So...a festival in Belgium..sounds pretty dull, not worth bothering with? Well, I've just got back from a trip over there with Hollowbelly and it has been an amazing weekend. If you think the UK music scene is hip and happening, get yourself over to Muddy Roots Europe next year and prepare to be amazed. It's a small festival, just one stage but the range of music is amazing, the quality is excellent, and the enthusiasm of the audiences is totally refreshing.  At this modestly sized event there were people from all over the place...Belgium, Holland, France, Spain, Norway, UK, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Italy..and some top-line performers from Europe and the USA.

For me, head and shoulders above everyone was the Reverend Beat Man from Switzerland...185% Blues Trash as he proclaims himself. He's the tightest, loudest, most surreal and funny one man show you'll ever see...DO NOT FAIL TO SEE THE REVEREND BEAT MAN BEFORE YOU DIE!!!

Here he is, down in the audience after his set, casting out demons.

The festival is just outside Bruges, 90 minutes from Dunquerque, so it's an easy drive, and at €55 for an advance  weekend ticket with free camping, it's cheap. It's very relaxed....I was lucky enough to jam on the campsite with some of the top-line performers, such as Lone Wolf and Jayke Orvis..here's Jayke acompanying me on mandolin, with Lone Wolf spurring me on, after he'd given me his banjo to play...despite me never having played 5 string banjo before...Sunny Wheeler on bass mixed up a round of excellent White Russians after this number..and the jam went on.

So...look out for Muddy Roots Europe next year.....be there or be square daddio!!!