Now that the gigs are over, this website will concentrate on becoming a resource for information about those people whose music, knowledge, photography, hospitality, videos and all the rest, were the ingredients of the Hebden Bridge Blues Festival.

These groups and individuals supported us and we will continue to support them, long into the future.

You will notice changes to the site fairly quickly, but as with all of these projects, the work will always be ongoing.

Thank YOU for doing your part too.

The final Hebden Bridge Blues Festival has drawn to a close.

To all of those who supported us over these last four years, you have our deepest gratitude.

J & P

After two amazing days and nights we've now reached the last final day of the festival and it's going to be incredible. There are 20 acts today, starting at 12 noon with Richard Townend at the Salem Acoustic Stage and culminating at 12 midnight with the Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Sessions. Here are just a few of them.

Just one of the wonderful things about Hebden Bridge Blues Festival is the fact that all the venues are within easy walking distance of each other which is incredibly helpful when there's so much going on. There are seven different acts in the juke joints alone on Saturday and here's where you'll find them.

Described by Stuart Epps (Led Zep, Elton John) as a brilliant musician with a fresh approach to the Blues. The Hollywood Music in Media Award winning guitarist has since gained a prestigious British Blues Award, fresh nominations in Hollywood and a number one album on the American Blues Scene Chart.

Originally a power trio, flock of 3 are now a funky rocky bluesy power “quartet” from Huddersfield who like to think of themselves as a ‘bakers trio’.



Founding members, Yoka (vocals, sax and flute) and Graeme Wheatley (songwriter, bass and occasional vocals) started Little Devils in 2010. They have produced three CD's, were voted Best Live Band in 2011 and were finalists in the New Brunswick Battle of the Blues 2012. Their sound has been described as an eclectic mix of R&B, Dylanesque rock and blues.


The Sugar B's are still live and buzzing after 14 years. If you don't know them they are one of the liveliest, tightest, and most entertaining bands currently gigging in the north.



Clare Free is a passionate, award nominated songwriter and a fabulous singer and guitar player. She plays both with a band and solo.  Clare’s performances are fiery, exciting and heartfelt.


The band was founded by frontman vocalist and harmonica player George Hexman in the late 70s, joining forces with major movers and shakers of the Liverpool music scene. Throughout the 80s and 90s, The Hexmen line-up was a shifting collaboration of local luminaries including members of The Las, Edgar Jones (The Stairs, Oasis, Paul Weller), the Boo Radleys, Elvis Costello (Alan Mayes/Rusty), Electrofixion (Echo and the Bunnymen), Cast and Dr Phibes among others.  


The Greasy Slicks consist of Jack Kendrew on guitar and vocals, drummer Rian O’Grady and Nathan Rasdall on bass. They formed in 2012 through a mutual appreciation of traditional and contemporary blues rock and strive to create the songs that don’t sound like anyone else.

To ensure that they arrive safely, only tickets bought up to 3pm today will be posted out.

All other will be able to be collected on the door.

In partnership with the awesome Clare Free and Outlaw PR we are delighted to be able to throw open the doors of the Main Stage on Saturday between 1pm and 6pm for free gigs from three superb bands. The Outlaw Stage at The Hope Baptist Church Main Stage features Forty 4, Bare Bones Boogie Band and Makuini & The Hoodoo Men.


Forty4 are a unique band hailing from the north-west of England playing their own brand of R&B and Funk. Formed in 2007, the band create a sound they describe as ‘Rhythm & Groove’ music which can be found on their debut 10-track CD, ’44 Minutes’. A highly acclaimed debut, the album has caught the attention of Paul Jones who has featured it on his on the prime-time evening BBC Radio 2 show.

Drawing from a rich heritage of Americana, Funk, Swing, R&B and produced by Pete Brown (son of the great Joe Brown, brother of sultry songstress Sam), this recording captures the band’s old-school vibe, also prominent throughout their live show.

Rather than follow fashion, Forty4 have nurtured their style into a music rarely heard on the UK live circuit, filling a gap in the market for new music enthusiasts, everywhere.

Forty4 are:
 Neil Partington – Guitar/Vocals
 Paul Starkey – Guitar
 Glen Lewis – Keyboards
 Bill Price – Bass Guitar
 Nick Lauro – Drums


Bare Bones Boogie Band at 3.20pm

Makuini & The Hoodoo Men at 2.00pm

Thankfully, a few more tickets have been released to give you your final chance to be at the Blues Festival that has been voted the best in the UK for the last two years running. The Saturday night main stage line up is breathtaking!




Detroit. Few words draw up such emotion and imagery as that one word sentence. It’s really a novel on its own, and it says more about music than most books ever could. One of the things most people forget in this modern era of music is the deep root of blues that comes from Detroit. One man who hasn’t is Paul Lamb and his band The Detroit Breakdown.

Paul grew up in Detroit, listening to a mix of great rock radio like Bob Seger, Stevie Wonder, George Clinton and drew from other outside influences like Hendrix and Stevie Ray as he began to play guitar. After travelling the country seeking out his musical soul and playing with the best of the best, Paul finally found what he was looking for right there at home.

Listening to Paul Lamb and the Detroit Breakdown is a musical time capsule. It will take you through the drive and riffs of the 70’s, but also has the modern pulse that comes from recording at the legendary Rust Belt Studios(Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker) that keeps it all fresh. He’s not rehashing a memory, he’s brought this music to life.



“Tough urban blues with lyrics to match delivered in a style that’s as sharp as James Brown’s footwork and as solid as Alcatraz… reminiscent of those Stax-era Albert King and Little Milton songs with Booker T on keyboards.”
John Clarke, The Independent



DJ Dave Watkins is a British Blues Awards 2014 nominee in the Independent Blues Broadcaster category. Check him out on Facebook.
 

The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Sessions at...midnight with the Hebden Allstars until 1.30am

In just over a week's time, we are very proud to be hosting the fourth annual Hebden Bridge Blues Festival.

This is our biggest ever event with 52 acts performing throughout the town and it is a great credit to the many people who have worked on the HBBF project, not least the musicians and the volunteers, that it has grown so quickly.

Since putting on our first one in 2011, we have been awarded the British Blues Awards "Festival of the Year" in both 2012 and 2013, which came as a total shock to us as our original intention was just to put on a few bands for our own enjoyment.

There are around 40 Blues festivals of varying sizes each year in Britain so for us to have got to this level so quickly, without a penny of public funding too, shows us that many other people wanted something different as well.

Those of you who know us personally, know we're not comfortable with being part of the 'establishment' - we like to keep things fresh and exciting for us and 4 years is a long time for either of us to stay focused on a single project. This particular one has taken up a huge amount of time and energy and has outgrown our small town so quickly!

With this in mind, we're going out with a bang and this will be the last ever Hebden Bridge Blues Festival, so if you've never joined us before and would like to see what everyone has been talking about, this is your last chance.

Both of us, separately and together, will continue to be involved with various other music projects, so we won't disappear entirely, but we just feel that this particular event has run its course for us personally.

We'd love to see you next weekend for the Hebden finale, so we've issued some additional tickets to help that happen. You can get yours, and your slice of British Blues history, by going here.

Thank you for all your support on our amazing journey.

Jason and Paddy

With no fewer than seven acts across two separate stages at Salem Mill on Saturday 24th May it's going to be a busy old day - not to mention everything else that's going on everywhere else!


Dan Burnett is one of the UK’s leading piano vocalists. It’s in his blood. He was spoon-fed blues, soul, funk and rock music from an early age by his dad, Laurie Burnett, who was in bands with ex David Bowie’s ‘Spiders from Mars’ members Mick ‘Woody’ Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder, and as a youngster had guitar lessons from his good friend, the legendary Mick Ronson. Over the last few years, Dan has written and recorded music for TV & Film (including the Nicolas Cage movie ‘Stolen’), and has gigged extensively throughout the UK, Europe and the USA. He’s shared stages with the likes of Aynsley Lister, Sherman Robertson, The Animals and friends, Mick Ralphs (ex Bad Company/Mott The Hoople), Matt Schofield, Todd Sharpville, Debbie Davies, Nine Below Zero and Paul Jones (The Blues Band / Manfred Mann).

Facebook page
www.facebook.com/danburnett.uk

Youtube link
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhERuxmd_dQ 


The full line up for Salem on Saturday is:

Salem Electric Stage
12 Noon - The Mustangs
2.00pm - Katie Bradley
4.00pm - Zoe Schwarz & Blue Commotion
6.00pm - Nat Martin Band

Salem Acoustic Stage
1.00pm - Dan Burnett
3.00pm - Angelo Palladino
5.00pm - Dave Arcari 

To complete the juke joint line up on Friday night, the best blues festival presents...

The story so far... I started playing guitar at 14 or 15 years of age, My first guitar was a Jedson which I purchased for the sum of my Hawkwind album collection. I soon got the bug, driving my parents and sisters crazy with my persistent playing. In the end I was confined to the family dining room where the record player lived, It had a valve amp and the cable I got with my first guitar fitted in to one of the holes. For what happened next take a look at the full story on my website.



Mad Jack & The Hatters are the UK's new electric hillbilly blues superstars. They are bringing the oldest forms of rock 'n' roll music back out of the closet and giving them a severe dusting-down. Their unique sound, intense and unforgettable live shows and crazy antics will have you jumpin' 'n' hollerin' from minute one!!

The band are:
'Mad Jack' Collins: Vocals and Guitar
Rebecca Jane: Double Bass and Vocals
Paul 'Chillo' Childs: Drums

Another of our 6 Juke Joints, The Crown Inn welcomes the ultra talented Alex McKown Band at 9pm on the opening night of the festival.



Alex McKown was born in 1996 and he first picked up the guitar when he was 6 years of age. When Alex was 11 he started to have lessons from Samuel C Lees at Tameside Music Academy. A passion for the blues was ignited! Alex developed his performance skills by performing regularly at the blues/rock jam at The Whittles in Oldham.

Alex then started to listen to the artists appearing at the major blues festivals in the UK and met Hamilton Loomis from Texas over the internet. Hamilton kindly agreed to let Alex sit in on his UK tour in 2009.

Alex then performed with his own band at The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne in 2009 and 2010. Alex performed two shows at the Zinc Blues Festival in France in 2011 and also appeared for the second time at the Colne Festival on the British Stage.

Alex is a finalist in the 2014 British Blues Awards for the fourth year in succession and his band have been featured on two significant albums "The Cream of Electric Blues" and  "Suitcase Full Of Blues", alongside the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Walter Trout, Robert Cray and The Royal Southern Brotherhood.

The new album "Go with the Flow" was released in January 2014 and radio stations across the world have featured tracks. In April 2014 a track was played on the Paul Jones Show on BBC Radio 2.

In 2014 the band have played at The Great British Rock and Blues Festival, Bowness Bay Blues Festival and Nantwich Jazz and Blues Festival.

Friday night's line-up is:

Band Profile - Little Devils


Members and Instruments
Yoka - vocalist, sax & flute
Graeme - bass, vocals
Big Ray - guitar
Sara - drums

Describe your sound in one sentence
Little Devils have been described as an eclectic mix of R&B, Dylanesque rock & blues.

What is your "mission"?
We're gonna keep on drivin till the wheels fall off..!

If the act was an animal or bird, which would it be?
A weird mix of something from Tasmania & New Jersey – y’see where we’re coming from?

What the others say
"If you are not familiar with this band, I implore you, go check them out, they will not disappoint" Clive Rawlings, Blues Matters at Skegness 2014

Official website
www.littledevilmusic.com

Facebook page
www.facebook.com/littledevilmusic

Youtube channel
www.youtube.com/littledevilmusic

Twitter feed
www.twitter.com/littledevilsuk

Soundcloud page
www.soundcloud.com/graeme-wheatley

Reverbnation page
www.reverbnation.com/littledevilmusic

What are you most looking forward to about playing at HBBF14?
Hebden's up there as one of the best festivals around - looking forward to being part of that! Playing to a great audience of music lovers – and together having a great night.

Five of the festival's six Juke Joints kick off at 9pm on Friday night. Don't forget, entry to all Juke Joints is free and here's who's on at The Old Gate.


Private Dicks are a blues/rock band based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. A four piece hard drivin' band delivering US influenced R&B (Rhythm & Blues, not the current stuff labelled as R&B). The band's first gig was at The White Lion in Todmorden in 1979 and after 35 years in the business there's a name change imminent. Look out for Jake and the Blue Snakes from 2014. The band are:

Pete Cooke - Vocals, Saxophone, Harmonica
Gary Hudson - Guitar
Mick "G" - Bass
Carl Mallinson - Drums, Vocals

Following on from yesterday's introduction to our Friday night openers, here's what's coming your way later in the evening on the Main Stage. If you're quick, you'll just have time to refresh your glasses at the bar before...


2013 was an amazing year for Dave. Winner of the British Blues Awards best DJ, Runner up in the Blues Matters Best Radio Show and also a Lifetime Achievement Award. Dave is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the 2014 British Blues Awards where he has been nominated in the Independent Blues Broadcaster category.


Renowned for pushing the boundaries of the blues rock genre and delivering incendiary live sets VATA have made a huge impression touring in their own right and on premium support tours with Michael Schenkers Temple Of Rock, Uriah Heep, Wilko Johnson. Exploding onto the scene in 2009, working relentlessly through the pub and club scene. 2011 saw the release of their critically acclaimed debut album The Radium to 5 star rave reviews. Classic Rock Magazine included the track Backstabber in their Best Of 2011 round up. Also gaining second place to The Black Keynes in the coveted Best Albums award by USA magazine Blues Rock Review. Not bad for 3 teenagers! 2012 saw the band recording live video to a packed house at the Marshall Amplification Theatre in Milton Keynes. 2013 the band managed to bag legendary producer Chris Tsangarides who has produced Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest amongst others. The album due to be released in September 2014 will show maturity and growth that will take the band to another level.

Friday night on the main stage rounds off with Penistone FM's very own DJ Les Young of Wall to Wall Blues fame at 11.30pm before the always awesome Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Sessions with the Hebden Allstars through till 1.30am

Only two weeks to go before the Blues Festival of the Year 2012 and 2013 gets underway, so we thought it was about time we introduced this year's amazing line-up to you. With a huge 52 acts across nine stages that's a big job so let's kick off with the Main Stage openers on Friday 23rd May.


Born in Bristol in 1968, Julian has played recorded and toured with artists including, Desmond Dekker and Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band. He has toured Europe with the hit West End musicals Godspell and the official tribute to the blues brothers. At the end of 2008 he recorded the debut album The Boogie Worm with his band 24 Pesos.


David Migden was raised in Little Rock Arkansas and moved to the UK as a teenager. After playing and touring around London and Europe, initially in the Lee Sankey Group with Matt Schofield and Ian Siegal, he then teamed up with ‘The Dirty Words’ and released ‘Second Hand Tattoo’ to a fantastic response from critics and fans alike. David Migden & The Dirty Words (now the Twisted Roots) released their second album ‘Killing It’ in 2012 and received glowing reviews and radio play from across the globe. The band’s reputation has been growing with radio play across the UK, Europe and the US. They recently won the prestigious New Brunswick ‘Battle of the Blues’ and appeared at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Canada in Sept 2013. David Migden has also been nominated in the British Blues Awards for best singer (2013 and again in 2014) and best original song ‘Shel’.

The band has recently won Best Band and Best Newcomer in the Blues Matters writers’ poll 2013. As a result they represented the UK, coming third in the European Blues Challenge 2104 in Riga, Latvia in April 2014.

2014 also brings a new name for the band ‘The Twisted Roots’ which they all think better represents the sound of their new album ‘Animal & Man’ released 21st February. The album, recorded at Rimshot studios in Kent, has the sound and songs the band have always wanted. It was partly financed by a successful Pledgemusic campaign, where fans of the band have helped to finance the album in advance.

The Twisted Roots are:

David Migden – Vocals/Trumpet/Piano

Phil Scragg – Bass

James Sedge  – Drums/Percussion

Joe Gibson  – Guitar/Backing Vocals

Graham Mann – Keyboard/Trombone/Backing Vocals