Photo: Ed Sparke

Manitoba Hal is one of the top ukulele players in Canada and is famous around the world for playing Blues on his ukulele. He has been a featured performer at festivals around the world and recently appeared in the ukulele documentary The Mighty Uke.

"The workshop is free to Festival ticket holders and the residents of Hebden Bridge alike, thanks to some canny grant funding, and will operate on a first-come-first-served basis. There will be some ukes available to borrow, but feel free to bring your own," said Festival Director, Jason Elliott.

"He will also be doing a short set at the world-famous independent record shop, Muse Music in Market Street at 3pm, before the workshop," he added.

"People often think of the ukulele as a happy instrument and they're not wrong, but it is also capable of delivering the mojo that makes the blues so interesting" says Hal. "There are many blues performers like Edgar Winter and Otis Taylor who began on the ukulele before migrating to guitar and I believe the instrument certainly can carry the weight of the blues."

Organisers are also hoping that Hal will join them at the jam sessions later in the evening with some of the other well-known Blues artists in the town that weekend.

Events, venues and times

Friday May 23rd

3.00pm - Manitoba Hal - Muse Music, Market Street
4.00pm - Manitoba Hal - Blues Ukelele Workshop, Town Hall
7.00pm - Doors Open Main Stage*
7.45pm - Julian Burdock - Main Stage*
8.30pm - David Migden & The Twisted Roots - Main Stage*
9.00pm - Private Dicks - Old Gate
9.00pm - Alex McKown - Crown Inn
9.00pm - Jed Thomas - Marshall's Bar
9.00pm - The Rainey Street Band - The Vine
9.00pm - Mad Jack & The Hatters - The White Swan
9.30pm - DJ Dave Raven (Raven and Blues) - Main Stage*
10.00pm - Virgil & The Accelerators - Main Stage*
11.30pm - DJ Les Young (Wall to Wall Blues) - Main Stage*
Midnight - The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Sessions with the Hebden Allstars*
1.30am - Finish

Saturday May 24th

12 Noon - The Mustangs - Salem Electric Stage*
1.00pm - Dan Burnett - Salem Acoustic Stage*
1.00pm - Forty4 - Outlaw Stage (at the Main Stage)
2.00pm - Katie Bradley - Salem Electric Stage*
2.30pm - Bare Bones Boogie Band - Outlaw Stage (at the Main Stage)
3.00pm - Angelo Palladino - Salem Acoustic Stage*
3.00pm - Trevor Sewell (solo) - The Pennine Club
3.00pm - Open Blues Jam for all playing public - Marshalls Bar
4.00pm - Zoe Schwarz & Blue Commotion - Salem Electric Stage*
4.00pm - Makuini & The Hoodoo Men - Outlaw Stage (at the Main Stage)
4.30pm - Flock of 3 - Old Gate Bar & Restaurant
5.00pm - Dave Arcari - Salem Acoustic Stage*
6.00pm - Nat Martin Band - Salem Electric Stage*
7.15pm - Blues Boy Kings - Main Stage*
8.30pm - Paul Lamb & The Detroit Breakdown - Main Stage*
9.00pm - Little Devils - Old Gate Bar & Restaurant
9.00pm - Killer Bees - Crown Inn
9.00pm - Clare Free (acoustic) - The Vine
9.00pm - The Hexmen - The White Swan
9.00pm - Greasy Slicks - Marshalls Bar
10.00pm - The Motives feat. Matt Taylor - Main Stage*
11.30pm - DJ Dave Watkins - Main Stage*
Midnight - The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Sessions with the Hebden Allstars*
1.30am - Finish

Sunday May 25th

12 Noon - Richard Townend - Salem Acoustic Stage*
1.00pm - Half Deaf Clatch - Salem Acoustic Stage*
1.00pm - Tom Killner Band - JHS Stage (at the Main Stage)
2.00pm - Tom Attah & The Bad Man Clan - Salem Electric Stage*
2.30pm - Gav Coulson Band - JHS Stage (at the Main Stage)
3.00pm - Red Dirt Skinners - Salem Acoustic Stage*
3.00pm - Gary Grainger - The Pennine Club
3.30pm - The Terry Logan Band - Crown Inn
4.00pm - Marcus Lazarus Band - Salem Electric Stage*
4.00pm - Hannah Rickard & The Relatives - JHS Stage (at the Main Stage)
4.30pm - The Revelator Band - Old Gate Bar & Restaurant
5.00pm - Dove and Boweevil - Salem Acoustic Stage*
6.00pm - Tim Hood - Salem Electric Stage*
7.30pm - Gwyn Ashton - Main Stage*
8.30pm - Mark Pontin Group - Main Stage*
9.00pm - Tom Gee Band - Old Gate Bar & Restaurant
9.00pm - Lewis Hamilton - Crown Inn
9.00pm - Bonnie Mac Band - The White Swan
9.45pm - Russ Tippins Electric Band - Main Stage*
11.00pm - Northsyde - Main Stage*
Midnight - The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Sessions with the Hebden Allstars*

* Entrance with wristband only

 

HebWeb News: Hebden Bridge Blues Festival 2014 (28 April)

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