Category Archives: Uncategorized

Festivals & Summer Holiday 2023

I’m looking forward to playing the following Festivals this August Holiday Weekend and in to September 🌳

Sat 26th August 2023 (1.30pm) New Music Festival, Old Reigatians Rugby Club, Reigate. Tickets from https://www.newmusicnights.co.uk/

Sun 27th August 2023 (afternoon) Mid Sussex Music & Ale Festival, Mid Sussex Music Hall, Hassocks. Tickets from https://www.brighthelmstonepromotions.co.uk/tickets.php

Sat 9th Sept 2023 (7.15pm) CranFest 2023, High Street Stage, Cranbrook Music Festival, Cranbrook www.cranfest.co.uk

Graham Gouldman’s ‘Heart Full Of Songs’ gig

I am still buzzing on hyperdrive after last night’s gig at the superb Factory Live venue in Worthing when I supported Graham Gouldman and his ‘Heart Full Of Songs’ band. Graham played a lot of his hits, which span six decades, including songs from 10cc, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck and his time in Wax with Andrew Gold. Here I am pictured back stage with Graham…

Graham Gouldman, Ian Roland - The Factory Live, Worthing 25th July 2023
Graham Gouldman, Ian Roland – The Factory Live, Worthing 25th July 2023

Acoustic Cafe Radio Show – WWW album review

Thank you, Brian Player, Ethan and all the Acoustic Cafe Team for your review of my album, ‘The Wood Wide Web’ and for playing a track from it on your show 18th July 2023. It is much appreciated and thank you for your kind comments about it saying it’s an album that contains “moments of orchestral love and wonder”, that it’s “very thought provoking” and “highly recommended”.

Listen again on Mixcloud. The review starts at around 1:23:00

Acoustic Cafe Radio Show – ‘The Wood Wide Web’ album review

Support for 10cc’s Graham Gouldman

Monday evenings usually find me playing the excellent Open Mic at The Neptune pub in Hove and there I was this Monday, as usual, playing a few songs. I have come to learn to always expect the unexpected at Open Mics. The positive energy Open Mic nights generate transform the ordinary and everyday and anything can happen… but I am still in shock from the fact that playing that Open Mic last night has led to me being offered a support slot for 10cc’s Graham Gouldman’s Heart Full Of Songs show at The Factory Live, Worthing on July 25, 2023 (doors 7pm).

Yes! A support slot for Graham Gouldman, co-founder of 10CC, and songwriter for 10CC, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck, and Wax. I am so excited about this!

BBC Radio Kent plays ‘Wildflowers’

“An incredible piece of work” Leo Ulph, BBC Radio Kent
“An incredible album” Doug Welch, BBC Radio Kent

‘Wildflowers’, from my new album ‘The Wood Wide Web’, was played on Upload – BBC Radio Kent, on Thursday (1st June 2023) evening. 😃

The show is BBC Radio Kent – Upload from 9pm – 10pm and you can listen on 96.7 and 104.2 FM, on BBC Sounds and here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0805r6w

‘Wildflowers’ – Live at Holy Trinity Church, May 2023

Live at Holy Trinity Church in Hurstpierpoint on 20th May 2023 for a Music & Wine Evening. This is ‘Wildflowers’ from my recently released album, ‘The Wood Wide Web’.

During the first lockdown, due to the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, my children and I decided to plant an area of wildflowers in our garden. Science was linking the pandemic with the years of exploitation and destruction of the natural world and to try to combat our sense of the overwhelming helplessness of this situation we planted wildflowers and over the coming months watched the bees and butterflies visit.

Spring gigs 2023

20/05 17:30 Holy Trinity Church, Hurstpierpoint
04/06 19:30 The Wick Inn, Hove
23/06 19:00 Arundel Jailhouse
09/07 15:00 The Hoxley, St.Leonards-on-Sea
23/07 15:00 The Malt Shovel, Horsham