Oh Oh! 2026 in Pictures

 Our new offial video for Oh Oh (Into the Light) live at Midsummer Middlewich 2026 is kind of a season photo book for the year.

It's LIVE & it's got out!

Our new, live EP The Blue Yellows (live at Midsummer Middlewich 2026) is out everywhere now - on your favourite music streaming platform, yes Spotify, Apple Music and all that, as well as the one that actually likes artists; Bandcamp. 

Direct from the live mixing desk to your ears!  

Recorded at this Summer Solstice festival from The John McAteer Stage at Newton Brewery, Middlewich where our set was expertly recorded by Will Scrowther of Macks Music.

We feel that Will has really captured our raw, live energy for the first time - we hope you love this as much as we do. 

At the time of the festival and this recording, we are sad that Simon our bassist was sadly injured and unable to perform, so Emma added bass on her keyboards to make up for potential loss in the low end, so we actually performed a man-down as a three piece here. Simon remains a credit on this EP as he has played such an important role in shaping these song arrangements. 

Our performance that day was orinally broadcast on Salt Towns Radio and now we are delighted to release 5 tracks including the debut release of our newest song in our live set, "Oh Oh (Into the Light).

We'd love you to give it a spin and let us know what you think?

Jonathan. 

- The BYs x

On Tap

 Oct 10th 2026

Great music venues & great beer all too often fail to coincide but following Tom's Tap last night, we find ourselves in another top venue with top beer. The Artisan Tap in Stoke. 

Up the hill in the general direction of my old Uni, that of Keele - & I was so glad that a fair few current Keele students came along to enjoy the night and chat to me afterwards, though this was tinged with sadness on hearing from them about the huge impacts of the cuts to departments and staff there, along with heart rending accounts of lecturers in tears and music students having to be submerged into the humanities department, something which must surely diminish the up-to-now facilities and levels of expertise on hand?

Sad also because this was the last outing for us on an Athens to Aberdeen tour date with our beautiful friends from somewhere-near-Heidelberg, Sina and Simon of Barn54. Once again, Sina's gorgeous voice was out of action due to the flu - but like the true tour champions of music they are, they don't cancel, they struggle on, not that anyone would have noticed the struggle as they absolutely stormed ('barnstormed', sorry) the place - everyone, as always, loved them. 

I did a bit more on vocals for them, as well as guitar, the same as last night - to make up for the lack of vocal input from Sina, not that it ever could...

Last face to face words, hugs and written messages were exchanged, for now. 

Beautiful, thrilling and sad - which is not a bad discription of much of the music I love, but I am also discribing here this night, as in what it represents as an ending but also a beginning, because big plans are already afoot for a wonderful 2027!

It was great to see Joe, who was in 
our 1st music video as a boy, 
No Tobacco No Jesus

Barnstorming Tom's!

Oct 9th 2026

We had an absolute blast with Barn54 at Tom's Tap - though none of us live in Crewe, this always feels like our "home" venue, our local.

Sadly, Tom's Tappers didn't get to hear Sina's beautiful vocals as she's suffering from the flu at the moment and, having hardly been able to walk from being so ill on the morning of this gig, her voice was still gone for showtime. But, as always with professional musicians “the show must go on" as did Sina, if without that voice this time.

Me and Dave from The Blue Yellows were delighted to be asked to join the German duo for their set as well, jamming along seat-of-the-pants style, following Simon's directions. It was so much fun, I love their songs so much!

We've nearly finished our run of shows with them, one last time with them at Artisan Tap (our debut there), but more is already being organised for 2027.

I'm missing my wonderful German friends already.

Simon from Barn54 joined us on drums again for The Stronger You Love - photo by Marina Red

Photo by Neil - sickly_b on bluesky 

Photo: Marina Red

Photo: Marina Red

Blackberry Season

 Oct 3rd 2026

We gathered, along with many others on a multi-artist evening at the best city center rock venue that just happens to be in a small market town, somehow, instead - Percy's!

Barn54 we're the headliners once again and at the time of the booking more than a year ago, we weren't aware that it also coincides with Whitchurch's biggest event of the year - The Blackberry Fair.

It was our 1st of 3 gigs with super-pro musician Dayve Dean. He has had just one rehearsal with us and is absolutely nailing our songs. Top work, Dayve.

I had some technical issues surrounding my pedalboard or power to it for a time, Sina (from Barn54) having similar issues too with her sustain pedal, Emma swapping it out for hers didn't seem to help so it may have been a socket issue perhaps. 

The gig was a reminder though that technical issues or not (they will also be a part of the rough & tumble of live shows, though of course you try to minimise them) it is the over all vibe and communication of feelings that really counts - I think we got away with it & Barn54 were mesmerisingly good, as always.

Photo: TMR Photography 

Photo: TMR photography 

Photo: TMR photography 

What a night! Photo: TMR photography 

Dave, Jonathan, Bass-Depp Dayve Dean & Em of The Blue Yellows. Pic by Dave Coomer. 

Where We Belong

 Oct 2nd 2026

A very short commute to the gig in my adopted home town of Nantwich to join the wonderful Barn54 who are well into their epic Athens to Aberdeen tour. I did a half hour support set with last minute addition, my Blue Yellows compadre - Dave on Cajon. 

It really was such an absolute joy to join them on stage - to be alive and live these precious moments is just so incredible.

Thanks to all who turned out! 

Blackpool Rock

19th Sept 2026

(updated 20/09/26)

Another Barn54 show with me opening and acoustic duo with a strong percussive element The J&J Experience next. I then joined Barn54 for all but one in their set.

This all occurred in the literal underground super-cool live music & DJ bar Sub.

Wild winds all day & night may have ironically kept it from being a wilder night, but we all did our (in my case somewhat under-rehearsed) best.

Earlier, in powerful winds. 

When the Green Room is red

We're releasing a LIVE EP!

 More details soon.

Pre-saves from October 9th.

A Blue Yellows LIVE Special on Salt Town's Radio

 This was recorded live on Day 2 of Midsummer Middlewich on the John McAteer Folk Stage, introduced by Dave Roberts for Salt Town's Radio.

Marbury Reighs

 We gathered, still as a 3 piece while Simon's hand injury mends, to the beautiful surroundings of Marbury Country Park for the Acoustic Music and Ale Festival.

I felt very relieved for this extensively leafy area full of mature trees - serious rain has been a long time coming and much more is still needed. Thankfully the rain didn't seem to put people off and our set was once again received not only with rapturous enthusiasm, but also with lots of joining-in.

Thank you all again so much, it means so much to us and you folk who turn up to live shows and give us so much back is quite literally what enables us to keep doing this crazy live music thang. 

Photo by Sue Tarplee-Williams 

Photo by Sue Tarplee-Williams 

The Green Room!

Return to Casa José

 I was back in José Manu Arteaga's home studio to record some lead and backing vocals for some lyrics I wrote for one of his tunes - to appear some time soon(ish)/eventually on a vinyl album. Oh yes! 

Balmy Days

Towards yet another day of extreme, for the UK, heat - I had a really fun night hopping onto a brief part of Barn54's epic Athens to Aberdeen tour of 2026, in Warwick. These two work so hard night after night, country after country to bring the audience into the night as one united, vibrant celebration of life. It's such a joy to witness and a joy to be a part of. After an opening solo set of half an hour or so, I joined the duo on guitar and the odd backing vocal for for most of their set too.

I'll see them again soon.

Sina and Simon of Barn54

 at Ronnie's of Warwick tonight

Conglomeration

 07/08/2026

A conglomeration of bands and artists gathered in Congleton tonight having agreed to give up their fees in aid of rasing funds for Saint Luke's Cheshire Hospice.

A totally unrehearsed highlight for me, probably for all of us performing, was - with all musical hands on deck - jamming out a raucous version of Mustang Sally honoured to much missed local musician Dave Speakman who died recently. 

It was a great way to end a little run of gigs that have mainly been to really 'listening' typical gig-going audiences, which are great to play to of course. 

This audience however had much more a vibe of friends going out, raising money for an important charity to them & catching up with each other, perhaps for the first time for some while. So it was quite a noisy, chatty crowd - and why shouldn't they be? They enjoyed all the acts and sang and danced to us and all the others. So while they have been a loud, chatty crowd they were up for lots of fun, friendly & a good challenge to win over. 

If you were among them, and now reading this - thanks for your kindness in coming out for a good cause, and bringing the good times!

Organiser & host Louise playing her
maracas alongside Em. 

Violet Blue

 Today we played the wonderful annual(ish) Garden Party booked by wonderful friends and hosts Martin and Elaine. So many lovely, talented acts and a lovely, neighbourly crowd in a still (despite stacking heatwaves) beautiful leafy garden.

One of many highlights for us was pursuading Diane of Violet Cry to join us for a song on the vocals - a great moment!

Diane joining us on vocals

Glitter Curtain

This time around at for Dress Down Sunday, we were supported very ably not only by our host Jasmine Allen Estate & nineties-esque rockers The Moondogz but by a rather glitzy, golden glitter curtain left up behind us from a previous event.

Hopefully, even without our recovering ace of bass Simon we did our best without him to bring some classy sounds to the lovely crowd who turned up in the refreshingly cooler weather (at last)!

Great to meet some new people at this show, thanks for coming!

The U-Yellows

 Live at Alsager Music Festival 2026

U-Yellows? Or maybe OooYellows? Anyway, there's still only 3 of us so 3/4s of The Blue Yellows with our Simon still off injured. Get well soon! We're missing our friend, missing his wonderful basslines and missing so many songs where his input is absolutely essential.

Nevertheless we braved it onwards to the fantastic atmosphere at The Alsager Music Festival in the very special vibes of the Sunken Garden.

Thanks to the many who lent us their ears and joined in with some songs, gave us some lovely feedback (of the spoken kind) and bought us a beer. 

We loved it - but we can't wait to be 4 again!

Tunes on a Tuesday

 June 7th, 2026

We headed out on what could be a difficult task, playing to a Tuesday night crowd on a World Cup knock-out night AND  still a man down in terms of our ace-of-bass Simon.

We were all releaved to hear from Em who had seen Simon having picked up speaker stands & mic stands from his place. Em's report being that Simon had just had his stitches out, was in good spirits and about to strim his lawn! So, as a man of very few words on a phone, rarely using it to communicate it at all, any fears we had for him were allayed & I'm sure he will be back with us as soon as he's physically able to play again.

The Glebe & it's folk, both regular and those just passing through, were also up for a really good time & were treating this Tuesday as if were a Friday or Saturday night, a lovely, attentive & up-for-it bunch. 

Having headed home on this sultry night, seen a hedgehog on the way home & after a cool shower & a wet walk under the half-moonlit sky, it's already a wonderful stained-glass memory. 

Image by Tim Lee 

Tim Lee opened for us, wowing the 
audience with a set of his lovely songs 

We met the feisty and funny Liz Vincent, 
a big name around here in the DJing world 
back when it was even harder to make waves as a woman in music. 

A Solstice Save

What a beautiful Summer Solstice, thanks for making it a wonderful show for us!

We were up against it - a man down with our brilliant bassist *Simon unable to perform, but you guys in the crowd, at The John McAteer stage & on the sound made it so easy for us.

What a stunning venue The Newton Brewery Inn is, great vibes at the bar, large and stunning outdoor area where we played.

*Get well soon our Simon ❤️

Photo by Ian F. Ball 

📸 Louise Mather 

Midsummer Middlewich -Day 1

 Sometimes you have to rise to the challenge... 

We were at around 50% calling off today's show. Simon, our brilliant bassist had phoned to say he had a hand injury that clearly needed to be seen to as a priority and there was no way he could come along (let alone play bass). We really hope our good friend on those low notes recovers really soon but in the meantime we had to make a decision.

In deciding to go on with the show (there's a saying here somewhere) we needed to work out how to do it. Those songs where Simon's bass is a beautiful counter melody as "a" (if not "THE") main musical theme of the song were out, a couple of songs we don't play normally were in, and many others adapted in terms of playing style, rhythm, frequency & tone.

We were also ably aided by José, our sometimes producer and again this time, sound-guy. 

We got away with it. Get well soon Simon and.. Onwards!

Heavily adapted setlist 

3 wasn't the magic number (for us) 
but we got away with it! 

In-tentions

 

It's a great feeling when you've got a busy festival weekend coming up & you see posts showing a well drilled team preparing.

Photos from Midsummer Middlewich where we're playing;

Saturday - The Turnpike, 2pm 

Sunday Solstice - Newton Brewery, 4pm

It's not a competition (unless it is).

 June 2nd, 2026

The evening marked my 1st (and maybe only) time in the role of a Battle of the Bands judge. I was on the panel at a local college (if you know me personally, you'll know which one it is) to help select winners from 1st year student bands. A really enjoyable night, and great to see such a variety of genres on display as well as fabulously burgeoning new talent. 

The panel's desk

A pre-judgement rest

Magnolia Trees

Em, Simon and I tried a run through of a brand new song in Em's kitchen- Magnolia Trees. 

I'm sure it will evolve further as we play it more & backing vocals & Dave's parts are added.

Sometimes...

 24th April 2026 Tom's Tap 

Sometimes there's magic in the room.

Tonight was one of those nights, & that can never just come from the band - it's a two way/multi-way/musicians-audience - all-one-mind beautiful thing that is so precious, a thing that is becoming more rare as it only happens there in those moments in a room together. 

The wonderful Hayley Strangelove brought the magic and the emotion in, and so much more.

Mike on the desk gave us our best sound yet on stage at Tom's, something that allows us to really did deep into the music we're creating in the moment, putting an aerial out into the cosmos and getting lost in the music ourselves. 

Thank you all so, so much xxx

*P. S. A notable feature of this gig was that or was the 1st show where Em played violin and the first one in which Dave played the bodhran (in addition to thier usual instruments). 

JT 

Em

Dave

Hayley Strangelove x

For Sean Bartley 

I'm Pretty Excited

 Load-in is arranged, songs, a long set is rehearsed, tech-spec sent and... I'm pretty excited about this one in particular!

Come to the Show!

 

I read the news today, oh boy!

 

BYs Live Diary (so far)

 Updated Feb 27th to include confirmation of support from Hayley Strangelove for opening show. 

More to be confirmed and added...