Liverpool legend Ian Prowse makes a most welcome return. It's been a busy time for Ian. When he's not been on the road with his band Amsterdam for The Plough Tour, he was appearing as special guest for Elvis Costello & The Imposters on their "Boy Named If" tour. Take this opportunity to see his solo show where you can look forward to him performing old favourites like the iconic " Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?" through to songs from his new album and everything inbetween!

Nick Harper is one the UK's best kept musical secrets. Those who have witnessed the spellbinding, one-man show will tell you this. A childhood growing up surrounded by the musical prowess of some of the 60's most revered songwriters & musicians, not to mention being son of Roy Harper, along with 20 years of crafting songs & touring the land has spawned a truly one-off, original guitarist & songwriter who stands alone as a UK great, to be cherished & revered. For over two decades, he has been dazzling audiences, reviewers & fellow artists alike with his heady mix of virtuosity, boyish charm, showmanship & sheer bravado. An imagination bursting with ideas has seen Nick release 11 solo albums to critical acclaim, earning a Number 1 spot in the charts with the seminal hit 'Blue Sky Thinking'.

Singer-songwriter Scott Matthews who grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, got his first guitar when he was seven and knew then that music was his future. His first album Passing Stranger caught the attention of Janice Long, Mark Radcliffe and Lauren Laverne and won him the Ivor Novello award for the single Elusive. He’s toured with the Foo Fighters, Robert Plant and Rufus Wainwright and his folk, blues and rock fusion continue to attract a devoted band of supporters.

"The undisputed queens of British folk duos continue to come up with the goods. First-class songs delivered with to-die-for harmonies, immaculate musicianship and melodies that lodge themselves in your brain." (The Guardian) While & Matthews are two of the best and most hard-working musicians on the world folk roots scene. Both are highly regarded producers and they record everything that they are involved in at their own studio in a small Pennine town, far from the London-centric music industry. They truly are inspirational women. Chris While (vocals, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, bodhran and percussion) and Julie Matthews (vocals, piano, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki) are renowned for their seamless harmonies and affinity for each other on stage. They are stunning singers, songwriters, musicians, producers, arrangers and performers, whose energy and commitment to their craft and their audience is boundless. Last September, to celebrate their incredible 30 years collaboration, they released their album Days like These sounding as fresh and vital as ever, they remain at the top of their game. Chris and Julie have been nominated 10 times in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in the 'Best Song, Best Duo, Best Live Act' categories, winning Best Duo in 2009. Their many awards touch their hearts but it is their longstanding and devoted, growing fans that stir their souls. They have also toured in Australasia, New Zealand, Africa, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Italy. Although internationally acclaimed, they continue to be a leading force on the UK's acoustic/roots arts circuit. Their songs cover life as they see it, from injustice and freedom to matters of the heart, and everything in between. Their songs are covered by many singers the world over but it is While & Matthews' musical partnership and obvious joy of performing together that really brings their songs to life. As performers they are unrivalled and their audiences leave their concerts having travelled an emotional journey. Venue: no stairs; seated audience; bar. Parking within 5 minutes of the free venue. No parking permitted immediately outside the venue gates. Drop-off permitted for those with reduced mobility or vision, (please email [email protected] )

A member of Kraftwerk during the group's golden era, Wolfgang Flur was the band's electronic percussionist from 1973 to 1987.

Best known for appearing on TV shows such as Benidorm, I’m A Celebrity and Celebrity Masterchef, Crissy Rock is better known to her fans as one of the most outstanding and outrageous stand up comedians of her generation. To celebrate over 30 years of her film debut in Ken Loach’s Ladybird Ladybird, Crissy Rock is hitting the road with a brand new show of two halves!

Allegra Krieger is an American indie rock musician based in New York City.

Vera Van Heeringen and Brooks Williams present Song Roots, a night of songs, stories and masterful guitar playing. Audiences will be treated to duets, as well as solos, in this variation of the 'songwriter in the round sessions made famous in Nashville in the early years of Folk/Americana. VERA VAN HEERINGEN, originally from the Netherlands, is rooted in transatlantic traditions, astute songwriting and firebrand instrumental virtuosity. In September 2019, Vera released her third album, Wont Be Broken, which got rave reviews and has been described by the press as her best one yet. A compelling performer, Vera conveys an easy warmth on stage, allowing the music to speak for itself. Stripped back, potent, and full of groove. Vera is a master of the less-is-more lyric, conveying more in half-a-dozen words than lesser mortals do in half-a-dozen verses. (RnR) BROOKS WILLIAMS, originally from the USA, is creating new music from the confluence of country, blues and folk. New routes from old roots. His songs are rich narratives about adventurers, motorcyclists, lovers, losers and neer-do-wells, all set to walking bass lines, stinging lead lines and flying chords. His latest solo recording, Diamond, released in March 2024, showcases Williams solo guitar and voice in a wonderfully intimate set of songs. Brooks Williams is a guitarist in possession of rich vocal powers and a talent for lyrical imagery and uplifting generosity. (RnR)

Jim Moray is an English folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.

Emerging onto the UK folk scene with her debut album Dwelling by the Weir (2022), Ellie explored folklore and stories of her hometown, Warwick, through ecological, sociological, and personal themes. It connected with wider audiences and secured her a place on the UK touring circuit. Following the release of her latest single, ‘The Stars Are Ours’, BBC Radio 2 beckoned for a ‘really impressive’ (Mark Radcliffe) live session which was widely lauded, before heading out on a successful Autumn 2023 tour. Ellie has also composed music for BBC Radio 3’s Middlemarch production and toured as a support act for several artists including Blair Dunlop and Elephant Sessions. Ellie marks her return this summer with long-awaited new music. After the release of her celebrated album, Ellie has continued to root herself in the songwriting scene firmly. However this time, her new music amplifies her writing; referencing the more contemporary sounds of MIPSO, Gemma Hayes, and Jeff Buckley. After a heavy year of touring away from home, themes of absence, push/pull, and longing emerge from this new and exciting direction.

Incredible stand-up comedy at one of Chester's most iconic venues. The Comedians Club Chester has become a firm favourite with both punters and comics.

Join us for a spectacular cabaret of international talent as you sip Prosecco at the edge of your seat.

Leveret features three of England's finest folk musicians in an exciting new collaboration. Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron are each regarded as masters of their instrument and are involved in numerous collaborations with a huge range of artists. Together their performances combine consummate musicianship, compelling delivery, and captivating spontaneity.

The Courettes is an explosive rock duo from Denmark and Brazil who found the perfect blend between garage rock, '60s Girl Group, Wall of Sound, surf music and doo wop. Like The Ronettes meet The Ramones at a wild party at Gold Star Studios echo chamber.

An intimate evening filled with honest conversations, hilarious anecdotes, and plenty of surprises. "An Audience with Airline's Jane Boulton" is a captivating show that offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the iconic British TV series Airline. Featuring Jane Boulton, one of the show's most beloved personalities, this intimate experience takes the audience on a humorous and heartfelt journey through her time working at the UK's busiest airports. Expect lively anecdotes, a glimpse into the world of airline customer service, and plenty of laughs as Jane shares unforgettable moments from the series and her career. Perfect for fans of Airline and anyone who enjoys a mix of storytelling, humour, and real-life drama.

The Lost Trades are a Folk/Americana trio, based in the West Country, with a cool Laurel Canyon vibe. With a sound that is reminiscent of the California folk scene of the late 60s/early 70s, their three-part harmonies have been described as "flawless", "spine tingling" and "magical". A live performance involves easy interchanging of instruments, with each of the three playing guitar, bass and percussion at different points. There's always a fun intimacy to the show, with the three engaging in comfortable repartee with each other and the audience like a group of old friends.

UK global-folk duo ‘Mishra’ weave a tight web of intricate, Indian-influenced original music that defies definition and has brought them awards recognition since their formation in 2017. Kate Griffin on vocals, banjo, and dobro and Ford Collier on low whistle, calabash/percussion, and guitar (BBC R2 Folk Award-nominated The Drystones) draw on their unique base of influences, encompassing folk music of the UK and America, Indian classical music, and soul to create a surprisingly accessible sound that audiences instantly connect to.

For folksinger Willi Carlisle, singing is healing. And by singing together, he believes we can begin to reckon with the inevitability of human suffering and grow in love. On his latest album, Critterland, Carlisle invites audiences to join him: “If we allow ourselves to sing together, there's a release of sadness, maybe even a communal one. And so for me personally, singing, like the literal act of thinking through suffering, is really freeing,” he says. Rooted in the eclectic and collective world of his live shows, Carlisle’s third album, Critterland takes up where his sophomore album, Peculiar, Missouri left off, transforming Peculiar’s big tent into a Critterland menagerie and letting loose the weirdos he gathered together. The album is a wild romp through the backwaters of his mind and America, lingering in the odd corners of human nature to visit obscure oddballs, dark secrets and complicated truths about the beauty and pain of life and love. Produced by the GRAMMY Award-nominated Darrell Scott and released Jan. 26, 2024 by Signature Sounds, Critterland considers where we come from and where we are going. On the album, he takes on human suffering through stories about forbidden love, loss, generational trauma, addiction, and suicide, believing that by processing the traits and trauma we inherit, he can reach a deeper understanding of what it means to succeed and to exist. Presented by Love Thy Neighbour. This is an 18+ event

John Harold Arnold Bramwell, to give him his full name, is perhaps best-known for his time as the songwriter and frontman of Manchester three-piece, I Am Kloot. However, he also possesses an enviable back catalogue as a solo artist and continues to work on new material under the guise of his latest band, John Bramwell & The Full Harmonic Convergence. Bramwell’s first studio output appeared in 1989, when he was performing and recording as Johnny Dangerously and entitled You Me & The Alarm Clock, an album The Guardian referred to as one of the ‘greatest albums you’ve never heard.’ Following a stint as a television presenter and as a member of the band, The Mouth, Bramwell formed I Am Kloot, with two members of The Mouth. They went on to record six studio albums, including the Mercury-Prize nominated album, Sky At Night. Since 2016, Bramwell has reverted to being a solo artist and tours continuously, around the UK and Europe. A home-recorded solo album, Leave Alone the Empty Spaces appeared in 2018 and the follow-up, a more expansive affair, with a working title of The Light Fantastic, is now scheduled for release in 2022.

Jackie-O Motherfucker's music draws from a variety of subgenres including various folk musics of the world (American folk and blues, Traditional English folk ballads, etc.), drone, free jazz, psychedelia, and noise rock , and is heavily improvisational in its nature. Because they are a collective, rather than a consistent band or group, the sound of their music can change from performance to performance. Jackie-O Motherfucker began as a duo consisting of multi-instrumentalist Tom Greenwood and saxophonist Nester Bucket. The group has had more than forty members drawn from the U.S. experimental scene, notably Natalie Mering, who now records under Weyes Blood, briefly on bass; the core of the group is founding member Greenwood. The group has had recordings released by Fire Records, Ecstatic Peace, Feeding Tube Records, ATP Recordings and their own U-Sound Archive and has been on several international tours including performances at All Tomorrow's Parties Festivals. In collaboration with the band, Fire Records will be reissuing one of their albums this summer - the first official vinyl reissue of ‘Flags Of The Sacred Harp’ with restored original artwork and a download card featuring unreleased extras and rarities. Presented by Melting Vinyl. Under 16s accompanied by an adult

Merry Hell invite you to join them for an evening of music and more! The evening will start at 5.30pm, with our opening guests on stage at 6.00. Our very special guests - we will tell you nearer the time - will play From 7.00 to 7.40 and Merry Hell will be raised from 8.00 until around 10.00, leaving time to have a drink if you want one before enjoying the Chester Night Air. The venue is a Grade 1 listed building and a designated World Heritage site. Looking forward to returning to this fabulous venue, as well as seeing YOU! PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS GIG SOLD OUT THE LAST 2 YEARS - AND WILL HOPEFULLY DO THE SAME THIS TIME AROUND!!

The New York trio perform raw blues-rock with a heavy funk influence.

California-born but now based in Manchester, Jesca Hoop is what you’d call a musician’s musician. Discovered by Tom Waits, and brought on tour by Peter Gabriel to sing in his band, it was a phone call from Elbow’s Guy Garvey that saw her move to the UK.　 Her recent album "Stonechild", produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding, This is the Kit), received huge acclaim from fans and critics alike, and it’s easy to see why: her beautiful songs, rooted in the folk tradition are intricately detailed, acoustic-led pieces that teem with ideas.

Multi award-winning and hugely influential contemporary folk musicians Jackie Oates and John Spiers bring their breadth of experience and shared love of English traditional folk tunes and songs to this finely matched duo. Their annual tour at Christmas provides a beautiful and heart-warming antidote to the materiality that can be a feature of the festive season, as they perform captivating and unusual traditional Christmas carols and tunes from the UK and far beyond. If youre seeking music that beautifully honours the traditions of this season, look no further they carry these cherished traditions with inspiring grace. Klofmag Their latest album, a festive release entitled A Midwinter's Night, is a joyous celebration of midwinter and all its shades. Featuring multi-instrumental arrangements, the duo aims to inspire audiences through their shared love of Christmas time, including the traditions and rituals that, for many years, have been an important feature of their own respective family traditions. Prepare for a magical show!

Gwenifer began playing guitar at the age of eight shortly after having been first exposed to punk and grunge. After years of playing around the Welsh valleys in various punk outfits she began listening more to pre-war blues musicians as well as Appalachian folk players, eventually leading into the guitar players of the American Primitive genre. It was then that Gwenifer began writing her own moody and often-times manic original American Primitive styled compositions and started playing shows around the UK.

Blues is the teacher. Punk is the preacher. Its all about emotion and energy, experience and raw talent, spirit and intellect. Exciting things happen when these things collide. Bob Vennum and Lisa Kekaula made the BellRays happen in 1991 in Riverside but they weren't really thinking about any of this then. They wanted to play music and they wanted it to feel good. They wanted people to WANT to get up, to NEED to get up and check out what was going on. Form an opinion. React. So they took everything they knew about; the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, the Who, the Ramones, Billie Holiday, Lou Rawls, Hank Williams, the DB's, Jimmy Reed, Led Zeppelin, to name a very few and pressed it into service. It was never about coming up with a 'sound', or fitting in with a scene. It was about the energy that made all that music so irresistible. It was the history BEFORE Led Zeppelin that led them to that point. The Beatles thought they were playing R&B. It just came out like 'Rubber Soul'. The Ramones were trying to be Del Shannon or Neil Sedaka and out came 'Rocket to Russia'. With the BellRays there was no conscious effort to 'combine' rock and soul because they didn't see them as divided in the first place. Blues was teaching. Punk was preaching. The BellRays were always listening.

Programme Mozart: Fantasy in C minor, K475 Schumann: Fantasy in C, Op17 Britten: 3 Character Pieces Sir Stephen Hough: Sonatina Nostalgica Alexander Scriabin: Sonata No.3 in F Sharp minor, Op.23 Pianist Antonina Suhanova has performed on international stages since 2000. During her studies, Antonina participated in numerous masterclasses of such world-renowned pianists as Vladimir Ashkenazy and Idil Biret. She has performed at the Steinway Hall in New York, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Barbican Hall in London and the Moscow International House of Music. This concert is not part of the Celebrity Concert Subscription Series The concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts. Tickets 20

Programme Haydn: Op. 33 No. 4 in B flat Major Janacek: String Quartet No. 2 Intimate Letters Beethoven: String Quartet in C# Minor Op. 131 As the only ensemble to ever win both First and Audience Prizes at the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition in Italy (2024), the Fibonacci Quartet are one of Europe's leading young string quartets. During the 2024/25 season the Quartet performed extensively throughout Europe, including concerts in the UK, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and France. Tickets 20 This concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts.

When Bob Log III was a child, he lost his left hand in a boating accident. It was soon replaced with a monkey paw, and a new guitar style was born. 'It's my own personal style, see,' Log says, 'the paw moves much quicker than a normal hand, so my real hand has to flop around a lot to compensate.'" Bob Log III, one man band crown prince of punk blues from Tuscon, Arizona. Witnessing Bob Log live is an unmissable and unforgettable experience. By rights he should be a punk blues stadium super star. He takes to the stage with his face masked in a crash helmet with a black visor and a telephone wired in it for a mic and wearing a blue jump suit. Bob then unleashes a torrent of hardcore Mississippi Delta blues, hip hop beats and punk rock. The crash helmet telephone distorts the vocals and his hands, arms, legs and feet become a blur of jump suit clad limbs as he plays slide, triggers drum machines and drums with his feet simultaneously. Bob then adds extra ingredients to this punk blues bouillabaisse with his unique version of audience participation. More often them not he’ll bounce a couple of audience members on his knees while playing, and then bring on the infamous Boob Scotch. The audience are invited to literally stick their boob in his scotch which he then drinks. If Bob feels satisfied, he will then launch into his anthem Boob Scotch! Everyone has to look out when the rubber dinghy makes an appearance.

Programme:- Frank Bridge Miniatures, set 1 Frank Bridge Piano Trio no 2 Franz Schubert Piano Trio in E flat, D929 Pixels Ensemble is a piano trio, known for its diverse repertoire spanning from classical to contemporary music. The groups core members include pianist Ian Buckle, as well as violinist Sophie Rosa and cellist Jonathan Aasgaard. They are based in Liverpool and regularly perform across the UK. Tickets 20 This concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts.

Programme Chopin Barcarolle, Op 60 Bacewicz Sonatina Rachmaninov Etudes Tableaux, Op. 33 Florence Price Fantasie Ngre, No. 1 Michael Betteridge Prison Piece Janacek In The Mists Gershwin / Earl Wild Three Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin Nos. 4, 6 & 7 Acclaimed as a pianist of extraordinary gifts (Gramophone) and immense power (The Times), Clare Hammond is recognised for the virtuosity and authority of her performances. She won the Royal Philharmonic Societys Young Artist Award in 2016. Last year saw her debuts at the BBC Proms, Konzerthaus Berlin, and Salle Bourgie in Montreal, and return visits to the Wigmore Hall, Londons National Gallery, and Raritten der Klaviermusik in Husum. Clare has recorded a disc of concertos by Britten, Tippett and Walton with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and George Vass. This concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts. Tickets 20

Frankie Archer aims to shake up genres and traditions, challenge perspectives and call for a fairer future.

Programme Maple Leaf Rag Demonstration of early Blues Guitar styles / Send Me To The Electric Chair King Porter Stomp My Home Is A Southern Town April Kisses (Eddie Lang guitar solo) In A Mist (Bix piano solo) Waiting At The End Of The Road (Bing Crosby) Carolina Shout Lollipops (Harry Reser) Sposin Love Me Or Leave Me a la Earl Hines The Very Thought of You (Al Bowlly) Humoreske (Art Tatum) Laughing At Life Sunny Morning (Teddy Wilson) Straighten Up And Fly Right (Nat Cole) Rhapsody in Blue Medley The Joint Is Jumping Martin Litton is an internationally renowned pianist, arranger, and bandleader, specialising in all the classic styles of jazz from the age of Ragtime through to the Swing era and beyond. He has broadcast frequently on BBC Radio 3, talking about and demonstrating the music of Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Earl Hines, and Teddy Wilson. Thomas Spats Langham has worked as a professional musician, travelled the four corners of the globe, and has been lucky to play with many great artists and bands. This includes The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Acker Bilk, The Palm Court Orchestra and Chris Barbers Band to name but a few. BUY TICKETS Tickets 20 This concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts.

Programme:- Mozart Sonata in C K.521 Brahms 16 Waltzes Op. 39 Schubert Fantasy in F minor D.940 Debussy Petite Suite Ravel Mother Goose Suite Faure Dolly Suite During his illustrious career, Martin Roscoe has become one of the UKs most loved and respected pianists. With his extensive repertoire, consummate musicianship and immediate connection with audiences, he is in great demand as a concerto soloist, chamber musician and recitalist. He appears regularly at Wigmore Hall and has long-standing associations with many of the UKs leading orchestras. He also performs widely across Europe, Canada, Australia and the Far East. Martin has a distinguished discography and is one of the most broadcast pianists on BBC radio. He is President of Chester Music Society. A graduate of the Juilliard School, the British pianist Nicola Eimer has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across Europe, America and Asia. She was a prize winner at the Dudley, John Lill and the Royal Overseas League competitions, and was also a featured performer on the Tillett Trust Young Artists Platform, leading to recitals and concerto performances across the UK, including St Johns Smith Square, The Barbican and Wigmore Hall. Tickets 20 This concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts.

Programme Brahms Nachklang, Op 59 No. 4 Debussy Violin Sonata in G minor (1917) Thomas Ades Mrchentnze Sally Beamish Wild Swans Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1 in G, Op. 78 Charlotte Spruit is a soloist and chamber musician, praised for her passionate and energetic performances. She won the first prize as well as the audience prize and the Genuin Classics prize at the Leipzig International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in 2022. She also won the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) International Auditions held at Wigmore Hall in 2023 and was named Classic FM rising star in 2024. Recent solo engagements include performances at the Wigmore Hall in London, Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Angus Webster is a British pianist who has performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Bruckner Orchestra Linz, Osaka Philharmonic, and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. He also worked on the music staff at the Glyndebourne Festival for Mozarts Cos fan tutte, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Brittens A Midsummer Nights Dream. Tickets 20 This concert is supported by a Friend of the Celebrity Concerts.

The new Comfy & Acoustic 3 fantastic acts, 1 bookshop with wine. Artist details soon. Doors at 7pm. Stage times: Jade Bird 8.00-8.35 Kitty McFarlane 8.50-9.30 Hannah Sanderd 9.45-10.35 Bookshop bar open with hot and cold drinks, beer and wine plus cake. Www.thebigcomfybookshop.co.uk Tickets £5 adv/£7 otd

Off The Beaten Track, HSP and Roman Candle Promotions present Fionn Regan plus special guest support from Yoshika Colwell. Presented by HSP PRSNTS. This is an 18+ event