Tag: blues

THE MILK MEN ARE ONE THE MOST POPULAR AND ACCLAIMED BLUES ROCK BANDS IN THE UK

 

Nominated for eight UK Blues Awards and British Blues Challenge finalists, and with a Number 1 blues single and album to their name, The Milk Men have earned a reputation as the one of the most dynamic and enjoyable live bands on the circuit. Their six albums of original material have seen them top both the Amazon and iTunes charts and won them ‘Best Album’ nominations, and their live shows are renowned for their electric energy and joyous sense of fun.



The Milk Men are a band made up from the cream of British R’n’B talent and pedigree. With former Pirate Mike Roberts on drums, Lloyd Green (son of guitar legend Mick Green) on bass guitar, raw-throated blues singer Jamie Smy on vocals, the band is rounded off on guitar by Adam Norsworthy, also known for his work with blues-scene mainstays Mustangs.

The band draws its influences from a wide range of classic bands from Dr Feelgood to Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC to Stevie Wonder. The band’s original music is classic blues rock, but always played with attack, energy, melody and a sense of fun. The band has released five hugely-acclaimed studio albums of original material and a live album. Their latest studio album Holy Cow! has seen the band cement its reputation as one of the UK’s premier keepers of the British Blues Rock flame when the first single from the album, One Man Band, went straight to Number 1 on the iTunes blues chart. The album itself then went on to top both the Amazon and iTunes blues album charts. The album’s reviews were unanimous in their praise, with many calling it “a near-perfect” album. The band’s third album Deliverance reached number 9 on the Amazon Top 10 Blues Chart (whilst also making the overall Top 40). 

The band has headlined major blues festivals all over the UK including the prestigious Great British Rock & Blues Festival in Skegness. A year later they were nominated for Best Band, Best Album and Best Vocalist at the UK Blues Awards. In January 2023 the band was nominated for two UK Blues Awards – Emerging Talent and Best Blues Band. In September 2023 they were one of the five bands chosen to compete in the prestigious UK Blues Challenge. As well as Skegness, they have graced the main stages of all the UK’s biggest Blues Festivals including Colne, Upton, Alfold, Carlisle, Blackpool, Swanage and many more. 

In 2025 the band founded and hosted Milkfest – an annual charity fund-raising one-day celebration of British Blues held at the Indigo at the O2 in London. Organised by guitarist Adam, the 2025 event raised over £8000 for the Brain Tumour Charity, and the second Milkfest is scheduled for March 1st 2026 in aid of Dementia UK. The band’s new live album, Live at Milkfest, is a completely-live souvenir recording of their opening set at the Milkfest ’25. 
It reached Number 5 in the iTunes blues chart and once again received rave reviews.

Go on..put some milk in your music!

“The finest rockin’ rhythm’n’blues band in the country”

– Blues in Britain Magazine.

“Brilliant – there aren’t many better exponents of blues rock than The Milk Men”
– Maximum Volume Magazine

“Fun, feelgood and wildly entertaining”
– Fireworks Magazine

“In the tradition of British milk men – these guys certainly deliver!”

– Blues Matters Magazine

INFO

Doors 7:30pm (Pre-Show Bar & Kitchen Open All Day)

Homemade Food Served All Evening

Age: 14+ (accompanied by parent/guardian off-site by midnight)

Free On-Street Parking Directly Outside

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Young troubadour Connor Selby signed to Provogue Records in December 2022 and has released his major label debut, the self titled Connor Selby to critical acclaim. One of the brightest talents on the UK blues scene. He has been voted “Young Artist of the Year” at the UK Blues Awards for the last three consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022) and he already has an impressive venue checklist, including Wembley Stadium, where he opened for The Who in July 2019 and has since gone on to play Hyde Park, London, with Pearl Jam, Stereophonics and Johnny Marr in the summer of 2022. Connor has also had a productive 2023 touring the UK as the opening act for Blues and Rock Luminaries Robert Cray and Beth Hart. Connor is also due to embark on a headline tour in October of 2023.

There’s a timeless melancholic quality to his music. Relatable in its honesty and openness, he draws from anxiety and vulnerability but delivers it with a world-worn elegance. The sky is the limit for Selby, who, along with awards, has picked up numerous plays on BBC Radio 2. It’s easy to see why with his soulful blend of blues and his emotionally introspective songwriting, which sits alongside his impressive armoury of guitar playing.

 

Raised in an Essex village, he has already trodden a path less travelled. Spending part of his early years in Connecticut, USA, he moved back to his home county before relocating to Dubai, UAE, between the formative age of ten and fourteen, and then back to Essex. Those young eyes soaked up the travels and the changes that were passing him by. Too young to remember Connecticut, he has fond memories of Dubai, “It was quite a contrast to England. I remember going to an international school and meeting lots of different people from all over the world, who like me, had recently been thrusted into this new environment. There wasn’t the division that you might expect in a community comprised of people of so many different nationalities. We all bonded over the fact that we were in this new place, that none of us really felt we belonged to. Strangely, when I returned to England, I found people to be colder and I didn’t feel that same sense of camaraderie and community that I experienced in Dubai, despite being back in my home-town.”

One thing that kept with him was his burgeoning love of American roots music. “I got interested in not just the music itself but the history and everything around it,” he says. “I wanted to learn and listen as much as I could. The artists, their lives and their lineage. Tracing it back to see how it connects, like a tapestry. I think it’s important for someone who isn’t from that cultural background to treat it with the respect it deserves. You can’t separate the music from its historical context.”

“I love the directness, the simplicity and earthiness of it,” he adds. “I love really how down-to-earth; it is both lyrically and musically. I think with the blues, it’s fundamentally about very basic human emotions. Things like sorrow and pride and exploring the way we deal with everyday situations and problems. I’ve also always been attracted to the authoritative quality of the music. As a kid and teenager, I was quite shy and not very self-assured, so I think it was a place for me to find a sense of power.”

Special Guests: Mick McConnell & Blue Thunder

Doors 7:30pm

Homemade Food Served All Evening

In previous years, Chantel stepped out in the pro-musician world and her stunning live performances demonstrated that she had the ability to perform rock for the new age, played by a musician born with an effortless virtuosity. Since then, she has built a loyal and growing fan base who follow her every move.

If you measure an artist’s prospects by the company they keep, then Chantel has been moving in the right direction. Early in her career, Chantel was invited to perform with Joe Bonamassa, on two of his UK tours.

Over the last few years, Chantel has received great reviews of her 5 albums, the last 2 being released during the 2021 Covid lockdown. The ‘Shed Sessions Volumes 1 & 2’ were recorded at home and mixed by Wayne Proctor of Superfly Studios due to the pandemic. They were born out of a weekly livestream which Chantel performed throughout lockdown.

Over lockdown, as well as the 2 albums, Chantel released a rock cover of ‘Stupid Love’ by Lady Gaga and had a track on ‘Gumbo Blues, a tribute to Dr John’, both through Cleopatra Records in the USA. She also released the single ‘I Will See’, which she co-wrote and recorded with David ‘Nova’ Nowakowski (Scars on 45), she also worked with Nova on the cover version ‘Long Train Running’, featured on his 2023 album ‘UnderCover II’.

Throughout 2023, Chantel has been extensively touring both solo and with her band, she co- headlined 4 successful shows with Elles Bailey, has had numerous sell out shows and performed at some incredible festivals such as Maid of Stone Festival.

She is currently writing for her third studio album, and debuting some of the new tracks on her tour which is taking place throughout the UK.

WATCH ‘TAKE THE POWER’ OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE

WATCH ‘HOME’ OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE

Chantel McGregor Online:
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

WE WELCOME BACK IRISH POWER TRIO, LED BY FORMER MAMA’S BOYS AND CELTUS GUITARIST/VIOLINIST, SINGER AND SONGWRITER PAT MCMANUS ON March 23rd 2024!

GROWING UP IN A FAMILY STEEPED IN TRADITIONAL MUSIC, PAT’S FIRST INSTRUMENT AT THE AGE OF 4 YEARS WAS THE VIOLIN. BY THE AGE OF 7 HE WAS ALSO PLAYING THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR AND PERFORMING LIVE WITH THE FAMILY BAND. BY 14 YEARS HE WAS ‘ ALL IRELAND CHAMPION ‘ ON THE VIOLIN AND WAS OFFERED A PLACE AT THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC, BUT BY 18 YEARS HE WAS SEDUCED BY ROCK N ROLL… AND SO HE PICKED UP THE ELECTRIC GUITAR. AFFECTIONATELY KNOW AS THE ‘PROFESSOR’, PAT HAS BEEN IN RECENT YEARS HAILED IN THE PRESS AS ONE OF THE TOP 5 IRISH GUITARISTS.

IN 1978 PAT AND HIS BROTHERS FORMED THE SHORT LIVED ‘PULSE’. BY 1979 THE BAND’S NAME WAS CHANGED TO ‘MAMA’S BOYS’ AND WITH PAT NOW ALSO THE SONGWRITER FOR THE BAND, THE RISE TO FAME WAS RAPID. WITH HIS TWO BROTHERS JOHN AND TOMMY, ‘MAMA’S BOY’S’ ENJOYED A 15 YEAR CAREER WITH WORLDWIDE SUCCESS AND TOURING ALONG SIDE MANY OF THE GREAT ROCK AND ROLL BANDS. THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF PAT’S YOUNGER BROTHER TOMMY, BROUGHT A CLOSE TO THE ‘MAMA’S BOYS’ DAYS… AND SO ‘CELTUS’ WAS BORN.’CELTUS’ WAS A MIX OF THE BROTHER’S TRADITIONAL PAST WITH ROCK AND THE BAND WERE VERY QUICKLY SIGNED TO SONY. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF MUFF WINDWOOD AND PRODUCER RUPERT HIND THE BAND PRODUCED SEVERAL HIGHLY REGARDED AND AWARD-WINNING ALBUMS.

IN 2001 PAT MOVED FROM LONDON BACK TO HIS NATIVE FERMANGH. HE HAD FELT HE NEEDED A BREAK FROM MUSIC, BUT THAT LASTED ALL OF A FEW MONTHS AS SOON HE WAS PLAYING, RECORDING AND WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF BANDS AND MUSICIANS. IN 2007 PAT FINALLY FORMED HIS OWN SOLO BAND…’ THE PAT MCMANUS BAND ‘AND RELEASED HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM. THE BAND HAVE TOURED AND TOURED FOR THE PAST 15 YEAR, PLAYING HUGE FESTIVALS, TOURS AND HEADLING SHOWS. WITHIN THIS TIME PAT HAS WRITTEN AND RELEASED 9 ALBUMS AND 3 DVD’S AND A NEW LIVE CD IS READY FOR RELEASE IN JULY 2023. THE PRESENT LINE UP OF THE PAT MCMANUS BAND INCLUDES LONG TIME MEMBER PAUL FALOON ON DRUMS AND PAT’S FORMER CO – PRODUCER AND TOP SESSION PLAYER PLUNKETT MCCOMB ON BASS.

… AND NOW CELEBRATING 16 YEARS OF THE PMB THE STORY CONTINUES WITH A FULL TOURING SCHEDULE IN 2023.

FOOD SERVED ALL EVENING

DOORS OPEN AT 7:30pm TILL LATE

TICKET PRICE: £15.50 Inc Booking Fee

 

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Young troubadour Connor Selby signed to Provogue Records in December 2022 and has released his major label debut, the self titled Connor Selby to critical acclaim. One of the brightest talents on the UK blues scene. He has been voted “Young Artist of the Year” at the UK Blues Awards for the last three consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022) and he already has an impressive venue checklist, including Wembley Stadium, where he opened for The Who in July 2019 and has since gone on to play Hyde Park, London, with Pearl Jam, Stereophonics and Johnny Marr in the summer of 2022. Connor has also had a productive 2023 touring the UK as the opening act for Blues and Rock Luminaries Robert Cray and Beth Hart. Connor is also due to embark on a headline tour in October of 2023.

There’s a timeless melancholic quality to his music. Relatable in its honesty and openness, he draws from anxiety and vulnerability but delivers it with a world-worn elegance. The sky is the limit for Selby, who, along with awards, has picked up numerous plays on BBC Radio 2. It’s easy to see why with his soulful blend of blues and his emotionally introspective songwriting, which sits alongside his impressive armoury of guitar playing.




Raised in an Essex village, he has already trodden a path less travelled. Spending part of his early years in Connecticut, USA, he moved back to his home county before relocating to Dubai, UAE, between the formative age of ten and fourteen, and then back to Essex. Those young eyes soaked up the travels and the changes that were passing him by. Too young to remember Connecticut, he has fond memories of Dubai, “It was quite a contrast to England. I remember going to an international school and meeting lots of different people from all over the world, who like me, had recently been thrusted into this new environment. There wasn’t the division that you might expect in a community comprised of people of so many different nationalities. We all bonded over the fact that we were in this new place, that none of us really felt we belonged to. Strangely, when I returned to England, I found people to be colder and I didn’t feel that same sense of camaraderie and community that I experienced in Dubai, despite being back in my home-town.”

One thing that kept with him was his burgeoning love of American roots music. “I got interested in not just the music itself but the history and everything around it,” he says. “I wanted to learn and listen as much as I could. The artists, their lives and their lineage. Tracing it back to see how it connects, like a tapestry. I think it’s important for someone who isn’t from that cultural background to treat it with the respect it deserves. You can’t separate the music from its historical context.”

“I love the directness, the simplicity and earthiness of it,” he adds. “I love really how down-to-earth; it is both lyrically and musically. I think with the blues, it’s fundamentally about very basic human emotions. Things like sorrow and pride and exploring the way we deal with everyday situations and problems. I’ve also always been attracted to the authoritative quality of the music. As a kid and teenager, I was quite shy and not very self-assured, so I think it was a place for me to find a sense of power.”

Doors 7:30pm

Homemade Food Served All Evening

Dave Kelly & Bob Hall with Hilary Blythe

Friends since they were neighbours in the sixties Dave Kelly & Bob Hall have had illustrious careers in the British Blues Scene and have won many awards for their artistry.

Dave Kelly, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, is a founder member of The Blues Band (which has recently celebrated its 40th anniversary).  Dave cut his teeth in the backing bands of Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker, and has played with Buddy Guy, Son House & Muddy Waters. The Blues Band have released around twenty albums, and Dave has fifteen more either solo or with his own Dave Kelly Band

Bob Hall, singer, pianist, mandolinist and songwriter, is a founder member of The Groundhogs and Savoy Brown.  Bob has also accompanied Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker and a host of blues stars including Little Walter, Lightnin’ Slim and Homesick James. Bob has played on well over a hundred albums, including four solo piano albums and dozens more as band leader or co-leader.

Down the years Dave and Bob have had many critically acclaimed joint projects, have played in each other’s bands and on each other’s records.

With such a pedigree it seemed natural to get together a show to exploit their joint talents.

Complimenting the duo is Hilary Blythe on bass and guitar, an emotive singer of classic blues and Bob’s partner off-stage. A well-known performer on the folk scene, Hilary’s rock-solid bass is also an integral part of the A-Team, accompanying blues legend Lil’ Jimmy Reed on his UK and international tours.

DOORS: 7:30pm

Homemade Food Served All Evening

WE ARE PROUD TO BE HOSTING IRISH POWER TRIO LED BY FORMER MAMA’S BOYS AND CELTUS GUITARIST/VIOLINIST, SINGER AND SONGWRITER PAT MCMANUS ON OCTOBER 6TH 2023!

GROWING UP IN A FAMILY STEEPED IN TRADITIONAL MUSIC, PAT’S FIRST INSTRUMENT AT THE AGE OF 4 YEARS WAS THE VIOLIN. BY THE AGE OF 7 HE WAS ALSO PLAYING THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR AND PERFORMING LIVE WITH THE FAMILY BAND. BY 14 YEARS HE WAS ‘ ALL IRELAND CHAMPION ‘ ON THE VIOLIN AND WAS OFFERED A PLACE AT THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC, BUT BY 18 YEARS HE WAS SEDUCED BY ROCK N ROLL… AND SO HE PICKED UP THE ELECTRIC GUITAR. AFFECTIONATELY KNOW AS THE ‘PROFESSOR’, PAT HAS BEEN IN RECENT YEARS HAILED IN THE PRESS AS ONE OF THE TOP 5 IRISH GUITARISTS.

IN 1978 PAT AND HIS BROTHERS FORMED THE SHORT LIVED ‘PULSE’. BY 1979 THE BAND’S NAME WAS CHANGED TO ‘MAMA’S BOYS’ AND WITH PAT NOW ALSO THE SONGWRITER FOR THE BAND, THE RISE TO FAME WAS RAPID. WITH HIS TWO BROTHERS JOHN AND TOMMY, ‘MAMA’S BOY’S’ ENJOYED A 15 YEAR CAREER WITH WORLDWIDE SUCCESS AND TOURING ALONG SIDE MANY OF THE GREAT ROCK AND ROLL BANDS. THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF PAT’S YOUNGER BROTHER TOMMY, BROUGHT A CLOSE TO THE ‘MAMA’S BOYS’ DAYS… AND SO ‘CELTUS’ WAS BORN.’CELTUS’ WAS A MIX OF THE BROTHER’S TRADITIONAL PAST WITH ROCK AND THE BAND WERE VERY QUICKLY SIGNED TO SONY. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF MUFF WINDWOOD AND PRODUCER RUPERT HIND THE BAND PRODUCED SEVERAL HIGHLY REGARDED AND AWARD-WINNING ALBUMS.

IN 2001 PAT MOVED FROM LONDON BACK TO HIS NATIVE FERMANGH. HE HAD FELT HE NEEDED A BREAK FROM MUSIC, BUT THAT LASTED ALL OF A FEW MONTHS AS SOON HE WAS PLAYING, RECORDING AND WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF BANDS AND MUSICIANS. IN 2007 PAT FINALLY FORMED HIS OWN SOLO BAND…’ THE PAT MCMANUS BAND ‘AND RELEASED HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM. THE BAND HAVE TOURED AND TOURED FOR THE PAST 15 YEAR, PLAYING HUGE FESTIVALS, TOURS AND HEADLING SHOWS. WITHIN THIS TIME PAT HAS WRITTEN AND RELEASED 9 ALBUMS AND 3 DVD’S AND A NEW LIVE CD IS READY FOR RELEASE IN JULY 2023. THE PRESENT LINE UP OF THE PAT MCMANUS BAND INCLUDES LONG TIME MEMBER PAUL FALOON ON DRUMS AND PAT’S FORMER CO – PRODUCER AND TOP SESSION PLAYER PLUNKETT MCCOMB ON BASS.

… AND NOW CELEBRATING 16 YEARS OF THE PMB THE STORY CONTINUES WITH A FULL TOURING SCHEDULE IN 2023.

FOOD SERVED ALL EVENING

DOORS OPEN AT 7:30pm TILL LATE

TICKET PRICE: £15.50 Inc Booking Fee

 

Ray Greene is the lead singer for Carlos Santana, one of the most successful international artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
Before joining Santana, Ray was the lead vocalist for legendary soul band Tower of Power.
His velvety smooth voice has also been used by soul legends Aretha Franklin and Rick James.
Ray and his incredible band will perform a series of live shows in the UK in October as part of a European tour, which includes legendary bassist Reggie Washington (The RH Factor, Steve Coleman,
Gene Lake, Branford Marsalis, David Gilmore, and Greg Osby).
This is an amazing opportunity to witness this captivating and soulful ‘stadium’ performer up close and personal’

Special Guests: MOJO CATFISH

Doors 7:30pm

Food Served All Evening

The welcome return of North Yorkshire based singer/songwriter John P Taylor band. (Do Not Miss This Fabulous Gig!)

Four studio albums & a bunch of tours later, the time has come to hit the

road once again with a series of gigs, including a much welcomed return to Bradford.

With a career spanning over thirty years, John and the band

deliver a combination of original Americana based blues with

a groove.

Check out some video of the band right here; https://johnptaylor.co.uk/videos/

John has achieved national recognition in the past

in the guise of ‘BCMA band of the year’ in 2013 and 2014.

The last three albums have all charted top twenty in the IBBA

British Blues charts with multiple airplays home and abroad.

Also an established producer, John has been writing and co

writing from his studio Mirage Music and in recent years

launched his own label under the Mirage banner.

SUPPORT: Burgess & Harris

Doors 7:30pm

Food served all evening. 

For his second appearance at Tapestry in 12 months, we welcome back
The fabulous Dom Martin Band. 
Dom Martin is a Belfast born multi award winning artist, inspired but not constrained by the blues. In 2019 he burst onto the UK and European music scene with a unique guitar style and voice, captivating audiences everywhere. His main musical influences are Rory Gallagher, Tom Waits, John Martyn, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters.
With five BBC Radio live sessions prior to a first album release, Dom impressed with his 2018 debut original EP “Easy Way Out” with BBC presenter Cerys Matthews describing his work as “absolutely wonderful stuff.”
His debut album “Spain to Italy” was fully released on 4th December 2019 to critical acclaim and was an IBBA “Pick Of The Month” gaining airplay on around 100 stations globally.
The album has had over 180k Spotify Streams to date (June 2021).bluespowr.com- ‘Spain to Italy is not just one of the best debut releases we’ve heard in some time but among the best albums we’ve heard from any artist this year’ makingascene.org- ‘The likes of Dom’s talent only comes around once in a lifetime’ Fatea Records – ‘A musician of unbridled talent and a future that is assured’
After his debut sell out “Spring ’19 UK Tour”, Blues in Britain Magazine said – “Now and again you stumble across a rare talent of such sheer genius that you actu-ally wonder whether what you have witnessed can possibly be for real. Dom Martin is one such talent” “Dom Martins Savages Live at The Harlington” (June 2021) ERB Magazine-“5/5 – ROCKIN’ THE BLUES, WITH ATTITUDE!” Down at the crossroads – “He’s quite a talent – great guitarist, fine singer and excellent song-writer.
All of this is in evidence on Live at the Harlington “Music-News.Com –
“Dom Martin is an absolutely fabulous performer” /”Dom Martin is an exceptional talent and this shows him in a remarkable light.It’s a shoo-in for accolades and my guess is that, come the end of the year, it will be in a lot of ‘best of 2021’ lists. Fabulous album. 5 Stars” Blues in Britain Magazine –
“Dom has been compared to Gallagher in style and execution and the great man would be proud to know his legacy is being so perfectly preserved” / “Highly recommended, don’t miss it”Highlights • Canterbury Festival 
•BBC Radio 2 Blues Show, BBC Radio Ulster, Lancashire, Suffolk &Bristol live session artist• Acoustic Blues Act of The Year – 2021 UK Blues Awards• Nominated in Blues Instrumentalist of The Year and Emerging Artist of The Year 2021 UK Blues Awards• Acoustic Blues Act of The Year – 2020 UK Blues Awards• Nominated in Blues Artist of The Year and Emerging Artist of The Year 2020 UK Blues Awards•

Best Solo/Acoustic Act – European Blues Awards 2019 • Ongoing BBC Radio support

SUPPORT – BRAVE RIVAL
———————————–
Doors 7:30pm
Curfew Midnight
Food Served All Evening
————————————

Browse news

Join our mailing list

Sign up to our mailing list and be one of the first to find out what’s happening at Tapestry. Event anouncements, special offers and latest news straight to your inbox.