Hi everybody! My name is Mike and i live in West Cumbria (God's County!). I've been around the blues circuit for many years - play guitar in various bands and the reason(s) i picked up the guitar in the first place are: Peter Green (obviously!), BB King (ditto - i saw BB play in a theatre in West Cumbria in 1975 along with 12 other people - go figure!) and (i kid you not!) - Francis Rossi of Status Quo (surely a very wasted talent now - ho hum......). I listen to blues from all over the world and am a great believer in 'anything goes'.
Sorry if this looks like a sales pitch (it really isn't - honest) but if you've not heard of it, Maryport Blues Festival is fast approaching. *brief history* - Maryport is a wee town on the west coast of Cumbria. The festival is in it's 8th year and has just got better and better. The Main Stage is a marquee on the picturesque harbourside (capacity around 1300+) and there is a 'trail' around the local pubs where bands play lunchtime and evening sessions (trail wristbands required - about £10 for the weekend). Previous headliners have been Robben Ford, Lonnie Donegan, Jools Holland, Elkie Brooks, Dionne Warwick, Buddy Guy..... other 'names' include: The Blues Band (Paul Jones et al) Peter Green Splinter Group, Nine Below Zero, Groundhogs (in various guises), Sue Foley, Big Joe Turner, Zoot Money, Connie Lush - te list goes on (and on......and on). I'm the stage manager for the event and am justifyably proud of the effort that the festival committee puts in each year to ensure the festival improves (i'm not on the committee by the way). Take a look at all the festival line-ups for this year and I doubt you'll see a better list - how can you beat Hubert Sumlin, Mookie Bril, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolis, Roger Cotton (plus a couple of others) ALL IN ONE BAND!!!!!!?? - these guys DEFINED the Chicago sound - and they're playing at Maryport! (no - I can't believe it either). I'm looking forward to it - it's on the last weekend in July. Website is: http://www.maryportblues.com. I kid you not - this is a great festival in the making - come and enjoy - the townspeople are marvellous!
Sorry if this looks like a sales pitch (it really isn't - honest) but if you've not heard of it, Maryport Blues Festival is fast approaching. *brief history* - Maryport is a wee town on the west coast of Cumbria. The festival is in it's 8th year and has just got better and better. The Main Stage is a marquee on the picturesque harbourside (capacity around 1300+) and there is a 'trail' around the local pubs where bands play lunchtime and evening sessions (trail wristbands required - about £10 for the weekend). Previous headliners have been Robben Ford, Lonnie Donegan, Jools Holland, Elkie Brooks, Dionne Warwick, Buddy Guy..... other 'names' include: The Blues Band (Paul Jones et al) Peter Green Splinter Group, Nine Below Zero, Groundhogs (in various guises), Sue Foley, Big Joe Turner, Zoot Money, Connie Lush - te list goes on (and on......and on). I'm the stage manager for the event and am justifyably proud of the effort that the festival committee puts in each year to ensure the festival improves (i'm not on the committee by the way). Take a look at all the festival line-ups for this year and I doubt you'll see a better list - how can you beat Hubert Sumlin, Mookie Bril, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolis, Roger Cotton (plus a couple of others) ALL IN ONE BAND!!!!!!?? - these guys DEFINED the Chicago sound - and they're playing at Maryport! (no - I can't believe it either). I'm looking forward to it - it's on the last weekend in July. Website is: http://www.maryportblues.com. I kid you not - this is a great festival in the making - come and enjoy - the townspeople are marvellous!
