International Guitar Festival of Great Britain - Nov 2016

Featuring ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW GARY MURPHY GLENN TILBROOK GRAHAM ANTHONY DEVINE JOE BROWN JOHN LEE’S BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST PETER ASHER & ALBERT LEE WISHBONE ASH

Box Office

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BE A MEMBER FOR NOVEMBER Buy a GF16 Membership for just £5 and get:

No booking fees on GF16 show tickets

10% off at the Floral Café

10% off two standard price tickets for any Brendan McCormack Series GF show when you book online or at Box Office.

10% off at the Plaza Bar

Excludes RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC

GF16 PASS

THE BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES Each year we remember Guitar Festival co-founder Brendan McCormack with a special concert series in his name.

This year we have created the Blue Lounge Brendan McCormack Series and with it a Festival Pass GF16 - to allow you to experience several live performances in the Blue Lounge and save money at the same time.

GF PASS: For just £25 you can see all 8 concerts in the Brendan McCormack Series. Buy your GF16 PASS at Box Office or online at floralpavilion.com and then use it to obtain one free ticket to each show in the series.

STUDENTS & MUSICIANS UNION Ticket discounts available on production of a current SU or MU card.

(more info about this year’s Brendan McCormack shows can be found on pages 6-8.)

NEWS REVIEWS FESTIVAL BLOG

PARTNERS

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WELCOME to the 28th International Guitar Festival of Great Britain.

The strings are tuned, the guitars are in transit and the music is on the way.

The Guitar Festival bursts out in November to make the Wirral the home of guitar music for three weeks. Legends such as Andy Fairweather Low, John Lee’s Barclay James Harvest and Glenn Tilbrook are appearing in the Floral Pavilion Theatre. In the Blue Lounge we have the eminent classical guitarist, Graham Anthony Devine, and the great Peter Asher and Albert Lee performing together. A new season of double bill concerts includes the cream of both local and national guitarists offering great talent and great value.

Look out for special ticket offers during the festival.

Come and join us for real music from some of the finest musicians in the world.

CONTENTS FLORAL PAVILION THEATRE PROGRAMME Pages 2 & 3 FLORAL PAVILION BLUE LOUNGE PROGRAMME Pages 4, 5 & 6 VENUE & BOOKING INFORMATION Page 8 CALENDAR Page 9

We look forward to seeing you.

The International Guitar Festival of Great Britain Team.

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ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW & THE LOW RIDERS THU 3rd NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Theatre £21.50 (£19.50)

Andy Fairweather Low came to prominence as the lead singer in Amen Corner. The 60s saw them clock up hit after pop hit.

Songs such as Bend Me Shape Me, Hello Suzy, (If Paradise is) Half As Nice are internationally remembered to this day. But if you were paying close attention you might have picked up a clue in the magnificent Gin House to Andy’s future musical collaborations.

Now following a solo path, his first solo album in 24 years Sweet Soulful Music was released late in 2007 followed by The Very Best of Andy Fairweather Low which was released in the UK in June 2008 and the Live DVD followed hot on it’s heels.

JOHN LEES’

BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST WED 9th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Theatre | £26.50

2016 sees John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest take to the concert stage once more. The most recent studio album by the band, North was released on October 7th 2013 Featuring John Lees (vocals, guitars), Craig Fletcher (vocals, bass), Jez Smith (keyboards, vocals) and Kevin Whitehead (drums, percussion).

This year will see John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest undertake their biggest series of European concerts for some years in prestigious venues in Germany,

Switzerland, Luxembourg and France.

Classic BJH albums are being reissued in the Spring of this year and the band is also working on the follow-up album to North which is anticipated for release in late October 2016.

ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW GUITAR & VOCALS DAVE BRONZE BASS & VOCALS PAUL BEAVIS DRUMS NICK PENTELOW SAX & CLARINET

CHAS COLE FOR CMP ENTERTAINMENT & VIRTUAL POP PRESENT

RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC

‘HITS TO BLUES’ WORLD TOUR 2016/17 SAT 12th NOV 8:00pm Floral Pavilion Theatre £35 (Gold Circle) £25 (Standard) Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, the world’s ultimate homage to Fleetwood Mac, returns to the Guitar Festival with their landmark ‘Hits to Blues World Tour’.

From the exultant heights of such classic hits as Rhiannon, Don’t Stop, You Make Loving Fun, and Seven Wonders, to the cathartic relationship autopsies contained

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on the bestselling Rumours album.

Hits to Blues will also feature a comprehensive profile of the work of legendary British bluesman, and Fleetwood Mac founder, Peter Green. With faithful renditions of early Mac masterpieces such as Albatross, Oh Well, and the plaintive Man of the World, the show promises to bring the full depth and power of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac back to life.

‘An extraordinary emotive performance of Fleetwood Mac’ MICK FLEETWOOD

All prices include a £1.50 fee per ticket.

JOE BROWN - JUST JOE WITH SPECIAL GUEST HENRY GROSS WED 16th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Theatre £26.50

So you think you know what Joe Brown’s all about… think again.

For the first time ever Joe takes to the road by himself. No band, no supplementary backup musicians, no dancing girls (were there ever?)

- just Joe Brown, unadulterated, solo, upfront and personal.

Joe Brown MBE is well known for being one of the UK’s original

GLENN TILBROOK FRI 18th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Theatre £19 (£17)

Glenn Tilbrook is the voice and face of Squeeze. It is over 40 years since he first answered Chris Difford’s ad inviting like-minded people to form what became that evergreen band.

Contrary to the title of his last album Happy Ending there is no

GARY MURPHY’S GUITAR LEGENDS

CLASSIC MOVIE ANTHEMS SAT 19th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Theatre £19.50 0151 666 0000

rock ‘n’ roll guitar pioneers and, more recently since The Concert for George the leading light & staunch champion of the ukulele. But his history is unique and remarkable.

To say this man has a few stories is an understatement. And on this tour he’s going to tell ‘em!

Anecdotes and the odd joke or two will be interspersed with some of the great music that has made Joe such a popular performer today. And if that weren’t enough he’s got an old friend along too. Special Guest for the night will be guitar maestro Henry Gross.

end in sight for Glenn whether it be solo, a duo with Chris or Squeeze.

A Glenn Tilbrook solo concert is a gig not to be missed. Expect to hear the classic hits such as Muscles from a Shell, Up the Junction, Take Me I’m Yours, Slap and Tickle, Goodbye Girl, Another Nail in my Heart and Black Coffee in Bed.

Gary Murphy and his band return to the Floral Pavilion this November with a brand new show - Guitar Legends: Greatest Movie Anthems. This show features guitar classics from some of the biggest blockbuster movies and is narrated by Billy Butler (BBC Radio Merseyside).

Featuring special guests Rob and Alan Fennah, Saxophone Jones, and vocalists Gary Brown and Jade Tremarco performing all styles of great music against a

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background of special lighting and screen projections, this show is sure to appeal to film and music fans of all ages.

Don’t miss the première Guitar Legends: Greatest Movie Anthems at this year’s Guitar Festival.

‘Gary Murphy is the guitarist that guitarists go to see’ LIVERPOOL ECHO

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BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

GRAHAM ANTHONY DEVINE J.S. BACH RECITAL

SAT 5th NOV 8:00pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10)

WISHBONE ASH

FRI 4th NOV 8:00pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £20 Few bands have survived as long or achieved as much as the legendary Wishbone Ash. Still rockin’ after more than 45 years and with millions of albums sold, they continue performing their iconic twin-guitar sound to audiences around the world.

We are proud to present the accomplished, award winning classical guitarist Graham Anthony Devine for a night of pure performance brilliance.

Having travelled around the world performing at renowned festivals and giving masterclasses to budding guitarists, Devine is an act not to be missed. With a huge

We are proud to present five of the best songwriters based on Wirral, for a fun filled evening of Blues / Country / Folk / Jazz and Contemporary tinged songs that will delight and entertain you and your friends.

Mixing songs from their most recent albums with much-loved classics such as The King Will Come & Throw Down The Sword, they continue to enthral those that were there at the start and those that have joined in along the way.

‘It’s the arrangements, with their twin lead guitar parts and open spaces for jamming, that make the songs work so well.’

ALL MUSIC.COM on the album Argus

repertoire covers music from the renaissance period to most major twentieth century works written for the guitar, including rarely performed masterpieces such as Maurice Ohana’s compositions for ten-string guitar, you won’t be disappointed.

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

WIRRAL SONGWRITERS SUN 6th NOV 8:00pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10)

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

GERRY MURPHY & PETER PRICE

THU 10th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10) Join us as two amazingly gifted guitarists delight us with a mixture of the best well known guitar songs of all times. Peter Price is a guitarist/singer with a brilliant

Join us as the truly talented Phil Chisnall, Paul Reaney, Jimmy Rae, Gerry French and John Williams perform an ‘unplugged’ concert of their own songs, plus covers that have influenced their writing, in the round.

international reputation following a musical career. Gerald ‘Gerry’ Murphy is a veteran acoustic “power-solo” player on the circuit and is a winner of the prestigious PRS John Lennon Award for Songwriting. Both have received recognition and acclaim following appearances at various festivals and venues throughout the British Isles and Europe.

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BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

ESMOND SELWYN QUARTET

FRI 11th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10) Join us for a night of great entertainment as the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain proudly presents Esmond Selwyn.

PETER ASHER AND ALBERT LEE

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

SAT 12th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £21.50 Multiple GRAMMY winners Peter Asher & Albert Lee combine their talents for an acoustic evening of songs and stories. Influenced from their earliest days by great American artists like Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers, Asher and Lee bring those influences to the fore in their first series of shows together as an acoustic duo, telling us stories of the travels that brought them to so many of the intersections of music history.

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AMAZING KAPPA

THU 17th NOV 8:00pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10)

© RICK ALAN

Having undergone a number of changes over the years, the Amazing Kappa are still as stunning as they were when they formed in 1998. The Amazing Kappa show has taken the band around the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Russia and many times in the USA. But, they are now back with us at the Floral Pavilion with the superb 2013 line up of Paul Kappa on guitar and vocal, Laura Gilchrist on drums and Maria Alan on bass.

Esmond Selwyn has been acknowledged as one of the world’s great jazz guitarists and jazz guitar instructors ever since his entry in 1995 into the highly prestigious and much coveted work by Ivor Mairants, ‘The Great Jazz Guitarists’.

Esmond’s style forms a direct link with the great jazz guitarists of the past: Chuck Wayne, Tal Farlow, Barry Galbraith and Sal Salvador.

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

JOHN GOLDIE & GEOGHEGAN JACKSON FRI 18th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10)

John is a world class acoustic guitarist with an ability to combine bass, chords, melody and groove together with an apparent ease that thrills audiences worldwide.

He has worked with Martin Taylor both in duet and as part of the band, Spirit of Django.

He has collaborated with fellow guitarists Tommy Emmanuel and George Benson.

An exciting acoustic duo based in Liverpool, Geoghegan Jackson have supported both Larry Beckett (Tim Buckley’s co-writer on Song to the Siren) and Hazel O’Connor. With Susie Geoghegan on guitar and Helen Jackson on vocals, their EP, Parlour in the Sun was described by Liverpool’s influential Probe Records as “a great debut five-tracker.”

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NEIL CAMPBELL

FRI 18th NOV 10:00pm Floral Pavilion Plaza FREE POST SHOW GIG

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

MODJANGO & DAVE LLOYD (THE SUNS)

SAT 19th NOV 7:30pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £12 (£10) One night, two acts. Join us as we host Modjango & David Lloyd with special guest, singer/ guitarist Lauren Daly. Dave Lloyd is the lead singer, guitarist

and songwriter with alternative rock band, The Suns. His set will features material from The Suns’ extensive catalogue. Whilst father and son duo, Modjango will delight you with their Jazz Manouche (Gypsy Jazz) guitar in the style of the great Django Reinhardt, taking influences from modern day Gypsy Jazz guitarists, Spanish music, Rock, Country, and Classical guitar music.

The music of Liverpool classical guitarist and composer Neil Campbell draws on elements of contemporary classical, progressive rock, jazz, folk and other musical styles. Described by Sean Bradbury, Getintothis, as ‘a man whose fingers have the ability to harness any imaginable sound in any given style’, his solo performances often involve him using loops and other technology to expand the sound and scope of what one performer can do with the classical guitar.

GERRY MURPHY

SAT 19th NOV 10:00pm Floral Pavilion Plaza FREE POST SHOW GIG

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

PHIL CHISNALL BAND SUN 20th NOV 8:00pm Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge £10

The Phil Chisnall Band, with special guest and local legend Brian ‘Saxophone’ Jones, are proud to be playing their seventh consecutive year of performances for the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain at the Floral Pavilion Theatre.

The band’s mix of Phil’s own compositions as well as a broad selection of fantastic cover songs, including everything from folk to blues to country, will again delight the audience, as in previous years - Superb musicality - book early to avoid disappointment.

‘The musicianship was wonderful. We had an absolutely superb evening and loved this band.’

GUITAR FESTIVAL FEEDBACK FORM 2014

Returning to the Festival this year is Gerry Murphy who will be playing a selection from his released albums, Tales from the Crescent City and Note After Note using various instruments selected from his 1976 Gibson Gospel, early ‘70s FG series Yamahas, 1964 Levin Goliath, 1969 Knight 12-string and 1935 “Valencia” made in Chicago by the Harmony Guitar Co. The accent will be on acoustic sonorities and quality songs.

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FORTHCOMING SHOWS BILL RYDER-JONES PLUS GUESTS

TOM RUSSELL

SAT 26th NOV 2016 7:30pm

WED 18th JAN 2017 8:00pm

All Tickets £14.00

All Tickets £19.50

‘A magical, colossal talent’ THE GUARDIAN

‘A game changer - it could just be the single most important Americana release of all time.’

Photograph by Charlotte Patmore

FOLK RADIO, UK on The Rose of Roscrae

MUDIBU & THE JEZEBEL SEXTET

EDDI READER

SUN 12th MAR 2017 7:30pm

THU 27th APR 2017 7:30pm

All Tickets £16.50

All Tickets £23.50

‘Cool, slinky, and tight in all the right places.’

‘Eddi Reader’s voice is an undeniably awesome thing.’

BBC 6 MUSIC

BBC REVIEW MUSIC

HARVEST SUN PROMOTIONS PRESENTS

CELEBRATE OTIS REDDING

PLUS SUPPORT

MARINE LAKE

BUS STOPS MARINE PARK

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BOX OFFICE Floral Pavilion, Marine Promenade, New Brighton, CH45 2JS.

Floral Pavilion Theatre (Plaza Left) Floral Pavilion, Marine Promenade, New Brighton, CH45 2JS.

ONLINE SERVICE 24hrs a day seven days a week at bestguitarfest.com or floralpavilion.com TELEPHONE SERVICE 0151 666 0000 Mon to Sat 11am to 6pm INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL OF GREAT BRITAIN

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Full disabled access.

Wheelchair spaces.

Loop system.

Floral Pavilion Blue Lounge (Plaza Right) Full disabled access.

Unreserved seating.

Floral Café Open daily from 10am.

Plaza Bar Open one hour pre-show serving a range of wine, spirits, soft drinks and beer.

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VENUE INFORMATION

COUNTER SERVICE Mon to Sat 11am to 6pm Sun 12 - 4pm (until curtain up on performance days)

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BOOKING YOUR TICKETS

ON THE DOOR Tickets are available on the door from an hour before performances commence.

IN

FLORAL E P R PAVILION O M

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R OWS O N ST

AT H ERTO N ST TRAIN STATION

A554

PA R K I N G

MARINE POINT RETAIL & LEISURE PARK

RIVER MERSEY

FORT PERCH ROCK

Getting Here

By Train: Wirral Line to New Brighton Station

By Bus: From Birkenhead 410 & 411; From Liverpool 432 & 433 Parking Free parking at Fort Perch Rock Car Park opposite the Floral Pavilion.

Disabled bays available on Marine Promenade.

Getting Home An Argyle Taxis free phone is available in the Floral Pavilion Ground Floor Foyer.

Please enjoy responsibly drinkaware.co.uk

FREE WI-FI

All event information is correct at time of going to press, E&OE. We reserve the right to cancel or change events, times, dates, seating configurations and artists without prior notice.

Please visit our website for full Terms & Conditions www.bestguitarfest.com

NOVEMBER FESTIVAL DIARY Thu

3rd

7:30pm

ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW & THE LOW RIDERS

FP THEATRE

Fri

4th

8:00pm

WISHBONE ASH

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Sat

5th

7:30pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

Sun

6th

8:00pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

WIRRAL SONGWRITERS

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Wed 9th

7:30pm

JOHN LEES’ BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST

FP THEATRE

Thu

10th

7:30pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

Fri

11th

7:30pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

ESMOND SELWYN

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Sat

12th

8:00pm

RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC

FP THEATRE

Sat

12th

7:30pm

PETER ASHER AND ALBERT LEE

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Wed 16th

7:30pm

JOE BROWN

FP THEATRE

Thu

17th

8:00pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

AMAZING KAPPA

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Fri

18th

7:30pm

GLENN TILBROOK

FP THEATRE

Fri

18th

7:30pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

JOHN GOLDIE & GEOGHEGAN JACKSON

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Fri

18th

10:00pm

NEIL CAMPBELL

FP PLAZA

Sat

19th

7:30pm

GARY MURPHY’S GUITAR LEGENDS MOVIE ANTHEMS FP THEATRE

Sat

19th

7:30pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

MODJANGO AND DAVE LLOYD

FP BLUE LOUNGE

Sat

19th

10:00pm

GERRY MURPHY

FP PLAZA

Sun

20th

8:00pm

BRENDAN McCORMACK SERIES

0151 666 0000

GRAHAM ANTHONY DEVINE

GERRY MURPHY AND PETER PRICE

PHIL CHISNALL BAND

floralpavilion.com

FP BLUE LOUNGE

FP BLUE LOUNGE

FP BLUE LOUNGE

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REGULAR OFFERS

FREE WIFI 2 COURSES FOR £16.95 3 COURSES FOR £20.95 BOOK ONLINE WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR TICKETS Enjoy the perfect start to the perfect evening with panoramic views of Liverpool Bay as you fine dine pre-show.

Sit back, relax, have a great evening and leave the drama to us.

See menu online or ask for details at the Box Office.

For 7:30pm shows pre-theatre dining booking is from 5:00pm to 6:15pm.

PLAZA BAR Serving a range of wine, beers, spirits and soft drinks, our Plaza Bar opens one hour pre-show.

Pre-order your interval drinks when you arrive; grab a preshow drink and relax in the Plaza Lounge with friends.

BO OK FOR A SH OW AT floralpav ilion.com C ALL TH E BOX OFFI CE ON 0151 666 0000 E M AI L floralboxoffice@w irral.gov.uk