Hard Rock Hell VIII Adds Blues Stage

With just six weeks to go until Hard Rock Hell VIII takes over the Hafan Y Môr Holiday Park in Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales, a bespoke Blues stage has been added to the festival.

Joining the likes of Blue Oyster Cult, Krokus, Queensryche, Girlschool, Y&T, Big Elf and Blues Pills at the event will be Spain’s The Vargas Blues Band, Oxford’s teen prodigy Aaron Keylock and virtuoso guitar player Mitch Laddie.

The Vargas Blues Band will be showcasing cuts from their new From The Dark album, the eagerly-anticipated follow-up to last year’s Heavy City Blues collection. Frontman Javier Vergas is one of Spain’s most celebrated musicians, having shared stages with the likes of Santana and Prince, and embarked upon studio collaborations with the likes of Chris Rea, Frank Marino, Pat Travers, Glenn Hughes and Jack Bruce.

The Vargas Blues Band will perform on Friday, November 14 on the HRH Blues stage.

Check out a clip of Javier performing with Santana below:

Joining Javier will be singer/songwriter Aaron Keylock. Since headlining London’s Charlotte Street Blues Club at the tender age of just 12, 16 year-old Aaron is now a veteran of over 300 live shows, having shared festival stages in Spain, Holland & France with Slash, Joe Bonamassa and Black Stone Cherry. Likened by critics to the late, great Rory Gallagher, the teenager is unquestionably one of the UK’s brightest young Blues talents. Check out his chops below:

Completing this triple header HRH Blues Brunch will be guitar hero Mitch Laddie, celebrated as one of the Blues scene’s most vibrant up-and-coming talents. Influenced by Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Michael Jackson, Prince and The Police, the Mitch Laddie Band blend a variety of styles into a unique and modern take on soulful, guitar driven music.

To see Mitch in action, click on the clip below:

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HARD ROCK HELL VIII , AND TO BUY PASSES FOR THE EVENT, GO THE THE OFFICIAL FESTIVAL WEBSITE HERE.