1. Jon Gomm - Gloria
2. Jon Gomm - Topeka
3. Jo Bywater - Disclaimer
4. Jo Bywater - Wave
5. Megan Thomas - Running
6. Megan Thomas - Beautiful

Also playing on the night will be Yorshire-born, Liverpool-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Jo Bywater, who'll be celebrating the release of her debut solo acoustic album, Cycle Grace Pulse Break.

And finishing the line up is 17 year old pianist Megan Thomas who has already won her category in last year's national Open Mic UK competition in addition to winning the recent Make It Break It competition. Megan's a real star in the making, and when she's famous (and she will be) you'll be able to say you saw her first!

Tickets are available online for £5 in advance from wegottickets.com - tickets are £5 on the door.

Doors open at 8.00pm with music starting at 8.30pm sharp. The night finishes at 11.15pm

Join the facebook event here.

Jon Gomm
jongomm.com
youtube.com/jongomm
myspace.com/jongomm

Jon Gomm is an acoustic singer-songwriter with an incredible virtuoso guitar style, where he uses one acoustic guitar to create drum sounds, basslines and sparkling melodies all at the same time. The emphasis is still on the soulful vocals and songwriting however, and his original material is influenced by everything from Robert Johnson to Radiohead.

His live shows combine deeply personal performances and a natural wit, with a once-seen-never-forgotten two-handed guitar style, both physical and complex, producing sounds people can barely believe are coming from a humble acoustic guitar. Jon first laid his hands on a guitar at the age of two (actually it was a ukulele - his parents couldn’t find a guitar small enough). He wrote his first song at the age of six, and was soon accompanying his father, a music critic, to gigs in his hometown of Blackpool. Touring musicians would often stay at the Gomm household on the understanding Jon would get a guitar lesson, meaning he had one-to-one instruction from such blues legends as Walter Trout and Bob Brozman.

Nowadays he tours Europe, playing at festivals from Rome to Athens, has a huge cult following and is regarded by those in the know as one of the world’s most talented and innovative guitarists. He is already cited as an influence by many other performers. His videos are watched thousands of times within days of appearing on Youtube, and his home-recorded debut album “Hypertension” sold over ten thousand copies with no industry backing.

His brand new album "Don't Panic" sold out on Amazon within 5 days, and has already seen Jon covered in the national print media including: The Sunday Express (UK), Akustik Gitarre (Germany), Guitarist (UK), Acoustic (UK), Guitar & Bass (UK), Chitarre (Italy), Blues Matters (UK), Blues & Soul (UK), The Herald (Scotland).

Press quotes

“One of the world's most successful, gifted and inspirational guitar players” Acoustic Magazine
“Sheer bloody genius… sublime, impassioned songwriting” Sandman Magazine
“We have seen the future of acoustic guitar playing, and it is called Jon Gomm” Blues Matters

Early reviews of the new album “Don’t Panic”

"Once you get over the jaw-dropping manoeuvres and technique, you will be rewarded with some spectacularly beautiful songs." Blues and Soul magazine
"Pushes the guitar's envelope, fitting small moments of genius into each and every song" The Sunday Herald
“This is an album of great beauty, outstanding musicianship and fantastic songwriting.” The Music Critic
Don't Panic is available to buy from iTunes, Amazon, and Jon's website here.

Jo Bywater

www.jobywater.com
myspace.com/jobywater

Yorkshire-born, Liverpool-based singer-songwriter Jo Bywater assumes the form of an innovative and inspired musical force. Solo and acoustic, her tunes are an infection of tasty riffs and blues rawness. A melting pot of styles and influence laced with funk and injected with the rusty edge of vocal honesty. Dynamic, rhythmic, tactile, rockin’ poetry. Her influences, though widely spun, have defined and quenched roots in alternative rock, blues and folk-rock. She has been compared to Janis Joplin, Patti Smith, Dave Matthews and Ani DiFranco.

Jo has played extensively across the UK and is a familiar face on the Liverpool music scene. Festivals include a succession of Liverpool Music Weeks, International Pop Overthrow, Brighton, London, Liverpool and Manchester Prides, Hope Street Feast and London Vegan Festival.

Her solo acoustic debut album ‘Cycle Grace Pulse Break’, released in November 2010, captures both the whispering gentleness and raw power of Jo’s expression. Bluesy, powerful and crafted. The album is available to buy through Jo’s website, various local independent outlets and at live performances.

STOP PRESS: Jo's album launch will be at Mello Mello on Thursday 9th December. Check out her MySpace profile for more information.

Megan Thomas

myspace.com/littlemeganthomas
beta.tunited.com/megan

The future looks bright for 17 year old Megan Thomas. Having recently beaten thousands of other singers from across the country to the top spot in the national Open Mic UK competition, she's now working on new material, and of course, in time aiming to break into the UK charts!

Megan's own song 'Raindrops' has just been selected as a winner of the prestigious LIPA Make It Break It Awards. This national competition is judged by Chris Martin of Coldplay, head of music at HMV Harvey Goldsmith, producer Steve Levine, BBC Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe, and the head of EMI publishing.

Megan's interest in music began when she was 11 years old. With an avid interest in musical theatre, she has found herself on stage with some of the world's biggest theatrical names. She's sung in the popular West End production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and more recently has worked with Willy Russell (Shirley Valentine, Blood Brothers), in a series of workshops for the musical version of Our Day Out.

Megan's talent has taken her all over the country. As well as impressing judges in 2009's Open Mic UK, she's also been a resident pianist and singer at the prestigious Hard Days Night Hotel on Matthew Street, Liverpool and played at numerous regional shows and events. Megan, who cites Ludovico Einaudi, Ella Fitzgerald, Alicia Keys and Van Morrison as musical influences, is currently busy working on her music, developing her profile and showcasing her material. She's already enjoyed mass media attention, both regionally and nationally, and one things for sure - there's definitely more to come!

Megan's music can be downloaded from beta.tunited.com/megan

Liverpool Acoustic Spotlight #35 - November 2010

If you get the chance, please support your local artists by emailing them, joining their mailing lists, leaving them comments, going to their gigs, and buying their music direct from them where possible.

The Liverpool Acoustic Spotlight is produced and presented by Graham Holland on behalf of the Liverpool Acoustic website. It is also available on the Internet courtesy of Art In Liverpool FM (Defnet Media), and is a proud member of the Association of Music Podcasting - supported by Libsyn

The theme music is King of the Faeries by Andrew Ellis from his CD Midnight On The Water.