News
Billy & the Band play at South Shields Amphitheatre
Here's a few photos from the Billy & the band's appearance at The Amphitheatre in South Shields on June 27th.
03/06/09 - The Billy Mitchell Band @ The Processed Pea, Etton, E. Yorkshire - June 2nd, 2009
Appearing alongside Billy at The Processed Pea were Tom Mitchell (guitar, piano, vocals), Michael Bailey (bass, vocals) and Ray Laidlaw (drums).
Billy & the band's appearance was part of the club's 40th anniversary celebrations. The concert was sold out, and space was so tight Ray had to set up in the next room. See the photos...
27/05/09 - Billy Mitchell & Bob Fox - UK Tour 2009
Billy is reuniting with Bob Fox for a series of dates starting in September. Previous appearances by the duo, including Cropredy Festival and The Mouth of the Tyne festival have gathered rave reviews. See the live dates page for more info...
Here's the tour poster and flyer:
03/06/09 - Billy & Band help Newcastle United celebrate 40 years of the Fairs Cup
The Billy Mitchell Band (including old friend Charlie Harcourt on guitar) were invited to play at an event in St. James' Park on May 29th to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Fairs Cup, which Newcastle United won back in 1969. In attendance were the entire cup-winning squad and and England & NUFC legend Alan Shearer.
Videos from Billy & Friends @ Seaton Delaval Arts Centre
Billy & the band played a sold-out concert at Seaton Delaval Arts Centre, Northumberland on April 18th, 2009. Here's a couple of videos:
Live Performance for Sir Bobby Robson's Charity
Billy and his band were asked to perform at a Charity Geordie Burns night in aid of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation at Jesmond Dene House Hotel on January 24th 2009.
Billy Mitchell (guitar, vocals), Tom Mitchell (guitar, vocals), Brendan Healey (keyboards, vocals), Peter Tickell (violin), Michael Bailey (bass, vocals) & Ray Laidlaw (drums). The song, 'Where My Heart Lives', originally appears on Billy's solo CD 'The Devils Ground'.
Here's a clip from the gig:
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!)
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.
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 >>>
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 >>>
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.