Third Annual Blues at the Barns Festival

• Essex

Promoters of Blues at the Barns - Essex's acclaimed festival of acoustic blues, folk-roots and Americana music - have announced what they are calling their strongest lineup yet for the third annual festival this May. An exciting, expanded line-up of acts will grace the twin stages of Blues at the Barns 2019 over nine hours, on Sunday, May 5, at Creeksea Place Farm, Creeksea, just outside Burnham-on-Crouch.

Tickets are on sale for the event, which will be headlined by top international retro-blues band West Weston's Blues Sonics. Other acts on the bill include rising blues/Americana star Mike Ross and his band, guitarist and singer Kris Dollimore, soulful American singer Kyshona and the return of one of the artists from the first Blues at the Barns, Maldon-born folk singer David Hughes.

Promoter, Burnham musician Tim Aves, said: "We're absolutely thrilled to be bringing so many great artists to Creeksea for the festival this May, offering such a fantastic variety of styles.
                                                                                                                                                                                               

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Competition for local Musicians in the Waveney District

• Bands

CHANCE FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS TO JOIN A STELLAR LINE UP AT THE SEAGULL THEATRE

On 27th April 2019 the Seagull Theatre in association with Martello Promotions will be hosting “Pakefield Acoustic Music Day”, featuring a wide range of top acoustic based artists from across the UK.

They are offering the chance for local musicians to play a part in the event via a free to enter competition to be held on Sunday 10^th February 2019, when they will be holding auditions to be judged by representatives of the theatre and the promoter. The prize will be the opportunity to open the event on 27^th April.

The competition is open to any solo artists or duos resident in the Waveney District who are at least 16 years old and who perform (preferably original) songs and/or tunes on acoustic instruments, whether it be folk, blues or Americana.

Theatre Manager Karen Read said, “This is a great opportunity to both get your music heard and to share a bill with some of the best musicians working in the UK today in the field of acoustic music.”

Apart from the event on 27^th April, Martello Promotions will also be bringing many other top artists from the UK, USA and Canada to the Seagull Theatre in 2019. Promoter Martin Lovett said “There may well be other opportunities for entrants in the competition to have support slots, if the judges consider that the standard is high enough.”

To enter, please send an email to Martin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and you will be sent an entry form, together with full terms and conditions. Completed entries must be received by 6.00 p.m. on 31^st January 2019

Pakefield Acoustic Music Day

Letters from Walter

• Suffolk

A news item from Les Ray, our Cambridgeshire correspondent.


Letters from Walter is a song by Cambridge-based folk/blues band Red Velvet about a young man’s personal experience of WW1. It was written by Les Ray based on the letters sent by Walter Mabbutt of Titchmarsh, Northants to his sister Edith, Les’ grandmother, between June and late September 1918. Walter was a soldier in the Norfolk Regiment who was killed in the Battle of the Selle in Picardy, France on 22nd October 1918, aged just 19. This CD single is being released on the centenary of Walter’s death.



The proceeds from sales of the CD (£5 per CD) will go to support the valuable work of the Riders Branch, Royal British Legion. You can buy the CD for £6.10 including P&P through the website of Red Velvet’s label Clunk and Rattle: http://www.clunkandrattle.com/ Vocals, guitar, banjo - Les Ray Harmonica - George Harper Letter from Lance Corporal W.L. Mandeville read by - Deirdre Murphy Recorded, mixed mastered and produced by Dan Wilde, Gladeside Recordings, Bar Hill, Cambs. Design Bob Whitebeard Luck www.whitebeardarts.co.uk  www.redvelvetfolk.co.uk

Phil Beer at The Canopy Theatre Beccles

Folk Legend Phil Beer is coming to north Suffolk

Phil Beer will be bringing his acclaimed solo show to the Canopy Theatre
in Hungate Church Beccles on 8th February 2019

Read more: Phil Beer at The Canopy Theatre Beccles