Special Re-opening Show by The Hamsters

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Performing 3,500 concerts in 18 years, with a mailing list exceeding 20,000 and a website which receives 1,000 visitors a day, the guitar, bass and drums trio The Hamsters have long been established as our premier blues-rock attraction. Although primarily playing their own brand of material, they are also widely regarded as the UK's leading interpreters of the music of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top. Tonight they'll be showcasing material from their new studio album, 'Open All Hours', and concert video, 'To Infirmity, And Beyond!'.

"They're fabulous: one of Britain's very best live bands" - Bob Harris, Radio 2
"The Hamsters are a great Blues band" - Johnny Walker, Radio 2
"Nobody does the music of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top better (apart from the real ZZ Top)" – The Times

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Mick Slacker & Co's tounge in cheek tribute act just gets better and better.

The BOG ROLLING STONES have earned a reputation as one of the most authentic sounding tribute acts around. Satisfaction's always guaranteed when these long haired boys come home to the Brook!

Their tongue in cheek humour, wigs, stripy trousers and boundless energy make them an act not to be missed. The question is.....would you let your daughter go???

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One of the most popular artists ever to play at The Brook. Nils Lofgren has played a number of sell-out gigs here over the years; from his first appearance he set the standard for the calibre of musicians we have endeavoured to present to you.

Best known for his work with Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, he has since followed a solo career which has cemented his reputation as a rock legend. Born in 1951, Nils learned to play the accordion at age five and went on to study jazz and classical music.

He switched to rock guitar at 15 and formed the band Grin in 1969 with bassist Bob Gordon, drummer Bob Berberich and later his brother Tom Lofgren on guitar. The group quickly built a reputation around Washington DC, and it wasnít long before Neil Young and Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten caught wind of them while touring in the area. Young invited Nils to play piano and sing on the classic 1970's album After the Gold Rush, and he also played on and wrote two songs for Crazy Horse's debut album the following year. Instead of remaining with Young, Lofgren used the resulting exposure to get Grin a record contract. The group recorded three albums from 1971 to 1972, garnering critical praise. A move to A&M produced the album Gone Crazybefore the band split up. Nils then accepted an invitation from Young to tour in 1973 and play on his Tonight's the Night album. Grin officially disbanded in mid-1974.

Nils was rumoured to be under consideration as a replacement for Mick Taylor in the Rolling Stones but instead signed to A&M as a solo artist. His first two solo efforts, Nils Lofgren and Cry Tough, were all-round successes, and Lofgren made a name for himself on supporting tours through stunts such as performing while jumping on a trampoline. Following 1983's Trans tour with Young, Nils joined Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, replacing Little Stevie Van Zandt in 1984, remaining there until t he unit was dissolved in 1991. Nils returned to solo recording that year with Silver Lining, which featured guest appearances from Springsteen and members of Ringo Starr's band.

Since then he has released another half dozen successful albums and maintained his reputation as one of rockís most explosive guitarists on tours all over the world.

Preview by Peter Ashton

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Southside Johnny and his legendary band first came to prominence in the mid-70s when Johnny's former band-mate Bruce Springsteen hit the big time, causing the belated "discovery" of the New Jersey shore music scene.

Southside Johnny and E Street guitarist "Miami" Steve Van Zandt soon landed record deals, with Steve producing the first three Southside albums and Springsteen contributing songs like Hearts of Stone and Talk To Me. Tours of Europe, Scandinavia, Japan and the USA followed for Southside Johnny, and a first trip to England to tour with Graham Parker and The Rumour in 1977.

In the near quarter-century since those heady days, Southside has racked up a total of 16 albums, and the reputation as the ultimate, hedonistic live act. As Southside Johnny sums up: "I'll stack my group up against any group out there. We enjoy playing, and the audience enjoys having a good time....what I love about music is that it's a real shared emotion. I try to distill it down to that." The band's magic is captured on a new album, Messin' With The Blues, which features Southside's smoky, soulful voice, and the band's instinctive playing evoking the funky, late night ambience of a down-and-dirty juke joint. Just what they aim to provide at The Brook, in fact, with tracks like Gin-Soaked Boy and Cadillac Jack from the new album, and a stonking selection from their huge back catalogue. To be assured of a ticket for some mouth-watering rock and blues ring (023) 8055 5366 right away.

Preview by Peter Ashton

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Having already started the year with an extensive tour of Germany, Belgium & Switzerland, Wishbone Ash stop off in the UK for a twenty-five date tour, taking in many of the country's major towns and cities, and proving they're still one of the hardest-working and in-demand bands.

Their colossal work rate is testament to an enduring popularity that shows no sign of abating nearly 40 years after they first formed. In that time, they have inspired bands such as Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden with their pioneering, trademark twin-lead guitars; their unique blend of blues, jazz and English folk continuing to delight audiences throughout the world.

Wishbone Ash has released nearly 40 albums & 6 DVDs and performed on five continents to worldwide acclaim. The band regularly performs more than 150 shows a year, delivering the goods to an ever-growing number of appreciative fans of all ages.

Throughout the years, many notable musicians have contributed their talents to the band, including Asia's John Wetton, Trevor Bolder from Uriah Heep and Laurie Wisefield, who would later play guitar for Joe Cocker and Tina Turner.

The current and established lineup comprises founding guitarist Andy Powell, long-serving bassist Bob Skeat, guitarist Muddy Manninen and drummer Joe Crabtree.

Still selling out venues, they will be performing such classic tracks as The King Will Come, Throw Down the Sword & Blowin' Free as well as songs from their latest album, The Power Of Eternity. With such a vast back-catalogue of material to draw from (including the multi-million selling Argus - considered one of the classic rock albums of all time) the fans will be guaranteed an unforgettable evening of the best in rock.

And as if the band weren't busy enough, they depart these shores the day following their last UK show to start their USA tour by performing in Pennsylvania that very same night!

See what all the fuss is about. Explore the band's website for up-to-date tour information, sound and video samples, complete discography and much more.

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FLEETWOOD BAC are the world's first and best Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band, endorsed by Mick Fleetwood himself, and raved about by Peter Green's biographer, the only Mac tribute band to authentically replicate the classic Stevie/Lindsey/Christine/John/Mick 'Rumours' line-up.

The band returned in 2001 with their best line-up yet, and in the last 2 years the response has been amazing. Rave reviews in 'The Stage', The Fireflies and Go Your Own Way (the U.K.s leading Fleetwood Mac fansites); an endorsement from The Nicks Fix (the official Stevie Nicks website); and ecstatic audiences wherever the band played, including wowing an audience of 10,000 at the H.O.G. festival in St. Tropez, and very successful recent shows in the Cayman Islands. The band has also recently been rated by The Times as one of the U.K.'s leading tributes, alongside The Bootleg Beatles, Bjorn Again and the Counterfeit Stones.

The sound, the look, the mystical atmosphere and on-stage chemistry are all portrayed with the passion and energy that got the seal of approval from 'Big Daddy' Mick, and built up an excellent reputation amongst Mac fans through numerous tours, festival appearances, corporate events and TV and radio slots all over the U.K. and Europe.

Fans include original Mac bassist and biographer Bob Brunning, who has joined the band several times on stage for great versions of 'Need Your Love So Bad', and Peter Green's official biographer Martin Celmins.

The Fleetwood Bac show focuses on the Stevie Nicks/ Lindsey Buckingham/ Christine McVie 'Rumours' era of the band (still the 5th biggest-selling album of all time). It also features several songs from the Peter Green days, plus some of Stevie's biggest solo hits, in a theatrical two-hour show, including costume-changes and an acoustic section.

Songs featured include: Dreams, Don't Stop, Go Your Own Way, You Make Loving Fun, Tusk, Gypsy, Everywhere, Oh Well, Rhiannon, Little Lies, Black Magic Woman, Seven Wonders, Say You Love Me, Big Love, Oh Diane, Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Albatross, Sara, Man Of The World, Hold Me, Green Manalishi and Need Your Love So Bad.

Fleetwood Mac fans are also raving about seeing and hearing favourites like: Gold Dust Woman, The Chain, 2nd Hand News, Silver Springs, I'm So Afraid, Songbird, Sisters Of The Moon, Isn't It Midnight, Leather And Lace, Oh Daddy, Monday Morning, Landslide, I Don't Want To Know, Beautiful Child, Over My Head, Never Going Back Again, World Turning, Blue Letter, Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You, Eyes Of The World etc.

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Time to dance the night away with the band who make every gig a party night! Those that have followed the band will know that the Rufus Stone Soul Band, based in their home town of Southampton, has been around in many guises since their start in late 1984. After all this time you would expect that some of the sparkle would have gone, not a bit. They still have the same distinctive sound, which ensures that they get the maximum involvement from their audience.

Over the years they have built a loyal following and it is this support that has kept the band not only on the road but still as soulful as when they started. The music is authentic soul with selections from The Blues Brothers and The Commitments, but the bulk of the set comes from the soul greats such as Otis Redding, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Joe Tex and many others.

During their time together there have been a number of highlights that include support to some of the top soul artists like Jimmy Ruffin, Edwin Starr, Curtis Mayfield, Geno Washington, Ben E King, and Gloria Gaynor.

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