The 2025 edition of the UK Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festival was a great success for Solid Entertainments. This was the second year at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool but this year the event was moved in the Conference Centre, for the main stages, which worked brilliantly with great lights and sound. The Acoustic Stage with Blues in Britain magazine was very busy and well attended and located in the Old Vic bar (in the original part of the complex).
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On Friday there were opportunities for the big crowds to see artists in either the Acoustic Stage, Introducing Stage, Arena Stage and the Main Stage upstairs.
On the acoustic stage it kicked off with singer/songwriter Josie Field who made her name in South Africa, but now located in Worcestershire. She entranced the audience with her distinct bluesy voice and great guitar work.
Then as the room got hotter and even fuller, we first had an acoustic set from Bradford’s Chantel McGregor, with her beautiful voice and mellower sound (than with her band) before Belfast’s Dom Martin took to the stage to play some of his favourite blues songs, but played and sang in his unique vocals.
Down on the Introducing Stage the battle to get a place on the Main Stage in 2026 was between John Carrol & The Blues Revelation, Brian Rawson Band, Red Giant and Thomas Heppell. It was won by Thomas Heppell after an energetic set with some new songs, some of his existing set which wowed the audience.
The evening was then featuring bands in the Arena downstairs and the Main Stage upstairs. On the Arena Stage James Oliver Band entertained the audience with his wizard guitar playing with plenty of Welsh banter between the songs. He was followed the UK Blues Challenge 2024 winner Alice Armstrong with her set full of her powerful blues vocals backed by a great band.
Upstairs on the Main Stage we had sets from Backbone Blues Band, Bristol’s True Strays with UK Blues Award winner Stevie Watts on keyboard, Bradford’s Chantel McGregor this time with her full band where we got to see her powerful guitar playing and singing. This evening’s headliner was Aynsley Lister with another great set that was well received by the large audience.
On Saturday the Acoustic Stage featured Dave Thomas, Kyla Brox (past UK Blues Challenge & European Blues Challenge winner) and Trevor ‘Babajack’ Steger with the album launch for his new album ‘Six Feet Ten’
On the Main Stage Birmingham band Blue Nation were introduced by Dom Martin, with lots of Blue Meanies in the crowds, and led into a set with lots of there great songs including ‘Ordinary People’ and ‘Echoes’ which was supporting Mental Health, particularly Men’s introduced by bassist Luke. They were followed by 2024 Introducing Stage winners Long Road Home with their great blues style and were followed by Groundhogs.
Down on the Introducing stage the day’s battle was between Jack-Austin Despy Blues Band, who were all teenagers. Jack-Austin has been nominated in the top 20 UK Blues Awards 2025 in two categories including UK Blues Emerging Act of the year.
Next on the stage was Portsmouth’s Amba Tremain Band with her soulful/bluesy voice, Albany Down with the harder edged blues sound and finally from the USA Too Bad Jims with the Mississippi style sound.
After all the votes were counted up Stephen Stanley announced on the Main Stage that Amba Tremain Band had won and would be appearing on the Main Stage in 2026.
On the Main Stage the evening kicked off with the very energetic The Milk Men with the distinct style and great singing from Jamie Smy and guitar work from Adam Norsworthy.
They were followed by New York band The Hitman Blues Band with their big blues sound including saxophone and great guitar work and vocals.
The last act were multi-award winner Dom Martin and his band with Ben Graham on bass and new drummer Charlie Hanlon. They played a brilliant set with soaring guitars and lots of Dom’s unique style vocals on classic songs such as ‘Belfast Blues’ and ‘Daylight I Will Find’ with lots of banter between songs. Dom is always appreciative of the audience and he said without them he would be playing in an empty room. Dom went walkabout around the giant room on the song ‘Spoonful’ with his vocals still heard even unamplified.
The event was an outstanding success with the Sunday night headliners King King going down a storm.
