Ben Maggs

Event information

Ben Maggs

"I honestly believe one of the best feelings in life is when you hear a
great track for the first time. With Ben's music, every play feels like the
first listen. Raw, beautiful and timeless." Claire Carter - BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Audiences, venues and festival organisers alike describe Ben Maggs' performances as "mesmerising" and "spell binding", commenting on how he holds the audience in the palm of his hands throughout his sets. It is very true to say there is something very magical and magnetic about Ben, in every regard. Simply put, beyond the undeniably high quality of his songwriting, guitar and vocal performance, Ben Maggs really entertains.

His new album sings of Ben's evolution, with his unique style, lyrics and melodies beautifully reflecting his life's adventures and experiences. Many of the songs on the album have been inspired by his adventures around the British Isles, especially the dramatic wilderness coastline of the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland, his Grandfather's Welsh homeland and also Ben's native Cotswolds.

Some songs speak of his experiences on gently undulating Cotswold walks of day and dusk and night; others of violent cabin and shoreline battering West Highland storms; nomadic weeks with his car as his bedroom and the sea as his bath, with no plan, precious little clean underwear and little more than a car and guitar, writing on beaches and atop cliffs, drawn onward inspired by the wonderful folks he met along the way; haunting shadowed nights in an ancient blackhouse wrapped by the unforgiving Cuillin ridge on the Isle of Skye; 17 hour car and ferry journeys to write and play in remote island wilderness, beneath golden eagle wings, under brilliant moons and the green glowing dance of the northern lights; some of the silent reflection of nowhere in particular.

All of Ben's songs are written and performed with authenticity and integrity, from the landscape of Ben's heart, singing of the experiences of a man who feels and expresses profoundly and exquisitely. His songs cannot fail to touch you; your heart cannot fail to open when you hear them.

With Ben's genuine warmth and absolutely "nothing held back" performance, with his beautifully expressive vocals and melodic lyricism carried exquisitely by resonant acoustic guitar - you can expect nothing less than the full and free expression of the heart and soul of this talented troubadour, live or recorded.

"Ben Maggs is one of the best singer/songwriters to come out of the West Country in ages...a true troubadour who defies the confines of genre classification. His trademark acoustic guitar lays down the bedrock for a truly unique plaintive vocal style that simply oozes pathos and emotion. Mark the day you first hear Ben as being a very special one indeed!"
John Drummond, Promoter, Brewery Blues
http://www.benmaggsmusic.co.uk/

Rob Halligan
Described by the BBC as "Bruce Springsteen having English tea with Billy Bragg" award winning recording artist and songwriter Rob Halligan started life in a school punk band in Worthing.

10 years after the release of his first studio album, Halligan has toured extensively, won awards, great reviews and radio airplay. 2014 sees the release of his 'live' DVD and a new studio album, 'Love Come Down'.

Some people say you could write a book about their life but with Rob you know it would be a book you couldn't put down. From living on the streets as a teenager to travelling the world, Rob's songs draw from the stories and experiences that create a natural connection with his listeners time and time again.

Love Come Down is classic Rob 'stuff' with stories, songs, and sentiments that are easily taken hold of. Recorded at the Foundry Music Lab with Graeme Duffin and Sandy Jones (Wet Wet Wet, J.J. Gilmore) the musicianship is sublime and the hooks in this collection of songs is evidence of a top class songsmith. After a sold-out launch event in Coventry with over 150 people and tracks from the album already played on Radio 2 and 6 music, 2015 is looking busier than ever.

Rob is well known for using his music to raise awareness of smaller charities working with some of the most vulnerable people, both at home and abroad. After loosing his father in the events of September 11th 2001 in New York, Rob has used his music to raise over £30k for various charities.

"The question remains that why have such artists as Rob never gained the exposure he sorely deserves? He certainly has the quality and talent to succeed; all he needs is that lucky break. " ...Maverick Magazine

"Halligan has created a breath-taking collection of songs that deserves to be heard"... Wildey's World Reviews

"Rob is producing some of his finest material ever... It's a mystery why he isn't better known" ...R2 Magazine

www.robhalligan.co.uk

Dan Gascoigne

Dan Gascoigne is a guitarist and songwriter from Coventry. He performs self-penned songs as well as covers arranged in his own style.
He began performing at the age of 18 at open mics nights, and soon began to gain feature spots at local folk clubs, supports slots for touring artists at local venues & more recently festivals around the country such as Farmer Phils and running a stage at Warwick Folk Festival.
Recording as a session musician on Kristy Gallachers 2012 album "Spinning Plates" on which he played banjo and guitar, he also played on the 2014 follow up album "The Game".
2014 also saw Dan launch his first solo album "Station Street West" featuring songs he had written over his time on the open mic circuit which has also received air play on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire's introducing show. He also calls it a tribute to his guitar teacher and mentor, Dave Bennett, a local Coventry folk legend.
Over his time playing Dan has performed in many styles, ranging from ragtime to blues, traditional songs, instrumentals, and heavier acoustic sounds. As well as varying instruments including Banjo, Harmonica and more recently Flute.
Recently his latest live performances have seen the use of effects pedals for his guitar and voice, an inspiration he took from Nick Harper, an artist he admires greatly and has supported live.
You can never really be sure what sound will come from Dan next, He rarely knows himself, but you can be sure that he puts his all into everything he creates.

Dan Gascoigne - 8.00-8.35
Rob Halligan - 8.50-9.30
Ben Maggs - 9.50-10.30