Real-Music started in 1998, when Alan & Phil decided to promote a
series of live music events, in the little village hall in Habberley...

The intention was to provide an opportunity, out "in the sticks"for people to hear
good quality bands, drink fine Real Ale, and have a bloomin' good dance....
hence the name of the events "Real Music, Real Ale, Real Dancing"

This worked so well, that a second season followed, with some of the events moving
to the larger Public Hall in Pontesbury
- among the bands appearing during these seasons were:-

Wild Honey: This Way Up: The Tango Band:
Desperate Men: Roaring Forties:Baloo's Band:
The Fabulous Bluehearts: The Volumatics:
Bill Harzia & The Explorers; The Ronnies

At about this time, Phil's interest in visual arts took him off to other things, including the Visual Art Network, and Helen, who'd joined Real-Music in the previous Autumn, became more heavily involved...

Development of the website, which had originally started as a way of publicising our events,
continued, focusing on providing information about local bands & venues, as well as a
comprehensive live music gig listing service for the whole of Shropshire (& a bit beyond!)

Having developed a taste for "big names", we put on two more events in 2000,
under the banner....
"Big Names in Small Places"

These both took place at Worthen, and featured Tom Robinson,
and The Groundhogs (their first Shropshire gig
for four years) - read more about these

2001 was a quiet year, in terms of live events - foot & mouth, played it's part, but other
factors too meant that we didn't promote any events during the year (how quiet is that??) , although growth & development of the website continued apace....

... at the end of the year, Helen decided that she had other things to focus on, and left Real-Music - her passing was marked by the disappearance of the Jazz page on the website
(that was always her baby - Alan struggles to reconcile Jazz with Music!)

on April 12th, we had a sell-out & a wonderful night with
Roger Chapman & The Shortlist
www.Chappo.com

and another one, with Lindisfarne
at Worthen Village Hall on 15th June
www.Lindisfarne.de

then Midge Ure came to Minsterley...
www.MidgeUre.com

in December 2002 we persuaded
The Yardbirds to play at Worthen
www.TheYardbirds.com

February 2003 saw the return of
Peter Green & Splinter Group
www.petergreen-splintergroup.co.uk

and in March 2003
Roger Chapman & The Shortlist
paid us a return visit
www.Chappo.com

December 2003, saw our biggest event yet,
at The Assembly Rooms in Ludlow....
... and who better to mark the occasion, but our friends
Peter Green & Splinter Group
www.petergreen-splintergroup.co.uk

In May 2004,
we brought Ian Hunter back for his first show in Shropshire
for more than 30 years
www.ianhunter.com

October 2004, we did two shows in one week, with
Midge Ure at Ludlow, and
Wishbone Ash at Minsterley
www.midgeure.com

www.wishboneash.com

In May 2005, we brought Ian Hunter back to
Shropshire for the second time....
www.ianhunter.com

and in November 2005, we brought
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band to Worthen
- a wild & wonderful night!
www.vambostillrool.com

September 2006 saw Alan's "farewell show"
a special night, with Eddy Gartry's Blues State UK, and guests including
some of our friends from Wild Honey - the first band ever to play for Real-Music