Once again the Big Wheel Blues Festival committee has put together a world class line up of artists who will perform on Saturday and Sunday evening. Tickets for those events are available now.

During the day time music fans can watch local blues acts play indoors and outdoors (weather permitting), completely free of charge.

SATURDAY

The festival begins on Saturday afternoon and on Saturday night it is a Manx band who have the honour of playing directly before the first of the visiting artists.

Steamroller consists of accomplished musicians who will warm the audience up nicely for what lies ahead.

Guitar hero Aynsley Lister is second on the bill. Influenced from an early age by the 60's R'n'B era, Lister takes these key elements and mixes them with a more current and melodic lyrical approach.

He is one of very few artists playing rocking blues with a modern edge - tangible, heartfelt, soul searching and full of fine songwriting; played with passion and vitality. His hard hitting rhythms and guitar work are reminiscent of a young Clapton.

Aynsley picked up the guitar at eight and played his first gig at 13. One year later on a family trip to San Francisco, he was jamming at Lou's Bar on Pier 49.

Brought up on his father's record collection, he had learned to play by ear and would sit for hours in his bedroom playing along to old 45s of Freddie King, John Mayall and Eric Clapton.

By the time he was 18, he had worked his way through various bands and decided to form his own. The band recorded two albums, but it was the second of these two that started things happening. Aynsley had begun writing and it was the three original numbers of this album that attracted the attention of Ruf Records ' head honcho Thomas Ruf.

In the summer of 1998, they signed a deal. Armed with an album worth of original songs and a handful of covers, Aynsley went into the studio with producer Jim Gaines and set to work of his first major album, Aynsley Lister, featuring a guest appearance by Walter Trout.

It would prove to be the start of a long and fruitful career taking him over the next few years all over Europe and working with some of the top names on the circuit.

In those early years since his first album. Aynsley was already opening for artists such as Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, John Mayall and contemporaries such as Bryan Adams and Fun Lovin Criminals.

Now Aynsley headlines many of the major festivals in mainland Europe. September 2006 saw the US debut release of his 2000 album Everything I Need in preparation for Aynsley's plan to tour America. Getting plenty of airplay it received critical acclaim.

Aynsley was the only British artist to be featured in Classic Rock's 2007 review: Top 10 contemporary blues artists alongside The White Stripes, The Black Keys, John Mayer, Jon Spencer, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, Derek Trucks and the North Mississippi Allstars.

The night will be headlined by Larry Garner with the Norman Beaker Band.
Larry Garner has been described as without doubt one of the top modern day Blues artists touring the world today.

Larry was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he picked up on the Swamp Blues music popular in that area, inspired by artists such as Silas Hogan and Clarence Edwards.

His songs are delivered with a sense of irony, his lyrics are both meaningful and amusing in equal measure. Added to this Larry has a wonderfully expressive voice, is a fine guitarist and a great performer.
Larry has won many awards including WC Handy Award and is one of the most adored performers on the concert / festival scene all over the world.

When Larry first came to England he toured with the Norman Beaker Band and at last they are reunited.

The Norman Beaker Band have been at the forefront of the UK blues scene for over three decades working with a Who's Who of Blues stars including, BB King, Buddy Guy, Alexis Korner, Jack Bruce, Van Morrison, Chuck Berry and many more.

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SUNDAY

ON Sunday evening, 24 Pesos kick off proceedings at the Pavilion.

They are one of the fastest rising bands on the blues scene today, formed by four musicians with a passion for blues, soul, funk, hip hop and the rhythms of New Orleans.

They play their own brand of raw and rootsy blues mixed with the sound of deep fried southern soul funk, blending old skool energy and down home grooves of the Meters, Ray Charles and Freddie King while mixing in a little Fun Lovin Criminals, Beck and G Love and the Special Sauce.

They will be followed on stage by Steve Arvey whose career spans about three decades.

Steve has performed all over Europe, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Headliner Ana Popovic is popular at club and festival gigs all over Europe and in the United States. Her live act is an electric mixture of traditional blues with elements of R&B and Soul.

The most impressive aspect of Ana's music is her diversity of techniques and styles. She has a seductive blend of smoking electric funk slide guitar, jazzy instrumentals, tight blues groove, soulful feminine vocals and an incredible stage presence.

2006 was a particularly successful year for her.

She was invited to take part in the Blues Cruise 2006 and became the first European artist ever called upon to play this prestigious cruise with their original band. In February that year she was nominated Blues Artist of the Year by the readers of BluesWax Magazine.

In July 2006 Ana received a six-time nomination for the Living Blues Awards. She's was selected in the following categories: Best blues DVD of 2005, Best Live Performer, Best Female Blues Artist and Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar).

In November that year, after a 13-week summer-tour throughout the USA, she signed a record deal at Delta Groove Productions record label and travelled to Los Angeles to record her first Delta Groove release.

The Blues Festival committee said: 'We are very pleased to be able to announce that for 2010 our good friends from Peter Norris Music in Douglas are a new partner sponsor having provided very welcome financial support.

'This is in addition to the long running support that Ken Mitchell and all at the shop have provided with equipment and ticket sales. They have always been a huge support to the festival and it is great to see them becoming even more closely involved as sponsors.

'Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors including Cains and Peter Norris Music, we have an amazingly talented and truly international line-up.'

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons there will be family entertainment in Laxey Glen Gardens and the electric indoor stage and the acoustic outdoor stage featuring many local musicians.

Acts such as the Peter Norris Blues Band, Dickie Best and Tony Knowles, Pete Woodman, 12 Miles Out, I Am President, Blue John and Papa Cass, RedGap and Walter Ego will be in action. Evening tickets for the festival are £17.50 per night.

They are available from www.bigwheelblues.com; Peter Norris Music, Douglas; Ramsey Music Supplies; and Isle of Man Event Services, Douglas.