Hank Wangford & Brad Breath

17 Mar 2012  7:30pm - 10:30pm

Tickets £12 on the door or £10 in advance from the Towngate Theatre box office, Basildon 01268 465465.

Click here to find out more and buy tickets…

What can you say about Hank?

If Daniel O’Donnell is the brightly scrubbed face of British country music then Hank Wangford is its guilty conscience, its dark and troubled grubby soul. Hank has picked at the miserable side of country music for twenty eight years, inspiring others like Billy Bragg, The The, The Alabama Three and other alternative country musicians.

He has spread the word with his two ground breaking television series, ‘Britain’s first on Country music’, ‘Big Big Country’ and ‘The A to Z of C&W’, plus his books ‘Lost Cowboys’ and ‘Hank Wangford Vol 3 The Middle Years’.

So join him on March 17th along with his multi talented compadre Brad Breath as they bring you a night of laughter, tears & a glimpse of gloom as they trawl the dark underbelly of county music.

Martin Johnson Trio

21 Apr 2012  7:30pm - 7:30pm

Tickets £12 on the door or £10 in advance from the Towngate Theatre box office, Basildon 01268 465465. Click here to find out more and buy tickets…

Don’t miss this rare outing of one of the UK’s greatest Latin Jazz combo’s. Never has such a small group been packed with so much talent; led by Martin Johnson on Hammond B3 (Rent Party, Turntable, Dave Bronze) they kick up a storm whenever they play (which is not very often) and the reason why?

Because the line up also includes David Giovannini (Paul McCartney, Roy Ayres, Steve Winwood) on drums and one of the worlds greatest jazz guitar players and three times winner of ‘Best UK Jazz Guitar’ – Jim Mullen (Claire Martin, Georgie Fame, Average White Band, Morrissey-Mullen). This is not just for fans of Latin music or fans of jazz but for anyone who enjoys a great night out with some of the best musicians you will ever see.

“Hi-energy, blistering solos, compelling grooves, all topped of with a riotous take on Elvis Presley’s That’s Alright, Mama. An unbelievable night!!” Poole Lighthouse

Peter Knight's Gigspanner

12 May 2012  7:30pm - 7:30pm

Tickets £12 on the door or £10 in advance from the Towngate Theatre box office, Basildon 01268 465465.

Click here to find out more and buy tickets…

Hailed by ‘Songlines’ Magazine as ‘another milestone in folk’s rebirth of cool moment’, Peter Knight’s Gigspanner is rapidly gaining a reputation for leaving audiences completely spellbound with life enriching takes on British traditional and world music.

Folk Music is only part of their story. As musician and author Andy Letcher writes: “Stepping lightly through folk, classical, baroque and jazz, Gigspanner produce music of intelligently crafted brilliance” (Songlines magazine) Their debut album ‘Lipreading the Poet’ was named by The Wire as one of the best 15 Global Albums of 2009.

This is a Trio that is touching hearts, minds and souls, and to experience the joy of one of their live performances is to understand why audiences are becoming hooked on the unique experience that is Gigspanner. Leave all your preconceived ideas at the door. Gigspanner present an evening of music that is fresh and unexpected, and yet it retains a sense of the familiar at its heart.

In this venture, Steeleye Span’s legendary fiddle player is joined by Roger Flack (Guitar) and Vincent Salzfaas (Conga’s/Djembe).