News
Billy on TV
Eagle-eyed viewers in the North-East of England may have spotted Billy on TV recently. Yorkshire Tyne-Tees TV's 'Show People' featured Billy as he prepared for an 'accidental' St. Patrick's gig with a hastily-assembled band in North Shields.
No need to feel left out if you missed it... here's a clip:
Rothbury Roots Review & Photos
Billy's concert at Rothbuy Roots on Thursday 17th July was a sell-out. If you couldn't fit through the door, you can read a review by Mike and Hazel Jessop on the forum, and see some photos here.
MoorsholmLive! Review & Photos
Billy's concert at MoorsholmLive! is reviewed here. There's some great photos, too.
More free tunes! Billy Mitchell Band St. Patrick's Day Bash, North Shields
Here's a handful of songs from the St. Patrick's gig in North Shields.
First up, The Galway Shawl, followed by an unscheduled The Collier Laddie's Wife featuring the vocals of Jane Wade, who just happened to be sitting nearby nursing a pint of Guinness. The final song of the night was a lively & spirited rendition of The Irish Rover, which brought proceedings to a frantic conclusion.
Billy - Vocals & Guitar / Peter Tickell - Violin / Rachel Bailey - Accordion / Michael Bailey - Bass & Backing Vocals / Ray Laidlaw - Drums
(Thanks are due to the indispensible & incredibly talented Andy Magee for having the presence of mind to press the record button whilst no-one was watching... Slainte!)
Concert filmed for Tyne-Tees TV
Billy's gig at MoorsholmLive! on 28th March is being filmed as part of forthcoming TTV series 'The Circuit'. Cameras were also present at Billy's St. Patrick's Day Bash last week. The series will be transmitted in late 2008.
The Billy Mitchell Band - St. Patrick's Day Bash, North Shields
The Billy Mitchell band were pulled into action on St. Patrick's Day (Monday, March 17th) for a shindig at The Tap & Spile, North Shields. He was joined by Ray Laidlaw, Peter Tickell, and Rachael & Michael Bailey. The room was full, and a splendid time was had by all.
Songs performed over three sets included The Black Velvet Band, The Wild Rover, Whiskey in the Jar, The Galway Shawl, The Irish Rover (of course!) and, from his solo career, Shiftin' to the Toon, Rocking Chair, Where My Heart Lives, The Devil's Ground, and a completely unrehearsed Collier Laddie's Wife. The latter featured original co-vocalist Jane Wade, who just happened to be standing nearby enjoying a pint of Guinness.
Here's a couple of photos:
Free tune! Shiftin' to the Toon (Live)
Here's a live performance of 'Shiftin to the Toon' recorded live at The Mouth of the Tyne Festival in 2007 by The Billy Mitchell Band. The original version can be heard on the Devil's Ground CD.
March / September Dates announced
See the Live Dates page for info. Keep checking back, as there's more to come...
Sunday for Sammy - Newcastle City Hall - 10th February 2008
Billy appeared in various guises throughout the night at the bi-annual 'Sunday for Sammy' show at Newcastle City Hall.
He played with the house band throughout the night, and took the spotlight to sing a stomping version of Mark Knopfler's 'Why Aye Man', along with Geordie anthem 'Run For Home', together with Ray Jackson and Tim Healy.
The concert was recorded for DVD and will be released later in the year. Watch this space for details.
While you wait, why not watch a clip of Billy performing with AC/DC's Brian Johnson, taken from 2006's concert.
New Review - Memorial Hall, Reeth - 12th October 2007
We have just returned from a weekend break in Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales. Billy and Bob playing in Reeth, one of our favourite places, too good to be true? No, we were there on Friday night, to be a part of a packed, enthusiastic audience in the village hall and what a treat it was. more >>>
The Message Board is back..
..and we'd love to hear from you! Feel free to post gig reviews, or general Billy-related chatter at the all-new message board.
Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale / 23rd October - Cancelled
News just in - Billy & Bob's appearance at Ebbw Vale on Tuesday October 23rd has been cancelled.
New Review - Dartford Folk Club - 2nd October 2007
'Two good musicians, two voices highly acclaimed in music circles, a collection of superb songs and some of the wittiest banter and wicked jokes.' more >>>
Billy & Bob - October Tour
Are you going to one of the concerts? Go on... tell us about it!
October is Billy & Bob month. If you're going to one of the concerts, we'd love to read your review or see your photos. Send us an email!
New Website
As you've noticed, things are looking a little bit different. Welcome to the redesigned website!
It's early days yet, but over time we'll be adding a lot more content to the site, tweaking things here-and-there and adding a forum.
As ever, we welcome reviews, photos...anything Billy-related which you'd like to share with the rest of us. Also, we'd love to hear your feedback on the new site, positive or otherwise.
You can contact us via website@billymitchell.co.uk.
Thanks for visiting!
Roger, Billy, Ray and Jimmy
Billy, along with Ray Laidlaw, will be performing with Who front man Roger Daltrey and Geordie legend Jimmy Nail at a concert in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Sage Gateshead on 22nd September. Ray and Billy will be part of a band backing Roger and Jimmy which also features ex Lindisfarne and Dire Straits keyboard player Alan Clark, bassist Frankie Gibbon, guitarist John Hedley and percussionist Finn McArdle.
Roger Daltrey and Jimmy Nail will be performing together as part of the finale of the show and the set list will contain some surprises. At last year's event, headliner Paul Weller performed Lindisfarne's 'Meet Me On The Corner' with Billy Mitchell.
In addition to his duties as part of the House band, Billy will also be duetting with actress Jill Halfpenny and assisting opera star Sean Ruane with his performance.
The show will be compered by Vic Reeves and also features ex Fine Young Cannibals vocalist Roland Gift, soul diva Ruby Turner, comedians John Thomson (the Fast Show) and Gavin Webster.
Tickets are available from the Sage Gateshead Box Office: 0191 443 4661
For more info and online booking, visit https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/bandstand.
Billy and Bob appear at Cropredy 2007
Occupying the slot immediately prior to Fairport Convention's closing set, Billy and Bob played for 50 minutes to an appreciative crowd of 23,000.
Reviewer Mike Jessop said '....an altogether memorable and prestigious weekend.' more >>>
Here’s just a handful of the comments, from www.talkawhile.co.uk:
'In the 'brilliant as always' category are the usual suspects, Seth, SoH, Bob Fox & Billy Mitchell and Richard 'Sun God' Thompson.'
'Billy & Bob were excellent… a return to what I think Cropredy should be about'
'Enjoyed Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell very much although it did remind me of how much I miss Lindisfarne, still one of the best sets that I have ever seen at Cropredy'
'Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell - good stuff in the Fairport set up slot, quality songs and a bit of humour, no po faced bleating well done to the Geordie boys'
Mouth of the Tyne Festival - Setlist and Gallery
The weather couldn't dampen anyone's spirits at Billy's headlining appearance at The Mouth of the Tyne festival on July 15th.
As well as the The Billy Mitchell Band, there were special guest appearances from The Peter Donegan Band and Bob Fox.
Billy and Bob CD - Available NOW
Following the success of their autumn 2006 tour, Lindisfarne singer/guitarist, Billy Mitchell and BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominee Bob Fox have a souvenir of last years’ performances now available on cd, for all to sup and feast on, proudly titled ***** (5 Star) B&B. You can buy it now from our store.
It's a title that cannily reflects both the quality and wry humour of their musical collaboration and ‘live’ performance.’
'I’ve just witnessed my favourite gig this year!' was one delighted reviewers response.
The album features Billy and Bob performing alone and together with the material cherry picked from their solo work and the combined back catalogues of Lindisfarne and Jack the Lad plus Bob Fox and Stu Luckley, to produce a memorable night of northern songs.
This collaboration between Billy Mitchell and Bob Fox has been a long time coming. Both men learnt their musical trade around Tyneside and have been delighting audiences at home and away for many years. They are both fine singers and musicians of stunning ability who can bring magic into any auditorium. After many years of mutual admiration, they were finally able to share a stage and pool the wealth of talent at their disposal.