Boiling Billy’s repertoire is large and varied, including rock, pop and country classics from the 1950s to the 21stcentury, Irish drinking songs, bluegrass, blues, bush ballads, and traditional tune sets of jigs, reels, polkas and hornpipes.The emphasis is on fun times and good cheer for people of all ages. Boiling Billy is the perfect act for tapping your toes, stomping your feet, or maybe going a little wilder.
Boiling Billy is a one-man dance band featuring the unique talents of multi-instrumentalist Nick Jackman, who sings and plays guitar, harmonica and percussion all at the same time. To see him perform is to witness a display of extreme multi-tasking as he uses no backing tracks or loop pedal all his music is produced by his hands, feet and mouth in overdrive. He is a consummate solo performer with a unique sound and skill set. As a one-man-band, Nick demonstrates his mastery of the difficult art of rack harmonica while accompanying himself with solid guitar and drum grooves (think Bob Dylan on steroids). His ability to effortlessly play tunes on his harmonica, such as bluegrass breakdowns and Irish folk, as well as down and dirty rock and blues, is phenomenal.
Both as a soloist and in bands, Nick has worked around Canterbury for many years, and he also tours New Zealand regularly. For several years, he was a fulltime member of Celtic rockers, The Black Velvet Band, and he still plays with them on occasions. He has also worked as a live session player for various Christchurch Irish and bluegrass bands his credits include The Shameless Few, The Wolverines, Johnny Possum, and The Boys From Ballyrag.
Over the years, Nick has gained extensive experience performing at festivals, weddings, parties, bars, cafes and restaurants. He formed Boiling Billy because he saw a need for a more cost-effective alternative to larger bands, and he realized he had a rare skill to provide this.