Tony kicked off the gig with a couple of numbers that had me scratching my head, but once they were out the way, he delivered the excellent set I was expecting.

Tony mixed the music with some Son House, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker plus a couple of well received Groundhogs numbers. The addition of Joanna Deacon on vocals for a few numbers went down very well with the crowd.

The encore saw Tony in free-form electric mode which had everything in it except the kitchen sink which apparently was out of tune.

Anyway, it was a fabulous set and one which will surely help Tony to attract new fans.

The Tony McPhee background in brief

Tony ‘TS’ McPhee, the legendary GROUNDHOGS frontman is a true guitar hero, one of the original 1960’s British Blues revival, Bluesmen,  with a  pedigree is as long as your arm.  McPhee has played, toured and recorded with many of the blues giants including John Lee Hooker,  Memphis Slim, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed and Champion Jack Dupree, Jo Ann & Dave Kelly, Eddie Boyd, The John Dummer blues Band, Canned Heat, Strawbs, Jefferson Airplane and the Stones.

Tony McPhee’s talent as a blues guitarist has made him sought after in the business, even refusing offers to join the bands of Chris Barber, Alexis Korner and to replace Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - preferring to go his own way, that was the way to rock, more progressive rock blues and very loud electric guitars – the birth of the GROUNDHOGS.

Throughout the early 70’s The Groundhogs produced massive selling rock albums including ‘Thank Christ For The Bomb’, ‘Split’ and ‘Who Will Save The World’. These albums were written and fronted by Tony McPhee who dazzled  audiences with his awesome electric guitar solos earning him the accolade of 4th best British guitarist in 1971. The albums were massive chart hits and prompted appearances on Top of The Pops and The Old Grey Whistle Test.

Following the break up of the Groundhogs in 2004, Tony is now back to his roots playing raw acoustic blues reflecting the early bluesmen such as John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson and Howlin'Wolf.

His new album, ‘Blues At Ten’  released on the Blues Matters label was written to coincide with Tony and Joanna's  recent tour  with Alvin Lee & Edgar Winter. After  ten years Tony was inspired again, writing with half an ear to the old traditions of Blues, he has written classic songs that marry old  and modern themes, offset with arrangements of traditional songs by his heroes.