It must be time for a catch-up. It's been a while.

This week we've got a whole bunch of stuff: people coming back from overseas, people leaving for overseas, injuries and illnesses and – of course – some upcoming gigs.

First up, our most recent sets of international travellers have returned from their various tours. Bluesman Mike Garner has just spent two weeks in Japan with Wellington harmonica virtuoso Neil Billington playing gigs in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto and more.

They did some shows as a duo and others with various Japanese pick-up bands, whom Mike reports were all excellent musicians. They also guest appeared on Japan's biggest blues radio show and have been invited back a third time next year to one of the country's main blues festivals.

Josh Durning is taking his unique sound of country-blues music to Nashville this week, a huge step for the musician.

Back in New Zealand, Mike has a couple of things upcoming. He's promising to lure Neil Billington to the Tauranga Art Gallery for a show in August and in the meantime is starting a regular blues and Americana session on the last Friday of every month at The Hop House in Mount Maunganui, which until recently was Major Tom's. They start this month on Friday, July 31.


Welcome return

Also back, this time from the UK, are the Brilleaux boys who had a storming time of it. As well as having Dr Feelgood band members and other R&B luminaries guest with them on-stage, they arranged for ex-Tauranga blues player L'il Ian Goodsman to play support in Bedford. At gigs band merchandise proved so popular they had to order more T-shirts half way through the tour.

And now one of Tauranga's most promising young guitarists is jetting off for a couple of weeks in the US of A.

Country blues star Josh Durning is leaving this week to spend a fortnight in Nashville where he will play sets at a series of festivals as well as some private gigs, including for the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society, a bunch one suspects has a more than passing acquaintance with guitar music.

He'll also be hanging with John Knowles, who has recorded with Chet Atkins, and Bryan Owings, Tony Joe White's drummer whom he met at Tauranga's Marchwood Blues Picnic this year.

Josh's playing solo over there but when he returns will be putting finishing touches to his second album at Welcome Bay's Colourfield Studio where half of the town's musicians seem to have been congregating in recent months to contribute – Trevor Braunias, Grant Bullot, Nigel Masters, Brian Franks, Ian Gilpin and many more...

Online and on-trend

Meanwhile, Tim Mellalieu, a singer who's been on the fringes of the scene for decades, is getting a lot of attention for a new YouTube song.

He once upon a time fronted the resident band that opened Tauranga's 'second nightclub” Candy-os, has sung backing vocals on a bucket-load of albums, released a couple of CDs of his own and for a time seemed to sing every second local jingle
you heard on radio.

Tim has been very unwell recently, suffering the aftermath of melanoma treatment, but before that a couple of musician mates from the UK were here to visit – Ian Archer and Ian Simmons.

The two Ians had just travelled through Mississippi and brought many photos and a couple of new songs.

The three immediately recorded one at Whakamarama's Boatshed Studio with the assistance of local drummer

Ali Edwards.

Tim's brother Peter put together a video using the Ians' pictures and ‘Robert Johnson Said' has now garnered 1900 views on YouTube.

Find it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-HEFCPuB_Y

Hands off!

Also on the casualty list – but only temporarily – is guitarist/singer Joel Shadbolt, who has suffered the guitarist's worst nightmare: a hand injury. It's quite a serious one too, which was kitchen-related.

He's off guitar playing for at least a couple of months but will still be fronting and singing with Batacuda Sound Machine at Mauao Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, July 11.

Actually, the band has changed its name to B2KDA and added four members – but I suspect the 10-piece will still be as astonishing as ever with their high-energy brand of Afrobeat funk. Tickets are $15.

And don't forget: Darren Watson and Matt Langley – Shoot Your Television Tour, is on tonight, July 3, at Mauao Performing Arts Centre from 8pm. Door sales are $25 or on Eventfinder for $20.

watusi@thesun.co.nz