Last updated 05:18, Friday, 28 November 2008

Aynsley ListerSunday afternoon is not generally a bluesy time of day but the audience at the festival were in a blues bubble and ready for more.

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Lister looks much younger than most of the audience but gave an exceptionally mature and exciting performance. He is a top-notch guitarist who now also writes his own songs that are classy, melodic and well-formed blues rock numbers that will rear their heads in the loftiest listening circles.

Lister’s acoustic playing comfortably floods the ear with simmering serious riffing. There is a heartily deep pot of arousing instrumental with expressive lyrical content at its bed-rock.

He is the only British artist to be featured in Classic Rocks Top 10 Contemporary Blues Artists.

There is a gentle presence of blues-rock to his playing though he never flaunts his huge talent. He has a mature subtlety that is very much appreciated by an audience who know their blues. He would not be out of order if he swaggered, just a bit.

It was a treat to hear Aynsley’s own numbers alongside classic blues, a smattering of Hendrix, some forays into familiar rock riffs and even a startlingly good cover of Prince’s Purple Rain.

Accomplished vocals and brilliant guitar – this young man will take the genre forward and give audiences a cracking good time for years to come.

FI EXON