Roots bring the world to Chichester

Returning favourites and an exciting range of first-timers make up the latest Roots around the World series coming up in Chichester.
3 Boxes3 Boxes
3 Boxes

The autumn season is the fifth to be masterminded by Sue Martin, who is delighted with the programme which has come together for September-January.

September offers: Fri 5 –Ian Siegal (solo); Wed 17 – 3 Boxes; Fri 19 - Liane Carroll Trio; Wed 24 – Nine Below Zero.

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October offers: Wed 1 – The Toy Hearts; Sat 4 – Brothers Groove; Sat 11 – BluesClub; Sat 18 – Babajack (full band); Sat 25 – Doña Oxford & band; Fri 31 – Hamish Stuart Band.

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3 Boxes

November brings: Sat 1 – Hamish Stuart Band; Wed 5 – Lisbee Stainton;

Thu 13 – Gordon Giltrap; Wed 19 – Steve Rodgers (solo) plus support; Sat 22 – Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri; Fri 28 and Sat 29 – Brother Strut.

December welcomes Nick Harper (Dec 3) and the series’ Christmas special with Kokomo (Dec 13). All gigs are at the Chichester Inn.

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On Saturday, January 10 the series moves to The Empire Hall, Graffham for a gig from Kasaï Masaï before returning to the Chichester Inn on Wednesday, January 14 for Chris Standring and his band.

“I have been doing this for two years now,” says Sue, “and the word is spreading. The word is getting out that great players are loving this lovely venue in Chichester. I am now getting approached by agents more and more.

“It is great that we have got Kiki Dee coming. The bass player of one of the bands contacted this agent that deals with Kiki Dee and also Doña Oxford. Doña is on tour with Albert Lee and wanted to do some of her own gigs. The agent just rang me and said ‘I have heard you are doing some great stuff. Would you be interested in having Doña?’

“I checked her out and she has got a huge following in the States, but not yet really over here. And then I saw that this agent also had Kiki Dee on his books. I said ‘I don’t suppose Kiki Dee would like to play here?’ He said ‘Actually, I was going to give you a call about that!’”

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New for this season is the fact that a number of the gigs will be two-night visits, Hamish Stuart for instance: “We are doing a Friday night and a Saturday night because demand for tickets outweighed supply.

“And there is another band that we have had before, Brother Strut, but they have got an album out now in America, Australia, Italy, the UK, and it has hit number-one spots in many of the charts of these countries. They put together a tour last year, and they loved Chichester. And they want to come back, and again, this time they are doing two dates. Tickets sold out two months in advance for them last time.”

Sue is also delighted to welcome Steve Rodgers, son of Free and Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers. Steve will be doing a solo gig.

“Steve approached me. He is an up-and-coming young musician that is recognised by great musicians in his own right. His dad is a great influence on him, and I am sure there are elements of his dad in what he does, He tours regularly with Bad Company, but the word is getting around that he is also a great performer himself.”

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Sue is also pleased to welcome Lisbee Stainton: “Again I was approached by her agent, and I checked her out, and I saw that the likes of Paul Carrack are hailing her as the new Joni Mitchell.”

Tickets on www.rootsaroundtheworld.com.