Gary Lutton & Gavin Ferris

With Gavin Ferris & David Browne Murray

Join 3 of the most prominent members of the Irish finger-style guitar scene at the Black Box for a night of innovative music in a celebration of the worlds most popular stringed instrument.

Join Sky Arts Guitar Star winner Gary Lutton, Yamaha 6 String Theory Winner David Browne Murray and Belfast Guitar Society’s own Gavin Ferris as they perform 3 extended solo sets demonstrating not only their own unique and totally contrasting styles but also the versatility, flexibility and full tonal range of the acoustic guitar.

Expect deep driving bass tones, great melodies, percussion and advanced techniques as well as a few of your favourite rock, pop and dance tunes thrown in for good measure. You are sure to leave spell bound and with a new love, appreciation and understanding of the acoustic guitar. (strictly 18+)

The evening will also include a one hour fingerstyle guitar class where performers of all ages and levels can learn techniques, extracts from the artists work and ask questions on guitars, gear and everything in between. (Reccomended age 10+) 6pm start

Thomas Leeb – Gary Lutton – Mickey Murphy

Thomas Leeb’s unique guitar style owes as much to percussive techniques as traditional fingerstyle. This Austrian performs throughout the world and has a loyal, considerable following. His album ‘Desert Pirate’ was voted one of the essential albums of the last twenty years by Acoustic Guitar Magazine. He has recorded 5 critically acclaimed albums and is a techniques columnist in Acoustic Magazine.

Gary Lutton from Belfast was the winner of the UK/Ireland Sky TV competition Guitar Star (2015) during which he had the opportunity to work with Rodrigo y Gabriela, record at Abbey Road Studios and play the main stage at Latitude festival for 30,000 people and featured on BBC Music Day TV show live from Parliament Buildings Belfast.

Mickey Murphy is a guitarist and composer from County Down and his solo performances blend original compositions with his own arrangements. He has released two solo albums and played throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Thomas Leeb – Mickey Murphy – Gary Lutton
Thomas Leeb’s unique guitar style owes as much to percussive techniques as traditional fingerstyle. This Austrian performs throughout the world and has a loyal, considerable following. His album ‘Desert Pirate’ was voted one of the essential albums of the last twenty years by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

Mickey Murphy is a guitarist and composer from County Down and his solo performances blend original compositions with his own arrangements. He has released two solo albums and played throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Gary Lutton from Belfast was the winner of the UK/Ireland Sky TV competition Guitar Star (2015) during which he had the opportunity to work with Rodrigo y Gabriela, record at Abbey Road Studios and play the main stage at Latitude festival for 30,000 people.

Thomas Leeb – Gary Lutton – Mickey Murphy

Thomas Leeb’s unique guitar style owes as much to percussive techniques as traditional fingerstyle. This Austrian performs throughout the world and has a loyal, considerable following. His album ‘Desert Pirate’ was voted one of the essential albums of the last twenty years by Acoustic Guitar Magazine. He has recorded 5 critically acclaimed albums and is a techniques columnist in Acoustic Magazine.

Gary Lutton from Belfast was the winner of the UK/Ireland Sky TV competition Guitar Star (2015) during which he had the opportunity to work with Rodrigo y Gabriela, record at Abbey Road Studios and play the main stage at Latitude festival for 30,000 people and featured on BBC Music Day TV show live from Parliament Buildings Belfast.

Mickey Murphy is a guitarist and composer from County Down and his solo performances blend original compositions with his own arrangements. He has released two solo albums and played throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Thomas Leeb – Mickey Murphy – Gary Lutton
Thomas Leeb’s unique guitar style owes as much to percussive techniques as traditional fingerstyle. This Austrian performs throughout the world and has a loyal, considerable following. His album ‘Desert Pirate’ was voted one of the essential albums of the last twenty years by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
Mickey Murphy is a guitarist and composer from County Down and his solo performances blend original compositions with his own arrangements. He has released two solo albums and played throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Gary Lutton from Belfast was the winner of the UK/Ireland Sky TV competition Guitar Star (2015) during which he had the opportunity to work with Rodrigo y Gabriela, record at Abbey Road Studios and play the main stage at Latitude festival for 30,000 people.

Jacques Stotzem Live In Concert
With Support From Gary Lutton

Jacques Stotzem has become a regular guest at European and American festivals and is often invited for tours in Japan, China or Taiwan. Since 2006, the famous American guitar company “Martin Guitar”, produces an “OMC Jacques Stotzem Custom Signature Model”, a dream for every guitar player, a consecration for Jacques. The two volumes of his CD “Catch the Spirit” (Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Nirvana, Neil Young arranged on acoustic guitar) have been a big success and stayed respectively 41 and 23 weeks in the Belgian Pop Charts.

His new album “To Rory” is an acoustic instrumental tribute to his major influence, Irish Blues-Rock guitarist Rory Gallagher. It is the very first time that Gallagher’s music is performed this way, and this new project is already getting rave reviews all over the world.

“To incorporate various aspects of full band arrangements and communicate them effectively in a solo guitar piece is no mean feat, but Jacques Stotzem has achieved it with typical flair and wonderfully expressive playing. I am sure Rory Gallagher would have been delighted with this tribute.” (Acoustic Guitar Workshop, UK 11/15)

“Lonely Road”, an album that exhibits Stotzem’s ability to create meditative musical poems rife with creative textures and beautiful tonal qualities. Highly recommended. ” (Acoustic Guitar Magazine, USA 04/12)

“Jacques Stotzem’s guitar style is unique, his compositions have as well brilliant melody line building skills, as top-notch abilities in creating structure, balance und rests in his songs. Truly a genius in his genre.” (Bridge Guitar Reviews, NL 05/07)

“Even without electricity, Jacques is able to capture and reflect the energy Hendrix demanded.” (Voodoo Child, USA Spring 2005)

“Stotzem’s version of “Purple Haze” has to be heard to be believed. Hendrix would have been proud.” (AGR Newsletter, UK 05/04)

Gary Lutton

Gary Lutton is an instrumental acoustic guitarist from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was the winner of the UK/Ireland Sky TV competition Guitar Star (2015) where he had the opportunity to work with legends such as Rodrigo y Gabriela, Mike Dawes & Paco Pena. He recorded at Abbey Road Studios with producer Tony Visconti & played the main stage at Latitude festival for 30,000 people. Gary has also played alongside Thomas Leeb, Newton Faulkner, Antoine DuFour, Jacques Stotzem, Chris Woods Groove aswell as touring as the guitarist in Nitin Sawhney’s band.

His unique style said to draw’s the listener to his world as he blends interesting percussive techniques with intricate harmonics. He draws influences from Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, John Martyn and John McLaughlin.

Gary released his 1st EP ‘Departure’ in April 2016 mixed and mastered by Eric Spitzer-Marlyn at the Hitbox Altenburg (of U2, Brian Eno & Thomas Leeb fame) featuring arrangements from Fleetwood Mac and Rodrigo Y Gabriela as well as original compositions.

“Gary has fantastic presence and power on guitar and I expect to hear great things from him.” (Thomas Leeb)
“I know it’s good to look at, but if you just listen, it’s just beautiful music” (Tony Visconti Producer)
“He’s got that soul and grace in his playing” Rodrigo Sanchez (Rodrigo y Gabriella)
“Gary is amazing, beautiful stuff, I wish I could play guitar like that for real” (Sea Sick Steve)
“Thoughtful, emotive and beautiful” (Chris Woods Groove)
“The purity of Gary’s playing shines” (Acoustic Magazine)

The Troubadour, with Robert Castellani

The Goat’s Toe with Robert Castellani

Pleased to be playing Galway Guitar Night also playing is Joe O’Callaghan & Joey Kennedy