The 2011 Big Wheel Blues Festival was launched last night (Saturday) at Peel's Centenary Centre with a high-energy set from UK band 24 Pesos.

While the festival itself take places on April 30 and May 1, it has been customary in the past few years for a launch gig to be held at the Centenary Centre.

24 Pesos - who played at the Big Wheel Blues Festival in Laxey last year - told the Peel crowd they were thrilled to be back in the Isle of Man and highlighted what a great line up there is at this year's festival.

Their show last night certainly packed a punch. The band combine a flavour of styles and while the blues is at the heart of their music they are contemporary, up tempo, soulful, funky and cool.

They combined their own songs with a handful of choice covers, but they did not merely copy the original artists - they transformed both Jimi Hendrix's Red House and Cream's Politician into their own sound.

While the Centenary Centre is an amazing venue for live music, 24 Pesos are probably more used to playing in venues where the audience can get up to dance.

But even though there wasn't a chance for people to show off their moves last night, there was some great audience participation - particularly when the crowd sang along long enough for frontman Julian Burdock to change a string on his guitar and then continue with the song!

The gig was opened by the Big Wheel Blues Band. Consisting of some of the Island's premier blues musicians - and Big Wheel Blues Festival committee members - the band played some great covers including Robert Cray's Phone Booth, Tom Waits' New Coat of Paint and Can't Get No Grindin' (originally recorded by both Memphis Minnie and Muddy Waters).

This year's blues festival will be based at the Villa Marina in Douglas - and not its usual home of Laxey - as the regular venue, the Pavilion, is unavailable.

Acts include Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges and his band, the Martin Harley Band and James Hunter and his band. For the full line up see www.bigwheelblues.com