Blues guitar legend Ronnie Greer brings his powerhouse band back to Down Arts Centre on Friday 15 May at 8pm.
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Irish blues guitar legend Ronnie Greer.[/caption]
One of the justifiable legends of the Northern Ireland music scene, Ronnie Greer is also one of its favourite performers. A superb blues and jazz guitarist, his fingers have added passion and fire to some of the greatest blues bands in the country, including for a time the legendary Jim Daly Blues Band and a host of others.
A 2013 review in R2 RocknReel Magazine said: “Ronnie Greer has been…the greatest blues guitarist in Ireland since the 70’s, when he made his name playing in the legendary Jim Daly Blues Band.”
Ronnie never fails to wring the last drop of emotion out of a solo, while still keeping the toes tapping. As a sideman and front man, Ronnie has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the business, including the likes of Dr. John, Lowell Fulson, Phil Guy, Johnny Mars and many more.
A few years back, Ronnie formed a partnership with the equally legendary vocalist Kenny McDowell to form a blues quartet that was the equal of any in the UK. Locking everything down in the rhythm section are the ever-steady pairing of Alan Hunter on bass and Colm Fitzpatrick on drums.
The departure of Kenny from the band at opened the door for Anthony Toner, who joined the band in mid 2007. His soulful vocals and West Coast-inspired slide playing have added a new dimension to the band and they’ve gone down a treat with a string of recent shows that included the Big River Blues Festival in Belfast and the Hilden Festival. The band also notched up notable successes with their stint as backing band for the legendary Whitey Johnston when he toured Northern Ireland in the spring of 2007.
If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of hearing Ronnie and his band play, expect Chicago blues with a twist; a big bouncy rhythm section with Chicago blues on one side (Ronnie) and funky Little Feat-ish slide on the other by way of Anthony Toner.
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Down Arts Centre are working in partnership with Black Box Belfast to host Creating Connections, a 6-week programme of events aimed at older adults, including those at risk of isolation or with a learning disability. Every Wednesday morning, starting 13 May, from 10.30am – 1pm we will be showing a variety of fun and inspiring films celebrating older people, kicking off with an archive film featuring the County Down area.
Each week will feature a different theme, from fashion to football to singing, and with tea, coffee and conversation on tap it’s a great morning out! The workshops are free and full programme details are available at www.downartscentre.com.
To purchase tickets (£12 / £10) and for further information on any Down Arts Centre events, please contact the box office on 028 4461 0747 or visit:
www.downartscentre.com www.facebook.com/downartscentre ]]>
