Reviews of Billy Watman - Flamenco Fusion Guitarist

Billy was Fantastic! Our guests couldn't believe it was live guitar until they saw him. It was exactly what we were hoping for our wedding reception; sunny garden drinks and Spanish guitar! So many have commented to us how brilliant he was.
We were so grateful as he arrived super early as we messaged that there was a road closure.
Can't recommend him enough! Thanks Billy.

We hired Billy for our wedding, and from the very first moment we met him, we loved his vibe! He completely understood our ideas and the atmosphere we wanted for our wedding, and he absolutely nailed it.

As the bride, I honestly thought the DJ was playing music during our ceremony and cocktail hour because it sounded so perfectly placed and so beautiful. Then I looked out into the garden and realised it was Billy, doing what he knows best and creating the most incredible atmosphere with his music!

Billy is so smiley, friendly, and full of incredible energy. He brought such a special vibe to our day, and we will remember forever how amazing he made our wedding feel. Our guests kept commenting on how beautiful and well-chosen the music was, especially during the ceremony and cocktail hour.

If you’re reading this and considering booking Billy, this is your sign to BOOK HIM! You won’t regret it. He is incredibly talented, understands the vibe you want, and knows exactly how to make your day feel extra special.

Thank you, Billy, for being such an important part of our wedding and for making our day even more magical! ❤️🎶

WOW Billy was brillant fabulous addition to our sons Wedding the happy couple and guests were so complimentary highly recommend Billy for any party or function !

Billy arrived nice and early, fully equipped and enthusiastic for the event. Put on an amazing show that had multiple people coming up to me asking about him. On top of it all an incredibly likeable guy and very easy to work with. I'd definitely hire him again, his Dire Straights is a must on the request front.

INCREDIBLE GUITARIST. GAVE OUR EVENT THE BEST AMBIANCE. WE WOULD BOOK HIM AGAIN AND AGAIN. HE WAS SO EASY TO LISTEN TO AND WORK WITH.
BILLY PLAYED EXCEPTIONALLY FOR US, PLAYING EVERYTHING WE ASKED ON THE PLAYLIST WHICH WAS MARVELLOUS.
HE WOULD ENHANCE ANY EVENT... HE CAN PLAY EVERYTHING! HE SET THE ROOM ALIGHT AS WELL AS PLAYING GUITAR AS PEOPLE ARRIVED FOR THE EVENING. HIS SPANISH GUITAR WAS FANTASTIC. HE PLAYED FAMILIAR MUSIC AND FLAMENCO.
WE HOPE TO SEE HIM AGAIN SOON.
BILLY IS ONE OF THE BEST ACTS WE HAVE USED IN EVENTS OVER THE YEARS.
AWESOME GUY. THANK YOU FROM ALL AT THE LEGENDS TOUR.

We came across Billy online and thought his music would be ideal for our party. We were right - his superb playing entertained our quests delightfully for about 3 hours without being intrusive. The range of songs suited our Chilean themed evening. I can thoroughly recommend Billy as a musician for any private function

Billy was an amazing addition to my wedding reception! Very talented and a big hit with all our guests. Also a complete professional - his journey in was delayed through no fault of his own, but had factored in contingency time so he still arrived on time and our guests were none the wiser. Would definitely recommend!

Very talented musician, unique and interesting way of playing, fab repertoire covering all genres. Professional, came with all his own gear, coped admirably with weather changes. Many, many lovely and interested comments from guests who were very impressed! Would highly recommend.

Billy came to play at the special meal we had organised in a local restaurant for a party of 18 friends to celebrate our civil partnership.

Our friends have impossibly diverse and eclectic taste in music, but Billy’s playing of classical, Spanish, flamenco and pop music kept everyone happy. He has a unique playing style and his arrangements of music for the classical guitar was quite magical. Billy had a good sense of tempo taking it up or down a notch to suit the event. Who would have thought that a gig could encompass a flawless playing of Albeniz’ lyrical Asturias and end with a rousing rendition of Boney M’s Rasputin.

Many thanks Billy – we will look out for any public gigs you do and hope to see you again before long!

Well Billy was simply amazing at our wedding. Super professional; immensely talented and really a delight to communicate with. Our guests loved him and our only regret was that we did not book him for longer. He was a highlight of the day and can’t recommend him enough. A huge talent truly. Thank you Billy!!

Having met Billy at a friends wedding I was so pleased when he agreed to play at my 60th birthday party. I love the sound of acoustic guitar and Billy’s playing is sensational, he delighted my guests, and the evening was all the better with him playing. We were lucky enough to see him again when he played at The Stables. Another fabulous evening. Thanks so much Billy. All the best.

Billy was absolutely amazing and very talented. His set list was very varied and he is a spectacular guitarist - our guests were so impressed and he provided a great performance for our drinks reception. We’d definitely book him again for future events, and we’d definitely buy tickets to see him if he ever performed live!

Billy is incredibly popular with our guests! Great performer and very professional!

We was lucky enough to have Billy play at our corporate event in a wine cellar for our attendees. Billy has extraordinary talent and knew exactly the type of music that would suit the venue and our event. Billy was an absolute pleasure to deal with, arrived early and was interested and had a great sense of humour. All our guests loved his playing and I would hire Billy again in a heartbeat.

First class. Truly gifted and a wonderful entertainer. Will definitely use again - thank you.

Billy was excellent!

Billy played at our wedding on the weekend and was absolutely amazing. His music is beautiful and adds a great atmosphere and he was so calm and flexible on the day which made everyone feel so at ease with any changes in plan. Billy learnt the news songs that we asked him to and arrived at the venue way earlier than required to set up and to practise with the singer - he really went above and beyond. We appreciated his work massively and couldn’t recommend him more!

I first came across Billy busking in Oxford. His skilful playing caught my ear instantly and I was hooked. I researched him, listened to him online and wanted him to play for our reception drinks at our wedding. All the communication with him was excellent.
On the day itself Billy was perfect, his repertoire consists of a great balance for everyone. So many people were saying how incredible he was and even the staff at the venue, were asking me where I found him. I can only hope Billy has continued success. I recall a moment at our wedding, Billy was playing a Queen song, I looked around and everyone was just having the best time drinking pimms enjoying the music. Thanks Billy for the memories! I couldn’t recommend you enough, you are so talented.

Wow, wow, wow. Billy stepped in a very short notice and played during our wedding service and reception. I booked him on the morning of the event and to say he hit the mark is an understatment. He played beautifully during the service and managed to turn heads in the crowd with his fantastic playing and more than a few deep cuts caught the ears of what was a musically savvy audience. He has a great presence and a really engaging character, mixing with the guests and getting a feel for their likes. He then played through the drinks reception, hitting all the bases, wowing an appreciative audience with his skill and ability to play across such a diverse catalogue. His own compositions were exquisite and to watch him master a previously un played Indie rock track for my son, was mesmerising. A great afternoon, if you want live music and to witness raw talent, book Billy.

I can't recommend Billy highly enough - as well as being an incredible guitarist (watch the videos) he is also a really helpful, happy & friendly person to deal with and have at your event.

I first saw Billy support Jazz Sabbath in November 2022. He blew me away with his genius ability, skills that are naturally gifted followed by 20,000 hrs of practice, honing, and dedication to his art. Billy is a must-see artist who plays some of the best music ever written in his amazing and unique style. To add to his musical talent, he has a wonderful personality that shines through when h talks to the audience. Billy is unmissable. Make the effort to see and support this young talented maestro.

Billy Watman is a highly talented, versatile, flexible and gifted guitarist. He is also friendly and charming. We have seen him play at both public and private events like our own wedding and enjoyed them all.

With a wide repertoire, which covers famous Spanish and classical guitar works, through to imaginative reworkings of popular music anthems and hits, there is something for a wide range of tastes.

We found it easy to plan with him for our wedding and he performed beautifully on the day itself, and was very popular with guests. He also composes his own pieces, which are excellent. You can find examples of his work online, although nothing beats his live performances. We would highly recommend him. He made our day even more special.

I have been following Billy since seeing him on TV's Guitar Star.....and that's exactly what he is.....a real 'guitar star'!
He played at my husbands Memorial in January 2023 and made a very sad event a much easier situation to deal with. All of the guests told me how perfect the music had been, allowing conversations to take place but also allowing guests to sit and enjoy listening to Billy's exceptional playing. He makes playing a guitar look so easy! I try to get to see him play as often as I can along with a few other people who also appreciate and enjoy his talent. Go and see him, you wont be disappointed!

Billy was very professional in setting up for our wedding. He played for 3 hours outside on a historic country mansion terrace and balcony for our ceremony and drinks reception, and was magical throughout. Billy moved effortlessly through a relaxed, welcoming vibe to gentle romantic numbers during the ceremony itself and on to some energizing and highly entertaining arrangements during our drinks reception. All comms in the lead-up were clear and simple, no drama at all. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an acoustic guitarist. Great repertoire, masterful playing, unique arrangements. A lot of very positive feedback from the guests 10/10.

Billy played before our open air screening of Mamma Mia to a very large crowd. He is super talented and engaged the crowd with some popular songs. He even put some ABBA into his set list for us.
Very, very highly recommended.

Billy is a truly exceptional musician and performer. Wonderful arrangements stunningly performed with virtuoso technique. We have hired Billy a few times now and he never, ever fails to leave the audience begging for more. A real talent and a pleasure to work with.

Excellent communications throughout the booking process. Billy went that extra mile to perform at our wedding. Every guest remarked on his amazing music and his kind & gentle manner. I cannot recommend Billy Watman enough, he was simply brilliant.

I came across Billy at the Edinburgh Festival in 2016 when we did a BBC Radio show together. He was quick-witted, funny, and wonderfully, prodigiously talented. I invited him to do a slot on my show later that week and in the dressing room afterwards he busked with the group of beat-boxers that shared our venue, playing Stairway to Heaven to their acoustic accompaniment. He's super-likeable, always experimenting and choosing interesting, different arrangements (think Jamie Cullum). Hope to see him again soon- he's definitely a (guitar) star!

It was a real pleasure and privilege to be able to invite and include Billy Watman in our line-up for the Live in the Park music festival in Aylesbury in 2017. This free festival is one of the biggest music events in the Aylesbury calendar, and attracted over 11,500 people to the town. Billy is a very talented and professional performer, I wish him all the best and I hope he will perform for us again in the future.

It would be difficult summarize just how great an act/performer/musician/presenter Billy is, and it easy to be fooled into thinking he is much older. His performance whilst filled with youthful energy and passion is also mature and with a gravitas, which deepens and matures upon each of his performances here. Billy is Evidence of how practice makes perfect; Billy's repertoire is rich and diverse, classical pieces alongside contemporary classical and his own very worthy compositions. He is gradually building a repeat set of fans who always book well in advance of his gig dates; as a promoter, he's a definite winner to have. As a member of the audience, he's a joy to witness.

Billy is a phantastic and outstanding talented young musician we are more than happy to have him as an artist for the big global Ortega Guitars artist family. Billy joint us for this years Frankfurt Music show and left the audience mouth open every time he performed. Due to his young age but straight discipline he is a true model for young people helping to get their attention for making music and hopefully try out and instrument themselves, too. Don’t miss if you have the chance to see Billy live!

THOMAS S. / General Manager of Ortega Guitars Germany.

Have booked Billy for the last few years for Beacon Festival in Watlington, Oxfordshire, he is a pleasure to work with, always arrives in plenty of time, provides a professional and entertaining performance that really attracts a good crowd. Billy Watman provides something a little different, interacts well with the audience and is a great performer. I would highly recommend Billy, as a top class musician and performer

I have watched Billy develop from his Sky Arts days, instantly aware he has a talent to be nurtured and expanded. Carefully managed, his playing talent is now supported by awareness of arrangement, production and stage presence.
He was amongst friends at Thame, local boy returning to an event he has played before. Billy's growing talent was appreciated and widely recognised, with numerous comments in the crowd as to how well he played.
The loop pedal sequencing of While My Guitar Gently Weeps produced a rich interpretation, each layer adding depth and character to a well-known modern classic - not just another cover, but a personal arrangement that stands comparison with any other.
The old favourite Bohemian Rhapsody produced full-on audience participation and genuine applause.
A very short set to fit the event programme, but every second was full of good stuff.
Next call, probably, Towersey Festival. Another one worth travelling for....

When we sit down to sort through the bands each year for Bledfest-the first name that comes up every time is Billy Watman...6 years!!!
And when he plays,everyone knows why... especially the crowd sing along triumph that is his version of Bohemian Rapsody!
A true talent.

Billy entertained over 50 guests at a charity event recently . We all enjoyed the music and marvelled at his skill with the guitar. We can highly recommend Billy.

Easily one of the most personable and gifted musicians I know!!! Always super professional, on time and garners an amazing response every time!!!

Billy Watman is pretty remarkable. He’s done two shows for-or-at Henley Festival and frankly both audiences were stunned. He’s a remarkably confident lad for his years, but the confidence is doubtless built on an astonishing ability on the guitar. His Bohemian Rhapsody has attracted a lot of attention all round, but that’s far from where his talents begin or end. He is a very very accomplished guitarist and I will have great pleasure in seeing him go a long long way. Stewart Collins Henley Festival

This young man shows huge potential and his excellent and professional attitude will take him a long way in this business.
Add to that his natural talent and you have a winning combination. I know he plans to take his music studies further and I look forward to re visiting his performance abilities in a future festival.
Get him now cause he's gonna be big!!