Barrow R&B Club, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria
Here are details of Barrow R&B Club which featured in the early British blues scene, including the artists and bands that performed there and some details on ‘whatever happened to …’, plus readers memories of attending the club.
Barrow R&B Club may not have been amongst the earliest of British blues clubs bu it warrants inclusion because of it’s historical significance, warm memories and importance as a small dedicated blues club in the North West hosting many blues artists normally playing at much larger venues.
History of Barrow R&B Club
The Barrow R&B Club was founded in 2001 by Joyce and Bill Harrison to bring live blues music to a corner of the North West’s Lake District where none previously existed. The club originally resided at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, then over the years at The Travellers Rest, The Kings Arms, The Derby and The Labour Club, before finding it’s final home home at Bar Continental before closing down at the end of 2016.
Here is an article from Newsquest’s ‘The News’, Barrow’s local newspaper, dated 17th January 2017:
Barrow blues club founders call it a day after venue blaze
Bill and Joyce Harrison photo by Lindsey Dickings
THE founders of a long-running music club have decided to call time on the venture following the major fire which ripped through a Furness venue earlier this month.
Bill and Joyce Harrison, who have been involved in running the Barrow R&B Club since it was founded in 2001, have decided that the time is right to bring the programme to an end.
The fire which destroyed the former House of Lords pub, and parts of the adjoining Bar Continental venue in Abbey Road, had left the couple without a venue for the foreseeable future.
Mrs Harrison, 85, said: “It took a while for it to sink in, but when we had chance to think about it, we decided it was time to call it a day.
“It has always been a hobby for us, and we’ve always enjoyed it, but the setbacks eventually take their toll.”
Mr Harrison, 86, and his wife, were two of eight original committee members who formed the Barrow R&B Club. In 2014, the pair received the Lifetime Achievement trophy at the British Blues Awards, recognising their tireless support of live music in Barrow.
Over the years, the not-for-profit club had resided at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, The Travellers Rest, The Kings Arms, The Derby and The Labour Club, before finding a permanent home at Bar Continental around five years ago.
Mrs Harrison continued: “We’re proud to have brought something like that to Barrow, because there was nothing like it around at the time.
“The way I feel right now is that we would have gone on as far as we could. We had gone from putting on weekly events to making them monthly, and it was working nicely, but we know the upheaval and all the hard work it takes when we move from place to place, so it felt like the right time to make a clean break.”
The remaining bookings at the Barrow R&B Club in 2017 have now been cancelled.
Extract courtesy Newsquest’s ‘The News’ in accordance with their terms and conditions:
https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/16448274.barrow-blues-club-founders-call-it-a-day-after-venue-blaze/
Here are a couple of photos of me presenting the British Blues Awards’ ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Bill and Joyce at the Colne Great British R&B Festival in 2014. The presentation was backstage as they didnt want a fuss!
Artists and Bands
Firstly, a selection of photos from several club sessions (2007 – 2016):
Earlyblues.com Website – Barrow R&B Club
Secondly, a series of photo galleries of individual club sessions:
Eddie Martin – 9th November 2007 at The King’s Arms, Dalton Road, Barrow in Furness
(Eddie Martin – guitars, harmonica, voice / Tim Price – drums / Marion Dolton – bass)
Carvin Jones – 15th February 2008 at The King’s Arms, Dalton Road, Barrow in Furness
(Carvin Jones – lead guitar, vocals / Gianpaolo Feola – drums / Mike Califano – bass)
Ian Parker Band – 14th November 2008 at The King’s Arms, Dalton Road, Barrow in Furness
(Ian Parker – lead vocals, electric & acoustic guitars / Steve Amadeo – bass guitar / ‘Morg’ Morgan – keyboards, backing vocals / Wayne Procter – drums, backing vocals)
King King – 30th January 2009 at The Travellers Rest Club, Barrow in Furness
(Alan Nimmo – vocals, guitar / Lindsey Coulson – bass / Dale Storr – keyboards / Dave Raeburn – drums)
Marcus Malone – 27th February 2009 at The Travellers Rest Club, Barrow in Furness
(Marcus Malone – vocals, guitar / Stuart Dixon – guitar / Yohan ‘YoYo’ Boys – bass guitar, vocals / Chris Nugent – drums)
Mitch Laddie Trio – 27th March 2009 at The Travellers Rest Club, Barrow in Furness
(Mitch Laddie – vocals, guitar / Rhian Wilkinson – bass / Lee “Cliffy” Clifford – drums)
Ian Siegal Band – 12th June 2009 at The Travellers Rest Club, Barrow in Furness
Link coming soon.
John O’Leary Band – 5th December 2009 at The King’s Arms, Dalton Road, Barrow in Furness
(John O’Leary – vocals,harmonica / Jules Fothergill – guitar,vocals / Roger Inniss – bass/vocals / “Mr Jools” Grudgings – keyboards/vocals / Joachim Greve – drums)
Jon Amor – 22nd January 2010 at The Travellers Rest, 100 Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness
(Jon Amor – vocals, guitar / Dave Doherty – guitars / Chris Doherty – bass /Simon Small – drums
Feed Me – 2nd April 2010
Link coming soon.
Paul Lamb and the King Snakes – 26th November 2011
Link coming soon.
Erja Lyytinen – 18th May 2012
Link coming soon.
Connie Lush and Blues Shouter – 22nd February 2013
Link coming soon.
LIttle Devils – 12th April 2013
The Deluxe – 26th April 2013 at Bar Continental, Abbey Road, Barrow in Furness
(Christian Sharpe -vocals, guitar / Martin McDonald – guitar / Rod Mackay – bass, Scott Broadhurst (drums)
Kirk Fletcher – 24th October 2014
Link coming soon.
Aynsley Lister – 10th April 2015
Link coming soon.
more soon …
Memorabilia
Coming soon
Memories
If you have early memories of Barrow R&B Club and would like to share them here, please email alan@earlyblues.com .
Reunions
Further Reading and Reference
more soon …