The Achievers Achieving Their True Potential Feature

The Achievers seemed to appear in the headlights all of a sudden in 2018 following the release of their debut album Live At The SVA. They have, however been together as an electric band since 2013. I saw them for the first time in October 2018 and now a year later at the very same venue, the Tuesday Night Music Club (TNMC), Coulsdon.

Steve Ferbrache (Lead Vocal/Rhythm Guitar), Rufus Fry (Harmonica/Vocals), Robert Holmes (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Aron Attwood (Drums/Vocals) and Jack Thomas (Bass) had travelled all the way from Gloucestershire to play the TNMC.

The band has, in truth, always held high expectations but surely even they must be surprised at how the success has gathered pace over the past year. They are quick to credit the impact of playing this venue last year and many like it as they have benefitted from the recommendations and rave reviews that have followed.

As a consequence of the many positive comments and a busy summer playing festivals, the band was invited to take part in this year’s UK Blues Challenge organised by the UK Blues Federation. They only went and won the damned thing. The next potential achievement, they get the opportunity to represent the UK at the European and International Blues Challenges in Amsterdam and Memphis respectively next year.

The Achievers successfully blend blues, soul and dance hall gospel with their beautiful four part harmonies. The love of gospel music is mutual within this band but don’t go believing they are a group of faithful worshippers, in their own words they play gospel for the godless. They also play with a freedom, or playing in the moment as they would call it, which is the result of the band’s reluctance to rehearse.

Many of the songs in the set list can be found on the band’s well received release, the excellent The Lost Arc, but one song that pushes all the right buttons, their brilliant version of a song that has it’s roots in 16th century English folk but has also seen a blues interpretation, The Cuckoo, which can be found on their debut Live At The SVA. Taj Mahal for one has covered this but The Achievers manage to give it a wonderful refreshing blues/folk interpretation.

I was lucky enough to capture the band performing this magical number in 2018 when they played the club which you will find below.

A prime example of the gospel for the godless tag is the final track on the new release, See Me Back Jesus, a guy that lives over the road from Steve Ferbrache who just so happens to go by the name of Jesus always insists, whenever the band ventures out in the van, on seeing them reverse safely out into the never busy road. Aron Attwood deserves the credit for the idea for the song.

Steve Ferbrache is not only the purveyor of splendid vocals and rhythm guitar, he is the resident comedian who has the additional responsibility of making the rest of the band laugh. I have to say he is a very personable young man who not only achieves this additional duty in the band but does a pretty good job on the audience.

Rufus Fry is a man of many talents. He has replenished his supply of 35 – yes 35 – harmonicas following the goodwill of many following the theft of his original arsenal. There are moments during the performance when you find yourself along with others seeking out the keyboard player, no need for a keyboard when Rufus has a harmonica working with a pedal.

Robert Holmes is a very unassuming guitar player but boy can he play. He does have pedigree which goes all the way back to the mid 80s when Robert was enjoying success with new wave outfit ‘Til Tuesday. Aron Attwood has a percussive style of drumming which sees him standing and giving a powerhouse performance behind his cocktail drum kit. Newest member, Jack Thomas, just looks so comfortable and plays with a smile permanently etched on his face.

I wish this band every success and just as long as they continue to enjoy themselves this will rub off on their ever increasing fan base and they will fulfill its achievements.

Photography and Words of The Achievers at The Tuesday Night Music Club by Phil Honley. Phil has his own photography site here: http://www.gigsnapz.co.uk.

Matt Bellamy of Muse @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Muse Reach For The Stars On Ambitious New Album ‘The Wow! Signal’

Muse have never been a band to think small. From dystopian concept records and politically charged anthems to symphonic rock epics and stadium-sized spectacles, the Devon trio have spent more than two decades redefining what modern rock can sound like. Now, with the release of their tenth studio album, The Wow! Signal, Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard once again prove they’re unafraid to venture into uncharted territory.

Brandon Flowers Returns With First Solo Album In Over A Decade, ‘THRASHER’, Shares New Single ‘Plans’

After more than a decade away from solo releases, Brandon Flowers has announced his long-awaited return with THRASHER, his third solo album and first since 2015’s The Desired Effect. The record arrives on 21 August 2026 via Island Records, with its lead single, Plans, available now.

Download Festival XXIII (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Download Festival Is More Than Just the Metal

I’ve been attending Download Festival since 2005. Every year, as I walk through those gates, I feel something that can be difficult to explain to people who have never experienced it. For a few days each June, I stop feeling like I’m standing on the outside looking in. I belong.

Sophie Grey @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)

SOPHIE GREY. Reaches For The Moon With Euphoric New Single ‘Lunar Highs (Hands Go Up)’

Rising electro-pop artist SOPHIE GREY. has unveiled her shimmering new single Lunar Highs (Hands Go Up), a euphoric slice of synth-driven pop arriving just ahead of June’s Strawberry Moon and setting the tone for a busy summer of high-profile live performances.

Kimberly Schlapman & Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town @ Royal Albert Hall (Kalpesh Patel)

Little Big Town Team Up With Ashley Monroe On Soulful New Single ‘Sucker For A Sad Song’

Country music favourites Little Big Town have unveiled their latest single, Sucker For A Sad Song, a heartfelt collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe, offering another enticing preview of their forthcoming album It’s A Dying Art, due for release on 28th August.

Lucia and the Best Boys @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

Lucia & The Best Boys Continue Their Rise With A Spellbinding O2 Shepherd’s Bush Performance

Fresh from an acclaimed appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival, Lucia & The Best Boys arrive at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire with momentum firmly on their side. Opening for the reunited 4 Non Blondes, the Glasgow quartet seize the opportunity with a commanding seven-song set that feels less like a support slot and more like a statement of intent.

4 Non Blondes @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

4 Non Blondes Return On Their Own Terms At O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

More than three decades after their breakthrough, 4 Non Blondes arrive at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire not to relive the past, but to redefine themselves in the present. Supported by the excellent Lucia & The Best Boys, the reunited San Francisco outfit make it abundantly clear that this tour is not a nostalgia exercise. Instead, it is a bold statement of who they are now — and whether the audience is willing to come with them.

Snow Patrol @ Eden Sessions (Adam Smith)

Snow Patrol Complete The Hat-Trick At Eden Sessions In An Evening Of Heart, Humour And Hits

There are few concert settings in Britain as naturally dramatic as the Eden Sessions. Nestled within a former clay pit and framed by the iconic biomes of the Eden Project, the venue possesses a unique sense of occasion before a note is even played. On this June evening, the Cornish weather appears determined to play its part too. Persistent rain hangs over the site for much of the day, only to disappear almost on cue as Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid walk on stage. It feels as though somebody has edited the weather into the evening’s script.

The Achievers Achieving Their True Potential