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Blacktop Deluxe and Loose Moorings rode into Chalk Farm on Valentine's night with only one thing in mind and it wasn't romance!! This was their chance to show the Capital what they are all about and boy did they do that. Loose Moorings were using this gig to launch their new album Loose Moorings II and they were in no mood to ease in gently. Ironically they opened with my favourite track off their first album - the classic 'Think I'd Be Blue' and that set the tone for their set which included all but two tracks off the new album. I could wax lyrical about so many of the songs in their set because they were all quality but I have a soft spot for the first track they sent me - namely 'Ride' which made the decision to book them very easy. Other highlights for me were 'Magpie' and a trip to the dark side with 'A Crazy Sane'. Guys we took a punt on you - you said you wouldn't let us down and you didn't - love the album and looking forward to you supporting Virgil and the Accelerators on Saturday 1st May. Next up were Blacktop Deluxe who had made the 'short' trip from Cornwall after a gig last night!! Jet Lag didn't show however as they launched into their set which is full of road driven Blues Rock. Don't imagine though that the band are one dimensional - far from it. Mixing their own material from the superb 'Turn Up Be Nice Play Hard' album (which sums them up perfectly by the way) with classic tracks such as 'Hoochie Coochie Man', 'Crossroads' and the brilliant Led Zep classic 'When the Levee Breaks' - the set never left you with the feeling they are just filling in with certain numbers. Add in the heart wrenching tribute to guitarists who are no longer with us in 'Another Man Down' and you have the perfect mix - a quality set from a band that are very much on the up and deservedly so!! Next time these guys are in town do yourself a favour and go and see them. Last but not least AJ and myself would like to thank both bands for all the work they put in to the evening, not only on the night, but in their efforts to promote the gig. It's a pity that, considering how far the bands had travelled, that the locals couldn't be bothered to turn out :( Wrinkly

Yes with just one award to go, we're pleased to announce that 'Best Support' in our 2014 WRC Awards goes to Brighton trio Stark ('Track Of The Day') following their gig supporting Grainne Duffy and Laurence Jones at the 100 Club in June last year. Stark return to the 100 Club next Tuesday with WRC 'One's To Watch' winners Little Devils. Question is will headliner Aynsley Lister make it a clean sweep when our Best Blues Performance award is released tomorrow?

Their name belies the fact that the odds were actually stacked in their favour. Yes - Slim Chance are the worthy winners of our Best Acoustic performance in our 2014 WRC Awards. Well done guys!

Just four months after his awesome gig at the Royal Albert Hall, Steven Wilson returned to the capital following up on his acclaimed 'Hand. Cannot. Erase.' with the new interim album '4 ½' released last Friday. Thankfully the London Tube strike had been suspended - so it was all systems go at the Hammersmith Apollo to see the four-time Grammy nominee, multi-instrumentalist and producer and of course our 2015 WRC Award nominee! Produced and mixed by the man himself, '4 ½' features a stellar group of musicians including Adam Holzman (keyboards), Nick Beggs (bass), Guthrie Govan (guitar), Dave Kilminster (guitar), Marco Minnemann (drums), Chad Wackerman (drums), Craig Blundell (drums) and Theo Travis (saxophone). So did the Wilson faithful lap up more of his individual work or are they still waiting patiently for the return of Porcupine Tree? Anyway, watch out for more pics and a review shortly but in the meantime check out Steven's superb Bowie tribute Video Of The Day recorded live in Berlin last week!

"The second half really did focus on the world-conquering half of U2’s career. And the set closing back-to-back ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’, ‘Pride’ and ‘With or Without You’ would be hard to beat in any setting. And here they were simply majestic, just colossal pop rock songs. Edge’s guitar fills space like no other guitarist can claim. An elaborate effects board, multiple amps, and extraordinary technique meant that Bono had already at the beginning rightfully introduced Edge as the genius of the band. He is not wrong." Go to an updated U2 Photo Gallery here and read the rest of Wrinkly The Silver's review here.

If you're looking for your first gig of 2016 tonight then why not check out Will Johns at the Tuesday Night Music Club at The Comrades Club, 194 Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Greater London, CR5 2NF. Will is recognised as one of the most distinctive and exciting performers on the British Blues scene today. His guitar playing is both modern and cutting edge but also steeped in the blues history passed from generation to generation. Hardly surprising as Will has direct heritage to a golden age of music. As well as being a spellbinding live act, Will is a hugely respected songwriter, having thrice been nominated for ‘Best Original Blues Song’ by the British Blues Awards in three consecutive years!

The well overdue return of our 'Introducing ....' feature welcomes the Welsh mouthful that it is Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard! The Doom monsters consist of Paul Michael Davies (guitar and synth), Jessica Ball (bass and vocals), Wez Leon (guitar) and James Carrington (drums). Indeed our Track Of The Day is their new album ‘Noeth Ac Anoeth’ released by New Heavy Sounds at the end of last year. Paul was also formerly part of Mother Of Six who were featured by the WRC on a previous Wrinklycast.

We brought you news in October about guitarist Dave 'Bucket' Colwell, formerly of Bad Company and Humble Pie and his new band 'Buckets Rebel Heart'. Well not only has their new album '20 Good Summers' reached 99% of their pledge goal here - but also Dave is at Leos Red Lion on Saturday 13th February 2016. Support is also from our 2014 BluesFest mucker Damo Fawsett with his new band Big River. The gig kicks off at 7.30pm and tickets priced £8.50 can be ordered in advance here.

And talking of supporting small music venues, tonight the Tuesday Night Music club host Storm Warning - lauded by the press as one of the best and classiest, contemporary Blues bands in the UK. They play top quality original Blues songs and make Blues covers their own with ex-Mick Ralphs Band Son Maxwell on vocals, guitarist Bob Moore, Ian Salisbury on keys, Derek White on bass (Larry Miller band) plus ex-Mick Clarke drummer Russ Chaney. So why not head on down to The Tuesday Night Music Club at the Hooley Village Club, St. Margaret's Road, Hooley Village, Coulsdon, Surrey, CR5 3RB and don't forget to tune into mein host Richard Dunning's Croydon Blues On The Radio show here beforehand from 5pm!

Our thanks to Steve Borkowski for tipping us off that another 2015 WRC Award nominee The Rainbreakers have won the chance to appear on the main stage at the Butlins Rock & Blues Fest next year following their stand-out performance at the Skeggy Fest on Sunday! Indeed every year for the last three years there has been an 'Introducing' stage where new bands (or new to Butlins) play in a competition for a spot on the main stage the following year, voted for by the public, 3 days, 4 bands per day and the best from each day come back the following year to play the main stage! We were also delighted to hear that WRC LastMinuteBandz band Sugarman Sam & The Voodoo Men were also winners on the Friday. Anyway, our Track Of The Day takes us back to the Summer of 2015 where The Rainbreakers played BluesRockFest.

More bands have been added to an already very impressive Ramblin' Man line-up of Whitesnake (pictured at Wembley in December 2015), Europe, Airbourne, Thin Lizzy and Black Stone Cherry. New names Joining the fun at this year's event over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th July - held again at Mote Park, Maidstone - include Ginger Baker, Inglorious (our Vid Of The Day) and The Zombies (Track of The Day)!

Despite Wrinklystock 4 (featuring T.Rextasy and The Replicants) at The Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford, this Saturday being a sell-out - you can still help us raise money for our nominated charities by donating a raffle prize, buying raffle tickets at £1 a strip or by buying an official programme (£2). We have already raised £265 through our Replicants set list auction - so if you would like to add to this tally simply get in touch with us through the contact box below. Thank you for your support!