Telecaster master Bill Kirchen is heading back to the UK from next week as part of his Around the World in 50 Days tour. Via Australia and Holland, the ex-Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen axeman is promoting the ‘Proper Years’ and ‘Back From The Ozone’ albums on a brief tour of England, Wales and Scotland which kicks off in spooky style in Cardiff on Hallowe’en, before heading to Derby, Kinross and other parts of the UK. Bill will be joined on the UK (and European) dates by Paul “Bassman” Riley with Malcolm Mills on drums. For the final two dates on this run of performances heading towards London, he will be joined by Geraint Watkins and The Mosquitoes. Kirchen will then continue on to Spain for some festivals and other shows before heading home to Austin, Texas. Bill’s label, The Last Music Company will be making appropriate donations to offset Bill’s carbon footprint.
We reviewed one of Bill’s dates here last year where we said: “Bill Kirchen is best known by many for ‘Hot Rod Lincoln’ and the guitar impressions that he has weaved into his live performance of that particular song. However, to only think of him in terms of ‘Hot Rod Lincoln’ criminally undersells the enormous richness of a back catalogue of music stretching all the way back to the 1960s. Whilst he told AUK’s Martin Johnson in a recent interview, that he never tires of playing the song, tonight showed beyond all doubt that Bill Kirchen is anything but a one-trick pony.” And hey, Peter Bruntnell even paid for his transport to be Bill’s support act twice. If you have any doubts, just look at the quality of the playing in the clip below.
Bill Kirchen UK 2023 Dates:
31st October 2023 – The Earl Haig Club, Cardiff
1st November 2023 – The Flowerpot, Derby
2nd November 2023 – Green Hotel, Kinross
3rd November, 2023 – Georgian Hotel, Coatbridge
4th November 2023 – Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine
7th November 2023 – Cluny 2, Newcastle
8th Irish Centre, 2023 – Leeds
9th The Chapel (Angel Brewery), 2023 – Nottingham
10th Tenby Blues Festival 2023 – (with Geraint Watkins and the Mosquitoes)
11th November Nell’s jazz and blues, London 2023 – (with Geraint Watkins and the Mosquitoes)
Wahoo! Always try to catch Bill on his visits here as he’s such a class act. Looking forward to the 31st Oct. Cardiff. I’ll be sat there with a tear in these ‘ol eyes remembering the heady days of The lost planet airmen.
Enjoy the gig, Andy. I assume you are already aware The Lost Planet Airmen have a new album out on The Last Music Company called “Back From The Ozone” this Friday 27 Oct.