FESTIVAL FORUM
Debate, discussion and argument - gear, bands and gigs - it's your call
PROGRAMME 2005
What's on in 2005?
All the bands, venues and times
TICKETS
Which stage requires tickets?
Click here for all the info including eTickets
ARTISTES
Many of the Fest bands and musicians
who have appeared over the years.
Bio's, pic's and loads of info.
POSTER 2005
2004 FESTIVAL ARTISTES
The who's who of Festival 2004; pictures, links, the lot
2004 GIG REVIEWS
Photo's and Gig Reviews of ALL the stages/venues of Festival 2004
PREVIOUS FESTIVALS
Vast archive of Photo's and Gig Reviews of Previous Festivals
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FESTIVAL SITE - MAP
The Festival Site map is interactive - click on any of the details for more info
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ACOUSTIC STAGE
The "Acoustic Stage" (in reality an eclectic mix of music from Delta Blues to
flat out rock) at The Shore Hotel has it's own website which is now updated
with new pictures and info..
ISLE OF MAN BLUES CLUB
The Manx Blues Club; where the Festival sprang from
venue, dates, history etc..
VENUES
Info & Location
NEWSLETTER: SUBSCRIBE NOW - FREE
Be in the know...first
CONTACT US
Keep
us
in the know and tell us about broken links, bands, gigs & any other news
MAP
Where is it? Here!
Interactive
Festival Site Map
Includes Photo's of Laxey Village
TRAVEL
How to get to the Isle of Man
2003 GIG REVIEWS
Check the 2003 Festival and all the Gig reviews with a stack of pictures too
SPONSORS
Without our sonsors
there would be no
Fest - Who are these
generous people?
Lady Isabella - the Great Laxey Wheel keeps on turning...
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Set high on the hillside towards the hamlet of Agneash and overlooking Laxey
Village is the Great Laxey Wheel and is as much associated with the Isle of Man
as are the cats without tails. Built in 1854 the Laxey water wheel, known as
the Lady Isabella after the wife of the Lieutenant Governor of the island at
the time, was designed by the Manx engineer Robert Casement and engineered to
pump up to 250 gallons of water per minute at a depth of almost 1,500 feet from
the workings of the the lead and zinc mines operated by the Great Laxey Mining
Company. In 1965 the Manx government bought the water wheel and the restoration
work which followed, preserved it for future generations. Since 1989 it has
been under the control of Manx National Heritage and is open to the public.
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Click logo for Info and news about manx bands and musos
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Blues in Britain Magazine
Check it out
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Click to check timetables etc
and to book on-line
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Click to check timetables etc
and to book on-line
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Click to check timetables etc
and to book on-line
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A3 Island Marquees Ltd
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Bushy's Brewery supporting
the Fest since the last century.
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Millichaps Furniture Store - Ramsey
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Domicilium: Internet Providers to the Festival
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PDMS: On-Line Service Providers to the Festival
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Absolute Scaffolding - Blues Marquee Stage
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Laxey Garage & Manx Motor Auctions
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Manntax of Laxey - tax advisers
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Triskel Promotions - Live Music Promotion & Support
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Road & Track for Motorcycles and Motorcycle Gear
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Laxey Chemist: medicines, gifts, films, perfumes and toiletries
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The Country Shop of Laxey
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Bushy's Big Wheel Blues Festival 2005 is
a fund raising event for the British Red
Cross. Please give generously.
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Quine & Cubbon Printing & Plate Making Services
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Main Stage - Friday 2005
When the original venue for the Main Stage was lost to us just two weeks before
the Festival when the owner had his licence revoked we had a tricky
fortnight. The day before the Festival the Licencing Court issued a licence to
Derek Black-Kay who had stepped forward to run the bar for us, we had been
given a lovely big stage by Absolute Scaffolding and The Village Workshop, A3
Marquees found a bigger tent for us and Bushy's had provided the bar and all
it's equipment not to mention it's stock. Everything was in place by Friday May
13 2005 and by 5.00pm all the tickets had been sold for the first night of the
Main Stage Gigs. It seemed impossible but it really was all on and we were
raring to go.
So, Friday Night.
The Main Stage has always had three bands per night all invited from around the
world. This year we decided to give an opportunity to a deserving and different
local band to open each night and this paid us dividends, but big time.
A sold
out gig, beautiful weather and the first night of the Festival got off to an
absolutely wonderful start with
Back Door Slam
taking to the Main Stage in their first ever Big Wheel Blues Fest gig. There
was a roar from the crowd that I don't think that I have ever heard before.The
sound was perfect and the vibe was palpable as the band hit their stride from
the very first note...and continued throughout their varied, measured and
beautifully constructed set consisting of interesting covers, some world class
originals and all of it played to the highest standards. Let's not ever again
say "for their age" when talking about
Back Door Slam
. Never mind their age it
simply does not get any better than this, but you know something? If these guys
keep at it, itcertainly will get even better...and that's a scary thought.
Veteran Bluesman
Tim Hain
had his flight cancelled last year at the last minute
and had been determined to make this year's event so, cautious to a fault, flew over a day early.
Getting to the Island early allowed him to squeeze in a rehearsal (with local
top flight rhythm section
Danny Kneale
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Drums and
Andy Radcliffe
- Bass and keyboard and violin player
Roy Baker
), a radio interview, a spot of sightseeing and
catching up on old times. But he had the job on following the fabulous
reception given to
Back Door Slam
but unfazed, confident and much experienced
 he and his rhythm section stepped into the lights and delivered a
faultless performance that caught the imagination and attention of the audience
who were very soon up dancing and singing
along. When he finished a terriffic set of covers and first rate original work
with Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" (OK, OK it may not be the
Blues but this is one of the great songs in the pantheon of 20th century music)
even those of us not given to singing were joining
in on the chorus. It was well worth the 12 month wait to finally get Tim here.
Roland Chadwick and Michael Berk
are, by any standards, two extraordinarily
gifted musicians who bring to the Blues something new, subtle and, cerebral
though it may be, very exciting. This is without any doubt whatsoever
musicianship of the very highest calibre and it unquestionably went over one or
two people's heads. For the rest it was a virtuoso performance (including a
foot stomping "drum" solo played on Michael's guitar) which was as enjoyable an
hour of musicianship that I can remember. I was, at one point, standing next
to
Davy Knowles,
himself a very fine guitar player as
Back Door Slam
fans will attest, turned to me and said "wow man, this is just blowing me
away". You couldn't have summed it up any better.
The Saturday Main Stage Gig review will appear here very soon.
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