Hello everybody,
 Thanks to everyone who turned out for Bill Hackney at Blues On The Rock last Sunday. It was a full house of dedicated blues lovers! Bill was great and went down a storm. We'll definitely have him back.
 If anyone is in the Lancaster area on Tuesday, September 15th and fancies a teatime blues gig, Blue C are playing at the Chill Out Tuesday series at the Duke's Theatre Bar, Moor Lane, Lancaster, from 6pm-7pm. A one-hour set.
 And finally, advance news of our new acoustic blues club in Liverpool. The Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge will be at the View Two Gallery in Mathew Street, Liverpool (next to Lennon's Bar) on the first Friday of the months of October, November and December.
 Blue C will introduce a special guest acoustic blues artist each time, with music from 8.30pm, admission £5.
 The View Two has a fantastic music room at the top of the building, with a licenced bar too. Well worth the effort of climbing all those stairs!
 More details soon.
 Thanks again everyone,
 Raphael & Christine (Blue C)

Hi everybody,
 Many many thanks to Al Willard Peterson for his efforts to make the Blues On The Rock 1st birthday such a lovely event. A shame the Wirral Show took its toll on the attendance, but all who were there went home happy, I am sure.
  Blue C have had a mad few days, 4 gigs in 5 days! Started off at the Cellar Club in Aigburth last Friday, great venue, good number of people, so you might have thought the musicians would at least get some expenses? No! So players be wary of agreeing to play for nothing when there is an admission charge.
  Saturday in the open air at Albert Dock as part of the Pirates Day event organised by Cathy Roberts. The rain didn't materialise, thank goodness. Great scene, we sold CDs!
  Sunday at Blues On The Rock, see above, and last night we were the guests at Maghull Folk Club. We had a great night, everyone was singing all our choruses, went down well. Superb club. Thanks to one and all.
  Looking forward to our next Blues On The Rock, Sunday afternoon, August 9th, when we welcome special guest Bill Hackney, fine guitar player, singer and harmonica man. Music from 1pm-4pm. Don't be late!
   Blue C are of course looking for gigs. If you think of any that would be suitable, get in touch on 0151 709 5484.
   See you at Blues On The Rock!
 All best wishes,
   Raphael

Hi everybody,
 Belated thanks to Joey Shields & The Wheels for a great session at our one-off Friday night Blues On The Rock. Joey really is a true blues and bluesy guitar player with his own style. Top band too!
 Thanks also to Graham and Stuart for a lovely night at the Liverpool Acoustic Live at View Two Gallery in Mathew Street, Liverpool.
 Don't forget our first anniversary Blues On The Rock club on Sunday, July 12th, from 1pm-4pm, when our special guest is Al Willard Peterson. As well as good music as usual, we'll have a bumper celebratory raffle. And Al will have a collage photo of all the first 12 months' artists who have played the fort. Don't miss it. Don't be late, and please bring a friend! More info, 0151 709 5484.
 Thanks to all those who replied to my 'questionnaire', much appreciated. All comments are going into a computer to be analysed (ha ha ha) and I'll let you know what I've decided to do as soon as possible.
 You can always email me at raphaelcuk@yahoo.co.uk
 All the best for now,
 Raphael
 OH YES! We are playing a new venue, the Cellar Club at Aigburth Peoples Hall, Aigburth Vale, Liverpool, on Friday, July 10th with young slide guitar whizz Lucy Zirins, plus the Tom Cartledge Band and Aprentis. Doors 8pm. Should be a good night . . .
 Raphael

Hello Everybody,
 Just a quick thank you to Z Z Birmingham for a fantastic afternoon's entertainment at Blues On The Rock last Sunday (May 10th). My personal thanks to him for the invitation to blow harmonica on a few songs, such a pleasure.
 And a reminder that the next Blues On The Rock is actually on FRIDAY night, June 12th, 7.30pm-10.30pm, when our guests are the fabulous Joey Shields & The Wheels. Last time they were on they drew a full house, so the message will be definitely to get there on time if you want a seat!
 We return to 2nd Sunday in the month, 1pm-4pm, in July.
 More details, 0151 709 5484.
 Raphael

Hi everybody,
 Just to let you know that Blue C are NOT appearing at liverpoolacoustic Live on Friday, May 15th, at View Two Gallery, Mathew Street, Liverpool, despite our name being on a flyer for the event!
 liverpoolacoustic apologise for the error. Blue C ARE, of course, appearing at the event the following month, Friday, June 19th. See you there . . .
 Thanks,
 Raphael & Christine (Blue C)
 
 
 

Hello one and all,
 Belated thanks to Jim James for his great session with us at Blues On The Rock in March, and my personal thanks to him for our reunion gigs. Forty years since we recorded the tracks for the 'Gasoline' LP! Memorable gigs also with Jim at the Everyman Folk Club and Park Golf Club in Southport - thanks to all our Bothy friends who came out to support the events.
 Don't forget, you can get the double CD reissue of Gasoline/Me And The Devil from Blue C at their gigs for just £12. Feel free to order a copy via this site.
 And thanks also to Smokestack 6 for their session with us on Easter Sunday. Thanks to everyone who turned up on a bank holiday!
 Don't forget our next Blues On The Rock on Sunday afternoon May 10th when our guest is Z Z Birmingham. He is driving up from the south west of England just for the one gig and he is not to be missed! Acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica, and he's promised to bring with him an extra musician or two. Years of experience on the blues scene - and he has a Wirral connection. Find out what that is by coming down to Fort Perch Rock, 1pm-4pm, Sunday May 10th.
 And a quick reminder that the following month's Blues On The Rock, in June, is on a Friday night! That's right, the fort is unavailable to us on the Sunday so we have been offered Friday, June 12th, at 7.30pm instead. Blue C will introduce a special guest - more details soon.
 Raphael Callaghan
 

Hello everybody,
 Many thanks to Down At Antones for a great gig at Fort Perch Rock on Feb 8, and for coping admirably with the power cut! Anyone who missed it can read Grahame Rhodes' review on the bluesinthenorthwest website.
 Now looking forward to the next on Sunday, March 8th, when Jim James flies in from the USA. A great singer, believe me, and superb blues songwriter. We'll be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the recordings Jim and Raphael made with Jo Ann Kelly and Tony McPhee for the Gasoline LP. The vinyl version is apparently worth £80. Wish I'd bought a few more copies at the time . . . But it has been reissued on CD as a double with its predecessor, Me And The Devil, and we will have copies for sale on the day. Features long-unavailable tracks by Jo Ann and Dave Kelly, Simon & Steve, Andy Fernbach, the fantastic Brett Marvin & The Thunderbolts, Graham Hine, etc, and those Jim & Raphael songs that earned such good reviews at the time.
 A lot of interest is being stirred up by Jim's rare visit, so the message as usual is to get there on time for a seat! Music from 1pm-4pm, blues memorabilia on display, CDs to be won, cafe/bottle bar. Be there!
 Further details and enquiries on 0151 709 5484.
 Raphael Callaghan 

Hello everyone,
 I'm late (thanks to bronchitis), but thanks to everyone who made my big birthday bash such an enjoyable event, particularly my guest musicians and singers, Kevin Littlewood, Frank Sellors, Mike Rimmer, Stan Ambrose and Chris and Hughie Jones. Also thanks to Clive and Godfrey and all at the Bothy Folk Club, and Neville for the PA. A big thanks to the audience who turned out in their droves in dreadful weather!
 The new 2009 season of Blues On The Rock events has had a great opening with the J. P. Four in January. Now we are looking forward to the next two, with a rare set by former top blues band of the 90s Down At Antones on Sunday afternoon, February 8th, and my former sparring partner in the 60s Jim James on March 8th. Jim is flying in from the USA - we are looking for a full house to help with his air fare!
 Blues On The Rock is at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, on the second Sunday afternoon of each month, 1pm-4pm, admission £4. Blues memorabilia, Cds to be won, cafe/bottle bar. Admission includes entrance to the fort's fascinating museums. Feel free to call 0151 709 5484 for more information.
 And that's the number to call if anyone is looking for a harmonica player for session work, gigs, radio/TV, concerts etc. Vocals and idiosyncratic slide guitar included too!
 Raphael Callaghan
 

Hi everybody,

 What a great afternoon at Blues On The Rock with Tom Doughty, and I hope everyone enjoyed our trio set at the end with Tom joining Blue C. Two slide guitars. Help!

 Don't forget there is no blues club in December but we re-open on Sunday January 11th with the J. P. Four. This is singer/sax player Andy "Junior" Parker's blues combo and not to be missed. A great way to start our 2009 season. More details soon.

 And this Sunday, November 23rd, Raphael celebrates his 60th birthday with a special Blue C gig at the Bothy Folk Club, held at Park Golf Club, Park Road West, Southport (continuation of Southport Promenade) with an 8pm prompt start. There's a host of special musical guests too and all are welcome.

 Thanks to everyone for supporting Blues On the Rock and Blue C.

 Raphael & Christine (Blue C)

 

Hi,

 Blue C were proud to be asked to contribute to the Dave Hockley tribute night at Cafe Matisse in Southport last Saturday. It was a magic night of great music, mostly written by Dave himself. Dave died a few months ago at Queenscourt Hospice in Southport. But his music will live on. A true rock 'n' roll poet.

 Thanks to Mick Cooper for organising and arranging the event.

 Blue C