Category Archives: Uncategorized

Recording at Brighton Road Recording Studios

I am excited to be back in the studio this week, recording some new songs, at Brighton Road Recording Studios, with Jake Skinner engineering and the following fantastic musicians featuring on the tracks:
James Chapman – drums
Dave Coomber – bass
Mishkin Fitzgerald – piano
Simon Yapp – violin, viola

January 2024 gigs, including Sydenham!

  • Thurs 18th Jan 2024 (from 8pm) Beluga Promotions at The Southern Belle, 3 Waterloo Street, Hove, BN3 1AQ
  • Fri 19th Jan 2024 (doors 7.30pm) Colindale Barnet Folk Club, Bull Theatre, 68 High Street, Barnet EN5 5SJ
  • Sat 27th Jan 2024 (7pm) Ignition Brewery, The Sydenham Centre, 44A Sydenham Rd, London SE26 5QX

I am really excited to be playing these fantastic gigs in January to kick off 2024, including a gig in Sydenham, South London, where I lived up until the age of 11. I remember the day I was walking to the Bakery, at the bottom of Sydenham High Street, when I was about 4, with my Mum. Just as we were about to go in and get iced buns, my best cowboy hat got blown off by the wind and disappeared down the road. We couldn’t run after it and I was mortified. My Mum did her best to cheer me up with the promise of an iced bun and I stood in the queue in a mix of emotions. Just as we were leaving the shop with our buns, a man, resembling Dick Van Dyck, burst through the Bakery door with my cowboy hat in his hand. He had run about a half mile, he said, down the road and had rescued my cowboy hat. I was so happy and walked back home holding tight to my hat and iced bun, eyes full of tears. So on Saturday evening 27th January 2024 at Ignition Brewery in Sydenham, anyone who comes up to me and says “I was that window cleaner who saved your cowboy hat” will get a free CD and a heartfelt hug 🤠

HURSTfolk Festival 2023

Ian Roland (guitars, vocals) and Dave Coomber (bass, vocals) just about to play a gig at The Hop Tub as part of new Festival HURSTfolk. Thank you all at The Hop Tub for the wonderful heated outside tent put up for the occasion and the delicious beer and food. Thank you to Debbie and Team at HURSTfolk. presents: Live Music at The Hop Tub for putting it all together. 🙏

November 2023 gigs coming up…

11th Nov 2023 (9pm) Acoustic Sanctuary, The Angel of Bow , 17 Devon Road, London E3 3QX

Sat 18th Nov 2023 (12 noon) HURSTFolk, The Hop Tub,113 High Street, Hurstpierpoint

Thurs 30th Nov 2023 (7pm doors) Art & Soul Cafe, 7 New St, Saint Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 1AE

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