FOREST Green Rovers Supporters Club are hosting a new blues venue at The New Lawn, Nailsworth under the heading Green Footie Blues. Double headlining for the first gig, which is on Friday, October 19, 8pm, will be Connie Lush and Blues Shouter and the Eddie Martin Big Band, featuring Stroud based saxophonist Patsy Gamble.

Eddie Martin's songs and musicianship reveal a serious schooling in American blues, electric and acoustic, urban and rural. His rack-harmonica playing recalls masters of country and electrified harp - Little Walter, Slim Harpo and Sonny Boy Williamson. On slide and electric guitar, his playing resonates with the Texan and Chicagoan influences of Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker and Freddie King. While paying dues to tradition, the act is almost entirely of self-penned numbers, ranging from foot-stomping house rockers to midnight-hour slow-burn blues.

The band has received nominations for the Best UK Blues Guitarist, Best UK Band, Best UK Bassist and Best UK Blues Drummer over the last three years.

Scouse singer Connie Lush has been voted best UK female vocalist five times by the readers of Blues in Britain magazine and has twice been voted European Blues Vocalist of the Year by the French Blues Trophies Awards.

The Times notes she has "a voice like a 3am whisky" and credits her with giving off "enough electricity to power the grid".

Green Footie Blues will be a regular monthly event and is intended to bring to the venue some of the UK’s best blues bands, as well as up and coming artists. Tickets are £20 and are available during the day from FGR reception (01453 834860), or in the evenings by calling Sam or Tracey on 01666 505519.