

Winner of 'small groups and ensembles - Buxton Fringe 2016'


Underground Venues 7, 9 & 10 July

Egriega is just a duo: Peter Egriega sings and plays guitar and Steve Taylor accompanies on double bass. But what a life affirming noise they make!

Peter has been in music making for many years but following a stroke a few years ago he has had to reshape his life and his approach to music. His starting point is to recognise the fact that he has survived and that "If there is only one thing you do with your life, don't let go." There is a tremendous amount of positive energy in his playing and singing and he is an enthralling and intelligent story teller.

You'll want to know more about Lillian Gish's leg and the yarn about his Gibraltarian uncle, the monkey, the cursed diamond and the shark - and why that leaves you with reasons to be hopeful.

One of Peter's songs was offered to his daughter who is now a student; "I knew your father before he was a knob" he advises. In many ways that sums up his current approach - he doesn't take himself too seriously, certainly he is not precious about what he does, but he seeks to engage people in a way that they will be comfortable with.

"Like all songwriters," he begins casually, "I have a song about erectile dysfunction. But this one is different because it is about premature ejaculation too." He describes his songs as "catchy with a ribald world view" and to that extent they sit in a broad folk tradition, but his influences are far wider than that.

He says he loves the music of Louis Armstrong and that is evident in his vocal style; he has lived and worked through the Manchester post-punk era and that plain excitement and enthusiasm has left its mark on his music.

Peter and Steve are back on Saturday lunchtime. Hear them before going to the Carnival procession - the whole thing will be much more enjoyable that way.

Highly recommended.

Keith Savage