Coming to The Musician in September 2022

Commemorating the music and poetry scene of the late 60s in Leicester.

Featuring many 60s survivors including Terry Wilford, Mike Pruden & Kenny Willson. There will be a chance to socialise and share memories of this incredible time and contribute performances too.

Open to everyone, you don't have to have been there to enjoy this.

Only £5 on the door!

Sons of Liberty have established themselves as one of the most popular live and recording bands on the current original hard rock scene. With a reputation built on a solid foundation of extensive touring, blistering live performances and a passion for creating exceptional new rock music, the bands trajectory continues to be extraordinary. These boys uniquely manage to mix a lot of fun and humility with a deep appreciation for their audience and a deadly serious commitment to creating authentic, well crafted music. In 2024 the band will be touring their eagerly awaited third album ‘The Detail Is In The Devil’, which was produced and engineered by Josiah J Manning at Momentum Studios. The Sons really fill a stage with their masterful stagecraft, endearing sense of mischief and their powerful quality music; they have become sure fire winners on any billing.

One Step Behind is the UK's Premier and longest surviving MADNESS tribute band. Formed in spring 1993, the band achieved widespread recognition in an unusually short time, playing venues the length and breadth of Britain including the Marquee Club in London & the Venue in New Cross. Jaunts into Europe and beyond are also common place. Members of Madness have joined the One Step boys on stage on a number of occasions. Sax player Lee Thompson has played a few times commenting the band were “Tight as a ducks arse” and “Brilliant”. Lee is also quoted as saying that OSB were “single handily keeping the good ship Madness afloat”. Drummer Dan “Woody” Woodgate joined the band on stage for “One Step Beyond” and told the boys he thought they were amazing.

Minimum age 14+ (under 18'2 must be accompanied by an adult)
Eddy Smith & The 507
Captivating audiences with his unique, husky voice and tasteful piano accompaniment, Eddy Smith has been making his mark on the UK’s growing Americana scene. Widely recognised as one of the major male vocalists on the Country and Blues circuit, his soulful melodies and infectious song-writing has drawn comparisons to the likes of Joe Cocker, JJ Grey and Marcus King to name a few.

Backed by his long-time friends, they form the multinational five-piece, Eddy Smith & The 507. Their music, engulfed by rich vocal harmonies and gospel-like organ is reminiscent of a sound from way before their time. With an irresistible blend of various Americana styles, such as Blues, Folk, Country and Rock, the quintet take a leaf from the books of Nathaniel Rateliff, The Rolling Stones, Eagles and countless other pioneers of their Genres.

After appearing on some of the UK's most prestigious stages, including The Isle of Wight Festival, London's The 100 Club and The Troubadour, the band have gained recognition as 'ones to watch' on the UK Roots scene. With both national and international radio play, their songs can be heard over the airwaves across the globe.

"A jewel in the whiskey-stained rough" - Holler (Artist of The Week, Dec 2020)
“A sure hand with southern-fried Soul” – Blues In Britain
“The soul in Eddy’s voice is where I want music to be at” – Huey Morgan, BBC 6 Music
“They blew our socks off” – Hard Rock Café (The Isle of Wight Festival)
“A heady blend of Soul, Blues and Rock and Eddy Smith has a voice that suits it perfectly.” – Blues Matters
“Fun, soulful grooves that won’t fail to put a smile on your face” – GIGsoup
“The finest meshes of soulful Blues and melodic Pop you will hear this year” – The Blues Mag

Support - Sam Hinds
British singer-songwriter | session vocalist | guitarist | producer & Recording Artist | Debut EP 'Rolling Stone' OUT NOW!
https://ditto.fm/rolling-stone-sam-hinds
https://www.samhindsmusic.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/SamhindsUK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTzKZnot0mU

Humbird (Siri Undlin) is a Minneapolis based singer-songwriter, poet, and storyteller inspired by the crystalline chill of her home state’s northern winters. Undlin twines experimental folk, environmental Americana, and orchestral compositions to forge an explorative embodiment of the narrative folk song and balladry tradition. Released in September 2019, her debut full length album, Pharmakon, engineered by Brian Joseph (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens) and produced by Shane Leonard (Field Report), has been received with remarkable critical acclaim and has amassed nearly 20 million streams since its release. Folk Alley listed “Pharmakon” as one of their favorite songs of 2019 and at the end of week one, the album ranked #19 on the top NACC music charts and by week two was at #1 on the Folk charts - one of only two self-released albums to chart. Most recently she won the 2021 Kerrville Folk Festival’s song-writing competition was able to perform a set at the 49th annual festival this fall. Fall 2021 will be peppered with regional Midwest dates and a release of Humbird’s third studio album, Still Life.

A Humbird live performance is intimate and earthy, literal and metaphorical. The band nimbly prances around the lilt of Undlin’s unfaltering fervent and haunting voice - the focal point. Although the songs and stories hold their own, the embellishments the band supply add the perfect splash of timbre and color to deliver a dynamic and engaging performance.

Luke Callen

Born and bred in the Mississippi river town of La Crosse, Wisconsin in the heart of the “Driftless” region is the American troubadour Luke Callen. A balladeer drinking from the same well as highway poets Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Lead Belly. Callen’s songs - equal parts tragic comedy and hopeless reverie - paint the very picture of the life of the singer himself; strewn with the oddly characters and the strange, quirky American towns (commonly found about 65 miles west of exit 121) he’s grown to love and hate over years of touring deep USA unearthing tall tales, short tunes.
He has had the opportunity to share the stage with Dom Flemons, Dead Horses, The Dustbowl Revival, Kacy & Clayton, James McMurtry, Whiskey Shivers, Charlie Parr, and Robbie Fulks among others.

Playing together since childhood, Hannah Pawson and Gabriel Wynne share a unique intimacy and ability to draw audiences into their world. Their debut album - about places and people missed and found in isolation, and things found growing when we dig down into spaces the light doesn’t reach - will be released on 15th July 2022 on Pear O’ Legs Records.

Fritillaries’ music features americana instrumentation, folksy rootedness and a pop song sensibility. It’s sometimes upbeat and driving, sometimes slow and contemplative, and always original and engaging. Something like Cara Dillon meets Born in the USA, played on banjo, guitar and mandolin.

“A delight ... theirs is an emotional and intense music that needs concentration and the audience obliges, hanging onto and appreciating every word, as shown by the prolonged applause between songs." RnR magazine, review of June 2021 headline show at The Musician, Leicester .

"intimate and epic, with a sense of longing that is almost tangible", Fatea Magazine

VODA are an original trio founded by Polish guitarist & singer Radek Kope in 2014. The band's debut 'ONERARE' surprised listeners, including complex, ambitious compositions (e.g. a string quartet hooking up with modern classical music) with the uncompromising energy of rock, showing the artistic horizon in which the band have since followed.

The band consolidated their reputation with second album 'Amphibia', released in 2019, which mainly included compositions created during numerous concert tours. Voda have in fact played over 300 concerts across their native Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Lithuania and the UK. Their music has been showcased across most main radio stations in Poland, a unique achievement for a band with such an ambitious sound.

In 2020, during lockdown Voda arranged and recorded a special performance that took place in a 16th century cottage, with some of their songs played on grand piano and double bass. The concert was subsequently given a CD/DVD release under the name 'Parallaxis', which (since DVD is not popular anymore) was advertised as The Last DVD in the World!

The trio have have performed with, among many others, KSU (Polish rockers), NURT (70s Polish prog-psychedelic rockers), Mostly Autumn, Atomic Rooster and Focus. Tonight's show will sees the band showcase their acclaimed new 4th album 'Endorphinum Aquatum'.

Due to low ticket sales SykesMartin have pulled out of Thursday's gig. Online tickets will be automatically refunded, other tickets refunded at point of sale.

I did not want to cancel the gig, but nothing I can do. So please buy tickets in advance if possible for future gigs.

Since their humble beginnings in West London in 1996 to now, Who’s Who, the longest established Who Tribute Show in the UK, have received incredible reactions across Europe and beyond for their exciting live performances. Pete Townshend’s leaping and Roger Daltrey’s microphone whirling antics have all but transformed the standard of tribute shows and set a benchmark within the industry for others to follow.

Widely recognised and respected by their musical peers and acknowledged by members of (and those close to) The Who, as the group that most interprets the songs of Pete Townshend and the legendary live performances of The Who with honesty and integrity.

Giving nothing less than 100% during a performance, Who’s Who ensure that a night to remember is guaranteed for those people who are lucky enough to be able to attend.

Following a packed show in 2023, Moretallica will return to The Musician this September!

2024 is Moretallica's 11th year of touring. To celebrate this, they will be playing songs from all 11 of Metallica's original studio albums. At every headline show, there will be at least one song from every album!

Moretallica is the most exciting Metallica Tribute in the UK, delivering an authentic performance and the most energetic show! Formed in 2012, and determined to perform the music of heavy metal legends Metallica to the highest standard, Moretallica is at the top level of UK tribute bands.

A Moretallica show includes songs from every era of Metallica’s career and is the most hard-hitting spectacle and display of high quality musicianship, as you’d expect from a band with 60+ years of combined gigging experience across the UK and Europe. Using the same equipment as Metallica (ESP, Gibson, Jackson, Mesa Boogie, Tama, Zildjian) you’ll only hear a more authentic performance from Metallica themselves!

Leicester's own Steve Cartwright is a charismatic performer who has been writing great songs (and poetry) for years. Many years indeed, for in Steve's own words, he has "been around for centuries". His writing spans the personal, the political and the mystical, and covers much more besides.

Steve's project The Last Days bears all of these hallmarks and features Kevin Barnett on cahon, bass and harmonies. Join us for an afternoon of Cartwright classics to delight and inspire.

International touring blues-rock powerhouse Catfish are making waves on the music scene in the UK and Europe. They have now won a total of five UK Blues Awards. Matt Long, the guitarist/vocalist, was named Instrumentalist of the Year in the UK Blues Awards in both 2020 and 2021. In the UK Blues Awards of May 2020, the band was also named Band of the Year. In 2018 they won the UK Blues Award for Blues Act of the Year (England) to add to their 2016 British Blues Award for Paul Long as Keyboard Player of the Year.

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.

*THE ONLY GNR TRIBUTE TO PERFORM WITH MEMBERS OF THE OLD AND NEW GNR LINEUP*

Guns 2 Roses have existed since late 2002 and have become biggest GNR tribute in history with the credentials to prove it!

Their ability to emulate classic GNR has even been approved by members of the actual Guns N Roses and is also why G2R are the most famous GNR tribute band in the world having played live with actual members of GNR on multiple occasions with footage on YouTube from each event. They have and still play to thousands throughout the world from UK, Europe, India, Middle East and USA. 28 countries in total so far and are assigned to all the major tribute festivals, venues and agencies in the UK and Europe.

Sally Barker with Keith Richard Buck

Sally is re-united for this first show of the year by multi- nstrumentalist Keith Richard Buck.
Sally Barker's appearance as Sir Tom Jones' finalist in the Voice UK 2014 belies a long career in music - one that wasn't spent singing pop covers for a light entertainment audience but fashioned in the folk clubs of the British Isles. In a career spanning the best
part of 40 years, English singer/songwriter Sally has released a string of solo albums and been a part of dozens more, notably with fem-folksters The Poozies.
In her time Sally has supported (amongst many others) Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Jools Holland and Sir Tom himself, worked with inspirational musicians such as averick double bass genius Danny Thompson, country folk-rock guitarist Jerry Donahue, the mercurial
accordionist Karen Tweed and legendary drummer Dave Mattocks. Sally is fresh from a Journey across the States with long-time collaborator Vicki Genfan, writing and recording 'in the wild' at some of America's most remote and windswept places.

Sally is still working on the follow up to her 2017 solo album 'Ghost Girl' and some of these songs are already in her live solo set !

“You have the most beautiful voice that has ever been on this show.” Sir Tom Jones on
The Voice UK

Keith, who cites Paul Kossoff and James Taylor as guitar-playing inspirations, was playing
hookie from school at 14 to tour with rock bands. In his 20s he mastered the pedal steel guitar, mandolin, piano and banjo to continue his musical education with country rock outfits.
Keith joined Sally's band in the 90s, playing on several highly acclaimed albums. Session work in early 2000s led to work with Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash with whom he
remained until 2008 when he accepted an offer to join Talon. Playing the songs of the Eagles, Keith is currently enjoying his 15 th year with the award winning tribute band.

“The emotion and passion in her voice, the vulnerability and fragility of her vocal is an art

that not too many singers can master” Maverick Magazine

website: https://sallybarker.co.uk

We welcome Annie back after a brilliant support slot with David Ford.

Since moving from her hometown of NYC to the UK ten years ago, singer-songwriter Annie Dressner has garnered rave reviews for her recordings and live performances.

From her debut 'Strangers...', her EP 'East Twenties' and her second full-length 'Broken...', Dressner has gone from strength to strength. Her straightforward lyrical style, sharp ear for wordplay and crisp, lilting vocals offer listeners a front row seat to her stories. Her music has drawn comparisons to an up-tempo Mazzy Star, an understated Jenny Lewis, Soccer Mommy & Phoebe Bridgers.

Annie’s songs have received considerable airplay on Radio 2 and 6 Music (Gideon Coe, Tom Robinson, Steve Lamacq, Tom Ravenscroft) and Radio 1 via her cowrite with Saturday Night Gym Club 'The Nowhere Team.'

She has just released her third studio album, 'Coffee At The Corner Bar' with producer Paul Goodwin. Along with a set of new original songs, the album includes a Magnetic Fields cover & a co-write with Matthew Caws of Nada Surf.

Annie has collaborated and co-written songs with David Ford, Polly Paulusma, Matthew Caws, The Last Dinosaur, Saturday Night Gym Club, Nigel Stonier & Tim Gordine.

Annie has performed at the Green Man Festival, Secret Garden Party, Cambridge Folk Festival, Cluny2, Green Note, Norwich Arts Centre, Cambridge Junction, Night & Day among countless other venues and has shared stages with Echobelly, Emily Barker, Simone Felice, The East Pointers, David Ford, Lucy Wainwright Roche & Fossil Collective.

Last February she co-headlined tours with Polly Paulusma & Luke James Williams. Her music is also in Crucible Films' ‘Drive Me To The End' directed by Richard Summers-Calvert.

Recently, she was shortlisted for Female Artist of the Year 2020 by Fatea Magazine. She is half of the duo 'David Ford & Annie Dressner' which began after they went on tour in January, and subsequently recorded an album within 48 hours of the tour, that took 48 hours to write and recorded it in one 13 hour live session. The album is titled '48 Hours with David Ford & Annie Dressner' and will be released later this year.

If folk music is all about truth, then Amelia Coburn is one of its brightest stars. A distinctive voice that embraces her roots – a tool that delivers her unique brand of musical storytelling. Drawing on European folk music and Tin Pan Alley jazz, Amelia’s wide-ranging influences truly make her stand out. Her own compositions are both haunting and delicate, yet unyielding in narrative-driven tales of vengeful widows, sleep paralysis and staying up all night in Dublin

Original Americana with Yorkshire personality.

Sheffield-based artist Banjo Jen made her Musician debut supporting the fabulous Baskery last year. This September she returns with her band (‘The Junk’) as part of a tour to mark the release of her eagerly-awaited second EP ‘Cloud of Dust’. With razor-sharp songwriting, percussive Appalachian step-dancing, and between-song banter to make you laugh out loud, Banjo Jen’s refreshingly original live act is guaranteed to win the heart of every crowd.

Tipped by Maverick magazine for a ‘long musical career’, Jen hit the ground running by performing in Austin TX at SXSW fringe events shortly after she’d embarked on her solo career. She was then selected by the Americana Music Association UK to showcase at Red Rooster and The Long Road festivals and has supported many touring international Americana acts and British folk artists, establishing herself as one to watch on the growing UK Americana scene.

From tales of feisty female gold-rush entrepreneurs, murderous nursery rhyme characters and weary mill workers, to Jen’s own adventures and experiences in love and life, her eclectic songs are brought to life with percussive banjo and step-dancing, and the support of regular bandmates Johnny Griff on upright bass and El Heneghan on accordion, flute and backing vocals …and occasionally the musical saw!

From the Netherlands, Lesoir have a unique style of progressive rock. Lovely harmonies from both male and female members of this this fine quintet.
Lesoir are a powerhouse when playing live, the emotional and musical connection between the players just radiates off the stage, which in turn energises the expectant audiences. During their European tour in 2019, the band decided that making music together and performing this stage show with the chemistry between them and a room full of people, is what defines the band now, and always has done. It is the moment when fans connect with Lesoir. It's the driving force behind all previous albums, and the engine of all previous tours. It is the drug that is responsible for an incessant endurance. It is the reason why Lesoir exists, and will always exist.
Whether on stage, or in the studio, Lesoir have such a strong connection as a band and this shines through in their music. That's why ‘Mosaic’ had to become the most dynamic album to date, capturing and recreating the energy of their live performance on record, which the listener is sure to recognise as the sound of passionate musicians who, together in one space, create something from those good feelings and for the sake of that creation in the moment, without thinking about the blueprints of the ever defining genres.
Strengthened by producer duo John Cornfield (Muse, Supergrass, Ben Howard and Robert Plant) and Paul Reeve (vocal producer of Matt Bellamy), Mosaic is shaped in a 10-day session at Airfield studio (St. Merryn, UK) by War Of the World guitarist Jo Partridge. With 10 years between the release of their debut album and this fifth full-length album, Lesoir is proud to say that ‘Mosaic’ has become the album that finally defines them.
Tiger Moth Tales is essentially the brain child of Nottinghamshire based musician and writer Peter Jones, who has been involved in the music industry performing around the UK and recording his own material since the late 90s. Usually in band form, tonight Peter will be solo featuring many songs from his impressive catalogue
https://tigermothtales.com/

When explosive natural ability collides with fiery, emotionally charged compositions, the result is Aynsley Lister; an incredible guitarist whose brand of blues-based rock delivers contemporary song writing fueled with the kind of heart and soul that’s missing from so much modern music. Whether passionately writing and recording his own material or mesmerising audiences at his live shows, one thing is abundantly clear: music is hard-wired to his DNA and flows from his fingertips like sonic bolts of lightning. With over 100,000 albums sold, lashings of critical acclaim and years of high profile touring, Lister’s resumé speaks for itself and firmly secures his position as a leading light in the resurgence of British blues-infused music. Aynsley’s latest release, Home, is out now on Straight Talkin’ Records!

"Superb" - The Times

“His guitar playing is a fire hazard” - MOJO

Celebrating 25 years of The Verve’s Urban Hymns with a full band performance by The Rolling People, plus an extended support set from Fake Plastic Radiohead to celebrate 25 years of OK Computer.

Landmarq are a UK-based neo-progressive rock band. Since forming in 1990, they have so far released a total of ten albums, four of which were recorded live at various concerts in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Initially signing to a Dutch record company, SI Music, then forming their own label, Synergy Records, the band have established themselves within the world of progressive rock, though their style may also extend into album-oriented rock, melodic rock, hard rock and even a slightly jazz edge.

They have played concerts in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Poland, Italy, the US and Mexico; both as support and as headliners at various festivals and music venues. The band have worked with many well-known artists including Marillion, Focus, John Wetton (Asia, King Crimson, Roxy Music), Steve Hackett (Genesis), Hugh McDowell (ELO, Wizard), Nik Turner (Hawkwind), Annie Haslam (Renaissance), IQ, Pendragon, Arena and even Suzi Quatro.

The ESP Project have released six studio albums following their most recent, 'Anarchic Curves' in Spring 2022 on the Sunn Creative label. Since 2016, their previous five releases have garnered a combination of over 50 4-4.5/5 star reviews from the music press. Featuring the compositions of Tony Lowe and poetic lyrics and vocals of Peter Coyle, their latest album is a mesmerising addition to an already rich back catalogue.

The album and live shows feature Tony on guitar, Peter on vocals, Pete Clark on bass, Cheryl Stringall on keyboards, and Dave Etheridge on drums. Together they take listeners into a conceptual and imaginative world, full of beauty and passion with songs that move from melodic and symphonic to intense rock.

After an 8 year absence The Tirith return to The Musician in Leicester.
This will be one of the bands nationwide album launch shows where songs from The Tirith's new 3rd album "Return of the Lydia" will be featured alongside classic Tirith tracks from the first and second albums. Joining us for this show will be Sheffield prog covers band “Harmony of Spheres" who play classic and iconic Prog numbers from across the years.

The only ska band you will ever need... if you want a whole truckload of 2-tone and 60s ska straight in your face, you've come to the right place!!