Mal Eastick
One of Australia’s Finest Blues-Rock Guitarists

Mal Eastick - Guitar
John Makey - Vocals
Rudy Miranda - Drums
Ian Lees- Bass

Mal has a passionate, explosive and soulful style that has been featured with some of Australia's biggest recording and performing acts for over 20 years.

Based in Sydney since 1983, Mal has won acclaim from some of the country's finest musicians. Eastick is Tommy Emmanuel's favourite Australian blues guitarist and Tommy has been quoted as saying that he believes Mal could become one of the world's great blues players.

Mal Eastick and his Band have firmly established themselves as one of Australia's hottest blues rock acts.

Ghost Road
Ghost Road is an original band, pumping out their own style of roots music. They have been on the road for ten years entertaining & wowing audiences with their distinctive original sound.

You will go along way to find 4 musicians who blend their talents, and play as a band like they do. A solid tight outfit, the band constantly push the limits of their music whilst consistently gigging and performing at festivals, hotels, clubs and resorts, creating the vibe that captures audiences of all ages.

Brewster Brothers
As founding members of the Angels, Rick and John Brewster are well known to the Australian public, being inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Internationally they earned the respect and following of the likes of Guns N Roses and have had songs such as "Face the Day" become staples of American radio.

But what now? The Brothers have found a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. Quietly airing new material in out of the way venues the Brothers have generated a bushfire of word of mouth.

Those who have seen and heard the Brothers are reacting positively to their new songs and their new style which has evolved into a personification of their roots and ethics.

Their performances today evoke early sixties Dylan, plastic Ono Lennon, with direct and earthy songs that dissect the complexities and compromises of contemporary life. Rick and John have evolved from Angels into Brothers, maintaining and developing their creative integrity.

Chris Mawer Band
Chris Mawer Band is a three-piece Texas-flavoured rhythm and blues act. Chris has performed al over the country with with a vast array of artists, and has had involvement in many Australian blues recordings.

This project id the culmination of those experiences into music. The new album Boxcar Special draws on influences from Kim Wilson, Jimmy Vaughan, Albert King and also Finis Tasby who Chris toured with during 2004. It captures the spirit of American blues. Featuring Adam Pringle on guitar and George Brugmans on drums, this show is not one to miss.

Col Ray & The Scary Cats
Col Ray Price & Rev. Larry (Harp Dog) Gordon play toe tappin', foot stompn' Mississippi mountain country blues.

The music that put "Fat Possum Records" on the map. Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee meet R L Burnside.

Hard driving boogie tunes, no fancy effects. Music that created American folk lore. It was good enough then and is still good enough now.

TJ And The Taildraggers
Sensational blues/soul vocalist Troy 'TJ' Blanch is now fronting a new, revitalized, six-piece Taildraggers.

Troy, an Australian Blues Music Awards and Musicoz Awards winner has added his star quality to this formidable new lineup.

Also joining original members Warren Ross, Lawrence Davis and Wyn Morris (rhythm guitar, bass and sax respectively) will be two great musicians in the form of Alan Leake, lead guitar and Mark Batley, drums.

Alan is best known for his duo work with Damon Davies and has fitted in > nicely, as has Mark, an experienced drummer with great feel and versatility.

Apart from several festival appearances between them which includeNarooma, Berry, Thredbo, Balgownie, Goulburn, and South Western Sydney, the band were also part of 'Voodoofest: Blues & Roots Roadshow', a stellar lineup that featured Chain, The Bondi Cigars, The Hippos & Phil Manning.

The brand new TJ & The Taildraggers are all fired up and looking forward to bringing their diverse repertoire of funk, soul and blues to Newcastle in a high energy showcase that will have the house rockin'.

Mainline
Essentially a blues based band, Mainline, from Sydney, are prone to head off in the direction of hard rock, and funk with the main focus fixed on their original music.

Being the 2001 Jim Beam Battle of the Bands Competition winner has given the band a platform to launch their redhot, rockin' blues to a wider and ever increasing fan base.

Pigfoot Fever
Foot stompin, fever makin' soul-fuelled blues!

It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing., and there ain't no swing without this sassy act. Hits from Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and even Lynard Skynard. Having had a number of stars join the stage, these talented musicians believe that if it's a good song, it doesn't matter how fast or slow you play it!

Eric Collier
Eric Collier is one of Newcastle's finest up and coming acoustic guitarists.

Coached by Australia's premier Jazz guitarist, Jim "Jazza" Charles (famous from the Bobby Limb Band), Eric has a soothing voice and compliments his singing with great acoustic finger pickin'.

Eric will be filling in all the breaks between changeovers - so take some time to say G'day!

Phil Edgeley
Phil is an English Folk/Blues based acoustic guitar player and singer/songwriter with influences ranging from Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell and Skip James to contemporary artists such as Chris Whitley, Bob Brozman, Harry Manx and Australian blues legends, Jeff Lang and Phil Manning.

His original songs draw on all of these influences and more, dealing with multi-facets of his own life. Phil's guitar techniques include fingerstyle, various open-tunings and slide playing on both conventional, Resophonic and Weissenborn style guitars.

Phil started playing in the local pub in his home town, moving on to the Northern Beaches of Sydney including a spot at the inaugural Manly Folk Festival, then followed this with a weekend at The St Albans Folk Festival in April 2003.

In the past couple of years Phil has been playing Sydney gigs and also has started to get around The Central Coast and beyond, including The Berry Blues Festival in December 2003 and the Newcastle Blues Festival in February 2004.

Lately Phil has been playing much more around the Newcastle area performing both solo gigs and supports for the likes of Ash Grunwald on his recent tour.

Now, having just completed a successful weekend at The 2004 Berry Blues Festival, Phil is looking forward to his return to The St Albans Folk Festival and also to his first recording, which will include Tony Keep on drums and Paul Rutter on fretless electric bass.

It will be recorded at Ramrod Studios (owned by Herman Kovac ex Ted Mulray Gang) and will be engineered and produced by Glenn Skarratt, a well known and respected name on the country music scene, it will feature Phil's original songs and will endeavour to capture the feel of a live performance.