Introducing Creative Vacances

Jenny and Chris run Creative Vacances, a very successful music holiday venue in South West France and Kev Dempsey runs, along with Joe Brought, one of their most successful workshops. Kev is a great teacher and for three years has been coaxing wonderful music out of the guitarists who come but Jenny and Chris was keen to see him play his own material on stage.

Creative Vacances have extended their range of courses in 2012. New for this year is Gypsy jazz workshop, a folk mandolin week, a singing and strumming workshop with Diane Ponzio, a great  ambassador for Martin Guitars, and a songwriting course with one of the best songwriters in the UK – Angie Palmer.

Creative Vacances website »

Saxophone workshop at Creative Vacances - Premier Music Holiday Courses in France

Jenny and Chris went on to explain…

“We offer a wide range of music courses and workshops for electric and acoustic guitar, fiddle and saxophone, covering many musical genres such as folk, jazz, blues and rock – all aimed at beginners through to accomplished musicians.

“At Creative Vacances we offer the chance to get away from the distractions of life and indulge in your passion for playing music.

“Our cottages in the Charente Maritime in South West France are surrounded by vines and sunflowers and is the venue for our all inclusive music holidays.”

Friday 27th January 2012 brought the return of Hinckley ACT favourite Brian Reed and special guest Leavon Archer.

Brian Reed refers to his music as 'acoustic classical pop'

Brian is an excellent “covers” singer and guitarist of acoustic classic pop who has become one of our most popular entertainers over the last 3 years. Leavon Archer is a young guitarist from Derbyshire, who recently played support for Midge Ure will be playing solo and with Brian.

About Brian Reed…

He started performing publicly in the Derbyshire peak district around 2000 moving to Leicestershire in 2004. The change of job and location stalled his performing activities somewhat but he has gradually found outlets that welcome his brand of acoustic classic pop. His stated objective is to deliver his versions as simply as possible without losing the essence of the originals, claiming that it would be a crime to murder someone’s favourite song. Using acoustic guitar and occasionally a bass drum, he manages to make some surprising choices for stripped-down acoustic delivery work.

About Leavon Archer…

Leavon Archer - check out the albums "Broken" and "Things that go together"

He explains “I started getting into Electronica; Bjork, Chicane etc. so I built a little studio where I started messing around with that kind of stuff, I ended up with an album called “Broken”. I began to rein in a lot of the electronic elements and my writing is now very acoustic oriented again. “Broken” has been joined by “Things that go together” a few of the songs from which had their first public outing when I supported Midge Ure at the Flowerpot in Derby. 2010 saw me take the step into a full-time musical career.”

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening was £6 for members and £7 for non-members. The event started at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.

Friday 13th April 2012. Patsy Matheson and Becky Mills – one half of award winning acoustic quartet Waking the Witch.

These two respected songwriters have forged independent careers singing alongside Ashley Hutchings, Simon Nicols and Clive Gregson but to support the release of solo albums these 2 respected singer songwriters have joined forces in a unique and personal sound, drawing on roots in traditional and contemporary folk, acoustic blues, R & B, jazz and rock.

Buy Patsy Matheson and Becky Mills tickets »

Make sure that you secure your tickets for this exciting event by purchasing in advance, using our secure online system.

Please refer to our booking terms and conditions.

Ticket Type

Non members £9.00 GBP Members £8.00 GBP

About Patsy Matheson…

Her first solo album, ‘With My Boots On’, 1996 featured just her voice and that instantly recognisable guitar and received much critical acclaim (Froots described ‘an angel voice’) Along the way, she supported such names as John Martyn , Glenn Tilbrook , Dick Gaughan , Nick Harper , Al Stewart , Roy Harper etc and toured the UK alongside Christy Moore as well as Gordon Giltrap. In 1997, she appearanced solo on the acoustic stage at the Glastonbury Festival.

In 2003, she took on the challenge of putting together a female vocal harmony group and Waking the Witch was formed. The band rapidly went from strength to strength, releasing three groundbreaking albums and a live DVD. They completed numerous tours of the UK, played at many of the major festivals, including Cambridge, Trowbridge and Glastonbury and made countless radio appearances, including live sessions on BBC Radio 2 for both Janice Long and Bob Harris . Patsy’s song ‘Rock n Roll’ was featured on Mike Harding’s Radio 2 Folk & Roots show.

Following the farewell tour of Waking the Witch in spring 2008, and armed with a bunch of brand new songs, Patsy set about recording a solo album, ‘Little Piece of England’ . Over the last 3 years, she has toured the length and breadth of the UK, ccompanied by legendary songwriter/guitar player, Clive Gregson and also can be heard singing on his latest album‘Bittersweet’ (Spring 2011).

Patsy Matheson website » 

About Becky Mills…

Becky has an unusual way of describing herself…

“My name is Rebecca Tamsin Ballantyne Mills. Seriously! I am a quarter of the band ‘Waking The Witch’. I don’t do much solo stuff anymore, – I much prefer playing with my Weehatches, it’s so much more fun. I have been performing since I was 16 and writing for all that time too. I am completely doing this wrong aren’t I? I will start again… Becky first started performing at the age of 16 to huge audiences in Harrogate.

“She was declared ‘a massive talent’ by the time she was 17 and everybody loved her. She became friends with Sting, and it was he himself who decided that Harrogate should erect a large bronze statue of her image in the town centre. In spring, the children dance around it and sing Becky Mills songs in her honour. The same thing happens in her home town of Pickering, but the statue is made of wood and has since shed its nose. I am often told…I mean, she is often told that had she not become a pop/rock/folk star then U2 would probably be more well-known today.”

Becky Mills website »

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening will be £8 for members and £9 for non-members. The event starts at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.

Friday 20th January 2012 brought another top quality concert special evening to the Hinckley ACT in Leicestershire. Named one of the Top 100 Acoustic Guitarists, this Georgia (USA) native is one of the premier singer/guitarists on the Roots n’ Blues scene.

He has been wowing audiences worldwide with his silky voice, rockin’ acoustic and resonator slide guitars, “…classy, tasteful, bright and hugely enjoyable!” (Blues Matters). He was supported by Bob Tibbetts.

About Brooks Williams…

From Belfast to Boston, London to Austin, Toronto to Istanbul, Brooks Williams has been wowing audiences worldwide with his silky voice and rockin’ acoustic and resonator slide guitars, every night delivering the deepest and most intense interpretations of everything from early blues songs to his recent original compositions.

Brooks Williams website »

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening was £8 for members and £9 for non-members. The event started at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.

Friday 23rd March 2012. Providing a link between English and American folk music, Gren Bartley’s guitar playing is “effortlessly astonishing”.

But it is his soft yet absorbing voice that provides the thread of continuity throughout the set. “Beautiful Beautiful playing” - BBC Radio.

Buy Gren Bartley Tickets »

Make sure that you secure your tickets for this exciting event by purchasing in advance, using our secure online system.

Please refer to our booking terms and conditions.

Ticket Type

Non members £8.00 GBP Members £7.00 GBP

About Gren Bartley…

Gren Bartley sits on the edge of the ever growing link between English and American folk music. He explores the whole range from traditional English songs to the darkest American blues ballads. Add to this his impressive songwriting with “a depth and insight of someone twice his age” and you will find an artist that is sure to be an important contributor to the roots scene for many years to come.

Gren’s live act is his strongest asset. His guitar playing is “effortlessly astonishing” and his lyrics serve perfectly to accompany the audience through the spectrum of musical landscapes he visits. But it is his soft yet absorbing voice that provides the thread of continuity throughout the set. He has toured all over the UK and is quickly building a core of fans wherever he goes. Catch him now… quick.

His solo album “Carry Her Safe”…

“With a glorious serrated edge, Gren Bartley’s “Carry Her Safe” features some great guitar and banjo picking. It’s an album of strong heartfelt songs and some great musical interludes, not just instrumentals dotted around the album, but as solos, introductions and finishes to the songs with a vocal element. There is the spirit of the troubadour about it, particularly when the harmonica kicks in. You can imagine Gren and co hitching a lift at a truck stop trying to get to the next gig. Artists like this seem to be a dying breed.”- FATEA

Gren Bartley is touring relentlessly as he believes it is on the stage that the real music happens. No two gigs the same, and with such a large repertoire of original and traditional songs, it is no wonder that he is drawing such high regard.

Gren Bartley website »

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening will be £7 for members and £8 for non-members. The event starts at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.

Friday 16th March 2012 - Peter Finger with special guests Steve Hicks and Lynn Goulbourn plus John Montague.  

The music press includes German born Peter Finger in the pantheon of the world’s best guitarists because of his virtuosity, musicality and technique.  He is being supported on this short UK tour by Steve Hicks and Lynn Goulbourn.

Buy Peter Finger Tickets »

Make sure that you secure your tickets for this exciting event by purchasing in advance, using our secure online system.

Please refer to our booking terms and conditions.

Ticket Type

Non members £12.00 GBP Members £11.00 GBP

About Peter Finger…

Born in Weimar in 1954 to a conductor father. Began violin lessons at age 6, later also learned to play piano. Has played guitar since age 13. Music studies in Münster.

First recording in 1973; since that time, recordings on a regular basis in Germany, Italy, England and the USA. Record and/or CD releases for Kicking Mule Records, Stockfisch, Edition Collage and (since 1989) for Acoustic Music Records, represented on a number of international samplers.

Since 1976, repeated successful tours in Germany, the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Finland, Poland, Estonia and Russia.

Since 1979, participation in numerous television and radio productions; as ab employee of WDR, Deutschlandfunk and Deutsche Welle, author of various programs on guitar music.

Since 1981, compositions for symphony orchestra; compositions for film and television since 1985.

In 1988, establishment of own music publishing company and the Acoustic Music Records label; since then, producer of dozens – in part prize-winning – CDs with the styles of guitar music, blues, jazz and world music.

Since 1995, publisher of the Akustik Gitarre magazine.

Prizes and awards

1962 and 1969 prizewinner in the Jugend musiziert (Youth Plays Music) competition

1973 winner of the newcomer competition of the Interfolk Festival in Osnabrück

1982 prizewinner of the Ernst-Fischer-Preis for orchestral music

1985 1st prize in the composition competition of the Oldenburg State Theater for the orchestral composition “Herbstwind” (“Autumn Wind”)

2003 music-prize of Niedersachsen.

Peter Finger website »

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening will be £11 for members and £12 for non-members. The event starts at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.

Thursday 29th March 2012 - Iain Matthews with Egbert Derix. Iain and Egbert’s new recording “That is to Say” is to be released in the Spring of 2012. It has 9 new tracks, a solid jazzy leaning and is another milestone for Iain.

Critics who have heard advances say this is easily Iain’s best offering for years!

Buy Iain Matthews Egbert Derix Tickets »

Make sure that you secure your tickets for this exciting event by purchasing in advance, using our secure online system.

Please refer to our booking terms and conditions.

Ticket Type

Non members £13.00 GBP Members £12.00 GBP

On paper strange pairing…

Egbert Derix is an established jazz composer from the Netherlands and Iain Matthew’s roots have taken hold in contemporary singer/songwriter circles.

However, if we break down these borders, look deeper and think in terms of quality, rather than genres, it’s a musical marriage made in heaven.

The pair first came together in 2003, touring with a live version of Matthew’s legendary 1970 solo album “If you saw thro’ my eyes”. Plans were made at the time to forge a writing partnership, only for it to be capsized by other career commitments. But not before they had two new songs in the bag and the realisation that an ease and understanding existed between them.

Fast forward five years, when Matthews extended an invitation to Derix and his Searing Quartet, to appear in his performance series, “Common Grounds”. Part of the concept for the series is that the host plays two songs with his guests. Egbert suggested doing two older Matthews compositions and the result was quite astounding. It appeared to all in attendance that the two songs had been performed by this lineup many times.

“I had shivers running up and down my spine” says Matthews. “It was almost a life changing experience. I knew then that something magical was in the air”. From that experience came the album, “Joy Mining” and heaps of critical acclaim.

Born from necessity, the pair began working as a duo and enjoyed each others company on stage so much that it quickly became their preferred medium.

Now, Derix and Matthews, with more than a year of work under their belts, have released a double CD/DVD set “Afterwords”, recorded live in Den Haag and Maastricht.

Both agree that writing and playing together is both inspiring and educational and as long as the trend continues, they’ll perform that way into the foreseeable future.

Iain Matthews website »

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening will be £12 for members and £13 for non-members. The event starts at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.

Friday 21st September 2012 brings another top quality concert special evening to the Hinckley ACT in Leicestershire. “Clive Carroll looks set to become the latest acoustic guitar hero. This virtuoso instrumental set is remarkable for its sheer bravery and variety.”  The Guardian.

With his astonishing mastery of techniques and antecedents from Benjamin Britten to Nick Drake and from Renbourn through Giltrap to Pat Metheny, join this stunningly virtuosic guitarist on “a joyful fairground ride of instrumental styles spanning the fields of traditional, classical and jazz with inspirations running from newgrass and fusion jazz to Irish stylings”.

Buy Clive Carroll Tickets »

Make sure that you secure your tickets for this exciting event by purchasing in advance, using our secure online system.

Please refer to our booking terms and conditions.

Ticket Type

Non members £10.00 GBP Members £9.00 GBP

About Clive Carroll…

When the music press describes someone as ‘Probably the Best and Most Original Young Acoustic Guitar Player and Composer in Britain’ and ‘Peerless.’ and when people like Jean-Christophe Novelli and Madonna are booking that same someone for their private parties, then you know that something pretty special is going on. Welcome to the world of UK acoustic guitar phenomenon Clive Carroll…

Born into a family of musicians in 1975, Clive has been immersed in a diverse range of music ever since. He gained a 1st Class Honours Degree in Composition & Guitar from Trinity College in 1998 and has toured extensively throughout Europe, the USA and Australia with legends John Renbourn and Tommy Emmanuel.

Finally in 1999 after opening up for World class Guitar/Harp duo Chris Newman & Maire Ni Chathasaigh Clive was given his first record deal. The result was the groundbreaking ‘Sixth Sense’ (2000), which was lauded as ‘a milestone in the journey of the steel-string guitar’. Since then he has released 2 more stunningly original and diverse albums “The Red Guitar” and most recently “Life in Colour”.

The last 3 years have seen him tour extensively, bringing his unique brand of virtuosity to increasing audiences throughout the UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Germany and France. He also accepted another of several invitations to appear at the highly-regarded International Guitar Night of America and completed a long awaited collaborative project with Gordon Giltrap, John Etheridge and Ray Burley, before embarking on his current 2012 Solo Tour.

Clive Carroll website »

Booking and venue details

The entrance fee for the evening will be £9 for members and £10 for non-members. The event starts at 8.00 pm, with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.

The Hinckley ACT

Based in the Sketchley Meadows Business Park, Hinckley ACT is a high quality music venue that offers an informal and intimate atmosphere for concerts and for the monthly club nights, where musicians can come along  and ‘take the stage.’  Established by company chairman, Keith London, on the premises of his firm  Advanced Carbide Tooling (A.C.T.), the venue provides full stage and seating facilities, plus top quality sound and lighting equipment.

There is a licensed bar and ample free car parking.