PHIL HOLBIRD
Welcome to the homepage for Phil Holbird, singer, guitarist and musician from Romsey, Hampshire, available for parties, weddings, public events, or anywhere else you may need me!
"I've seen you play 4 or 5 hours non stop, consecutive songs...there is nobody to beat you..!" Chris Evans, Radio 2
For more up to date, day to day updates, follow me on Instagram by clicking the link or searching Phil.Holbird
MUSIC
Need a party band? You need BRANDO..
of course
The Solution (Brando)
Millions (Brando)
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During the Covid 19 pandemic, I live streamed over 200 gigs on my 'Phil Holbird Musician'Youtube channel and Facebook Page. These are all still available for you to watch back, should you need some live music in your home!
Click on this picture to watch past livestreams
Easy
Satisfied
Radio 2...
On December 23rd 2015 I was lucky enough to be invited to play a Christmas song on the Radio 2 breakfast show. Great fun, although the idea of playing for 10 million listeners is a little nerve wracking! Also on this clip are the incredible Sound of Sirens, Damian Wilson, Mancie Baker and Tom Figgins hosted by Chris Evans
Couch Covers
Over the next couple months, I'll be making a series of simple covers videos. Just like at my gigs, I'll welcome requests so let me know what you'd like me cover and I'll see what I can do.
Click here to go to the youtube playlist for Phil Holbird Couch Covers
Fire and Rain
Sir Duke
Feels Like Home
LIVE
This summer 2023, I will mostly be playing private shows with the band, Brando, however any public solo or band gigs will be posted in the diary below.
Cowes week is always a big one for us, it runs from
Friday 29th July until Saturday 6th of August, and we will be mostly at our usual Duke of York residency...if you've never been, this should probably be the year!
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For all upcoming public Uk dates, see diary below
DIARY
3.9 Monkey Brewhouse, Lymington
22.9 Bosuns Chair, Lymington
29.9 White Horse, Otterbourne
13.10 Kings Head, Hursley
15.10 Monkey Brewhouse, Lymington
5.11 Cronins Pub, Crosshaven, Ireland
10.11 Streetparty, Olten, Switzerland
19.11 Monkey Brewhouse
24.11 Kings Head, Hursley
15.12 Kings Head, Hursley
17.12 Monkey Brewhouse, Lymington
30.12 White Horse, Haslemere
PICTURES
BIOGRAPHY
I was born in Haslemere Surrey in 1984 in the house my parents still live into a very musical family.
My main musical life, however, started when I met Alex Katsikides on the Isle of Wight when we were 15. After playing as a duo for a short time (later to become the Alex and Phil Extravaganza!), we teamed up with two friends Jamie Griffin and Alex Cook to form our first band Instant Karma. We played mostly rock and roll and Beatles covers, which was very popular among our parents and their friends who kept us busy with their various parties, some of which even started paying us a bit. This kept us busy until Alex went off to uni and I went to Scotland for a year to train for my new career which was to be in outdoor pursuits....or so I thought.
Instant Karma, from left me, Jamie Griffin, Alex (not sure where Alex Cooke was that moment!)
This all changed on the 2nd August 2003 when two major events in British musical history took place.....ok one big event in British musical history and one big event in my own musical life (who knows, maybe one day they'll both prove to be the former....go on, buy an album). Whilst listening on the radio to Robbie Williams performing to record breaking crowds at Knebworth, I met 'Scotish Pete' Masson. After hours of conversation, he asked me if I liked skiing and gigging....I said yes...and he invited me to Zermatt Switzerland to join his après ski band, Scenit Group, aka the Hennu Stall band. Although I only signed up for 1 season, it was just too much fun. It turns out lobsters, champagne, great snow, great people, great cocktails, helicopters with rockstars, fantastic scenery and an endless supply of jagameister really doesn't get boring...who knew?! Plus it gave me invaluable experience...so I've never stopped going back. 18 winters and counting so far.
After Alex finished uni, he also joined us in the Alps in the winter, and then with the Murphy brothers in the now legendary Murphys bar, Ibiza (sadly not a live music bar anymore) in the summer.
Scenit Group, from left me, Jodie 'Joplin' Douthwait, GIIIIIIIO, Scotish Pete, Danny Different, Alex, Rob 'the Trumpet' Willson
Every time we came back to the Uk we'd have some kind of band around us, and in 2010 we formed Brando, a thumping 7 piece band with brass section and renowned drumming from Stu Fisher. Our experience, energy and seemingly limitless setlist of just about any song you throw at us would eventually help to make Brando one of the most sort after party bands in the south of England, keeping a packed gigging schedule booked often well over a year in advance all over the Uk and Europe.
This is an one of the only shots of all of Brando and crew in one place...no idea who took it! From left: Rob 'the trumpet' Willson, Alex, Me, Jamie Griffin, Irv Walker, Dave Waight, Jamie Crook, Stu Fisher
In 2011 we released our debut album of original music, 'The Masterplan' with an album launch in the Haslemere hall, complete with a string quartet!
In 2014, in addition to playing with the band, I started a solo project, releasing my first solo album 'The Barn' later that year.
2015 saw the release of the second Brando album, 'International Naughty Boy', released during our set at the Isle of Wight festival.
This winter I will be back in Zermatt, playing mostly solo in the beautiful CERVO Hotel, and I look forward to some exciting things coming up in 2022
both on my own, and with Alex and the band...watch this space...
Alex and I on a very windy part of the South Isle of Wight coast during photo shoot for the back cover of the Masterplan
GET IN TOUCH
I'd love to hear from you
0(+44)7790089845
