Music fans are set for a treat this Bank Holiday Weekend as bands from across the North West descend on Golborne for the third annual Millstone Rocks Festival.

The free festival takes place outside The Millstone Inn on Harvey Lane, Golborne and will see the likes of St. Helens’ heavyweights Titors Insignia, rock covers band Wolf and youngsters The Fifth Root all performing over three days.

Yet the honour of kicking of this year’s festivities fall to local lass Emily Lees, who takes to the stage at 2pm on Saturday, May 25th.

“I love the idea of anything that helps bring the local community together and I can think of no better way than through a free music festival,” said the 25 year-old songstress. “It’s an honour to be part of an event at the heart of my local community and I’m thrilled to be opening the festival.”

As if the lure of free live entertainment wasn’t enough, festival organisers are promising that there’ll be something for all the family, including a raffle for a host of top prizes with all proceeds being split between Joining Jack and Wigan and Leigh housing.

Millstone Inn landlord, Anthony Bridge said:

“We’re very excited to be bringing Millstone Rocks back for a third year running. The support from the local community, and from musicians far and wide has grown year on year and we’re ready for the best festival yet.

“Both Joining Jack and Wigan and Leigh hospice are two great local causes and we’re going to do our best to raise as much money as possible for them over the weekend.

“We can’t think of anywhere else locally that brings the best bands from around the area together for three days of free entertainment whilst raising money at the same time. We really go out of our way to create a fun family atmosphere with all kinds of different music to suit all tastes, and hope as many people as possible decide to join us this year.”

Millstone Rocks runs from Saturday May 26th to Monday May 28th at The Millstone Inn, Harvey Lane, Golborne with live music from 2pm to 10pm. For more information see http://www.facebook.com/millstonerocksfestival or on Twitter @Millstonerocks3

The Millstone, home of the annual Millstone Rocks festival brings you a tonne of great live music from late-September all the way through October.

Check out these awesome bands heading your way over the next few weeks and be sure to join us at ‘The Milly.’

SEPTEMBER

September 28th - MacMillan Cancer Support fund-raiser.
The Hermitage / Social Icons / Wolf / The Articles
Social Icons and The Articles make their debut at the venue whilst Millstone Rocks II stars Wolf make their long-awaited return and Milly favourites, The Hermitage aim to entertain us once more. 

OCTOBER 

Thursday October 4th
Kevin Simm
The former Liberty X pop-singer entertains fans. 

Friday October 5th 
In Blue Skies
 Last seen in Golborne performing at the ‘Giggin’ for Higgins’ charity event in January. Delightful acoustic-pop that’s guaranteed to please.

Saturday October 6th
Rasta4Eyes 
Another band making their Millstone debut, Rasta 4 Eyes are a group not to be missed.  From what we’ve seen of this eight-piece dub/reggae/ska outfit, we’re in for one epic party.

Friday October 12th
Juall
Following a mightily impressive show at the inaugural Millstone Rocks, the Juall boys return with a genre-crossing collection of hits from the 60s to the present day.

Saturday October 13th - TBC

Friday October 19th
Smitten Kitten
If there’s anything we can say about Smitten Kitten that hasn’t already been said…then it probably isn’t worth saying. One of the most exciting, entertaining live acts to come along for a long time, look forward to loud, flamboyant classic rock delivered in a manner most awesome.

Saturday October 20th
The Articles 
A riotously good night of live music lies ahead as The Articles return to The Millstone with furiously energetic rock, popular hits reworked in their own high octane style and a whirlwind performance.

Friday October 26th
The Hermitage 
Ending as we began, The Hermitage put on another storming show full of bold, boisterous rock ‘n’ roll that never fails to put you in the party atmosphere. Dancing shoes most definitely required for this one!

In our latest video, we speak to Danny Simm, organiser of the Simfest all-day events in Wigan about the upcoming Simfest III event on September 16th, why music is such a positive way to support good causes and more.

Shootinng in a dark venue, we sadly didn’t get the kind of video quality we would have liked for this, but we still think it’s a great interview regardless! 

Simfest III takes place on Sunday, September 16th at Maximes 2, Wigan.
For more info check out https://www.facebook.com/SimfestUK 

It was two years ago that a young group named Junction23 first arrived on the Almost Famous radar, frontman Jack Savage coming to our rescue at the inaugural Millstone Rocks Festival to fill in for a band gone AWOL. 

Armed only with an acoustic guitar and a truck load of enthusiasm, Jack pretty much stole the show that day; charming the audience and captivating them with a number of well-polished, perfectly delivered numbers.

Needless to say, we’ve been fans of his band, Junction23, ever since. 

With talent and confidence which belies their tender years, and an unwavering commitment to their career which makes them one of the hardest-working young bands we’ve met in an age, the alternative/rock trio have not only released two new tracks, but a kick-arse new video to boot.

If you only check out one new band this week, make it Junction23. The new video for Had Enough is posted below for your convinience, though if you’re like us and certainly haven’t had enough of that track, you can find it, along with See You Again (Come Around) on the group’s Bandcamp page at: http://junction23.bandcamp.com/album/two-songs  

It’s the morning after the morning after the night before, and we’ve just about made a full recovery from Wigan’s Hottest Party of the Summer.

From The Fifth Root’s opening notes to This Devastated Fan’s scorching finale via the smash-mouth assault of hard rock that was Prairie Dogs and the ever-entertaining presence of Smitten Kitten (complete with epic rendition of Free Bird, much to our delight), all we know is that we had an awesome time.

What’s more, judging from the feedback we’ve been getting this past weekend, so did  many of those who turned up, stuck around and rocked out with us.

Looking back in the sober light of Sunday, we couldn’t be happier with our first event in our hometown:

A good turn out packed into The Press Rooms, the bands each delivered first-rate performances that we’ll remember for a long time to come, and the support we received from many members of the local music scene couldn’t have been better.

We owe a great deal of thanks to many people for making The Hottest Party of the Summer happen, not least of which being our Sound Man Supreme, Ste Anders, gear-lugger, drum-provider and all-round great help Stew Skoyles, photographer Marc Taylor the team from Simfest and Devilution Festival organisers Davestock and everybody else who helped us out in any way. We appreciate your support!

What happens next? Well, we have a few ideas in mind.

With the future of The Press Rooms uncertain, we’re currently looking for a regular place to call home for a series of monthly nights. Until then, AF boss man Chris Skoyles will be spinning tunes and providing compere duties at a charity event in Manchester later this month and we’re already in talks to start planning next year’s Millstone Rocks festival.

There’s lots more to come too, so do stick around, and for all the latest updates be sure to come say hi at www.facebook.com/almostfamousmusic.

*Image: This Devastated Fan rock The Hottest Party of the Summer. Pic by Alexander Bradley.

As if three riotous rock bands, a DJ and drink offers all night long for the measly sum of just £3 wasn’t enough, Almost Famous now gives you even greater value for money by adding a fourth band to Friday night’s show.

Just last night, we announced on our Facebook page that Wigan’s finest purveyors of scorching hot classic rock, Smitten Kitten, are joining the party.

Drawing inspiration from acts like Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Aerosmith and Guns ‘n’ Roses, the Kitten clan bring their own unique take on the staple classic rock sound to The Press Rooms on Rowbottom Square, Wigan.

Live gigs, combining a flare for the flamboyant with a cheeky humour and an arresting stage presence have impressed as many audiences and stolen as many shows as their radiant riffs and scintillating solos have captured imaginations and won over new followers by the truckload. 

Never afraid to go above and beyond for the sake of putting on an awesome show, Smitten Kitten have rapidly developed a reputation as must-see live act.

Find out why this Friday night, August 10th at The Press Rooms, Wigan, when the rockers join This Devastated Fan, Prairie Dogs and The Fifth Root at The Hottest Party of the Summer.

*Image: Smitten Kitten perform at Diamond Fest. Photo by Dave Green.

Temperatures are set to rise in Wigan this coming Friday as Almost Famous Music brings The Hottest Party of the Summer to town.

Taking place at The Press Rooms on Rowbottom Square from 7.30pm, the live music event marks Almost Famous’ return to the borough following a stint working in the United States.

The music promotion company was formed earlier this year by 28 year-old Chris Skoyles who, after working on events such as Haigh Fest and supporting many borough-based bands, left for the US to support artists and events from such diverse states as Minnesota, New York and Chicago.

Returning to his hometown, Chris hopes to inject a bit of the vibrant party atmosphere he experienced at shows across the States into Wigan’s rejuvenated music scene, starting with The Press Rooms and three of Wigan’s most popular rock bands.

Fresh from storming the stage at Diamond Fest in June, Prairie Dogs are ready to pummel The Press Rooms into submission with the kind of scathing, hard-hitting rock that has thrilled audiences across the North West and beyond for the last several years.

One of Wigan’s most established and popular rock bands, Prairie Dogs have earned their reputation thanks to solid, blistering anthems combining equal parts aggression and emotion with thunderous rhythms which pound beneath wailing, cataclysmic guitars, all delivered in an exciting, energy-fuelled live show.

Joining the ‘Dogs are one of the more promising and exciting bands to emerge on the local scene over the last two years. The Fifth Root’s potential for stardom is only matched by their own unabashed passion for performing the kind of riotous live shows that have earned them both a loyal following a reputation for being one of the more entertaining live acts around right now.

Headlining the night come veterans of the local scene, This Devasated Fan.

Over the course of three studio albums and more live shows than some bands have had hot dinners, the Wigan-based rockers have continually upped their game; constantly delivering not only ferocious live shows which see powerful guitars swooping and crashing and threatening to rock every venue they play to rubble, but also songs which take arresting, emotionally-charged stories and set them to a scolding soundtrack combining the best bits of grunge and pure, unadulterated hard-rock.

Chris Skoyles said:

“We’re really lucky to have three of the town’s most popular bands on one line-up.Time and time again each band have proved that they’re a force to be reckoned with on the local scene and I can’t wait to see what happens when they’re live and unleashed in the same room!

“The Wigan scene seems stronger than ever right now. The first night I was back from the States there were no less than four gigs going on around town and the level of talent and dedication to the scene, not just from the bands themselves but also many of the promoters who work tirelessly to promote them is impressive.

“Coming back to town with Almost Famous, all I can hope to do is add my experiences and lessons learned working in America to that scene and celebrate Wigan music by  throwing The Hottest Party of the Summer.”

The Hottest Party of the Summer featuring This Devastated Fan, Prairie Dogs and The Fifth Root, plus a live DJ playing rock, metal and alternative, takes place on Friday August 10th at The Press Rooms in Wigan. Entry is £3 on the door. For more information please visit www.almostfamousmusic.co.uk

We’re finally back from America and ready to roll on with The Hottest Party of the Summer, but before we do, we wanted to share with you some of the awesome new artists we’ve been listening to over in the States.

Some of the bands and performers on this list are ones we worked with, saw live or simply had the pleasure of meeting whilst we were in America, some are just kick-ass songs we heard for the first time on US Radio, but they all have one thing in common, they’re great songs. 

Please, enjoy!

Almost Famous are thrilled to announce that Wigan-based rockers This Devastated Fan are heading to The Press Rooms for the hottest party of the summer.

Heading up our first hometown show since returning from the United States, we’re excited to have a band on the bill who are guaranteed to exhilerate, entertain and excite.

Over the course of three studio albums, including last year’s epic, brooding release, Plot and Debauchery, and more live shows than some bands have had hot dinners, Wigan-based rockers This Devastated Fan have continually upped their game; constantly delivering not only ferocious live shows which see powerful guitars swooping and crashing and threatening to rock every venue they play to rubble, but also songs which take arresting, emotionally-charged stories and set them to a scolding soundtrack combining the best bits of grunge and pure, unadulterated hard-rock.

It’s the band’s unique, gifted approach to songwriting and performing that has attracted TDF a loyal following across the UK and Europe and that they now bring to entertain and excite the Almost Famous crowd.

Joining the band at The Press Rooms on August 10th are another of the town’s most exciting bands; Prairie Dogs. Fresh from the big stage at this year’s Diamond Fest, the ‘Dogs deliver adrenalin-fuelled, hard-hitting rock full of scathing guitars and pulsating rhythms. 

This scorching night of rock ‘n’ roll revelery is rounded off by one of the most hard-working and exciting young bands to hit the scene in some time, The Fifth Root.. With potential is only matched by their own unabashed passion for performing the kind of riotious live shows that have earned them both a loyal following, The Fifth Root are set to bring somethign very special to the hottest party of the summer.

All this, plus a DJ set to keep the party alive with the best in alt/rock/metal for just £3 as Almost Famous heads to The Press Rooms, Wigan on Friday August 10th. 

For more info, please see our Facebook event page