Wow the bookings so far this year have been great – Bad Bob Bates solo, Oil City Shakers duo, Ma Kelly’s Boys quo tribute and the new originals band, The Bates Motel.  On top of that the diary is filling up with some great ones to come, including a solo support slot for Mike Zito at The Cluny on Thursday 24th Feb .

Here’s some pics of The Bates Motel at Steelies in Hartlepool on Sunday 23rd January – coming back to The Cluny in July as part of the We Are Back  three day festival on Friday the 15th, with a solo outing from me too on the Saturday (16th).

See you on the road 🙂 , BBB

Check out the dates page for all current dates for 2022.  More coming in too, and another possible new project on the horizon.  Watch this space…..

BBB December gigs have just been added to the Dates page, and 2022 gigs will be added soon enough.  In the meantime, why not indulge in some Xmas blues….  Click on the images

Thanks so much for the turn out at The Cluny for The Bates Motel debut.  The place was packed and the audience response was so positive right from the off.  It was so good we’re going to do it again and keep it going for a while at least – gigs to follow in 2022 from Hartlepool to Newcastle for now, but hopefully more to come – watch the dates page and FaceBook.

Here’s a vid from Tim of the last number before the encore: Bridge Street In The Rain, from the Bridge Street album.

…. and here’s the next Bates Motel gig.

So, it’s happening.  Currently in rehearsals with a six piece top band coming together featuring local legends drawing from released recordings from 2014 onwards, including the full contents of DeadBeat.  The Cluny is booked for the band launch on Sunday 24th October, between 12 and 4 pm.  Something not to missed – The Deadbeat tour.  Details surrounding The Bates Motel to follow 😉 

So, a few wobbles with restrictions continuing for at least another month, but The Drove T Drink crew have juggled things so it can go ahead.  I’ll be with my sidekick Ronnie Semple on raucous harmonica and Glaswegian with a 6.00pm start time for our duo – Oil City Shakers 🙂

Well, the gigs have started again – albeit a trickle for June before restrictions are lifted further.  The Oil City Shakers (duo) gig at The Crook Hotel was a belter (with some surprise material!), and this Friday I’m supporting Eli and the Blues Prophets at Darlington’s Forum Music Centre, courtesy of those nice people at the Darlington R’n’B – sold out however….  Next up will be a trip to Sunderland with the OCS duo again – The Peacock, 287 High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3ES.  Might see you there?  Check out the rest of the bookings here – July is hotting up!

Hey me and Ron have sneaked in with our duo, Oil City Shakers, at this year’s Stormin’ The Caslte North East MAG Custom Bike Show.  I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve played here now in bands (The Rhythm Bandits, The Bandits, Oil City Connection, Ma Kelly’s Boys) and with the OCS duo over the last 25 years or so, and I’m chuffed to be back aftert the COVID break.  See you in the beer tent?

Thx to all who watched The Globe livestream on Saturday (15th May).  Probably my last live stream for a good long time if all goes well from now on.  Thanks to Oil Slick Mick for some harp work on a few numbers, and a bit of harmony vocals too.  It all helps.

The Globe is now a fantastic music venue – we must support it going forward.  Community owned and just off the famous Scotswood Road.

Here’s access to the vid if you’d care to watch,