Will Wilde is back at The Bear! A force to be reckoned with, anyone who caught his sold-out show here back in April will know that he is a phenomenal harmonica player with a voice to match.
Nominated as Instrumentalist of the Year in the UK Blues Awards 2024, Will’s intense harmonica style steals the spotlight from the traditional blues rock guitar, with a sound that owes as much to Gary Moore as it does to Sonny Boy Williamson.
He gained popularity on YouTube with his harmonica covers of classic rock guitar solos, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird", which racked up over 3.5 million views, and helped him gain over 95K subscribers. These videos caught the attention of blues rock guitar legend Walter Trout, who invited him to play on his album Broken, which reached Number 1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart. To return the favour, Walter played guitar on the title track and first single from Will's new album, The Blues Is Still Alive.
Will has released four studio albums and one live album, as well as appearing as a guest harmonica player on albums by Toby Lee, Brave Rival, Earl Thomas, and Krissy Matthews. His earlier releases reflect more of a traditional Chicago blues sound, but over time he has developed a more intense style that draws from the classic rock and blues rock music he grew up on.
Support is from The Mat Day Band, led by guitarist Mat Day, who doubles as lead guitarist for Will’s band.
“He’s the best!”
“Surely the finest harp man on the scene”
“F**king badass!”
Doors 7pm / Music 7.45pm / Tickets £18 / £12 for members
All seating/tables are first-come, first-served.