One of the highlights of events I have covered this year so far has to be last weekends Hebden Bridge Blues Festival, and it was good to be meet up with old friends, while taking in some of the very best live performances in Blues music.

Since my last real involvement as Press Officer/Photographer with the inaugural Hebden Blues in 2011, the festival has gone from strength, deservedly picking up 'Best Festival' at the British Blues Awards.

Hebden Bridge Blues Festival 2013 had to be the best yet, with a wide range of genres of Blues music spread over two and a half days of musical bliss. Glorious sunny weather helped to create a great atmosphere around Hebden Bridge. The mian stage was at the atmospheric Hope Baptist Church, with two separate Acoustic and Electric floors at Salem Community Centre. As usual a range of pubs in the town played host to free performances each evening.

All the musicians and performances were excellent, and standout performances would be far too many to list here. Worthy of special note however included headliners Jo Harman and Aynsley Lister, Lucy Zirins and Woodenhorse on the acoustic stage, the inimitable Rabbitfoot, stomping Northsyde, those crazy Americans Paul Lamb and the Detroit Breakdown, Kyla Brox and new find local songstress Terry Logan.

The late night Paddy Maguire Jam Sessions (featuring many of each days artists) had to be seen and heard to be believed. There were literally tears in the aisles when it all came to an emotional end on Sunday night.

Full details of the festival can be found on the website at http://yorkshirebluesfestival.co.uk/

Full galleries from the weekend can be found at http://bluplanetphoto.co.uk/hbbf_2013

1200-HebdenBlues2013_Friday_bluplanetphoto Aynsley Lister

139-HebdenBlues2013_Friday_bluplanetphoto Blues Boy Dan

063-HebdenBlues2013Saturday_bluplanetphoto-Edit Tom Attah

2981-HebdenBlues2013Saturday_bluplanetphoto Jo Harman

306HebdenBlues2013_Sunday_bluplanetphoto-Edit Simon Peat playing for Alex McKnown Band

646HebdenBlues2013_Sunday_bluplanetphoto Lucy Zirins

1063HebdenBlues2013_Sunday_bluplanetphoto-Edit Northsyde

023-HebdenBlues2013_Friday_bluplanetphoto _D8Q9541 2264HebdenBlues2013_Sunday_bluplanetphoto 2565HebdenBlues2013_Sunday_bluplanetphoto