MAD RAT MAG light and its time to OI Oi get the cars out Be sensible Don’t Speed! Don’t Drink! Don’t Drive like an idiot, Be Mad Rat Towers is a football free zone Safe! After all who can admire your jalopy apart from the ruckus that drifts through when its travelling at 100,0000,0000 mile the window from the neighbour’s house’s, an hour plus!!!! Yeah I know your thinking I don’t even do the football pools even what the hell ‘my Jallopy shakes over 10 though my son has been scouted by pro- mile an hour’ but you know what I’m say- fessional clubs over the last few years. ing. Now I know that your probably thinking Once again a tremendous response to well what’s this got to do with the rock n the mag (May) hard copy and online for roll scene? Well ill tell ya!!! Not an awful which the Mad Rat Team thanks you and lot just remember that your support is also if you fancy dropping us a line you can do needed on the scene and all year round it in several ways which are printed here and most games should be finished in in the mag and on the new look website plenty of time for you to nip off to your which will change again shortly so keep local rockin’ club and continue to give looking in. them your support…. T Shirt winners will receive them shortly Every year clubs suffer dropping atten- we are just waiting on a new delivery but dance due to this sport or that sport and we haven’t forgotten you and you will be yes supporting sport is important but sporting your Mad Rat T Shirt as soon as when the season is finished you will we can get it to you. Those distributors expect your local rockin’ club to still be who have failed to receive your mags I there try to support am checking it out with the courier not it all, through the sure what happened yet but you will be football, wimble- informed as soon as I know. don, the cricket and lets get back Everyone going to Calella have a great to the rockin’ time and send us a postcard. Olympics that you have all year See you in the playground !! round. Oh yeah and lets hope your team wins…. Rockin’ Regards On a very rockin’ note the sun’s out Spike and the nights are 3 MAD RAT MAG 4 MAD RAT MAG gig review Band: The Mike Sanchez Band nal Big Town Playboy's lead vocalist, sax man Venue: The 100 Club, London & harp player, Ricky Cool, who gave us an Date: 29th April 2006 authentic version of Little Willie Littlefield's "Happy Pay Day" and more to boot. He joined Mike, now on guitar, with a great harp led ver- The last time I saw Mike Sanchez and his sion of "Shake Your Hips" which sent the fans band I was a little disappointed. The show into a wee bit of a frenzy. Mr. Cool received seemed a bit lack lustre and the main man rapturous applause when leaving the stage. It appeared a bit weary from playing a tired set. was definitely guest night as the piano maes- But on this occasion I was pleased to see that tro introduced the "incredible vocal talents of the hottest R'n'B band in the UK had risen Miss Imelda May". Imelda slinked onto the from the embers to give probably their best stage in one of her tight dresses that led the performance in a long long time. The 100 club guys in the front, middle and back rows to a was packed to the roof with "Sanch" fans state of jaw dropping asphyxiation. "Let the seemingly from all over the globe. The atmos- Good Times Roll", "…Mellow Saxophone" and phere was somewhat reminiscent of 100 club much more flowed from the Irish R'n'B diva. nights gone by, with many familiar colleagues I've seen Imelda many times and with various and friends in the audience such as Mick acts, but in my opinion this was her best per- Wigfall from the Enforcers, Big Boy & Lisa formance to date. Stunning!! Bloater, Nick Lunt from Jools' Orchestra and Ocean's Seven plus many of the London After a short break and time for all to catch dancing set. their breath, the Band were back on playing through many of the old Playboy favourites The Band strode onto the stage followed by and introducing the guests one more time. the larger than life Senor Sanchez, looking One of the highlights for me was the guitarist the showman in his signature white suit and standing in for Andy Sylvester. This guy is one black shirt. By the time he reached the stage to watch. His style is very Johnny Guitar Wat- the towel was already dabbing his perspiring son come Sylvester, but plays with a confi- brow. The heat was on, but it was just about dence and a cockiness that enthrals musi- to get hotter! A huge roar came from the cians, punters and tonight, the posse of 20 crowd as the band was announced over the year old girls who danced in flirting distance Club PA. Then bang, the mighty six-piece as he took to the mic and banged out a great launched into action. Numbers such as "Girls version of the Sonics' "Will Travel". His name; All Over The World", "She's Gone Away" and Oliver Darling. Style, talent, looks….lucky B!! "Let's Mr. Sylvester certainly has a protégé. Have A Party" The last number of the night was a segued were "Lights Out" into "Red Hot Mama", which just played about exhausted the Band let alone the with a crowd. Mike and the guys were back on form newand proved that they are the best in class dur- enthusi- ing their playing time of just under three hours. asm, Great band, great venue, excellent value and which the Murphy's is pretty good too! They're back inched at the 100 club later in the year. Check out up anoth- www.mikesanchez.co.uk or er notch when the www.the100club.co.uk for details. stage greeted Mad Rat the origi- 5 MAD RAT MAG My Highlights of Hemsby 36 … The Boogie, Vanessa. Little Diane, Marvin,Alex, By Linette Richardson Dave Crozier, Tiki Stu, Tojo, Moose, The Collins Kids and Wildcat Pete. Apologies for missing the bands that played on Fri- So now we were hooked and Saturday came round day afternoon, The Fat Cat Trio and The Skiprats, with a blink of an eye or at least that's what it felt like both bands I know and love and am sure did a when I woke up at 9.00am urgh!!! Looking forward tremendous start of kicking the weekend off and by to Saturday we started off with a coffee and headed the high spirits that were apparent at the time of my off to the Norfolk bar a little light on people due to arrival I guess its guaranteed that they played a the car cruise but a good four hundredish joined us blinder. I also missed Santos and The Hi Strung for Johnny And The Midnight Trio who did a bril- Ramblers all of whom played the Norfolk bar on Fri- gig review liant 45 minutes of authentic rockabilly to a large day afternoon into the early evening. appreciative crowd I noticed that David was back playing bass instead of Connie for this event. My So to the main ballroom I caught the tail end of favourite from this set has to be Hungry For Your Junior Marvel and The High Flyers, and I mean Loving.Next up our very own Cat & The Hot Tin the tail end which was a shame because the last Trio, who played a good mix of rock'n'roll / rockabil- few songs that I did hear were very good and the ly. Reeling of the news of the bands number one in audience seemed to be loving every note. Next up Austin Texas she had all the girlies up strolling to was Bobby Crown & The Ramblers the crowd The Worrying Kind. The crowd stayed firm and erupted when from the corner of the stage a grand- cheered and whistled and leered… yes Cat they fatherly figure appeared then the Ramblers revved checked the dress!!!! The boys smartly dressed up and Bobby Crown started his first number there gave it a million and took their turn at singing and was a serge to the stage and the set went from very whooping and whailing a tremendous set that good to brilliant and when Bobby dropped his earned them huge applause and lots of compli- trousers fl of the way through the and strutted ments. around in his boxer shorts whilst singing hit after hit Ok, so next up was the part of the evening pro- of his and everybody else's greatest songs the grammed as Saturday Night Special Get Trashed whole place reeled in the knowledge that it remains with Big Daddy And The Arousers… a surf band in good hands however old you are or feel when that from and around oxford that had been playing music starts there is no holding back. together for 11 years. The programme says that they describe themselves as the only true surf band Now, when I last saw Barrence Whitfield it was in the UK, well that's not quite how I would describe very early in the morning and I was feeling a little them, needless to say this was not my favourite act worse for wear and reluctantly had decided that it of the weekend.