Americana and Southern rock star Mike Ross returns for solo show

• Essex

Mike RossPASSIONATE and intoxicating American and Southern rock singer Mike - one of the big hits of this year's successful Blues at the Barns festival - returns to the area in September for a rare solo show. Ross, whose music was described by Mojo magazine as "...a fuzzed up, fierce and full frontal fiery attack coupled with sexy, smooth slidin', southern soul" , stormed the May festival with his band, but will be playing a solo acoustic show in the Long Room at the Blue Boar, Maldon, on Friday September 13. Promoter Tim Aves said: "We're getting a  lot of interest in this show and I'm not surprised. We're really excited to have Mike playing a solo acoustic show for us at the Blue Boar. It's not something he does all that often, but in the wonderful, intimate surroundings of the Long Room I reckon he'll be absolutely mesmerising."

Read more: Americana and Southern rock star Mike Ross returns for solo show

Chris While & Julie Matthews at The Seagull

2019 sees Chris While and Julie Matthews celebrate 25 years of performing together and, although they have performed here as members of the Albion Band, St Agnes’ Fountain and Daphne’s Flight, in all of that time they have incredibly never played a public gig as a duo in Suffolk….until now!!

On Saturday 12^th October Chris and Julie will be bringing their silver anniversary tour to the Seagull Theatre in Pakefield.

Read more: Chris While & Julie Matthews at The Seagull

Gilmore & Roberts at The Seagull

Having headlined the Beccles Acoustic Music Day in 2017, the hugely talented Gilmore & Roberts will be making a very welcome return to north Suffolk this autumn, touring in support of their latest album “A Problem of our Time”.

Katriona Gilmore (vocals/fiddle/mandolin) & Jamie Roberts (vocals/guitar) combine great songwriting, astounding musicianship and wonderful harmonies to create a powerful sound. Nominated 3 times at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and winners of the FATEA Award for song of 2018 (“Bone Cupboard”).

They’ve recorded and shared stages with a wide range of famous artists, toured Canada and Europe, played the UK’s biggest acoustic festivals, toured with Fairport Convention and won countless accolades for their genre-spanning work.

 They will be coming to the Seagull Theatre in Pakefield for the first time on Thursday 3^rd October. Tickets are £12 (concessions £10) and are on sale now from the box office (01502 589726) or online at www.theseagull.co.uk/event/gilmore-and-roberts/

 ‘Hot property’ – fRoots

See lots of recent videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/gilmoreroberts

The Bridge in the Club Tent at Cambridge Folk Festival 2019

• Cambridgeshire

Strumming and Dreaming

from Les Ray

The undersigned is delighted and privileged to be involved in running The Bridge, the umbrella group for folk clubs, sessions and open mics around the Cambridge area that we launched in 2017. Last year we were invited to organise some music for the Club Tent on the Saturday afternoon of Cambridge Folk Festival (see my column in issue 144), and I’m please to say we’ve been invited back this year.

We’ll be packing a huge variety of fine music by young and not-so-young performers into our three hours. The promising youngsters include Lizzy Hardingham from Hertfordshire, who won the Royston Folk Club Young Artists Award last year, I Claudia and Josh Robins from Cambridge, the former an exciting, eclectic performer and the latter a fine songwriter with an excellent selection of covers (he can often be seen busking in Cambridge).

Two more experienced acts are When Rivers Meet and 4-piece band DodoBones. When Rivers Meet are a blues and roots rock duo from Essex, and exciting live act who combine well crafted self-penned songs and reworked traditionals. DodoBones, from Hertfordshire, are an acoustic indie band with an ironic-pop edge.

Our ‘veteran’ this year is Terry Hiscock, a founder member of the band Hunter Muskett, who were formed back in 1969. After two albums they eventually wound up the band in 1974, but reformed in 2010 to record a third album and return to performing. Terry will be performing his own beautifully crafted songs, accompanying his fine voice with skilful guitar playing.

Cambridge 105 Radio are hoping to be broadcasting from the Cherry Hinton site again this year, including a special Festival Edition of my show Strummers and Dreamers, so look out for details on the station’s website closer to the time. For performer profiles and photos and website links, check out The Bridge website.

https://www.cambridgebridge.co.uk

https://cambridge105.co.uk

https://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/folk-festival