LEGENDARY guitarist Keith Christmas and Plastic Mermaids frontman Douglas Richards are to play a joint gig at Caffe Isola in Newport tomorrow (Friday, Jan 25).

The concert is the second in a weekly series of four ‘Feast of Friday’ events in the town centre venue to be staged by Isle of Wight music promoters thisisnowhere.

The weekly series was launched with a near sell-out show by folk luminary Ian A Anderson and local music hero Paul Armfield last weekend. It continues into February with concerts by Jessica Lee Morgan, daughter of Mary Hopkin and record producer Tony Visconti, on February 1 and roots musicians Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds on Feb 8.

This Friday’s show, which kicks off at 7pm, marks a welcome return to the Isle of Wight for Keith Christmas who played at both Quay Arts and Rhythmtree Festival last year. It will also be a big night for Douglas Richards – the Plastic Mermaids are to launch a new song and video earlier the same day.

Between 1969 and 1974 Keith Christmas recorded five vinyl albums, played guitar on three tracks on Bowie’s “Space Oddity” album and appeared at the first Glastonbury festival.

Throughout the 70’s he toured all over the UK and Europe, opening for The Who, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, The Kinks, King Crimson and Roxy Music. Tracks from his LP “Crazy Dancing Days” had more than 50,000 online hits before the album was released and the finished CD won rave reviews and appeared in many “Best of Year” round-ups.

Advance tickets are available from over the counter at Caffe Isola, or online from www.wegottickets.com (subject to booking fee). Isola will be serving pizzas and pastas each night, and tables can be booked in advance, if required.

Other thisisnowhere events across the Island during spring and summer, include Martin and Eliza Carthy at Freshwater Memorial Hall on May 4, Martin Simpson, also at Freshwater Memorial Hall, on June 9, and Johnny Echols with his legendary Love Band at Newport Strings on June 26.

For further information visit the facebook.com/thisisnowhereiow page.