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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Below is the verbatim Report submitted by the Festival organiser to the Meeting of the Laxey Commissioners held on the 29th June 2005 at their offices in Laxey.
BUSHY'S BIG WHEEL BLUES FESTIVAL 2005
Perhaps surprisingly the 2005 Festival was probably the best attended in the seven year history of the annual event. I say surprisingly because at the 11th hour and the 59th minute the venue for the Main Stage, in an entirely unrelated incident, had it's licence revoked. At first sight this meant that we would have no main stage for 2005. But in a spirit of "never say die" various options were discussed including, of course, cancellation. However with a great deal of support and help from the Laxey Commissioners, the Police, the Department of Transport, Bushy's Brewery and Derek Black-Kay a licence was granted for the marquee in Laxey Station - just one day before the event started.
Amongst other things it is this level of goodwill that has helped to make the Festival the popular event that is has undoubtedly become - I hope that it continues. Perhaps nothing illustrates how popular than the website statistics. The website has grown extraordinarily in the last three years from a barely used facility to one that now has over 100,000 individual visits annually with, in excess of, a million hits a year.
"All of the stages were extremely well attended this year. The weather contributed a major part in this of course but it's the local musicians - more than 150 of them - who give their time and skill for nothing who really make the event what it is.
It would be foolish of me to pretend that an event of the size that the Blues Festival has become won't have its detractors and indeed a few negative aspects. But when you get right down to it, the Festival is just one weekend in the year. Whilst the few that are inconvenienced by it, or its fans, must be listened to and accommodated where possible, surely they must not be allowed undue influence over the future of the Festival at the expense of the overwhelming majority.
The Festival is a non-profit organisation that is run entirely by volunteers and it is an event that relies on no taxpayers money whatever and no official support. It is our sponsors and the contribution of the musicians that I have just spoken about that make it possible for the event to take place. It is hard to say how many people are drawn to Laxey for the Festival weekend and difficult to assess how much money they spend in the village. However, on an anecdotal
level, I believe strongly that the indications are that it is the biggest weekend of the year for all those taking part and must contribute at least a little to the economic well-being of the community. We are proud of that and hope that it may continue."
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