Press Release
– March 2009
London Guitar Show
2009 Line-up
The biggest, most anticipated and unrivaled
guitar event of the year, The London Guitar Show launches on the 11th
June to seriously Blow your mind! The four day show will bring, excitement,
celebrities, inspiration and transform ExCeL into the coolest hangout
in London!
We can now announce a truly world class
line-up of acts to entertain, inspire and wow the crowds starting with
the Master Guitar Virtuoso himself, Steve Vai, who is to bring
his Alien Guitar Secrets master class to the show. This is a 3 hour
unique experience and once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Steve discuss
music theory, guitar techniques, the music business, and most importantly,
techniques on how to discover and unlock personal musical identity.
Grammy award winning and undisputed king
of country picking guitarist, Albert Lee will be playing London
Guitar Show. With his unique sound and style, Albert’s has worked
with some of the world’s top artists from Eric Clapton to Bill Wyman.His
own solo career with the Hogan’s Heroes, has seen him win countless
awards and nominations.
Also confirmed is the critically acclaimed
band, Swans in Flight. Their debut album launched in spring 2008
and was recorded exclusively using acoustic guitars, featuring thirteen
guests ranging from James LoMenzo (Black Label Society/Megadeth), Kip
Winger (Alice Cooper/Winger) to Phil Johnston (The Robert Plant Band). The
band have already played a range of major festivals and they’ll be
bringing their guitar charged rock to the London Guitar Show with special
guest bass players Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy/Whitesnake) and
the King of Metal funk, TM Stevens (James Brown,The Pretenders).
Continuing the tradition of staging a wide variety of killer guitarists,
Jan Akkerman will be astounding the audience with high-speed pyrotechnics
and distinctive sound. He’s been top of his game for decades playing
in Dutch band Focus and then going on to work with everyone from BB
King to Ice-T!
Truly unmissable will be one of the world’s
best players, UK guitar legend Phil Hilborne with his band featuring
Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain. They will once again hold court on the
main stage on Saturday and Sunday for an amazing concert and Steve
Vai will join Phil & Nicko on stage
for a couple of tracks of jamming therapy.
It doesn’t stop there as we are proud
to be staging the final Guitar Idol, the world’s biggest online
talent search to find the hottest undiscovered guitarists on the planet.
Following 2008’s spectacular final where the winner flew in from Brazil,
this final is the chance to live the dream after many of the finalists
from 2008 attracted recording, endorsement and lucrative tour deals.
Check out http://www.guitaridol.tv for the latest news and follow the heats on
who’s going to have the honour of playing at the London Guitar Show!
New to this years show, will be a
chance to have a free guitar lesson in association with the Institute for Contemporary
Music Performance and the
organisers will be announcing an action packed schedule of seminars,
workshops, artist signing sessions, instrument demonstrations and celebrity
appearances. Already they can announce an opportunity to meet editors
from the UK’s top selling guitar magazines Mick Taylor (Guitarist),
Neville Marten and Jason Sidwell ( Guitar Techniques), Stephen Lawson
( Total Guitar ).There will be a new retail section offering
the chance to buy the very latest gear, plus an exhibition of over 300
companies of musical equipment, including a New! British Builders
section, where you can see some amazing hand build guitars and drums
from the UK’s best builders.
The London Guitar Show is part of the
UK’s Biggest Music exhibition, The London International Music show,
which includes Drummer Live, Unplugged and Sound Recording and Technology
Show. It takes place at www.excel-london.co.uk/, now firmly established as one of the UK’s
premier (and largest) exhibition venues. For more information about
the show and to buy tickets see http://www.londoninternationalmusicshow.com/
