 Belgian Blues Challenge 2026 – Live‑finale op zaterdag 17 oktober in Menen Op zaterdag 17 oktober vindt de live-finale van de Belgian Blues Challenge 2026 plaats. Dit is een productie van de Belgian Blues Federation. Voor de praktische organisatie is ditkeer Cultuurcentrum De Steiger in Menen onze partner. De deuren zwaaien er om 19.30 u. open. Vanaf 20.00 u. spelen acht finalisten elk een set van twintig minuten. Er is een professionele jury, bestaande uit artiesten, organisatoren en mediamensen. Hieronder vindt u de finalisten in de volgorde waarin ze zullen optreden. Deze volgorde werd door loting bepaald. De winnaars mogen België vertegenwoordigen op de European Blues Challenge 2027 en de International Blues Challenge 2028.
Le samedi 17 octobre se déroulera la finale en direct du Belgian Blues Challenge 2026. C'est une production de la Belgian Blues Federation. Pour l'organisation pratique, on a cette fois-ci le Centre culturel De Steiger à Menen comme partenaire. Les portes ouvriront à 19h30. À partir de 20h00, huit finalistes se succéderont sur scène, chacun présentant une performance de vingt minutes. Une jury professionnel, composé d'artistes, d'organisateurs et de professionnels des médias, évaluera les prestations. Vous trouverez ci-dessous la liste des finalistes, présentée dans l'ordre de leur passage, déterminé par tirage au sort. Les lauréats auront l'honneur de représenter la Belgique à l'European Blues Challenge 2027 et à l'International Blues Challenge 2028.
Alastair Greene revisits Trouble at Your Door with remastered deluxe edition on Ruf Records10/10/2026
 Alastair Greene revisits Trouble at Your Door with remastered deluxe edition on Ruf Records Release date: November 13th, 2026. Blues‑rock guitarist Alastair Greene is revisiting his 2014 album Trouble at Your Door with a newly remastered deluxe edition on Ruf Records, expanded with two previously unreleased tracks from the original sessions. The album was originally recorded in 2013 at Coyote Road Studios in Santa Barbara and released through Delta Groove/Eclecto Groove Productions. Engineer Sean McCue, who worked on the original sessions, returned to handle the new remaster. Greene says this updated version finally captures the organic sound he originally envisioned, explaining that he always felt the record needed to be remastered to bring back the feel of the original mixes. The deluxe edition adds an acoustic version of “Drunk Again,” first heard on Greene’s 2009 album Walking in Circles, along with a previously unreleased studio recording of “3 Bullets” featuring Erik Norlander on Hammond organ. “3 Bullets” originally appeared on Greene’s 2002 debut A Little Wiser and later on Live From the 805. The album features Greene alongside drummer Austin Beede and bassist Jim Rankin, with Norlander contributing organ on select tracks. The first single from the reissue is “People,” built around a slide‑guitar riff inspired by Rory Gallagher. Greene considers it one of his strongest songs, written to encourage listeners to stay positive even when life gets difficult. The reissue also carries personal meaning for Greene. The original album was released with the support of Randy Chortkoff, founder of Delta Groove Records, who played a major role in helping Greene secure his first deal with an established blues label. This deluxe edition continues Greene’s ongoing relationship with Ruf Records, following his 2024 studio album Standing Out Loud and his 2025 live EP Live in Sin City. Reflecting on his catalog, Greene says Trouble at Your Door remains one of his most focused and energetic releases a contender for his favorite record he’s ever made. “People” – the new single from Trouble at Your Door (Deluxe Edition) “People” is one of the artist’s favorite songs from Trouble at Your Door and a true highlight of the album. Built around a slide guitar riff inspired by the late, great Rory Gallagher, the track carries a powerful message about staying positive and holding on to hope, even when life gets difficult. TRACK LIST:
01 People 02 Trouble At Your Door 03 Back Where I Belong 04 Red Wine Woman 05 First Born Son 06 Love You So Bad 07 Last Train Around The Sun 08 Calling For You 09 Make The Devil’s Day 10 Strange Feeling 11 Pretty Price To Pay 12 The Sweetest Honey Bonus Tracks: 13 Drunk Again (2014 Acoustic Version) 14 3 Bullets (2014 Studio Version)  Chicago blues collides with soul, funk, and two‑guitar firepower. Delmark Records releases Electric Soul Company — the explosive new collaboration between Breezy Rodio and Will Jacobs. Featuring special guest vocals from Sheryl Youngblood on the scorching track “So Close To It.” Born out of the Chicago blues scene and shaped by years of playing alongside legendary artists, Rodio and Jacobs craft a sound rooted in tradition yet boldly forward‑looking. Two guitars. Two voices. One electric sound. The duo first crossed paths through Chicago blues icon Linsey Alexander while performing at BLUES on Halsted, and that shared history pulses through every track on the album. Rodio, originally from Rome, has spent nearly two decades carving out his place in Chicago’s blues community. Jacobs, a Chicago native, began performing professionally as a teenager and has since built an international career. Together, they deliver a high‑voltage blend of blues, soul, funk, and R&B with undeniable groove. As Living Blues put it, there’s an “Electric Soul party” happening fueled by the dynamic interplay of their two guitars. Tracklist: If You Think I Need You (5:57) Down On Halsted Street (3:17) So Close To It (4:08) Been There Done That (5:02) Hey Baby (2:23) Are You Serious (5:04) Our Love (3:41) Sho Feels Good (2:49) Woman's Gotta Have It (4:30) We Still Got A Thing (3:27)  Folk sister duo Sarah Julia release debut album "The Fear That This Is Real" Sarah Julia release their highly anticipated debut album, "The Fear That is Real". Having already secured support from NME, Songlines, The Forty-Five, The Independent, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, BBC Radio 1 and notable support from 6Music, "The Fear That This is Real" lands at a really exciting time for the duo as they wrap up a lengthy US tour supporting Mon Rovia, which is swiftly followed by their first UK/EU headline tour. The album release is accompanied by the final single ‘Touchdown’, an unfurling, intimate rumination on growth and yearning for normality with delicate guitar and fiddle embellishment and typically captivating vocal harmonies. The sisters add: "Touchdown lives in a state of feeling foggy and detached from yourself, a state you’ve grown used to. It’s about longing for a more grounded, more present version of yourself, even if you’re not quite sure how to get there just yet." Sarah Julia’s debut album explores heartbreak, longing, hope, and pain through intimate songwriting and luminous harmonies rooted in classic folk traditions. Over six days in the fall of 2025, the sisters tracked the record live with a small group of musicians and producer Philip Weinrobe (Big Thief, Adrienne Lenker, Florist, Sam Evian) at his studio in Woodstock, NY. Drawing inspiration from the town's rich musical history, even capturing album visuals at the famed Big Pink House that immortalized Bob Dylan and The Band, the sessions often stretched late into the night by candlelight. Weinrobe's communal, headphones-off approach pushed the duo to abandon fear and channel emotional honesty directly from the gut, resulting in a self-aware, highly vulnerable record of magnetic intensity. SARAH JULIA Bound by sisterhood and defined by striking vulnerability, Sarah Julia crafts harmonious indie folk that transforms love, loss, and longing into something quietly luminous. The Dutch group has shared stages with Faye Webster, Mumford & Sons, Jacob Alon and Neil Young, supported Paris Paloma across the US and Europe, and headlined shows in Los Angeles, New York and London. Their rise has been both swift and undeniable. Following the release of their EPs “How Do We Go Back To Being Normal?” (2024) and “Only Making It Worse” (2025), both produced by Grammy-winner Catherine Marks, Sarah Julia established themselves as a band unafraid to sit with discomfort and turn it into something deeply resonant. Their work has earned them a place as a Spotify RADAR Artist and a spot on YouTube’s 100 Artists To Watch list in 2026, alongside recognition as a Spotify EQUAL Ambassador, highlighting their role in a new generation of globally emerging female artists. Industry acclaim quickly followed. The band took home the Music Moves Europe Award in 2026 and were named a Gibson Spotlight Artist in 2025, underlining their growing reputation as compelling songwriters with a distinct emotional voice. Their live presence has brought them to key stages across Europe, including Eurosonic (2026), Noorderslag (2024), and Reeperbahn Festival (2024), while sharing bills with artists such as SYML, Mon Rovia and Samia. Today, Sarah Julia will release their debut album “The Fear That This Is Real”, recorded in Woodstock with producer Philip Weinrobe (Big Thief, Billie Marten, Cass McCombs), a record that promises to deepen their sonic world while staying true to the intimacy that defines their sound. ALBUM SYNOPSIS “The Fear That This Is Real”, the debut album from Dutch sister folk duo Sarah Julia, inhabits the suspended moment before change: when standing still is no longer possible, but stepping into the unknown still feels frightening. “The album lives in that moment when your hand is on the door handle, pressing it down but not opening the door yet,” the sisters explain. Across its twelve songs, they explore heartbreak, resignation, hope and the unsettling recognition that some feelings are too large to fully understand. Recorded live over six days in Woodstock, New York, with producer Philip Weinrobe (known from his work with Adrianne Lenker, Big Thief, Billie Marten), the album captures Sarah Julia at their most instinctive. Playing in a circle with a newly assembled band, sometimes late at night by candlelight, they traded perfection for immediacy. Spacious arrangements, meditative guitars and their luminous close harmonies give individual experiences room to emerge, while the sisters continue to meet each other with the honesty and trust at the heart of their music. The result is an intimate but clear-eyed record about learning to trust motion without pretending the fear has disappeared. The album arrives as Sarah Julia move decisively onto the international stage. Winners of the 2026 Music Moves Europe Award, they have earned support from John Mayer, BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music, and toured with artists including Mumford & Sons, Paris Paloma, SYML, Samia, Alanis Morissette and Neil Young. Following a major European festival run, the duo will embark on headline shows across the EU and UK, alongside a 16-show US support tour with Mon Rovîa. “The Fear That This Is Real” turns that momentum into a defining artistic statement. TRACKLIST
1. Bigger Picture 2. Touchdown 3. Conversation 4. Going Going Gone 5. Therapist’s Daughter 6. Bee Museum 7. Hyperventilating 8. Whatever it Takes (Break Your Heart) 9. She Won’t Believe 10. Wishing Stone LIVE Nov 14 - SWG3 Poetry Club, Glasgow, UK Nov 15 - Grand Social, Dublin, IE Nov 17 - The Lodge, Manchester, UK Nov 18 - The Louisiana, Bristol, UK Nov 19 - Moth Club, London, UK Nov 21 - Pop Up, Paris, FR Nov 22 - Garagen, Cologne, DE Nov 23 - AB Club Room, Brussels, BE Nov 25 - Mikropol, Berlin, DE Nov 26 - Idea Bar @ VEGA, Copenhagen, DK Nov 27 - Molotow, Hamburg, DE Dec 03 - EKKO, Utrecht, NL Dec 04 - Rotown, Rotterdam, NL Dec 05 - Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam, NL  NOCONA Confronts a Divided America on New Single “Hard In The Country” Release date: October 30, 2026 “Hard In The Country” is a gritty reflection on trying to survive an increasingly chaotic and divided America. Written out of frustration with the political tribalism, economic uncertainty, cultural warfare and personal dysfunction of the moment, the song cuts through the rhetoric to focus on something more universal: most people, regardless of which “side” they’re on, are simply trying to keep their heads above water.
Chris Isom describes it as a song about “fighting with the machine”—job insecurity, making ends meet, healthcare, addiction and the struggle to look in the mirror without becoming your own worst enemy. Its central message is summed up in the refrain: “Time’s up but you don’t want to believe / What’s coming down, some new kind of hell…” Musically, NOCONA brings the song into their signature collision of country twang, punk energy, psychedelic guitar and unruly rock ’n’ roll. The band—Chris Isom (vocals/guitar), Adrienne Isom (bass/vocals), Elan Glasser (harmonica/vocals) and Matt Brundrett (drums/vocals)—recorded Backslider at Nashville’s Fitting Room Studio with producer KP Hawthorn. The studio is owned by Nashville engineer and producer Steve Berns and combines a spacious live room with the relaxed, down-home atmosphere NOCONA values in its recordings. NOCONA has performed at Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Stagecoach and the 2026 Outlaw Country Cruise. Backslider is due in early 2027. NOCONA is a Los Angeles roots-rock band that blends country twang, punk energy, psychedelic guitar and good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll. Led by Chris and Adrienne Isom, whose musical roots stretch from Los Angeles to New York, Austin and Toronto, the band brings a wide range of influences to Chris’s songs. Harmonica player Elan Glasser and drummer Matt Brundrett complete a lineup equally at home with country rhythms, loud guitars and psychedelic excursions. The band takes its name from Nocona, Texas, where Chris’s family has gathered for generations. Family reunions often included a generator, amps and a makeshift stage where relatives played music late into the night—a fitting origin story for a band built around the joy of playing together. Across three albums—Nocona, Long Gone Song and Los Dos—the band has developed a sound that moves freely from country twang to unruly rock and roll and psychedelia. Much of Los Dos was recorded with the band playing together in the Isoms’ garage, capturing the raw, communal energy that defines NOCONA. Their fourth album, Backslider, was recorded at Fitting Room Studio in Nashville with producer KP Hawthorn. Owned by Nashville engineer and producer Steve Berns, Fitting Room features a spacious live room and excellent recording gear while maintaining the relaxed, down-home atmosphere the band strives for in its records. NOCONA has performed at Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Stagecoach and the 2026 Outlaw Country Cruise, along with clubs across both coasts. The band recently released How Do You Feel? featuring Rosie Flores and Into The Stars, and will soon release Hard In The Country, the third single from Backslider, due early next year.  James Curley Announces New Album Mortal Release date: november 6, 2026 Chicago songwriter James Curley will release his fourth album, Mortal, on November 6. The record marks Curley’s first new studio project in more than a decade and stands as his most personal work to date, shaped by profound loss, renewal, and a deepened understanding of what it means to be mortal. Mortal was written over the decade preceding its recording, a period defined by the deaths of Curley’s spouse of 37 years, his mother, and a beloved niece. The album traces the emotional arc of grief, recovery, and rediscovery, ultimately arriving at a place of gratitude and clarity. Curley describes the project as an exploration of the “tragedy, mystery and majesty” inherent in being human. A longtime presence in Chicago’s folk and roots community, Curley has spent more than 50 years as a performer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. He has opened for Ellis Paul, Dan Navarro, Happy Traum, Patty Larkin and others, while fronting bands including Radio Fade, Earnest & Troubled, and The James Curley Band. His previous albums include Tom’s Café (2001), Manufactured Meaning (2007), and There Used To Be a Train (2012). Curley’s long-form writing appears on Substack under The Singular Songwriter, where he reflects on his creative process and the artists who inspire him. His return to recording began after his mother’s passing in 2024, when the first song for Mortal arrived unexpectedly written on a plane moments after receiving the news. That song became the thread connecting nine others into a cohesive narrative about loss, surprise, joy, and the full spectrum of being alive. Curley recorded Mortal in late 2025 with producer John Abbey, completing ten new songs that capture both the weight of experience and the resilience that follows.   Photo credit: Philip Verhaege B.B. King’s Unheard 1989 Montreux Performance “You Know I Love You” Finally Released BMG and the Montreux Jazz Festival have unveiled a previously unheard performance of B.B. King’s “You Know I Love You,” recorded live at the 1989 Montreux Jazz Festival. Captured at Casino Montreux, the track appears on the upcoming archival collection B.B. King: The Montreux Years, arriving November 20, and follows the recent preview release of “Early in the Mornin’.” The new collection spotlights nine of King’s 23 appearances at Montreux between 1982 and 2000, tracing nearly two decades of his deep connection with the festival. It will be available as a 2LP vinyl set, a 2CD digisleeve edition, and in HD digital formats. “You Know I Love You” is one of four bonus recordings exclusive to the 2CD and HD digital versions. All performances have been restored and newly mastered from the original tapes by Tony Cousins at Metropolis Studios in London. The project was created in collaboration with the B.B. King Estate and the Montreux Jazz Festival team, under license from Montreux Sounds. Alongside the music, the release includes rare, previously unseen photographs and new liner notes by King biographer Daniel de Visé, with contributions from longtime bassist Michael Doster. B.B. King: The Montreux Years joins the ongoing Montreux Years series, which has celebrated landmark performances from Muddy Waters, Etta James, Nina Simone, Dr. John, Roberta Flack and more. The collection arrives November 20.  Belgische bluesformatie PD Martin lanceert nieuw album vol live‑energie Release date: 16 oktober 2026 Na de recente singles Overqualified en Lusty Ol’ Herbert is het zover: op vrijdag 16 oktober lanceert de Belgische bluesformatie rond zanger-gitarist PD Martin haar tweede album: Overqualified & Underpaid. Het album telt tien nummers: zeven gloednieuwe eigen composities en drie eigenzinnige interpretaties van nummers van enkele van hun muzikale helden. Het resultaat is een gevarieerde plaat die moeiteloos schakelt tussen pompende grooves en swingende shuffles, maar steeds onmiskenbaar klinkt als PD Martin. De plaat werd opgenomen bij Studio Fandango, met één duidelijk uitgangspunt: de energie en interactie van de band zo authentiek mogelijk vastleggen. Dirk Lekenne (Studio Fandango): “Een band die live zo’n strakke performance neerzet, moét je gewoon live capteren. Daarom hebben we tijdens de opnames zo weinig mogelijk tussen de band en de muziek gezet. Geen trucjes, geen overproductie: we wilden vooral de mojo van de band vastleggen zoals die er live is. En met zulke geweldige muzikanten kan dat ook. Eigenlijk zegt de stempel op de hoes het helemaal: ‘100% made by Humans. No AI.’” Over de band Dit zinderende viertal neemt je mee op een zwoele trip door een moeras van blues en funk. Sterke en veelzijdige composities, messcherpe ritmes en avontuurlijke improvisaties zijn de tools waarmee ze connectie maken met hun publiek. Van swingende shuffles en soulvolle slow blues tot groovende funk-anthems — alles gebracht op hun eigen, authentieke manier. Het debuutalbum Soulbeat Incarnate verscheen in februari 2023. In 2024 won PD Martin de Belgian Blues Challenge. Die overwinning bracht frontman Piet Vercauteren in 2026 naar Memphis, Tennessee om daar als Peddlin’ Pete (zijn soloproject) de Belgian Blues Federation te vertegenwoordigen. Tracklist: Can’t Be Bothered With That (P. Vercauteren / H. Mandos) Lusty Ol’ Herbert (P. Vercauteren) Guitar Slim (They Call Me Guitar Gale) (E. Jones) Shame Shame Shame (J. Reed) Tormenta de Calor (P. Vercauteren) System Won’t Boot (P. Vercauteren) Mindful Aggravation (P. Vercauteren / H. Mandos) Overqualified (Album Edit) (P. Vercauteren) Snags ’n Complications (P. Vercauteren / H. Mandos) Izabella (J. Hendrix) Bandbezetting: Piet Vercauteren - guitar, vocals Joris Holderbeke - bass Rien Gees - drums Hein Mandos - keys Gastmuzikanten: Johan Vandendriessche – alt, tenor en bariton sax op tracks 1, 7, 9 Nico Schepers – trompet op tracks 1, 7, 9 Tess Thyssen – backing vocals op track 9 Label: Fandango Music Belgium Beschikbaarheid Overqualified & Underpaid verschijnt op 16 oktober 2026 op vinyl en CD en is vanaf die datum ook beschikbaar op alle grote streamingplatforms. PD Martin op: Facebook – Instagram - YouTube - Spotify - Apple - Deezer  Ed Cavin & The Blue Kings brengen nieuwe single uit. Eigenaar van het Zweedse Enviken Records, Patrik Staffansson heeft duidelijk zijn liefde voor de fifties ’50 rock-‘n-roll en rockabilly aan zijn zoon Emil doorgegeven. Emil bracht als Ed Cavin samen met The Blue Kings vorig jaar een EP uit die in een mum van tijd uitverkocht raakte. The Blue Kings worden gevormd door leadgitarist Harry Mellberg, bassist Isak Wigander en drummer Olle Back. Ed Cavin neemt naast de zang ook de ritmegitaar voor zijn rekening. Hoog tijd dus voor nieuw materiaal. Dat komt er nu met de single ‘Hitch A Ride / Missfix’. Naast een bevlogen performer die de authentieke en energieke rockabilly volkomen beheerst, is Ed Cavin ook een songschrijver die deze eigenschappen met succes in eigen songs weet te vatten. Dat is ook nu weer het geval. Zowel ‘Hitch A Ride’ als ‘Missfix’ zijn rauwe energieke songs. Een degelijke ritmesectie, scherpe gitaarsolo’s en Eds stem staan garant voor aanstekelijke en energieke songs. English: Patrik Staffansson, owner of the Swedish label Enviken Records, has clearly passed on his love for 1950s rock 'n' roll and rockabilly to his son, Emil. Last year, performing as Ed Cavin alongside The Blue Kings, Emil released an EP that sold out in no time. The Blue Kings consist of lead guitarist Harry Mellberg, bassist Isak Wigander, and drummer Olle Back; in addition to vocals, Ed Cavin handles the rhythm guitar. It is high time, then, for new material—which arrives now with the single ‘Hitch A Ride’/ ‘Missfix’. Beyond being a spirited performer who has fully mastered authentic, high-energy rockabilly, Ed Cavin is also a songwriter who successfully captures those qualities in his own original tracks. That is certainly the case here. Both ‘Hitch A Ride’ and ‘Missfix’ are raw, energetic songs. A solid rhythm section, sharp guitar solos, and Ed’s vocals combine to deliver tracks that are both infectious and full of energy.  Bryan Adams eerste headliner Lokerse Feesten 2027 op woensdag 4 augustus BRYAN ADAMS KONDIGT DATA VOOR EUROPESE TOUR AAN MET LOKERSE FEESTEN OP 4 AUGUSTUS DE “ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES”-TOUR WORDT VERLENGD TOT 2027 Kaarten zijn vanaf vrijdag 9 oktober om 10.00 uur CEST te koop De Canadese rocker Bryan Adams heeft een nieuwe reeks Europese tourdata aangekondigd ter promotie van zijn veelgeprezen album Roll With The Punches, dat in 2025 uitkwam. De singer-songwriter, wiens platen meerdere keren platina hebben behaald, zal in het voorjaar en de zomer van 2027 zijn kenmerkende, energieke liveshow naar arena’s in heel Europa brengen.
Adams’ nieuwe studioalbum How’s It Goin’, een zeer persoonlijke muzikale liefdesbrief aan Canada, verschijnt op 6 november 2026 via BAD Records. Het aanstaande album heeft al twee opvallende nummers opgeleverd die deel uitmaken van Adams’ huidige setlist, waarbij het nummer 51st State avond na avond staande ovaties oogst. ‘How’s It Goin’ is geworteld in de mensen, plaatsen, landschappen en verhalen die het land hebben gevormd, en laat zien hoe Adams zijn onmiskenbare songwriting en stem richt op zijn thuisland. Adams blijft bewijzen waarom hij een van ’s werelds meest dynamische artiesten blijft. ‘Roll With The Punches’, genomineerd voor een JUNO Award 2026 voor Rockalbum van het Jaar, bracht zijn onmiskenbare mix van anthemische rock, rauwe gitaarriffs en oprechte songwriting, waarbij hij pittige, pakkende nummers combineerde met reflectieve momenten die de veerkracht en de geest weergeven die zijn carrière hebben gekenmerkt. Nieuwe nummers vinden nu al hun plek naast tijdloze klassiekers als ‘Summer of ’69’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Run to You’ en ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It For You’, waarmee hij fans een setlist belooft die generaties overspant. Met tientallen jaren aan hits die de hitlijsten aanvoerden, uitverkochte tournees en onvergetelijke liveoptredens blijft Bryan Adams een rockshow van arena-formaat neerzetten die fans van over de hele wereld samenbrengt. Tourdata 2027: Lokerse Feesten, woensdag 4 augustus Ticketinformatie: www.lokersefeesten.be Ga voor tickets en meer informatie naar bryanadams.com en www.lokersefeesten.be. Over Bryan Adams Bryan Adams is een met een Grammy en een JUNO Award bekroonde singer-songwriter en artiest wiens carrière al meer dan vier decennia omspant. Als een van Canada’s meest gevierde muzikale exportartiesten blijft Adams optreden over de hele wereld. Zijn muziek weerspiegelt een levenslange toewijding aan het vertellen van verhalen, authenticiteit en de blijvende kracht van rock-’n-roll. |