2019 Autumn….

 

As well as the online ticket provision via We Got Tickets, tickets can also be purchased at our box office: The Shire Hall, 11 Market Place, Howden, DN14 7BJ where online tickets can also be purchased. 

Telephone 01430 432510

Doors are 7.30 for 8pm unless otherwise stated.

2020

HEART OF GLASS

FEBRUARY  1st  £20

SOLD OUT…SOLD OUT…SOLD OUT…

 

When this band announced their final gig at Tribfest in August it was, at Tribfest. It is a tremendous honour that they have chosen to play their final ever gig, in their 20th year, at the Shire Hall. A few years ago they nearly called it a day and it was a Howden audience that persuaded them not to. This fianal appearance will be the bands 14th in Howden, a record if ever there was one, sell out performance after sell out performance are a measure of what you are in for on this very, very special occasion. HEART OF GLASS fronted by the delectable Denise Danielle described as ‘the closest to Debbie Harry yet!’ A cast iron guarantee of a superbly entertaining night out .
Heart of Glass are the foremost Blondie Tribute band in the UK. Lead singer Denise Danielle who has put together a stunning replication of a ‘Blondie’ show with all the favourite classics plus a lot more: Atomic, Maria, The Tide Is High, Hanging On The Telephone, Call Me, Denis, One Way Or Another, Sunday Girl and many, many more.
Denise prides herself on authenticity and does 6 costume changes during a show, each reflecting on the various songs. There is no finer exponent of the songs, style and raw energy of Deborah Harry and Blondie. This is like experiencing the real Blondie in 1978. This evening really will be something very, very special indeed, as well as bringing your dancing shoes you may want a few tissues as well…..

 

A personal message from Denise Danielle: 

“I’m writing this message to everyone in Howden, where do I start? Early in 2019 me and my band decided to call it a day for Heart Of Glass, as you all know we have been performing as Blondie for 20 years now, we have all decided it is time to move on, we performed our last gig at Tribfest in August 2019, it was very emotional, but then Mark Rodger contacted me and asked me if I would do one final performance at Howden’s Shire Hall, well, what can I say, I love Howden and the people of Howden have always supported us, so to celebrate 20 years together, and also as my way of saying goodbye to all our followers and loyal fans in Howden ,we will be performing our last ever Blondie gig at my favourite venue, also a big thank you to Mark, he has looked after us over the years and is a true friend of the band now, please keep supporting the Shire Hall, it is a brilliant venue, we are honoured to have played there for almost 14 consecutive years now, you have made me and my band feel so loved every time we play there, I am going to miss you all, but everything comes to an end. I hope to see you all there on February 1st for our final farewell, it will be a sad day, but thank you Howden for all your support and love, I will be auctioning my vulture t shirt ,signed by Deborah Harry on the night , all proceeds will go to cancer research, so it’s a goodbye from me, and see you all on the night , love you all xxx. Xxx”

 

CHANTEL McGREGOR

FEBRUARY 15th  £14

A female guitar prodigy, at 14 Chantel was told by major labels that she had a “great voice, but girls don’t play guitar like that!”  Wisely ignoring the comments, she enrolled at the Leeds College of Music and became the first student in the college’s history, to achieve a 100% pass mark, with 18 distinctions.  Chantel left with a First Class Honours degree in Popular Music and a coveted prize, the college’s musician of the year award.

In previous years, Chantel stepped out in the pro-musician world and her stunning live performances demonstrated that she had the ability to perform rock for the new age, played by a musician born with an effortless virtuosity.  Since then, she has built a loyal and growing fan base who follow her every move.

If you measure an artist’s prospects by the company they keep, then Chantel has been moving in the right direction. Early in her career, Chantel was invited to perform with Joe Bonamassa, on two of his UK tours.

When Chantel released her 2011 debut album, Like No Other, one critic said, “Chantel McGregor deserves to be held up as a messiah of blues-rock and given her own mountain. She doesn’t strum or pick her guitar but almost bends and distorts it, as if she’s channelling the ghost of Hendrix through her fingers” 

The album was produced by Livingstone Brown, whose production credits include Ed Sheeran, Robin Trower, and Shakira. The end result was a beautifully crafted debut album that showcased Chantel’s versatility and talent as a singer-songwriter. 

Chantel’s follow up album, Like Control, again produced by Livingstone Brown, was released in October 2015 to critical acclaim.

All About Rock’s review of the album said:

‘The album in its entirety has a common theme running through of gothic imagery which makes it almost a concept album but each track stands out on its own. Chantel’s double tracked vocals are amazingly tight & the production on this album sounds loose which is a compliment to Livingstone Brown & Chantel who have obviously spent a lot of time on the arrangements. The girl can obviously shred but she does so in a very understated & despite the title of the album, a controlled way. Recommended for fans of blues, rock, Jeff Buckley, Marillion, Big & Rich, Country & Nick Drake. This is a hard album to categorize & pigeon hole which in this day & age of labels & boxes is a good thing.’

Planetmosh reviewed the album with the following comment:

‘The album is full of great guitar work, but Chantel McGregor isn’t just a guitar player – she does the vocals too and they are equally impressive.  She’s got a great voice and the variety of songs on the album allows her to demonstrate a range of styles vocally.  It really is a great album.’

The single, Take The Power, was playlisted for 5 weeks on Planet Rock radio.

Chantel has recently been interviewed for features on Sky News, BBC Radio Five Live and BBC Radio Four.

In December 2018, Chantel launched her own Podcast, which has been very successful, earning a place in the iTunes Podcast Charts.

Chantel recorded a live album at the end of March 2019 titled ‘Bury’d Alive’, this was released on the 6th of September 2019 and received wonderful reviews.

Chantel is currently writing for her third studio album and recording an acoustic album, debuting some of the new tracks on her 2019 tour which took place throughout the UK and Europe.

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

SANDRA’S WEDDING, The BROKEN ORCHESTRA & ALEX GOLISTI  

FEBRUARY 29th £10 

 

Sandra’s Wedding: My well-thought-out finale to 28 bands in 28 days has suddenly been thrown into turmoil. Having set aside the last two days of my new music feature for a singer/songwriter from New Zealand and a rock ‘n’ roll combo from Finland, I happened to notice, late last night, that an outfit by the name of SANDRA’S WEDDING had started to follow me on twitter. Of course, I reciprocated and was immediately taken aback by the outrageous claim in their Twitter profile (courtesy of a review by Radio York), that the band was ‘a cross between The Beautiful South and The Smiths’. Could it possibly be true? I held my breath, followed the links, and played the first song, “This Heart”, from 2017’s Northern Powerhouse album…….it was love at first listen!

As I worked my way through the album, it became apparent that there was an ace lyricist at work here – anyone rhyming Fray Bentos with asbestos in the middle of a pop song called “Death by Hanging” is top drawer in my book – and that I urgently needed to discover just who the mystery wordsmith was. It also dawned on me that it would be a dereliction of duty not to include Sandra’s Wedding in 28 bands. I certainly couldn’t scratch either of my last two acts (hey, I’m not wasting the hard work I’ve put in), so I’m just going to pretend that it’s a leap year and that February has 29 days this year and therefore 29 bands!

The wedding singer (and songwriter), by the way, is Joe Hodgson and he is backed by Jonny Hughes, guitar and Luke Harrison on drums. The band hails from Goole and describe their debut album as featuring ‘sepia-tinged songs focusing on love, loss and life in a Northern town’. They credit The Byrds, Randy Newman, ABBA, and, it should go without saying, The Smiths and The Beautiful South among their many influences!

Alex Golisti: Northern based songwriter of no renown. Did folk music for a while. After discovering that it wasn’t much fun. Stopped doing it. Deciding to become a bricklayer, then a nurse, then a cyrpto-miner, then bought an electric guitar.

Moving into a shed doing nothing but talking to the dog and listening to Radio 6. Resulted in a blend of lyrically uncomplicated simple music. R&B, country, funk, R&B, Low-fi stuff.

Quotes
“Truly divine” – BBC Radio York

St. James, Spanish Pl. BBC York Introducing Track of The Week

“To hear an emerging artist debut with such a polished pained sound is quite something – Aural alchemy.” – Amelia Vandergast AnR Factory

“I hear it on my way to the loo, sounds alright” -Housemate

THE BROKEN ORCHESTRA:

Effortlessly blending elements of nu jazz, downtempo and electronic music, The Broken Orchestra are a Hull, UK based trip-hop act. Playing out like a dream, with moments of energy and lush sonic soundscapes, to moments clear and still as water. Organic instruments are meticulously chopped, sampled and repurposed into melodic and textural cinematic music both conceptual and heartfelt. 

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

ABSOLUTE FREE!

FRIDAY MARCH 13th  £10

 

Absolute Free are a brand new tribute to one of the most powerful, soulful, and dynamic bands to have one from the golden era of the late 60’s British blues boom.

The magic created by this band playing at full tilt has to be seen and heard to be believed. Hayden Carter ( bass) and Sean Clough on drums join Steve Fulsham ( guitar/vocs) ,to show their pride and passion for the music of Free, and to give fans the most authentic sounding experience of the band that inspired them the most .

Focusing purely on their music ( no wigs) this is a rearranged show from last year following their headline appearance at the 2019 Annual Free convention .

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

GARY STEWART’S GRACELAND

SATURDAY MARCH 14th  £15

At Howden Minster

THE BECKWATER BUSHWACKERS

MARCH 28th. £10. At Howden Working Mens Club.

8 for 8.30

Bringing their blues/folk/irish/country rock style to Howden Working Mens Club The Beckwater Bushwackers.

Playing Foot stomping, Dance along, Sing along, Classics, all given the “Bushwacker” twist, guaranteed to have you all joining in.

Formed from experienced, accomplished musicians from all genres of music, each member has a unique style, which cuts through clearly during their live shows.

Jon Rock Lawson (Vocals / Guitar / Harmonica) Nick Country Oldridge (Vocals / Bass)
Steve Blues Jessop (Vocals / Lead Guitar)
Tony Bluegrass Sturdy (Vocals / Guitar / Banjo / Harmonica) Brian Rock Taylor (Drums / Cajon / Percussion).

If you’re after a great night of music / entertainment, ranging from Blues, to Irish Folk, to AC/DC and everything in between then we’ll guarantee it.

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

 

ODETTE

APRIL 11th.  £12.50

Odette Adams spent four years travelling the world, paying her way by working as a singer on cruise ships. Using her free time on those long voyages to concentrate on her playing and writing, she returned from her travels with a collection of songs which form her debut album, “A Shake Of The Hand”. Odette’s travels and diverse musical influences have fundamentally shaped the sound of her music. These songs do not sit entirely in any particular genre, but sound very confident where they are.

​Odette is passionate about the power music has to positively impact people’s lives and writes about life from a joyful and profound perspective.

​Her debut album, “A Shake Of The Hand”, which was reviewed highly by Clive Davis in The Sunday Times, is extremely popular and introduces her fresh, vibrant and summery sound. The album was immaculately produced by Phil Taylor of Laurel Sound Studios and features excellent musicians to include the incredible Geoff Gascoyne (Jamie Cullum) on double bass and world renowned multi-percussionist, Pete Lockett, on tabla. To read more about the illustrious and varied players on this album go to click here.

​After completing two national UK tours during the last two years, playing at venues such as Fleece Jazz, Whitby Music Port Festival, Wigan Jazz Festival and Pizza Express in Dean Street, Odette and her band of exceptional musicians will be on the road again this autumn 2019 on a third national tour to introduce brand new, beautifully-crafted songs from her upcoming second album, “Start With The Rain”.

​With Indian, African, Mediterranean, jazz and folk flavours, Odette and her band delight with a fresh and vibrant sound. Click here to meet the band.

​”Writing for my second album is well underway and I’m in a really good creative place”

​Exciting things to come!

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

 

THE MUMFORD AND SONS EXPERIENCE

APRIL 25th   £14

When Mumford & Sons announced the release of Delta, their 4th studio album, alongside a hugeworld tour for 2019, it delighted fans across the globe. From their americana folk style roots, theMumford sound has developed and grown over the last ten years and won the hearts and minds ofmillions. UK based tribute band Chasing Mumford are 5 full time musicians who are all massive fansand committed to recreating the sound and songs of Mumford & Sons as faithfully as possible. Allmulti-instrumentalists and with beautiful 4 part vocal harmonies, they capture the spirit, image and vibe of the original band in their new show “The Mumford & Sons Experience”.

Having toured with the
likes of Scouting for Girls, The Hoosiers, Pixie Lott and Mungo Jerry, this talented group present anamazing show of stadium highs and intimate simplicity and is sure to be loved by Mumford fans and indie folk lovers alike.
THE BAND
Chase Williams – Acoustic Guitars, Mandolin, Vocals
Benji Dryden – Keys, Piano, Vocals
Iain Phillips – Double Bass, Electric Bass, Vocals
Dan Bell Wilding – Banjo, Electric Guitar, Vocals
John Knox – Drums, Percussion, Vocals

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

THE REVOLUTIONAIRES

MAY 9th  £12.50

Part of the 3rd Howden Vintage day, Without doubt one of the very best bands ever to have appeared on the Shire Hall stage and they are in some illustrious company believe me…

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!

 BUY TICKETS HERE….

 

MAX BIANCO & THE BLUEHEARTS

& CROOKED WEATHER

MAY 23rd  £12.50

Folk with a modern twist is in store as Max Bianco & The Bluehearts bring some heartfelt, country music-influenced songs to Howden. Howden Live regulars will remember Max from the late lamented  JAR FAMILY.

There’s still a nice slice of indie pop and a subtle rock and roll vibe that give it all a distinctive sound, and with their new EP out this month, there’s some new songs that will feel immensely vibrant to hear. Having only really kicked off as a band in 2019, the band are moving and shaking thanks to some intelligent songwriting, with songs rich in heart and soul and a real rustic honesty clashing against a beautiful guitar sound and Bianco’s unique vocal melodies.

Singer Songwriter Max Bianco and his band the Bluehearts are destined for great things. Like a new age Bob Dylan and the Band, Max writes great songs and performs them in a style all his own. Catch these guys now before they get too famous

Crooked Weather are a rock infused folk band, based out of a tragic mustard 1979 campervan. They hail from the depths of East Yorkshire, with the lilting harmonies of Holly & Will at the core. Their original music, steeped in the folk revival of the late 60’s, has a raw, modern edge, augmented by Tom and Dave: a fierce rhythm section. 

​Building up a steady reputation for their unpredictably dynamic live shows, they’ve supported the likes of Jeffrey Lewis, Micheal Chapman, Mike Heron (Incredible String Band), Jim Jones, Dick Gaughan, Roddy Woomble & Bridget St. John

BUY TICKETS HERE