By Stevie Connor. Photo Credit: Matt Barnes.
Celebrated guitarist Philip Sayce is thrilled to return to the UK with six exclusive dates in November 2023. Special guest on all shows is slide guitarist Troy Redfern. Sayce is currently on a heavy touring schedule across Europe, the USA and Canada before heading back to Europe and the UK in the fall.
The UK tour announcement and a brand-new single from Philip’s highly anticipated forthcoming studio album, which will be released on Atomic Gemini, Sayce’s own label. This new music follows “Spirit Rising,” his seventh full-length album released by Warner Music during the pandemic and currently has over 11 million streams on Spotify.
“I am beyond excited to return to the UK — it’s been a long time coming, and it is a privilege to return to the country where I was born to perform. I cannot wait to reconnect with the UK audiences, who are always so gracious, supportive, and welcoming. We are going to light it up with everything we’ve got. Are you ready?”
The band consisting of Philip Sayce (vocals, guitar), Sam Bolle (bass), and Bryan Head (drums) will be performing featured music from Sayce’s rich catalogue, including “5:55” (Spirit Rising), “Alchemy” (Peace Machine), and “Aberystwyth” (Steamroller) which was produced by GRAMMY Award-winning producer, Dave Cobb.
Special Guest: Troy Redfern. Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Sayce is the protege of guitar legend Jeff Healey and GRAMMY and Academy Award-winning superstar Melissa Etheridge. Born in Wales, raised in Toronto, Canada, and now an American citizen, Philip’s love of the guitar started at a young age when his parents introduced him to the greats early on — notably, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins, Jeff Healey, and Jeff Beck.
Over the past two decades, Sayce has performed at the world’s most prestigious — from the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland with Healey to a victorious night at the Oscars in the heart of Hollywood with Etheridge when she won best song for “An Inconvenient Truth” where Sayce’s guitar playing shines. Sayce also worked with multi-platinum artist, Uncle Kracker, appearing on the album "No Stranger To Shame". During this time, the powerful cover of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away” set a Billboard record for most weeks at #1 on any chart for a staggering 28 weeks in the United States.
Sayce’s heralded performances at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada, the Dallas International Guitar Festival in Texas, and a devastating house-shaking appearance at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival in New York City have left audiences stunned and amazed. At a GRAMMY event, Jon Bon Jovi told the audience, “I want to give a special nod to Philip, who I immediately opened the program and said, ‘Who the fuck is that guitar player?’ Pretty fabulous, Philip.”
A hotshot guitarist who plays a revved-up mixture of electric blues, hard rock, and tough psychedelia, Philip Sayce was born in Aberystwyth, Wales. When he was two years old, his family pulled up stakes and moved to Canada. Sayce grew up in Toronto, where his parents raised him on a diet of classic rock and blues, with a special fondness for Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Dire Straits, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Ry Cooder. Sayce developed a love for music early on and began learning to play guitar on a Sears acoustic given to him by his folks.
Sayce started his first band when he was just 15. At 16, he began appearing regularly at Grossman's Tavern, a Toronto venue that featured open blues jams. It didn't take long for Sayce to develop a loyal following on the Toronto club scene. When Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey heard Sayce's work, he invited him to join his band. Sayce signed on with Healey's group, and he worked with Healey for four years, appearing on the album Get Me Some and live releases.
Sayce moved to California, and he landed a gig with Uncle Kracker, playing in his road band and on the 2002 album No Stranger to Shame. A casual meeting between Sayce and GRAMMY award-winning producer John Shanks led to his next job. Shanks was scouting a new guitarist for Melissa Etheridge, and after hearing Sayce, he recommended him for the job. Between 2004 and 2008, Sayce was part of Etheridge's band and appeared on three of her studio albums, as well as two live releases.
In 2009, Sayce released the album Peace Machine. Innerevolution followed in 2010. Ruby Electric (2011) and Steamroller (2012) were produced by GRAMMY award-winning producer Dave Cobb. Sayce toured diligently with his road band, sharing stages with the likes of ZZ Top and Deep Purple. Sayce performed at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in New York City, and in 2015 Sayce struck a deal with Warner Music. That year he put out his first major-label solo effort, Influence, which was also produced by Dave Cobb. A live album was released in 2016, Scorched Earth. His most recent studio album, Spirit Rising, was released by Warner Music in 2020 and, to date, has over 11 million streams on Spotify alone. Sayce’s anticipated new album is scheduled for release in late 2023 on Atomic Gemini, his own new label.
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