Where's Jan?

Jan Michielsen of Hoogstraten in north Belgium will, of course, be in Ireland in July as guitar player with 4 Wheel Drive (NL/D/B), a favourite band with Irish audiences since 1999, and headliners at this year's Athy Bluegrass Festival (13-15 July).

When not on the road with 4WD or directing films for Cheap Aldi Camera Productions and his own YouTube channel, he leads a further life as mandolinist for Blue Maxx (above), who will be among the bluegrass bands taking part in the 2012 Hamawe Roots Festival (26-7 May) in south-east Belgium.

The programme has a strong backbone of Cajun music, headed by the redoubtable Savoy Family Band (USA) and several French Cajun bands, with plenty of Cajun food available. Also present will be the Rockridge Brothers old-time band from Sweden, who played at the Open House Festival in Belfast several years ago.