August 9th -11th
Ben Catley
The Garden Stage @The Harbour Bar
Friday August 9th at 6pm - FREE
“A tour de force of contemporary acoustic guitar styles… A virtuoso guitarist.” - XPRESS MAG
With mesmerising guitar playing, huge vocals and an ecstatic stage presence, Ben Catley pours every ounce of his soul into his live show. Having toured all across Australia, New Zealand and the UK many times over and appearing on huge festival lineups, he captivates audiences like few other solo artists.
Ben kicks off 2024 supporting USA blues royalty, Walter Trout, who is considered one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time – taking Eric Clapton’s place in The Bluesbreakers, and playing for John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat.
Recently playing Perth’s inaugural Bluesfest (with The Doobie Brothers, John Butler...), and with regular music releases, Ben’s creative style of guitar-focussed blues/roots/folk/rock continues to evolve. While mostly known for his high energy style, Ben has recently been releasing collections of chilled, atmospheric finger-style guitar instrumentals ‘Cloudcabins’, that he has now weaved into his live set, creating a diverse show of guitar craftsmanship. These tracks follow previously releasing tracks featuring the legendary Wim Hof.
Along with tours of NZ, the UK and WA over the last year, Ben is also often found co-headlining shows with Si Mullumby (Wild Marmalade), who is widely regarded as one of the world’s best didge players.
Having grown up in Newcastle UK, and calling Perth WA home for over a decade, his music has been shaped by both places - creating a style inspired by rugged northern England and vast WA.
FESTIVALS PLAYED:
UK: Bestival, Shambala Festival, Green Man Festival, Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, Boomtown Festival, Camper Calling Festival, Lindisfarne Festival, Maui Maui Festival, Sun & Moon Festival, Berwick Festival
Australia: Bluesfest Perth, Nannup Festival, Blues At Bridgetown Festival, WA Guitar Festival, Fremantle Folk Festival, Wollombi Festival, Wallaby Creek Festival, Ravenswood Blues & Roots, Emergence Creative Festival, Ningaloo Whaleshark Festival, Troopicool Festival, Music In The Park, Blazing Swan
New Zealand: NZ Spirit Festival, Earthbeat Festival, Marchfest, Resolution Festival, Solrise Festival, Coro Summer Fest
Singapore: Music Matters Live
Réunion Island: IOMMA Festival
The Philippines: Red Ninja Festival
Holland: Surfana Festival
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