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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Triskel Promotions - Live Music Promotion & Support
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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 - Saturday
The Saturday night ticketed event on the Main Stage in the Blues Marquee were not sold out at 7.30pm when the doors opened and the bets were on at what time the "sold out" sign would go up. 9.00pm was the answer and I lost my shirt. That's what being a pessimist does for you.
So at 8.30pm Steamroller took to the stage for their much anticipated "promotion" to Main Stage status. They did not disappoint. With a tight, controlled and very enjoyable set they caught the attention of the growing crowd with their opening harmonica driven number rfom John "JR" Robinson setting the tone of things to come. With some blistering guitar breaks from Phil Jennings who seemed occasionally to be in danger of catching fire air guitars were breaking out all over the place. The sax solos from Stephen Hind were a really attractive counterpoint to Phil's guitar and Stevie Gray's keyboard hit the spot every time. As we have come to expect from Steamroller the rhythm section (Steve Turner - drums and Davey Quayle - bass) were as tight and and locked together as always and yet they swing throughout. Unquestionably a perfect opening set.
Daniel Smith and his band were preparing in the "wings" as Steamroller came off stage and Dan immediately invited guitar player Phil Jennings to join them on stage. Daniel looking very relaxed and confident as he sat behind his piano gazing at the audience. And then they broke into some hot, hot, hot boogie-woogie and we were off... What followed was an hour of piano, guitar & bass (George Pearson on both), Phil Jennings (2nd guitar) and drums (Damon Sawyer). The material varied from the jazz tinged to the hot Chicago sound with some ripping stuff from Phil.
Half way through the set Damon Sawyer on drums was left alone on stage to treat us to a drum solo
much influenced by his time in Brazil.
 There are drum solos that can bore the pants off you but this was
something right out of the top drawer and one of the highlights of the evening as indeed was the four-handed duet on piano with Dan and George. A very appreciative audience cheered and clapped as the Daniel Smith Band were introduced and as the final tune faded away Papa George tuned his guitars readying himself for the final performance of the evening.
We didn't know it at the time but George Papanicola otherwise known as Papa George was playing in considerable pain on Saturday night on the Mian Stage but it wasn't until Monday that he went to hospital and discovered he had broken his wrist in a bizarre and one-off football incident in Paris - but more of that another time... George is one of the hardest working bluesmen on the UK scene and with his busy gigging schedule it is not so easy to get a booking. But he is a hell of a nice bloke and he did indeed find time for us and naturally gave up his best, broken bones and all.
His baritone, late nights and maybe a cigarette too many voice can shake tall buildings and his finger picked resonator guitars accompany and enhance his songs beautifully. His CD's are first class and if you didn't grab yourself a copy on Saturday night 14th May 2005 and plenty in the marquee did, then you definitely should make the effort to get hold of one. Check out George's website by clicking www.papageorge.co.uk now. Anglin Buttimore our sound engineer and no mean musician himself was playing them in the Blues Marquee during the Sunday morning set-up and many of us commented on the very high quality of the songs, the production and music - just like his performance the night before. Come back soon George.
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