"Two from Lindisfarne, one from Fairport and a mysterious other"

Club organiser said Des O’Byrne: “This gig marks the opening of our 2023-2024 season and features some of the UK’s favourite and longstanding folk/rock musicians. Their pedigree and heritage is almost without equal and they will perform favourite songs from the repertoire of both Lindisfarne and Fairport Convention. This gig will showcase the talents of this collective and allow us a rare opportunity to hear some of our favourite songs from two of the UK’s enduring bands.”

Tickets £22, available in person from Grayshott Post Officeor by phone from Des O'Byrne on 01428 607096 or online:https://www.ents24.com/nr-hindhead-events/grayshott-village-hall-1/silverblues/6767832

“Ray Jackson (Lindisfarne) came and played/sang for us with the acoustic Gathering back in GFC's very early days in October 2011. As well as being a leading light and founder member of Lindisfarne (Meet Me On The Corner, Lady Eleanor, Fog On The Tyne and Run For Home), Ray is perhaps best known for his mandolin solo at the end of Rod Stewart's Maggie May and on Mandolin Wind. His rich, warm vocals, blues harmonica that'll make you weep and mandolin playing will take you on a trip, to way back when.

“Ric Sanders is from Fairport Convention. Ric is an outstanding violin player with a zany sense of humour. He brought his trio to us in November 2016 and his sizzling electric violin improvisations will delight, amaze and excite.”

Also playing will be Tom Leary (Lindisfarne/Feast of Fiddles/Joe Brown's Band) offering “electric violin, mandolin and lap steel that'll put wolf in your soul and mud in your blood”; plus Vo Fletcher: (Ric Sanders Trio) promising “guitar and vocals that glue the band together and impel them rhythmically and emotionally onwards and upwards.

“Ray and Tom are from the north-east; they’ve known each other for donkey's years. Ric and Vo are from Birmingham; they’ve known each other even longer than that. Ric and Tommy live quite close; Ray and Vo don’t. It was obvious from the start, that they’d all end up playing together.

“Among interpretations of traditional material taken from their combined experience, SilverBlues will play some of the earlier Lindisfarne favourites and some of the newer ones, which feature Ray’s astonishing blues harmonica. SilverBlues also give some early Fairport numbers a new lease of life, along with newer Fairport tunes, composed by Ric.

“No recordings of this line up exist yet. SilverBlues have resisted rushing into the studio just to fulfil the usual commercial demands. But with this band’s obvious pedigree, you can be sure it will have been well worth the wait when they do decide to record. Meanwhile, every gig is different, every gig is full of energy. These guys aren’t bound by any convention – Fairport or otherwise. Improvisation, inspiration and excitement abound at every show.”