Introducing Tonights Band

December 2008 Page 1 This year has seen some cracking nights here INTRODUCING TONIGHT’S ACT at the Borough Blues Club. We have had great “Groovyhead” numbers in attendance throughout the year, even during the traditionally quiet summer holiday season! 2008 has seen us look further The Band a field to find new and interesting bands to bring to the club and we were fortunate enough to secure two international artists in Mick Pini and Rikki Massini.

We started the year back in January with Memphis in the Meantime and then a great night with The Fugitives in February set the tone for the rest of the year. Built for Comfort gave us a St David’s day celebration and local band Mango Crow entertained us well in April.

May saw the bluesmeister Mick Pini with his ’54 Strat and then in June we staged our first festival, featuring our own Borough Blues Workshop Band, Mango Crow and Still Got The Blues, headlined by Blue Traffic. The outstanding young Virgil and the Accelerators followed the festival inside a ram-jam-full club Groovyhead are (From left to right) that the same evening. Rob Scott – Lead & Rhythm guitars & Lead An exuberant Red Eyed Fly and 2nd Wind Blues vocals; Band filled the summer month slots and then Clive Kennard - Lead & Rhythm guitars & all the way from Milan we had Rikki Massini for vocals; our birthday bash in September. Ted Crook’s Chris Howells – Drums & Percussion; Blues Highway were extremely impressive in October and last month Rob Berry was Paul Atterbury – Bass outstanding.

Next Month at the BBC – 3rd Tonight Groovyhead round off 2008, and the January big question is… Who have you enjoyed most? Who would you like to see back here in the “Jay Tamkin & The future? Vote for your favourite band of 2008, Crackers” use the slip provided and hand it in at the desk!

Fast rising young guitar slinging trio promising My personal favourite? I’ll tell you next month! Killer rock and blues. The Jay Tamkin Band are a three piece blues band from Devon, they have supported Chris FORTHCOMING GIG Farlowe and Madeline Belle and just a couple PROGRAMME of weeks ago opened for Buddy Whittington (John Mayall guitarist). Blow away those January blues with some top- Dates for your Diary notch blues at the BBC, get your tickets 3rd January 2009 Jay Tamkin & The tonight! Crackers 7th February Junior Hacksaw th REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2008 7 March The Debbie Giles Band 4th April Virgil & The Accelerators 2nd May Built for Comfort 6th June Mick Pini December 2008 Page 2 4th July Jack the Biscuit Before we looked around, it was the end of the PLUS: All Day Blues Festival July 18th first set, and the guys left the stage for a well- earned rest. There was not a huge crowd in this Saturday but those who were there said st 1 November: ROB BERRY’s they really enjoyed it. BLUES BAND - Gig As seem usual this time of year, everybody by Adrian Powell Review you talk to is ill, and the BBC Committee is no exception. As a result of this and family commitments, we were reduced to three of us. So it was with great relief we were able to call on Paul Whewell and his Lady to collect the raffle for us – Many Thanks from the BBC. Thanks also to Rob Berry and his band for donating one of their CD’s for the raffle.

The second set got off to a great start with a song called ‘Say what’. This was a dynamic ‘rocker’ with lots of ‘Wah-Wah’ pedal, followed by a Freddy King number – ‘Going down Slow’ with Rob showing how he could duet with himself on guitar and ‘Harp’ – I’ve never seen These guys were ‘spotted’ on myspace by one anyone do it like this before, as he used both of our ever keen talent scouts, and after some instruments as lead sounds throughout the persuasion, they graciously offered to travel all song, fantastic. the way up from Southampton to do a gig for The set progress through with lots of ‘Texas us, earlier this year, as we were getting Blues’ SRV style with Texas Flood, Pride and desperate to fill one of the summer slots. Joy, in fact, even if you weren’t a Stevie-Ray However by that time Dave had finally fan, you would have enjoyed this! managed to find a local band that was available and so after some further internet The boys noticed how our ladies liked a spot of activity it was agreed that this band would be ‘twirling around’ – how they ever thought a booked for the next free slot, in November. blues band would get away with playing Great decision, at least that was what the ‘Mustang Sally’ is beyond me - - but they did!! members on the night thought – and so did But they redeemed themselves with songs like we! ‘Howlin’ Baby’ and ‘Voodoo Child’ which was to be the final number of the set. By this time the Hailing from the South of England this trio place was on a high – so, the boys encored gave us one of the club’s best nights. with ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ and the final With virtuoso performances from Stuart Ross number of the night, a ripping version of on Drums, Nigel Dixon on Bass, and on Lead Clapton’s ‘Tore Down’. everything else, Rob Berry. At the end, the response from the members and guests was of rousing applause. The band worked hard all I think it’s fair to say that Rob Berry and his night performing a mixture band will be back in the near future; this will of recognised covers with give those of you who missed them, the the likes of Albert Collins, chance to see a great band. BB King and Howling Wolf to name but a few, but also managed to keep the crowd Club News happy with a number of their own songs – pretty rare from an ‘unknown’ Members, this is YOUR club, so if any of you band, obviously there’s a lot of quality in this have any ideas, suggestions or comments use band (in fact, the drummer, Stuart Ross, is a the attached feedback form. professional Bass-player – for Vanessa Mae). But I think a lot of it had to do with them Remember also that you can find us online at: making sure that the sets were varied, www.boroughblues.com because we had Blues, Funk, Jazz, Swing, www.myspace.com/boroughbluesclub Rock, you name it, and we had it – great stuff. December 2008 Page 3 Also you can link to us on facebook using: [email protected] That’s all folks!