Guitarist who grew up in Thornton will play with Bon Jovi this week with his band Northlake

Dylan Ackelbein, 19, and fellow members of the Dallas band Northlake will play an opening set for multi-platinum rock legends Bon Jovi at the 20,000 capacity American Airlines Center on Thursday this week (April 28).

The band were thrilled to be chosen as the grand prize winners of the ‘Opening Act’ national contest held by sponsors Hampton Water and Bon Jovi after

submitting a clip of the music video for their song ‘Capo’.

It’s all a long way from Thornton, where Dylan grew up with mum Marie, who originally comes from Fleetwood, his Californian dad Kurt and younger sister Evelyn, aged 12.

Kurt originally moved to the Fylde coast for his work as a train manager for Virgin Trains, where he met Marie, but the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 2012 after Kurt secured a new railroad job.

Marie (nee Baron), who is 46, is the current assistant to the band, said: “It’s a really big thing for the them, they are super excited to be playing a 20,000 capacity venue, meaning they’ll have played to a bigger audience than some of their current influences.

"The band are hoping to tour the US later this year and then hope to come to the UK where Dylan can play on home turf, breathe some proper sea air and introduce the band to his favorite fish and chips.

"Being a huge Beatles fan, one of his ambitions is to play at the Cavern in Liverpool and hopefully record at Abbey Road!”

Dylan’s relatives on the Fylde coast – his grandmother, aunts and uncles who live in Fleetwood, Thornton and Over Wyre, have all become huge fans of Northlake.Dylan first took an interest in playing guitar at the Sacred Heart Catholic School in Thornton and continued his guitar lessons in America, joining the School of Rock Music School and touring the States in 2017.Since leaving School of Rock Dylan and another SOR alumni Devlin Manning started their own band.

They are now Northlake - taking the music industry by storm with their original songwriting, reaching the top 40 of Apple’s New Alternative Rock charts with their latest single ‘Heavy Hand’.