(Review by Russell)
Saturday morning brought the
massed ranks of the Suumertyne Gospel
Choir to the concourse at Sage Gateshead led by Sharon Durant for a Gospel Brunch meeting with first time visitors
to the UK ,
the fabulous McCrary Sisters. Four
sisters, Ann, Deborah, Regina and Alfreda, the daughters of
the late Rev Samuel McCrary, backed by an ace band (keyboards, guitar, bass and
drums), gave a stunning display of gospel singing to a huge crowd hanging on
their every word. Café, bars, stairs, balconies, every vantage point was taken.
The McCrarys set about lifting us up. Rise up! Jesus is in the house! There’s a
train a comin’. You get the picture. Lots of clapping (mostly in time), swaying
(some wobbling) and much applause. The McCrary Sisters will be back, no doubt
about it.
The Jumpin’ Hot outdoor stage got
under way at noon. The place was packed. Deck chairs, picnic hampers, bottles
of wine, bottles of beer. The King Bees
from Tyneside, a young five piece band, are odds on to win Bebop Spoken Here’s Best Dressed at Americana Award. Immaculately
turned out – suits, haircuts, a waistcoat or two, braces. The good news…these
lads could play. Front man Scott Taylor
(harmonica and vocals) looked the part. So much so he could have been behind
the wheel of the gleaming ’56 Buick Special on show across the way with other
vintage automobiles…Every woman I know,
crazy ‘bout an automobile…Taylor’s frontline partner, guitarist Michael Littlefield, played it
authentic blues-style and the piano, bass (double bass!) and drums boys snapped
to it – namely Dominic Hornsby, Paul
Emmett and Aidan Spink. The King Bees reached out across the Atlantic to
their heroes in
Russell.
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