Bluesbury Line Up Revealed!

International blues artists and local talent set to play Platform 3

As we announced recently, Bluesbury – Dewsbury’s original blues festival – is back for second outing on Platform 3 at The West Riding on 12-14 September. Organiser and creative force behind the festival, Pat Fulgoni, has spent the last few months seeking out and booking some amazing blues talent for this year’s festival. It’s got some big shoes to fill with world renowned artists such as Kyla Brox, Dave Arcari, and Antar Goodwin playing alongside brilliant musicians from closer to home at Dewsbury’s first blues festival in 2024.

Pat’s ambition was to deliver a festival that was at least as good as last year with an all-new line up to keep the festival fresh. No mean feat but the stellar cast he’s put together this time should fit the bill.

We are, therefore, delighted to reveal the line up for Bluesbury 2025 as follows:

Friday 12 September

Lightning Threads
Chris Martin
Jon Taylor’s Blues Spectrum
Julian Socha

Saturday 13 September

Errol Linton Band
Trevor Babajack Steger & Jesse Benns
Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience
Christy Herron Trio
Ash Gray (USA)

Sunday 14 September

Backwater Blues
Elsie Franklin Duo
James Ohara Band
Hot Foot Hall

Take a closer look at the line up

Here’s what you need to know about our brilliant acts:

Lightning Threads

Superb young blues band from Sheffield fusing vintage blues rock with soul-stirring energy with a reputation for turning every venue into a roaring blues revival. Threads have played major blues festivals, various venues and shared stages with esteemed acts such as Chantel McGregor, William The Conqueror, Hitman Blues Band, Darnell Cole, and The Fargo Railroad. Lightning Threads bring an infectious energy. The band has earned acclaim and recognition, including airplay on Cerys Matthews’ BBC 6Music show and Joe Bonamassa’s ‘Keeping The Blues Alive’ Spotify playlist. In 2024, their debut record was also nominated for UK Blues Fed ‘Album of the Year’ and they feature on essential 2025 CD compilation “A Taste of Honey”

Chris Martin

Long time member of the The Rusty Nails Band gang, Chris ‘the man in a hat’ Martin is a “silky fingered bluesmeister, raconteur and teller of unfeasibly tall tales”. Chris will have copies of his well-received album “From Absence to Presence” to sell at the festival.

Jon Taylor’s Blues Spectrum

Jazzy, Funky and Bluesy baby. Nice. Featuring some of the areas finest jazz musicians. “We play Chicago blues, swing blues, funk and some rock covers”. Features Jon Taylor sax flute harmonica vocals

Julian Socha

Julian Socha is a guitarist singer/songwriter from Leeds. A solo performer who also works in duos and bands, he loves blues, rock n roll, bluegrass and jazz. He’s also worked with DJs creating hooks and soundscapes for club tracks, film and TV.

Errol Linton Band

Anyone interested in contemporary British blues/roots music will be aware of Errol Linton. The Brixton born, raised, and resident singer, harmonica player and songwriter has earned his spurs as leader of the most dynamic live band in the UK. Linton and band take the stage night after night, making music that gets audiences dancing and cheering. This is the funky stuff, blues with a reggae tinge and jazz flavours. Black British music with roots in Mississippi and New Orleans, Kingston and London. Linton creates a dynamic, original sound like no other artist anywhere. Linton won the UK Blues Challenge 2023 and represented the UK Blues Federation both at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA, and the European Blues Challenge in Braga, Portugal.

Trevor Babajack Steger & Jesse Benns

Trevor Babajack Steger is an award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a reputation for electrifying live performances. His unique blend of raw blues, roots, and Americana has captivated audiences across the UK and Europe, earning him chart-topping albums, sold-out shows, and BBC airplay on Radio 2 and 6 Music. Trevor won The UK Blues Federation Award for ‘Acoustic Blues Act of the Year’ 2023. Joined by the dynamic percussionist Jesse Benns on cajon.

Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience

The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience is the only act returning to Bluesbury this year because organising festival earns you that right! The debut Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience album has received considerable acclaim, a no 3 in the UK blues airplay charts and a nomination in the UK Blues Awards. Already with European dates under their belts Blues in Britain writes “It’s a blues set to cherish… Pat and co just do them so well”. Reviewing 2024’s Tenby Blues Festival, Blues Matters Magazine said: “There then followed an entirely different style and set of full throttle funky electric blues led by Pat Fulgoni and his Blues Experience. With a full on five-piece band, Fulgoni’s powerful vocal delivery worked wonders as he pushed the boat out with a confidence that highlighted this band’s importance in the growing blues world in the UK.”

Christy Herron Trio

“…from 50s clean Stratocasters to fuzz-infused British Blues … with an unassuming honesty and depth of knowledge of modern and traditional blues, Christy performs with real backbone and fearlessness…”. Christy is joined by Roy Whyke on drums and Ian Hawkins on bass

Christy has been writing, recording and performing as a guitarist and hired gun for more than 20 years. A soulful, rich and road worn blues voice teamed with searing guitar virtuosity, he and the band cover songs by BB King, Howling Wolf, Ray Charles, JJ Cale, Bobby Bland with soulful bluesy conviction

Ash Gray (USA)

Hailing from Austin in Texas, Ash Gray plays music anchored in folk, rock, blues and Texas country. With a penchant for a punky approach to his special brand of seventies influenced cosmic country, Ash’s songs are full of images of travel and songs that unravel into desert landscapes, roadside journeys and tales of the city. His track “Black Muddy Woman” features on the must listen 2025 compilation “A Taste of Honey” (Martin Bedford tribute).

Backwater Blues

The Backwater Blues trio are Colin Walker on guitar and vocals, Arthur Cowdrey on bass and Mike Gilbourne on drums. They have been playing all over the Northwest for more than 20 years, including at the Colne and Burnley Blues festivals. “Their blend of hard, soulful blues deep from the heart is delivered with a hard-hitting guitar style and distinctive, emotional vocals and underpinned by a solid rhythm section, all of which has gained them loyal following”. Recent gigs at Huddersfield Blues Club and Sunday Blues Train impressed so we had to book them for Bluesbury

Elsie Franklin Duo

Elsie Franklin sings and plays acoustic country-blues, ragtime, and jazz on her trusty National resonator. She is a rising talent on the UK blues scene, playing all over the country. Learning from her father (renowned blues guitarist, Adam Franklin) and good friend Steve James, Elsie is often praised for her authentic, yet unique take on early blues and jazz, drawing influence from legendary female blues artists such as Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith. As well as playing with various jazz accompanists, Elsie has formed her own all-female blues trio based in London with the highly acclaimed Francesca Nnoka Shaw (double-bass) and Carmen Ruiz Vicente (drums). “There’s no doubting that the engaging Elsie Franklin is on an upward trajectory.” Russ Cottee, Blues in Britain

James O’Hara Band

Esteemed veteran local blues legend James O’Hara has impressed at Huddersfield Blues Club events with Marc Layton-Bennett (drums), Paul Corry (guitar), Jon Burr (harmonica), and Martin Chung (bass).

James O’Hara is a UK born and based Blues musician with a wealth of experience in fronting bands since 1985 including The Detonators and The Giant killers.

James has played with Phil Guy, Lurrie Bell, Billy Branch, Jimmy Thomas, Jimmy Burns, Eddie Taylor Jr, Willie “the touch” Hayes, Chico Banks, Charles Mack, EG McDaniels, Holle Thee Maxwell, and Lazy Lester.

Hot Foot Hall

Born from the booze-filled juke joints and back-alley blues bars of the Deep West (Yorkshire), Hot Foot Hall is where raw energy meets fresh ideas. Steeped in the foot-stomping, slide-guitar wailing sounds of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Hound Dog Taylor, this electrifying one man blues machine delivers an original take on the traditional blues that set the world on fire.

Want to know more?

If this sounds like a line-up you have to see, keep checking the site or follow the event on Facebook to get more information as it’s released, including timings plus, of course, the beer line up too for Bluesbury is as much about the beer as it is the blues!

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