Events

Her music career began in a small suburban town of Sydney Australia and since then has taken her on an incredible journey throughout the globe.  Combining slide guitar, soulful vocals and a heartfelt approach to songwriting,  Kara's  truly unique sound will leave you  uplifted, inspired and always wanting more.

 At the age of 16 Kara joined with her brother Mitch Grainger to form the band "Papa Lips". The band toured consistently throughout Australia and produced two studio albums that received national air play.

The band was heavily influenced by the sounds of Stax recording in Memphis, and by the Funky style of blues and soul that derived from New Orleans.

In 2008 Kara signed to Australian label "Craving Records" and was invited to the US by producer David Kalish where she recorded her debut solo album. The recording entitled "Grand and Green River" received critical acclaim and remained in the top 30 of the Americana Charts for 38 straight weeks.

Since then Kara has made three further albums whilst residing in the US. In 2011 "LA Blues" was recorded live at Studio City Sound. The cd paid tribute to some of Kara's earliest blues inspirations and in 2013 kara recorded and released"Shiver and Sigh" through Los Angeles record label "Eclecto Groove." The album was produced by grammy award winning producer David Z with some of LA's finest musicians, including Mike Finnigan, Hutch Hutchinson, James Gadson and Kirk Fletcher among others. 

One of Kara’s touring highlights was performing in North east India for the Himalayan Blues Foundation. Her performance at the "18 degrees cultural Festival" introduced the local community to roots and blues music for the very first time.

She has traveled to Indonesia several times to perform at the the Jakarta International Blues Festival, performing together with her US band and also as a special guest with "The Jakarta all Women Blues Review".

In 2011 she toured Japan openning the show for "The Swampers and Donnie Fritts", the infamous house Rhythm section for "Fame Recordings" in Muscle Shoals…She has taken her band to Switzerland where she performed at the "Sierre Blues Festival" as well as "Lucerne". The band has also toured in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and Spain..

In the US Kara has performed at several Festivals such as 'The Portland Waterfront Blues Festival', 'Blues from the Top' in Colorado and "Austin City Limits". She has also opened the show for many extraordinary acts such as Peter Frampton, Buddy Guy,Taj Mahal and Jonny Lang, to name a few.

The young Thorbjørn Risager grew up in the small town of Jyllinge, about 30km from Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen. The former fishing village sits on the eastern shores of Roskilde Fjord with a bustling harbour that has stunning views where the sunset meets the distant hamlet horizon. Staring out into the expanse of clouds and the undisturbed landscape opposite as the breeze ambles past, blowing on the fjord, which hides Viking stories of times past, watching the sun go down – it’s hard for anyone not to sit, think, reflect and dream of the world beyond.

He grew up in a household where both parents were music teachers. “It was very natural for me to pick up an instrument and play,” he says. “I started with the mandolin, then guitar, then saxophone until high school when I discovered that singing was even more fun.”

He was introduced to the sound of the Rock ‘n’ Roll greats – Elvis, Fats Domino and Little Richard – listening to his neighbours’ record collection before discovering the music of B.B. King and Ray Charles in his late teens. This changed everything.

Support is from The Jensen Inerceptors.

The Jensen Interceptors are one of the most authentic and exciting Blues bands to hit the UK scene in recent years. Playing in the classic blues style, fronted by harmonica ace Gary Martin, the band tear through a mix of covers by the likes of Slim Harpo/ Little Walter/ T’Bone Walker and Muddy Waters as well as their own originals which are all delivered with the authentic Jensen spin

 

 

 

 

The S.H.I.T!
 
With the world on an ever increasing downward spiral and the very foundations of society crumbling around our ears, four indomitable members of the international blues & rock community have come together in celebration of the mess that is the here and now.  Yes, these like minded musical badasses: Ian Siegal (guitar/vocals); Mike Hellier (drums); Roger Inniss (bass) and Rob Tognoni (guitar/vocals), having finally been defecated out after of years of paying their dues to the blues and rock greats of yesteryear, have grouped together to form the band: The S.H.I.T!
 
"The evolution of The S.H.I.T! was right under our noses ... Siegal, Hellier, Inniss, Tognoni. It was a sign to finally be S.H.I.T.!" writes Rob Tognoni on his inspiration behind forming this mighty supergroup.  "The world can finally enjoy a good S.H.I.T! show."
 
The S.H.I.T! Line up
 
"The S.H.I.T! is about to hit the fans!" - Ian Siegal
 
Ian Siegal - Siegal’s long list of past achievements include 13 British Blues Awards, 3 Mojo Blues Albums of The Year, 4 European Blues Music Awards, and 3 US Blues Awards nominations. Classic Rock Magazine hails Siegal as a “National Treasure”.
 
Mike Hellier - Mike has played with Mike Scott from The Waterboys and toured and recorded extensively with some wonderful artists including James Hunter, Johnny Thunders, Sherman Robertson, Mike Vernon and many more. He has spent five years touring Europe with the eldest son of Muddy Waters, Mud Morganfield, appearing with Mud on ‘Later with Jools Holland’ with Jools himself guesting on piano.  "Mike Hellier - you're a shuffling motherf*!ker" - Jimmy Carpenter.
 
Roger Inniss - When Roger was a little boy he often dreamt of becoming an aircraft pilot, motor racing driver or painter like Salvador Dali. As he grew older he became aware of how these dreams influenced his life. As a musician Roger enjoys the freedom to fly like the pilot, he loves the attention to detail and teamwork of a motor racing driver and enjoys the surrealism of life and music like Dali.
 
Rob Tognoni - Rob Tognoni (AKA the Tasmanian Devil) has been treading stages worldwide for the past 40 years. He has opened for the greats - Roy Buchanan, Stevie Ray Vaughan's mentor Lonnie Mack, Joe Walsh from the Eagles, shared stages with Peter Green, Sting, ZZ Top, Bo Diddley. He has played venues all the way from maximum security prisons in Australia to Mozart's House in Vienna!.
 
Expect blues, expect roots, expect Americana but, above all, believe in the words of Rob Tognoni: "make no mistake we will always be the S.H.I.T!" and in Ian Siegal when he writes: “The S.H.I.T! just got real!”

Support comes from The Debt Collectors

Dom Martin was brought up in the often tough, but community driven streets of Belfast Northern Ireland and has certainly paid his life and musical dues. 

He has made a fairly 'meteoric' rise in terms of today's industry with his jaw dropping, entirely natural sounding and unforced/unschooled skill on acoustic guitar, matched with an authentic 'Belfast Blues' voice, bringing to mind comparisons with many from (Glasgow born) John Martyn to Rory Gallagher, with nods to many in-between, not least perhaps the likes of Van Morrison and Foy Vance.

Dom has won multiple awards for his acoustic work with a 2019 European award, UK awards in 2020/2021/2022 and as a result is now an inductee in the UK Blues Hall of Fame.

Dom is equally adept on electric with his power trio, having won the UK Blues Awards Best Instrumentalist Award 2022 & 2023. The trio is always an extremely popular addition to any blues/rock festival.

In late 2018 Dom was invited by Cerys Matthews to play a live session on the BBC Radio 2 Blues Show and she described his work as “absolutely wonderful stuff”. 

At the end of 2019 Dom released his debut album, “Spain to Italy” which attracted a lot of attention and promised a successful career ahead for the Irishman.

A second and highly reviewed studio album "A Savage Life" was released in April 2022 which cemented Dom's place in the UK and European Blues/Rock scene and in September 2023 he released his latest album "Buried In The Hail" on Forty Below Records scoring many top marks with reviewers and gaining Classic Rock Magazines "Blues Album of The Month" above many industry top names. 

In August 2023 Dom and his band gained many new fans whilst aboard Joe Bonamassa's KTBA Mediterranean Cruise III and he was certainly the talk of the ship. 

“Dom Martin is the next rising star in the global roots scene. Jump aboard now before he passes you by.” – Rock and Blues Muse

Support comes from Blue Nation
 

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

Support is from The Robin Robertson Blues Band. 

With a set list of original songs and covers that are heavily influenced by the Blues, The RRB are committed to highlighting the place of strong, talented women in the Blues and Rock genres; whether writers or singers.  As expected, the infuences of the band members, from Soul to Jazz, can't help finding their way into the set in some small way. With great musicianship, technical ability and real energy, audiences are guaranteed a powerful, and enjoyable live experience.