Ashburton Blues Festival 2009

!!! THE FABULOUS !!NINE BELOW ZERO are headlining on Saturday May 30

Nine Below Zero - the elite of British rock & roll's live R&B combos who emerged from the London Pub and Club scene of the late 1970's, coinciding with the punk explosion, but the band had more in common with the great Chicago blues heroes of the 1950's than bondage trousers and pogo dancing!

NBZ were the first band to be featured in the classic "Comic Strip" sitcom The Young Ones, belting out a tough version of "Eleven Plus Eleven"(see links)

NBZ are bristling with superb musicianship. Dennis Greaves on vocals and guitar, harmonica player Mark Feltham, and the rhythm section of Gerry McAvoy (bass,vocals) and Brendan O'Neill (drums) who were the engine of the late great RORY GALLAGHER'S band



!!! LIVING LEGENDS !!!THE ANIMALS headlining on SUNDAY MAY 31.

Featuring (from the original Animals)John Steel & Mick Gallagher, with John E. Williamson and fronted by the charismatic powerhouse voice of bass player Peter Barton.

Born on Tyneside in '64 they joined The Beatles, and The Stones with a brand of rhythm n' blues that took the world by storm. The Animals were the second British band to top the American charts after The Beatles with the multi-million selling anthem, House of the Rising Sun. The band has had twenty global Top Ten hits, and many Number Ones. Part of R'n B History.

Opening the Festival on Friday 29 May, !!! BLUES ARISTOCRACY !!! PAUL LAMB & THE KINGSNAKES

Hailed as Europe’s foremost blues harmonica exponent, PAUL LAMB is one of our greatest players, winning countless awards, selling record-breaking quantities of albums, and performing the worldwide with his long-standing musical compatriots THE KINGSNAKES . Paul has been inducted into the BRITISH BLUES AWARDS HALL OF FAME alongside the likes of Peter Green, John Mayall & Alexis Korner

!!! RISING STAR!!! AYNSLEY LISTERsupport on Sunday 31 May

Young pretender Aynsley Lister has sold over 75,000 records and now headlines many of the major festivals throughout Europe, playing alongside blues legends such as Buddy Guy, John Mayall, and Robert Cray. He picked up the guitar at 8 and played his first gig at 13. By 18, he had worked his way through various bands and formed his own.

!!!MISSISSIPPI MAGIC!!! on Friday 29 May
BERT DEIVERT, an American living in Sweden, is one of a handful of blues mandolinists in the world. He's played professionally for 34 years.
In 1966 he saw Son House on TV and was so amazed that he immediately broke a wine bottle to make his own bottleneck. He’s been hooked on the blues and Son House ever since. Bert has recorded twice with Eric Bibb, just returned from Mississippi where he played with the likes of Bill Abel, Cadillac John Nolden, Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, and T-Model Ford. His latest album features legendary delta drummer Sam Carr.
Recent festival appearances include the JUKE JOINT Festival, Clarksdale, Mississippi, the prestigious KING BISCUIT festival in Helena, Arkansas, and the TOMMY JOHNSON and BLUE BLUFF Festivals also in Mississippi. Gigs at actor Morgan Freeman's GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB and MADIDI restaurant in Clarksdale.He is accompanied by YANNE SANDER
(Bert will also be appearing on Saturday 30 May, and will be giving a workshop -TTBC)

!!! SPIRIT OF THE BLUES!!!Support on Saturday May 30 from Scotland's
MIKE WHELLANS
Mike has to been seen, and heard, to be believed. He goes back to the old blues tradition of jook joints, fish fries, and playing on street corners to raise the rent. With 6- and 12-string guitars, mouth-harp and a ‘wee tottie drum-kit’, a Whellans gig is straight from the hip. Energy and passion, and great pure blues.

!!!PURE SOUL!!! Support on Friday 29 May comes from BIG MAC'S WHOLLY SOUL BAND

From South Wales, a kicking 10-piece Soul and Motown band, great brass section, girl backing singers, pulsating rhythm section and Big Mac himself on lead vocals. Stax, Motown, the real deal!

!!!SHOW STOPPING !!!Busking during the day on Saturday STOMPIN' DAVE!
Stompin' Dave Allen performs American roots music on guitar, five-string banjo, fiddle, piano, harmonica, vocals & tap dancing. He's performed all over the world including the Glastonbury Festival, and travelled across the USA with impromptu performances in Chicago, New York, Charlottesville and New Orleans. He's guaranteed to get the Town jumping!

MORE BANDS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!


ASHBURTON is an ancient DARTMOOR STANNARY TOWN, bursting with fascinating history, and set in beautiful surroundings just off the A38.
It has a wide range of Hotels, B&B's, campsites, and superb restaurants, plus pubs, cafes, pizzerias, wine bars, and coffee-shops to indulge in. There are numerous antique shops, excellent local food to sample, a nationally recognised RESTAURANT, and FISH DELI, and a wide variety of things to do and see. You can find out more about ASHBURTON by looking on the LINKS section.

This also gives full details of how to get here, Hotels, B&Bs, campsites, etc..