This year will see the Big Wheel Blues festival take place for the 20th time and will feature a strong and diverse line up of some of the finest young blues talent around.

However, the organisers have announced that, having made it to 20 consecutive festivals, the current committee is to call it a day and, if another group of interested people cannot be found, then the festival will come to a halt.

Pete Christian, one of the long-serving committee members, said that they felt that the current committee had taken the festival as far as they could, and that they felt that it needed new personnel.

’This is the 20th festival, without a break, which is quite something,’ said Pete.

’A lot of really good festivals have come and gone, but we’ve managed to keep going.

’But this could be the last one ever. The current committee are standing down. Myself, John Barker, Dick Best and Tim Cass have been together for 13 years, and, to be honest, we’ve had it! We’ve done our bit.

’We will still carry on with the regular blues club, each week at the Railway and we’re not hanging up our guitars just yet, but in terms of organising the festival, it needs new blood, and if it is the last one, then sometimes you have to step back gracefully and say that "we had a great time while it lasted".’

If it is to be the last festival of its kind, then this year’s line-up will make sure that the party will go out with a bang.

Featuring six bands, the event is spread over two nights at the Villa Marina’s Promenade Suite, on Friday 13 and Saturday 14, July, which brings it back to a weekend event, as opposed to the split festival from last year, featuring one night in May and one in September.

With Pete’s own group Loose Crew opening the first night, the first of the visiting groups are Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra.

Hailing from Newcastle, they first appeared at the Big Wheel festival in 2014, and their 1920s-esque roots, Americana folk and blues left a great impression on the crowd.

They will be followed by Laurence Jones, a young electrifying UK blues guitarist who has been causing a stir in the music world.

’I’m actually surprised that Rob Heron haven’t made it bigger. They have been on the radio quite a few times, and they are a superb band,’ said Pete.

’And then we have Laurence, who has been touted as one of the "next big things" in guitar playing. He really is something else.’

They will be followed on Saturday night by pianist Dale Storr, followed by singer Elles Bailey, and guitarist Marcus Malone.

’Dale Storr is a real New Orleans piano-man’, said Pete.

’He was described by blues and jazz legend Dr John’s bassists as the "closest thing to Dr John that you will find, save for the man himself."

’Elles Bailey is a young woman from Bristol, who sings really soulful, smokey blues, and we’re happy to have Marcus Malone back again.

’He has been described as "Detroit’s finest export".

’We have tried to get a nice variation of music styles. You can’t just have loads of guitar acts all weekend. You have to keep it varied and interesting.’

Accompanying the two main nights of music will be an afternoon of free acoustic music in the Villa Marina gardens, featuring many of the island’s blues and acoustic guitarists.

’Hopefully having the festival in July may mean that we will get lucky with the weather and have a nice afternoon in the sunshine,’ he said.

The Big Wheel Blues festival was started in 1999 by blues aficionados Dave Wade and Dave McLean.

It was housed for many years in the Laxey Pavilion, and, at one time, sported a fringe festival that drew hundreds of people to the village, before problems with their venue of choice meant that they were forced to locate to the Villa Marina in 2013

Pete said that he would be sad to see the festival come to a halt after all this time, and the current committee will work hard to make sure this festival will be one to remember, and that it might hopefully inspire others to come forward.

’If we have a great event, the gigs all sell out, and there is a clear sign that the festival still has legs, then other people may want to step up and carry it on in some form,’ he said.

’And if anyone wants to contact us through the Facebook page, or the website, then, please, feel free.

’But this is certainly our last one as a committee. If no one does decide to take it up, then it will be the last festival.

’We have had a great time over the years putting the festival together though, and we will miss not being heavily involved.’

Tickets for the Big Wheel festival are £22.50 per night, and are available from tomorrow (Friday) from the Villa Marina box office, on 600555, or online from villagaiety.com

This year, the festival is raising money for Manx Breast Cancer Support, and are sponsored by James Osborne Financial Services and the Isle of Man Arts Council.

by Mike Wade

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