A new year and despite the rough and tumble that features evermore in the world of hospitality and live entertainment, there remains a flame burning bright so expect to see Cold Flame treading the boards once again in 2025. We welcome back friends, fans and the mildly curious, all of us a year older if not wiser and look forward to seeing many of you somewhere along the road over the next few months.
Concerts
Cold Flame return to live performance at the beginning of March. The official gig guide has now been updated to include all confirmed shows
for this year, both in the UK and in Europe. Additional information on all UK shows is available at
https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/cold-flame
As further shows are confirmed, these will be posted on both gig guides. The band will once again present audiences with blues rock and folk shows
featuring a mix of original and traditional and will also include a number of showcase concerts featuring the music of Jethro Tull.
Following up on last year's Easter tour to Scotland, the band are set to return this April performing four Jethro Tull tribute shows in Glasgow,
Kinross and Dundee. For more specific to these Scottish dates go to
https://www.coldflame.com/tulltributeuk
Internet Presence
Whilst remaining old fashioned and stubborn in resisting certain social media platforms, the need to ensure that Cold Flame activities are in the public domain as much as possible means that it is crucial to have some enhanced technological presence. Facebook, You tube, Spotify and other mainstream platforms are all being used by the band and refined as much as possible. Additionally the official website and Ents 24 are being updated all the time in the knowledge that the public can access all Cold Flame information via their mobile phones. A new stand alone website page has recently been set up highlighting Cold Flame's Jethro Tull tribute shows. This page summarize the band's presence in performing the music of Jethro Tull around the UK and beyond. The page includes photos of all the musicians involved as well as listing all confirmed Tull tribute shows so far confirmed for this year, complete with venue and advance ticket links. We hope this page will prove useful to all in coming along to support these showcase events and appreciate all who share these details with their friends.
Video Presence
Never underestimate the band's ability to utilise passable live audience footage wherever possible in adding videos to the admittedly small collection of Cold Flame videos contained within the band's official You Tube Channel. We have this month added several videos from the folk rock/blues show filmed in the intimate setting of The Railway music venue in Greenfield near Oldham, Lancashire in November 2024. Filming was undertaken by Mike Payne and edits were completed by Ian Gallacher. Editing work is currently ongoing with a view to releasing some footage from a Jethro Tull tribute show filmed in Chelmsford in March 2024. Check out the following link to keep up with all the latest vid releases
https://www.youtube.com/user/ColdFlameUK/videos
Studio activities
During the last few months, the band have been working once again with studio engineer Neil Scales. There are currently a number of original songs that are nearing completion most of which are blues based in style. We expect the results of these sessions to be released as a new studio album or maybe more sometime this year. Additionally a download version of the band's studio album 'Still Burning the Blues Volume 2' originally released in 2006, is scheduled for release in February and will be available on the usual streaming/download platforms. More details on both these projects coming soon.
Remembering Keith Bonthrone 1 May 1952 - 25 December 2024
It was with great sadness and shock that the band learned of the sudden passing of Keith on Wednesday December 25th 2024 after a very short illness. Keith was an original member of the English progressive rock group Janus, founded in Krefeld, Germany in 1969, disbanded in 1974 though the band continued to release occasional new studio albums thereafter. Janus were signed to the Harvest record label, toured in Europe during the early 70's releasing several studio albums including their highly rated 1972 LP 'Gravedigger' which went gold. An expanded version of this album was recently re-released by EMI. More on Janus the band on this link
https://www.janus.band
Following on from Janus, Keith played drums with several north west bands over a number of years. Having re-settled in Glossop, Derbyshire, Keith then joined the eight piece tribute band The Blues Busters in 1993 and remained the band's permanent drummer until 2001 adding his experience and musicality throughout to what became one of the north west's most popular live acts. Recently Keith had agreed to rejoin The Blues Busters as a guest singer at a special one - off reunion concert in his home town scheduled for later this year.
In 1994, Keith joined Cold Flame as a full time member of the band before leaving in 2001. In 2006 he re-joined Cold Flame working both as a drummer and singer until 2015. During these two stints, Keith performed live regularly with Cold Flame across the UK and also featured as drummer and vocalist on five different Cold Flame studio albums - Stormcloud [1999] Still burning the blues [ 2002] Still burning the blues Volume 2 [2006] Blue Shadows [ 2014] A Stitch in Time [2015] as well as three live albums - Live at the Carnival [2000] The Radio Archives [2008] Live at the Witchwood [ 2015] As a musician, his body language and complete concentration made him an easy man to work with whether live on stage or in the studio. A popular larger than life individual, a powerful drummer blessed with an even more powerful voice. Keith always gave his all for the cause and made many friends who appreciated and admired his musicality. We all thank Keith for the significant contribution he made on and off stage during his tenure with Cold Flame.
Keith was indeed a rock star. Keith was also very much a family man. He will be very much missed by all who knew him both as a person and as a musician and our collective thoughts and condolences are and will remain with his family.. Rest in peace Keith.
Till next time..Thanks to all for your support. Do let all your friends know about the band. It means a lot. Keep safe, stay positive and hopefully see you on the road somewhere this year...CF January 2025
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