Rob Johnston
"..a mighty, mighty fine player.”
(South Live, BBC Radio)
“Fantastic…an absolute pleasure”
(BBC Radio Solent.)
"..the sound he generates from just a steel stringed
guitar is astounding.. Awesome guitar technique…."
(Folking.com)
"A joyful controlled explosion of creativity and virtuosity …"
(Lark Music Making Competition Winner,
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra award 2025)
GIGS, NEWS AND REVIEWS
Tim Gower and I are working on an album of instrumental guitar and percussion pieces. The word is ‘eclectic’! Jim Harding is our brilliant engineer at Casemates studios in Portsmouth. Hopefully released into the wild this summer....
We are working on my own songs with guitar and recording underway for this project as well. Helped in performance and recording by our superb vocalist, Jess Marsh
Please keep in touch for any info, gigs, news, etc. Email to:
Rob's CD 'Message to the Moon'
Southsea Cinema and arts centre 7pm
Sat 23rd and 25th May,
Chippenham Folk Festival
Sat 4th July,
Friends Without Borders, fundraiser,
Comphouse Farm, Southwick
Sunday 26th July,
Southsea Cinema and Arts Centre 7pm
More coming and will update ASAP!
Reviews:
Lark Music Making Competition, WINNER, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra award 2025
'Guitarist Rob Johnston was deeply moved by the power of a dawn chorus of woodland birds, heard while camping near Petworth, West Sussex. The experience inspired his work, ‘Mind the Birds’, which judges described as a “joyful controlled explosion of creativity and virtuosity … as rich as the dawn chorus itself!”
"There are plenty of acoustic artists out there, loop pedals in tow, creating their very own one man band experiences. The difference between them and Rob Johnston is that this guy has his guitar so powerfully under his spell that we haven’t seen or heard anything like him on L&L in a long, long time. Interested in looping and layering? This is how you do it."
https://liveandloud.com/artists/rob-johnston
“Rob Johnston is a guitar player of supreme quality as the sound he generates from just a steel stringed guitar is astounding.. Awesome guitar technique…. Johnston isn't just a high-class guitarist but a fine singer-songwriter as well.” Folking.com
"..confident and joyous ..fluid and reflective (and appropriately reminiscent of Martin Simpson without being cloned)..Such individual, engaging and assured playing is always a pleasure to listen to." Folk-on-Tap Magazine.
“Fantastic…an absolute pleasure” BBC Radio Solent.
He played brilliantly.. a truly stellar performer.. 'He's the best guitarist I've heard in years!' was heard throughout the audience. The man is a genius! Petersfield WriteAngle Poetry and music cabaret 2010.
“Staggering playing...a blistering session. He is a mighty, mighty fine player.” Phil Jackson, South Live, BBC Southern Counties Radio.
"Johnston's guitar playing was superbly controlled and virtuosic, and the partnership with Gower's percussion was riveting. Two impressive parts combining to form an integrated musical dialogue that was a delight to earwig."
'Living for Live Music'. Justin Capps
