From BBC Radio 2 to Westoe Road: Struggle Buggy play a hometown dpecial
Struggle Buggy, widely regarded as the UK’s finest Good-Time Blues band, make a long-awaited return to South Shields Folk Club on Sunday, November 23. This hometown appearance is especially meaningful, with band members Lee Bates and Jim Murray both having deep roots in the town’s music scene.
ExCo
Front man Lee Bates first performed publicly 31 years ago at the Marsden Inn Folk Club, while Jim Murray is fondly remembered across the North East as one half of the legendary Hokum Hotshots, who began entertaining crowds in the late 1960s at the South Tyne Folk and Blues Club.
Since forming in 2013, Struggle Buggy have become festival favourites, blending Hokum, Urban Blues, Old-Timey, Swing and Calypso into their unmistakable high-energy sound. Recently, the band enjoyed national airplay on BBC Radio 2, featured on Cerys Matthews’ Blues Show, and made a triumphant return to the Great British R’n’B Festival in Colne, drawing packed crowds and enthusiastic reviews.
Fans at South Shields Folk Club can expect a lively mix of crowd favourites plus brand-new material the band are showcasing ahead of sessions for a new album planned for 2026.
Tickets are £6, with doors opening at 7pm.
South Shields Folk Club, The Jack Clarke Park, 37–38 Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 4NA
Website: www.southshieldsfolkclub.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthShieldsFolkClub