LATEST NEWS...Added Friday 18th October 2024: -
LIVE MUSIC CURRENTY ON HOLD With regret, I've had to cancel upcoming live music bookings up to and including November 15th. Our beloved son, Alex, was killed on September 16th in a traffic collision, and our hearts have been shattered. I'm hoping to get back to playing in the near future, but currently I don't feel able to get up and play music in public, and need some time to try and come to terms with what's happened. 
Added Thursday 15th August 2024: -
BUSIEST YEAR TO DATE 2024 has been my busiest year to date, and looking at the calendar there are loads more gigs booked in between now and the end of the year, so if all goes to plan gig #600 will be done before the year is out. Next up is my debut appearance at Hickory's Smokehouse in Shrewsbury, with a second visit there already in the diary for November. Along with my more regular venues, I'm also looking forward to a first gig at The Queens in Ludlow on the evening of Thursday 26th September to celebrate the anniversary of Tim & Jane Vaughan running the pub for 25 years! Another different upcoming gig is what will be a first appearance in the beautiful refurbished bar at The Wynnstay Hotel in Oswestry. That'll be a Saturday late afternoon/early evening, chilled-out affair on September 7th (approx 5pm start). Also, 2025 is starting to take shape, with two weddings, a charity event for Raise4Ron, and a joint 40th birthday party already in the diary. Added Sunday 3rd March 2024: -
2024 GETTING INTO IN FULL SWING 2024 is already shaping up to be another busy year, and the diary is filling up pretty quickly, with dates booked in for many familiar venues, as well as four venues (at time of writing) that I've not played at before. I'm delighted to have been able to confirm multiple dates spread throughout the year at three of my favourite Shrewsbury venues, The Loopy Shrew, Riverbank Bar & Kitchen, and Salopian Bar & Garden. Also confirmed is a festive return to Shrewsbury's The Lion + Pheasant, with three dates booked for the run up to Christmas. Added Sunday 26th November 2023: -
ROUNDING-OFF ANOTHER GREAT YEAR Well, it's been a fantastic 2023 so far, and there'll be no let-up in December, with plenty of lovely festive appearances at my favourite venues on the calendar. Coming out of the Covid lockdown, nobody really knew how (or even if) we'd be able to get back to any kind of normality in so many parts of life, not least whether live music could possibly be anything like it used to be. Therefore, it's been a huge relief, and a massive surprise that 2023 has been by far my busiest year to date. All being well, I'll have played 75 shows by the time the year is out. I'd like to sat a massive "THANK YOU!!!" to all of the venues, new and old, that have given me the opportunity to play. It's always a real privilege to be asked to play, and is never taken for granted. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas & New Year, and hope to see you out-and-about enjoying the festivities. December will see me playing at Riverbank, The Lion + Pheasant, and The Loopy Shrew in Shrewsbury, Townhouse in Oswestry, The Raven Inn in Welshpool, and 23 Social in Newtown. Don't forget, if ever you happen see me playing in a venue, please come and say hello, and song requests are always welcome!!! Added Monday 12th June 2023: -
BEARING DOWN ON GIG #500 Following yesterday's gig (#498) at The Loopy Shrew in Shrewsbury, I'm next heading for THE SALOPIAN BAR & GARDEN in Shrewsbury on Sunday 18th June, and then it's on to THE BELL INN in Oswestry on Saturday 24th June for what will be my 500th live performance. It's been a hugely enjoyable journey since my first live appearance back in April 2012, and I'm still astonished at how it took off after those first (very) tentative steps. At current count, I've now played 621 different songs, and have played at 150 different venues. I'm looking forward to pushing-on, and am almost fully-booked for the rest of 2023, with a few Fridays and a couple of Sundays still available. I even have one in the diary for December 2024, and another for May 2025! Added Monday 30th January 2023: -
GIG #473 WAS A BIG ONE! Gigs come in all shapes and sizes, but Saturday night at RIVERBANK BAR & KITCHEN in Shrewsbury (gig #473) was a bit special for me! I was delighted that a large number of work colleagues (37 including partners) and some additional friends who came along for drinks and music had targeted this gig as one to use as a long-overdue social get-together. Therefore, I had the pleasure of playing to about 50 friends, in addition to the usual Saturday night Riverbank crowd. It's always an absolute joy to play a Saturday night at Riverbank, but this one was especially fun! Thanks to all who came, and I hope to see some of you again when I play 8 more gigs at Riverbank over the course of 2023! Next up is another fantastic venue, THE LOOPY SHREW, also in Shrewsbury. 'Loopys' offers a completely different experience to other gigs I play, as it's a Sunday afternoon, and a wonderfully chilled-out atmosphere, where a gig can veer off into weird and wonderful directions thanks to song requests from the audience. The live music starts at 5pm, and runs until 8pm. Added Tuesday 25th October 2022: -
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! It's been a long time since I've posted here, so I thought an update was very much overdue. Thanks for visiting my little website! I've been really surprised at how things have come back in 2022 after the Covid-induced disruptions of the last couple of years, but I can honestly say I've never been busier. The rest of this year is full, and the bookings have started to come in for 2023, with one venue block-booking me for 9 dates spread throughout the year. You can't ask for more than that, and it's wonderful when a venue shows such faith in you. Hope to see you out and about as we head towards the festive period, and please feel free to drop me a line, or even leave a review over on my Facebook page. Any feedback is very gratefully received!!! All the best, Steve. Added Saturday 26th June 2021: -
FANTASIC TO BE BACK! With three gigs done since the Covid-enforced shut-down of live music, I'm starting to feel semi-normal again. It's such a thrill to be out playing again, and I'm sure I can sense that people are happy to have live music back too. The bookings are gradually coming in, and I couldn't be happier. Last night I played indoors at The Green Dragon in Buttington, and was really pleased (and relieved!) to see that it can be done in a sensible, safe, socially-distanced way. Things are looking up! 
Photo courtesy of Neil Breeze.
Added Tuesday 11th May 2021: -
BACK IN ACTION! After more than a year of being unable to gig, I'm delighted that live music is allowed again, and really happy to have a few gigs to look forward to playing. I'll be making my post-Covid comeback with a lovely Bank Holiday Sunday afternoon session at the beautiful Cross Keys in Kinnerley. Following on from that, in June I have two Friday evening appearances at the newly (completely!) refurbished Green Dragon in Buttington. With gigs back in the diary again, it's time for me to get practicing! Added Sunday 2nd February 2020: -
A ROCKING RIVERBANK Last night was an absolute stonker of a night in the cocktail bar of the wonderful Riverbank Bar & Kitchen in Shrewsbury. I endeavour to perform to the same kind of level every time I play, but it goes without saying that for a variety of reasons some gigs are better than others. Without doubt the main reason for a memorable night is the audience, as when playing solo, you're very reliant on audience engagement. Last night was a real corker, primarily because of a wonderful bunch of people who were clearly up for a fun evening of singing and dancing. This kind of reaction is never a given, but is what I hope for every time I go out to play a gig, and it's an absolute joy when people are so warm, friendly, and keen to get involved. I love it when people put in song requests, and am always up for the challenge of trying something new on the spot, providing I know the lyrics! Last night there were some great suggestions, and R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion, two INXS songs (Mystify and Never Tear Us Apart), and Bruce Springsteen's Racing In The Street were all played for the first time. The dancing was excellent, the singing-along was certainly wholehearted to say the least. This only serves to crank-up the intensity of my performance, as well as keeping me entertained too! The 3-hour set was extended by an additional 30 minute encore, which is always the sign of a good night! Thanks to Riverbank for continuing to have me to play, and to everyone who was there. I had a real blast! I'll be back at Riverbank on Saturday May 9th. 
Added Thursday 31st December 2020: -
GOOD RIDDANCE TO A ROTTEN YEAR I think it's fairly safe to say that we're all glad to see the back of 2020! As this unprecedented, and largely music-free year draws to a close, my thoughts are very much with all of the venues who had me booked to play during this year. I can't begin to imagine how hard it's been for you all since March, and how you've managed to deal with all of the problems and stress caused by lockdowns, false dawns, and all of the subsequent setbacks. I send my heartfelt thanks for your past support, and for the fabulous opportunities you've presented to me. I really hope that we can revisit those happy times again in the not-too-distant future. I love being able to get out to play music, and I really miss you all!!! ❤ So, I'd like to say a massive "THANK YOU", and wish the very best of luck to my 2020 venues, some of which I was fortunate to be able play, most of whom I wasn't able to.... The Loopy Shrew, Shrewsbury Riverbank, Shrewsbury The Cross Keys, Kinnerley Catch Wine Bar, Church Stretton The Old Bakehouse, Ludlow The Bay Tree, Welshpool The Raven Inn, Welshpool The Cemist, Oswestry The Swan Smoke & Taphouse, Ironbridge Lion + Pheasant, Shrewsbury Wilsons, Oswestry The Sarn, Sarn The Oak Inn, Guilsfield Tap and Can, Shrrwsbury The Kings Head, Guilsfield Lion Hotel, Berriew Let's hope that 2021 is a vast improvement. 🤞 See you on the other side!!! Added Saturday 19th December 2020: -
NEW CHRISTMAS RELEASE Just when you thought that 2020 couldn't get any worse, that old song-ruining partnership of Edwards & Alexander go and release their first Christmas musical travesty in 6 years! Here we are, MASKING UP FOR CHRISTMAS. I can only apologise! Happy Christmas one and all! Added Tuesday 8th September 2020: -
THE CEMIST PROVIDES THE PERFECT REMEDY! After a run of 22 cancelled bookings due to Covid-19, I'm delighted to be able to say that my appearance at The Cemist in Oswestry on Friday 18th September is set to go ahead (with social distancing being observed!). It's going to be great to get back to doing what I enjoy the most, and I really can't wait to play again! 🎸🎼🍻 
Added Monday 31st August 2020: -
AT LAST! A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE!!! On Saturday I had the immense pleasure of playing publicly for the first time in over 5 months! It was a real thrill to be able to spend an hour in The Square in Shrewsbury, playing for shoppers, nearby cafe patrons, passers-by, and plenty of people who took some time out of their day to enjoy the sunshine and listen to the music. It's hard to put into words how good it felt to be playing again after decimation of the live music scene caused by Covid-19. To date, I've had 20 consecutive gigs cancelled, and it looks like that will only be increasing over the coming weeks. However, Saturday was a very welcome opportunity to blow away some cobwebs, and to do what I love the most. I can't wait fo the moment when venues start to get up-and-running again with their live music schedules. Fingers crossed we won't have to wait too long! Added Saturday 21st March 2020: -
LIVE MUSIC ON HOLD Well, Coronavirus is sweeping the world, everywhere is closing down, and we're all stuck indoors. I'm sure like me, you can't believe what's happening at the moment! Whilst obeying the 'social distancing' lockdown guidelines, I decided to make a few home recordings of some of my favourite Bruce Springsteen tracks. Here's a one-take attempt at Thunder Road. Added Monday 30th December 2019: -
A FANTASTIC END TO A GREAT YEAR OF GIGGING Thank you SO much to everyone who came along, sang, danced and got involved at The Loopy Shrew on Sunday for my final gig of the year. I had an absolute blast, and can categorically say that it's the most fun I've ever had in my 356 gigs to date! That finish was awesome, and I went home with a big smile on my face. Can you all please come again? There's not really time to take stock and dwell too much on 2019, as I'm happy (amd surprised) to say that for the first time, January is fully-booked! It's usually very quiet, with just 1 or 2 gigs, so I'm thrilled to bits that 2020 is getting off to such a lively start. Also, I have a couple of brand new venues which I'm excited to be heading to! I'm truly grateful to all of the venues that I've had the privilege of playing at in 2019. Huge thanks to... The Loopy Shrew, Shrewsbury Riverbank Shrewsbury The Bay Tree, Welshpool The Lion + Pheasant, Shrewsbury Darwin's Kitchen, Shrewsbury The Talbot Inn, Welshpool The Kings Head, Guilsfield, The Oak Inn, Guilsfield The Cemist, Oswestry The Lion Hotel, Berriew, The Mytton and Mermaid, Atcham The Armoury, Shrewebury Ye Olde Bull Ring Tavern, Ludlow Carriages, Oswestry The Old Bakehouse, Ludlow The Crown Inn, Montgomery Guilsfield Show The Sarn, Sarn Hawkestone Arms, Wem. It's been a real pleasure! 🎶🎸🎤♥️ Added Sunday 6th October 2019: -
A QUICK 1-2, A DOUBLE-HEADER AND A DEBUT Well, gigs #341 & 342 were really great fun this week, both of them at the fantastic Riverbank Bar + Kitchen in Shrewsbury. Thursday was an NSPCC Ladies' Night charity event, and that was closely followed by a regular Saturday night gig. Thank you to everyone who came, danced and sang along. It's very much appreciated! This was my final gig at Riverbank for 2019, and I'm hoping to be able to come back in 2020, as it's always an absolute pleasure to play there! Next up for me is the The Mytton & Mermaid Hotel on Friday, a double-header with Joe Seager, who I'm really looking forward to finally hearing after having heard nothing but great things about him. Then, next Sunday I make my debut at The Cemist in Oswestry. Added Thursday 8th August 2019: -
A BUSY TIME AHEAD For various reasons, I tend to keep my gigs to one a week, but there are rare occurrences when I make an exception. As it happens, these next two weeks are two of those exceptions. This week I'm making my first appearance at Guilsfield Show (Thursday 8th August), and that is followed by a charity event for Seven Hospice at Carriages in Oswestry on Friday 9th. For next weekend I already had a gig booked on the Saturday night (17th August) at The Talbot Inn in Welshpool, but when I was given the chance to play The Armoury in Shrewsbury on the Friday before, I really couldn't let that opportunity pass! I have played once before at The Armoury, doing a short set at a beer festival way back in October 2015. It was a really lovely one to play, and I was surprised at how good it sounded in there, seeing as it's such a big room. Having enjoyed it so much, I've been longing for a chance to go back and play a full gig there, so I was delighted to be asked to play one of 5 live music nights they have planned for August. I'll be paying The Armoury on Friday August 16th, with a 9:30pm start time, and I really can't wait! 
Added Sunday 14th July 2019: -
A WONDERFUL WEDDING I don't play many wedding gigs, but occasionally I'll make an exception. I'm so glad I made that exception for Ceri and Chris this weekend, as this chilled-out event was an absolute joy to play at. Chris is an ex-workmate, and when he asked me whether I'd play at his evening party, I was keen to accept. Hosted at the bride's parents' lovely farm near Pontesbury, it was a classy but really relaxed occasion. I started off by playing a chilled-out set for the first hour. Then, after an interlude from the DJ, came back with a lively 2nd set, and was delighted to have people up dancing. We even made the last-minute decision for me to provide the musical accompaniment for the happy couple's first dance (a bespoke "Ceri & Chris" rendition of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by The Beatles). Thank you Ceri & Chris for letting me play a small part in your big day. It was an honour and a real pleasure! 
Ceri & Chris's first dance. Pontesbury, July 2019.
Added Sunday 16th June 2019: -
NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO Two days ago, Bruce Springsteen released his 19th album, Western Stars, and I was so struck by the wonderful title track, I decided to have a go at a solo acoustic version. Here's the result of my labours... Added Monday 13th May 2019: -
MY FIRST LIVE RECORDING As I've had a few requests from potential venues to hear some samples of my music, I've decided to try to record some live performances. So, having recently bought a small recording unit, I decided to give it its first run out on Saturday night at RIVERBANK in Shrewsbury. The results are now available for all to hear over on my "SOUND" page, and below you'll find my live version of The Killers' Mr Brightside. I hope you enjoy! |
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