Not quite country, somewhere beyond folk, 52 year old songwriter from Asheville USA Malcom Holcombe's music is a kind of blues in motion, mapping backwoods corners of the heart.Only Sam Baker is anywhere near in the same songwriting league as Malcom Holcombe - No DepressionBittersweet, country-folk music with a raging man at its core that reminds us there is no one on the contemporary scene like Mr. Holcombe - Wall Street Journal.

The wondeful local songbird Elaine Palmer supports.She has some new cds to sell too...yes

'With a beautifully conversational voice, an unerring sense of melody and a bittersweet and wistful repertoire, Elaine Palmer is undoubtedly a talent.' MOJO

Banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and upright bass certainly conjure certain musical images to mind, and in the past North Carolina’s CCL had been content to play the part - a fun loving bluegrass band. But now with the release of their aptly titled fourth album" IV" they've used bluegrass as a jumping off point, a vernacular through which to access all that is roots music, be that gospel, country, rock or pop. That's American music and they are a great American band."

Jill Barber is a sultry country chanteuse from Ontario Canada & big with the Maverick crowd...

The wonderful american bluegrass multi instrumentalist & indeed legend Tim O'Brien makes a welcome return. In 1978, he became a founding member of the landmark group Hot Rize. By 1990, O'Brien, who had already recorded several albums without Hot Rize, embarked on a solo career. He's now of course, one of the world's premier guitar, mandolin, fiddle & banjo bluegrass/folk players. One of the most prolific collaborators in american roots music too, he's played/recorded with Steve Earle, Garth Brooks, Darrell Scott & with some of Scotland/Irelands best traditional musicians.

Having toured on both sides of the pond with the likes of William Elliott Whitmore, Kelly Joe Phelps, and John Cale amongst others, Welsh singer song writer Christopher Rees recently released his third album Cautionary Tales to widespread acclaim. Featuring guests like much treasured American singer Victoria Williams, Charline Rose (Calexico, Giant Sand) and Becky Newman (The Hot Puppies), "From the first backwater banjo intro, it's a genuinely roots affair that moves through songs of death and danger to wonderfully tender and totally melodic ballads that seems to hang on the most fragile of backdrops. A release that reveals more of itself each time it is reprised Cautionary Tales deserves to be admired".
Fred Dellar (MOJO)

A must for all fans of African music, one of the hottest rumba bands. This nine strong outfit, who include two dancers in their ranks, play Congolese music at its finest. Many people associate rumba music with Cuba, African's argue that the music started in the Congo and many Cuban's agree. Karibu will joined by Newcastle's own Conglolese Youth Band.

North Carolina’s Tift Merritt has shared the stage with Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson and Gillian Welch. Her amazing music defies categorization. Its a uniquely satisfying stew of rock and roll, soul, and country that has record stores scratching their heads and audiences dancing in the aisles. There’s food for thought.

Washington DC’s The Blackbyrds are the legendary jazz-funk ensemble with a thick R&B/soulful groove running down their backs. Assembled in 1974, the group where mined from Howard University's music dept where Donald Byrd the jazz legend was an instructor. "Walking in Rhythm," "Rock Creek Park," and "Happy Music" are there best-known tunes remaining underground club classics to this very day. During the 70s they supported artists like B.B. King, Mandrill, and Roberta Flack & its a massive scoop to have these guys even playing together let alone paying a first visit to UK in decades.

Bournemouth-based brothers Dan and Rich Baker along with bassist Chris Pedley perform a unique style of low down dirty Funk & go by the name Baker Bros .They have released five singles and three albums, "Ten Paces" featuring the voice of London Nu-Jazz/Broken Beat sensation, Vanessa Freeman.

The Felice Brothers made No 13 on The Guardian’s 2007 album poll & have gone from busking on the NYC subway to the Festival stages of Europe and beyond in double quick time. Along the way their distinct brand of songwriting have earned them comparisons to the Pogues,The Band and a young Springsteen. The sound that emerges from their instruments is seeped with an instinctive authenticity that’s rooted in tradition but is also entirely their own. "Scruffy and scratched Americana that recalls Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and early Springsteen." - Time Out

The 29 year old spitfire Sarah Borges has the swagger of Chrissy Hynde and the punch Neko Case & with every plaintive vocal twist and every rollicking guitar turn, offers up proof that this Massachusetts native knows her way around American music. She brings together rock and country flawlessly. This is her debut UK show

With an impossibly infectious hook secreted in each and every song, Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles debut Diamonds In The Dark, on Sugar Hill Records has the rare ability to ensnare those drawn to both unvarnished floors and lace curtains, sweetly-spun pedal steel lines and bare-knuckled drums. It was produced by studio whiz Paul Q Kolderie (Radiohead, the Pixies and Uncle Tupelo).

91year old Dave Honeyboy Edwards is one of the last living links to Robert Johnson, and one of the last original acoustic Delta blues players. He is a living legend, and his story is truly part of history. "Honeyboy is among the last authentic performers in the blues idiom that developed in central Mississippi during the second and third decades of [the 20th] century. Through him, an entire body of great American music lives on.

Three extraordinary voices, two founding singer-songwriters, one singular vision: The Wailin' Jennys continue to evolve into far more than the melodious sum of their individual talents five years after blowing in on a fresh acoustic breeze from Canada's mid-western heartland. "Like Gillian Welch or Alison Krauss, they can make new songs feel traditional and old songs sound brand new." - The Guardian

It has been over 20 years since songsmith Stephen Fearing released his self-titled debut. This contemporary songwriter over the following two decades has built up a very loyal and committed international audience on both the roots/ folk club and festival circuit

Singer songwriter, musician, author, politician & satirist Kinky Friedman (The Kinkster) returns
The Texas native has toured with Bob Dylan, had his songs covered by Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakum & Lyle Lovett & also claims to have been the first full-blooded Jew to take the stage at the Grand Oid Opry.

Rock energy coexists with old-time mountain soul. Spooky backwoods melodies combine with hip, hard-hitting beats. Raw, searing blues riffs intermingle with high heavenly vocals.. but no drums or electricity

Boston’s hot young alternative bluegrass group Crooked Still are on a mission to bend the boundaries of traditional music. The combination of banjo, cello, and double- bass drives this low lonesome band, whose soaring vocals and high-wire solos have enraptured audiences all over North America and Europe since 2001. Four very unique musical personalities merge to form Crooked Still. Aoife O'Donovan's refined, sultry vocals float over Rushad Eggleston's rumbling cello riffs, Dr. Gregory Liszt's futuristic four-finger banjo rolls and Corey DiMario's pulsing bass lines. For those who had the pleasure of seeing Bruce’Springstein’s Seeger Sessions tour, you undoubtedly noticed Greg Listz the banjo player.

R.B. Morris out of Knoxville in the mountains of East Tennessee. He’s a singer-songwriter, poet, playwright & grew up on old-time music and rock 'n' roll, but an older brother pointed him to other influences— Southern writers, the novels of Joyce, Arthur Rimbaud and the music of Bob Dylan. He played his way through the clubs and honkytonks of the mountains, first with bands with old-time fiddlers and then later with groups that rocked. He’s been described as a cross between an urban Woody Guthrie & a rural Tom Waits

Kreg Viesselman – Was last seen here supporting Del McCoury. Here’s his press release.

American songwriter' - that's Kreg's preferred description of himself. He's an artist who consciously sidesteps being labelled or categorized, but his career as restless troubadour and observer of life places him firmly in the classic US songwriter tradition that stretches back to the 1960s, and beyond. Kreg's albums, demonstrate that his music's developed from stripped-down folk-blues to a warm, rich blend of styles - a hint of Southern gospel/soul here, a Celtic lilt there - and with his latest “The Pull”, the music reaches full maturity.

Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs (with Lawyer Dave) are doing a short tour with their soulful twang & twisted blues in support of their album "You cant buy a gun when your crying"

Holly Golightly is mostly recognized from her work with Thee Headcoatees & Billy Childish.She's recorded 12 Lps & 15 singles and appeared on The White Stripes "Elephant"

The Handsome Family have obviously listened to the likes of Willie Nelson and Townes Van Zandt--and even deeper sources, such as The Carter Family--but they've taken this rich tradition a step farther. They fashion a post-modern country sound that blends catchy melodies, deadpan vocals, waves of feedback, and surrealistic lyrics. Their music is both rootsy and thoroughly unhinged; as if the Velvet Underground had come of age in the Ozarks.This is their 4th visit here......

Reggae For The People, starring UK's leading ska & reggae collective Pama Intl (featuring Lynval Golding-The Specials, alongside members from Bentley Rhythm Ace,etc ),  The Slackers (America's premiere interpreters of Jamaican music), The Pietasters (from Washington DC, they backed James Brown!) and Mungos Hi Fi (Scotland's No1 Sound System).  

Popstar and Reggae icon Eddy Grant at the grand young age of 60, on tour with a ten piece band. His songs  'electric avenue', ' I don't wanna dance' and 'living on the frontline' 'killer on the rampage', are classics all over the world. His live shows are fantastic with licks of heavy pop, rock, touch of reggae, calypso & soca. A living legend !

Legendary Bluegrass band from Illinois, Special Consensus began performing in the mid west of USA in 1975. Its 30 + years on & banjo/vocalist  for Greg Cahill who’s  still their leader! Their enhanced by Guitar/Mandolin/Upright Bass & 4 part harmonies.

AJ Roach Trio - Award winning songwriter, based in Austin Texas. The Toy Hearts - Young 5 piece Bluegrass band. Los Yobos Hot Western Swing Quintet + Ratty & The Shitkickers - (Rockabilly) Staggering Jon Lee & His Lo-Life Drifters - (J Richman meets Joy Division) Shipcote & Friends - (Gentle Geordie country-songwriter) Caroline Mary – (Banjo - picking songbird) Mark Beserk - (Alt folk songster), Jack Wilkinson - (Mainstream Country).

 "Queen of Lovers Rock", Janet Kay is famous for "Silly Games". From Kingston Jamaica Michael Prophet  started his career with Yabby You and King Tubby at Channel One.  Another Kingston born legend Earl 16 started out at Studio One and has recorded for Dread Zone and Leftfield. Winston Reedy, lead singer of the Cimarons stole the show at Boss Sounds 2007 Fest, one of the sweetest voices in reggae music. Prince Malachi is reggae's new roots messenger......
 ALSO On Sunday Afternoon there's a free open air event outside the Sage Gateshead. The show kicks off at 1pm and features a host of Latin American and Jamaican talent. For full details go to www.thesagegateshead.org. 
The day culminates with a Boss Sounds show with Earl 16 &  Prince Malachi- 5.45-7.15pm. Its a superb taster for the evenings Hall 2 Bob Marley tribute show.

Sat 26th July
5.30-  Ian Mac Lagan & The Bump Band - The Faces keyboard man & his hot Austin Texas band featuring Scrappy Jud etc.
4.30 -TBC - Eli " Paperboy "Reed & The True Loves - 24-year-old Blue eyed soul boy from Boston Mass, with his Stax flavored band. Sensational OV Wright/Wilson Pickett soul.
3.30 - Johnny Dickinson - World-renowned Folk-Blues slide guitarist-songster from Northumberland & J' Hot club veteran...
2.30-  JT & The Clouds (JT Nero)  – Awesome soulful songwriter from Chicago.
1.30- Peter Bruntnell Trio . Rolling Stone magazine hailed him  "one of England's best kept musical secrets" & although his tent s pitched in Neil Young/ Americana camp he’s a great british songwriter.!
12.30- Ruth Minnikin & The Minnikins - Canadian songbird Ruth, her brother Gabriel & chums playing some splendid Alt folk country- baroque music.
 
Sun 27th July
5.30- Sarah Savoy & The Francadians – Authentic Cajun music from one of Louisiana’s famous Savoy family & her band.
4.30- Justin Townes Earle– Classic country & beyond, with JTE the son of Steve Earle His new cd on Bloodshot records.
3.30- Danny & The Champions Of The World – Lilting Americana music from Grand Drive’s Danny Wilson featuring members of Brakes, Electric Soft Parade and Goldrush
2.30- Peter Molinari – The happening, singer-songwriter from Chatham Kent. Featured recently in Mojo, Guardian, and Mark Lamar etc.
1.30- Elizabeth Cook – Direct from Nashville, chirpy songbird, Elizabeth Cook - a throwback to the early days of Loretta (Lynn) and Dolly (Parton)  
12.30- Peter Donegan Band – High class skiffle / roots music & a real cool band, that Peter’s father Lonnie would be very proud of.
12.00 -Special Guests - ???????

FURTHER INDOOR SHOWS TO BE ANNOUNCED VERY SOON ..................................

Soul Jazz Orchestra are regarded as the world's hottest Afro-Beat group, part Fela Kuti and part James Brown, there world-wide smash Mista President was DJ Giles Peterson top tune. Groovenick are an excellent funk up soul experience....

 From Richmond, Virginia, Special Ed and the Shortbus are a bubbling fountain of virtuosic insanity. A more energetic Old Crow Medicine show, if you like… Bluegrass, Old-Timey, String Band, Jug band, Vaudevillian, with banjos, guitars, a mandolin, a fiddle, a doghouse bass, & a whole host of other toys. Young Irish born singer/songwriter  Edwina Hayes is a regular performer on the Nashville acoustic scene. Haunts such as The Bluebird Cafe, & Brown's Diner. Her influences are Ray Charles & Carole King,