Our part of north London plays host to one of London's top Blues clubs - St Harmonica's, now held weekly at the fantastic Southgate Club. The club has been nominated as Best Blues Venue in the UK Blues Forum's annual awards. Together with the Vintage Blues Music Association, our sponsor Winkworth, and a host of supporting friends, the Friends of Broomfield Park are delighted to bring you another August full of the best in British and international Blues.
Broomfield Blues is our annual celebration and showcase of what can be found every week at St Harmonica's. Each Sunday afternoon during August come along to the Broomfield Park bandstand, eat, drink and listen to three hours of some great music.
If you like what you hear all we ask is that you acknowledge that by contributing to the collection "hat", either when it does the rounds, or via the control site.
Local charities will be present offering teas and coffee and we have a very fine ice cream stall, a terrific bar and glorious food.
If the weather is dreadful then we will relocate to the Southgate Club, so your Sunday afternoon entertainment is guaranteed
Each afternoon is preceded by a one hour "open mic" session at 1:30, offering a stage to up and coming as well as experienced performers. Do support them.
Register for an open mic slot at
Week 1 - Sunday 4th August 2019: WOMEN SING THE BLUES
Quirky, eclectic but above all brilliant. The vocals and Musicianship of Ruth Mignanos with the backing of Dave Buckwell on guitar gives this combination a unique sound and style. Joined on stage by other wonderful singers this is a great way to open the 2019 Broomfield Blues season.
Singer, guitar player and songwriter Debbie Bond has been paying her dues in the Alabama backwoods for over 30 years; she is the real deal and we are very lucky to have been able to catch her on her 2019 UK tour. Influenced by the famed sounds of Muscle Shoals, and juke joint blues, her sound is contemporary and original. Her impressive musical story includes years of performing with older traditional Alabama blues musicians, including Johnny Shines, Sam Lay, Eddie Kirkland, Willie King Little, Jimmy Reed and more. She brings with her peerless musicians in the form of 'Radiator' Rick on keyboards and harmonica, Mickey Barker on drums and Ray Carless on Sax, all of whom have performed with international Blues stars.
With Jacob 'Professor Redhair' Thomas leading this band you can expect some New Orleans vibes amongst the set list.Week 2 - Sunday 11th August 2019: SLIDE THEM BLUES
Possibly the finest purveyors of Chicago Blues in the capital. The lineup may have changed over this band's 50 years but it remains every bit as good as the original with a ridiculous pedigree. Mad Dog Dave Barnes provides searing vocals and slide guitar in tandem with Tim Hill on harmonica and vocals. The rhythm section of Mick Parker, drums and Simon Fowle, bass, keeps it all driving along, but as for the lead guitarist.... the incomparable Malcolm Hine, guitarist extraordinaire!
The Customtones are back on the road. Martin Fieber, the 'Sultan of Slide is perhaps the UK's best kept slide secret. He brings his hugely talented band The Customtones', one of the finest, and tightest, units around to Broomfield. The tone and the sound Martin achieves is staggering; some of his original material is equally wonderful. The rest of the band are all masters of their instruments with Mick Parker on drums, Terry Duggan on bass and Steve Taylor on keyboards.Week 3 - Sunday 18th August 2019: ACOUSTIC ROOTS BLUES
Mark Harrison bring refreshing originality and wit to the British Blues scene. His take on acoustic roots has led him to be nominated for a number of national and international awards as best performer and for best album. He takes elements of blues and folk, adding his own twist to produce something totally original. See why Mike Harding described him as 'One of the British Isles' great blues singers and guitarists....totally and absolutely original'
Ben Tyzack and Guy Tortora bring authentic American to their blend of Americana. Two of the most respected performers in blues and roots in Europe and the UK Guy hails from Pasadena USA while Ben, born in the UK was raised and influenced in the USA. You would be hard pressed to get a finer afternoon of acoustic blues anywhere in the world. Don't miss it!Week 4 - Sunday 25th August 2019: OLD BLUES, NEW BLUES
The Low Down Dogs provide the 'Old' with acoustic and electric blues that meanders from the Mississippi Delta via Memphis and Chicago to the New River Delta! Mad Dog Dave Barnes possesses the best Blues voice in the business with a band to match comprising Vintage players John Crowther, Dave Thomas and Pete Abernethy on drums.
One of the best younger bands around, they know how to tear up a stage better than some of those gnarled veterans of the scene. Jesse Thomas on guitar and Sky Wood on vocals with a set containing original material as well as some searing Texas Blues reminiscent of SRV at his best.