Off we go again.......Last Friday's gig with Big Dez & Kevin Brown was a great fun night. I think the "Musician of the Evening" had to be Kim Yarborough the bass player. What a superb musician, he wore his guitar like an extension of his body & played some of most controlled, fluid bass I've heard. Excellent stuff but what a shame we had our worst turnout for probably 6yrs!! But we're not alone, I've spoken to several promoters over the past few days & all are reporting poor audience figures. Some blame the football, others the fact that we'd had two bank holiday weekends in a row (we've got another of those, of course, the weekend before Paul Lamb) others reckon we're in a recession even though nobody wants to admit it. I don't have the answer but I do know it's become more difficult over the years to attract bigger numbers......unless it's for our good friend Geoff Achison whose gig on the 17th June is all but sold out....I'll try & squeeze you in if you turn up at the door but I can't guarantee that & if you've not booked by now there are no seats left so it's standing room only I'm afraid.

I know I don't have a right to your attendance, I know there's heaps of other stuff you can do but if you cherry-pick the gigs (some I ONLY ever see at a Geoff A. gig others only ever came to see The Producers, once they disbanded so did several of the audience) I can't continue to present what I believe to be the best acts on the scene. If you turn up to any gig I think you'd not only enjoy yourself but be blown away by the virtuosity...I present less than 10% of the acts that contact me...I ONLY choose exceptional artists, I know most of you appreciate that & my thanks goes out to the hardcore of 50 or 60 who nearly always show....Thanks guys but for you I'd have lost more than £200 last Friday!

Considered by many to be THE premier harp led blues band in Britain PL&TKS are a major act on the British & European festival circuit. They normally play big theatres but they love coming to The Bottleneck & their show is full of vitality & outstanding musicianship.....no support this night....can't afford it!!....but you're in for a cracking night of Chicago Blues, Swing, Texas Blues...think Kim Wilson, Sonny Terry, Little Walter & Sonny Boy Williamson with a kinda Ronnie Earl back-beat.....& much more.