8 Ball Aitken Backyard Gig SUN OCT 19 with Jacob Boote (TAS) & Rhyley McGrath (VIC)

8 Ball Aitken's encore, absolute final SPLENDOUR IN THE GLASS HOUSE Backyard gig for this year will be on SUNDAY OCT 19TH. 8 Ball will be joined by two fine touring blues pickers Jacob Boots (TAS) and Rhyley McGrath who are on a QLD gig run. Bookings essential. Address provided upon booking. BYO drinks, snacks, camp chair. All welcome family friendly 2pm to 5pm afternoon gig.

JACOB BOOTE hails from the foot hills of the Dial Range on the N/W Coast of Tasmania. He is an eclectic world class act specialising in 1920-30s style blues, calypso and old time county. Jacob is a leading exponent of the national resonator guitar, a dynamic performer and an international recording artist.  

 “Tassie’s best keep secret” Skip Sail

RHYLEY MCGRATH is a travelling musician, gaining fans around Australia with his soulful vocal, catchy originals, and defined sound on guitar.

With a base of finger-picking Delta blues, and acoustic folk music, Rhyley is always pursuing new songs, sounds and ideas to continually develop his style. On any given night, folk standards, bluegrass influences and funky rhythms can all be heard.

Having begun his professional music career somewhere around 2016, Rhyley has played thousands of gigs all around the country. From busy markets to Sunday sessions, local pubs to big production blues festivals.

What started as a twice-weekly drive to Melbourne and back, has grown into a country-wide network of venues where Rhyley now performs, touring regularly to all states, and the occasional roadtrip around New Zealand. This endeavour has been wonderfully embraced by enthusiastic crowds and supporters all round.

8 BALL AITKEN

8 Ball Aitken has toured the world performing his blues, soul, swamp-rock and groovy slide-guitar across twenty countries to date. He’s earned a loyal fanbase from his live shows and internet videos, while paying his dues as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He’s headed to Memphis with Taya Chani and his band in January 2026 to represent the Blues Association of South East Queensland at the International Blues Challenge.

8 Ball moved to Nashville, Tennessee, USA in 2012 and worked for nine years with many of the best in the blues business today. He won second place in the 2021 International New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival.

8 Ball is back with a brand-new collaboration album ‘Nightbird’. He wrote and produced the recording with soul singer Taya Chani at his home studio in the Glass House Mountains. The title-track ‘Nightbird’ immediately hit #1 on the Australian AMRAP Regional Charts in March 2025 for two weeks in a row as did their second single ‘Miss You The Most’ in May. 8 Ball & Taya’s signature harmonies and groovy guitars have proved to be a winning combination and festival favorite.

8 Ball’s previous two self-produced albums ‘ICE CREAM MAN’ & ‘ICE CREAM MAN 2’ both hit #1 on the Australian Blues & Roots Charts. The cast of musicians include 8 Ball’s band plus Grammy winning drummer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy) and saxophone legend Buddy Leach (George Thorogood & The Destroyers).

8 Ball regularly tours Australia and USA. Tour dates, tickets, videos, merchandise and more are all available from 8ballaitken.com 

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY…

“8 Ball Aitken demonstrates that the blues are alive and well Down Under with this deep-in-the-pocket collection of modern blues and blues rock that’s built atop a swamp blues structure.” Chicago Blues Guide

“For a guy from Australia, 8 Ball Aitken really has the Delta in his bones… I wouldn’t be surprised to find Mississippi mud on the soles of his shoes.” - Gonzo Okanagan

“A lovely, enjoyable collection, start to finish, with the inevitable few songs that stand out, and invite you to hit the replay.” Blues In Britain – Graham Munn

“A mixture of balladry, wordplay, and cutting edge guitar, Swamp Blues 2 from 8 Ball Aitken deserves to be in everyone’s collection.”  American Blues Scene

"Ice Cream Man is a splendid listen from start to finish.  I highly recommend it.”

Philly Cheeze’s Rock & Blues Reviews

"I first saw him when he was young, hairy and straight outa Brisbane. Now he’s all growed up and going global. Unstoppable!” 

Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool, Eagle Rock), Melbourne, Australia

"8 Ball is not an act any band wants to follow! ....even a 5 piece band will have to do some quick and serious note pounding to get 8-ball's vibe off the stage, it just hangs in the air long after he is gone.....he's a freakin solo red headed infector...!"

Mitch Lind, owner/promoter of the Riverhawk and Stringbreak Music Festivals, Florida, USA

“This is outstanding. The way it should be done. You have a new fan.”

Ray Wylie Hubbard (Snake Farm), Texas, USA