The Brook, 466 Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton SO17 3SD
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October 2010 @ The Brook

Tickets On Sale When Price is Shown

Sherry, Who Loves You, December 1963, Let's Hang On, Rag Doll, Big Girls Don't Cry...

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Go West are back with a new album 'futurenow' and a brand new tour.

With their full touring band - all the classic hits 'We Close Our Eyes', 'Call Me', 'The King Of Wishful Thinking', 'Tracks Of My Tears'……

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Peter Cox met Richard Drummie in 1974, when he played him a demo tape. Richard liked what he heard and this was the start of a long (and still running) friendship and collaboration. In 1982 they signed a publishing deal for their work as ‘Cox and Drummie’. They approached several record companies for a recording deal with little success, but managed to secure some studio time to record their first versions of ‘We Close Our Eyes’ and ‘Call Me’, changing their name to GO WEST. Within a matter of days of completion of these tracks, their manager was negotiating with Chrysalis Records and GO WEST obtained their first record deal!

Their debut single ‘We Close Our Eyes’ was released in 1985, it reached number 4 in the UK charts and became a top 10 hit in the USA. The success of ‘We Close Our Eyes’ was followed by three other top 10 hits – ‘Call Me’, ‘Goodbye Girl’ and ‘Don’t Look Down’.

Their self titled album GO WEST sold 1.5 million copies worldwide and established the pair as a chart force and as one of the greatest singer-songwriter duos to emerge in the 80’s. They became the focus of media attention, gracing covers and making numerous TV appearances. In 1986 they won a BRIT Award for ‘Best British Newcomer’.

Their second album ‘Dancing On The Couch’ was released in 1987. The singles ‘True Colours’, ‘I Wanna Hear It From You’ and ‘The King Is Dead’ were all top 30 hits and although it did not match the success of their debut LP in sales, it once again established them as extraordinary songwriters and the album has become something of a cult collectors item.

In 1992 their third album ‘Indian Summer’ was released. This was a more mellow album, justifying more than ever their early description by legendary producer Arif Mardin as ‘Modern Motown’. This album contained their single ‘The King Of Wishful Thinking’, the opening song in the hugely successful film ‘Pretty Woman’. The soundtrack album from this film has sold over 10 million copies world-wide. ‘The King Of Wishful Thinking’ received an ASCAP Award in 1991 and 1992 for one of the most played songs on American radio and ‘Faithful’ the second single from this album, received similar BMI Awards in 1992 and 1993.

‘Aces and Kings’, the album released in 1993, was a collection of their Greatest Hits and the single ‘Tracks Of My Tears’ a re-working of Smokey Robsinson’s classic, was released from this album and entered the Top 20 singles chart.

In 1993 Peter decided to move to Los Angeles to concentrate on his career as a solo artist. In 1997 his self titled solo album was released. Richard meanwhile, concentrated on his songwriting and record production and worked with, amongst others - Ritchie Neville, Robbie Craig, Next Of Kin, 21st Century Girls and Debbie Gibson.

In 2000 Peter moved back to the UK and he once again began working with Richard. They recorded two new tracks together which were their first studio recordings together for seven years.

In April 2001 GO WEST released an album ‘The Best Of Go West – Live At The NEC’, a concert recorded during their live tour in 1993. This contained all their greatest hits performed live in front of a sell-out crowd in Birmingham, together with the two brand new tracks.

In 2001/2 they performed on two ‘Here & Now’ Arena tours of the UK and one of Australia, together with other eighties acts – Paul Young, Kim Wilde, Belinda Carlisle & Human League.

Following Peter’s huge success on the TV series ‘Reborn In The USA’ – Peter, Go West and Tony Hadley performed together on a sell-out 60 date UK tour in 2004.

In 2005, Go West celebrated their 20th Anniversary together and performed another sell-out UK tour. They then commenced work on a new Go West album which is still in production and will be released next year.

As well as continuing to perform many shows together as GO WEST, last year, Peter recorded a Motown album, which was released in 2007 and Richard took part in a major Trek to The Lost World in Venezuala, together with Tony Hadley and Martin Fry of ABC, in aid of Action Medical Research. A film of the Trek has just been released on DVD.

In 2007 Peter & Richard also released a DVD entitled ‘Go West 21’. This was filmed at The Lowry Theatre in Manchester last year, when Go West performed their debut album, live and in it’s entirety, for the first time.

Autumn 2008, saw the release of “Future Now”, their first studio album together since 1992 and toured extensively throughout 2009.

In March this year Peter will release a new solo album – “The S1 Sessions” and Richard is once again embarking upon another trek in aid of Action Medical Research, this time trekking across the Namibian Desert to the Skelton Coast .

And of course 2010 is the 25th Anniversary of the release of the band’s first album in 1985 and they are on the road again, touring throughout the UK.

Come and have some barbed wire love!

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Stiff Little Fingers are a punk band, originally based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977.

Prior to becoming Stiff Little Fingers, Jake Burns, Vocals and Guitar, Henry Cluney, Guitar, Gordon Blair, Bass, and Brian Faloon, Drums, were playing in a cover band, Highway Star, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Upon the departure of Gordon Blair (who went on to play with another Belfast group, Rudi), Ali McMordie took over the duties on Bass. Henry had by this time discovered punk, and introduced the rest of the band to it. They decided that Highway Star wasn't a punky enough name, and after a brief flirtation with the name The Fast, decided to call themselves Stiff Little Fingers, Jake taking the name from the Vibrators track.

In November of '77, Gordon Ogilvie, a local journalist, caught their live show and was impressed. He encouraged them to write their own songs about what they knew best--life in Belfast. Jake came back twelve days later with "Suspect Device" and "Wasted Life". These were the first of what became SLF's signature style: lyrics that meld the personal and political, music that combines the energy of punk with infectious hooks, and delivery that rings of honesty and commitment.

With Ogilvie's help, they released those two songs on their own Rigid Digits label, with an initial pressing of only 350. Ogilvie sent a copy to BBC Radio One DJ John Peel, who started playing it every night. The interest generated resulted in a distribution deal through Rough Trade in England.

A local fanzine named Alternative Ulster asked the band to write a song specially for a giveaway flexi-disc. Although the plans for the flexi fell through, "Alternative Ulster" became the first single released by Rough Trade in October of '78. Jake once introduced it as "a song about having nothing to do." It became a punk rock classic.

In the fall of '78, SLF toured the UK supporting the Tom Robinson band and gathered a solid following. That plus airplay by John Peel resulted in their first album, the now legendary Inflammable Material LP, debuting in the UK charts at #14. The album chronicles the band's anger and frustration at "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, and calls on youth to create their own reality.

In '79 the band moved to London and Brian Faloon decided not to go, which inspired the lyrics to "Wait and See". He was replaced by Jim Reilly who made his debut on the "Gotta Gettaway" single. In the spring they played on the Rock Against Racism tour. By the summer of 1979, SLF signed a deal with Chrysalis Records which included unusually broad artistic control by the band. They released the LP Nobody's Heroes in 1980. It combined the DIY ethic of the first album with more universal themes of alienation, anti-militarism, and anti-racism.

Their live shows continued to be special events of energy and power. The Go For It LP in '81 revealed more sophisticated songwriting and musicianship, and another step in the shift from punk to power pop. Soon after the Go For It tour, Jim Reilly left the band and was replaced by Dolphin Taylor, formerly drummer for the Tom Robinson band.

The Now Then album of '82 alienated many of SLF's punk followers with its pop sound, and despite some glowing critical reviews, never got the recognition it deserved.

The band split in early '83. At the time, Jake said, "Our last LP Now Then was to my mind the best album we have made. But it is also unfortunately the best I think we will ever make. So I have decided to call it a day." He later revealed, "The first split was a bit acrimonious. Instead of talking through our difficulties we wound up having fist fights."

During the five years they spent apart, each member pursued musical projects, as detailed in the Discography. But none were as satisfying, or as successful, as SLF. Said Ali, "It wasn't until we got back together again did we realize this was the only thing we were ever completely happy with."

In '87, Jake "...got a phone call from Ali, asking if I fancied going to see a reunion gig by the Tom Robinson band. At this period everybody seemed to be getting back together again." Jake couldn't go to the gig, but they soon got together for drinks, which led to more nights of drinking, which eventually led to the idea that they play a few reunion shows, partly as an inexpensive way of returning to Belfast to see their parents at Christmastime.

The audience response to the reunion shows was overwhelming, with sell-out crowds larger than any that SLF had played in their original incarnation. The two shows at the Brixton Academy in '88 pulled in over 10,000 people over two nights. Fans from the U.S., Japan, Switzerland and elsewhere flew in to see them. Recordings from those shows were released as the See You Up There album and video, considered by many to be the best SLF live recordings ever. The response to the shows across the world surprised and delighted the band, and their following continued to grow, with younger "new" fans alongside the old diehards.

By '90 their thoughts had turned to reforming the band permanently and recording new material. But Ali decided his commitments wouldkeep him from recording an album or touring. He officially left about a week before they were scheduled to tour Japan. Jake phoned Bruce Foxton (formerly of The Jam), who jumped in at the last minute, and has been a member ever since.

The Flags and Emblems LP released in '91, featured the single "Beirut Moon," which was immediately banned in Britain. The song criticized the British government for not acting to free hostage John McCarthy in Lebanon. Although overall the LP's material was not as strong as earlier albums, it still served to satisfy fans starved for new SLF songs, and the subsequent tour continued the tradition of powerful shows where the crowd reacts "to most of SLF's numbers in much the same way as kernels react to a plugged-in popcorn maker," as noted in the Los Angeles Times in '92.

In 1993 Jake made what he describes in the book Stiff Little Fingers-Song by Song as being one of the hardest decisions of his life, and asked Henry Cluney to leave the band, and the trio of Jake Burns, Bruce Foxton and Dolphin Taylor continued, for the next four years, joined on tour by guitarists Dave Sharp or Ian McCallum. In '94 they released the Get a Life LP in the UK, later released in the US in '95. The album helped renew interest in SLF just as newer bands that sited them as a major influence, such as Bad Religion, Sugar, Rancid, and Therapy, were coming to prominence.

At the end of '96 Dolphin Taylor left the band, due to family and business obligations. The new drummer was Steve Grantley, who some will remember as the drummer for Jake Burns and the Big Wheel. Ian McCallum joined permanently on guitar, balancing SLF tours with solo recordings and performances. SLF released the studio album, Tinderbox,in '97 and toured extensively throughout that year to promote it.

Stiff Little Fingers released the studio album Hope Street,in two different formats in 1999. The UK release on EMI is packaged with a special The Best Of AllCD, containing remastered classic cuts from the band's entire back catalogue. The North American release on King Biscuit/Oxygen includes a second live CD, from the Newcastle Riverside concert from September '98. Said Jake Burns, "'Last Train From The Wasteland' (on Hope Street) is the first optimistic song I have ever written about Belfast, while Hope Street the album is generally more optimistic than people have given us credit for in the past."

In 1999 also SLF released a live CD of all new live material, titled Handheld and Rigidly Digital, available exclusively on this Web site and at SLF gigs. Much of the material was recorded at a special Hope Street Premier Party held in London, at which the band played over two hours of new songs, rarities, plus all the favorites.

In August 2003, Stiff Little Fingers released their ninth studio album, Guitar and Drum, which includes a moving tribute to Joe Strummer, entitled "Strummerville".

In 2006, Bruce Foxton left Stiff Little Fingers amicably, and original bassist Ali McMordie returned after 15 years. Response from the fans has been tremendous.

Though focused on their new material, they always play the old favorites at gigs. Jake said, "You have to strike a balance. The difficulty with a band like ourselves is to try not make it sound like a cabaret band. Obviously, it'd be very easy to go, 'Hey, here's another old one you may remember.' A lot of the old songs the audience greet like old friends....I suppose it's the same as any band that's been around for any length of time....And yes, there are nights that we don't particularly want to play "Alternative Ulster" or "Suspect Device" because we've heard them 'til they're coming out our ears. But there's always the possibility that somebody out there has never seen the band before, never heard them."

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The band was a unique and powerful combination of a remarkable female vocalist and virtuoso musicians. Each member was an innovative artist who inspired a generation with their renowned live performances.....

One of the UK’s most successful songwriters, Mark Chadwick has co-written 20 chart singles and 6 Top 40 albums (including a Number 1) as part of The Levellers, the band he has fronted for over 20 years.

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All The Piecesis however, not a Levellers album. Whilst the voice may be familiar, that is where the similarities end. Instead, this is an intensely personal collection of folk-tinged acoustic pop tracks, written and refined over the course of the last two decades. Brought to life by award-winning producer Sean Lakeman Mark is joined by an ‘all star cast’ of some of the UK’s greatest folk musicians on the album. All the Pieces is available to pre-order now in standard edition and special edition collector pack featuring vinyl, t-shirt, pack and art print.

Both Sean and Seth Lakeman, along with Dan Donnelly (Watercress, Sonovagun), Martin Pannett (McDermott’s 2 Hours), Toby May (Clearlake), Daniel Goddard (aka DBG) and Ben Nicholls (Dennis Hopper’s Choppers) all perform on the album, and Mark’s singing is complemented by the astoundingly beautiful voice of Equation’s Kathryn Roberts.

All The Pieces is, to all intents and purposes, Mark Chadwick telling the story of his own life, in his own words. Presented chronologically, it charts the highs and lows of his extraordinary life, encompassing life-altering events such as attending Elephant Fayrewhich helped shaped his political views, falling in (and subsequently out of) love, through to his later disillusion with both mainstream and radical politics. This album shows a side of Mark Chadwick’s song-writing and personality that up to now he has largely kept out of the public eye. Honest and heartfelt, yet highly accessible and endearingly upbeat, All The Pieces shares many of its hallmarks with the great folk revival albums of the 60’s and early 70’s. Anyone expecting a Levellers sound-alike album will be disappointed, but those with an ear for beautifully produced acoustic-pop, great melodies and engaging lyrics will most certainly not.

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AC/DC is a band whose appeal is huge, widespread through the generations and totally indifferent to musical fashions. Their unique formula of tight riffs and fat rhythm combines dance ability with hard-rocking anthems that flow through the blood of all who have been smitten by their cheeky-but-colossal offerings. If you want to see AC/DC, but your options are limited, then check out DIRTY DC. You will not be disappointed. All the energy and electricity of an AC/DC show along with completely faithful renditions will leave you trembling, with a smile on your face.

DIRTY DC have been playing throughout Britain and parts of Europe since 1998, and have developed the line-up and dynamic stage show that has made their current reputation seriously strong amongst AC/DC fans, whether die-hard fanatics, or just people who want a good night out. Every visual detail has been fine-tuned; from drum kit model to footwear, but most importantly, the musical delivery and stage show has an impact that does not fail to impress. DIRTY DC gives real value for money where others seem to fail. Every superlative in the book has been repeatedly used in describing the DIRTY DC show. From "I was totally amazed by your performance", "The best tribute band we have seen for ages, and we've seen a few"," The whole band are amazing, you guys are so good that you look and sound just like the real thing" and from Chris Slade himself (AC/DC drummer from 1989-94) "You have it spot on, excellent, I really enjoyed the gig." The extraordinary passion that AC/DC arouse, and which has ensured they remain one of the biggest, if not the biggest band in rock flows through the DIRTY DC performance and through their audiences. If you really want to rock and can get to a DIRTY DC gig, do not miss the chance.

Vocalist/bass guitarist/songwriter Glenn Hughes is a true original. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is Hughes' calling card. He's known as a singer's singer. In fact, Stevie Wonder once called Hughes his favourite white singer.

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Vocalist/bass guitarist/songwriter Glenn Hughes is a true original. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is Hughes' calling card. He's known as a singer's singer. In fact, Stevie Wonder once called Hughes his favourite white singer.

Hughes, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, the Beatles and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.

The first important band Hughes was a member of that achieved notable success was Trapeze. The band's early '70s albums included Medusa, Trapeze and You Are The Music...We're Just The Band.

In 1973, Hughes joined one of the most popular bands in the world, Deep Purple. The trailblazing hard-rock legends had just weathered the departure of vocalist Ian Gillan and bass guitarist Roger Glover, but guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice continued with the addition of Hughes and David Coverdale. Any scepticism was squelched with the 1974 release of Burn which has since been re-released on its 30th anniversary. This stunning album rejuvenated the band and stands tall among Deep Purple classics.

In the halcyon days, Purple headlined at the famous California Jam in 1974 in front of quarter of a million people. World tours via Purple’s own jet plane, “The Starship” and two more studio albums later, (the Hughes influenced Stormbringer and Come Taste the Band), Deep Purple finally split in 1976.

Now living in Los Angeles, Glenn’s first solo album Play Me Out was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form Hughes/Thrall, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums.

More commercial recognition came when the KLF dubbed Glenn Hughes “The Voice of Rock”, proudly featuring him on their international best selling hit single America- What Time is Love?

Since 1992, Hughes has toured extensively in Europe, Japan and South America in support of solo albums such as Blues, From Now On..., Burning Japan Live, Feel, Addiction, The Way It Is, Return Of Crystal Karma, Building The Machine Songs In The Key Of Rock and Soul Mover.

One of the most important collaborations in Hughes' career occurred two decades ago when he began working with Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi on the legendary guitarist's first solo album. The result, 1986's vastly underrated Seventh Star, was officially credited as ‘Black Sabbath Featuring Tony Iommi’ to satisfy the record company's marketing desires. (Technically, this makes Hughes a former member of Black Sabbath too.) Hughes and Iommi remained friends and, in 1996, they began writing songs and recording together again. Those recordings were widely bootlegged, but they were eventually finished and released in 2004 as The 1996 DEP Sessions.

2005 saw the release of two albums that were greeted with commercial and critical success; Fused with Tony Iommi, and another solo album Soul Mover.

Soul Mover saw the continuation of the successful creative partnership with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith that began with Glenn’s live DVD Soulfully Live in the City of Angels (2004). Soul Mover was voted 12th best album of the year by highly influential magazine CLASSIC ROCK.

Glenn’s next album - Music for the Divine - was a rich tapestry of the soul, funk and rock, which have always influenced his music. Again, featuring Chad Smith on drums, (and fellow Chili Pepper John Frusciante on guitar for an incredible rendition of the perennial classic ‘Nights In White Satin’) it was commercially and critically well received, and the album again made Classic Rock magazine’s top 20 albums of the year.

After his successful Music For The Divine European tour in 2006, 2007 saw Glenn make successful tours of Russia, South America, Italy, Norway and Spain, along with solo dates in London - at the prestigious Shepherds Bush Empire - Bulgaria and Greece.

2007 also saw Glenn headline at festival appearances in France and Norway. Glenn also took part in the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp in New York, which was highly successful and he also appeared as a guest presenter at the Classic Rock Awards in both 2006 and 2007. Another highlight of a diverse and colourful year were the 2 sold out solo shows at the famous Whisky in Los Angeles and BB King’s in New York.

2008 saw Glenn undertake another extensive European tour; including a month long trek across Russia, festival appearances, and his first live shows in Belarus, Estonia and Romania. Another highlight was Glenn’s appearance in London at the Childline Charity concert in March 2008 where he performed a short set of Deep Purple classics with Purple drummer Ian Paice. This was particularly poignant as it was the first time the pair had played together since the Purple days. Ironically, in June 2008, Glenn played in Liverpool, England for the first time in over 30 years; a triumphant and emotional return to the city where Deep Purple Mark IV played their final ever concert before disbanding in 1976.

Other highlights of 2008 include Glenn’s live on air performance on the USA radio show Rockline, and his first appearance in New Zealand since 1975 with Deep Purple, when Glenn brought the house down at the G-Taranaki Festival in July.

Glenn’s current studio album, FIRST UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR KITCHEN is the latest chapter in an extraordinary musical evolution, and is quite possibly the most compelling and positive musical statement in a distinguished career already abundant with highlights and milestones. Chad Smith again plays out of his skin on the drums, and Glenn has rarely – if ever- sounded more inspired, written with such grace, or sung with more passion.

Make no mistake. The Voice of Rock never left the building.

Paved the way for them that followed including Motley Crue and Metallica, back after a storming show last year.

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Before M–tley Cr¸e, before RATT, even before there was a Metallica, Y&T was slogging away in sweaty rock clubs around America. When the band formed in the early 1970s, little did they know they would set the standard for hard rock bands that trailed. Many of the biggest acts of the '80s became popular opening for headliners Y&T—and cut their teeth on the band, as evidenced by the Y&T mentions in tell-all books by acts such as Metallica and M–tley Cr¸e.

Born in Oakland, California, Y&T is one of the San Francisco Bay Area's own innovators of the hard rock sound. World-renowned headliners on their own, the band also remained the most requested support act on the hard rock road, touring with icons Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Aerosmith, M–tley Cr¸e, and more. Whether performing to a festival crowd of fifty-thousand or in an intimate nightclub, Y&T's high-energy set still captivates legions of fans around the globe, proving Y&T's music timeless.

Originally formed as Yesterday and Today, the initial powerhouse quartet—featuring Dave Meniketti (lead guitar/lead vocals), Phil Kennemore (bass), Leonard Haze (drums), and Joey Alves (rhythm guitar)— tore through the '70s and '80s with their own brand of hard rock. After two '70s albums on London Records, they shortened their name to Y&T and released eight albums on A&M in the '80s. Two more albums with Geffen Records marked an era of change with Jimmy DeGrasso (Alice Cooper, Suicidal Tendencies, Megadeth) on drums and Stef Burns (Alice Cooper, Berlin, Huey Lewis) on guitar.

With a discography of 18 albums and three greatest hits collections, Y&T has sold over four million albums since their 1974 inception. The band received extensive airplay with hits such as Forever, Rescue Me, Mean Streak, and Summertime Girls—which played in heavy rotation on MTV. Y&T songs have been featured in a multitude of movies and television shows, including Real Genius, Out of Bounds, Baywatch, and Hunter. After five top 100 albums, songs that tipped into the 40s, two Bammie Awards, and many international television appearances, Y&T's hits are still played on VH1 Classic and classic rock radio stations everywhere.

In 2010, Y&T recorded their first studio album in 13 years, featuring original members Dave Meniketti and Phil Kennemore, with longtime members John Nymann on guitar and Mike Vanderhule on drums.

As the title indicates, Facemelter is a hard rockin', song-oriented album that lives up to its name. Recorded mostly live in the studio, it captures the band's raw energy and tightness that they've become known for. Featuring heavy grooves, powerful guitars, and strong melodies, the band shows their versatility, delivering a range of high-energy rockers, mid-tempo head-bangers, modern rock grooves, majestic ballads, and signature Y&T rock anthems.

Face-melting is a term that has been with Y&T since the mid-'70s, when a rabid fan ran backstage and told the band, "you melted my face," which inspired the group's first publishing company: "Facemelting Music."

If you haven't yet taken Y&T's new album for a ride, grab your leathers, strap yourself in, and prepare to have your face melted.

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With their unique progressive rock Focus manifested themselves at the start of the seventies as the most successful and the most appreciated of all the Dutch pop-rock exports.

The band were fronted by the much admired duo of Thijs van Leer on the Hammond organ/flute and Jan Akkerman on the guitar. Their hit potential came in the form of a couple of instrumentals, "Hocus Pocus", "House of the King", and "Sylvia", but we shouldn't forget their timeless albums "Moving Waves", "Focus 3" and "Hamburger Concerto". But like all good things, it couldn't last and internal wrangling ended this legendary group.

After an initial careful comeback which resulted in a well received album "Focus 8", the band are now back on the frontline, with a fantastic line-up! Of course the founder member and musical genius Thijs van Leer is still holding the fort. Also back in his old spot is Pierre van der Linden, the drummer who is internationally renowned for his rhythmic skills, and who was and still is a defining factor in the whole Focus sound. Together with Bobby Jacobs who stems from a well acclaimed Dutch jazz family, they are responsible for the rhythm section and that unmistakable Focus groove. The talented Niels van der Steenhoven, who without any shadow of a doubt can hit the mark when it comes to the guitar completes the band's line-up.

A new Focus era has arrived. There is a rejuvenated passion in the new compositions, that adorn the new album "Focus 9 / New Skin", which has been released on the famous Red Bullet label of Willem van Kooten. This album -and the following gigs- will surprise the loyal fans. They will hear once again all the classic Focus tunes and they will be surprised at the strength and depth of the new material. "Our music is evolution, not revolution", Thijs van Leer once said about the music of Focus. Well now, the evolution is at full pace.

Thijs van Leer - Hammond-orgel, flute and vocals
Niels van der Steenhoven - guitar
Bobby Jacobs - bass
Pierre van der Linden - drums

With a dynamic stage show that fully emulates the true charismatic appeal of rock's most flamboyant front man backed up by superbly crafted harmonies and intricate guitar work, Mercury faithfully and accurately recreate the distinctive Queen experience

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After almost a decade on tour, Mercury is now established as one of the world's most authentic tributes to Freddie Mercury and Queen.

With a dynamic stage show that fully emulates the true charismatic appeal of rock's most flamboyant front man backed up by superbly crafted harmonies and intricate guitar work, Mercury faithfully and accurately recreate the distinctive Queen experience.

Mercury was formed in 1998 and since then has gone on to play theatres, festivals and high profile shows across the UK and Europe – from Holland to Hungary and from Majorca through to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Other prestigious shows include headlining a New Years Eve festival in Dubai which was broadcast live to millions via MTV Asia as well as an exclusive concert for Queen's own Roger Taylor.

Walter Trout always looks in on The Brook when he tours the UK

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In a BBC radio poll, Trout was ranked #6 out of the top 20 all-time greatest guitarists (where a few more votes would've landed him snugly in the Top 5 amongst Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page!). Trout has his sites set on similar stateside notoriety.

His 1998 self-titled release (and his American debut) was locked on Blues Revue's Top 40 sales chart for a year where it peaked at number 18. Consistently packing crowds into 1,000+ seat venues and sought out for all the key Blues Festivals nationwide, Walter Trout & The Radicals will continue to ride coast to coast playing their hearts out and lighting up their audiences. Both on record and on stage, Trout keeps the art of blues thriving and vivacious. Blues Revue comments "Trout gets into the groove where the magic happens. But each night offers a particular set of circumstances that keep the music fresh." From introspection to full blown rockin' blues, Trout's music is always marked by his adept song writing, sturdy vocals, searing guitar work and ability to enhance the boundaries of one of music's oldest forms. But as Trout is quick to point out, "the blues shouldn't be a museum. The music ought to constantly expand and be alive."

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ReGenesis are the UK’s best loved and most successful Genesis tribute band, presenting stunning performances based around the early art-rock years when Peter Gabriel fronted the band. Founded in 1994 by keyboard player Doug Melbourne, they rose from packed performances in the back rooms of pubs to playing theatre sized venues the length and breadth of the UK, Holland and Belgium. Venues performed at include:

The Shepherds Bush Empire
The London Astoria
The Newcastle Opera House
The Stables, Milton Keynes

ReGenesis have headlined at 3 UK Genesis conventions the last of which (2006) included appearances from original Genesis members (Steve Hackett, John Mayhew, Anthony Phillips) . They have appeared in Mojo, Billboard, Record Collector and Classic Rock magazines, received positive reviews in London’s ‘Time Out’ and appeared briefly in Channel Four’s ‘Top ten Progressive Rock Bands of All Time’ during the section dealing with Genesis. They have also performed critically acclaimed productions of ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ complete with costumes and video projections. Guitarist Steve Hackett has described their performances as ‘Uncanny’.

Remarkably they have also enjoyed a recording career, having released a number of live CDs including ‘ReGenesis Live’ and ‘Lamb for Supper’ which have received worldwide distribution and acclaim.

ReGenesis is staffed by dedicated, talented musicians for whom this is a labour of love, and their CV's include work with major bands, radio, advertising and TV work. This includes working and performing with John Hackett, Steve Hackett and Nick Magnus.
Genesis’ massively successful tour in 2007 shows that appetite for their music remains undimmed, and for those wishing to experience some of the magic of their earliest years, ReGenesis provide something very special. What we do... We play the music of Genesis, performing material from "Trespass" to "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" (plus some "Later Period" songs thrown in for good measure - see our "Repertoire" page for more details). We try to get the music as close as humanly possible to the originals, and also feature some of the props and costumes from the original show. We don't, however, try and look like Genesis. Playing the music is hard enough, without having to wear wigs! Why we do it... Because we like Genesis.

Because we're mad. Because the music is a challenge to any musician, both technically and in terms of getting all the right sounds.
Because Genesis don't play it anymore - not that we've got anything against what they have done in more recent years, but some of us like to hear "Supper's Ready" or "Return of the Giant Hogweed" live once in a while!
Because a lot of people keep turning up to our gigs !

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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???

Yes it's the comic genius behind Bottom & The Young Ones. Expect punk and the unexpected! Last year was bonkers & this is the last night of the tour!

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THE BAD SHEPHERDS ARE:
ADRIAN EDMONDSON (Vocals, 'thrash mandolin')
Ade is best known as a comedian in The Young Ones, Bottom, and The Comic Strip Presents. Though he's no stranger to the music world having played the Monsters of Rock and Reading Festivals with Bad News, the Hootenanny with Jools Holland, Hyde Park with The Who, and he's toured with The Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band. He's also had a No 1 single with Cliff Richard! And as a director he made lots of music videos in the 80's for the likes of The Pogues, Squeeze, Elvis Costello and 10,000 Maniacs.

MAARTIN ALLCOCK (Twelve string guitar, bass, vocals)
Maartin is a multi-instrumentalist originally from Manchester, and is best known for playing guitar with Fairport Convention from '85 to '96, and for playing keyboards in Jethro Tull for four years. Maart has played on over 200 albums for people as diverse as Robert Plant, Cat Stevens, Beverley Craven, Judith Durham, Ralph McTell and Plaid Cymru president Dafydd Iwan! Besides the Bad Shepherds, Maart also currently plays for Swarb's Lazarus and Beth Nielsen Chapman.

TROY DONOCKLEY (Uillean pipes, cittern, whistles, vocals)
Troy has built up a formidable reputation as both a Composer/Arranger/ Musician/Performer and as a leading virtuoso of the Uilleann Pipes. He's released three critically acclaimed solo albums, is a member of Iona, and also finds time to record and tour with the likes of Maddy Prior (he has co-produced four albums), Barbara Dickson (produced two albums) Maire Brennan (Clannad), Midge Ure, Nightwish, Lesley Garrett , Roy Harper, Status Quo, Alan Stivell, Del Amitri and many more…

ANDY DINAN (Fiddle)
Andy won the All-Ireland Fiddle Championship… twice. He's best known for playing with Toss the Feathers and Mike McGoldrick, but he's also supported Dervish, Lunasa, Capercaillie and solo artists Martin Hayes and Liz Carroll. He recently performed at the Armagh Pipers club Festival with Mike and Ian Fletcher with a new project involving Portugese, Brazilian and Irish music.

HOW THE BAD SHEPHERDS CAME TO BE…
Adrian Edmondson was a teenager when punk arrived. The songs of The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Jam and The Stranglers were the soundtrack to his life through the late 70's and early 80's, and like a lot of people of his generation he was fond of playing these songs to himself at home on his acoustic guitar.

Cut forward to 2007: after a boozy pre-Christmas lunch in Soho, Ade stumbled along to Denmark Street, home of many alluring musical instrument shops, and whilst inebriated, 'accidentally' bought a mandolin. Surprised to see it sitting there in his kitchen the following morning he nevertheless picked it up, worked out a few chords, and started playing the same songs with a mandolin accompaniment – it sounded really interesting.

He was touring with the Bonzos at the time and he brought his mandolin along, and with Neil Innes on acoustic guitar, they had a go at London Calling in the dressing room. It sounded good, but Neil said 'What you need are some brilliant folk musicians.'
Ade got in touch with Troy and Maart and they were both immediately up for it. As soon as he explained the idea to Troy: 'Punk songs with a Celtic feel.' Troy replied 'Why not The Model by Krafwerk as well? I've always wanted to play that on the pipes.'
They met for a couple of days to mess about with the idea. If it didn't work they could all just walk away. But within the first hour they knew they were onto something. In the two days they drank numerous beers, ate 2 curries and arranged 8 songs - and the band was born.

Rehearsals followed, and then, bizarrely, a trip to St Lucia to test it out (off season, cheap flights, cheap hotels, anonymity). They threw themselves in at the deep end and did 6 gigs in 6 days. Just little bars. But it got them up and running.

After completing the line up with Andy Dinan on fiddle, (and getting drunk in Mango Thai Bar with the Brook Staff), they rehearsed hard and towards the end of 2008 they toured England to packed houses and very appreciative audiences.

They've recently recorded an album, 'Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!', which is out now - it was recorded 'as live' at the Blue Moon studios in Banbury. 'Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera' means 'One, Two, Three, Four' in an ancient Cumbrian dialect used almost exclusively by shepherds. Had the Ramones been Cumbrian shepherds, it's what they would have shouted as the intro to every song...

2009 sees a packed touring schedule and the chance to have some real fun.

Nils Lofgren is a virtuoso rock guitarist who has toured with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Ringo Starr, Neil Young. He enjoys a sucessful solo career as a founding member of the seventies group "Grin" through his current releases including Acoustic Live, Breakaway Angel and most recently Sacred Weapon.

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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

Back after a fantastic show in spring 2009

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In 2009, Dreadzone are set to roll like thunder with a new album and an explosive new single that sounds like no one else and is a timely reminder of the depth and originality of this unique British group. The new single 'Beyond A Rock' will be out on July 6 to download from iTunes, Play, Amazon, Napster, e-Music, 7-Digital, Nokia, HMV Digital and all good online record stores! 'Beyond A Rock' pumps with a bass heavy swagger, rock guitar, electro riffs and fat drums underpinning a memorable vocal hook and a rap of relentless drama. Recorded by capturing their live feel and then mixed by breakbeat sonic maestro Inchie (Ctrl Z ) this is an adrenalin rush of a tune that defies genre and straddles the worlds of rock and dance effortlessly. Founder member Greg Dread, original bassmaster Leo Williams, the unmistakable MC Spee, legendary reggae vocalist Earl 16 alongside new members Chris Compton on guitar and Chris Oldfield on technology make up the current team of dreadz. A full live schedule gives them chance to try the new tracks out on eager crowds. Their dynamic live show has been central to the story since the early days and will continue to blow away audiences worldwide. More natty than ever, Dreadzone return with a summer download single and a tour as long as yer arm!

Now in their 17th year Dreadzone have released five artist albums, one of which was cited by John Peel as one of his top ten of all time, toured their inimitable live show the world over and even found time to squeeze in a top 20 hit in the form of 'Little Britain'.

Unfortunately the death of guitarist Steve Roberts, brother of founder member Greg, in 2006 beset the group with an unbelievable tragedy. But Dreadzone have set out to pick themselves up and do what they do best, take to the road with two new members, fresh energy and brand new material.

So now founder member Greg Dread, the original bassmaster Leo Williams, the unmistakable MC Spee and legendary reggae vocalist Earl 16 return with new input from the fresh faces and continue to hold the stage with an awesome live show, playing classic tunes both old and new to deliver a unique sound. Chris Compton is the new face on guitar, while another Chris, namely long term friend of the band Chris Oldfield, will be taking care of the laptop and DJ side of the new live setup.

Fusing technology with human rhythms, dub bass collides with dance beats, live guitar and bubbling electronics, all united by energetic MCing and sweet reggae vocals. The future may hold many challenges but Dreadzone once again rise up and confound expectations. With new tunes on the boil, this year will hold quite a few suprises as the band move forward and continue to shatter preconceptions.

"One of the most interesting groups around" The Independent
"In the tradition of Lee Perry and Holgar Czukay" The Times
"Witty, inspired soundscapes" The Guardian