York Blues Festival 2025
W/ Gerry Jablonski and The Electric Band (Headline), Dirt Road Band, DC Blues, John Angus Band, Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience, John Doe Trio, Southern Fried Groove Queens and James Oliver Band!
Saturday 5th April
Doors 12:30, Show 13:00
Tickets are £25 (+ b/f) in advance (more on the door) and available from See Tickets.
A very limited £20 (+ b/f) early bird ticket is available now!
*This is a standing show*
James Oliver Band
James Oliver is one of the UK’s busiest acts playing over 300 gigs a year all over the UK, Europe, and the USA! He has performed over 3000 gigs and shared the stage with many acts including Albert Lee, Bill Kirchen, Deke Leonard, Greg Koch, Walter Trout, Steve Gibbons, Billy Bremner, Geraint Watkins, and many others. In 2020 James won the UK Blues Awards Emerging Artist of the Year and has since been nominated 3 additional times. James Oliver released 2 studio albums 3 live albums and his album Twang was #1 on Amazon Blues Charts for 3 weeks. James is currently working on a new record with legendary producer, John Leckie. His YouTube channel has over 20,000 subscribers with over 9 million views.
Southern Fried Groove Queens
Fresh from the fryer of the UK’s Deep South, Southern Fried Groove Queens are a Mississippi Hill Country & Delta Blues duo, with Lee Hall on Guitar/Vocals & Lucy Piper on Drums.
Cooked to perfection using a traditional recipe passed down through generations, they provide that heavy heart thumping kick and grooves that will make you want to move.
The duo play their take on the likes of old blues masters: RL Burnside, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson and many more.
Formed in 2021, they have already played at many of the UK’s leading Blues and Jazz festivals, taking audiences by storm. In 2023, the band played at Ørland Blues Festival in Norway, where Bluesnews described their performance as “a fantastic concert that left many jaws dropping.”
With Lee’s unique haunting vocals, energetic slide playing, and Lucy’s infectious hypnotic drumming, they’re not to be missed. Be prepared to get down and ‘juke’ with them!
John Doe Trio
“A seriously good, tight-knit power trio of excellent musicians”
Blues In Britain
Heralding from Kent in England, their commitment to high quality musicianship
really makes them stand out from the crowd, with Blues in Britain describing
them as, “A seriously good, tight-knit power trio of excellent musicians”.
Their first album, “Stranger” was released in 2016 and received a very warm
reception around the blues scene of Britain and Europe however, with the
release of their critically acclaimed, award-winning 2020 follow-up, “Railroaded”, the band have leaped to new heights. Blues in Britain magazine described it as “A Blockbuster of an Album”, with Blues Matters magazine simply referring to it as “Superb”. John Doe Trio have also featured within the top 40 played albums by the UK’s Independent Blues Broadcasters Association on numerous occasions, with Railroaded peaking at no.2 within their monthly album charts and featuring within the top 40 most played albums of the year, in the year following release. With influences stretching from blues greats such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan through to elements of jazz and skiffle, John Doe Trio offers plenty for those both within and beyond the boundaries of blues music.
Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience
Acclaimed singer Pat Fulgoni fronts this top-notch 5-piece blues band already with European blues festival dates under their belts and equally at home in UK clubs, venues and festivals.
Billboard Magazine (USA) says “Fulgoni could sing a pearl from its Oyster”. Blues Matters writes: “I was completely blown away because he can sing, I mean, really sing. Ridiculously well”.
Indeed Pat has sung across many styles including his dance rock band Kava Kava which toured the world and major dance floor collaborations with the likes of festival headlining acts Camo & Krooked, Zion Train, Coldcut, Technimatic, London Elektricity and Murdock. But it’s truly magical when he sings the blues especially when backed by the stunning musicianship of his band featuring Jacob Beckwith on guitar, Rory Wells on bass, Sam Bolt on keys and Zebedee Sylvester on drums.
In 2021 the “Dark Side of the Blues – Pat Fulgoni Live In Prague” album reached #2 in Roots Music Report’s UK albums chart (approx 300 US radio stations).
Expect soaring soulful vocals over vibey guitar and piano-orientated blues. Sometimes balls out, sometimes deeply heart wrenching, Blues In Britain magazine
are quite right to say its “a blues rock set to cherish… Pat and co just do them so well”.
The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience set includes original compositions alongside glorious renditions of Ray Charles, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson and more!
The debut “Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience” LP was released in October 2024.
John Angus Band
John Angus Band record and perform original rock blues songs. With three albums since 2019 and many festival gigs
under their belt they are delighted to be able to play their music to a growing fan base across the UK and Ireland.
They perform at many major Blues festivals across the UK and Ireland and their
new album, “It’s High Time” charted 3 months in a row on the UK’s Independent Blues Charts
The band are a “five piece, high energy outfit with John on lead vocals and guitar, Andy Hurley on drums, Stewart Speirs on harmonicas, Bram Duckworth on lead guitar and last but not least Tim Hopkins on bass and backing vocals.
Described by Bernard Doherty of Planet Rock as “a band that just had to be played” and with Walter Trout saying “great vocals and guitar, love your sound” they come highly recommended.
DC Blues
“It would be easy to dismiss DC Blues as just another working band on the blues scene, but they are so much more than that. Their self deprecating front in some ways hides the fact that they are also terrific musicians who just love to put on a great show. Wherever you see DC Blues listed in a “What’s On” guide or on a Festival line up then make sure you go and see them. You will be sure to have a great time”.
Rob Bradley – Leeds Blues Club
It will come as no surprise that DC Blues are once again on the bill but these are the perks when 2 of the band members organise the event.
The band are on the up with 2 albums behind them, both of which made the Top 40 in the IBBA Charts with national & international airplay on countless radio stations.
They have also performed blistering sets at The Great British Rock & Blues Festival in Skegness and Blackpool, HRH Blues at The O2 Academy in Sheffield, they headlined the 2023 Chapel Allerton Festival in Leeds plus a main stage appearances at both the 2024 North East Blues Festival and The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival.
Blues Matters say…
“Hard bluesin’ at its best”
“A cohesive band of top-class musicians, what is not to like”
“Highly recommended, go and see this band when you can”
“Playing live they are a joy to behold, they are a tight band who really enjoy playing to a crowd”
Dirt Road Band
The Dirt Road Band are Steve Walwyn, guitar and vocals, Horace Panter, bass, and Ted
Duggan, drums.
They play hard, punchy blues-rock music that makes your heart beat faster.
Let’s dig deeper…
Walwyn has played guitar for a living for the past 45 years, 32 of those as a member of
Dr Feelgood. Panter was a founding member of The Specials. He’s been doing this a
while too, as has Duggan who has enjoyed spells with Banco de Gaia and more recently,
Badfinger. Three highly proficient and time-served players doing what they do best.
DRB started as a side project some 5 years ago and has now taken centre stage. Their
critically acclaimed debut album ‘Righteous’ was released in July 2024.
The creative process coming naturally with these players feeding off one another. You can see it in their live performance too.
“Seasoned professionals with the energy of teenagers” as one contemporary musician
observed.
Gerry Jablonski and The Electric Band (Headline)
Powerful and energetic, standout act with an ultra confident, no-holds-barred swagger.
Gerry Jablonski and the Electric Band have a unique trademark sound and style.
Their raw and crafty stage show takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of dangerous, charming and gutsy music with hooks and melodies that cross genres and age groups.
“an absolutely refreshing and life affirming experience. The best band you never heard of” Classic Rock Magazine
2018 Blues Awards – UK Blues Act of the Year
Live national TV appearances on STV
10 years road experience throughout Europe, UK and Scandinavia
Sell-out headline shows for Jazz Scotland
5 self released albums
Critical praise in national music magazine features and reviews
Radio play on BBC Radio 2
York Blues Festival 2025
Saturday 5th April, 2025
Doors 12:30, Show 13:00
Tickets are £25 (+ b/f) in advance (more on the door) and available from See Tickets.