Vinny Peculiar [aka Alan Wilkes] grew up in Worcestershire and trained as a nurse before signing to Manchester cult label Ugly Man records [former home to Elbow]. He’s since put out thirteen albums of literate autobiographical pop music over a twenty-five year career and has regularly toured band, solo and duo shows.

Variously described as – ‘an under sung national treasure’ [UNCUT] – ‘a warm hearted Morrissey’ [Q Magazine] and ‘the missing link between Jarvis Cocker and Roger McGough’ [Irish Times] previous work associations include Bill Drummond [KLF], Luke Haines [the Auteurs], Jah Wobble [PIL] and his various bands have included ex members of The Smiths, OASIS, Aztec Camera & The Fall. He’s also written and recorded as Parlour Flames, the band he formed in 2013 with ex OASIS rhythm guitarist Bonehead.

The Castle show features pianist Rob Steadman a long time co performer in various VP lineups including Parlour Flames. Expect old songs new songs, never before performed songs.

Steve O’Donoghue

Manchester singer/songwriter Steve O’Donoghue has recently returned from a sellout tour of Ireland which culminated with monumental night at The Derry Playhouse with The Undertones. He has opened shows for Squeeze, Hazel O’Connor, Hot Chocolate, The Christians Martin Stephenson, Lindisfarne and Vinny Peculiar to name a few. His songs have been described as witty, heartfelt love songs. He describes them as songs about girls who found out they didn’t like me.

Steven P. Taylor

Performance poet ‘marvellously mischievous and thought provoking’ – The Met Arts centre Bury …heady mix of the humorous , the divine and the deep Tom Hingley (singer songwriter, Inspiral Carpets) …nostalgic, funny and much more Pete Turner (musician songwriter Elbow) Steven has been performing poetry mainly in the North West for the past 6 years.His work varies greatly between comic verse and environmental and political comment. Described as the imagined love child of John Cooper Clarke and Pam Ayres he tours theatres regularly as support for various bands.

He is equally at home playing to a punk audience or a Womens Institute and tailors his set accordingly.His fourth collection of poetry is due for release in early 2023. In February 2022 he performed his second sell out theatre show at The Met Bury.