BRIDGE Festival's name train thunders on! We are proud to announce -again- 9 confirmed acts for the free BRIDGE city festival taking place from May 12 to 14, across seven venues in downtown Eindhoven:
Eric Steckel・Gwenifer Raymond・Dans Dans・African Strings & Drums・Ghost Woman・Mohama Saz・Anker・Severant・Michiel Stekelenburg - Trio Onoda
Eric Steckel is a young thirty-something, yet is already a veteran. In fact, this American guitarist was already on stage when he was less than ten years old. He was discovered by the famed John Mayall who bombed Steckel to solo guitarist in his band The Bluesbreakers when he was only 12 years old. On his signature amp (a Mezzabarba), with his signature humbucker elements (by Seymore Duncan) and his own signature guitar (by Knaggs), he plays blues and heavy rock in a virtuoso style. His playing reminds somewhat of greats like Joe Bonamassa, as well as that other Joe: Satriani. He has recorded a dozen albums. It’s a live show though where Eric’s music is at its best.
Every guitarist approaches the instrument in his or her own way. Give the same instrument to any guitarist and the result can go many directions. Put a guitar into the hands of Gwenifer Raymond and a whole universe of her own opens up before you. Clawhammer, that's the name of the technique in which this guitarist from Wales excels. A way of playing - indeed with one hand bent like a claw - that has its origins in playing the banjo. The result is a rhythmically and melodically rich, tasty and adventurous whole, indebted to great John Fahey. Major newspapers like The New York Times and The Guardian are lyrical about Gwenifer Raymond and her gifted playing. "The sound she makes is so grand and frenzied that it sounds like there are at least two more guitarists hidden somewhere in the wings of this theater," writes the latter newspaper, for example, in a raving five-star review. We can simply add: come and see for yourself!
