Mornin',
I can't even begin to tell you how many things were wrong with last week's email, but there was one glaring mistake. For some reason after November there was.....another November!! This of course makes things very confusing as to where 2010 is actually going to begin, so could you just take it that all the gigs listed for the second November of 2009 are for December!!
I saw some fabulous gigs last week - I even went to a jam session!! Yep, Tuesday night we jumped in the car and drove to Hullbridge to watch The Nightflies being the house band at the local jam. There was even talk about me getting behind the drums but I soon avoided that!! Then things started to get a bit confusing when a couple of the locals started asking them to play something by The Kings Of Leon!! Yeeeeeeessss..........Anyway, on Thursday I was at The Newcrawdaddy Club to watch a brilliant set by The Wildcards. Lots of new material was played, mainly from their third CD which will be out soon, and a couple of numbers were played for the first time in public. I love being a Guinea Pug!! :-) Most of the Nightporters songs have been dropped now, although I'm told that when they play longer sets some of them creep back in. Apparently one of the longest sets they play is in Finland so that's one of the best places to see them. Thanks lads, but we'll see you in Paignton some time - it's a lot closer - and warmer :-)
Unfortunately my opinion in last weeks email - concerning people only coming to blues gigs when the performer is black and American - came true as there was nowhere near the same amount of people there to see the brilliant Wildcards, a story also true for Larry Miller at Riga the next night. Not a bad turn out though and Larry put on a great 2 hour+ show but it does give me a lot of head scratching trying to work out why people can be so blinkered in their outlook. They same happened the next night as well when we had a disappointing turn out for Jesse Davey & Friends. The band performed a blistering set with Jesse and Jon Amor blasting some stunning solos. As a lot of you know, I'm going to see Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck perform together next year and all I was thinking on Saturday was I hope they play as good as Jesse and Jon!! Still they seemed to sell a fair bit of merchandise at the end with people buying the reissue double version of Humdinger by The Hoax and Jon Amor's new CD Stories From The Crooked Room - a great CD by the way. My thanks go to Ken Ansted for sorting the gig out and coming all the way from Swindon to watch it, the two Ronnies for turning up instead of going to Watford (don't ask!!) and to Mike from The Newcrawdaddy Club for again turning up to make it 3 gigs on the trot for that week. See you next at Roots Hall and hope you enjoy Mott The Hoople at Hammersmith Odeon :-)
The last time that Man played at Riga we had about 100 people in but again Sunday night was a disappointing turn out. Martin Ace put the blame onto himself saying that he didn't promote the gig enough as he now lives in Germany but I'm afraid I think he's going to find out that there's more too it than that. After all, X-Factor was on and people have to get their priorities right!! Still Man, like the others played a great set and again sold quite a bit of merchandise at the end. Strangely enough Riga seems to be that place to sell a lot of merch even if the audience numbers all that great. Sunday was another night where the band sold more that on other nights where there was a larger audience. By the way Man's new CD, Kingdom Of Noise, is also an excellent buy.
And so to this week....tonight (Tuesday) I'm off to the Hoy At Anchor Folk Club to see Roy Mette and then it's Riga on Thursday for Tracer supported by Blind Ambition, The Groove Doctors on Friday, The Legend's Of The 60's (mustn't forget my Kinks LPs!!) supported by Still Waiting on Saturday and then on Sunday the person that I have so many questions about regarding his return....Carvin Jones.
Thurs 8th TRACER + Blind Ambition - With a sound reminiscent of 90's grunge/stoner rock mixed with the everlasting bravado of 70's classic rock, Tracer is a driving, sonic sledgehammer of massive guitars, clever hooks and raw uncompromising vocals. Forming out of the ashes of blues prodigy band The Brown Brothers in 2004, Michael (Vocals and guitar) and Leigh Brown (Vocals and Bass) teamed up with drummer Andre Wise to make Tracer. After two years of gigging in their hometown of Adelaide, Tracer released their debut EP Into The Night (2007) and toured through regional South Australia, Melbourne and Sydney with airplay on community radios. During 2008 Tracer took on an extensive touring schedule with multiple trips to Melbourne, a swag of successful Adelaide shows and were also involved in the Carclew Heaps Good Music Tour in regional SA.“Tracer quite simply blew the audience away with their grandiose sound…Their set was as intriguing as their party tricks (guitars played behind heads and drums played backwards), which received much praise along with the frontman's fierce guitar work” Monika Laskowski – dB Magazine. On top of all this, Tracer also wrote and recorded a new seven track album entitled L.A.? “We wanted something that sounded international,” said guitarist/vocalist Michael Brown, “so we spent a lot of time in pre-production and made sure that we didn't cut any corners in the studio. The result is something that we're all truly proud of”. L.A.? is an album that you need turn up loud and chug beer to. There's no easing into it either as lead track End of the Samurai kicks in with a monstrous riff and dramatic vocals. Tracer's first single Wrecking Ball bears its teeth at track three introducing listeners to Michael's beautifully brutal, one-of-a-kind baritone guitar. Unlike previous releases Leigh Brown's enormous voice is on display on two tracks and the band's impressive musicianship shines on crowd favourite Sleep By The Fire. http://www.tracer-band.com £5
Fri. 9th THE GROOVE DOCTORS + Support - The Groove Doctors produce superb original music and are a solid, integral part of the UK Rhythm & Blues scene. With successful festival appearances at Colne, Burnley, Brentwood, Banbury and in Holland & Germany, they play their brand of R&B the way you want to hear it; energetic, totally entertaining and with 110% commitment. In addition to their gig schedule, they are currently working on a live album and DVD/Video recording for future release. http://www.groovedoctors.c..o.uk £6
Sat. 10th LEGENDS OF THE 60'S - 5-piece band consists of Mick Avory (The Kinks drummer), Eric Haydock (bass ex-Hollies), Martin Lyon (singer ex-Love Affair), with Ted Tomlin and Graham Pollock on guitars. http://www.thelegendsofthe..sixties.de £10 advance / £12 door
To buy tickets online go to http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_south&query=detail&event=345338&interface=
Sun 11th THE CARVIN JONES BAND - Carvin has received numerous awards and recognition. In Arizona, he was awarded New Times' "Entertainer of the Year" award in 1997, "Best Guitarist" in 1998 by Get Out Magazine, and Char's Has the Blues named him "Best Guitarist of the Year" for three years in a row. The Band received the Arizona Entertainment Award for "Best Blues Band of the Year" in 1993, and was voted "Best Blues Band" from 1994 through 1996 by the New Times' Reader's poll. Carvin also received the New Times Music Showcase award for the Best Blues Band in 2006. Visit Carvin's 'press' page on his website for various reviews written about the band. Carvin has been featured in Experience Hendrix Magazine and Guitarist Magazine voted Carvin into “The 50 greatest blues guitarists who ever walked the earth!” in January 2001. Carvin Jones is a young cat out of Phoenix who I think is the next up-and-coming blues player. - Eric Clapton, Top Blues Guitarist
"Carvin Jones is one of the brightest young stars on the blues scene today." - Albert Collins, Legendary Blues Guitarist English Fans label Carvin "THE KING" Welsh Media say he's "the new Jimi Hendrix" ". . . one of the best blues guitarists in the world . . ." London Surrey News. http://www.carvinjones.com £8
To buy tickets online go to http://www.ticketweb.co.uk../user/?region=gb_south&que..ry=detail&event=345338&int..erface=
Don't forget music and/or videos by the people playing this week are on the Riga Myspace site, so have a look, listen and buy tickets :-)
TTFN
KEEP MUSIC LIVE