IN or OUT?

Thursday 23 June: It looks as though the Mini Fest on Saturday will take place indoors because of inclement weather.  Rather disappointing, to say the least.  However, this time I think we’ll meet in the hall around tables Cafe Style and offers a much informal setting than being in church gives us! See some of you on Saturday!

This year my annual ‘Gig in the Garden’ will be something different with a Roots & Folk ‘Mini Fest’ as we give a warm welcome back to the equally fabulous Tinderbox & Rob Halligan & introduce some local bloke called Dan Pierce!

TINDERBOX

Bournemouth based Tinderbox are an award winning acoustic duo featuring Monique Houraghan, with her ‘honey-like’ vocals, & Dan Tucker & his amazing intricate finger guitar technique! The duo will be accompanied by talented musician Bob Burke.

After meeting in North Yorkshire in 1997, Monique enticed Dan to return to her hometown of Dublin where they wrote & performed together before travelling the world & playing in America, Canada, Thailand, Fiji, New Zealand & Australia.

Tinderbox have released five albums and Acoustic Magazine labels their music ‘Lovely, hooky & mellow’. BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson describes them as ‘Gorgeous’. R2 magazine say their tunes ‘stick in the memory from the start’. Roger Day of BBC Radio Kent said they remind him ’Of an early Fairport Convention.’

‘Seeing this band live will be an experience which remains long in the memory.’ Maverick Magazine

tinderboxacoustic.com    @tinderboxduo

ROB HALLIGAN

Coventry based Rob’s life took a new direction after his father died in New York on 9/11 & this is evident in his songwriting which challenge politics, complacency & faith & are delivered with brutal honesty, rough spirituality & tested to be true.

Rob has released six albums (His latest is due in 2016) & has made his mark on the unsigned music scene as an award-winning singer/songwriter. Radio 2 presenter Paul Gambaccini commented ‘These are some of the strongest songs I’ve heard for a while.’

Rob is well known for using his music to raise awareness of small charities, working with some of the most vulnerable people, both at home and abroad, raising £30K in the process. Rob has been described as ‘Bruce Springsteen having English tea with Billy Bragg.’ However, I think he has more than a few shades of Jack Savoretti.

‘Rob is producing some fine material.  It’s a mystery why he isn’t better known.’ R2 Magazine

robhalligan.co.uk   @RHalligan

DAN PIERCE

Dan played with Gloucestershire band Big Blue Sun & The Lamplight Poet folk collective in Teesside. Among his influences are Elliott Smith, Damon Albarn & Bob Dylan. Dan describes his songs as ‘A slice of melancholy with a twist of hope!’ With themes including misfits, rogues & the triumphs of nostalgia. Dan arrived as Team Vicar in November 2015.

@danthevicar

Tickets are competitively priced at: adults £8 (gate £10) 13-17 yrs £4 (gate £5) & under 12’s free! Contact paul@billericaychurches.org or send an SAE to: The Rectory, 40 Laindon Road, Billericay, CM12 9LD (cheques payable to Emmanuel DCC).

Gates will open at 17.30 for an 18.00 start. Don’t forget to bring a picnic, drinks, something to sit on, chair or blanket (NO tables, please) & something warm to wear! You can park in Emmanuel church (next door) & in the case of inclement weather, the Roots & Folk ‘Mini Fest’ will take place in Emmanuel.

Billericay is only 25 mins from Liverpool Street and the Rectory Garden is a 8-10 minute walk up the High Street.  We are also only 5 mins off the A127 or 10 mins off the A12.

A leaflet can be downloaded here and a poster here

Any proceeds from this event will go to Charity (TBC)