Bill's guitar journey – Classical Gas – at the Shaftesbury Fringe

Bill Bruce has been playing the guitar for over 50 years, and is self-taught...

In the last couple of years he’s been rhythm guitar in the local rock covers band ONYX, and last year formed The Old Romantics. He’s always thought he could (and should) improve his playing, so in late 2025, he sent himself 'back to school' to re-learn classical and fingerstyle guitar ‘properly' from scratch!

Then he went completely mad and decided to première his achievements so far with two gigs at The Shaftesbury Fringe in July! No pressure!!

Classical Gas – a guitar journey – takes Bill's story from learning tunes wrong at the age of 15 (there were no YouTube videos back then!) to becoming a better player (come to his gigs to see if he's achieved his goal!).

There will be tunes all the way from the classical guitar masters such as Terrega and Carulli, to more modern composers including Herbie Flowers and even Carlos Santana – plus a few surprises!

Bill is playing at:

• The Nun’s Passage, King Alfred’s Kitchen on Friday 17th July at 6pm

and

• The Grosvenor Arms, Courtyard on Sunday, 19th July at 11am.

See www.shaftesburyfringe.co.uk for more information.

There will be a collection for the charity Pets As Therapy

Registered Charity in England & Wales: 1112194