Solo Encounter Music
The Website of Singer & Multi-instrumentalist Ian McGuire
Upcoming Gigs 2026
Sunday 12th April
The Beaufort Hunt
72 Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AG
Music starts at 6.30pm
Sunday 19th April
The Mad Hatter Wine Bar
32 Castle Street, Cirencester, GL7 1QH
Music starts at 3.30pm
Sunday 10th May
The Beaufort Hunt
72 Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AG
Music starts at 6.30pm
Saturday 16th May
Charity Fundraiser
Music starts at (tba)
Saturday 23rd May (rescheduled date)
Abbotswood Inn,
8 Abbotswood, Yate, BS37 4NG
Music starts at 8.00pm
Sunday 24th May
The Horseshoe
2 High Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AH
Music starts at 4.00pm
Sunday 31st May
The Chipping Sodbury Big Lunch Community Event
High Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AH
This is an annual outdoor family event for the community and the High Street will be closed.
I am the main music act and will be performing at 4.00pm - 5.00 (ish!)
Saturday 27th June
The Phoenix Bar
Victoria Square, Portishead, BS20 6AQ
Music starts at 8.00pm
Saturday 4th July
The Bridge Inn, Bridge Road, Shortwood, BS16 9NG
Music starts at 8.00pm
Saturday 11th July
Yate Relay For Life Charity Event
Yate Outdoor Sports Complex, Broad Lane, Yate, BS37 7LB
Music starts at 2.00pm - 3.30pm
Saturday 25th July
Outdoor Private Party, Yate
Music starts approx 1.00pm
Sunday 16th August
The Horseshoe
2 High Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AH
Music starts at 4.00pm
Saturday 22nd August
Private Booking - 80th Birthday Party
Saturday 14th November
The Siren's Calling
Sixty8 @ The Marina, Newfoundland Way, Portishead, BS20 7PT
Music starts at approximately 8.00pm
Tuesday 24th November
Private Booking - Afternoon Xmas Party
Friday 4th December
Private Booking - Afternoon Xmas Party
Click here to sign up for gig alerts
Booking Availabilty
April 2026
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MON
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WED
THU
FRI
SAT
Booking Availability
This calendar is a quick guide to my availability for new bookings.
Where the date shows grey I am likely to be available... BUT please note that this calendar should be used as a guide only as changes to my diary occur regularly and I may not have had time to update this page.
If your chosen date is free, please contact me with your booking enquiry and I will be able to confirm my actual availability for your chosen date and hopefully book you in, after confirming my fee.
Thank you - Ian
Videos
Solo Encounter Videos
Solo Encounter Videos
Solo Encounter Compilation April 2026
'HANDLE WITH CARE' by The Travelling Wilburys - THE OLD CROWN ULEY MARCH 2026
'RING OF FIRE' by Johnny Cash - OLD CROWN INN, ULEY - MARCH 2026
'PRETTY WOMAN' by Roy Orbison - THE OLD CROWN INN, ULEY - MARCH 2026
Set Lists
Listed below is the huge variety of songs and genres I have in my playlist - I compile a different mix each gig to suit the venue and add variety to my performances but clients can also choose their personal favourites. * Denotes songs regularly performed.
Popular Artists
A-HA
Stay on These Roads
Take on Me *
AZTEC CAMERA
Somewhere in my Heart
BANANARAMA
Venus
BLONDIE
Call Me *
BRYAN ADAMS
Summer of '69 *
When You're Gone (with Mel C)
CROWDED HOUSE
Don't Dream it's Over *
Weather With You *
CULTURE CLUB
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
Karma Chameleon *
CUTTING CREW
I Just Died in Your Arms *
I've Been in Love Before
DAVID BOWIE & MICK JAGGER
Dancing in the Street *
DEPECHE MODE
Enjoy The Silence *
Just Can't Get Enough *
DIRE STRAIGHTS
Money For Nothing
Walk of Life *
DURAN DURAN
Hungry Like the Wolf
Ordinary World *
Planet Earth *
Rio *
ERASURE
A Little Respect *
Sometimes
EURYTHMICS
Sweet Dreams
Thorn in my Side
FICTION FACTORY
Feels Like Heaven *
GARY NUMAN
Are Friends Electric *
Cars *
HEART
Alone
HUMAN LEAGUE
Don't You Want Me *
IMAGINATION
Just an Illusion
INXS
Never Tear Us Apart *
HALL AND OATES
I Can't Go For That
JOHN FARNHAM
You're The Voice
KATRINA AND THE WAVES
Walking on Sunshine
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND
Give it Up
KOOL AND THE GANG
Celebration
Get Down On It
MADNESS
It Must Be Love
Night Boat to Cairo *
One Step Beyond *
MIKE AND THE MECHANICS
Another Cup of Coffee
Don't Know What Came Over Me
The Living Years *
MIKE OLDFIELD
Moonlight Shadow
NEW ORDER
Blue Monday *
NIK KERSHAW
Wouldn't It Be Good *
O.M.D.
Enola Gay *
Souvenir *
PET SHOP BOYS
It's a Sin *
PHIL COLLINS
You Can't Hurry Love
PREFAB SPROUT
The King of Rock 'n' Roll
QUEEN
A Kind of Magic *
ROXY MUSIC
More Than This *
SIMPLE MINDS
Don't You Forget About Me
SIMPLY RED
Holding Back The Years *
SOFT CELL
Say Hello Wave Goodbye
Tainted Love *
SPANDAU BALLET
Through The Barricades
True
TEARS FOR FEARS
Everybody Wants tORule The World *
THE CULT
She Sells Sanctuary *
TALK TALK
It's My Life
THE POLICE
De Do Do Do, Da Da Da Da *
THE PRETENDERS
Back on The Chain Gang *
THOMPSON TWINS
Hold Me Now *
TOM PETTY
Free Fallin'
THE WATERBOYS
The Whole of The Moon *
WET WET WET
With a Little Help From My Friends
YAZOO
Don't Go *
10cc
The Things We Do For Love *
ANNE MURRAY
You Needed Me
BEN E. KING
Stand by Me *
BOBBY DARIN
Beyond the Sea *
BUDDY HOLLY
That'll Be The Day *
CHER
The Shoop Shoop Song *
CHUCK BERRY
You Never Can Tell *
CLIFF RICHARD
Do You Wanna Dance *
Move It *
CREEDANCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
Bad Moon Rising *
Proud Mary
CRYSTAL GAYLE
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
EDISON LIGHTHOUSE
Love Grows Where my Rosemary ..
ELVIS
Hound Dog
Pocket Full of Rainbows *
The Girl of My Best Friend *
FOUR TOPS
I Can't Help Myself *
FRANK SINATRA
My Way
New York New York
FRANKI VALLI
Can't Take My Eyes Off You *
GENE KELLY
Singing in the Rain *
JACKIE WILSON
I Get The Sweetest Feeling
You Love Keeps Lifting me Higher *
JOHNNY NASH
I Can See Clearly Now
NAT KING COLE
L-O-V-E
NEIL DIAMOND
Forever in Blue Jeans *
Love on the Rocks
Sweet Caroline *
OTIS READING
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay *
RONNIE HILTON
A Windmill in Old Amsterdam *
ROY ORBISON
In Dreams *
Oh Pretty Woman *
Only The Lonely *
Penny Arcade *
You Got It *
SAM COOKE
Twisting the Night Away
Wonderful World
SIMON & GARFUNKEL
Mrs Robinson *
The Boxer
SHOWADDYWADDY
Under The Moon of Love *
STEALERS WHEEL
Stuck in the Middle With You *
SMOKEY
Living Next Door to Alice *
THE ARCHIES
Sugar Sugar *
THE BEATLES
In My Life
I Saw Her Standing There *
I Want to Hold Your Hand
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
Long Train Runnin'
THE HOLLIES
The Air That I Breathe *
THE KINKS
Lola
THE MONKEES
Daydream Believer *
I'm a Believer *
THE REAL THING
You To Me Are Everything *
THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP
Gimme Some Lovin *
THE TEMPTATIONS
My Girl *
TOM JONES
It's Not Unusual *
TONY CHRISTIE
Is This The Way to Amarillo *
VAN MORRISON
Brown-eyed Girl *
WILSON PICKETT
In The Midnight Hour
Land of 1000 Dances
Mustang Sally *
TRADITIONAL / SEASONAL
BRENDA LEE
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
DANIEL 'O DONNELL
Danny Boy
MICHAEL BUBLE
Holly Jolly Christmas
SLADE
Merry Christmas Everybody
THE POGUES & KIRSTY MacCOLL
Fairytale of New York *
TONY BENNETT
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
ASSORTED
Auld Lang Syne
UK National Anthem
BILLY RAY CIRUS
Achy Breaky Heart *
BLUES BROTHERS
Sweet Home Chicago
BONNY TYLER
It's a Heartache
DARIUS RUCKER
Wagon Wheel *
EAGLES
Lyin' Eyes
Hotel California *
Take it Easy *
FLEETWOOD MAC
Dreams *
GLEN CAMPBELL
Gentle on My Mind *
HANK WILLIAMS JNR.
Hey Good Lookin' *
JOHN DENVER
Take Me Home Country Roads *
JOHNNY CASH
A Thing Called Love *
Ring of Fire *
JONI MITCHELL
Both Sides Now *
KENNY ROGERS
Coward of the County *
The Gambler *
LADY A
Need You Now *
MARK COHEN
Walking in Memphis *
MARTY ROBBINS
El Paso *
RAY STEVENS
Misty *
RICHARD MARX
Hazard *
RICKY NELSON
Never Be Anyone Else But You *
SANTIANO
Whiskey in The Jar *
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN
The House is Rockin' *
THE BELLAMY BROTHERS
If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body *
Let Your Love Flow *
THE MAVERICKS
Dance The Night Away *
THE PROCLAIMERS
I'm Gonna Be 500 Miles *
Sunshine on Leith *
THE TRAVELLING WILBURYS
Handle With Care *
THE WURZELS
Blackbird *
Combine Harvester *
I am a Cider Drinker
ABBA
Dancing Queen
Does Your Mother Know
Happy New Year
Voulez Vous
AMY WINEHOUSE
Valerie
BACKSTREET BOYS
I Want it That Way
BEE GEES
Islands in the Stream *
BIG MOUNTAIN
Baby I Love Your Way *
BILLY JOEL
Just The Way You Are
Uptown Girl
BOB MARLEY
Could You Be Loved
Is This Love *
BON JOVI
It's My Life *
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Dancing In The Dark *
CHESNEY HAWKES
The One and Only
CHUMBAWAMBA
Tubthumping *
ED SHEERAN
Bad Habits
Shivers *
The A Team *
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Sweet Talking Woman
ELTON JOHN
Cold Heart (with Duo Lipa) *
I'm Still Standing
Little Jeannie *
Rocket Man *
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
Your Song
FOO FIGHTERS
Times Like These
GEORGE EZRA
Budapest *
GEORGE MICHAEL
Amazing *
Careless Whisper
GREEN DAY
Wake me up When September Comes
HARRY STYLES
As it Was *
JAMES
Sit Down *
JAMES BLUNT
You're Beautiful *
KEANE
Everybody's Changing
Won't Be Broken *
MICHAEL BOLTON
I Said I Loved You But I Lied *
MONTY PYTHON
Always Look on the Bright Side ..Life
MUMFORD & SONS
I Will Wait
MUSE
Uprising *
NO DOUBT
Don't Speak *
NOTHING BUT THIEVES
Sorry
OASIS
Cast No Shadow
Champagne Supernova *
Don't Look Back in Anger *
Little by Little *
Live Forever
Stand by Me *
REM
Everybody Hurts
The One I Love *
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
Angels *
Go Gentle *
Mr Bojangles *
ROD STEWART
I Don't Want to Talk About It *
Maggie May
Ooh La La *
Sailing
You Wear it Well *
RONAN KEATING
When You Say Nothing At All
SCISSOR SISTERS
Fire With Fire *
STATUS QUO
Rockin' All Over The World
STEREOPHONICS
Dakota *
Graffiti on the Train *
Handbags & Gladrags
Have a Nice Day *
Maybe Tomorrow *
THE CURE
Friday I'm in Love *
THE FEELING
Fill My Little World
THE KILLERS
Human *
Mr Brightside *
THE KOOKS
She Moves in Her Own Way *
THE NEW RADICALS
You Get What You Give
THE SCRIPT
The Man Who Can't be Moved *
THE SPECIALS
Gangsters *
THE VERVE
The Drugs Don't Work *
TOPLOADER
Dancing in the Moonlight *
TRAVIS
Sing *
U2
One *
About Me
From learning to play the Hammond organ at 14 years I have been a budding musician all my life but only joined my first band in my forties 2001 onwards. Since then I've been a gigging musician, performing as a keyboard player and backing vocalist, notably as a founder-member of popular Bristol covers band Tundra since 2006 and in 2024 adding a side project called Close Encounter, performing as a guitar duo.
At the end of 2025, when Tundra disbanded and Close Encounter ended, I launched as a solo act performing as Solo Encounter. This was a natural transition and an opportunity to perform with both keyboards and guitar and widen my musical offering to include popular synthesiser hits as well as traditional country and 'decades' guitar hits.
I perform in pubs, bars, clubs and for private events in South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the quieter suburbs of Bristol. This gives you a clue that I prefer to bring my music to cosy country pubs rather than busy city centre bars!
To give fullest sound during my performance I am accompanied by professional backing tracks supplying bass, drums and a few extra instruments to compliment my playing - this combination ensures my show is a rich musical experience of a wide variety of over 300 songs from genres ranging from country, to '60's, '70's '80's and '90's and even a few 'crooner' style songs! Please click here for my full set list - although I craft sets to suit each venue I am quite happy for venue hosts to specify which songs from my list they would like me to perform.
As a new name on the local music scene it takes time to build up my gigs, and indeed I am happy for it to grow organically. Feedback from from venues and customers alike is nevertheless very positive with praise for my vocals being regularly received.
Many of my local fans know me as 'The Owl Man' as I was a locally known British Owl Specialist and Wildlife Educator for 25 years working as 'Wild Owl', appearing on TV, radio and in various printed media over the years and giving hundreds of public talks as a professional speaker, so in one way or another I have always been 'on stage'. (check out my Wild Owl TV You Tube Channel if you like wildlife)
These days I like to let my music do the talking!
Ian
Please check out my videos section to listen to a few songs.