie Earl, the Fabulous thunderbirds, Walter Trout,the Blues band, Boy George, nine below zero & Moody Marsden band & playing all the major blues festivals throughout the UK.
In 1993 Innes was asked to join Robert Plant’s band for his “Fate of nations” tour. The tour took in America, Europe & South America where they played the Rock in Rio festivals in Sao Paulo & Rio as well as playing in Argentina, Chile, Venezuela & Mexico. During the U.S dates Innes was able to meet & play with many of his blues heroes like Buddy Guy & James Cotton in Chicago, he also jammed at Antones blues club in Austin Texas with Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton, Chris Duarte & many other legends of the Austin blues scene. His guitar playing can be heard on Robert’s “66 to Timbuktu” & “Nine lives” albums.
Following the tour with Robert Plant Innes made several albums for Viceroy records, “Superstitious” & “Honeypot” with his new band, they toured throughout Europe & opened up for Peter Green in New York as well as touring Europe with Roger Chapman & Chris Farlowe.
Two albums followed for Provogue records & the critically acclaimed “East Monroe” came out on Ulftone records in 2001. After many years of touring the band decided to rest & went their own ways.
In 2004 Innes put together a new band who were asked to play at the Gloucester blues festival & Trowbridge village pump festival. The band soon found themselves in the studio & recorded “Farmhouse blues” which was released on ZYX records.
Several tours of Germany followed with appearances at Colne, Gloucester, Cambridge & Bristol blues festivals in the UK as well as Mostar blues festival in Bosnia & others in Belgium, Austria, Germany & Slovenia.
2007 saw the release of “Tail dragger” on ZYX records to much critical acclaim (reaching number 6 in the German blues charts) as well as playing shows in Africa, U.S.A, Germany, Holland & the UK.
2008 started with more European shows & support slots with Johnny Winter, Taj Mahal, Steve Cropper & Al Kooper as well as appearances at the London blues festival & the Windsor blues festival in Ontario Canada.
Recently the band has played tours of Germany, France, the UK & the Netherlands as well as festivals in France, Spain & the UK & in April
2009 embarked on a tour of the U.S.A as headliners. Innes also released a solo acoustic album on mp3 called “Snake wine”.
In 2010 the band released a live album on ZYX records entitled “The box set”, they also played at the Rory Gallagher festival in Ballyshannon Ireland by special request of Rory’s brother Donal Gallagher.
2011 saw the band record “Cant slow down” for 2012 release on ZYX records in 2012 as well as playing dates throughout Europe. Innes was invited to play in New york city for the Rory Gallagher show at the Iridium club to celebrate the release of the “Notes from San Fransisco” album.
2012 has seen shows in Latvia & the UK with dates coming up in Lithuania, Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands in the summer.