IAN Siegal is a man of many talents — from a solo acoustic troubadour to a blues rocker with a full-throttle electric band behind him.

Now the gifted singer and writer is bringing his full band to Bromley Cross, playing the Railway Venue on Wednesday, March 25.

His 2014 album Man & Guitar captured Ian at his solo best, recorded by the BBC at The Royal Albert Hall.

He followed it up with One Night in Amsterdam — his first live album with the electric band which was recorded at last year's show at The North Sea Jazz Club in Amsterdam.

Speaking from his new home in Amsterdam, Ian says he is very pleased with his band.

He said: "We’ve been together about 18 months now.

"I had a band, but I just felt like getting some new guys in and a new and different energy.

“They are really good and I’ve been wanting to play with them for ages.”

Born in Fareham, Hampshire, in 1971, Ian was brought up on a diet of rock and roll.

He said: "That’s right, my early influences were the likes of Little Richard and Buddy Holly — and then I got into blues and artists like Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf.

“I also really love the singer/songwriters like Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Elvis Costello, so quite varied really.”

Ian’s career took off in 2003/2004 when he opened for Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings on two successive European tours and then toured as a duo with Big Bill Morganfield, the son of one of his heroes — Muddy Waters.

He toured Europe extensively, topped the soul/blues/jazz charts in Holland 10 years ago and has not looked back.

From 2009 to 2014 he has picked up no less than 14 blues music awards including Male Vocalist of the Year at the British Blues Awards in three consecutive years.

Although solo and band touring are two different things, Ian loves doing them both.

He said: “I do about 50/50 work-wise and I’m grateful that I can do both and I like doing both equally.

“Plus, when I do my solo stuff I’m sitting down.”

For all his globetrotting, Ian is looking forward to his UK tour.

He said: “Yeah, I’m really looking forward to playing in the UK, I have a really good feeling about it.

“I’ve never done Bolton, so that will be interesting, plus Glasgow and Aberdeen are always good.”

As to what the setlist will include, Ian says he is not quite sure.

He said: “I’m still working it out and I’ll be changing the set every night.

“We will be doing lots of our own material.

“I’ll only be doing a couple from Man & Guitar though as my solo and band shows usually have a completely different set.

“We’re off to the States in May and touring around Europe during the summer.

“I seem to be on a never-ending tour. I just carry on.”

Ian Siegal and his band will be at The Railway, Chapeltown Road, Bromley Cross, on Wednesday, March 25.

Tickets cost £15, call the box office on 01204 306450.

Martin Hutchinson