Cheltenham-based guitarist Keith Thompson is to bring his acoustic solo show to the Everyman Theatre on Tuesday 29th May.

Much has changed in the music industry since Keith started performing professionally over two decades ago, but one thing has remained a constant – his appetite for putting on a show. “I don’t think you ever lose that buzz of getting on stage and playing in front of a crowd,” said Keith. “Because I’ve been in the industry for so long now, I often get asked if I get bored of playing but I can’t ever imagine a time when I won’t get excited about getting on stage.

“The Everyman Theatre is a rare local gig for me, I’ve been playing there annually for a few years now, it’s a great venue. I’ll be playing songs from my new solo album ‘Two Minutes to Midnight’, I’m looking forward to hearing what people think of the new tracks. I do enjoy touring abroad, although logistically, playing a gig in your hometown is a lot easier than playing on the continent!” added Keith.

It’s those concerts across Europe that have given Keith some of his fondest memories from his 25-year career in the music industry. Continued Keith: “Playing my music to new audiences is always a lot of fun. I’ve just come back from performing in Austria which was a great experience. Later this summer I’ll be playing at a prestigious blues festival in Poland which I’m really looking forward to. Probably my most memorable gig was over in Croatia at a blues festival. I got to play in front of 5,000 people, the sun was shining, the crowd were great, it was just amazing.”

Keith’s songwriting and guitar playing is heavily influenced by his love of blues music. He continued: “I love how the lyrics of blues music actually mean something, they’re from the heart and really powerful. There’s a lot of music that sounds as if it’s made by a producer with very little input from the actual artist. Like most people of my generation I grew up listening to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but I gradually moved towards the great blues artists, who have given me a lot of inspiration to write and perform.”

After 25 years in the business, Keith is showing no signs of slowing down. He said: “I still love it, I don’t think there will ever come a time when I get bored of playing. It’s the connection with people that I love, making audiences smile is a great feeling. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, it’s been a long old journey but when I look back now and reflect on all the gigs and great experiences I’m very proud of myself. One thing that music does is bring people together, in this day and age that’s not a bad thing.”