Looking Back: 2013

2013 has been a good year - and certainly a busy one! Between January 10th and November 5th, Andres Roots played 51 gigs with 13 different band line-ups in 4 different countries, 21 different towns, and 41 different venues - and by different we mean seriously varied: from the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn, Estonia to the Parks Jazz Club in Valmiera, Latvia, from Mikkeli Prison in Finland to the Haroldswick Hall in Unst, Shetland/Scotland/the UK... 

Those 51 shows included sets at 7 music festivals: Guitar Jamboree, UnderGround Blues, Ugriblues, and Augustibluus in Estonia, Saimaa Blues in Finland, Sigulda Blues in Latvia, and Shetland Blues in the UK. In addition to the various Roundabout line-ups, Andres toured with Ismo Haavisto (FIN), Steve Lury (UK), and was seen jamming with Tuomari Nurmio (FIN). There were 4 live appearances recorded for TV and aired via 3 different channels in 2 different countries, plus 1 official music video directed by Asko-Romé Altsoo. Andres appeared on 8 releases on 5 different labels in 3 different countries (see discography section), and his profile was included in a guitar textbook for schools.

Since this summer, Roots Art Records CD's have been distributed in Estonia and Finland by Playground Music, and there are several releases being scheduled for 2014. The first live Roundabout show of 2014 will be at the legendary Volga in Tartu, Estonia on February 7th and will feature a new line-up, to be properly announced and introduced on December 31st. Until then - happy holidays! :)

At White Room studios in Tartu. Photo by Asko-Romé Altsoo.