Saturday 11 October 2025, 7:30pm
Phil Bates connection with ELO began when his band Trickster signed with ELO’s record label, Jet Records and being managed by the infamous Don Arden ( Father of Sharon Osbourne). The band featured as support band on ELO’s ground-breaking and spectacular 1978 Spaceship world tour. When Jeff Lynne decided he no longer wanted to tour with ELO, drummer Bev Bevan formed ELO Part 11. In 1993, Phil Bates joined ELO Part II, replacing Pete Haycock and Neil Lockwood. ELO Part II took the music of ELO around the world, often playing with symphony orchestras in large venues around the globe. After leaving ELO Part II, Bates became a member of the Eleanor Rigby Experience for a short while along withhttps://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/felixstowe/two-sisters-arts-centre/phil-bates-up-close-personal/e-kjxepg Martin Allcock of Fairport Convention fame and Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker along with Tina McBain, and Andy Bole. The Eleanor Rigby Experience released one self titled CD and toured extensively in the UK. A short stint with The Bev Bevan Band and Bev Bevan’s Move followed (2003/2005), along with the formation in the same year of German-based band ELB (Electric Light Band). In 2007, Bates rejoined his old mates from ELO Part II in The Orchestra (featuring members of ELO and Part II). In 2008, Phil Bates formed the Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin project (BBBV) with Mik Kaminski and Tina McBain, resulting in numerous successful UK tours and one self titled BBBV album released in 2010. The solo albums Naked and Agony & Ecstasy were released in 1996 and 1998, plus tours of the UK and Germany with Mik Kaminski Writing On The Wall CD was released in 1997. Also in 1996 a live album was recorded in Tamworth Castle A Little Light On An Electric Night featured Bev Bevan, Kelly Groucutt and Mik Kaminski. Two further solo albums, Alter Ego (2003) and One Sky (2005), followed. All were released on Bates’s own labels, DPP, and latterly Essential Music. A compilation CD Retrospectiv, also on Essential, was released in 2007. Phil Bates gigged extensively with his “Tribute to ELO” throughout Europe as Phil Bates and Band. He has often appeared live on German, Swiss and Polish TV playing ELO songs. He played in a duo with former colleague Tina McBain for nearly twenty years playing venues all over the UK. These days in this country he plays as a solo artist playing songs from his own repertoire his set consists of his own compositions a little bit of blues a touch of Beatles and of course lots of those classic Jeff Lynne songs that made ELO one of the biggest and most successful bands in the world