THE Bridgehouse II is holding a two-day outdoor festival in its courtyard at the end of the month. Saturday, August 29, features an Italian Pink Floyd tribute band, Down South London, supported by Newham bands Hard Sell and East End Promises. Sunday boast

THE Bridgehouse II is holding a two-day outdoor festival in its courtyard at the end of the month.

Saturday, August 29, features an Italian Pink Floyd tribute band, Down South London, supported by Newham bands Hard Sell and East End Promises.

Sunday boasts a rock and roll bill with Oliver/Dawson Saxon - featuring guitarist Graham Oliver and bassist Steve Dawson from the 1980s line-up of heavy metal band Saxon.

The original band was formed in 1976 in Barnsley. As leading lights in the new wave of British heavy metal, they had huge success in the 1980s with eight UK Top 40 albums and four Top 10 albums.

Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart and between 1980 and 1987 established themselves as one of Europe's biggest metal acts.

Graham and Steve formed Oliver/Dawson Saxon in1995, relying on Saxon songs for their live sets.

They will be supported at The Bridgehouse, Bidder Street, Canning Town, by Praying Mantis, pictured above, and former Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton, who also played with Praying Mantis in their early years.

Opening the day will be local band That Legendary Wooden Lion, featuring Roy Weard, formerly of Dogwatch and Last Post.

Praying Mantis were formed in the mid-1970s by brothers Tino and Chris Troy, and, along with Iron Maiden and Saxon, helped to spearhead the new wave of heavy metal in the UK.

They reformed in 1990 and released their latest album, Sanctuary, in June.

Tickets from www.wegottickets.co.uk and www.ticketweb.co.uk. �10. or �15 on the door.

We are giving away five pairs of tickets to BridgeFest - see this week's Recorder for details.