The earliest incarnations of the John Verity Band supported legends such as Hendrix, Mountain, Canned Heat and Janis Joplin, and he was quickly signed up as the replacement for Argent's Russ Ballard after Ballard quit the band in 1972. Later John spent a few years producing, playing guitar or providing backing vocals for various acts including Motorhead, Ringo Starr, Russ Ballard, Brian Connolly, John Parr, BowWowWow and The Searchers amongst others.

Blues Face are a local band that started out from a project between Emerge Community Arts and Adult Learning Wales in 2016. The band write and record their own music and play covers. Our judges awarded them first prize in our battle of the bands competition. They will receive a musical instrument of their choice, donated by charity “Music for All” and a £100 cash prize donated by one of our Gold Sponsors “Special Needs Care”.

Over the span of 30 years, he’s worked on the railway, busked in the streets of London, provided backup vocals and guitar for Van Morrison, played clubs and theatres all over the world, written scores of original songs, and recorded some of the most original and honest rhythm & soul albums of the last two decades. By 2006, Hunter was recognized with nominations for a GRAMMY® Award and an American Music Award. He and his band then hit the road for a decade of extensive touring and recorded three additional critically-acclaimed studio albums. By 2016, MOJO magazine had crowned him The United Kingdom’s Greatest Soul Singer.

Elles Bailey has a talent for crafting and seamlessly weaving rootsy blues, country, and soulful rock, with a contemporary edge. What’s more fate has blessed her with a ‘smoky vocal’ style that perfectly fits her music, after a stint in hospital as a child changed her voice forever. Her 2017 debut album ‘Wildfire’ assembled a host of Nashville’s finest and debuted at no.2 in the iTunes blues Charts. Tracked in Blackbird Studios, Tennessee then blended together back in the UK with the likes of Jonny Henderson on Hammond organ and Joe Wilkins on blistering guitar, the result is a unique trans-Atlantic coming together of styles.

At only 25, a young prodigy, songwriter, guitarist playing with a stunning maturity and voice. He'll take you on a musical journey where the vintage elegance of the sixties and its detonating energy do wonders. Alexis Evans trains delivers an original repertoire in performances full of joy and good Rhythm'n'Blues vibrations. A healthy cocktail to discover as soon as possible, this sextet will continue to surprise many!

The Liam Ward Band are known for originals that push blues boundaries, bringing you some of the freshest British blues on offer. One of the UK’s most revered harmonica players, vocalist and harp player Liam Ward is a winner of the National Harmonica League Player of the Year.

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. However, they 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.

In 2011 Chris was awarded the accolade of being one of the top undiscovered guitarists worldwide by the acclaimed international music photographer Robert Knight; who in partnership with guitar manufacturer Fender was searching the globe to find the next great guitarist. In 2013, Chris’ online popularity began to soar, after gaining millions of hits on YouTube he quickly established himself as Twitter’s most followed blues guitarist worldwide, such interest encouraged Chris to self-produce and release his first single: ‘Lipstick On Her Cigar’. The single hit No.1 on the iTunes & Amazon Blues charts, after just one day of sales. In 2014, huge public demand for live performances led Chris to form his own 4-piece group: ‘The Chris King Robinson Band’ which quickly gained recognition as one of the most exciting live bands in the country.

Dale's passion for New Orleans music saw him perform his debut theatre gig as a soloist, concentrating on the New Orleans piano styles. The success of that performance led to further dates and Dale has not looked back since. Dale's ambition has always been to play the music of New Orleans, which can be anything from a classically influenced minuet, a latin rhumba, a back o' town junker blues to a frenzied boogie woogie.

Just 25 years old, Greg is already an accomplished and highly respected musician with a track record including lengthy spells in the legendary Two Tone/Ska Band The Selecter and in the West End. Greg has his own special, fiery, impassioned brand of Rhythm & Blues, putting his own stamp on the music of the greats who inspire him, reminding people of all ages of why this music once dominated the world. While Greg is well known for his livewire on-stage performances, he could not make the impact he does without his stunning, hand-picked band of crack musicians who help him rock any house he appears in. With a first album of original music lined up for a 2017 release, why not be among the first to hear of Greg's new songs?

Brilleaux is a high-energy, hard driving, British-style rhythm and blues band from New Zealand in the style of bands such as Dr Feelgood, Wilko Johnson, and Nine Below Zero, and in a similar vein to earlier exponents of the genre such as The Yardbirds, Early Rolling Stones, and Johnny Kid and the Pirates. Brilleaux currently have 8 albums under their belts! A typical set by Brilleaux consists of a mixture of British R&B Classics and exciting original material that these masters of Rhythm and Blues have been performing at festivals around the country since 1999. There is nobody in New Zealand playing Rhythm and Blues like these guys!

KuRtZ join the festival from Anglesey and features Laurie 'the Raven' Gane, founding member of the Yardbirds and proprietor of the Bryn Derwen recording studios. KuRtZ will be joined by Laurie Garman on the harmonica, 'one of the best and most under-rated players in Britain' -Paul Jones BBC Radio2.

Burning Black is everything you ever expected to hear from a blues band and more, hard hitting rhythm with dynamic riffs to classy acoustic numbers.

Mr Hugh Price plays Delta and early Chicago style Blues. He has moved back to North Wales from Somerset where he hosted Blues evenings and played in the pubs and clubs in the South West as well as supporting The Heritage Blues Orchestra at the Moon Club in Cardiff. Hugh is a regular guest at The Big Wheel Blues Festival on the Isle Of Man and has played at the Dundee Blues Bonanza and Village Pump Folk Festival. Hugh is also a glass artist and painter.

Colin has worked as a pro guitarist since the age of 17, playing with artists such as Gary Barlow, China Crisis, Paul Carrack, Ruby Turner & recently with French writer Nicolette Picheral and Director Stéphane Vérite. Currently performing lots of solo acoustic performances, he has also been touring with Toyah Willcox on her Up Close & Personal Acoustic Tour. Colin is an extremely well connected musician who is always accompanied by top session professionals.

Bobcat Billy’s Moonshine Mission play a mix of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rockabilly. Well known for playing a good selection of classic rock n roll favourites, they also put their own twist on some more modern tunes. They cover artistes as far and wide as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, The Rolling Stones, Imelda May, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Costello, The Yard Birds and many more.

Delta Radio mix psychedelic experimentalism, classic rock, and electric blues. Their sound can move effortlessly from the grit and groove of Howlin’ Wolf and Captain Beefheart, to the jazz infused finesse of The Allman Brothers and Derek Trucks. The band, from North Wales, are equally at home playing their own material, as they are reworking blues classics in their own style. Look out for their debut EP, which they will be recording later in the year.