+ GLAS
Xander and the Peace Pirates are a testament to musical integrity and personal strength. Combining soul, blues and rock, their pervasive blend of inspired song writing and memorable performances has already seen them enrapture audiences around the world.
Brothers Keith and Stu Xander were discovered on YouTube by Gibson Brands CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz, and during their subsequent performances for the company at numerous international events from LA to Dubai, the band caught the attention of not just an ever-growing collective of fans but also industry legends such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones) and Rick Allen (Def Leppard).
Defying all expectations, lead singer and guitarist Keith Xander was born without a right arm below the elbow and plays guitar using a prosthesis and hook with a pick attached at the end. Although many who have seen Keith play believe him to be an extraordinary guitarist despite of his (falsely) perceived ‘disability’, he is a virtuoso musician in his own right and his playing rivals the best in the industry.
The band established themselves as a live-performance juggernaut after concluding their 5-year tenure as the resident band at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club pub and going on to support the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Temperance Movement, ex-Whitesnake’s Bernie Marsden and Bon Jovi to name a few.
2016 saw the band release their debut album, titled ‘11:11’, on V2 Benelux Records, recorded at the world-famous Wisseloord studios in Hilversum, outside of Amsterdam. The album has gone on to receive rave reviews from Classic Rock, Planet Rock and from BBC Radio’s Bob Harris, who has subsequently invited the band to record 2 sessions for his ‘Under the Apple Tree’ YouTube series, as well as headlining his Warehouse venue in Harrogate.
With haunting riffs, ingenious melodies, and a uniquely infectious charisma, Xander and the Peace Pirates continue to share their musical passion to standing ovations, while spreading a universal message of peace, love and harmony.
Groundhogs
Way back in the halcyon days of rock, there came a trio of ‘superheroes’ known as the Groundhogs, riding the blues boom into unchartered territory, they gained a reputation as one of the most dynamic live acts around, and are influential and inspirational to this day. The classic line-up of Tony McPhee, Ken Pustelnik and Pete Cruickshank toured the world for 6 years straight, including seminal shows with the Rolling Stones, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall and Canned Heat, and at the legendary 1970 Isle of Wight festival along with Jimi Hendrix. In this time they produced 4 renowned albums: ‘Blues Obituary’, ‘Thank Christ for the Bomb’, ‘Split’ and ‘Who Will Save the World’…
Now Ken Pustelnik brings you a new and exciting line-up – Groundhogs, playing that classic material with verve and power, and giving performances of energy and excitement that are as fresh and relevant to the modern audience as the originals were back in the day…
“They pretty much tore shit up and blew me away.. one of the best acts of the entire festival” (orangeamps.com)