News

September 29, 8:30pm
Open mic night is always a surpise package of all-sorts blues performed by musicians young and old. You never know who is going to walk through that door at the Hotel Bristol in downtown Cuba Mall.
Last jam night we had a tasty blues harp player from Brazil singing Jimi Hendrix.
The backing band is provided by Capital Blues Inc.
And the handmade amps are kindly provided – and for sale – by Peter Matich

September 22, 8:30pm
Slow-Hand Al Witham cannot make it tonight, so off the bench comes Dougal Speir, the blues club’s ace guitarist Strong Man with the beautiful voice.
Playing old and new blues, Dougal has been performing on TV and around NZ for many years, is in the Red Dog Saloon Band, and holds a place in the hearts of all lovers of rockin blues guitar.

Dougal Speir – guitar & vox
Roger Watkins – drums
George Barris – bass

September 15, 8:30pm
Virtuoso harmonica player Neil Billington was inspired to play the harp after watching the classic western “Once a Upon a Time in the West”. He made his first TV appearance in 1976 playing harp with “The 1860’s Band”, which included Rodger Fox, Geoff Culverwell and Peter Blake. Neil has gigged with just about everyone who regularly plays in Wellington, as well as periodically fronting this knock-out line up for a night of blues and dancing. Special guest Penelope Kibby on vocals.

Neil Billington – harp and vox
Bob Smith – keys
Patrick Bleakley – bass
Dean Hunter – guitar
Damian Furlong – tromb
Andrew Richardson – drums

September 8, 8:30pm
Punching out a powerful brand of blues and soul, No Idea have three vocalists, a rhythm section, and two guitarists. Look out! It’s power stuff and also sweet-as-a-summer-breeze.
And yes, you’ve got it, their bass player is Elliotte Fuimaono – a legend at Roomfulla Blues.

September 1, 8:30pm
Headed by the multi-talented Neil Worboys from the band Wellington Heads, The Real Time Liners are a popular dance band at Roomfulla Blues playing everything from swing to blues to rock and back to the blues.

Neil Worboys – vox, guitar, mandolin, harmonica
Maurice Priestley – guitars, banjo
Stephen Bennet – keyboards
Kieran Monaghan – drums
Steve Carlisle – upright bass

Delivering edgy blues, Kniki has the “voice of a bad-tempered angel, a handful of soul, a shake of blues, a pinch of rock and a touch of jazz, all mixed in with a vibe that will linger eternally in your mind”. Mike Beale has a “rock star demeanour, singing like a demon, with a voice soaked in a barrel of whiskey.”

Their new album Dead On was recorded at Bignote Productions Recording Studio with legendary producer Adrian Stuckey (Split Enz/Neil Finn).

Festival Highlights:

The Australian Blues Music Festival; Blues on Broadbeach, Gold Coast; Himalayan Blues Festival, Nepal; and Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

First set a duo, Mike and Kniki; then they are joined by

Eliotte Fuimaono — bass
Richard TeOne — drums

A great night of Big Band music from a talented array of School of Music students, led by jazz legend Rodger Fox. Rodger, mentor of the next generation of NZ’s music students who have gone on to national and international careers, has recorded 21 albums and was musical director for both the NZ High Schools and NZ Youth Jazz orchestras.

With “Electrolux” as a stage name, Warwick Murray – singer, guitarist and harmonica player – is one hell of an energetic bluesman!
Originally from Birmingham, UK, he has played with blues artists Steve Gibbons, Trevor Burton and the E Numbers, and supported dozens of top level acts including Steve Earle and UB40. While living in Fiji he held residencies at Suva’s Birdland and Traps. Now resident in NZ he plays in Wellington group The Brew. Most recently he toured in Chile with some of the finest jazz and blues musicians in Latin America.

Warwick “Electrolux” Murray — guitar/harp/vocals
Aaron “Funky Chief” Nonoa — bass/vocals
“DrumSkinny” Vinny — drums

Dave Feehan – band leader and vocalist supreme

This will blow you away!

Reuben Bradley – drums;
Sean Feehan – percussion;
Mostyn Colebass; Andy Mauafua– guitar;
James Illingworth – keys;
Andre Paris – sax;
Chris Selley – trumpet;
Rodger Fox – trombone;
Emma Davey, Corinne Imrie, Nichola King, Sean Feehan – backing vocals

Guest Artists – Fiona Buchet (NZ) Giralda Duenas Viciedo (Cuba)

Opening for Dave with be The Lambhunters