Dr Paul Stickler is a former UK police chief superintendent who was a senior investigating officer in many murder investigations. He is a graduate of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in history and social sciences, a master’s degree in criminology and a PhD in law. His thesis examined the legal basis of murder investigations in the inter-war period.

For the past 10 years, Paul has been engaged on cruise ships worldwide as a guest speaker and has delivered over 600 talks on a series of historical murders. He acts as an advisor to television and radio networks on matters of true historical crime. He is the author of two books, At Mrs Ridgley’s Corner (2018) and The Long Silence (2021). He has made television and radio appearances to talk about individual historical murders.

His experience in murder investigations coupled with his passion for history make his presentations absorbing, challenging, entertaining and informative. Join Paul at the Centenary Centre for an evening where he will discuss two historical murder cases which he has researched in incredible detail, and provides an indepth insight through the use of photographic and documentary evidence contemporary to the cases in question. This is an evening not to be missed.

Tickets £15.

Doors open at 7pm. The evening starts at 7.30pm.

“Sunday 6 April 25 @ 8PM (door open 7:30PM)

The Jesse Janes come to the Isle of Man

Americana quartet the Jesse Janes are bringing their previously sold out live show celebrating the soundtrack from the 2000 movie ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou? and other iconic Bluegrass and Blues classics to the Isle of Man for the first time.

Expect to hear classic tunes made famous by the likes of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, EmmyLou Harris, Alison Kraus, Elvis, The Stanley Brothers, Roy Orbison, Jimmy Rodgers and Gillian Welch to name a few.

The Jesse Janes are an Americana quartet made up of Irish sisters Kate and Mary Rose plus Liverpool lads Tom and Ben. They have been enchanting audiences in Ireland and the North West of England for over 10 years with their unique and joyful interpretations of Americana classics, alongside some of their own original songs.

Opening for the Jesse Janes will be well-known Isle of Man country blues guitarist John Gregory, AKA Blue John.

John specialises in fingerpicking blues from the 1920s onwards, naming Mississippi John Hurt and Big Bill Broonzy as two of his biggest inspirations.

John has toured the British Isles, opening for top US acoustic blues musicians Ari Eisinger, Toby Walker and the Erin Harpe Country Blues Duo and did several headline dates of his own in the UK in 2024.

He has also played at events at The Bitter End in New York and in Austin, Texas as well as travelling to Chicago to play Big Bill Broonzy’s guitar in 2018.

Tickets are priced at £10 & are available from https://www.etickets.im/bjm/

We are delighted to announce we have the Martin Harley Band coming to the Peel Centenary Centre Friday March 21st! If you went to the Big Wheel Blues Festival you will remember them headlining! It has been a while since we had a Blues artist at the Centre and who better than Martin Harley! Also, we have had generous funding from the Dept of Enterprise “Winter Event Fund”and are able to offer a 50% discount on the Ticket Price to just £10!!!! Come and celebrate the end of Winter with a night of great music! Tickets available now from www.etickets.im/cc

John Gregory will be performing a ‘homecoming’ concert at the Atholl Room at the Centenary Centre, Peel, on Friday, December 13.

This is his first full-length performance in the island after his recent mini-UK tour.

John’s had a bumper year of playing – by Christmas he’s on track to complete more than 130 performances. Early this year he was featured in Blues Matters magazine and he’s also had the honour of sharing the stage with some of his musical heroes.

As a thank you to everyone who has supported him throughout the year John has decided to make this show totally free (though donations will be welcome for the hire of the venue).

You can expect an evening of fancy fingerpicking guitar, stories of the blues greats and singalongs.

The concert will start at 7.30pm prompt and there will be an interval in the middle so people can grab a pint across the road and there’ll be plenty of time to head back to the pub afterwards as he’ll be finished at 9.30pm. (Please note there will be no bar/refreshments available at the centre on the night).

“A very fine acoustic picker” – Blues Matters magazine

“John is an outstanding musician of early blues and ragtime styles”

– Mississippi John Hurt’s biographer Dr Phil Ratcliffe, author of Mississippi John Hurt: His Life, His Times, His Blues