Former Young Guitarist of The Year and now fully-fledged blues-rock virtuoso, Irishman Simon McBride comes off playing to thousands of people each night when he opened for Joe Satriani on his UK tour, to playing more modestly-sized venues; but it represents the start of what many industry pundits are predicting will be a glittering career alongside the likes of American blues-rocker, Joe Bonamassa.

His latest album Since Then has wow-ed critics, prompting Classic Rock magazine to say “At last Irishmen in pubs will stop going on about Rory Gallagher!”