SMASH HIT SHOW Up Close With The Blues At Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre

UP CLOSE WITH THE BLUES - Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre Friday October 4th 2024

Internationally Acclaimed blues star Giles Robson is returning to Barnoldswick after backing up Chicago Blues Legend John Primer at the venue earlier this year. He will be performing his unmissable 5 star smash hit 10 night sell out Edinburgh Fringe show “Up Close With The Blues” The Edinburgh Fringe is one of the most highly competitive ticket sales environments in the world. One of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet, The Edinburgh Fringe has nearly 60,000 performances of over 3,500 shows across 320 venues and is surpassed only by the Olympics and the World Cup in terms of global ticketed events and Robson’s show sold out it’s complete run of 10 shows.

A perfect fit for the beautifully intimate venue in Barnoldswick, the show has received a rave 5 star review from Edinburgh Arts Reviews

“Blues music as it is meant to be heard – in a small setting, close to the audience, not on a huge stage where the audience are small shapes on some distant horizon. The blues is full of warmth and humour, and it is this same personal warmth and humour that Giles Robson so effortlessly brings to stage with him to put his audience at ease and connect with them immediately. A virtuoso display of just what a range and depth of music and emotion the blues-harmonica is capable of in the right hands. Giles also is a fine blues vocalist, and for me it is always the human voice that is ultimately the defining sound of The Blues.” *****5 stars

Make sure you don’t miss this wonderful and unforgettable night of soul quenching blues!

Promotional Video:

Too Hot For The Devil:

Clarksdale Train:

“I’ve been listening to you and you sound GREAT!”

Sir Mick Jagger

“Award winning harmonica

playing genius”

Daily Sport (UK)

“Worth his place in blues

harmonica history”

American Blues Scene

Decades long commitment, respect and focus towards the art of blues music has seen Blues Music Award Winner Giles Robson build a dreamlike career. Given the blessing of Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger who raved about Robson’s live incendiary performance and harmonica playing at the Mustique Blues Festival as “sounding GREAT!”, Hohner Harmonicas calls Giles Robson “One of the finest blues harmonica virtuosos in the world, an acclaimed master showman and singer”.

The ONLY UK or European artist to appear on Chicago’s legendary Alligator Records who described him as “A blues giant, absolute master of the form”. He is only one of THREE UK blues artists alongside Eric Clapton and Peter Green to win a coveted Blues Music Award in Memphis (The Grammys of the Blues) alongside blues legends Joe Louis Walker and Bruce Katz for their album Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues. His albums are in the top of the world’s most prestigious music magazines critics polls – Mojo Magazine, Living Blues and Downbeat.

He tours over fifteen countries a year and works with some of blues music’s most legendary figures. Ex Muddy Waters and Magic Slim guitarist and celebrated blues star John Primer says “When me and Giles play the blues we put hot sauce on it so you can feel it”. Emmy Award winning blues harmonica master Billy Branch calls Robson “A great Harmonica player in his own right”.

He plays and sings beautiful, powerful, emotional and timeless blues with a deep groove and laden with intense feeling. He is widely considered one of the world’s greatest blues harmonica virtuosos and an impressive singer. He plays harmonica in his own accomplished and distinct style that captures stunned audience’s hearts and imaginations with his mixture of superb technique, rhythmic power, tonal control and sensitive emotional expressiveness. Witnessing Giles Robson live is a dazzling, and unforgettable experience as audiences from around the world constantly discover.

“One of the finest blues

harmonica virtuosos in the

world, an acclaimed master

showman and singer”

Hohner Harmonicas

“He is probably the best

modern harmonica player,

British, European OR American.

When you come across a true maestro,

it is worth cherishing”

Music News

“Blues giant, absolute master of the form”

Alligator Records Chicago

Official Website:

Reviews Of Giles Robson Live:

“This was a headline act to be proud of, full on entertainment leaving the audience satisfied and ready for more, a flawless upbeat performance” Blues Matters Magazine - Carlisle Blues Rock Festival

“one of the world leaders in the blues harp: I call singer and songwriter Giles Robson. The man has become a real blues giant and actually a bit “unavoidable”. Powerful vocals, a virtuoso on the harmonica and hard to match live beautiful harmonica work…It goes without saying that the man belongs to the top of the world” Rootsville Banana Peel Club Review, Belgium

“Giles Robson delighted the Madrid public with his virtuosity on the harmonica, his voice and his good work in the ancient arts of the most classic blues. The sounds that came out of the cells of Mr. Robson 's harmonica made a respectable devotee travel from Memphis to Chicago and back and feel the waters of the Mississippi in the depths of his being. And it is that our guide that night, despite being born on this side of the ocean, he knows the language and mysticism of blues like no one else and transmits them song by song”. Ballesterock Reviews, Madrid Spain

“A brilliant Giles Robson gig. He was the headliner and lived up to that in every respect. Giles Robson inspired with his wealth of ideas on the harmonica and was able to involve the audience in the stage action again and again”. Zyfflich Rocktimes Germany

“Thursday night we jumped to Milwaukee Puerto Santa Maria to witness the live show of Giles Robson I must say it's one of the best blues concerts with no additives or preservatives I've ever seen. A winner of much deserved awards by the most distinguished institutions worldwide do him justice, he entered our insides and shook our soul from the inside out with the strength of a titan”. Qconcieratos Music Magazine club review Spain

“For the last song, Giles Robson was asked to take the stage and "Sweet Home Chicago" was used. The fire on the stage is stoked with a sublime harmonica battle, in which Messrs. Bell and Robson fought a magnificent duel. Music is not a competition and I will not declare a winner on stage. The big winner was the audience”. The Blues Alone, Rotterdam Evening With the blues Review

“With his rousing Mississippi saxophone and his great voice he blows everyone's socks off. Blues of the highest order, classic but with a modern twist. Everyone loves Giles Robson. Assisted by a solid band, the man was completely ready to blow us off our socks and he did. Gilesshowed why he is a master on the harmonica. Wow! Phenomenal what the man manages to squeeze out of that little thing. There followed some phenomenal instrumentals that knocked everyone out. Game, set and match for Mister Giles Robson!!" Rootsville.eu Stekene Blues Festival Belgium review

Host or Publisher Giles Robson