Sutton Coldfield Festival of Arts

[ July 9, 2008; 8:00 pm; ] Our answer to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - two exemplary musicians with very different backgrounds, joining together to produce something magical. Vocalist Natalie is best known for her work with pop group Scooch, who were the UK’s Eurovision representatives in 2007 and who have enjoyed a string of top-ten hits.

Ian was the house drummer [...]

[ July 11, 2008; 9:00 pm; ]  

Scintillating blues guitarist David Moore - unusual for the genre in being a Birmingham Conservatoire graduate - leads his band in a Festival gig at The Gate Inn on Friday July 11 at 9pm.
David, who also teaches guitar and who sings lead vocals, derives inspiration from blues, soul, jazz and funk, with the three Kings [...]

[ July 10, 2008; 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. ] Live music will be being performed at Wishaw Golf Club, Bulls Lane, Wishaw on Thursday (July 10) at 8pm as part of the Festival. Entrance is free and a number of local musicians will be performing, hosted by the resident trio Grammar School comprising Martin Daley (ex Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders and currently with [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 3:45 pm to 4:30 pm. ] Acclaimed Sutton bluesman Paul Cowley performs at Sutton Library (Meeting Room 2) between 3.45pm and 4.30pm.

Vocalist-guitarist Paul will be joined for the gig by harmonica ace Tony Stokes.

Together they offer an intoxicating mix including elements of early country-blues and Chicago and contemporary blues interspersed with Paul’s original compositions. They perform regularly in the Midlands area [...]

[ July 13, 2008; ] Sutton Blues Collective are running their annual, all-day Summertime Blues session involving members in various line-ups, playing acoustic and electric blues on Sunday July 13 at The Station pub.

Includes special performances by 58 Deluxe and the Juke Joint Jammers and the usual spectacular turn from founder member Paul Cowley, with his band the TTs.

Paul Cowley is pictured with harmonica [...]

[ July 11, 2008; 7:00 pm; ] On Friday July 11 at 7pm a Carnival hits Bishop Walsh Catholic School as part of the Sutton Festival Of Arts.

As the culmination of work from the school’s Arts Week there will be a public showcase evening featuring all the dance, music, drama, art and visual pieces that have been developed by pupils, based on [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm. ] A thriving Sutton Coldfield musicians’ club which has given a stage to novice acoustic guitarists and some international stars will hold a demonstration in a marquee in The Parade on Saturday July 12 between 1pm and 1.45pm.

Three years ago Sutton Acoustic Guitar Club, which met at Sutton Sailing Club, was facing an uncertain future after [...]

[ July 10, 2008; 9:00 pm; ]

Minworth’s answer to organ great Jimmy Smith will grace the tiny stage of The Gate Inn during the Festival.
This may come across as Sutton-centric hyperbole, but it shouldn’t. Norman Haines, now aged 61, has a superb pedigree, having recorded for EMI Parlophone.

He wrote and sang Brum blues and soul band Locomotive’s 1968 top 30 hit Rudi’s [...]

[ July 13, 2008; 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ] Sutton covers quartet The Full Act (pictured on the roof at The Gate!) will do a Festival stint at The Royal Hotel on July 13 between 6pm and 9pm, hosting their regular open-mic evening.

The group, comprising Siobhan Patton on vocals, Konrad Heywood on guitar, Steve Bird on bass and Andy Stones on drums, performs numbers [...]