Our Rocking 2016 line-up includes:

• Premier Crue

  Prëmier Crüe - The band with more changes of rhythm guitarist than the Sugababes have had members, are back once more to rock the O2 Academy in the name of pensions. Frontman @DanPeroni, bassist Bobby Carrot, drumstick wielder Kris Boogs and guitarists Sean The Cauldron, Pete The Vicar now vow to wow the loud crowd. How? With a cow (bell) if allowed.

  @DanPeroni - still trying desperately to find his own voice rather than trying to sound like Vedder, Keidis Followell or Grohl. More of a mimic than a singer. But an OK one. Still won't audition for XFactor on principle.

  Pete "the Vicar" was once given a leaflet in Croydon saying "Jesus saves". He still believes that Jesus is a Spanish goalkeeper in the Premier League. This is the only football knowledge he has and earned him his nickname. What he knows about guitar he learned at a young age and then never learned another thing. He is not a qualified actuary but did once suggest that pension scheme mortality issues could be solved with a drive by outside the Post office on a Thursday. The only problem is that they all collect their pensions online now. Alas whilst time may have moved the man out of the 1970's you can't take the 1970's out of the man.

  Bobby 'Carrot' doesn't know if he is coming or going. He's picked up his bass again to try to regain the spotlight as he has been usurped in recent times by Baby Carrot off of Eggheads and Kevin Carrot, the star of the Aldi Christmas TV advert. So he's hedging his bets with two bands this year, Prëmier Crüe, playing here at Mallowstreet Rocks and "Bobby Carrot & The Root Veg" who will be playing various farmers markets throughout Suffolk this spring. Songs include "I Got A Brand New Combine Harvester", "Fields of Gold" and a selection of tunes from the classic time-travelling farming film "Tractor the Future".

  Kris "Boogs" Buglear: Some say, he was forged from earth, wind and fire in a "boogie wonderland"; that his snare drum is so loud that when he hits it a kitten dies someone in the southern hemisphere; and that he's counted up to four so many times that he can no longer remember what numbers come after that. All we know is that he's called "The Sticks". In truth, that's the first time he's ever been called it, but it helped make this a mildly amusing bio. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you: Mr Boogs. <cymbal crash>

  Sean "The Cauldron" Caldwell: The Cauldron returns to the fold like Columbo returning to the prime suspect's house with one more question seemingly unconnected to the murder case. In his time away from the band he has travelled the world visiting such exotic destinations as Kidderminster, Bury St Edmonds and Rhyl. He brings back to the band a wealth of knowledge; not in music unfortunately - he has learnt to talk to stoats, has climbed Snowdon is espadrilles and is now a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Pangolin-charming.

• Fidelius Mac
  • Michael Cox (Head of T&C) – Rhythm Gitaur- Michael tackles the role as front man like he does a t&c audit. Goes at it with the gusto of a man on a mission.
  • Lewis Miller (Finance) – Drums – Lewis has played drums all his life it seems. A big Pearl Jam fan, he hits the skins hard and drives the back-line.
  • James Biggs (Head of Employee Benefits) – Bass – Biggsy has rocked countless pubs and clubs over the years, with many “10 men and a dog” experiences. Has previously played Pensions Rocks at The 100 Club and likes to play loud and fast.
  • Tim Lambert – (Head of our Capital Investment Division) – Rhythm Guitar. Tim has dusted off the axe for one more outing after a few years off the circuit. His former band once supported The Levellers in front of 3,000 fans, so this will be a walk in the park.
  • Graeme ("G-Man") Howell - Singer. New to the band, Graeme is a pension consultant at Fidelius. His singing prowess has good pedigree, having previously toured Sweden in a 4-man A Capella group - "skol!"
• Close to the Edge
  • Chris Churchill (Vocals)…Head Dealer, Close Brothers asset Management. An Elvis wanabee whose music experience consists of being wheeled out to sing at three weddings (no funerals !)..all of which have been the highlight, and lowlife, of his non-existent music career. Decided it would be fun to join the office band. Soon realised with trepidation the challenge ahead, but hey ho, it’s all for a good cause.
  • Michael Alabaster (Drums)…Head of Channel Support, Close Brothers Asset Management. Many moons go Michael was the drummer in a band from Essex called Clyde. A welcome return to playing live and a step on the road to fame and fortune.
  • Fionn Craven (vocals and bass)...Operations Professional, Close Brothers Asset Management. Currently lead singer and guitarist in a band (theeastcolelctive.com) but wanted to challenge myself in playing Bass for the first time. Love it.
  • Ricky Hollowood (Lead Guitar)… Investment Manager, Close Brothers Asset Management. Last played live 25 years ago and curiously the opportunities since have been a bit thin on the ground for unknown reasons (?). Initially offered to play guitar, bass or drums until we found a better offer on the latter two.
  • Andy Buss ( rhythm guitar and vocals)… Investment Manager, Close Brothers Investment Management. With no previous experience was challenged by his wife to form a band ten years ago (The Zimmermen) which is still going strong (to everyone’s amazement).
• Red Zeppelin

  Mavericks. Misfits. Disproportionately red headed. These have all been used to describe the motley crew that is Red Zeppelin, a hard rocking, ground shaking, earth shattering symphony of noise and colour. Before the band formed, they wandered the streets, purposeless and alone. Now, they are united by a common goal; to crush all before them and win mallowstreet Rocks. And to drink. The drinks are free, right?

• BlackRocket

  Winners back in 2013, can they do it once more...

  • Jeannette Spaulding (vocals) – Jeannette works in Client Mandate Strategy & Design by day and is a rock goddess by night.

  • Dan Edwards (vocals) – If a member of disbanded One Direction worked in Risk & Quantitative Analysis, Dan would be that member…

  • Stephen Crocombe (guitars) – As BlackRock’s Head of Multi-Asset Stratgies in EMEA, it was perhaps inappropriate when he shouted in a recent band conference call next to the trading floor: “We need to grab our crotches more if we want to win!”

  • Chris Moore (keys) - A Managing Director in BlackRock’s Institutional business, Chris remembers most of our songs the first time they came out as originals in the 60s!

  • Olutayo Osunkule (drums) – Olu is a Nigerian drum god who picks stocks for a living. Go figure.

  • Stephen White (bass) – After dreaming of being a world-famous jazz double bassist as a kid, Stephen is naturally now a Director in Corporate Communications.

• Artisan Partners House Band

  The Artisan Partners House Band comprises perhaps the most well-travelled gang of studio musicians in recording history. Fresh from their acclaimed “No Redemptions” tour of Europe & the Middle East, the line-up includes:

  • Bass: Andrew “Stretch” Marks. Raised in Harlem in the mid-70s as the lovechild of Bootsy Collins and Janis Joplin. (EMEA Distribution)
  • Lead Guitarist: Sid “George Benson” Kulenovic. Crowned best teeth-playing guitarist of his generation in Yugoslavia …a title he still holds today for largely historical reasons. Prone to sulking whenever anything written after 1970 is proposed for the set list. (IT, London).
  • Vocals/Keyboards: Multi-instrumentalist Tay “Ninja” Incekara. Pop cheerleader at a time when the band looked like it was fast-becoming a Grand Funk Railroad cover band. (Compliance)
  • Vocals: Richard “Don’t use my real name” Logan. Northern Ireland born, Americana folk hero signed to Van Morrison’s label as a young child. (Senior Analyst, Global Equity Team).
  • Vocals: Sabina “R’cotix” Boureni. Showed up erroneously one evening at rehearsals looking for the company talk on nutrition. The Parisian secured a spot in the band after successfully completing a short quiz on new wave French punk bands. (EMEA Distribution).
  • Rhythm Guitar: Joey “wah-wah” Kiatlertpongsa. Gifted child protégé on the classical guitar, now working on his first crossover album. Never used a pedal before. (Research Associate, Global Equity Team).
  • Drummer – Thierry “Thunder” Clarke. Thierry is the only non-Artisan member of the band. Drafted in when it was decided a pre-samples Dr Rhythm drum machine simply would not work due to the consistency of its time-keeping.
  • Dancing, Backing Vocals, Percussion: Julie Anderson & Hannah Greene, collectively known as “The Whatevers” (Marketing & Comms/EMEA Distribution).