Perth Blues Club, Charles Hotel, 509 Charles Street, Dog Swamp

Tuesday 28 August

Best of British

Featuring:

• Empire Blues
• Dr Charlie
• Gary Cox (solo)

Tickets $10/$5 PBC Members

Empire Blues is a blues trio that draws its influences from the British blues invasion of the 1960s, through to today. Well-known local blues guitarist and proprietor of the Perth based guitar store "The Rock Inn", Andrew McIlroy established the band in mid-2005.

He then looked outside the circle of established blues performers and asked Alan Dawson, long-time acquaintance and owner of Witzend Recording Studios Fremantle, to join him on bass guitar with Gavin Kerr, a well respected drummer from the Perth Jazz scene, to form the trio.

Besides the standard trio set up of vocals, guitar, bass and drums, the band regularly switches in the middle of a set to a traditional blues/roots feel by using an old 1930s Dobro acoustic, fretless bass and brushes on the drums. This provides some great dynamics when viewed from a whole night's performance. Also, having dual lead vocalists in Andrew and Alan keeps the audience interest up.

The band has a growing list of original songs as well as covers material from The Animals, The Blues Band, John Mayall, Eric Clapton/Cream, The Rolling Stones, Garry Moore and many other great British Blues artists. Make no mistake - this is a traditional Blues Power Trio with a great selection of up-tempo blues.

Doctor Charlie is a five piece Blues Band. The material consists of re-arranged Blues standards and lesser known Blues material. The origins of the material span the spectrum of Blues from the early pioneers such as Elmore James and Muddy Waters, through to the Modern style of Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Rolling Stones.

The musical style of the band is essentially "driving" and "hard edged" in the tradition of English blues Legend John Mayall.

Originally from Newcastle England, Gary Cox has played guitar for as long as he can remember. He has become a renowned slide guitarist, often performing the film score work of Ry Cooder.  A very diverse musician, Gary's heart is the blues but he also has a love for rock, jazz and classical music and will usually try and integrate some of these genre's in his works. A few of his favourite musicians are Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa, Kate Bush and Pink Floyd amongst many many others. A true melting pot and a truly gifted musician.

Coming soon:

• Big Joe Louis (UK) & Lynwood Slim (USA) 25/9
• Leszek Cichonski (Poland) & Nervous Investors 2/10
• Festival of the Fret 9/10
• Kyla Brox (UK) 23/10

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Annie Johnsson Publicity
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