Preview: Liverpool Acoustic Live – Friday 29th January 2016

• Event: Liverpool Acoustic Live, with Xander and the Peace Pirates, John Rush (Glasgow), Karen Turley
• Date: Friday 29th January 2016
• Times: Doors 7.45pm, music 8.15pm
• Venue: View Two Gallery, 23 Mathew Street, L2 6RE
• Tickets: £5 advance (+50p booking fee) & £6 on the door
  Buy tickets at wegottickets.com/liverpoolacoustic
• The facebook event can be found here
• Details of all Liverpool Acoustic music events can be found at
  liverpoolacoustic.co.uk/live
• Press enquiries & guestlist email contact@liverpoolacoustic.co.uk

 

February 18, 2014 – There’s a monument close to Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club that proclaims ‘Four Lads Who Shook the World’ – referring of course to The Beatles. This musical city has now produced another group of ‘world shakers’ in the form of Xander and the Peace Pirates, who have just created a storm from one side of America to the other with their own unique brand of soulful, blues based rock.

Brothers Keith and Stuart Xander have been playing a regular weekly slot at The Cavern – as well as the North West circuit, along with support slots for stadium rockers Bon Jovi and Ritchie Kotzen. But now they have come to the attention of one of the world’s most famous guitar companies – Gibson Brands Inc.

Gibson recognized their musical skills and song writing talents – but also the fact that guitarist Keith doesn’t actually have a right hand – he plays the guitar with a prosthetic ‘hook’ adapted to hold a plectrum!

Keith was always told by his school music teachers he would never be able to play a two handed instrument with a prosthetic hand – of course he proved them all wrong, and is now a world class virtuoso – and an inspiration to musicians everywhere!

Last month, Gibson invited the guys from the winter rain of Liverpool to the sun kissed desert of Las Vegas – to showcase their talent at the world famous CES (Consumer Electronics Show) where this year Gibson ranked number 2 most talked about brands at the show. This is an opportunity for inventors, innovators – and gadget loving people to gather under one roof. With Gibson leading the world with their own ‘self-tuning’ guitar invention, it was the perfect opportunity for Xander and the Peace Pirates to wow the crowd with their music – using of course Gibson guitars!

Keith and Stuart made such an impression – not only on their American sponsor, but the worldwide crowd, they were immediately booked to play the Winter NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) – the USA’s biggest music trade event. 6,000 miles away from Liverpool, the Xander brother’s music ripped up the crowd at the Los Angeles exhibition show ‘Go Pro’ stage – bringing them to the attention of some of the biggest names of the music industry.

World renowned recording engineer and producer Eddie Kramer (the man behind the music of Jimi Hendrix – all his albums, Led Zeppelin – The Song Remains The Same, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Woodstock album, Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive and Kiss and many more too numerous to mention) was so smitten with Keith and Stuart, he immediately offered to produce their next album. Not only that, but ex Atlantic Records A&R guru Leigh Lust wants to promote the album through Pledge Music – the latest innovation in album sales.

After playing on the Go-Pro stage at NAMM they were approached by Simon Phillips (Toto’s drummer and producer who also produced and played for Steve Vai). They then found themselves in his studio a day later negotiating a Xander song being featured on his current recording artist Billie Rainbird’s new album.

In just a couple of weeks, these two hard working songsmiths have created a ‘musical storm’. Even on their flight stop over at New York, they linked up with Bruce Springsteen sidekick Willie Nile to perform at the world famous Bitter End in Greenwich Village – this immediately resulted in them being re-booked to play a number of New York historic venues at the earliest opportunity as well as South California bookings being made for the coming year.

The next chapter in this fairytale takes place in March, when they fly out to Frankfurt to perform with Gibson at Musikmesse – Europe’s equivalent of NAMM – and the biggest music trade show this side of the Atlantic.

Its more than likely a safe bet to assume that pretty much every person that attends a Xander & The Peace Pirates gig leaves with the belief that this was one of the best gigs they have ever witnessed. And if mass chanting after every song was anything to go by, this band should be leading the music charts and headlining festivals across the UK. Currently endorsed by Roland and Boss UK these brothers are making a big impact. They are also in the first stages of filming a documentary on the meteoric rise from busking on the streets of Liverpool to supporting Bon Jovi and becoming weekly residents in the world famous Cavern Club and finishing with a road trip across the USA from east to west to visit the legendary NAMM festival and meet record executives in LA.

The current XATPP show incorporates Roland and Boss’s cutting edge equipment the rc300 and the GR55 midi synth guitar. The peace pirates use loops created live and the GR55 combined with the raw sound of driving acoustic and soaring lead guitar entwined with soulful rich vocals in synergy to create a huge sound. Xander & the peace Pirates are one of the most energetic, entertaining and they sound as good live as they do recorded. They have shared the stage with legends Buddy Guy, Eric Bibb, Richie Kotzen, San Brown, The Fabulous Thunderbirds & The James Taylor Quartet and are resident band in the world famous Cavern Pub, Liverpool.

With over 100 thousand views on You Tube, thousands more hits on MySpace and Facebook, a large fan base around the UK and Ireland, good looks and relentless talent, Xander and the Peace Pirates will continue to wow audiences with every show. Gibson Guitar flew us to CES in Vegas and is having us play for them at NAMM.

Xander and the Peace Pirates combine soul, blues and rock to channel a message of peace and love through their music. Questioning authority and shedding light upon the lies in the media and promoting what they feel to be true from within their being.

The band was formed by The Xander Brothers who love music, love writing, love performing and love listening to music. However, they don’t love the idea and belief in these reality show infected days that indoctrinate the idea that being a celebrity is more important than the message held within the music or that wealth is more important than the soul. They see a new world of creativity and soul liberation. Even as I write this bio about the band I’m in, pretending its a third person when you and i know its us writing about us, I feel like we all need a little truth, transparency and love.

Peace and love, Stu and Keith Xander

Karen is also planning to launch a Pledge Music campaign in order to record a new EP in the next couple of months and in the mean time is actively gigging around Liverpool.