AMERICAN guitar legend Joe Bonamassa will fulfil a promise he made a decade ago and perform a free concert in Poole, marking the 10 year anniversary of his first ever UK show.

On November 1, Joe will play Mr Kyps in Lower Parkstone, the same venue where he played his first ever UK concert in 2005.

Back then, Joe played at Mr Kyps to a mere 100 or so crowd and is returning to the venue as a thank you to all the fans that have helped his career grow from playing small clubs to sold-out arena tours worldwide.

Joe told the Bournemouth Daily Echo: “I can’t begin to thank Mr. Kyps enough for taking a chance with me 10 years ago, as well as those original fans that got me started in the UK,” says Joe, 38.

“I am thrilled to come back to perform and see everyone,” he added.

Entry to the free event will be available from today on a lottery basis from Mr Kyps. Fans must send a postcard or sealed down envelope to Mr Kyps giving their name, address, contact mobile or email address. Winners will be chosen at random, then contacted and a valid form of ID will be required upon collection of a wristband for the show.

Entris are open until October 23, with address below.

Joe is an internationally renowned guitarist and has released many critically acclaimed albums in the past 15 years, with his latest, Live At Radio City Music Hall, released today.

In 2005, Mr Kyps venue owner Mark ‘Kyp’ Kyprianou was approached to host Joe’s first ever UK concert, providing that he could finance the whole trip. Mark took one listen to Joe and instantly knew there was something special about him.

He agreed to host the concert and even pay the international travel expenses along with a fee for the band. As Joe was an unknown, the concert, with tickets originally costing £10, was a slow seller.

In a final push, Kyp decided to make the concert free, offering free entry and refunds to those few who had originally paid the £10 ticket.

Only around 100 people attended the concert, but those who were there were stunned by Joe’s dynamic and virtuosic playing.

The first Mr Kyps concert enabled Joe to book a short UK tour of similarly sized venues with word of Joe’s ability spreading rapidly. When Joe returned to Kyps a few months later for two more concerts, they both sold-out within hours.

“The demand for the concerts that followed the original Kyps date was incredible; I could have sold a thousand tickets for the second and third gigs!” says Mark ‘Kyp’ Kyprianou.

Joe Bonamassa is also playing at the BIC this month on October 28.

: For more information please contact Mr Kyps on 01202 748945 or visit mrkyps.net. Address is Mr Kyps, 8a Parr Street, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset BH14 0JY.