Rocking at the Robin

As ever, a good night is guaranteed at Bilston’s prime live venue this week.

Monday night sees the Robin debut of American metal singer Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens. Best known for his work with Judas Priest and Yngwie Malmsteen, Tim has also been the subject of a Hollywood movie, Rock Star being based on the story of how he joined Priest. It probably won’t be a quiet night.

Tickets £12.50

Coming up on Wednesday is blues guitarist Eric Gales. Heralded as the second coming of Jimi Hendrix after the release of his eponymous debut album at the age of 16 in 1991, Eric seemed set for international stardom. With Carlos Santana and Joe Bonamassa amongst others hailing him as one of the greatest guitarists in the world, it’s fair to say that he since then he has enjoyed more critical than commercial acclaim after fourteen studio albums and years of touring the globe.

Tickets £15

There’s a more domestic feel to the blues on Thursday. Ian Parker is one of the most highly-regarded British bluesmen, a guitarist, singer and songwriter who has never been afraid to push the boundaries of the genre beyond what purists might consider acceptable. Sometimes this has been to his own commercial detriment, but his output has never been less than top quality. The 2015 album Politik Blues saw Ian returning to his roots and his live show is as sharp as always.

Tickets £12.50

Coming from a completely different angle are Friday’s visitors to the venue, another regular crowd-pleaser. From the Jam, featuring bassist Bruce Foxton, play the music of one of the greatest and most influential British bands of all time, along with some of Foxton’s later solo material. This year they’ll be celebrating the fortieth anniversary of their first recordings, including the albums In the City and This is the Modern World.

Tickets £20

For tickets and further details of all Robin gigs, tel: 01902-401211 or visit www.therobin.co.uk