Music fans will be treated to performances by some of Shetland's finest "local guitar heroes" playing at the Lerwick Town Hall on Saturday the 19th of November, as part of Shetland Arts" annual guitar season in honour of the late Peerie Willie Johnson.
The concert, which starts at 7:30pm, will showcase a profusion of local talent including duo performances from Alan McKay & Robert Bennet, Johnny Polson & Lewie Peterson, and Brydon Williamson & Patrick Mainland, together with sets from Brian Nicholson & the High Level Music Students, and the inimitable Norman Goudie & Friends.
Bryan Peterson, Music Development Officer at Shetland Arts, said: “The guitar is probably the most popular instrument in Shetland, and the varied line-up reflects the broad range of genres in which it features. We have a wealth of fantastic guitarists in the isles - I only wish time allowed us to squeeze some more of them into the concert programme!”
The first Guitar Festival took place in 2005 and performers have included Martin Taylor, J P Cormier, Redmond O'Toole, Eduardo Niebla and, last month, Svara Kanti. In 2010 the festival was extended into an autumn season of concerts.
The Peerie Willie Guitar Season is dedicated to the memory of the late William Johnson, the highly regarded guitarist who pioneered the jazz influenced accompaniment style now prevalent in traditional Shetland music. Willie was heavily influenced by the jazz musicians he heard on the radio as a young man and the festival always has a healthy dose of jazz guitar in the mix.
Tickets for the concert, priced at £10 (£8 concessions), are available from Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, 01595 745 555 or online at www.shetlandboxoffice.org