Despite only picking up a guitar in 2002, young British guitarist Oli Brown has been setting the blues world on fire for the past few years.

When he was just 16, Oli, who hails from Norfolk, had already toured America twice, opening for legends including  Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor, as well as receiving plaudits from such luminaries as John Mayall, Walter Trout and Robben Ford.

Now Midlands fans can see what all the fuss is about as he tours in support of his debut album Open Road, including a gig at the Robin 2 in Bilston on Thursday, March 26.

Tickets are on sale now and cost £9 in advance or £10 on the night.

“Oli Brown, is the most promising Blues man to emerge from Britain in a long time” said Blues Matters magazine, whose readers voted Open Road number 2 in its 2008 readers poll.

Classic Rock magazine, meanwhile, hailed Brown as “one of the best and brightest guitar heroes performing in the world today”.

In 2008, the Oli Brown Band was the only UK act to be selected to perform at the 24th International Blues Convention in Memphis,
Tennessee.

Open Road was released last June, receiving rave reviews from Mojo,  Uncut, Guitarist, Classic Rock and the Sunday Express, which described him as “a would-be Hendrix without the frills and feedback”.

Support at Bilston comes from Virgil & The Accelerators.

For more information, see the Oli Brown website – www.oliselectricblues.co.uk