MUSIC
It is our tremendous pleasure to announce that this autumn 2016 season is now officially the 30th anniversary season of HOWDEN LIVE/HOWDENSHIRE LIVE ARTS. The fundamental ethos of Howden Live/HLA is still ” Enjoying live entertainment in the company of others”. Please join us in this wonderful celebration season.
HATS OFF TO LED ZEPPELIN
Sat 1st Oct, 2016
£12.50
The Official UK No.1 tribute to the gods of Rock and Roll! Hats Off to Led Zeppelin are proud to be the only tribute act in the UK officially endorsed by Marshall amplifiers and they are managed by none other than Warren Grant … for the uninitiated, his father Peter was Led Zeppelin’s manager! “Hats Off to Led Zeppelin are the closest you are going to get” Warren said after first seeing the band.
Close your eyes and let these four world class musicians take you back to when Led Zeppelin ruled the earth! Having played with Queen, Ray Davies, Edwin Starr, Iron Maiden, Gerry & the Pacemakers, PJ Proby, Shaun Ryder & the Seahorses as well as appearing in a plethora of London Shows including We Will Rock You, Thriller LIVE!, Wicked, Billy Elliot, Dancing in the Streets, Return to the Forbidden Planet and Buddy to name but a few, these guys are a truly professional outfit guaranteed to give you a night that you won’t forget in a hurry!
With glowing endorsements from Led Zeppelin’s tour manager Richard Cole – “Worth seeing … entertainment with style”; Led Zep biographer Dave Lewis – “a refreshing no nonsense approach … this band delivers every time!”; and the BBC – “an outstanding concert”, along with audience and critical acclaim – “Shut your eyes and you would think you were listening to the real thing”, this is a show not to be missed!
If you want to see one of the most exciting live acts around then book your ticket now! Think you know tribute bands? Think again!
BUY TICKETS HERE These are they at the hall in 2014…….
LISA MILLS
Sat 15th Oct, 2016. £10
deeply personal project, Mama’s Juke Book will be comprised of songs Lisa found by chance in her late mother’s possessions—specifically, in a Dollar Store General spiral notebook in which her mother had handwritten lyrics to 25 of her favorite country tunes, all dating from the early ‘70s. Her mother, Jan Powell, was a country music devotee who unfortunately passed away in 2012. In addition to her love of music, Jan unconditionally loved her daughter, was her biggest fan and most enthusiastic promoter, and not least of all, was her trusted confidant. In a real sense Mama’s
DOGFINGER STEVE may be getting a little ‘ho hum’ these days about being referred to as ‘Driffields answer to Seasick Steve’ but such comparisons are affectionate in the face of self penned, stompin’ cigar box guitar toons performed with passion and their very own brand of originality. Five years ago Dogfinger was born, stomping out a boutique brand of dirty swamp slide blues music on 3 and 4 string homegrown cigar box guitars and stompboxes. Three CDs and hundreds of gigs down the line, supports with the likes of Chris Helme, Skerryvore, Paul Liddell, many many festival appearances including Freedom, Beverley Blues, Beverley Folk… The Dogfinger army grows and gigs are always seat of the pants swamp fun.COLIN BLUNSTONE
£15.00 Saturday October 29th.
Now rightly regarded as one of the most innovative British groups of their brief but brilliant 1960s incarnation, the Zombies’ name was happily reactivated by Colin and keyboard wizard Rod Argent for globally acclaimed records and tours, as they built up to the 50th anniversary of their formation in 2011. That was fuelled by the incredible afterlife of their fabled (and famously misspelt) ‘Odessey and Oracle’ album, released after the band’s initial split in 1968. By 2003, its brilliant originality was recognised with a place in the top 100 of Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 Albums of All Time list, and it went on to win Mojo’s Classic Album award in 2009. Blunstone’s timeless tones have been at the forefront of the Zombies’ ‘She’s Not There,’ ‘Tell Her No’ and ‘Time of the Season,’ collaborations with the likes of Dave Stewart (‘What Becomes of the Brokenhearted’) and the Alan Parsons Project (‘Old and Wise,’ among many other album appearances), and a solo catalogue containing such gems as ‘Say You Don’t Mind,’ ‘I Don’t Believe In Miracles,’ ‘Misty Roses,’ ‘How Could We Dare To Be Wrong’ and ‘Levi Stubbs’ Tears.’
His incomparable voice has been in our consciousness for five decades, on some of the most memorable songs in pop history. In 2016, Colin Blunstone’s amazing heritage is more respected than ever – From media, fans and fellow musicians alike, there’s now fresh appreciation all over the world for Colin’s work in his own name, The core band is guitarist Tom Toomey, who also plays with the Zombies; Pete Billington, who’s played keyboards for the likes of Alison Moyet and Kid Creole; bassist Chris Childs (Andy Summers, Paul Young) and drummer Pat Illingworth (808 State and the other Dave Stewart, the one from Eurythmics). CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
THE BEAUTIFUL COUCH
Sat 12th Nov, 2016
£12.50
Emulating the sound of two of Hull’s finest, and most popular exports, The Beautiful South and The Housemartins. The Beautiful Couch first formed in 2002, playing all over the country. ‘The Couch’ built up a loyal 
following and a huge reputation in the tribute band world. Playing venues such as Liverpool’s The Cavern and the Matthew Street Festival, the KC Stadium in Hull, and they’ve also supported Deacon Blue and The Commitments.After taking a few years off, the Couch returned for a one off gig at Hull City Hall in May 2012. Such was the demand for the band to return, they decided to grab their instruments and return to the stage, and the fans flocked to see them.
Now they’re back and raring to go, if you missed them first time around, don’t make the same mistake again! The Beautiful Couch are: Ed Faulkner, Jan Brumby, Johny Kramer, Adam Parrish, Antoine Robinson, and Pete Bartley.
BUY TICKETS HERE. Nifty vid from last year at the Shire Hall.
THE DISHONOURABLE MEMBER
Murder mystery
Saturday November 19th
£12. 7.20 for 8pm. With a hot dog supper!
BACKGROUND: The year is 1939. All are gathered to hear Agatha Marsh, the most famous crime novelist of the twentieth century, read the final chapter of her latest novel, “The Road to Oblivion”. The novel has been serialised in The Trafalgar magazine, and this is a unique chance to hear the great lady read from her own work before anybody else in the country.Guests arrive to hear Agatha…but before she can complete her reading she apparently falls asleep in her chair. Closer examination reveals she is dead… poisoned.The obvious motive for the murder of Agatha Marsh is 
to prevent her from reading out the final chapter of her book. This book – a work of fiction – is in fact very closely based on real events three years ago, on 1st June 1936. A senior civil servant in the Ministry of Defence was killed in a tragic road accident after apparently falling asleep at the wheel. This man, Sir Peter Chartwell, had been celebrating his 45th birthday that day, and had been visited by a number of people in his Whitehall office shortly before he left to drive back to his house in Little Rochester. Agatha, who had long been a family friend of Chartwell (a surrogate ‘aunty’), had received a letter from him shortly before his death, claiming that he believed somebody meant him harm. When he died shortly afterwards, Agatha began probing his death. The police and other authorities were reluctant to help, but she persevered and eventually came up with a sequence of events which she believed would explain his demise. The only way she knew to bring this to light was to do what she did best – to write it as a story. She crafted a novel based on the characters and events from three years earlier, changing her characters’ names just enough to avoid a legal action. The story has been publicised to great acclaim in The Trafalgar weekly magazine. Now, the final chapter is about to be published, but before she submits the denouement of her novel to her publishers, she gathers together a specially invited audience to hear justice be done as she reads her solution out loud for the first time.Except somebody has found the only way to stop her...
THE REVOLUTIONAIRES!
Saturday 26th November, 2016
£10.00
Scorching a trail across the live music venues of the land is this sizzlin’ hot 1950’s R&B combo…
…The Revolutionaires!
Established within the ‘hotbed’ of the North East music scene in the UK, they power out jumpin’ hot rhythm & blues in their own indomitable hard hitting style.
Primarily, they are influenced by 1940’s and 1950’s R&B. In particular, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Roy Brown but have adopted a harder and more aggressive approach, synonymous with modern blues artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Duke Robillard, Jools Holland and Mike Henderson which helps create their own high energy sound.
Over the last decade, The Revolutionaires have established themselves on the UK and European Rockin’ circuit, as well as the Blues scene.
They have toured extensively both in the UK and abroad, performing at festivals in Ireland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Malta and Dubai.
Highlights include performing at festivals with artistes such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Sting, Tom Jones, Hugh Laurie, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, Walter Trout, Eric Bibb, Albert Lee, Snake Davis and Dave Edmunds.
Now also touring with their Big Band project which consists of extra horns and pianist, The Revs are hitting the Festival circuit with this power house line up and big sound.
They have recorded five CDs to date containing a collection of Hot Rockin’ R&B tracks. Each CD captures the ‘rawness’ and sheer energy of the band, who like to give their performances a ‘hard-edged’ vibe!
If you ‘get yourself down’ to a Revs gig, in the words of the
Ronnie Molleen tune ….
….” We’ll be rockin’ up a storm tonight! ”
BUY TICKETS HERE Click here to see and hear what you are in for………
JOHN OTWAY & Band
3rd December, 2016
£12.50
John Otway is an English singer-songwriter who has built a sizeable cult audience through extensive touring, a surreal sense of humour and a self-deprecating underdog persona.
From the age of 9, John Otway knew he wanted to be a pop star. But even at that young age, having listened to his sister’s Beatles and Stones records, he knew he would never be able to do what they do. However, when his sister got the latest Bob Dylan album, he knew there was a place for him and he set about learning how to play guitar.
A visit to a fortune teller would have a profound effect on the young Otway. After gazing into her crystal ball, she confirmed that Otway would indeed be a star and would have success with a blonde-haired musician. Otway took this prediction very seriously and teamed up with Wild Willy Barrett (the only musician he knew who fitted the fortune teller’s description). In 1972, the pair released their first single. Gypsy/Misty Mountain was a dedication to the fortune teller who had assured Otway that fame and stardom was just around the corner. The single would be the first of a string of flops, but it did capture the attention of The Who’s Pete Townshend who offered to produce a number of tracks for the duo.
BUY TICKETS HERE. Here’s a little taster…….
BON GIOVI
Saturday January £15.
Fronted by UK’s leading Jon Bon Jovi impersonator Andrea Ojano. The band have not only toured lengthily around the UK, for clients such as Harley Davidson, Vodafone, Butlins, Chicago Rock Cafes, Yates, Walkabouts, The British Motorcycle Federation and Jack Daniels, but have also performed internationally in over 25 countries, including The Middle East, Russia, Slovenia, Austria, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France and Ireland to name but a few.
Covering every aspect of Bon Jovi’s extensive career, BON GIOVI perform all the greatest hits such as ‘Living On A Prayer’, It’s My Life, Wanted Dead or Alive, as well as many others from every album ever produced in one amazing stage show which include all these hits and more, not too mention performing rare tracks that even Bon Jovi haven’t performed for many years.So if you’re ready to ‘Runaway’ on ‘One Wild Night’ down that ‘Lost Highway’ for a taste of the some of the world’s greatest Stadium Anthems, the closest you’ll get to the Real Thing.
Formed in August of 1999, with over 16 years UK and International touring experience as a band and nearly 5 times that combined from individual members, this act is without compromise one of the best Tribute acts on the circuit today.
TWO PIANOS
SATURDAY JANUARY 21st.
Al Kilvo is an Americana piano player from Hull, Yorkshire in England, who plays with a style and verve described as that of the ‘Killer’ Jerry-Lee Lewis himself. As a youngster, Al appeared in many line ups in his native Yorkshire UK before forming an original country-folk band with M.G Greaves and the Lonesome Too. He has toured nationally with Hull’s own Beautiful South taking in major venues such as The Hammersmith Odeon and Edinburgh Playhouse. Al continues to home his skills in the musical styles of Americas southern states.In 2013 Al was invited to record an album with his close friend Johnny Pat in the world famous Sun Studios in Memphis TN with Kenny Lovelace and Robert Hall of The Jerry Lee Lewis band. Subsequently the event and recording have been brilliant and now Al and ‘JP’ are enjoying playing the music they love to a wider audience across Europe and the USA. Later in 2013, Al and JP performed in live venues on world famous Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Phil Brady’s in Baton Rouge as they continue to sell the Americans back their music! Al also continued to perform all over northern England and appeared weekly with his Country band in Cottingham ‘The Fork Handles’David Barton is a pianist and singer from Hull in East Yorkshire. From the age of eight, David developed a passion for the blues and boogie woogie piano, later discovering the art of rock & roll piano and likened to other artists such as Jools Holland, Meade Lux Lewis and Jerry Lee Lewis. At the age of 26, David has already performed alongside some of the world’s most accomplished musicians, including jazz maestro Jamie Cullum, American blues guitarist Walter Trout and classical Mezzo-Soprano Katherine Jenkins to name a few. David has performed in venues around the country, including the prestigious Royal Albert Hall. ‘He’s better than me. I have a funny feeling he will have his own show here one day’ – Jamie Cullum, RAH London.THE HILL BILLY TROUPE & BEGGARS BRIDGE
Saturday February 4th £10
A superb double headline concert from two of Hulls finest helping to celebrate the 2017 City of Culture.
The Hillbilly Troupe must be the happiest accident in Hull’s – if not the world’s – cultural history. Sometimes they’re a seven piece, sometimes nine, sometimes more, sometimes less. They’ve been
described as a cross between the Pogues and Lonnie Donegan, while ‘mucky skiffle’ was one of the more memorable labels that have been attached to them, though they refused to be defined; they are too busy being musical, having fun and bringing that all home to you to be bothered with pigeonholes. Creating a heady brew of folk mixed with punk and ska and a healthy dose of Americana, they perform often autobiographical songs that spell out their meteoric riches to rags descent and first hand experiences of God, struggle, bandits, impending madness, telling lies, lost love, travel, drug abuse, murder, redemption, exile and the Costa Del Sol, all drowned in a lethal cocktail of whisky, cider and beer. Call the cops!
Beggar’s Bridge are a Hull-based band who have been continuing the tradition of fine folk acts to come out of the city, and blowing away a few cobwebs at folk and roots venues across the North of England for a couple of years now. Many of their songs are based upon the folklore that has developed around the people, places and events of their home county of East Yorkshire, encapsulating its rural, urban and maritime heritage, and they have a sound that straddles both the traditional and the contemporary, leaping from sparse and melancholic into the realms of stirring folk-rock, in the blink of an eye. Their recently-released second album, ‘Short Stories, Tall Tales’, proved to be a hit in the folk and roots media, with Tim Carroll of Folkwords calling it “a memorable piece of folk-rock”, Bright Young Folk describing it as “an album which shows why folk song and folk tales are so fascinating” and R2 magazine saying of the album “Everything meshes together perfectly. Very impressive”.
THE SAM KELLY TRIO
Friday March 31st £10
Sam’s debut EP – entitled ‘Your Way Home’ was released in March 2013, which swiftly created a buzz of interest in the folk scene for Sam’s music. He followed this up with the release of the widely acclaimed ‘Spokes’ EP in February 2015. This cemented Sam’s place further as one of the most exciting young prospects in the folk scene – landing him a nomination in the Best Singer category at the 2015 Spiral Earth Awards, and grabbing the attention of BBC Radio 2’s Folk Show. Touring as a trio with Jamie Francis (banjo) and Evan Carson (percussion), Sam has gained a reputation for an incredibly high class and dynamic live show, and the guys are rapidly becoming firm favourites at venues and festivals in all parts of the country. After a barnstorming performance to a completely rammed Club Tent at Cambridge Folk Festival 2015, the guys were invited to play their first session on Radio 2 live from the festival.
Not content with resting on his laurels, Sam enlisted the extraordinary talents of new band members Ciaran Algar (fiddle) and Graham Coe (cello) and went straight back into the studio to record his debut album. ‘The Lost Boys’ came out in November 2015 to a storm of rave reviews, cementing Sam’s place as one of the most rapidly rising stars on the UK folk scene, and enticing Radio 2 to invite the guys into the BBC studios as the featured live session guests on the Mark Radcliffe Show – an honour usually only bestowed upon much more established musicians. The album has also been championed by numerous legends of folk broadcasting, including Mike Harding – who played tracks from the album for four weeks in a row on his online radio podcast. Sam is taking the album on tour throughout 2016 with the full album band, aptly named Sam Kelly and The Lost Boys.
Coming from a family largely made up of Norfolk dairy farmers has left Sam with an unmatched experience of singing in front of hurtfully disinterested Friesians, and his meandering musical journey has ranged from reaching the final of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent as a teenager, to being selected for the first ever EFDSS Artist Development Scheme. Whether playing to 13 million people on prime-time television, or to 10 people in a tiny pub, Sam’s child-like fascination with music shines through, and his passion for discovering and rekindling the sounds of his musical heritage has gained him the respect of peers and audiences worldwide.
“Sam has such a beautiful voice and sings with so much soul. I’ve seen him perform live a few times and he’s amazing” Cara Dillon
“I think this guy is absolutely brilliant… His voice is beyond sublime.” Mike Harding
“Really fabulous stuff” Mark Radcliffe
“A captivating performer, Sam Kelly has one of the best young male voices in British acoustic roots music. Seriously…Check him out!” Sean Lakeman
“The Lost Boys is an outstanding debut album.” Bright Young Folk
“This is the album that the folk world has been awaiting… The Lost Boys is going to be huge.” Folking.com
KAZ HAWKINS.
Saturday May 27th £10.
KAZ HAWKINS and her Band ..…. …Kaz has been wowing UK venues & summer festivals with her new album ‘Feelin’ Good’ featuring 8 original songs & a new take on two vintage favourites. 
Renowned bluesman Paul Jones is a fan, chatting about her tour dates and clearly enjoying her new songs ‘It Ain’t You’ & ‘Don’t Wait For Me’ and her great rendition of ‘Feelin’ Good’ on BBC Radio 2 (Paul Jones said “…terrific vocal performance from her and also lovely guitar playing from Nick McConkey”). The new CD has received stupendous reviews : “Her band is a rhythm powerhouse” and “Multi-award winning and unique with ‘knock your socks off’ vocals from an equally delicious firework of a character”
On her new album and a music video award winner : “This Is Me…. her voice deep with soul and emotion and then the words, they are spell-binding. Stop what you are doing and listen, this is a soulful philosophy for life This is Me and all I wanted to be.” (Bluesdoodles) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ff4t57s3jo
Festivals have said “the audience wouldn’t let her go and the headliners kindly agreed to start late!” … “Kaz Hawkins absolutely fantastic, cannot believe her voice!” … “She lives up to the hype about her forceful presence, leading from the front with her extraordinary voice – not just because of its power, or her occasional incredible falsetto, but more importantly because of its soulfulness”
Invited by BBC Radio Ulster to take part in a special Van Morrison 70th Birthday broadcast in Northern Ireland August 2015, Best Studio Album 2015 (Blues Matters), Best Emerging Artist (British Blues Awards 2015) and Winner of Female Vocalist Pure M Awards (Northern Ireland Industry Award), Winner of Best Music Video 2016 with Pure M Awards and a nominee for the UK Blues Challenge 2016
A fantastic production of “Educating Rita” by Willy Russell is comin g to the Shire Hall on Thursday 9th May at 7.30. Directed by award winning Daniel Slater with original music by internationally renowned compoiser Mark-Anthony Turnage. Check out the touring company’s website http://www.hambledonproductions.com for more information. First time in Howden!
what time do the concerts start?
Doors usually 7.30 for 8pm.
When are tickets going on sale for Martin Turners Wishbone Ash please
Online should be available within the week.
Today.
Coming to the gig on 20th Feb. is it a stand up venue or are their seats?? It would be nice to rest my old bones!!!
Hi Tony, mainly seated, you can stand if you wish to? Considering a dance floor area if you fancy cutting a rug or two?