Albert Lee & Hogan's Heroes return!

High School Festival Awards' night a triumph

Pictured above are Philip Blyth, Paul Mescal, Sinead O'Connell, Jessica Hackett and Ann Marie Lawlor of Maynooth Post Primary School receiving the Overall Best Show Award at this year's High School

Festival from from Tony Finnegan, Festival Adjudicator and Vicki Graham, High School Festival Co-ordinator.

Inset is Julie Power receiving the Best

Individual Female award

photos john power

A brilliant night showcasing the richness of local and visiting talent was on stage in the Theatre Royal on Wednesday night of last week (9th May). The awards night of the High School Festival was packed out with not a seat to be had anywhere in the house. Vicki Graham, the dynamic High School Festival co-ordinator who worked closely with the schools to ensure that everything ran smoothly said: 'The future of theatre is bright with all the amazing talent coming up. It is wonderful that they get the chance to be part of an international festival such as this'.

Amongst the High School Festival winners were Maynooth Post Primary School in the Best Show Category with Phantom of the Opera. Best Runner Up Loreto Secondary School and St. Peter's College (Wexford) with "Grease". Best Individual Male was Paul Mescal from Maynooth Post Primary and Julie Power in Back to the 80's (De La Salle, Waterford) was Best Individual Female. A Special Adjudicator's Award went to De La Salle student Evan Croke in Back to the 80's" (De La Salle, Waterford). Eden Little of Newtown School who performed with De La Salle's Back To the 80s show commented on how many friends she had made who are now 'friends for life'.

Fans of live guitar music are in for a real treat when guitar legend Albert Lee & his awesome touring band, Hogan's Heroes play Forum Waterford, Wednesday 23rd May. Frequently referred to within the music industry as "The Guv'nor" and "Mr. Guitar Hero", Albert has headlined at all major guitar festivals and as he celebrates 50 years as a professional musician, what a wonderful opportunity this is for Waterford music lovers to see and hear a true legend of the music industry up close and personal.

Albert Lee was born December 21st, 1943 in Leominster, Herefordshire, England. The double Grammy Award winner, first took up the guitar in 1958, and went on to work with a variety of bands playing R&B, country music and rock 'n' roll. Lee first experienced commercial success as lead guitarist with Chris Farlowe and The Thunderbirds. During his time playing with Heads Hands & Feet, Lee became a "guitar hero", playing his Fender Telecaster at breakneck speed. Heads Hands & Feet became a hugely popular live band in the UK and also in Europe, where they appeared on countless TV shows.

World renowned for his finger-style and Hybrid picking technique, Albert Lee left England in 1974 for Los Angeles, California as offers of session work were flooding in. In 1976, Albert was asked to join Emmylou Harris's Hot Band, replacing one of his musical heroes James Burton. Starting in 1978, Lee worked for five years with Eric Clapton, both playing and singing as a prominent member of Eric's band. Albert Lee was responsible for The Everly Brothers 1983 reunion concert and was also their musical director. In 1987, Lee was invited by Gerry Hogan to headline at a Steel Guitar Festival in Newbury, Berkshire. This gig was so successful he now tours yearly with Hogan's Heroes (a group of outstanding musicians with musical pedigrees to die for). Albert & Hogan's Heroes are renowned for attracting celebrities to their gigs. Stars such as Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffith, Don Everly, Emmylou Harris, Sonny Curtis and Rodney Crowell have all jammed with the band at one time or another. In 2002, Albert Lee appeared at the Memorial Concert for George Harrison at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Lee continues to tour and work in the studio and has released numerous albums both as a solo artist and with his long standing touring band, Hogan's Heroes. He is also co-lead vocalist and lead guitarist with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. Over the course of his long and outstanding career, Albert Lee has been awarded: A Gold Badge Award from B.A.S.C.A. (The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors), A Lifetime Achievement Award from B.C.M.A. (British Country Music Association), two Grammy Awards and, he's been voted "World's Best Guitar Player" an incredible five times by readers of Guitar Player Magazine.

Having played to a capacity crowd on their last visit to Forum Waterford back in December 2009, Albert and the guys are very much looking forward to a return visit to the popular venue in the Glen on Wednesday, May 23rd. Tickets priced: ?20 (including booking fees) are available now from 'Next Door, The Forum', Tel: 051 871133. Doors: 8pm Show: 8.30pm