This new blog is dedicated to my favourite band The Blues Band who I go to see as often as possible. From Xmas 2005 - Xmas 2006 I went to see them 15 times!
My review pasted below was published in October 2006 edition of THE BEAT magazine tells you something about this marvellous group.
THE BLUES BAND
Camberley Theatre, 13th September
The audience at Camberley Theatre were treated to a musically stunning evening by The Blues Band recently. The Blues Band feature three members of The Manfreds Paul Jones, Tom McGuinness and Rob Townsend. The line up also includes the remarkably talented Dave Kelly and Gary Fletcher. Blues Band gigs are always exciting as they don’t keep set lists, so you always get a different mix of songs.
Dave Kelly started the show with Stockyard Blues then Paul Jones went straight into the gutsy Without You, which was the ‘B’ side of the Manfred Mann 1964 hit 54321. He wrote that song a long time ago, but has only recently thought of the third verse to complete the song.
Dave Kelly sang a very bluesy Dock of the Bay and a country-soul version of the Ray Charles 1963 hit Busted. Tom McGuinness sang That’s Alright Mama in the style of the writer of the song Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup. Tom McGuinness also did the Big Bill Bronzy song The Glory of Love. Gary Fletcher sang his own very moving song World Gone Crazy, which was partly inspired by the tragic events of 11 September 2001 and partly due to a near tragic happening in his own family at about the same time.
The first set finished with a haunting steam train whistle from Paul Jones’ harmonica as he launched into the fast driving I’m Moving On, which was another a Ray Charles hit. The Blues Band usually feature a number of Ray Charles songs from their latest CD Thank You Brother Ray, which is their tribute to the late great Ray Charles.
The second half started off with Paul Jones casually strolling on stage with his mug of tea. He teased some members of the audience with a few bars of 54321, before launching into his awesome version of Work Song. Dave Kelly then joined him on stage to do their Dynamic Duo of When The Levee Breaks. After which the rest of the band came back on stage. More treats were in store for us with Dave Kelly’s very moving I am The Blues, Tom McGuinness’ masterful The First Time I Saw Your Face I Knew You Were The One For Me and Gary Fletcher’s inspiring Don’t Let Them Grind You Down.
Paul Jones, looking as young as ever, wowed us with Fine Brown Frame and his very romantic I’m Your Man. He started the audience off singing with a very funky I Don’t Need No Doctor and then tutored us into singing “Let It Roll All Night Long”, in the middle of Let the Good Times Roll, with the precision of The Count Basie Orchestra. It was tremendous fun!
The Blues Band left the stage after this to tumultuous applause. The audience stamped their feet and yelled for more for a number of minutes before The Blues Band re-appeared to finish the show (they always come back) with Paul Jones’ very moving version of Nobody’s Fault But Mine and then finally, Gary Fletcher’s rip-roaring Green Stuff, which is a great Blues Band standard. The audience sang and clapped along to it. The Blues Band took their final bows to a standing ovation.
The Blues Band never fail to amaze me with their musical excellence and I can’t wait to see them again at The 100 Club, in December.
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Will write more about The Blues Band soon.
Would like to hear from other Blues Band fans.
Catfish Jane
